Having been the capital of Poland until 1596, this amazing city is the third most populated city of Poland. Located on the Vistula river, its magnificent old architecture prompted UNESCO to include Krakow on the list of Cultural World Heritage. Its historic centre is a major UNESCO listed World Heritage attraction. Like Warsaw, Krakow has had a turbulent past, and it has now developed into one of the main scientific and cultural centres of the country 

By air
Direct flights are available from London (approximately 2h 20min.) and from Warsaw (approximately 45 min.).

By rail
From Warsaw, take an express or fast train which arrives in about 2h 30 min.

By road
Krakow is 294 km from Warsaw.
 

From high on a hilltop, Wawel Castle keeps watch over the Old Town of Krakow. The castle was built in the Renaissance style and houses an extraordinary collection of treasures of the Polish monarchies through the ages.

Beside the castle sits the cathedral, the final resting place of all but two of the Polish Kings and other famous Polish descendants.

The Old Town is the centre of activity. The main market square is without doubt the social salon of Krakow. Visitors from all around the world mingle with the locals in the open air cafes or gather at famous meeting places like the Jama Michalikowa cafe, a favourite of Krakow's artists since the XlXth century.

Nearby, the monumental Sukiennice cloth hall houses a gallery of Polish XlXth century paintings and sculptures, including the famous paintings of Jan Matejko, in the upstairs gallery. Downstairs, the hall is full of market stalls selling local wares, ideal for souvenir shopping.

Near the Old Town are the Barbican defence walls and St. Florian's Gate (where artists present their works), connecting the boutiques of Florianska Street with the newer part of the City.

Across the square, is St. Mary's Church, with its famous altar. From the tower, each hour a solitary bugle call reminds visitors of the bugler whose warning of an invasion was cut short in mid-note by a Tartar arrow.

The Kazimierz quarter, founded in 1335, was badly damaged during the war. Today it has been rebuilt and is an area where the visitor can admire the specific Jewish architecture and experience daily Jewish life. This quarter was also the set for the movie "Schindler's List". In the Old Synagogue, the Museum of Judaics is open for visitors.

This medieval capital possesses a unique atmosphere. For centuries, artists have flocked here, and today it has become one of Poland's most popular tourist destinations.
 

Music and theatre are present in Krakow all year round. Apart from the normal activities of the Krakow Philharmonic, the Krakow Opera and the Operetta, there are several permanent musical venues, attracting world famous orchestras and soloists.

Jazz lovers will enjoy the nightlife in Krakow, particularly in the students' cultural centre "Pod Jaszczurami" at the market square or in of one of the many private jazz clubs.

Recommended theatres:
Old Theatre (Teatr Star y), Pl. Szczepanski 1
Theatre Cricot 2, ul. Kananiczna S
Theatre STU (Teatr STU), al. Krasinskiego 18
 

Main:
- the National Museum, ul. Pilsudskiego 12.
- Wawel Royal Castle Museum, Wawel 5

Other (recommended):
- Historical Museum of the City of Krakow, Rynek Glowny 35
- Czartoryski Museum, ul. Sw. Jana 19
- Jagiellonian University Museum, Collegium Maius, ul. Jagiellonska 15
- Museum of History and Culture of the Krakow Jews, Old Synagogue, ul. Szeroka 24
- Gallery of Polish 19th Century Painting and Sculpture at Sukiennice, Rynek Glowny
 

In 1995, the Cultural Council of Ministers of the European Union voted to bestow on Krakow the rank of a Capital of European Culture in the year 2000.

A list of cultural events currently staged in Krakow.

Cracow’s Aqua Park will help you relax after a long walking tour of the city. It offers fun for the whole family, featuring attractions such as sauna, hydro-massage, jacuzzi, climbing walls and 768 metres of twisted slides.

The area outside Krakow offers the visitor a broad range of places of particular interest.

The Wieliczka salt mines (approximately 13 km away), is one of Poland's greatest treasures. Registered with the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, this unique underground complex consists of a labyrinth of mine galleries, chambers and tunnels extending over 300 km. The route that can be visited, shows hundreds of sculptures made from salt by previous mine workers, including an underground chapel fully constructed out of salt, complete with salt chandeliers.

Nearby (61 km) the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp musem (also listed by UNESCO) is a solemn reminder of the Holocaust.

Zakopane (106km), Poland's winter sports capital, is located at the foot of the Tatra Mountains and close to the Tatrzanski National Park.
 

For a full list of what's on, please phone the Local Tourist Information Offices:
- Krakow: Tel. (00-48-12) 6217706
- Zakopane: Tel. (00-48-18) 201224