Rynek – Main Market Square

The Kraków Market Square, set out in 1257 during the granting of the Magdeburg rights to the city, is still one of the largest in Europe (about 200 x 200 metres). As early as in the 12th century, a network of mostly perpendicular streets was set out around the Market Square, with the earlier buildings incorporated into them in places (among others, Grodzka Street). In the centre of the Market Square, a medieval trading hall, Sukiennice, was erected, as well as the town hall, of which only the tower has survived until our times.

The splendour of the bygone times is evidenced by the Kraków tenement houses, preserved until this very day. The richly decorated elevations can be admired around the Market Square - as well as in Floriańska, Grodzka, Bracka, Kanoniczna and other historical streets. An interior of a 19th century bourgeois tenement house can be viewed in the Hipolitów Tenement House (Plac Mariacki 3, a division of the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków).

The best known of many monuments is Adam Mickiewicz in the Market Square, the Grunwald monument erected on the 500th anniversary of the Grunwald battle, the monuments to Mikołaj Kopernik, Tadeusz Kościuszko, Józef Dietl, and those decorating Planty and the Jordana Park.

Wawel Castle

The Royal Castle is for this sprawling edifice very much the Camelot of Poland - a mythical place that is cherished by Cracovians and Poles alike. Once the nerve-centre of one of the largest and most powerful countries in Europe, it later became the barracks of what was little more than a grubby outpost of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The last war too saw fresh trials, and it was here that the Nazi Governor, Hans Frank, made his home.

The golden age of Wawel took root many centuries before this. Things began to get into gear in 1138, when Krakow became the main royal seat. However, it was during the reign of Kazimierz the Great (1333-70) that the castle was truly born. A fire in 1499 destroyed much of this, yet also paved the way for Cracow's first taste of the Renaissance. It was then that the stunning courtyard was built, a design that started a long-lasting fashion in Poland.

Today, on the crest of far-reaching restoration, the castle is in its best shape for years. Inside, the State Rooms are an obvious starting point, whilst the Treasury and Armoury are also well worth a look. The Lost Wawel exhibition, which can be found in the cellars of the west wing, is a remarkable piece of work. It draws back the curtain on Cracow's earliest days.

Ramparts and St. Florian's Gate

In order to ensure peace and security to the inhabitants, Kraków was surrounded by a double belt of ramparts, with numerous towers and several gates (their construction commenced in 1285). With time, in view of both the city's expansion and the dilapidation of the ramparts themselves, they were progressively pulled down.

In 1810-14, most of the city ramparts together with the towers were pulled down and the moat was filled in. In 1820, the city decided to establish "city gardens" in their place. This gave rise to a city park surrounding the historical centre of the contemporary Kraków, known as Planty. For representation purposes, only a small section of the ramparts surrounding the Floriańska Gate and Barbican were preserved. In the Middle Ages, the powerful brick churches also played some role in the city's defence.

Old Town, Kazimierz

In the special atmosphere of the beautiful and mysterious streets of the Old Town and Kazimierz Jewish district you will find everything you need to allow you to escape from everyday life. Galleries full of exhibitions, cafes, pubs and restaurants: all of this is an integral part of any visit to Kraków. And all this is merely a modest part of what we can offer travellers seeking exciting destinations on the world map.

Wieliczka salt mines

Only about forty minutes by bus there are truly astonishing mines, home to one of the wonders of Poland. Entering the mines involves a long descent by stairwell, and it feels very much like a Jules Verne Journey to the Centre of the Earth type adventure. The chapel of the Blessed Kinga is the undoubted show-stopper, yet it is only one of several attractions. There are a handful more smaller chapels, including the seventeenth century chapel of St. Anthony, and a huge underground salt lake. All tours are guided.