Main Market Square (Rynek Glówny)
Dating from 1257, the Central Market Square was one
of the largest squares in medieval Europe and remains the social
heart of Krakow. Surrounded by historic buildings, museums, and
magnificent churches, the impressive expanse of flagstones is a hub
of commercial and social activity. Flower sellers, ice-cream
vendors, musicians, pigeons, students, and groups of tourists fill
the square. The striking church of St Mary's is an impressive
twin-spire Gothic structure while at the centre of the square is
the splendid medieval Cloth Hall, its upstairs art gallery housing
a collection of 19th-century Polish paintings and sculptures.
Main Square
Ludvig14
Wawel
Wawel is a hill overlooking Krakow, upon which stands
an architectural complex that includes Wawel Castle and the Gothic
Wawel Cathedral. It was here that all the Polish kings ruling
between the 14th and the 17th centuries were crowned and buried,
and it lies at the heart of Poland's royal history. The
Renaissance-style castle is now a museum, with visitors able to see
the Royal Private Apartments, Crown Treasury, Armoury, and the
State Rooms. Of the many chapels in the cathedral, the golden-domed
Chapel of King Sigismund is the finest. The bell tower can be
climbed for views over the city and to see the enormous 11 tonne
bell. A number of different guided tours are available so check the
official website listed below for details.
Transport:
Tram 10 or a short walk from the Main Square, Rynek
Glówny.
Wawel Castle
FotoCavallo
Kazimierz District and the Old Synagogue
The Kazimierz quarter was the centre of Jewish
religion, culture, and learning before the Second World War. Badly
damaged during the Nazi occupation, it has been rebuilt so visitors
can admire the historical architecture and get an experience of
what daily Jewish life was once like. The area is enlivened by art
galleries, kosher restaurants, and numerous cultural events. The
Oskar Schindler Factory Museum is itself a popular tourist
attraction in Krakow, dedicated to the memory of Schindler and the
Jewish workers he managed to save from the death camps. The Old
Synagogue is part of the Historical Museum of Krakow, where the
collection of physical memories from the Kazimierz Jewish community
is kept.
Address:
Szeroka 24, 31-053 Kraków, Poland
Transport:
Tram 3, 9, 11 or 13.
The Old Synagogue
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Galicia Jewish Museum
Situated in the heart of the Jewish Quarter of
Krakow, the Galicia Jewish Museum houses a permanent photographic
exhibition which is extremely powerful. It documents the history
and heritage of the Jews in the villages and towns of Poland,
focusing particularly on the Holocaust. Poland lost almost a
quarter of its population in World War II, and the Jewish community
was decimated. The museum has a bookshop, while also hosting plenty
of temporary exhibitions, special events, lectures, and Jewish
music concerts. The Galicia Jewish Museum is often overlooked as a
tourist attraction in Krakow, but is a worthwhile experience for
people from all walks of life. Budget at least three hours to fully
absorb the experience. Guided tours are available and there is a
charming little cafe for refreshments.
Address:
Dajwór 18, 31-052 Kraków, Poland.
Opening time:
10am to 7pm, Monday to Sunday.
Galicia
Chris
Piwnica pod Baranami
The Piwnica pod Baranami is a Parisian-style cabaret
house located in Krakow's old town, allowing tourists to experience
and appreciate the culture, values, and ideals of the city. Created
by Piotr Skryznecki in 1956, this bohemian underground cellar soon
became a haven for local artists and intellectuals where they would
indulge in one of Poland's favourite cultural pastimes: political
cabaret. The Piwnica pod Baranami still functions as a cabaret
house to this day with performances on Saturdays at 9pm remaining
extremely popular, so book your ticket early. A highly recommended
tourist activity in Poland, it's a great spot to begin an
unforgettable Saturday night.
Address:
Main Market Square, Krakow.
Piwnica
Birczanin
Krakow has a temperate climate, influenced by the weather
systems that build over the Atlantic. The weather in Krakow in
summer, between June and August, is comfortably warm with
occasional heat waves when dry continental air comes in from the
east. The average temperatures in summer range from 64°F to 67°F
(18°C to 20°C), although temperatures can reach 86°F (30°C) during
heat waves.
An old Polish poem says that in Krakow 'days are longest in
June, hottest in July and most beautiful in August'. Autumn in
Krakow, between September and November, brings dry, warm days
starting with morning mist, and rich, golden colouration of the
foliage. Winter is fairly severe and the city is often blanketed in
snow, with temperatures dipping below freezing. The average
temperatures in winter range from 28°F to 32°F (-2°C to 0°C) but
can drop as low as 5°F (-15°C) on cold nights. Spring, between
March and May, is arguably the best season in Krakow, when bright,
mild days are accompanied by the fragrance of flower blossoms. Rain
is most common in summer but can fall at any time of year.
Summer is the peak tourist season in Krakow, but to avoid the
crowds it is best to visit the city in spring or early autumn, when
the weather is mild and pleasant and there is less chance of
rain.
John Paul II International Airport
Krakow–Balice
Location: The airport is situated 11 miles (17.6km) west of
Krakow.
Time: Local time is GMT +1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in
March to last Sunday in October).
Getting to the city:
City bus services 208 and 192 leave from the roundabout in front
of the passenger terminal and leave regularly to the city centre.
Taxis are also available outside the arrivals hall and take 20
minutes to get to the city centre.
A shuttle train operates between the airport and the city
centre. The Kraków-Balice train station is located 200m from the
passenger terminal and operated a daytime service every 30
minutes.
Car Rental:
Car rental companies include Avis, Budget, Europcar and
Hertz.
Facilities:
There are banks, bureaux de change and ATMs at the airport.
Other facilities include restaurants, bars, and shops, duty-free,
child facilities, tourist information and hotel reservations desks,
WiFi and a post office. A business lounge and VIP lounge is also
available. Disabled facilities are good, but those with special
needs should contact their airline in advance.
Parking
Parking at John Paul II International Airport starts at PLN 5
every 15 minutes for short-term parking, and PLN 7 per hour for
long-term parking. Economy parking is also available at PLN 10 per
day.
Buses and trams are the easiest and cheapest way to get around
in Krakow, though they can be crowded during rush hour. Tickets can
be purchased at various kiosks, ticket machines and on the bus or
tram itself. Taxis are readily available, though prices increase
between 10pm and 8am. Radio taxis (identified by a taxi sign and
the phone number of the company) usually offer the best rates and
it is often cheaper to phone and order a taxi than to simply hail
one down. As tourists are sometimes overcharged it is best to agree
on a fare before getting into the taxi.
The Old Town is relatively compact and easy to negotiate,
containing many of Krakow's tourist attractions: it is best
explored on foot as most of it is designated a pedestrian-only
area. Many of Krakow's attractions are within easy walking
distance, and the public transport network is extensive so car hire
is only really necessary if venturing outside the city. Car hire is
easy in Krakow but Poland is not generally a country that provides
a peaceful driving experience for foreigners as many of its
highways are poorly maintained and the local drivers are somewhat
unpredictable.
As the delights of Eastern Europe are discovered by travellers,
a holiday in Krakow, Poland's beautifully preserved medieval city,
is topping the list of desirable destinations. The charming,
atmospheric Old Town is reason enough to travel to Krakow,
particularly the main Market Square (Rynek Glowny), cocooned by
churches, restaurants and bars, where the soul of the city is laid
bare. Krakow can feel like a 'living museum' and will delight
history buffs, but it is also a vibrant cultural hub which attracts
lovers of art, music and theatre. Wawel Hill, overlooking the city,
was the royal enclave between the 14th and 17th centuries and
tourists can visit the Royal Castle and gothic Wawel Cathedral.
Krakow's notorious Holocaust history and historic Jewish
quarter, the Kazimierz district, make it a place of pilgrimage for
Jews. The tragic sites of Auschwitz and Birkenau, nearby the city,
are Krakow's most sombre and thought-provoking tourist attractions.
Within the city the Galicia Jewish Museum and Oskar Schindler's
Factory are worthwhile attractions documenting the Jewish history
of Krakow and the Holocaust.
For some fresh air and people watching in Krakow visitors should
take a stroll around the Planty, a scenic walkway and park which
becomes a hub of activity in the warmer months.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
A UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Monument, the Salt
Mine at Wieliczka is a unique underground complex built in the
Middle Ages. The series of labyrinthine tunnels, chambers,
galleries, and underground lakes are spread over nine levels and
reach a depth of more than 1,000ft (304m), but visitors are
restricted to a tour of three levels. Centuries-old passageways
contain huge crystalline caverns and carved chapels. The highlight
is the Blessed Kinga Chapel where everything is carved from salt,
dedicated to the patron saint of Polish mine workers. The world's
first subterranean therapeutic sanatorium is situated 656ft (200m)
below the surface, and makes use of the saline air for the
treatment of asthma.
Address:
Ul. Danilowicza 10, Wieliczka
Transport:
Buses and minibuses leave from outside the train
station; or else there is the local Krakow-Wieliczka
train
Wieliczka
Adam Kumiszcza
Auschwitz Memorial Museum
The Auschwitz concentration camp forms the largest
cemetery in the world, preserved as a memorial to the victims of
the Holocaust during the Second World War. Visitors can obvserve
the structures, ruins, and gas chambers, while visiting exhibits at
the museum. The buildings contain displays of photographs and piles
of personal articles of the victims, including battered suitcases,
and thousands of spectacles, hair, and shoes collected from the
bodies. The sheer scale of the tragedy can be experienced at the
Birkenau Camp, with a viewing platform to give some perspective
over the vast fenced-in area. It was the principal camp where the
extermination of millions took place, a chillingly efficient set-up
with rows of barracks and four colossal gas chambers and ovens.
Purpose-built railway tracks lead through the huge gateway along
which victims were transported from the ghettos to the camp in
crowded box-like carts. Taking a guided tour of the camps is the
best way to fully comprehend what you are seeing and a tour takes
at least three and a half hours. Visitors should try and book a
place on one of the various guided tours at least two weeks before
visiting - see the official website below for details.
Address:
Wiezniow Oswiecimia 20, 32-603 Oswiecim, Poland
Transport:
There are regular coach and rail services from Krakow (a
one hour journey), and a shuttle bus runs between Auschwitz I and
Birkenau from mid-April to October.
Opening time:
8am to 3pm, Monday to Sunday.
Auschwitz
Grippenn
Bieszczady Mountains
While most tourists to Poland usually content
themselves with the wonderful cultural experiences in the old towns
of Warsaw and Krakow, a trip into the Polish countryside can be an
equally rewarding enterprise. The Bieszczady Mountains run through
the extreme southeast of Poland, near the Ukraine and Slovakia
borders. A land of snow-capped peaks, tall pine trees, and vast
green meadows, the Bieszczady region boasts hiking and mountain
bike trails which wind through a rich array of native flora. Found
in the UNESCO East Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, animal lovers
should look out for lynxes, bears, and wolves.
Bieszczady
Krzysztof D