Poland attractions

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.

Krakow has four memorial mounds: two that are prehistoric and two that are modern. The citizens of Krakow created the Kościuszko Mound in 1823 to honor Poland's national hero, Tadeusz Kościuszko. Visitors can wind their way atop the grassy, cone-like structure for spectacular city views and visit a museum of Kościuszko's achievements.

Jasna Góra Monastery in Czestochowa is one of the most famous Catholic pilgrimage sites in Poland. Visitors from across Poland and around the world come to the monastery to see the Black Madonna of Czestochowa, also known as Our Lady of Czestochowa—a Gothic painting of the Virgin Mary associated with multiple miracles.

Set in a converted power station, this museum charts the World War II Warsaw Uprising, when Poland’s underground resistance tried to oust the city’s Nazi occupiers before the arrival of the Soviet army. The museum charts the unsuccessful 63-day insurrection through multimedia experiences, artifacts, and personal testimonies.

The Maly Rynek (which translates from Polish as “small market square”) is the lesser-known baby sibling of Krakow’s Rynek Glowny (Main Market Square). Tucked behind St. Mary’s Basilica, it’s a place to escape the crowds, stop for a coffee, and enjoy views of colorful townhouses. It also hosts festivals throughout the year.

Across the river from Kazimierz, Krakow’s Jewish Quarter, Podgórze has a tragic past. It was here that Nazi Germans forced Jews into a ghetto, then transported them to concentration camps. Most travelers come here for World War II sights, particularly Oskar Schindler’s Factory, home of the story retold in the film Schindler’s List.

Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is a town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and an important Calvary pilgrimage site in Southern Poland. It's backed beautifully by the Carpathian mountains and is home to more than 40 small churches and chapels. The site is also famous for its annual passion plays that depict Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.

A popular meeting point in the center of Krakow’s Old Town, the Adam Mickiewicz Monument commemorates the Polish poet, who lived 1798 to 1855. The statue, which depicts Mickiewicz surrounded by four artistic muses, was created on the centenary of his birth by sculptor Teodor Rygier. Destroyed by the Nazis in World War II, it was restored in the 1950s.

Close to the Slovakian border in southern Poland, Pieniny National Park is best known for the Pieniny mountain range and the Dunajec River Gorge, where you can go rafting down the gentle river. Another highlight is the Three Crowns (Tri Koruny) peak, a mountain range that resembles its namesake.

A spectacularly ruined Gothic castle, Ogrodzieniec Castle (Zamek Ogrodzieniec) is one of the most dramatic stops on the Trail of the Eagles’ Nests, a chain of medieval fortresses built to secure Krakow, mostly during the 14th century. Its eerie turrets and gaping windows served as the filming location of the Battle of Sodden Hill in The Witcher.

One of the country’s largest amusement parks, Energylandia sprawls over 64 acres (26 hectares) of southern Poland. It offers a wealth of shows, a water park, and scores of rides spread across three zones: Family, Little Kids, and Extreme, known for its roller coasters. Summer weekends see music festivals ranging from ‘80s to EDM.

Cricoteka (the Centre for the Documentation of the Art of Tadeusz Kantor) is a museum, gallery, and research center in Krakow that’s dedicated to the work of influential Polish artist Tadeusz Kantor. An unconventional museum with surprises around every corner, you can learn about avant-garde theater while walking through bizarre set designs, creepy mannequins, and unexpected props.

Rather than one single venue, The Historical Museum of the City of Krakow is a collection of museums and historical sites that tell the story of the city’s past. The headquarters are at Krzysztofory Palace, in Krakow Old Town, but there are branches all over the city, including Oskar Schindler’s Factory Museum and the Eagle Pharmacy.

This historic Krakow venue hosts a nightly performance that pays homage to Poland’s most celebrated composer, Frédéric Chopin. Housed inside a 15th-century townhouse adorned with period furnishings, the setting provides an elegant evening out for lovers of classical piano music.

Housed in the majestic former Town Hall of Krakow, the Ethnographic Museum of Krakow offers a glimpse of Poland’s folk traditions, crafts, and everyday objects. As one of the oldest and biggest collections of Polish ethnographic items, you can see an eclectic mix of objects, including folk costumes, nativity scenes, musical instruments, and recreations of 19th-century Polish villager houses.

Home to Krakow’s Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral, Wawel Hill stands 748 feet (228 meters) above sea level to the south of the city’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Overlooking the River Vistula, the hill was settled some 50,000 years ago and was the power base of Poland’s kings for 500 years from the 11th century on.

Part of the chain of 25 medieval castles that form the Trail of the Eagle's Nests between Częstochowa and Krakówon in southwest Poland, the well-preserved Pieskowa Skala Castle (Zamek Pieskowa Skała is one of the best surviving examples of Renaissance architecture in Poland. A visit is one of the highlights of Ojców National Park.

In Krakow’s former Jewish district of Kazimierz, the Galicia Jewish Museum pays tribute to the victims of the Holocaust and illuminates Jewish culture through exhibitions and educational programs. The museum is renowned for its collection of photographs, which captures 800 years of Jewish life in Polish Galicia. It also hosts regular concerts and cultural events.

Home to 780,000 objects, Krakow’s National Museum (often abbreviated to MNK) is one of Poland’s biggest museums. It features Polish art from the 20th century, plus military memorabilia and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to the Art Nouveau period.

Running an incredible 654.5 miles (1,053 kilometers) and traversing the entire length of the country, the Vistula River (Wisla) is Poland’s longest river, passing through both Warsaw and Krakow.

From training jets to helicopters, the Polish Aviation Museum (Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego) is a little piece of heaven for those interested in international aircraft and aviation. Located on the outskirts of Krakow, the museum puts 200 aircraft on display, both indoors and outside. Especially compelling is the collection of non-Allied and non-NATO aircraft that offers a rare showing of Soviet jets once behind the Iron Curtain.

The Home Army Museum (Muzeum AK) opened as a tribute to the heroic actions of the Polish Underground Movement, which operated under the Nazi German occupation. Situated in a restored former red-brick Austrian barrack, it tells the story of the fight for freedom during World War II through old documentary clips and displays of weapons, uniforms, propaganda materials, and photos.

Overlooking Lake Czorsztyn in southern Poland, Niedzica Castle was built in the early 14th century for Hungarian aristocrat Kokos of Brezovica. Once a fortification on the Polish-Hungarian border, the site is now home to a museum with fascinating artifacts, including hunting rifles, maps, paintings, and antique clocks.

The Archeological Museum in Krakow is a treasure trove of more than 500,000 archaeological artifacts. The collection spans the entirety of human history, from the Paleolithic age to the present day. Admire Egyptian antiquities, prehistoric pottery, and a very important discovery—a 9th-century depiction of a Slavic deity—The Zbruch Idol.

Jan Matejko House, once home to one of Poland’s most renowned artists, is now a museum in Krakow that honors his legacy. Jan Matejko rose to fame for his historical paintings that captured pivotal moments in Polish history. This museum exhibits sketches, paintings, and personal belongings, and offers insight into both his artwork and the way he lived.

Perhaps Poland’s most famous son, Karol Wojtyla, now better known as Pope St. John Paul II, came to the priesthood in Krakow and served as both bishop and archbishop. Today, three separate Archdiocesan Museums pay tribute to him: the Wojtyla Family Apartment, the St. John Paul II Museum, and the Cardinal Karol Wojtyla Archdiocesan Museum.

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow (MOCAK)—in the hip district of Podgórze, next door to Schindler’s Factory—opened in 2011 to much fanfare. The museum features paintings, sculptures, and photographs by Polish and other European artists, including Kristof Kantor and Tymek Borowski. Constantly changing exhibits keep the excitement fresh.

Once the city headquarters of the Gestapo—Nazi Germany’s secret police—today this branch of the Historical Museum of Krakow (Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Krakowa) displays exhibits that cover local World War II history. Travelers can visit former Gestapo prison cells and learn about the chilling events that took place here—and throughout Krakow and Poland—throughout the war.

Set among the Communist architecture around Constitution Square, Warsaw’s Museum of Life Under Communism showcases life behind the Iron Curtain, from milk bars to interior design and even exercise. Previously known as Czar PRL, it's now called Muzeum Życia w PRL, which translates as Museum of Life in the Polish People's Republic.

The 14th-century Bishop Erazm Ciolek Palace now houses a branch of Poland’s National Museum, exhibiting mainly religious art from Poland and the wider region from roughly the 12th to 18th century. Itself an attraction, the attractively restored palace is one of Krakow’s finest and a must-visit attraction for art, history, and culture lovers.