Welcome to Krakw
If you believe the legends, Krakw was founded on the defeat of a dragon, and its true a mythical atmosphere permeates its medieval streets and squares. However, theres more to this royal, regal former capital than history and myth. The squares and alleyways pulse with modern life. creating a harmonious, infectious blend of past and present.
Krakws main market square, Rynek Gwny Capture/Getty Images
KrakwTop Sights
Wawel Royal Castle
The centre of spiritual and political power in Poland for five centuries, these days it's a stirring symbol of an enduring and surviving Polish state. Centuries of Polish rulers are buried beneath the cathedral.
Anna Lurye/Getty Images
Krakw Top Sights
Rynek Underground
This high-tech archaeological museum situated three metres below the ground tells the amazing 800-year-old story of the development of Krakw and its main market square.
Image by Tomasz Kalarus, The Historical Museum of the City of Cracow
Krakw Top Sights
St Mary's Basilica
A Gothic masterpiece of soaring proportions, Krakw's main church and symbol of the city dazzles with painted glass and an intricately carved altarpiece dating back more than 500 years.
Jaroslav Moravcik/Shutterstock
Krakw Top Sights
Schindler's Factory
Housed in Oskar Schindler's former enamel factory, this interactive museum goes well beyond the film Schindler's List to tell the entire story of life in Krakw under the Nazi occupation during World War II.
Agnes Kantaruk/Shutterstock
Krakw Top Sights
Galicia Jewish Museum
This thoughtful gallery forges links from the present day to the region's Jewish past, through a series of highly moving contemporary photographs and engaging, instructive text.
Lonely Planet/Getty Images
Krakw Top Sights
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum
An essential excursion to the most notorious of the German Nazi extermination camps that operated during WWII. It's certainly an emotionally trying trip, but a necessary and rewarding one as well.
David Clapp/getty images
Krakw Top Sights
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Underground cathedrals, lakes and vast chambers all hewn by man and all made from salt. Much more interesting than it sounds and a great day out for the kids as well.
Juergen Ritterbach/Getty Images
Krakw Top Sights
Collegium Maius
The oldest university building in the country holds unexpected charms, such as the scientific instruments used by former student Nicolaus Copernicus and the first known globe to mark out the American continent.
Roxana Bashyrova/Shutterstock
KrakowLocal Life
Insider tips to help you find the real Krakow
You've toured the Jewish Quarter in a golf cart and had coffee on the main market square now it's time to lift the cover on tourist Krakw and see how the people who live here spend their time and have their fun.
The Old Town's Historic Clubs and Cafes
Epic clubs
Hidden restaurants
Krakw's main square, the Rynek Gwny, is packed with tourists, and many locals, regrettably, keep their distance. But the square has always been the city's nerve centre and intellectual heart. Visit places where you can feel that old vibe.
Cloth Hall Jean-Pierre Lescourret/Getty Images
Gallery Hopping in Kazimierz
Cutting-edge design
High-end art
Kazimierz is not only the city's go-to spot for nightlife and cafes. Locals know it's also great for hunting down quirky shops and one-of-a-kind galleries that go beyond the standard souvenir and amber stores.
Podgrze's Quirkier Side
Ancient sites
Forgotten stories
Podgrze might be the city's most interesting district, but its secrets go deeper than Schindlers Factory and the Jewish ghetto. Residents know this neighbourhood on the edge has more to offer travellers willing to wander off the beaten track.
Workers' Paradise in Nowa Huta