Krakow
Temperature
9°
Time
5:00 PM
Krakow
This medieval city looks like it was taken straight out of a fairy tale, with its bustling market square, spiralling Gothic towers, castles and legends of dragons. Explore the city's narrow backstreets, hidden courtyards and the network of underground cellars and tunnels. Krakow is known as the cultural capital of Poland through its love of music, poetry and theatre. After years of occupation and struggle, Krakow has emerged a proud city with a strong sense of identity, yet has still maintained its artistic and fun-loving soul.Find your trip
The spiralling twin towers of this ancient church witnessed many of the tumultuous events that have shaken the city of Krakow over the centuries. The top of the church tower is a perfect spot to take some beautiful photos of the city.
This is a sobering sight for visiting tourists, but harrowing and essential for any visit to Krakow. You can catch a bus for a 90-minute journey to the former Nazi concentration camp, where millions of Jews were exterminated during the Second World War. Most travel agents organise day excursions to the camp. The Museum is about 2 km from the train station Oświęcim, and can be reached from there by local buses.
A tour of the Gothic castle and cathedral on Wawel Hill is essential for any visitor to the city. See the bones of Smok Wawelski, the mythical dragon of Wawel Hill. The Castle itself, where Polish Kings ruled, offers enough to keep visitors interested for the remainder of their trip up Wawel.
Church of St Adalbert, also known as the Church of St Wojciech, is located to the side of the Main Market Square in Old Town, and is one of the oldest stone churches in Poland. Its almost thousand-year old history goes back to the beginning of the Polish Romanesque architecture of the early Middle Ages.
Discover an underground village where everything–from the statues to the church–has been carved from salt blocks on a fascinating guided tour from Krakow. Follow your guide through the maze of tunnels of the Wieliczka Salt Mine as you learn about its history and marvel at the many complex and beautiful salt sculptures. A must-visit for anyone travelling to Krakow!
Rynek Główny is the name of the Main Market Square, which once was the largest square in Medieval Europe. It lies at the heart of the city and has been its hub, ever since the historical district of the Old Town got its present grid of streets in the 13th century. Rynek Główny is still very much the soul of the city.
Kazimierz is the old Jewish district where the city’s Jewish population have lived for over 500 years. It is an ideal place to experience some of Krakow’s Jewish culture and history. You will also find a range of cafes and restaurants, along with many museums, synagogues and cemeteries.
The Czartoryski Museum houses a vast collection of ancient works of art from Greece and Egypt, but the key artworks here have to be Leonardo Da Vinci’s "Lady with an Ermine” and Rembrandt’s “Landscape with the Good Samaritan”.
The spiralling twin towers of this ancient church witnessed many of the tumultuous events that have shaken the city of Krakow over the centuries. The top of the church tower is a perfect spot to take some beautiful photos of the city.
This is a sobering sight for visiting tourists, but harrowing and essential for any visit to Krakow. You can catch a bus for a 90-minute journey to the former Nazi concentration camp, where millions of Jews were exterminated during the Second World War. Most travel agents organise day excursions to the camp. The Museum is about 2 km from the train station Oświęcim, and can be reached from there by local buses.
Restauracja Starka is a unique restaurant located in the historic Kazimierz district. You won't find any white cloths or elegant furniture, but just some excellent, traditional Polish food and a very warm hospitality. Don't leave without asking the friendly owners to let you taste the home-made vodka.
At Gruzińskie Chaczapuri, a range of Georgian and Polish dishes are offered. Some of the specialities include Georgian cheese pie and Lavash — a thin blatbread stuffed with spicy chicken and salad. The wine list also includes vintages from Georgia.
Cyrano de Bergerac is probably one of the best French restaurants in the city. The Polish owner has created a richly atmospheric cellar restaurant with a menu drawn from her time in France and her own Polish roots. You will be impressed by the quality of the dining food and the French wines and Champagne selection.
Wierzynek Restaurant is ideally situated on the corner of Market Square and Grodzka Street, and is known as one of the best and most high-profile Polish restaurants. Here you are served delicious dishes in an elegant historical setting, and the service is top-notch.
Nova Resto is located in the heart of Kazimierz and is one of the biggest restaurants in Krakow. This modern restaurant has a very cosy and warm atmosphere and there is also a heated indoor garden where visitors can enjoy their delicious food. The menu offers fusion cuisine, a wide variety of steaks and salads, delightful desserts and seasonal dishes of the day.
Located just outside the city, this restaurant offers the most stunning views over the Vistula River while you enjoy a delicious dish from their international menu. On a clear day, especially in summer time, you can see the peaks of the Tatra Mountains in the distance while sitting outside on the terrace.
This is a popular restaurant among both locals and tourists. To guarantee high quality food, beef is imported directly from Argentina to the kitchen. Pimiento is a very nice, classy restaurant with a welcoming staff and some of the best meat dishes in the city.
Restauracja Sasiedzi, in the Jewish Quarter, offers nutritious traditional Polish meals, including beef stews, potato pancakes, soup in a bread bowl and many more. The atmosphere is cosy and romantic, both in the subtly-lit dining room and in the garden.
Restauracja Starka is a unique restaurant located in the historic Kazimierz district. You won't find any white cloths or elegant furniture, but just some excellent, traditional Polish food and a very warm hospitality. Don't leave without asking the friendly owners to let you taste the home-made vodka.
At Gruzińskie Chaczapuri, a range of Georgian and Polish dishes are offered. Some of the specialities include Georgian cheese pie and Lavash — a thin blatbread stuffed with spicy chicken and salad. The wine list also includes vintages from Georgia.
The Cloth Hall ("Sukiennice" in Polish ), built in the 14th century, was formerly Krakow's international trade centre. After a century, before being destroyed by a fire, the hall saw its glory days and sold a variety of exotic imports - such as leather, spices and silk - from the East. Located right in the middle of the Market Square, this icon of the city was remodelled in the Renaissance style and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978. Nowadays, the Cloth Hall hosts a number of souvenirs and handicraft shops, on the ground floor, and the 19 Century Polish Art Gallery, on the first floor.
The beautiful Jewish quarter of Kazimierz has begun to attract a lot of arty boutiques, galleries and unique jewellery stores, making it a necessary visit for any tourist, not just because of its significance and sights, but its unique shopping possibilities.
The highly recommended Kacper Ryx Historical Shop sells stuff that you probably cannot find anywhere else in the city. This place is full of antiques, historical finds, interesting books and handmade items.
Just outside the city, you can find the Bonarka City Center. There are numerous shops here and, if you get hungry after all the shopping, you can also grab a bite to eat.
Just north of the old town lies Stary Kleparz, a local produce market that has been in existence for over 800 years. The market offers all kind of fruit and vegetables, as well as meat products, cheeses, and even clothes and numerous random items. It constitutes a genuinely Polish shopping experience.
Vitkac is one of the most beautiful, elegant and interesting shopping arcades in the city. The original brick walls and arches are weaved into the elegant remodelled building, giving it a uniquely sophisticated look. The arcade houses designer boutiques, the Gothic cellar wine shop and Italian delis, among other shops.
This 230 square metre concept store is all about promoting young Polish designers and their unique creations and outfits. Revel in trendy clothes, accessories, art and interior and, if you are lucky, you might attend one of their several events, such as fashion shows, sales and music shows.
Poland, like much of the Baltic coast, is famous for its amber, also known as "Baltic Gold", and you will see several shops selling it around town. The many capable craftsmen you'll see here work the material into different designs, creating necklaces, rings, decorations and much more. World of Amber is the only Polish jewellery to host a cinema, showing a movie about the historic amber route of Krakow.
The Cloth Hall ("Sukiennice" in Polish ), built in the 14th century, was formerly Krakow's international trade centre. After a century, before being destroyed by a fire, the hall saw its glory days and sold a variety of exotic imports - such as leather, spices and silk - from the East. Located right in the middle of the Market Square, this icon of the city was remodelled in the Renaissance style and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978. Nowadays, the Cloth Hall hosts a number of souvenirs and handicraft shops, on the ground floor, and the 19 Century Polish Art Gallery, on the first floor.
The beautiful Jewish quarter of Kazimierz has begun to attract a lot of arty boutiques, galleries and unique jewellery stores, making it a necessary visit for any tourist, not just because of its significance and sights, but its unique shopping possibilities.
Poland can be visited visa-free for up to 90 days by citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Israel, UAE and most countries in America. If you are unsure whether or not you need to apply for a visa, we recommend contacting the embassy or consulate in your country. International (non-Schengen) travellers need a passport that is valid for at least 3 months after the end of their intended trip in order to enter the Schengen zone. Citizens of the Schengen countries, instead, can travel without a passport, but must have a valid ID with them during their stay.
John Paul II International Airport, located about 15 kilometres from the city centre, is the main airport serving Krakow. A number of budget airlines run routes here. Winter travellers should be aware that frequent delays are common due to fog and ice. Once you arrive, you can catch a free shuttle bus from outside the terminal to the other terminals. Buses number 209 and 300, and the 902 night line regularly connect the airport to the city centre, and tickets can be purchased from the passenger terminal machine, at the bus stop, or directly on board. A new train station (operated by Koleje Małopolskie) is located near the passenger terminal. You can buy train tickets both at the airport terminal and on board.
Summer is a great time to visit Krakow, as it boasts the warmest weather, but crowds are understandably largest during that time. The post-summer shoulder season (from September to October) can still be quite pleasant and have far fewer tourists, but the best time to go is probably late spring, when the city is in bloom and the flocks of tourists have yet to arrive.
The public transport services in Krakow are run by MPK. Besides walking, catching a tram or a bus is probably the easiest way to get around the city. Tickets for buses and trams are the same, and can be purchased in small kiosks, then jump on a bus and validate ticket with one of the orange boxes.
A good money-saving tip for hailing cabs is to avoid getting a taxi from the taxi rank. If you phone for one, it will cost you 30% less. Taxi Mega +48 12 444 67 67 www.megataxi.pl biuro@megataxi.pl Radio Taxi 919 +48 12 191 91 / +48 12 410 76 60 www.radiotaxi919.pl biuro@radiotaxi919.pl
Poczta Polska runs the postal service in Poland. There are several offices scattered around Krakow, and the main one is located at Lubicz 4.
The pharmacies (in Polish "apteka") in Krakow are signed with a green cross and many of them open around the clock. Scattered in the city centre, you will find a number of pharmacies of the two main companies: Dr Max www.drmax.pl/en biuro@drmax.pl Dbam o Zdrowie (DOZ) www.doz.pl pomoc@doz.pl
Country code: 48 Area code: 12
Poland can be visited visa-free for up to 90 days by citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Israel, UAE and most countries in America. If you are unsure whether or not you need to apply for a visa, we recommend contacting the embassy or consulate in your country. International (non-Schengen) travellers need a passport that is valid for at least 3 months after the end of their intended trip in order to enter the Schengen zone. Citizens of the Schengen countries, instead, can travel without a passport, but must have a valid ID with them during their stay.
John Paul II International Airport, located about 15 kilometres from the city centre, is the main airport serving Krakow. A number of budget airlines run routes here. Winter travellers should be aware that frequent delays are common due to fog and ice. Once you arrive, you can catch a free shuttle bus from outside the terminal to the other terminals. Buses number 209 and 300, and the 902 night line regularly connect the airport to the city centre, and tickets can be purchased from the passenger terminal machine, at the bus stop, or directly on board. A new train station (operated by Koleje Małopolskie) is located near the passenger terminal. You can buy train tickets both at the airport terminal and on board.
