Krakow is one of the most beautiful European
medieval cities and as a tour guide I can't wait to show you the best things to do in Krakow,
Poland. A millennia old seat of Polish kings is adorned by a fairytale castle, rich and
beautiful historical architecture, and the largest medieval square in Europe. Beautiful
old town was once surrounded by mighty city walls and is now a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Fortifications were demolished in the early 1800s and replaced by by the park that
surrounds the old town with its 4 kilometers of lush green gardens. One of the remains of the
defensive walls is Krakow Barbican. This fortified medieval outpost is one of only three surviving
Barbicans in Europe. This historic gateway from the late 1400s was the main entrance to the
old town. Large circular tower with an inner courtyard and seven turrets was surrounded by the
moat. The barbican served as a check point from where you passed through the covered passageway,
crossing the moat to reach st. Florian's gate and enter the city. Through this gate runs an
official path known as the Royal Road. It was used by Polish kings for coronation processions,
royal funerals and other important events in the royal city. Royal Road connects main city gates
and Wawel castle. It runs through spectacular main square and three most beautiful streets
of Krakow. Kings started their journey just outside the city walls at st. Florian's church,
which contains the relics of Saint Florian, the Patron Saint of Poland. After entering the
city gates, kings would go down Floriańska Street. It is lined by pastel-colored houses and bustles
with tourists, shops and street performers. This is also one of the main nightlife spots full
of bars, clubs and restaurants. Floriańska Street connects the old city gate with the
main square. After passing the main square, the Royal Road turns to one of the oldest streets
in Krakow. It is lined by 17th century houses with beautifully decorated facades. Here you will find
many restaurants, cafes and shops. There are also two beautiful churches, one dedicated to Saint
Andrew and the other to st. Peter and Paul. At the two churches the Royal Road crosses small Saint
Mary Magdalene square and turns on a picturesque little street called Kanoniczka. It is lined with
beautiful houses and mansions with stone portals, Buildings were mostly occupied by the priests
managing the Cathedral inside the castle complex. One of the houses was also home of priest and
bishop Karol Wojtyla that later became Pope John Paul II. From here the Royal Road runs uphill
to its final destination, the Wawel castle. Under the Castle hill runs the longest river
in Poland. In the Middle Ages Vistula was the main transport way of Poland as it flows
up to Warsaw and out into the Baltic Sea. On both sides of the river are picturesque
promenades known as Vistula Boulevards. They are one of the most popular places for
rest, strolls and cycling. On the boulevard under the Castle Hill is the Avenue of Stars
where Polish and world celebrities imprinted their hands. Boulevard is also adorned with
statues like the Wawel dragon, a symbol of Krakow. Several legends talk about a dragon who
lived in the cave under the Castle Hill. Dragon terrified citizens and no knight could kill the
beast. One legend talks about the shoemaker, who showed up with calf's skin filled with sulfur.
The monster caught the bait and immediately felt a burning pain. To quench his thirst the
dragon started to drink from the river, but as water can't extinguish burning sulfur,
the dragon drank until it died. The other bank of the river offers a great panorama, but the
best one can be observed from the Krakow Eye Observation Wheel. The area is a popular meeting
place for music, art and relaxation. Along the banks you can find a number of tour companies
offering river cruises. One of the cruisers can take you about 10 kilometers from Krakow where
stands a pictures cliffside Benedictine Abbey of Tyniec founded in the 11th century. Despite
looking like a military fortress, the monastery suffered various invasions over the centuries.
However, it was always rebuild, enlarged and reinforced according to the various styles
of the time. As this is an active monastery, it's divided into non visible part occupied by
Benedictine monks and a part open to the public. Another amazing UNESCO World Heritage Site just
outside of Krakow is one of the oldest rock salt mines in the world, Wieliczka Salt Mine. This
is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Poland. Mines have been exploited for over
750 years and were crucial for the thriving development of the region and its economy. The
mine includes over 300 kilometers of tunnels, over 3,000 caves, underground lakes, and huge
halls arranged over 9 levels. Wieliczka Salt Mine is so huge that you will see only about 1%
of it. The visit is possible only with a guided tour that takes two to three hours and includes
about 800 steps and a lot of walking. Over the centuries miners have decorated the underground
halls, creating sculptures and creations made in salt and rock. In 1996 salt mining stopped, but
miners still work to secure underground chambers and corridors to protect historic sites.
Guided tour takes you to wonderful halls, the underground lake and the deepest point of the
mine. The unique microclimate of the mine also has a beneficial effect on the respiratory
system. Still, you will be left breathless when you enter a spacious underground
Cathedral carved into the rock and salt. Back in the city center, you should visit
Krakow Jewish Quarter. For centuries Jews were an important part of Krakow community. But
during the WWII they were forced into a crowded Ghetto across the river and most of them died
in that camps. With Schindler's factory and the nearby Auschwitz concentration camp,
Krakow remains to be closely tied to the history of the Jews. Krakow Jewish
Quarter, known as Kazimierz, started as an independent town. It was founded just south
of the old town by King Casimir III the Great, hence its name. After a disastrous fire in
1494 that destroyed a large part of Krakow, Jews were forced out of the old town and
allowed to settle in Kazimierz . In the following centuries, the neighborhood became
one of the largest jewish communities in Europe. Nowadays Kazimierz is one of the liveliest and
most charming districts in Krakow, full of pubs, shops and restaurants serving delicious local
specialties. In 1993 Steven Spielberg shot his film Schindler's list largely in Kazimierz and
drew international attention to the neighborhood. On popular square Plac Nowy you can find an
authentic local market and dozens of excellent eateries, beer houses, and trendy places. One of
the most picturesque spots of the neighborhood is also the Old Market Square with a former town
hall that is housing and Ethnographic museum. Not far from Kazimierz is Schindler's factory,
upon which Spielberg's movie was based. The factory was established by three Jewish
businessmen to produce enamelware dishes and tin products. When WWII broke out, the factory
was taken over by Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party. All Jews aged over 12 were forced
to work in factories for free. Schindler employed whole families and treated them well, claiming
they were essential workers. The factory became sort of a safe haven until 1944 when Nazis began
to liquidate the prisons and camps, due to the approaching Allies forces. Schindler decided to
save his workers by evacuating them to another factory in the Czech Republic. It was then
that the famous Schindler's list was created that included about 1,200 names that were later
liberated by the Soviets. The factory is now a museum showing the Nazi occupation of Krakow and
on the second floor, you can visit the offices of Oscar Schindler and his secretary. Another
very emotional experience is a half-day trip from Krakow to Auschwitz concentration camp.
You can find it in the description below. Krakow has the largest medieval square
in Europe. Impressive and always lively, square is lined by elegant houses and palaces.
There are numerous cafes and restaurants spreading their tables around the square. This huge space
is also the intersection of as many as 11 streets. No wonder the square was ways the heart of
the city and the most popular meeting place. This bronze statue has become one of the most
popular meeting points on the massive square. It's dedicated to the greatest Polish romantic
poet of the 19th century. Beautiful architecture includes the Town Hall Tower from the 1300s,
the only remains of the former Town Hall. You can climb to its observation deck from where you
can observe a beautiful view of Krakow. Here is also a small church of Saint Adalbert, the oldest
stone church in Poland, dating back almost 1,000 years. The church seems to be sinking as over the
centuries square level has significantly risen. A millennia old legend has it that st. Adalbert
consecrated this church in 997 and preached there before going on his mission to bring Christianity
to Prussia, where he was killed in martyrdom. Here is also one of the landmarks of Krakow st. Mary's
Basilica. Shortly after it was built in the 1200s, the church was destroyed by the Mongol invasion.
Along with the rest of the city, the basilica was rebuilt with brick, which is a typical feature of
Polish Gothic architecture. Church has two towers, but only the shorter one is a bell tower. The
taller northern tower rises for 82 m or 270 feet, and was built as a watchtower. Watchtower
is crowned with an octagonal cupola, surrounded by a ring of eight steeples and topped
by a gilded crown. Every day and every hour a trumpet is played from this tower. The music
abruptly ends in honors of a famous trumpeter who was shot by an arrow in the throat while
sounding the alarm before a Mongol attack on the city. The noontime trumpet call is broadcasted
live by Polish national radio. Church interior was rebuilt in late Baroque style and is dominated by
an impressive wooden altarpiece from the 1400s, a national treasure of Poland. It has three
panels and when closed they show 12 scenes of the life of Jesus and Mary. When the panels are
open, they reveal a main scene of death of Mary in the presence of the Twelve Apostles. During
the Nazi occupation the altarpiece was taken, but luckily it was found in the basement of a
heavily bombed Nuremberg Castle. Krakow was an important trading post between east and west. It
was part of Amber Road, connecting the Baltic Sea with the Mediterranean. That is why the center
of the square is dominated by a huge Cloth Hall, an impressive purpose-built trading hall
from the 1300s. The main hall was divided into two levels. The ground floor is still
crammed with merchant stalls selling lace, woodwork, tourist souvenirs and amber.
The first floor houses Krakow's oldest museum with a historic exhibition of Polish 19th
century art. Over the centuries the floor level of the market square rose significantly and
therefore it hides a lot of history. From the Cloth Hall you can descend under the square to
visit a museum and discover some of its secrets. The Wawel Royal Castle is one of the most
important sites in Poland. The first ruler and creator of the Polish state, Mieszko I, used
it as one of his residences. For centuries Wawel served as the seat of power and the symbol of
Polish statehood. The castle experience its golden days from the 14th through the 16th centuries.
In the 1500s, a Medieval castle was transformed into one of the finest Renaissance palaces
in Central Europe. In the heart of the Royal palace is a symbol of Polish statehood and faith.
Wawel Cathedral hosted coronations, weddings, baptisms and funerals of Polish royalty and its
history dates over 1,000 years. The current church originates from the 1300s, but over time it was
expanded in various architectural styles. Wawel’s significance begin to wane in the 1600s when the
king's court was moved to Warsaw, despite the fact that the Cathedral continued to be the site of
the coronations and burials of Poland's kings. In the 1700s Poland was split between the Kingdom
of Prussia, the Russian empire and the Austrian Habsburg monarchy, which used the castle as
barracks for the Austrian army. With the collapse of the Habsburg monarchy after WWI, Poland
regained its independence. Wawel castle went under a monumental restoration project and became one
of Poland's top art museums. The castles permanent exhibitions recreate the appearance of the royal
residence in the Renaissance and Baroque eras. The castle offers various permanent exhibitions and
seasonal routes so be sure to check my favorite ones in the description below. There you'll also
find my favorite Krakow tours and experiences. My name is Rok, thanks for the thumbs up
and for watching and see you next time!
