Krakow
It is the former capital of Poland, one of the most beautiful cities of Europe visited by crowds of tourists from all over the world. Coming to Krakow, it is worth knowing a little bit about its attractions, waiting at every step. Car rental can be a convenience for those, who have little time for sightseeing.
Main Square
Many tourists start the city tour at the Main Square, which is vibrant with life, regardless of the season. Most of the tenements and palaces around the Main Square are historical monuments and are several centuries old. There are many cafes, restaurants serving traditional polish dishes (for example Polish breaded pork chops, pierogi) and specialities from around the world, market stalls with souvenirs and shops with exclusive goods.
St. Mary’s Basilica
St. Mary’s Basilica with its two magnificent towers is one of the most famous sacral buildings in Poland. Inside of the building you can find a presbytery covered with a stellar vault, made by Czipser in 1442 and the remarkable Altar of Veit Stoss (1477-1489), called the altar of the Dormition of the Mother of God. The wings of the open altar present scenes of the joy of the Mother of God: from the Annunciation to the Descent of the Holy Spirit. The wings of the closed altar present twelve scenes from the life of Mary and Joseph. Oak wood used to make the altar is over 1000 years old now.
Barbican
In the Planty park, before the Florian Gate you can find the northernmost part of Cracow’s fortifications, the famous Barbican. It was built in years 1498-1499 during the reign of John Albert, today it is under the jurisdiction of The Historical Museum of the City of Kraków. It is used as a place of exhibition (you can buy here paintings of local artists), a sport arena (Polish fencing championship is held here), its attractions include also knight fighting and court dances shows.
Sukiennice
Cloth Hall located on the Main Square is a treat for collectors and souvenir enthusiasts. Since the old days it has been a center of trade and so it is today. On colorful stalls you can find all sorts of jewelry, paintings and variety of other handcrafts related to Krakow. On the upper floor painting lovers can visit the Gallery of the 19th-century Polish Art.
Kazimierz
It is a beautiful district of Cracow, the center of cultural life of the city. The main point is the Nowy square, also known as the Żydowski square, it attracts the attention of tourists. Kazimierz is also full of historic tenements and sacral buildings (including synagogues: Old Synagogue, Isaac, Tempel and Remuh Tepel; and churches: Skałka, The Corpus Christi Basilica, St. Catherine’s or the Holy Trinity).
Wawel Royal Castle
Wawel Castle located on the Wawel Hill is the centuries-old seat of polish kings and a symbol of polish statehood, one of the most important places in Poland, both historically and culturally. Since 1930 the Wawel Castle has also been one of the most important museums in Poland. Permanent exhibitions faithfully reflect renaissance and baroque style of state rooms. You can find here a unique collection of furniture, paintings, sculptures, textiles, gold objects, weapons and porcelain, as well as the famous tapestry collection of Sigismunt II Augustus, magnificent renaissance Italian art and the most famous European collection of tents, which is a part of the Oriental Art exhibition.