Kraków

Poland's former capital, with Europe's largest medieval square, Wawel Castle, the Wieliczka Salt Mine and Auschwitz: a great-value city of Central European history.

Kraków is in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland, on the upper Vistula River, with a population of about 800,000. It is Poland's second-largest city and was the capital of the Kingdom of Poland from 1038 to 1596. It escaped large-scale destruction in World War II, and its Old Town became one of the first World Heritage Sites in 1978. The city is clearly laid out: the Old Town (Stare Miasto) is encircled by the ring-shaped Planty Park, built on the site of the old city walls, and at its center is Europe's largest medieval square, the Main Market Square, with the Cloth Hall and St. Mary's Basilica; on Wawel Hill at its southern end are the Royal Castle and the Cathedral. South of Wawel is the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, and across the river in Podgórze are Schindler's Factory and the remains of the Jewish ghetto; to the east, Nowa Huta is a model socialist district planned in the Soviet era. Day trips are plentiful: the Wieliczka Salt Mine, 14 km to the southwest; the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, 70 km to the west; Zakopane, the gateway to the Tatra Mountains, 100 km to the south; and Wadowice, the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. The climate is temperate continental: May–September, at 18–28°C, is the best time to visit, with occasional thunderstorms in July–August; in December the Christmas market in the square and the Kazimierz lights are very atmospheric; January–February is around −5°C with frequent smog, but tickets and accommodation are cheap. Getting there: Kraków Airport (KRK) has flights from across Europe, and the train reaches the main station in 20 minutes (about 17 zloty); from Warsaw, the train takes 2.5 hours. The Old Town is walkable, and trams run to Kazimierz and Schindler's Factory (single tickets about 4–6 zloty, with 24-hour passes also available). Allow 3–4 days: one day for the Old Town and Wawel, one for Kazimierz and Podgórze, and half a day to a day each for Auschwitz and the salt mine. Tips: for Auschwitz, book free-entry or guided slots on the official website several weeks ahead; Wawel's exhibitions are ticketed separately and limited in number, so buy tickets first thing in the morning; on Sundays many churches close to visitors during Mass; Poland's currency is the zloty and cards are widely accepted; restaurants around the square charge twice as much as ordinary ones, so try a milk bar (bar mleczny) for pierogi and borscht; the city is generally safe, but be wary of touts for “free” bars near the square at night.

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