Located in the south of Poland, Krakow is the country's former royal capital and spiritual heart, a centre for science, learning and religion. Unlike Warsaw, Krakow emerged from WWII largely unscathed - it was the HQ of the German governor - and its Old Town is studded with Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance buildings.
The main market square (Rynek Glowny) is one of the finest medieval squares in Europe. Among the sights are St. Mary's Basilica, with its 40ft-high wood-carved polyptych, opened at noon each day; the Cloth Hall; and, of course, Wawel Hill.
Wawel Hill is home to the cathedral where many Polish monarchs are buried, the castle, the Big Ben-sized Zygmunt Bell, and, legend has it, resident dragon, whose den can be visited.
While Krakow may have escaped Warsaw's bombings, the war exacted a heavy toll. Auschwitz camp in Oswiecim is about an hour's drive from Krakow and can be visited; it's a sobering sight. Meanwhile, in the city, Kazimierz, the Old Jewish district, has been revived as a Bohemian quarter.
Flights to Krakow land at John Paul II International, named after Karol Wojtyla, who was archbishop of the city before he was elected pope.
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Krakow has four distinct seasons. Spring is bright and mild, and May temperatures are in the mid-teens (Celsius). Summer is warm with occasional heat waves and the most rainfall. June through August temperatures are typically in the 20s. Autumn days start out foggy but warm up in the afternoon - the foliage is beautiful at this time. Winter brings lots of snow and temperatures usually below freezing.
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Peak Season:
Peak season is April to October, and it is a good idea to book Krakow flights ahead. The city has events throughout the year, and July is a month of festivals, from street theatre to jazz.
Off Season:
The cold winters typically mean fewer tourists, but there is still plenty to do.
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City bus services 208 and 192 travel to the city centre, taking about 35 minutes. Taxis are also available outside the arrivals hall.
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The Old Town is compact, mostly closed to traffic, and easy to negotiate. Best explored on foot, many of Krakow’s attractions are within walking distance of each other. When venturing outside the city centre, buses and trams can get you around easily.
Krakow’s buses and trams are the easiest way to travel in the city although they are crowded during rush hour. Buses and trams run between 5am and 11pm, with night buses running later. You can buy tickets at kiosks, ticket machines, and on the bus or tram.
Taxis are readily available, and fares at night are higher. Radio taxis (look for a taxi sign and the phone number of the company) usually have the best rates.
With limited parking, much of the Old Town closed to traffic, and a good system of buses and trams, there is little need for a car. If you are driving into the city, leave the car in a guarded car park. There are a couple in the city and some in the surrounding areas.
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- The district of Nowa Huta, 10km (6 miles) east of the city centre, was created after the Second World War as a social-realist suburb to house workers and buildings for the steel industry. The name means “The New Steel Mill” and work was started on the area in 1949. Today, the steel works no longer operate, but the district is fascinating for a tourist for its Stalinist-Baroque architecture.
- Pope John Paul II was the only Polish pope, and is especially loved in Krakow, where he spent time at university. Before he was elected Pope, one of his major achievements as pontiff was the success of his fight to erect a church in the district of Nowa Huta, which, having been designed by Communists, previously had no religious buildings. You will still find many posters, postcards and photographs throughout Krakow from his last visit in 2002. Wadowice, the town of his birth, is easily visited.
- Public toilets in Poland don’t normally use the pictures of men and women. A triangle, or the words “dla panow” means gentlemen; a circle, or the words “dla pan” is the ladies.
- Try some traditional Polish food. Pierogi are dough pockets, filled with meat, cheese or cabbage. Big stews are on every menu; one of the most traditional is bigos, or hunter’s stew, which is simmered for a few days and contains different types of meat and sauerkraut. Of course, vodka is the local drink. Served neat, with a mixer or on the rocks, there is vodka on offer everywhere you go; in a mind-numbing array of flavours.
- You can reach Auschwitz by bus from Krakow. The most notorious of the Nazi concentration camps, now a museum, Auschwitz is an extremely moving destination to visit.
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