Krakow Poland

Krakow (Kraków) is a city on the Vistula River in southern Poland and served as the capital of the Kingdom of Poland from the 11th to the 16th century. Main attractions include Wawel Royal Castle, the Old Town and Main Market Square, one of the largest medieval market squares in Europe. Nearby are the Wieliczka and Bochnia Salt Mines, as well as the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial.

Main Landmarks

• Wawel Royal Castle (Zamek Królewski na Wawelu) – former royal residence – map | tickets
• Wawel Cathedral (Katedra Wawelska) – Gothic cathedral on Wawel Hill – map
• Old Town (Stare Miasto) – medieval city center listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site – map
• Main Market Square (Rynek Główny) – 13th-century market square – map
• Underground Museum (Rynek Podziemny) – archaeological museum beneath the Main Market Square – map | tickets
• St. Mary's Basilica (Kościół Mariacki) – Gothic church with two towers, blue ceiling with stars and wooden altarpiece – map | tickets
• Barbican (Barbakan) – circular 15th-century fortification – map
• St. Florian's Gate (Brama Floriańska) – medieval gate at the entrance to the Old Town – map
• Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) – covered market with souvenir stalls and a gallery of 19th-century Polish art – map
• Czartoryski Museum (Muzeum Książąt Czartoryskich) – museum housing Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine – map | tickets
• Kazimierz Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz) – district with synagogues, cafes and bars – map
• Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory (Fabryka Emalia Oskara Schindlera) – museum about life in Nazi-occupied Krakow during World War II – map | tickets
• Church of Saints Peter and Paul (Kościół ŚŚ Piotra i Pawła) – Baroque church with a facade decorated with statues of the Twelve Apostles – map
• Tyniec Abbey (Opactwo Benedyktynów w Tyńcu) – Benedictine monastery overlooking the Vistula River, 16 km from the city centre – map

Day trips from Krakow

• Wieliczka Salt Mine (Kopalnia Soli Wieliczka) – underground complex with chapels and chambers, UNESCO World Heritage Site, 17 km away – map | tickets
• Bochnia Salt Mine (Kopalnia Soli Bochnia) – one of the oldest salt mines in Europe, UNESCO-listed site, 42 km away – map | tickets
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial (Auschwitz-Birkenau) – former Nazi concentration camps, UNESCO-listed site, 65 km away – map | tickets
• Pieskowa Skala Castle (Zamek Pieskowa Skała) – castle in Ojcow National Park, 30 km away – map
• Tarnow (Tarnów) – city with colorful townhouses and a well-preserved old town, 80 km away – map
• Zakopane – mountain resort at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, 110 km away – map

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