Things to do in  Krakow

The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum is the resting place for some 1.5 million people, as the site once served as a concentration camp and extermination site of the European Jewish community during World War II. Today, Auschwitz-Birkenau is an important historical area, allowing visitors to reflect on the monumental horrors that occurred during the Holocaust.

An eerie world where everything has been carved from salt blocks, the Wieliczka Salt Mine (Kopalnia Soli) is made up of a labyrinth of tunnels, the deepest of which lies 1,075 feet (327 meters) underground. The ancient UNESCO World Heritage Site is a major part of Poland’s salt mining history and one of the world’s oldest salt mines, having produced table salt from the 13th century until 2007.

The gigantic town square of Rynek Główny (most often translated Main Market Square) is the centrepiece of Krakow’s UNESCO-listed Old Town and the largest medieval square in Europe. Dominated by the Renaissance-style Cloth Hall and flanked by colorful neoclassical buildings, the square is both an architectural landmark and the main hub of local life.

This brick Gothic church in the northeast corner of Old Town’s main square (Rynek Główny, dominates the skyline at 262 feet (80 meters tall. Dating back to the 13th century, St. Mary’s Basilica (Kościól Mariacki is famous for its stunning wooden altarpiece carved by German sculptor Veit Stoss.

Crowning Krakow’s Wawel Hill and adjoining Wawel Cathedral, Wawel Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of numerous Romanesque, Renaissance, Gothic, and baroque buildings, courtyards, and gardens. Dating back to the 14th century, the castle was home to many of Poland’s monarchs and is a symbol of Polish history and pride.

A wealthy German and Nazi Party member, Oskar Schindler bought an enamel factory in Krakow following the invasion of Poland in World War II. He saved more than 1,000 of his Jewish employees from going to concentration camps by insisting that they were vital to the workforce. Today, Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory houses a permanent exhibition on the Nazi occupation of Krakow.

Krakow’s Jewish Quarter—Kazimierz—has been the heart of the city’s Jewish community since medieval times. Traces of its turbulent past remain, but today it’s reinvented itself as a thriving cultural hub, where historic synagogues and museums sit side by side with art galleries, cocktail bars, bold street art, and vintage boutiques.

A small and idyllic village in southern Poland, close to the Tatra Mountains, Chochołów dates back to the 16th century. It is known for its traditional wooden houses, built by Polish highlanders, and the Chochołowskie Thermal Baths (Chochołowskie Termy).

The poignant Ghetto Heroes Square commemorates the thousands of Krakow’s Jewish community who were forcibly moved and incarcerated within the Podgórze ghetto. Plac Zgody, a square in the heart of the ghetto, was the departure point for Jewish people boarding trains to Płaszów, Auschwitz, and other concentration camps during World War II.

Cloth Hall (Sukiennice dates back to the Renaissance and is one of the city’s most recognizable structures. Featured prominently in Old Town’s main square (Rynek Główny, Cloth Hall was originally intended as a linen and textile marketplace for local merchants to sell and house their goods.

Standing 3,694 feet (1,126 meters) above the southern Polish town of Zakopane, Mt. Gubalowka (Gubałówka) is one of the region’s most popular year-round attractions. Take in excellent views of the surrounding Tatra Mountains while participating in a variety of outdoor activities.

The Great Barbican is a 15th-century, 7-turreted bastion in Krakow that once protected the city’s main gate—St. Florian’s Gate—and the Old Town within it. One of the few remnants of Krakow’s fortifications, the barbican consists of a small museum, medieval passageways, and a courtyard that hosts summer events such as jousting and pageants.

The coronation site of nearly all Polish monarchs, 14th-century Wawel Cathedral is the country’s major religious site. Located on Wawel Hill next to Wawel Castle, the cathedral boasts grand artworks, chapels, a museum, the 16th-century Sigismund Bell, and tombs of Poland’s royals and patron saint, St. Stanislaus.

The beating heart of Zakopane, car-free Krupowki Street (Ulica Krupówki) is one of Poland’s most recognizable promenades. You can find everything here, from horse and carriage rides and oscypek (smoked sheep cheese) to international brands, local leather goods, and lively aprés-ski. Landmarks include the Tatra Museum and the neo-Gothic Sanktuarium Najswietszej Rodziny w Zakopanem church.

Considered Poland’s winter capital, Zakopane is a snow-sports paradise situated at the foot of the Tatras. Attractions include the Gubałówka mountain resort, the nearby thermal springs, and the Wielka Krokiew ski jump. The town is also known for its rich Goral heritage and traditional architecture, as well as sweeping summertime views.