Krakow Historic Centre

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Historic Centre Of Krakow (1978, On The First World Heritage List). A Medieval Merchant City That Escaped Wartime Destruction, With Europe'S Largest Medieval Market Square, Wawel Castle And Cathedral, The Jewish Quarter Of Kazimierz And A University Founded In 1364 · Krakow, Lesser Poland

Krakow was the royal capital of Poland until the court moved to Warsaw around 1596, and its old core survived the Second World War almost untouched, which is why it was on the first UNESCO World Heritage list in 1978. The Old Town sits inside a ring of park, the Planty, where the medieval walls once stood. At its centre is the Main Square, among the largest medieval market squares in Europe, with the Cloth Hall in the middle and the two uneven towers of St Mary's Basilica on one side. To the south, Wawel Hill carries the royal castle and cathedral, and beyond it lies Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter, now cafes, synagogues and galleries. Across the river is the Podgorze district with the former Schindler factory. The university dates from 1364. It is compact, walkable and busy, and in summer the square is crowded from morning until late. Visiting the camps or the salt mine is a separate day trip from here.

Old Town ringed by the Planty park, with Wawel Hill to the south and Kazimierz to the south-east, Krakow, Lesser Poland, Poland

The streets and the Main Square are open at all hours and cost nothing to walk. Individual sights keep their own hours. Most museums and the Wawel buildings are closed one day a week, commonly Monday, and many state museums offer free entry on one weekday a week, so check which day applies. Wawel Cathedral and the castle rooms use separate tickets, some timed, and sell out in summer. St Mary's Basilica is closed to sightseers during services, and its trumpet call is played from the tower every hour. The Cloth Hall shops and cafes keep long hours, bars stay open late, and Kazimierz is liveliest in the evening. Exact opening times change by season and on public holidays, so confirm them close to your date. Winter days are short and some sights shorten hours.

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