All Saints’ Day in Kraków: candlelit cemeteries, what’s open on 1 November and how to visit
On 1 November, All Saints’ Day, Poles visit the graves of their families, and after dark Kraków’s cemeteries glow with thousands of candles. In 2026 the holiday falls on a Sunday. It is a public holiday, so shops are closed and some major sights shut for the day. The next day, 2 November (All Souls’ Day), is an ordinary working Monday. If you are in Kraków that weekend, here is what to expect, what is open and how to visit the cemeteries respectfully.
What is All Saints’ Day in Poland?
All Saints’ Day (Wszystkich Świętych) is a Catholic feast and one of the most important family days of the Polish year. Many people travel across the country to tidy the graves of their relatives, bring chrysanthemums and light candles in coloured glass holders, called znicze. All Souls’ Day (Zaduszki) on 2 November is dedicated to prayer for all the dead, but it is not a day off work. In practice the two days blend into one long weekend of remembrance.
The atmosphere is quiet rather than gloomy. Cemeteries fill with families, flower and candle stalls line the streets outside the gates, and once the sun goes down (at 16:17 on 1 November 2026) the alleys turn into seas of flickering light.
Can visitors go to the cemeteries?
Yes. Visitors are welcome, and an evening walk through a candlelit cemetery is one of the most memorable sights of the Polish autumn. Municipal cemeteries are open on 1 November from 6:00 until the last visitors leave, and on 31 October and 2 November from 7:00 to 22:00. A few simple rules help:
- keep your voice down and walk on the paths, not across graves,
- do not photograph mourners up close; wide shots of the lights are fine,
- leave the candles as they are — even a burnt-out one belongs to someone,
- if you want to take part, you can buy a candle at a stall by the gate and leave it at a grave of a famous person or at a neglected tomb.
Jewish cemeteries follow different customs: people do not bring flowers or candles but place a small stone on the tombstone, men cover their heads, and you should not eat or drink inside.
Which cemeteries in Kraków are worth visiting?
Rakowicki Cemetery is the city’s largest and best-known cemetery. Along the main alley stands the tomb of the painter Jan Matejko (more in our Jan Matejko trail), nearby lies the actress Helena Modrzejewska, and close to the cemetery chapel the Nobel Prize-winning poet Wisława Szymborska. The parents of Pope John Paul II are buried in the military section. On All Saints’ Day volunteers, often well-known Kraków actors, collect donations at the gates to restore historic tombstones — a tradition since 1981.
Salwator Cemetery, a small parish cemetery in the Zwierzyniec district on the way to Kościuszko Mound, is where the science-fiction writer Stanisław Lem and the film director Andrzej Wajda rest. Follow Lem further in our Stanisław Lem trail.
The Jewish cemeteries in Kazimierz — the old Remuh Cemetery on Szeroka Street, with tombstones dating back to the 16th century, and the New Jewish Cemetery on Miodowa Street — are open Sunday to Friday from 10:00 and closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, so you can visit them on 1 and 2 November. Come before 16:00.
Crypts. The Crypt of the Distinguished at Skałka holds, among others, the medieval chronicler Jan Długosz, the artist Stanisław Wyspiański, the composer Karol Szymanowski and the poet Czesław Miłosz. On 2 November at 20:15 Fauré’s Requiem is performed in the basilica above. The National Pantheon in the crypts of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul on Grodzka Street is the resting place of the playwright Sławomir Mrożek and the composer Krzysztof Penderecki. For the royal tombs, read who is buried at Wawel.
How far is it on foot?
| Place | from Best Western Plus Kraków Old Town | from Hotel Regent |
|---|---|---|
| National Pantheon (Grodzka St.) | 0.5 km, approx. 7 min | 1 km, approx. 14 min |
| Remuh Cemetery (Szeroka St.) | 0.9 km, approx. 12 min | 0.4 km, approx. 5 min |
| New Jewish Cemetery (Miodowa St.) | 1.1 km, approx. 14 min | 0.7 km, approx. 10 min |
| Skałka (Skałeczna St.) | 1.4 km, approx. 19 min | 0.6 km, approx. 8 min |
| Rakowicki Cemetery (main gate) | 2.4 km, approx. 31 min | 3.1 km, approx. 41 min |
| Salwator Cemetery | 3.2 km, approx. 42 min | 3.5 km, approx. 46 min |
Walking times calculated on OpenStreetMap pedestrian routes.
How to get to Rakowicki Cemetery
Take public transport. On 31 October and 1 November Kraków runs 34 special tram and bus lines to the cemeteries, all numbered from 8. From the city centre, special trams 81, 84 and 89 run along Starowiślna Street to Rakowicki Cemetery, and tram 72 connects Salwator with Rakowicki via Basztowa Street, every 10 minutes between 8:00 and 20:00. Note that since 5 October 2026 trams no longer run along św. Gertrudy and Stradomska streets.
Driving is not a good idea: streets around the largest cemeteries are partly closed from 30 October to 1 November. If you come by car, parking in the paid zone is free on 1 November, but it is easier to leave the car at your hotel. Our guide to a Kraków city break without a car explains tickets and the Clean Transport Zone.
What is open on 1 and 2 November?
Sunday 1 November is a trading ban day. Only flower and candle stalls near cemeteries, petrol stations, pharmacies, bakeries and restaurants stay open. Wawel Royal Castle, the Rynek Underground museum, Schindler’s Factory and the Wieliczka Salt Mine are closed. Wawel Cathedral is open from 12:30 to 15:30, and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial in Oświęcim is open as usual.
Monday 2 November is a normal day. Wawel runs its Free November: on Mondays from 10:00 to 16:00 you can see the Private Royal Apartments free of charge, with tickets issued only at the ticket offices. Schindler’s Factory is free on Mondays (10:00–15:00), the Rynek Underground is open 10:00–19:00 and the Wieliczka Salt Mine 8:00–18:00. All branches of the National Museum are closed on Mondays. More free entry days are listed in our guide to free museums in Kraków.
Organ and jazz concerts around All Souls’ Day
For a quiet evening on 1 November, go to an organ concert. The 23rd International Festival “Zaduszki Organowe” brings 10 concerts in historic churches from 29 October to 10 November, all free of charge. On Sunday 1 November at 16:00 Dariusz Bąkowski-Kois plays in St. Stephen’s Church on Sienkiewicza Street.
A week later, from 3 to 7 November 2026, the 71st Kraków All Souls’ Jazz Festival (Krakowskie Zaduszki Jazzowe) takes place. Held since 1954, it is one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe — the organisers call it the oldest. Concerts take place at the music school on Józefińska Street, Kraków Philharmonic and Nowa Huta Cultural Centre, and the final gala at Kraków Opera on 7 November is a tribute to Stanisław Soyka. See the festival website for the programme; tickets are sold via eBilet.
Where to stay
Best Western Plus Kraków Old Town on Świętej Gertrudy Street 6, right by the Planty park and about 500 m from the Main Market Square. The hotel has its own car park in the city centre (20 spaces, worth booking right after your room), so you can leave the car and explore on foot.
Hotel Regent on Bożego Ciała Street 19, in an 18th-century townhouse in Kazimierz. The Remuh Cemetery is a 5-minute walk away and Skałka 8 minutes. The hotel has no car park, so it suits guests arriving by train or plane.
Frequently asked questions
Is 1 November a public holiday in Poland?
Yes. All Saints’ Day on 1 November is a public holiday and shops are closed. All Souls’ Day on 2 November is a normal working day.
Are shops open in Kraków on 1 November?
No. Only flower and candle stalls near cemeteries, petrol stations, pharmacies, bakeries and restaurants are open.
Can tourists visit Polish cemeteries on All Saints’ Day?
Yes. Visitors are welcome as long as they behave quietly and respectfully. The most impressive time is after dark, when thousands of candles light up the graves.
Is Wawel open on 1 November?
Wawel Royal Castle is closed on 1 November 2026. Wawel Cathedral is open from 12:30 to 15:30. On Monday 2 November parts of the castle can be visited free of charge as part of Free November.
When is the Kraków All Souls’ Jazz Festival in 2026?
The 71st edition runs from 3 to 7 November 2026, with a prologue on 31 October in the Wieliczka Salt Mine.