Krakow is one of the most visited cities in Central Europe for a reason. Once the capital of Poland, Krakow has a lot to offer tourists.
Poland’s second most populous city, officially named Stołeczne Królewskie Miasto Kraków (Royal Capital City of Kraków), was the capital of Poland until 1596. Warsaw then became the capital.
Kraków stretches along the banks of the Vistula River, in the upper part of the river. The city is near the northern foothills of the Carpathians but lies on a plain.
Kraków is one of Poland’s most important cultural centers and a major tourist destination in Europe. Its historic Old Town and the Kazimierz district were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1978.
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Attractions in Kraków
Many of Kraków’s attractions are located in the Old Town (Stare Miasto), one of Europe’s most beautiful historical districts.
It sits at the foot of the Wawel Royal Castle. The 13th-century merchant town features Europe’s largest market square, Rynek Główny, and numerous historical houses, palaces, and churches.
Planty and the City Walls
In the late 13th century, the Old Town was surrounded by walls for protection against Tatar invasions, later reinforced with additional fortifications.
These defenses stood for centuries but were demolished starting in 1807 by the occupying Austrians. Today, only a few sections remain visible.
Planty is a park-like area running along the former city walls, encircling the Old Town.
Its most famous part is the Barbican, a 24-meter diameter fortress built in 1499, a common feature in medieval castles.
There were nine gates into the Old Town, with the most famous being the Florian Gate. The tower, including its helmet-shaped top, measures 34.5 meters in height. Inside the tower is a neoclassical altar from the early 19th century.
Main Square (Rynek Główny)
The square was built in the 13th century and has been the site of many historical events in Poland.
Its large size was intended to provide market space for traders passing through Kraków.
The square’s highlight is the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), a Renaissance-era trade hall that symbolizes the city. Its upper floor hosts an art gallery founded by the Czartoryski family and belonging to the National Museum. The building also houses the National Cultural Center.
Beneath the square is a vast cellar system, including the Piwnica pod Baranami (Cellar under the Rams), the most famous cellar. The cellars house cafes, restaurants, the Maszkaron Theater, and a small archaeological museum under the St. Adalbert’s Church.
St. Adalbert’s Church
Located in the southeast corner of the Main Square, this church is among Poland’s oldest stone churches.
According to a thousand-year-old legend, St. Adalbert consecrated the church in 997 and prayed here before his missionary journey to Prussia.
Today, the church’s walls are visible down to the lowest levels. The Romanesque entrance and accompanying stone staircase are on the southern side. The church’s crypt has been transformed into a permanent exhibition titled „The History of Kraków’s Market Place.”
St. Mary’s Basilica
Also known as the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it’s one of Kraków and Poland’s most famous monuments.
This Gothic church was built in the 14th-15th centuries and is located in Kraków’s Main Square, at the northeast corner in Mariacki Square (Plac Mariacki).
It has two towers. The taller, 82-meter high northern tower is called „Trumpeter.” The smaller, 69-meter high southern tower was built for the church’s bell.
The church’s interior is also magnificent. It has five chapels in the northern aisle.
City Arsenal
Located in the northern part of the Old Town, near the Florian Gate.
Originally built as an armory, it now serves as an exhibition site for the Czartoryski Museum.
The exhibition features artifacts from Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman cultures. The displayed objects, including mummies, sarcophagi, Etruscan tomb covers, and numerous statues, date from the 3rd millennium BC to the 4th century BC.
Wawel
Situated in the southern part of the Old Town is Wawel Hill, a defining center of Kraków and medieval Poland.
The complex is surrounded by a bastion system and city walls. Most of the buildings and structures were built in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance era, and Wawel was the administrative center of the Polish state in medieval times.
Wawel Cathedral
Also known as the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Stanislaus and Wenceslaus, it is the archiepiscopal cathedral of the Archdiocese of Kraków.
This cathedral is where Polish kings were crowned and is their final resting place. It is dedicated to St. Stanislaus, Poland’s most important national saint, who is entombed here.
The cathedral houses the remains of 19 Polish kings from King Władysław I to King Augustus III. It is still the burial place of Kraków bishops.
Built from brick and white limestone, the cathedral is a three-aisled basilica with a transept, ambulatory, and choir.
It features three towers, with the most famous being the northern Sigismund Tower, home to the renowned Sigismund Bell.
Royal Palace
Part of Wawel, it served as the residence of the monarchs of medieval Poland from 1038 to 1596.
The palace gained its current Renaissance appearance after King Sigismund I rebuilt it following the 1499 fire. After Warsaw became the capital, the palace was only used for coronations and royal funerals.
The palace features a three-level arcaded Renaissance-style courtyard. The second-floor eastern wing of the royal palace retains the original painted friezes depicting Roman emperors.
The palace’s large inner courtyard hosted many balls, ceremonies, receptions, and knightly tournaments in medieval times.
Today, the ground floor of the palace serves as an arms museum. The Sigismund Tower houses the treasury, where the coronation regalia of Polish kings, 14th-18th century jewelry, and ornate swords are kept.
Dragon’s Den
A small limestone cave under Wawel Hill in Kraków, named after the legendary Wawel Dragon.
The cave consists of three chambers and has two entrances, one natural and the other artificial. It extends 276 meters, with a height of about 15 meters. Visitors can go as deep as 81 meters.
In front of the cave entrance stands the statue of the Wawel Dragon.
Kazimierz
Located southeast of Wawel, this district was the Jewish quarter until World War II.
Though severely damaged during the war, Kazimierz still retains its former urban structure.
Several historical buildings remain, primarily well-restored religious institutions – Catholic churches and synagogues.
Several museums operate in the district: the Town Hall in the Market Square houses the ethnographic collection, while the old tram depot hosts a technical exhibition. The Galician Jewish Museum commemorates Poland’s Jewish heritage.
Steven Spielberg filmed several scenes of „Schindler’s List” in this district.
Oskar Schindler’s Factory
Previously mentioned in relation to „Schindler’s List,” Schindler’s factory in the Kazimierz district is now a museum.
Schindler was a businessman who initially provided jobs to Jewish people. During the war, he helped hide them, saving many Jewish lives.
The factory’s exhibition, titled „Kraków under Nazi Occupation 1939-1945,” features 45 exhibition rooms, guiding visitors through various themes, including the war in 1939, the fate of Kraków’s Jews, daily life and family situations during the occupation, the factory and its people, the underground resistance.
Remuh Cemetery (Cmentarz Remuh)
Located in the Kazimierz district, next to the Remu Synagogue, is the old Jewish cemetery.
It includes some of the oldest preserved Jewish tombstones in Poland, used from 1552 to the 1800s.
Kościuszko Mound
Located in the southwest of Kraków, it’s one of the four ancient mounds in the city. Built in honor of Tadeusz Kościuszko on the Blessed Bronisława Hill.
Standing since 1823, the mound is now part of a complex that includes several museums and galleries.
Exhibits include „The Polish Road to Freedom” and „Hungarian Troops on the Eastern Front 1914-1916,” the Kościuszko Museum, as well as remnants of a fortress and citadel from the Austrian occupation.
As the mound is on a hill, it offers a spectacular view of the city, being one of Kraków’s highest points.
Attractions near Kraków
Near Kraków, there are two important places that must be mentioned and visited.
Auschwitz
About 60 km west of Kraków is the infamous concentration camp turned museum, named after the nearby town of Oświęcim.
More than 1 million people were killed here, mostly Jews.
Visitors need to purchase tickets in advance. Tickets can be bought here.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Poland’s oldest salt mine, part of the Kraków Saltworks with Bochnia Salt Mine. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978.
The mine has nine levels, the first at 64 meters deep, and the last at 327 meters.
It has a unique microclimate with constant temperature (about 12-14 °C), humidity, pressure, ionization, and lighting.
For all information (tickets, hours, etc.), visit here!
