Krakow
Krakow is the second-largest city in Poland after Warsaw and served largely intact in the second world war including parts of the Jewish ghetto the German's created there in Kazimierz. It lies on the Vistula River just north of border with Slovakia.
Things to See and Do
It is easy enough to walk around the city with many sites easily accessed from the centre.
Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz)
The Jewish Quarter is found in Kazimierz which was the site of the Jewish Ghetto during the second world war. One of the most famous places to visit, which is a bit tricky to find, is “Schindler's List Passage” which featured in the film as some untouched apartments from the time of the ghetto. Many of the buildings of this period are still standing though the area now is known more for it's thriving restaurant scene.
Old Town
The old town is centered around the square “Rynek Główny” or “main market” with it's large covered market selling traditional Polish crafts and souvenirs. The east side of the square features “Bazylika Mariacka” or “St. Mary's Basilica”.
The square has roads leading out at all angles to the surrounding city walls.
Be sure to also check out Maly Rynek (“Little Market Square”) for its occasional markets which is just to the east behind “St. Mary's Basilica”.
Oskar Schindler's Factory
Oskar Schindler's Factory is located south-east of the Jewish Quarter and the river with timed tickets providing access to a series of exhibits talking about the German occupation in the Second World War. The exhibits feature a lot of writing, pictures, and videos telling the story.
There is only a small amount of information about Oskar Schindler himself but his office can be visited. No access to the former factory itself is provided. If you want to visit and read a reasonable amount of material you may want to allow up to three hours. There is a small gift shop and cafe onsite.
Wawel Castle
The Wawel Castle complex lies on the southern edge of the old city walls overlooking the river. It is at the top of a hill and features a number of attractions including galleries, gardens and the Wawel Cathedral. Access to most buildings, gardens, and exhibits is by ticket (available onsite or at the door) but the grounds can be accessed free of charge.
One favourite thing to do is see the fire breathing dragon statue at the base of the castle mound on the river where you can text a number to have the dragon breathe fire!
There are shops, cafes and a post office on the Wawel Castle site.
Eating Out
A very local thing to do is to pick up fresh pretzels that are sold fresh every day from carts in the city. They are available in a variety of flavours and well worth trying…
Though we visited for only a short time we did manage to try a few interesting places to eat:
- Judah Food Market (June 2024) Św. Wawrzyńca 16, 31-060 Kraków, Poland (Jewish Quarter) - A great, if small, street market serving a wide variety of street food including traditional Polish food as well as pizzas and burgers. See also the “Safari Food Truck Park” just east down the street.
- Mr.Broda Sandwich Bar (June 2024) Krakowska 31, 31-062 Kraków, Poland (Jewish Quarter) - An amazing deli serving excellent pastrami and roast beef stacked high on it's sandwiches alongside homemade pickles. A bit pricey but worth it.
- A. Hawełka (June 2024) Rynek Główny 34, 31-000 Kraków, Poland (Rynek Główny) - A rather expensive restaurant in the heart of the old city in Rynek Główny with outdoor seating in the square itself. The restaurant features a variety of dishes including traditional Polish dishes
Getting Around
It is easy enough to get around the centre of the city on foot but if you need public transport, getting around the city is made quite simple by the extensive network of modern trams (particularly in the city centre) and metro trains which operate quite frequently and, of course, city buses.
The small airport has a metro station taking passengers directly into the heart of the city.
There are a number of local tourist agencies providing trips to nearby Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum and Wieliczka Salt Mine.
Further Information
For further information, please see: