Looking back on our trip through Eastern Europe, if we had to pick a favourite city it would be Kraków.
A beautiful city that looks like its from a fairytale. Cobble stone streets lined with horse and carriage, beautiful squares and pretty churches. There is an abundance of fun and historical things to do in Kraków. The Old town square is full of architechural monuments, priceless cultural treasures, cobbled streets, bustling courtyards, cellar bars and cafes. Poland’s most charming city has been charmed indeed, emerging from World War II as the only major Polish city that wasn’t reduced to rubble.
Kraków is Poland’s second-biggest city and one of its oldest. Located in the south near the border of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Krakow is known for its well-preserved medieval core and Jewish quarter. Krakow was once the capital of Poland for over 500 years. Krakow has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academical, cultural and artistic life. Over 200, 000 students study in Krakow and the city has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academical, cultural and artistic life. It is home to Jagiellonian University, which is one of the oldest in the world and Poland’s most reputable institution of higher learning.
Its old town ringed by Planty Park and remnants of the city’s medieval walls, is centered on Rynek Glówny (market square). This plaza is the site of the Cloth Hall, a Renaissance-era trading outpost and St. Mary’s Basilica, a 14th-century Gothic church.
WHERE TO STAY KRAKÓW
Fresco Apartments is located in the heart of old town and just a short walking distance to the main square. All apartments come with a fully equipped kitchen, dining area,a seating area with a sofa bed, tv and wifi. Apartments are available from 60 euros a night. To book click HERE. We couldn’t have stayed in a better spot.
TOP THINGS TO DO IN KRAKÓW
WANDER AROUND MAIN MARKET SQUARE
The main square of Krakow known as Rynek Główny is the biggest medieval town squares in Europe and dates back to the 13th century. Town square is spread over 10 acres. Rising above the square are the gothic towers of St. Marys Basilica. The first church here was built in the 1220s and following its destruction during a Tatar raid, construction of the basilica began. Tour the exquisite interior, with its remarkable carved wooden altarpiece and in summer climb the tower for excellent views of the square. Don’t miss the hourly hejnał (bugle call) from the taller tower.
The Cloth hall dates to the Renaissance and is one of the city’s most recognizable icons. It is the central feature of the main market square in the Kraków Old Town listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978. Built in the 14th century this huge hall was effectively the first shopping mall in the world. To this day it is still crammed with merchant stalls selling amber, lace, woodwork and other tourist knick knacks. In 2010, Rynek Underground – a 4,000m2, hi-tech museum tracing the history of the Cloth Hall, and that of the entire city – opened underneath it, while the second floor hosts the underrated 19th Century Polish Art Gallery.
Now the Grand Square is the focus of the city life. Krakow residents and visitors come here to meet each other, do business, shop in numerous stores and enjoy themselves in restaurants, cafés and clubs. At night we were entertained by street performers, buskers and the ladies encouraging you to ride in their horse and cart.
WAWEL CASTLE
Just a short walk from the main square is Wawel Castle. Built at the behest of King Casimir III the Great it consists of a number of structures situated around the Italian-styled main courtyard. Its a beautiful walk around the gardens and you can go down into the underground cave called the Dragons Dens.
The castle being one of the largest in Poland represents nearly all European architectural styles of medieval, renaissance and baroque periods. The Wawel Royal Castle and the Wawel Hill constitute the most historically and culturally significant site in the country. In 1978 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Centre of Kraków. People have lived on Wawel Hill as early as early as fifty thousand years ago, in the Paleolithic Age.
Wawel Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located on Wawel Hill. More than 900 years old, it is the Polish national sanctuary and traditionally has served as coronation site of the Polish monarchs as well as the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Kraków.
Smocza Jama (Polish for “dragon’s den”) is a limestone cave in the Wawel Hill in Kraków. Smocza Jama has two entrances, one natural and one artificial — a 19th-century waterwork well. The underground cave has the length of 276 m and vertical range of 15 m. To get down into the cave you have to buy a ticket from the ticket machine which costs 3 euros. This is located on the west side of the near the river and is the quickest way to get back down to the river. You walk down a small spiral staircase for a minute and then down into the open cave. The cave isn’t really big and at the exit theres the dragon statue. Every few minutes it blows flames out of its mouth. If you only want to see the dragon flames there in no need to visit via the cave at just walk down outside the castle.
KAZIMIERZ
For 500 years, Kazimierz was the bustling centre of Jewish life and culture – until it was destroyed and its inhabitants were forcibly removed to the Kraków ghetto just across the river in Podgórze by the Nazis in 1941. During the communist era, it was a rundown quarter of the city that most people avoided. But since the fall of communism in the 1990s and when it came under the spotlight of Steven Spielberg’s movie Schindler’s List, it has once again transformed into a buzzing, bohemian neighbourhood packed with bars, cafes and historic sights. All that history makes for one awesome array of activities and sights.
The Remuh Synagogue traces its roots back to the 1550s, when it was built in honor of the family of Rabbi Moshe Isserles. Worth noting are the striking inscriptions on the exterior courtyard walls commemorating the death of the Krakow Jews in the Holocaust, along with the exquisite Torah Ark inside, with its art deco stylistic touches. Remuh Synagogue is one of the last active synagogues in the neighborhood of Kazimierz.
Galicia Jewish Museum a commemorative, sobering and compelling exhibition center that’s dedicated to chronicling and re-telling the histories of Polish Jews. Plac Nowy, the heart of the district is home to flea markets at the weekends with antiques, books and food stalls . Grab a traditional zapiekanki (pizza breads packed with toppings) from one of the stands in the square. Cheder, which was opened by the Jewish Culture Festival Association in a former prayer house is a venue for lectures, film screenings, concerts and other events and serves Israeli-style coffee alongside traditional mezze (£4.30 for five small dishes with pita bread)
JEWISH GHETTO
German authorities created the Jewish ghetto in Krakow under the Nazi occupation on March 3, 1941 as a compulsory dwelling place for the city’s Jews.
Before the beginning of the World War II more than 65 000 Jews lived in Krakow. Driven by the ideas of racial anti-Semitism, Nazi soldiers gathered all Hebrew people in one district surrounded by walls. There were only four gates to get from there to the surrounding streets and each was guarded by SS. This way Krakow Ghetto appeared – and Plac Zgody was its heart.
The Germans invaded Poland in September 1939. Hans Frank the Nazi Governor of the region, planned for Krakow to be ‘the cleanest’ of the former Polish cities. After several waves of Jewish resettlement to other Polish cities it was finally decreed that all remaining Jews should move to Podgorze. The area that was singled out for the ghetto constituted the heart of the Podgorze district. It spread east from the Main Market Square over an area of 20 hectares. The Jews who stayed in Kraków were ordered to move to Podgorze by March 20th, 1941. Originally the ghetto took up the area of roughly twenty hectares that stretched from Plac Zgody square (now Plac Bohaterow Getta) to Rekawka street and between.
The entire Plac Bohaterow Getta square, Ghetto Heroes Square in English, has been turned into a monument commemorating the Jewish ghetto and the Krakow Jews.
During the time of the Kraków Ghetto it was at once the source of the residents’ greatest relief and also the scene of their greatest horrors and humiliation. As the ghetto’s largest open space, Plac Zgody was a place for people to socialise, relax and escape the oppressive overcrowding of the tenements. It was also the site of families being torn apart, mass deportations to the death camps, beatings and executions. Following deportations and the final liquidation of the ghetto, Plac Zgody was strewn with furniture, clothes, luggage and other belongings that the victims had been forced to abandon – this image would later inspire the redesign of the square.
Though after the war the name of Plac Zgody was changed to Plac Bohaterów Getta (Ghetto Heroes Square) and a small monument was erected. Finally, after decades of neglect Plac Bohaterów Getta was renovated in 2005, sparking significant controversy over the design. Laid out with 70 large well-spaced metal chairs meant to symbolise departure, as well as subsequent absence, the entire square has essentially been turned into an memorial for the victims of the Kraków Ghetto.
OSKARS SCHINDLERS FACTORY
Located in the old jewish quarter is the Oskar Schindler’s Factory Museum. Journey back to the dark days of World War II and learn the inspiring story of Oskar Schindler at Oskar Schindler’s Factory Museum.
The modern museum is devoted to the wartime experiences of the 5-year Nazi occupation of Poland during World War II. Located in the former enamel factory of the industrialist who famously saved the lives of over 1,000 people during the Holocaust, the site and story were brought into the limelight by Steven Spielberg’s 1993 Oscar-winning movie “Schindler’s List.”
Still on the site of the original administrative building of the factory on Lipowa Street, the museum tells the individual histories of Kraków’s wartime inhabitants, the fate of the Jews and the city’s underground resistance to the Nazi occupation. See archival documents and photographs of the time, and listen to radio and film recordings that bring the story to life. Admire period artifacts and marvel at the dynamic multimedia installations in the museum.
Entry into the museum is 25 PLN/ 5 euros. There are ar range of guided tours you can do however we chose to go in and walk around at our own pace. To book tickets online click HERE.
AUSCHWITZ CONCENTRATION PARK
As much at this was very heart breaking to visit I would reccomend to visit and learn about the history and pay your respects.
The concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau was built in 1940 and was the largest camp operated by the Nazis. Located in German-occupied southern Poland, it took its name from the nearby town of Oświęcim and is located about 35 miles from Kraków.
Go back in time to revisit the Holocaust as it was carried out at this site, claiming well over 1 million victims. The complex comprised 3 main camps. Auschwitz I was the administrative center, Auschwitz II (also known as Birkenau) was the extermination site, and Auschwitz III (called Monowitz) was a labor camp. It has been calculated that the number of the people killed here was between 1.1 and 1.6 million. Approximately 90 percent of those killed were Jews, who were shipped here from almost every country in Europe.
Most of the victims were exterminated in chambers that used Zyklon B gas, while other deaths were the result of systematic starvation, forced labor, lack of disease control, individual executions, and so-called medical experiments. Before the liberation of Auschwitz on 27 January 1945, the SS attempted to destroy the camp and burn the archives. Not everything was destroyed and the Polish government restored Auschwitz–Birkenau as a moving memorial to the victims.
We would recommend a guided tour to learn more about the history and the facts as the guide walks you through all the buildings both 2 camps. Admission to the grounds of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is free of charge. The entry cards should be reserved on visit.auschwitz.org.
CHEAP EATS IN KRAKÓW
Smakolyki
This was easily the best priced restaurant we’ve been to in our week in Poland. Food was traditional, tasty and very cheap compared to other restaurants in the area. Mains come with two complimentary sides, so you’re guaranteed to leave full. We both ordered a chicken breast dish and we were not disappointed but the portion size at all.
Gospoda Koko
This is a greta spot for afternoon feed and dinner We went and eat downstairs near the bar and the area has a cool alternative vibe to it. Soup and dumplings are tasty and very cheap and cheap cocktails are an extra bonus. All meals starting from 16 pln with main course of meat, side, salad and soup.
We hope you have enjoyed reading our blog and we hope this information helps you plan your next trip to Kraków.
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