Krakow City Guide
Due to its cultural wealth Krakow is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and it's easy to see why. Krakow is an ever-evolving cultural, historical and scientific centre, and a magical place to explore; whether you are wandering around the fascinating Castle grounds or just soaking up the atmosphere on the Main Market Square.
What to do and see in and around Krakow
Royal Castle on the Wawel Hill
As well as its many fascinating exhibitions, such as Oriental art collections and Flemish tapestries, the Royal Castle and its grounds contain other gems such as Wawel Cathedral and the Royal Tombs. You can easily spend the best part of a day enjoying the castle on Wawel Hill.
Main Market Square
As the main hub and natural centre of Krakow, the Main Market Square is a must see. Dating back to 1257 and measuring 200 metres by 200 metres, the square is unrivalled as the biggest medieval square in Europe. As well as a wealth of historical buildings, the square is lined by restaurants, bars and cafes for those in need of sustenance. You will also find many cellars in this area, famous for live music, especially Polish jazz.
St. Mary’s Church
This landmark church can be found in the north eastern corner of the Main Market Square. With its two towers St Mary’s is an important figure on the Krakow skyline; as well as the renowned High Altar the church is particularly well known for its resident bugle players. Following a tradition that begun in the late 14th Century a bugle is played from the top of the tallest tower, also known as St Mary’s Tower, on the hour every hour.
Kazimierz District
Made famous as the backdrop for Spielberg’s Schindler's List, the Jewish district of Kazimierz is a living testament to the plight of Krakow’s Jews during the Second World War. As a result of Nazi purges, Kazimierz lay deserted until the start of its regeneration in the 1980s. Now an artistic and intellectual hub, those interested in browsing galleries and relaxing in cafés should come to the atmospheric and narrow streets of this charming area.
Auschwitz
Infamous across the world as the scene of Nazi genocide Auschwitz has become synonymous with terror and suffering. In 1947, 2 years after the Russian army liberated the remaining prisoners of Auschwitz the Polish Parliament founded the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum on the site of the former camp. This UNESCO World heritage sight is just 37 miles west of Krakow.
St Wojciech’s Church
This pretty and diminutive Romanesque stone church sits on the Main Market Square and was previously used by merchants as a place of worship on their travels across Europe. Dating back to the 11th Century it is an important archaeological site.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Dating back to the Middle Ages the salt mine at Wieliczka, once the source of Poland’s wealth, is now a very popular tourist destination. 327 metres underground the salt mine has 9 levels and consists of 300 kilometres of corridors, nearly 3,000 chambers as well as salt carvings and murals which serve as a lasting reminder of the miners who used to work there. This amazing environment complete with underground lakes and stunning chapels is very much worth a visit.
The National Museum
Established in 1879 the National Museum left its original home in the Cloth Hall on the Main Market Square for its current location which was constructed in 1934. The main building of the National Museum houses three permanent collections – Arms and Colours in Poland, Gallery of Decorative Art and 20th-Century Polish Art as well as hosting temporary exhibitions.
Museum of Archaeology
This impressive museum has a collection of 500,000 artefacts dating from the Palaeolithic Period to modern times. The museum also has an exhibition looking at the art of the Mediterranean and South American civilisations as well as conducting research dedicated to Krakow itself.
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