Holiday In Krakow - The Best Choice For Your Vacation

Krakow possesses something that Warsaw, for all its dynamism, cannot replicate: authenticity. While Warsaw was rebuilt from ruins, Krakow survived the war largely intact, and its medieval old town, Renaissance churches and Baroque palaces are the genuine article. Add to this a thriving cultural scene, excellent food, remarkably low prices by Western European standards, and you have one of the continent's most rewarding destinations.

The Rynek Glowny, Europe's largest medieval market square, is the natural starting point. The Cloth Hall at its centre has been a marketplace since the 15th century and today houses souvenir stalls upstairs and an excellent gallery of 19th-century Polish painting downstairs. St Mary's Basilica, with its asymmetrical towers, contains a spectacular Gothic altarpiece by Veit Stoss that took twelve years to complete. Every hour, a trumpeter plays the Hejnal from the taller tower, breaking off mid-phrase to commemorate a 13th-century watchman killed by a Tatar arrow.

Wawel Hill, rising above the Vistula, holds both the Royal Castle and the Cathedral that served as the coronation church of Polish kings for five centuries. The castle's state rooms and the famous Arras tapestry collection are outstanding, but the Dragon's Den, a cave beneath the hill associated with the city's founding legend, will delight children. A fire-breathing dragon statue at the cave's exit breathes actual flames every few minutes.

Kazimierz, the former Jewish quarter, has transformed from near-dereliction into Krakow's most atmospheric neighbourhood. The seven surviving synagogues, the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Galicia Jewish Museum tell the story of a community that thrived here for six centuries. Today, the area is also the centre of Krakow's nightlife, with bars, restaurants and live music venues filling the streets around Plac Nowy. The Sunday flea market at Plac Nowy is a genuine treasure hunt. If you are planning your next trip, you might also enjoy exploring dog-friendly travel destinations in France.

No visit to Krakow is complete without confronting the Holocaust at Auschwitz-Birkenau, a 90-minute bus ride from the city. It is a profoundly difficult experience, but an essential one. Book a guided tour in advance, as independent visits require earlier arrival and can be overwhelming without context. The Schindler's Factory museum back in Krakow provides an excellent complement, focusing on the daily reality of life under Nazi occupation.

Krakow's food has improved immensely. Pierogi remain the iconic dish, but the new generation of restaurants offers far more: contemporary Polish cuisine at Pod Baranem, craft beer at House of Beer, and the best zapiekanka, Poland's answer to pizza, from the vendors at Plac Nowy. In summer, the outdoor cafes along Ulica Slawkowska provide perfect people-watching over a glass of Zywiec.