Iron Bar Window with Jewish Star at Jewish Cemetary in Krakow

Tables and Chairs at Cafe at Krakow Cloth Hall

Plate of Pierogis with Sour Cream at a Restaurant in Krakow

Red Trimmed Windows With Turquoise Shutters and Plants in Krakow

Krakow Travel Guide

April - DecemberPolandPLN

The Great War & WWII

Jewish Heritage

Cultural

Krakow is a city in southern Poland and the capital of the Lesser Poland region. An ancient city with an illustrious history, Krakow has been through a lot and somehow emerged with its splendor and charm intact. Today it’s home to a mix of locals, students, and tourists, and has an energy to it that is always stimulating without becoming overwhelming.

At the center of Krakow is the gorgeous central square, dominated by the Church of St Mary, a Gothic basilica standing more than 250 feet tall. Nearby is Wawel Hill, home to Krakow’s Royal Castle, which along with the church, has been a UNESCO Heritage Site since 1978. The beauty and peace of Krakow is so complete that it can be easy to forget, for a second, the darkness of its recent history. A short drive away is the former concentration and extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, where the Nazis committed their atrocities during the Second World War. Today the camp is open to visitors and offers sobering and eye-opening tours.

The Wieliczka salt mines are also within easy reach of Krakow and were one of the original 12 UNESCO sites. They are now a museum and can be explored as part of a tour, a fascinating subterranean kingdom. Krakow also boasts an abundance of great bars, pubs, and restaurants. In the hot summer months, tables gather in the square and beer gardens fill with tourists and locals alike, the tables heaving under the weight of the excellent and affordable beer. In the cold winter, people huddle inside the warm, cozy pubs and share hearty Polish food with hot wine.

Must See Attractions in Krakow

Old Town

Still thriving after a turbulent past, it's no surprise that Krakow's resilient Old Town was selected as one of the first-ever UNESCO World Heritage sites. As the center of Polish politics until 1596 when the capital was moved from Krakow to Warsaw, Krakow's charming center is home to beautiful churches, museums, and halls. You can't miss the Krakow Cloth Hall, a gorgeous Romanesque building housing a market hall, located in the center of the Old Town Square. If you're interested in Medieval Poland, then the museum inside has exhibits dedicated to the pastoral life. When you've had enough of castles and churches, head for one of the cellar pubs and dive bars scattered about Old Town, welcoming local and traveler alike with a good Polish beer.

St. Mary's Basilica

Adjacent to the market square is St. Mary's Basilica. Built in the 14th century, this church contains Wit Stwosz's famous wooden altarpiece, a national treasure of Poland, and the largest surviving wooden altarpiece in the world. The towers of the Basilica are home to one of the country's most strangely wonderful traditions. Every hour, a trumpet is sounded from taller of the two towers but is interrupted mid-note. This ritual commemorates the trumpeter who was killed by an arrow when trying to sound the alarm as Mongol invaders attacked the city.

Wawel Castle

Perched on a hill and overlooking the river, it is easy to see why the early settlers of Krakow thought this was the best place for a fortification. Built in the 13th and 14th centuries, Wawel castle is now home to the nation's premier art museum and considered by many to be the most culturally significant site in the country. When you find yourself atop Wawel hill, be sure to visit the private royal chambers, the armory exhibition, and the Rennaissance paintings and sculptures at the art museum. After entering through the imposing iron doors of the Wawel Cathedral, you'll be amazed by the extravagant interior, which once served as the coronation and burial site for nearly all Polish kings.

Schindler Museum

The Schindler Museum is located at the site of Oscar Schindler's famed factory, where he employed nearly a thousand Jews throughout the Nazi occupation in order to protect them from the death camps. One of the most important things you can see in Krakov, the museum is not only a dedication to Schindler's exploits, but also a glimpse at what life in Krakow under Nazi occupation was like. The factory tells a painful story, but it's also one of the best museums in Krakov, with painstaking attention given to every exhibit. As you wander through the 45 rooms of the museum, you'll find that each one was designed to simulate a scene from everyday life under the Third Reich.

Kosciuszko Mound

The Kosciuszko Mound was built as a monument to Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a national hero in both Poland and the United States for his contributions to the independence of both nations. A winding path leads to the top of the mound, where you can take in panoramic views of the city. If you can survive the climb to the top, then a trip to Kosciuszko Mound makes the perfect bookend for your time in Krakow. A tip from many locals is to climb the mound just before sunset, so you can watch the sky change colors over the river.

Optional Day Trips from Krakow

Railroad Tracks Leading to Auschwitz II Concentration Camp

Auschwitz Concentration Camp

About an hour outside of Krakow is the Auschwitz concentration camp — the largest mass murder site in history and Nazi Germany's largest concentration and death camp. Over 1 million Jews were murdered at Auschwitz, as well as many thousands of Poles, gypsies, and other persecuted groups. The camp is divided into two parts; Auschwitz I, which held most of the SS offices and warehouses where prisoners worked, and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, the site of the gas chambers where nearly all Jewish prisoners were killed. Take a half-day guided tour to both concentration camps and walk beneath the wrought iron gates, with the ironic admonition that “Arbeit Macht Frei” (work makes you free), and into the vast guarded complexes where so much suffering occurred. It's an emotional visit, but at the same time, a necessary reminder of the evil mankind is still capable of exercising.

Czestochowa

The village of Czestochowa, in Polish Silesia, is a holy place for many. Thousands of visitors make a pilgrimage to the Jasna Góra monastery every year to see the Black Madonna, a revered icon of the Virgin Mary. Seeing the Black Madonna is a given, but there are other cultural sights of note in the city. In the center is the Adam Mickiewicz Theatre, which hosts events for the annual night of culture. There's also the Cemetery of the Lusatian Culture, dedicated to the bronze age inhabitants of Central Europe.

Passage Through the Salt Mines in Krakow

Wieliczka Salt Mine

The Wieliczka Salt Mine is an underground kingdom carved from rock salt, which contains a maze of hidden corridors and chambers. Once a major producer of table salt, the site is now a historical monument that draws in thousands of locals and tourists every year. A trip to a salt mine may not sound very exciting, but this one is like no other. Other than the displays of ancient mining equipment, the salt mine contains underground saline lakes and four chapels carved out of the ground by miners. You can also take a tour of the mines as the miners saw them, complete with using pickaxes and saws. Be sure to bring water, however, as it is quite the workout.

Zakopane

Located in the very south of Poland, near the Slovak border, Zakopane is a venerable winter wonderland. Famed for its skiing and mountaineering, Zakopane lies at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, and in the summer months, it's the perfect setting for hiking and cycling. The alpine-like landscape surrounding the Zakopane resort is stunning, whether you're gazing up from the town center or looking down from the top of the Tatras. For a trip about the town, Krupówki street is a popular destination, with a variety of stores, pubs, and dance clubs. If you aren't afraid of heights, take a funicular up the Gubalowka Mountain for panoramic views of the entire valley.