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Kraków, in southern Poland on the Vistula River, was the royal capital of Poland for centuries. Its historic center, which largely survived World War II, was among the first places named to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1978. Today it is a lively university city with a large student population, cafes and a strong cultural life.
The Main Market Square, one of the largest medieval squares in Europe, is dominated by St. Mary's Basilica, from whose tower a trumpet call sounds every hour, and by the Cloth Hall, a Renaissance trading hall. The Czartoryski Museum holds Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine. Wawel Hill holds the Royal Castle and Wawel Cathedral, the coronation and burial site of Polish kings, and below it the Dragon's Den cave opens onto the riverbank. Kazimierz, the historic Jewish quarter, has synagogues, galleries and a busy café scene. Across the river in Podgórze, Schindler's Factory houses a museum of the city under Nazi occupation, and Ghetto Heroes Square, with its memorial of empty chairs, sits near the Eagle Pharmacy museum.
Kraków suits travelers interested in history and good value. The center is walkable, and day trips reach the Wieliczka Salt Mine and the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial.
WiserMap travel guideKraków Poland Market Square Wawel Hill and KazimierzExplore Kraków's Main Market Square, Wawel Hill, Kazimierz and Podgórze, plus Wieliczka and Auschwitz-Birkenau, with tips on food, seasons and getting around.Read the guide
One of the largest medieval town squares in Europe, laid out in 1257 and surrounded by historic townhouses, cafes and palaces. The Cloth Hall, St. Mary's Basilica, the Town Hall Tower and the Adam Mickiewicz statue stand on it. Every hour a trumpeter plays the Hejnał from St. Mary's tower, with the melody cut short.
The Renaissance Sukiennice in the middle of the Main Market Square, once a center of international trade in cloth. The ground floor arcade is full of stalls selling amber, wood carvings and souvenirs. Upstairs is a gallery of 19th-century Polish art, and below the square the Rynek Underground museum shows medieval excavations.
The residence of Polish kings for centuries, on a limestone hill above the Vistula. Separate tickets cover the State Rooms with famous Flemish tapestries, the Royal Private Apartments, the Crown Treasury and Armory, and other routes. The arcaded Renaissance courtyard is free. Buy timed tickets early in the day, as they sell out.
A Gothic brick church on the Main Market Square with two unequal towers, famous for its carved wooden altarpiece by Veit Stoss, completed in 1489 and one of the largest in Europe. Inside, the deep blue starry vault is stunning. Buy tickets at the shop across the side street; the taller tower can be climbed in summer.
The coronation and burial church of Polish kings, next to the castle on Wawel Hill, with the golden-domed Sigismund Chapel, royal tombs in the crypts and the shrine of St. Stanislaus. Climb the tower to see the great Sigismund Bell, rung only on special occasions. The ticket covers the crypts and bell tower.
One of Poland's oldest museums, founded by Princess Izabela Czartoryska in 1801, now part of the National Museum in Kraków. Its most famous work is Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine, shown with ancient art, armor and decorative arts. It reopened in 2019 after a long renovation; buy tickets in advance.
The former enamel factory of Oskar Schindler in Zabłocie, now a branch of the Museum of Kraków with the exhibition Kraków under Nazi Occupation 1939 to 1945. Recreated streets, sounds and documents tell the story of the city's residents during the war, including Schindler's workers. Book timed tickets online in advance.
A limestone cave under Wawel Hill linked to the legend of the Wawel Dragon. A short walk through the cave ends at the riverbank, where a bronze dragon statue breathes fire every few minutes, a favorite with children. The cave is open seasonally, and the Vistula boulevards nearby are good for a stroll.
The historic Jewish district of Kraków, with seven synagogues including the Old Synagogue and the Remuh Synagogue and its cemetery. Today Szeroka street and Plac Nowy are lively with cafes, bars and the famous zapiekanka stands. Visit during the day for history and return in the evening for the nightlife.
A square in Podgórze, the site of the wartime Jewish ghetto, with a memorial of 70 large metal chairs symbolizing the furniture left behind during deportations. On one side, the Eagle Pharmacy museum tells the story of Tadeusz Pankiewicz, the Polish pharmacist who helped ghetto residents. Fragments of the ghetto wall survive nearby.
A UNESCO-listed salt mine just outside Kraków, worked for about 700 years. A guided route of about 3 km descends hundreds of steps through chambers, lakes and statues carved from salt, including the huge Chapel of St. Kinga with salt chandeliers. Tours last about three hours; wear comfortable shoes and bring a layer.
The site of the largest Nazi German concentration and extermination camp, about 70 km west of Kraków in Oświęcim, where about 1.1 million people were murdered. Guided visits cover both Auschwitz I and Birkenau. Entry must be booked online well in advance, and a full visit takes at least three and a half hours.
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