Stand on the Royal Route as a 100-Metre Flag Unfurls
It is late morning on 1 May and the air along Floriańska is thick with the smell of grilled sausage and fresh obwarzanek from the street stalls. A drum line echoes off the stone facades; the Kraków Old Town Orchestra warms up somewhere near the Barbican. Then the procession begins — a Polish flag 100 metres long, carried from St Florian Gate down the Royal Route toward Wawel, led by city authorities including President Aleksander Miszalski. Court dancers from Cracovia Danza and the Sorrir Por Favor drum group move with it. Walk alongside, or station yourself near the Wawel courtyard where the march ends in a mass singing of "Dąbrowski's Mazurka," backed by choristers including the Polish Radio Choir – Lusławice under Dawid Ber. The event is called "The flag connects Kraków" (Flaga łączy Kraków), and it starts at 11am.
This is the opening beat of Kraków's Majówka — the May holiday stretch that runs from 1 May (Labour Day) through 2 May (Flag Day) to 3 May (Constitution Day). In 2026 the third of May carries extra weight: it marks the 235th anniversary of the 1791 Constitution and the 1000th anniversary of the Kingdom of Poland.
Watch Błonia Turn White and Red, Then Follow the Parade to the Tomb
On the morning of 3 May, head to Błonia between 10am and 1pm. An outline of Poland is laid out across the meadow from 4,000 white-and-red flags, with four photo spots set up for anyone who wants the shot. The mayor distributes flags to residents afterward — arrive early enough and you will be handed one.
The official commemorations begin earlier. If you want the full sequence, start at 9:45am at the Monument to the Soldiers of Fighting Poland on ul. Powiśle for the laying of flowers (there is a 9am ceremony at the Hugo Kołłątaj Monument with Jagiellonian University authorities). A 10am mass for the homeland follows in Wawel Cathedral, and at 11am the procession leaves Wawel — flags are handed out in front of the cathedral. At 11:30am flowers are laid at the Katyń Cross, pl. Father Adam Studziński, before the procession continues via Grodzka, the Market Square, Floriańska and on to Jan Matejko Square. Around noon at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier you get the national anthem, the changing of the guard and the Appeal of Remembrance; Governor of Lesser Poland Łukasz Kmita presents state decorations and Polish citizenship certificates. Uniformed services vehicles and horse formations parade along Basztowa Street, which police close at 12:00.
- 1 May, 11am — "The flag connects Kraków": 100-metre flag march, St Florian Gate/Barbican to Wawel, ending in mass singing in the Wawel courtyard.
- 3 May, 9:45am — flowers at the Monument to the Soldiers of Fighting Poland, ul. Powiśle.
- 3 May, 10am — mass for the homeland, Wawel Cathedral.
- 3 May, 11am — procession leaves Wawel; flags distributed in front of the cathedral.
- 3 May, ~12 noon — Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: anthem, changing of the guard, Appeal of Remembrance; parade along Basztowa Street.
Sing Patriotic Songs on Mały Rynek and Ride the Patriotic Tram
At 5pm on 3 May, Mały Rynek fills for the 95th Kraków Singing Lesson (Lekcja Śpiewania), this edition titled "Radosna Jutrzenka." Artists from the Loch Camelot Theatre lead the sing-along, conducted by Waldemar Domański of the Polish Song Library. Two thousand free songbooks are handed out, and you can download them too — so even if you do not know the words, you can follow along by the second verse.
Earlier that day, between 10:30am and 2:30pm, the 38th "Patriotic Tram" runs its white-and-red route: from Bagatela Theatre past the Philharmonic, along Zwierzyniecka to the Salwator loop, then Długa, the Freight Station, Pawia, Westerplatte, the Main Post Office, Starowiślna, the Market Hall, Grzegórzeckie roundabout, Rondo Mogulskie and the tunnel. Volunteers distribute free songbooks, flags, leaflets and stickers on board. Music comes from the Małe Słowianki Song and Dance Ensemble and the "CANTARE" Ensemble. This edition marks the 1000th anniversary of the Kingdom of Poland.
Start Your Evening at the Beltaine Fire Festival
The Majówka opens the night before the flags come out. On Thursday 30 April, the Beltaine Fire Festival takes place at Krakus Mound from 7:23pm — a fire-lit gathering on the grassy slope, timed to the fading light. It is a different register from the daytime ceremonies: bonfire, open sky, the city spread out below. Bring a layer; the mound is exposed to the wind.
Beyond the fixed programme, the city fills the long weekend with patriotic song concerts, guided walks, family events and the OFFCamera independent cinema festival, alongside other cultural performances. Check the full programme at krakow.pl before you travel, since individual items shift year to year.
Practical Notes for the Long Weekend
- Parking: free in the Paid Parking Area on 1 and 3 May.
- Getting around: Basztowa Street is closed by police at 12:00 on 3 May; plan your route around the parade.
- Flags: Kraków's president appeals for residents to fly flags from homes and buildings, alongside the blue-and-white city flag. Buy one at a stall on the Royal Route and join in.
- Timing: the core days are 1 and 3 May; 2 May is Flag Day, with the red-and-white colours on display across the city.
Book your stay in or near the Old Town so you can walk the Royal Route rather than navigate closures, and keep the evening of 30 April and the morning of 3 May clear — those are the two moments that anchor the whole weekend. Check krakow.pl closer to the date for the confirmed programme, then build your days around the march, the meadow and the singing.