Krakow Facts

Kraków is a relatively small city and therefore easily discovered, allowing minimal use of maps and public transit. There are four main areas of interest to the first-time visitor.

The Old Town

The Old Town is one of the largest (and most concentrated) collections of historical buildings anywhere in the world. Occupying the very center of the city, this district is separated from the rest of the city by a belt of parkland. This green area (now popular with cyclists and walkers) was once where the defensive walls and a moat were located.

Traditionally this was where the best and most fancy shops were located, where the finest restaurants could be found and where the most desirable hotels were situated....

...The city escaped serious damage during World War II and its only real regional rival for pure drop-dead beauty is the Czech capital, Prague. The formal perfection of its enormous central square, the Rynek Glówny, as well as the charm of the surrounding streets and Wawel Castle, have always been known to Poles. (In fact, Kraków remains the number-one domestic tourist destination.) But now the word on Kraków has spread far and wide, and the city is firmly (and justifiably) established on the main central European tourism axis that includes Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

That's good news for visitors. It means decent plane, rail, and bus connections from any point north, south, or west of the city....