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.
A towering 758 feet (231 meters) high, Warsaw’s Palace of Culture and Science was commissioned by Stalin during Poland’s communist era. Today, the country’s tallest building comprises concert halls, offices, shops, restaurants, and a 30th-floor viewing terrace.
Encircling Krakow’s Old Town, Planty Park is a picturesque green space that replaced the city’s former defensive walls, taken down in the 19th century. The park stretches roughly 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) and consists of trees, fountains, monuments, flower beds, and seating areas—the ideal place for a break from sightseeing.
Remuh Synagogue may be Krakow’s smallest synagogue, but this cozy 16th-century temple retains its significance as one of Krakow’s primary Jewish places of worship. Situated in the heart of Kazimierz, a highlight of this complex is the neighboring Remuh Cemetery, which is the resting place of many renowned Polish Jews, such as Rabbi Moses Isserles.
Krakow’s Jagiellonian University (Uniwersytet Jagielloński), dating to 1364, is one of the oldest universities in Central Europe and is considered one of the best on the continent. You can explore the Jagiellonian University Museum in the Collegium Maius building, which is filled with university memorabilia, scientific instruments, and a medieval art gallery.
St. Florian’s Gate was once the entry point for Krakow’s Old Town in medieval times when the city was surrounded by defensive walls. Many of the city’s fortifications have since been destroyed, but this Gothic gateway remains the only one of eight original gates still standing. So it’s an important photo stop for history lovers and architecture fans alike.
Plac Nowy, also known as New Square, is a popular gathering place in Kazimierz. By day, it hosts market stalls that sell everything from fresh goods to antiques, books, and clothing. However, it truly comes alive at night, with nearby bars bustling and kiosks serving Krakow’s favorite street food—zapiekanki (Polish pizza baguettes).
Built in 1862 by Krakow’s progressive Jewish community, the Tempel Synagogue (Synagoga Tempel) is one of seven remaining synagogues in the city’s former Jewish quarter of Kazimierz. The synagogue is known for its gilded, Moorish-style wooden interior and hosts occasional religious services and regular Jewish community events such as concerts.
Spilling over Poland’s southern border into Slovakia, the Tatra Mountains (Tatry) are the highest part of the Carpathian range and make up Tatrzański Tatra National Park. Protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, this wild and mountainous region is rich with snow-topped peaks, alpine lakes, and sparkling waterfalls.
Every year, millions of pilgrims flock to the riverside city of Częstochowa to pay their respects to the Black Madonna, a medieval icon credited with miraculous victories and held in the Jasna Góra Monastery. But there's more to the city; visit its museums, historic market square, and a memorial to its murdered Jewish citizens.
A magnificent structure in the heart of the city, the Krakow Town Hall Tower is located on the capital’s Main Market Square. Dating back to the 14th century, this Gothic-style masterpiece rises above the Old Town and lets you climb up to a small observation area. It’s also home to an exhibition space, a theater, and a cafe.
With its tall, colorful gabled houses, lazy river, and cobbled streets, Gdańsk Old Town (Gdańsk Stare Miasto) looks more akin to the Netherlands than the rest of Poland. Yet as you immerse yourself in the district’s museums, bars, restaurants, amber stores, and souvenir shops, you’ll find that the culture here is quintessentially Polish.
The Old Synagogue (also referred to as the Stara Synagogue) stands out as Poland’s oldest surviving synagogue. Originally built in the 15th century, it has been reconstructed over the years after it was damaged during World War II. Now, it’s been transformed into a branch of the Historical Museum of Krakow, and it hosts exhibits about the city’s Jewish community.
Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, Kraków’s Old Town (Kraków Stare Miasto or Stare Miasto w Krakowie has been the epicenter of the city’s cultural, religious, and political life since medieval times. Once completely surrounded by a 1.9-mile-long (3-kilometer-long defensive wall, Old Town is packed with history.
Rebuilt following the destruction of World War II, the Royal Castle stands watch over the entrance to Warsaw Old Town. Explore beyond the brick facade to find a trove of historic furniture, artwork, and gilded decor. From the Great Apartments to the Throne Room, Warsaw Royal Castle showcases centuries of Warsaw history.
Linking Warsaw’s three royal abodes—Royal Castle, Palace on the Isle, and Wilanów Palace—the Royal Route is a historic road offering plenty of sightseeing. Starting at Castle Square in Warsaw Old Town, it runs 7 miles (11.5 kilometers) south to Wilanów Palace, and sparkles with lights and decorations during the holiday season.
When Tadeusz Pankiewicz became the only Pole allowed to work within the boundaries of the Krakow Ghetto—made in 1941 to segregate the city's Jewish population—his Eagle Pharmacy (Apteka Pod Orłem) became an important place of refuge and resistance against Nazi power. Today, the pharmacy is a branch of the Historical Museum of Krakow.
The pretty southern Polish town of Wadowice is best known as the birthplace of Karol Wojtyla, later Pope John Paul II and now Pope St. John Paul II, making it a major place of pilgrimage. Highlights include the Family Home of John Paul II, a museum centered on the tiny apartment where the saint was born, a historic square, and a basilica.
Colorful buildings flank Warsaw Old Town Market Square, where centuries of history have unfolded against a picture-perfect backdrop. Christmas markets and an ice-skating rink keep the square bustling through cold-weather months. In summer, cafés open their doors for a season of outdoor dining and drinking with a view.
Continuously staging plays and operas since 1893, Krakow’s Juliusz Słowacki Theatre (Teatr im J. Słowackiego w Krakowie) is known for being the birthplace of Poland’s modern theater movement. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the venue boasts magnificent European baroque and eclectic architectural features inspired by the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris.
Near Warsaw’s Old Town Market Square, St. John’s Archcathedral dates back to the 1300s, making it one of the city’s oldest churches. The site of the 18th-century coronation of Poland’s last king—and of his tomb—this striking, neo-Gothic cathedral was revamped in the 1800s before being destroyed in World War II and rebuilt in 1960.
The Family Home of John Paul II is the tenement house where the late Pope John Paul II spent his early years. Situated in the small town of Wadowice, it is now a popular pilgrimage site for visitors looking to retrace the steps of the revered Polish Pope. You can learn stories about his life through multimedia exhibits and personal artifacts.
The haunting monuments and memorials of Warsaw’s former Jewish Ghetto (Getto Zydowskie) tell the story of its tragic past—during World War II, it was the largest Jewish Ghetto in all of Nazi-occupied Europe.
Hugging the Vistula River’s east bank, Praga is one of Warsaw’s oldest, yet most up-and-coming, districts. The only part of Poland’s capital to escape destruction in World War II, this once-derelict area mixes grimy prewar streets and art nouveau blocks with a contemporary buzz evidenced in its street art and trendy restaurants and bars.
The Skalka Sanctuary—also called St. Stanislaus Church—is a baroque church and Paulite monastery in Krakow. Predated by two earlier churches, the sanctuary marks the location of the gruesome 11th-century killing of Krakow’s and Poland’s patron saint, Bishop Stanislaus of Szczepanow.
The Church of St. Adalbert is one of Krakow’s oldest churches, and it's believed to have been built in the 10th–11th centuries. Smaller in stature and less well-known than St. Mary’s Basilica, it also happens to be one of Poland’s oldest stone structures. Visitors come here to see its Romanesque architecture and a small museum in the crypt.
Situated on the Polish-Slovakian border, Tatra National Park is home to glacial lakes such as Morskie Oko; hundreds of mountain caves; and some of Poland’s highest mountains. Easily accessible from the winter resort town of Zakopane, it’s a hiker’s paradise with more than 170 miles (274 kilometers) of hiking trails, plus skiing opportunities nearby.
The Dunajec River runs through the Pieniny Mountains from the northern part of Slovakia into southern Poland and forms part of the border between the two countries. The Dunajec River Gorge is one of the river’s most scenic sections and makes for an action-packed day trip for travelers who want to spend time canoeing, rafting, or hiking.
In the heart of Krakow’s UNESCO-listed Old Town, Rynek Underground (Podziemia Rynku) sits approximately 13 feet (4 meters) below the Main Market Square (Rynek Główny), one of the most beautiful medieval squares in Europe. This subterranean museum showcases Poland’s past through interactive displays, artifacts, and 4D movies.
A Roman Catholic basilica, the Divine Mercy Sanctuary (Sanktuarium Bożego Miłosierdzia is home to the tomb of St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who saw a vision of Jesus in 1931. Consequently, the church is a popular pilgrimage place for Catholics from around the world.
