DESTINATION:
Krakow
Krakow was Poland’s first capital, and it was here that for 500 years kings were crowned and buried until 1596, when Warsaw took its place. Nevertheless, Krakow is seen by many as the country’s cultural hub owing to its wealth of fine architecture, rich museum collections and fascinating layers of history. The Old Town of Krakow, with its gothic Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Cloth Hall, is one of the most beautiful in Europe, and in 1978 was declared by UNESCO to be one of the world's 12 most precious monuments.
Recommended duration – 4 nights/5 days
KEY VISITS (Recommended)
- RYNEK GLOWNY – the vast medieval market square covers 40,000 square metres and is the largest of its kind in Europe.
- CLOTH HALL – the 14th century Cloth Hall today houses the Gallery of Polish Painting. The lower floor is home to market stalls selling local arts and crafts.
- ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL – a fine gothic building with a magnificent late gothic altarpiece sculpted in linden-wood by Wit Stwosz and beautifully painted.
- CZARTORYSKI MUSEUM – originally established by Princess Czartoryska as the first historical museum in Poland, it boasts amongst its many exhibits Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with the Ermine.
- OLD TOWN OF KRAKOW – including the Jagiellonian University where Copernicus studied.
- WAWEL CATHEDRAL – sitting on top of Wawel Hill and regarded as the finest renaissance architecture north of the Alps.
- WAWEL CASTLE – among the treasures of the Castle’s State Art Collection is the largest single collection of 16th century Arras tapestries, depicting biblical scenes.
- ROYAL SALT MINES (Wieliczka) – registered on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list and consisting of over 300 km of tunnels distributed over nine levels. Its highlight is the Blessed St. Kinga’s Chapel where everything in this fifty metre long chapel is carved from salt, including the banisters, altar and chandeliers.
- KAZIMIERZ DISTRICT – one of Krakow’s inner suburbs, which was for many years an independent town with its own municipal charter and laws. Founded in 1335 by King Kazimierz, it is today associated with Jews and has a small Jewish Quarter. Located in the Kazimeirz District is ST CATHERINE’S CHURCH, one of the most monumental churches in the city; REMUH SYNAGOGUE, which is the only synagogue still in everyday use as a place of worship, and a site of pilgrimage for many Jews who come to pay their respects at the grave of Rabbi Moses Isserles, a revered Jewish scholar and the OLD SYNAGOGUE, the oldest religious building in Poland which today houses the Museum of History and Culture of Krakow Jewry.
- NATIONAL MUSEUM – originally established in the Cloth Hall in 1879 it is today housed in a purpose built construction dating from 1934. The core of the collection is make up of Polish paintings, drawings, sculpture and decorative art.
ALTERNATIVE VISITS
- Holocaust site at AUSCHWITZ
- JASNA GORA MONASTERY (Czestochowa) – founded by the Paulite Order from Hungary in 1382 it gained importance due to its painting of the Virgin Mary, commonly referred to as the Black Madonna, which was presented to the order in 1384. It attracted crowds of believers due to a number of miracles attributed to the image, and today is a major destination for pilgrims.
- PIESKOWA SKALA – the castle was originally built in the 14th century and significantly rebuilt in the 16th century and is known to be one of the best-preserved castles in the Czestochowa upland.
FURTHER AFIELD
WARSAW has been Poland’s capital since the end of the 16th century. Almost completely destroyed in 1944, the city’s 17th and 18th century Old Town was fully restored in every detail and is also now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
RECOMMENDED DURATION – Warsaw can be done on its own but it offers a stronger option when partnered with Krakow. For a combined tour of Warsaw and Krakow we recommend 5 night/6 days.
Key visits (Recommended)
- RADZIWILL PALACE – constructed in 1643-1655 and baroque in style it is now the official residence of the President of the Republic of Poland.
- HOLY CROSS CHURCH – located close to Warsaw University it has witnessed more student demonstrations than any other church in Poland! It also houses an urn with Chopin’s heart in it, brought from Paris after his death and placed here in accordance with his will.
- SAXON GARDENS – stretching south from the Blue Palace, a pleasant place to stroll or rest.
- ROYAL CASTLE – the residence of the Polish Kings from the late 16th century to the end of the 18th century, the Royal Castle’s rooms reflect the style and décor of each era from late renaissance to neo-classical.
- ST JOHN’S CATHEDRAL – the oldest of Warsaw’s churches.
- OLD TOWN SQUARE – this has been completely rebuilt since WW2 and today offers a fine blend of Renaissance and Baroque with Gothic and neoclassical elements.
- WILANOW PALACE – Commissioned in 1676 by King Jan III Sobieski as a country retreat away from Warsaw it is one of the few buildings around Warsaw that survived the Second World War and today visitors can enjoy its renovated interiors.
Alternative Visits (suggested)
- LAZIENKI PARK Palace and Gardens – located on an islet in the middle of a lake it was created for Poland’s last king – Stanislaus Augustus – in the 18th century.