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Sightseeing Overview
Cracow is very easy to navigate on foot as most of the main sights are located within the Planty - a leafy park that forms a green belt around the historic centre or Stare Miasto (Old Town). The epicentre of tourist Cracow is the Rynek Glowny (Main Market Square), one of Europe's most impressive public spaces, which is overrun by tourists during the high season. Relaxing in a pavement café here is a good way to get acquainted with the city.
Away from the main square, busy Grodzka leads towards Wzgorze Wawelskie (Wawel Hill), the buttress where Cracow's castle complex overlooks the city. It was here that the Polish Kings ruled from the 14th to 17th centuries and there is enough to see to occupy at least a day or two, including the Castle itself, the State Rooms, Treasury and Armoury, Royal Tombs and Wawel Cathedral.
Ten minutes' walk from Wawel is the district of Kazimierz, southeast of the Old Town, where the city's sizeable Jewish population used to prosper before the Nazis arrived. There is little of sightseeing merit on the other bank of the sleepy Wisla River (Vistula River), apart from the old wartime Jewish ghetto of Podgorze, an area which received an ever-growing number of visitors following the release of Schindler's List in 1993.
Away from the main square, busy Grodzka leads towards Wzgorze Wawelskie (Wawel Hill), the buttress where Cracow's castle complex overlooks the city. It was here that the Polish Kings ruled from the 14th to 17th centuries and there is enough to see to occupy at least a day or two, including the Castle itself, the State Rooms, Treasury and Armoury, Royal Tombs and Wawel Cathedral.
Ten minutes' walk from Wawel is the district of Kazimierz, southeast of the Old Town, where the city's sizeable Jewish population used to prosper before the Nazis arrived. There is little of sightseeing merit on the other bank of the sleepy Wisla River (Vistula River), apart from the old wartime Jewish ghetto of Podgorze, an area which received an ever-growing number of visitors following the release of Schindler's List in 1993.
Tourist Information
Cracow Tourist Information Centre
Ulica Szpitalna 25 (kiosk on Planty)
Tel: (012) 432 0110/0060.
Website: www.krakow.pl
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 0900-1700 (Oct-May), Mon-Sun 0800-2000 (Jun-Sep).
There is also a tourist information centre in the Town Hall Tower on the main market square (tel: (012) 433 7310) and one on ulica Jozefa 7 for the Kazimierz District (tel: (012) 422 0471).
A cultural centre, offering a full tourist information service to Cracow and the Malopolska Region, is located at ulica Sw Jana 2 (tel: (012) 421 7787). Jordan, ulica Pawia 8 (tel: (012) 422 6091), also offer information and tours.
The Malopolska Tourist Information Centre
Rynek Glowny 1/3 (main market square)
Tel: (012) 421 7706.
Website: www.mcit.pl
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1000-1600.
Ulica Szpitalna 25 (kiosk on Planty)
Tel: (012) 432 0110/0060.
Website: www.krakow.pl
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 0900-1700 (Oct-May), Mon-Sun 0800-2000 (Jun-Sep).
There is also a tourist information centre in the Town Hall Tower on the main market square (tel: (012) 433 7310) and one on ulica Jozefa 7 for the Kazimierz District (tel: (012) 422 0471).
A cultural centre, offering a full tourist information service to Cracow and the Malopolska Region, is located at ulica Sw Jana 2 (tel: (012) 421 7787). Jordan, ulica Pawia 8 (tel: (012) 422 6091), also offer information and tours.
The Malopolska Tourist Information Centre
Rynek Glowny 1/3 (main market square)
Tel: (012) 421 7706.
Website: www.mcit.pl
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1000-1600.
Passes
The Krakow Tourist Card (website: www.krakowcard.com), available for two or three days, entitles the holder to free travel on city buses and trams (including bus no.192 to the airport) and to free entry in up to 32 Cracow museums.
View Our Airport Guides for Cracow:
John Paul II International Airport, Cracow
