MASTERS – The Kraków Craft Trail

MASTERS – The Kraków Craft Trail is a route that highlights remarkable places across Kraków where the beauty and tradition of increasingly rare professions—such as watchmaking, millinery, or picture framing—are preserved. At the same time, these are active craft workshops that provide everyday services to Kraków’s residents: from clothing repairs and furniture restoration to baking sweet treats according to traditional recipes. The trail will continue to grow, expanding with new locations worth knowing about—whether you are looking for an original gift or need help with repair work.

The goal of the Kraków Craft Trail is to promote knowledge about the city’s historic craft and culinary heritage among both residents and tourists. The trail enriches Kraków’s tourism offer with the theme of traditional entrepreneurship, particularly important figures, professions, and flavours. Many of these places have existed for generations, although they have naturally evolved alongside social and cultural changes. The trail also helps local products, brands, and service points become more recognisable, while building long‑term mechanisms of cooperation between the local government, NGOs, and local creators and entrepreneurs.

What is Craft?

UNESCO describes craft as “probably the most tangible manifestation of intangible cultural heritage.” In Kraków—a UNESCO World Heritage City—this heritage dates back to the granting of city charter rights based on German (Magdeburg) law in 1257. This charter played a major role in the development of local crafts. Among the earliest professions essential to urban life were butchers, bakers, and shoemakers.

Over the centuries, Kraków’s crafts experienced many transformations. Their rich history, from the Middle Ages through the 20th century, was shaped by craft guilds whose statutes were codified in the famous Balthasar Behem Codex of 1505. Guild regulations governed nearly all aspects of a craftsman’s life—from training (apprentice to master), workshop management, production, and sales to private and religious life.

Mandatory guild membership was abolished by the 1989 Act on Economic Activity, which also eliminated the requirement for specific professional qualifications in many trades, including crafts. Nevertheless, Kraków’s guild traditions—today represented by the Małopolska Chamber of Crafts and Entrepreneurship, established in 1918—continue to be an important part of the city’s identity.

Today, Kraków’s craft scene—whether backed by traditional master diplomas or represented by new waves of revival in design, creative industries, innovation, sustainable activities, socially responsible initiatives, or eco/ethno/DIY movements—remains a socially valuable and economically significant element of the city’s fabric. It is worth nurturing and developing together by visiting Kraków’s living craft workshops.

The trail includes representatives of protected and vanishing professions (according to the Kraków City Council resolution of 27 February 2013), producers of traditional culinary products from Kraków and its surroundings, as well as the new generation of artisans. They are all united by one key value: respect for Kraków’s traditions, dedication to their craft, and commitment to doing their work to the highest standard. Their authentic, often unique products and services stand in contrast to mass‑produced and commercialised goods.

HOW TO JOIN?

The trail currently includes 15 workshops, but the list will continue to grow with more places worth discovering—whether for original gift ideas or repair services.

As the creation of the trail is entrusted to an organisation selected annually through an open call for proposals titled “Trail of informational‑educational points on localities”, the Department of Tourism serves as the contact point.
If you are interested in joining the trail, please contact the Department of Tourism:

wt.umk@um.krakow.pl
12 616 60 52

Your information will be forwarded to the project implementer.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

MASTERS – The Kraków Craft Trail is a project of the Municipality of Kraków, initiated by local entrepreneurs and the Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The trail is delivered by the Adventure Association on behalf of the Department of Tourism, which oversees the project. The association was selected through the open competition “Trail of informational‑educational points on localities.”

The texts were written by Dr Joanna Dziadowiec-Greganić, an expert in cultural anthropology, intangible heritage, and consultant for organisations across sectors.