Krakow easily earns the title of cultural capital in Poland. Throughout history, this historic city has won over most everyone who crossed (or took over) it’s path; Austrians, Prussians, etc. Affirming the idea that beauty doesn’t discriminate, rumor has it that Adolf Hitler found Krakow too visually stunning to demolish. This essentially saved it from the terrible fate that many other Polish cities met, granting it the ability to preserve it’s historic charm. Centered around the largest square in Europe, this city’s Old Town neighborhood is surrounded by a park that neatly wraps around it’s circumference. Journeying outwards, one finds a bustling city that holds tight to polish roots, but also welcomes a new wave of modernity.

THE SKINNY: FAST FACTS

• The currency in Poland is the złoty. It looks like monopoly money.
• Tip 10%. 15% if it’s exceptional service.
• Get ready to see a wave of touristy electric cars. Don’t fall for the hype, walking is way better!
• Walk along the Wisla river during sunset.
• Eat a Pierogi and a Potato Pancake.
• Bring a map to Kazimierz.

ARRIVE: HOW TO GET THERE

We arrived by train from Warsaw. If luggage allows, Krakow’s Central Station is walking distance to northeast parts of Old Town and neighborhoods outside the center to the northeast as well. Another option is Krakow’s tram system — it’s pretty extensive and runs throughout the city. Link to map here.

STAY: WHERE TO SET UP YOUR BASE

Location: Our AirBnB was nestled on a quiet residential street about 1/2 a mile northwest of the perimeter of Old Town. We are walkers, so the location for us was ideal to rack up the extra mileage. If you want an ideal location and don’t mind a little bit of walk-time required, I’d totally recommend this flat. However, if you are only there for a tight time-frame and are interested in exploring the Jewish Quarter and the south side of the river, you might want to consider accommodation in Stare Miasto or Kazimierz.

Details:

• The open-concept living room and kitchen is spacious and well-decorated.
• A bonus is a serious looking coffee machine, but be sure to ask the owner how to use it! I failed miserably after multiple morning attempts, leading to multiple disheveled and defeated visits to the neighborhood cafe.
• Similar to some eastern european bathrooms I’ve come across, this one has no shower curtain or door, meaning that this room will resemble a waterpark adventure for the remainder of your stay. If there is some sort of secret to maneuvering this, tell me your ways in the comments.
• The bedroom is a comfy space, equipped with an adorable balcony that is perfect for your morning joe (if you have in fact won the war against Espresso 3000).

EXPLORE: THINGS TO DO

STROLL AROUND (or take a walking tour!)

Surprise! We went on a walking tour. Krakow is a super walkable city with plenty of interesting pockets to explore, so what better way to learn the ins and outs of this city than with a local? FreeWalkingTours.com of Poland offers comprehensive tours with fun guides that give you an awesome first crack at Krakow. Our guide, Johanna, was effortlessly personable and informative.

The tour meets between St. Florian’s gate and the barbican. The length is around 2.5 hours. The cost is whatever you decide to donate at the end of your experience.
Sites we covered:

• St. Florian’s Gate
• Barbican
• Main Market Square
• Church of the Virgin Mary (Kosciol Mariacki)
• Cloth Hall
• Wawel Cathedral
• Jagiellonian University

OLD TOWN

This is the epicenter neighborhood of Krakow. As a whole, it’s a truly lovely area to meander around in, even if it’s to simply take in the architecture steeped in history. In the winding backstreets, you will find a quaint ambiance. Alternatively, the livelier areas are injected with a bit of touristic flare, but nothing too tasteless.

RYNEK GŁÓWNY/MAIN MARKET SQUARE

Rynek Glowny is the star attraction of Old Town. In fact, it’s the largest square in Continental Europe. The pastel-colored townhouses surrounding the square quarters multiple cafes and restaurants that have charming outdoor seating spilling onto the street. While this is absolutely the tourist area, grabbing a coffee here in the summertime gives you prime seating for people-watching. Whether from the cafe or by foot, you will stumble upon flower stalls, an antique market, and an impressive array of living statues. In this square, you will also encounter three of Krakow’s top attractions; St Mary’s Church, The Cloth Hall, and The Rynek Underground Museum.

CHURCH OF THE VIRGIN MARY

This brick gothic church rises over the main market square, but is somewhat unassuming in it’s exterior design. The two towers are different sizes and legend has it that this mismatch can be attributed to a fight between brothers. We didn’t go inside, but heard that the marble and stained glass is quite beautiful. For us, the most fascinating element to this church is the hourly bugle call that is played live by a firefighter (yes, I wrote that correctly!) from the tower’s spire. If you stand to the right side of the church in the little cul-de-sac, you can see the player in the window and he might even give you a wave once he’s done!

CLOTH HALL

Situated right in the center of Main Market Square is a market hall that dates back to the Renaissance. Back in the day, it was a prime space for international merchants to trade foreign imports for Krakow’s salt, textiles, and lead. Rumor has it that when merchants would barter unethically…off with their ear! That way, traders could always tell who not to do business with.

Today, it’s fashioned as a souvenir hunter’s playground, with stalls stocked with amber jewelry, wooden puppets, and colorful textiles. However, buyer beware! While everyone’s ears are intact, locals say that the prices are 100% jacked up here.

PLANTY PARK *RUNNER ALERT*

This unique park rings around Old Town, replacing where the Medieval city walls used to stand. If you are a runner like myself, a complete circle equals 4 kilometers. Jogging or walking through this narrow park, you will come across differently styled gardens and statues.

WAWEL CASTLE

Wawel Castle is set on a lush green hill south of Old Town and is the political heart of Krakow. Due to years of rotating tastes and architects; the palace, chapels, and cathedral are an eclectic mish-mash of Roman, Gothic, and Renaissance styles. We peaked into the Royal Courtyard, which is impressive and Italian inspired, created by a previous king to impress his Italian lover. Personally, I don’t always jump at the opportunity to explore the inside of palaces or castles, but you can buy separate tickets for five different sections inside…apparently the State Rooms and Private Apartments are the most interesting.

However, we did buy a ticket to climb one of the fortress towers for a view of the city and it was totally worth the ~1 euro.

KAZIMIERZ (JEWISH DISTRICT)

Before Nazi occupation, this district was the center of Jewish life for over half a century. After WWII, it earned a name for itself as a substandard area.  Fortunately, in the past 15 years, it has risen from disrepair and morphed into a lively bohemian mecca with a lot of character. The streets are packed with cafes, nightlife, and art galleries; especially around Plac Nowy Square.

The Jewish culture has survived as well. Throughout Kazimierz, we spotted numerous synagogues and Jewish cemeteries. The most compelling one was the Old Synagogue, which welcomes you into the district if you are walking from Old Town.
Word to the wise: have a solid idea of where you need to wander in this neighborhood since it is not as compact as Old Town. You won’t just “stumble upon” the main sites.

KRAKOW’S RIVERSIDE

Walk along the Wisla and you will find some unique riverside bars that have been constructed out of moored barges. During the warmer months, these are great places to enjoy a polish beer and soak in the views of the river.

SCHINDLER’S FACTORY

While it is housed in the offices of the former enamel factory of Oskar Schindler, this museum focuses mostly on the Nazi Occupation of Krakow during WWII. The journey that the museum takes you on is super digestible, visual, and remarkably interactive. As a former history teacher, I wish this museum could visit schools because it does a really fantastic job detailing the systematic steps that the Nazis took to exterminate Jews. Even though most people get their emotional fill of the Holocaust by venturing to Auschwitz, this is where you should go for a historical tune-up of this dark time.

GHETTO WALL

Part of the Podgórze district was the site of the Krakow Ghetto during Nazi occupation. Over 20,000 Polish Jews were locked into an area where previously only 3,000 people had lived. In remembrance of the Jewish victims, part of the ghetto wall is still erected. While very modest, it is a chilling reminder of the horrors during this time. It is especially chilling once you learn that the Nazis intentionally created these walls to mimic Jewish headstones, in order to taunt victims.

THE GHETTO HEROES SQUARE

What was once the scene of mass deportations from the Jewish Ghetto lies a special memorial to the local Holocaust victims. Thirty-three bronze chairs are arranged in this square, one for every thousand Krakow Jews who were murdered. The abstractness and eeriness of this memorial moves you to reflect on the suffering of so many innocent people.

GRUB: THINGS TO CONSUME

KUCHNIA DOROTY

If you want the real deal when it comes to Polish cuisine, make a reservation at this restaurant. This staple has been around for over 100 years—long enough to perfect the home-made pierogis, potato pancakes, and chicken schnitzel.

SISSI BISTRO

Organic brunch food that will take forever and a day to be served, but the charming courtyard and strong coffee will help bide your time.

BARKA BAR

Lounging on the Wisla river on a secured barge is Barka Bar. Grab a lounge chair on the grass or a table on the deck to enjoy a local beer and the stunning view.

TRIP: VENTURING OUT

 AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU

For many visitors, Krakow is the jumping off point for a visit to the Nazi death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau. I couldn’t stress the importance of this visit enough. As an educator, I taught the Holocaust through literature and history–in hopes that our next generation could grasp how evil derives from prejudice and is oftentimes veiled systematically and politically. I always felt an immense significance in teaching this due to my Jewish heritage. At Auschwitz-Birkenau, I felt the emotional weight of my lessons.

Due to the sheer magnitude of this visit, I’ll be creating a separate post detailing the logistics and experience of visiting Auschwitz.

In short, I will never ever forget the power of visiting this former death camp. May the world continue to combat fear and hate as it advances towards tolerance and peace.