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Located in Poland, Krakow can largely compete with Prague, it’s Czech equivalent: it is a real gem, with its palaces and its churches, its museums, and its cafes, its animation, its dynamic population, which make it a widely acclaimed destination. by travelers who have already discovered it. The fact that it was left untouched by the fighting of the Second World War preserves all its cachet, full of history and culture.
Krakow: No hesitation in choosing the way to explore the city: take a walk! The pedestrian center lends itself well to your wanderings, and you will first discover the market square (Rynek Glowny), a huge medieval space surrounded by numerous cafes and bristling with wooden chalets where you can buy something to eat. Also visit the Notre-Dame-Sainte-Marie church, for its very remarkable altarpiece dating from the 15th century, before losing yourself in the geometrically designed alleys of the old town. You will discover many Baroque, Renaissance, or Gothic style constructions, but also gardens and vestiges of ramparts, not to mention the Princes Czartoryski Museum which houses the work of Leonardo da Vinci, the Lady with an Ermine.
Another area of Krakow to explore is the Jewish Quarter of Kazimierz, located between the Old Town and the Vistula River. The Jewish population has obviously declined a lot since World War II, but today many synagogues are restored and it is very close to where the film Schindler’s List was filmed, which helped to revive this district. . In addition to the Jewish Culture Festival which takes place there every year, this place concentrates many restaurants, cafes, and nightclubs where night owls like to meet, but also a flea market and food stalls, all creating a very lively activity. picturesque and attractive.
The hill of Wawel which dominates the old town represents the origins of Krakow: a place of the coronation of the first king of Poland, it is also there that the cathedral of Wawel is located, pantheon gathering all the illustrious characters of the country, symbolized by its bell Sigismond who celebrates by ringing the major events of Poland. Also visit the castle, with its arcaded courtyard, a magnificent construction on the model of Italian palaces of the Renaissance period, with the royal apartments and the superb collection of tapestries from Flanders.
Cultural life in Krakow is very present: it takes place in theaters and opera houses, but also through internationally renowned festivals such as the Krakow International Independent Film Festival “Off Plus Camera”, the International Short Film Festival, or the Jazz Festival. Museums are also great places to visit: you will find treasures in the National Museum, the Czartoryski Museum, the Contemporary Art Museum, or the Cloth Hall Gallery or the Archaeological Museum.
If you are tired of walking for all your visits, you will be able to use without any problem the tram network which serves the city in a very complete way, and to which are added buses if necessary.
