5 Attractions Worth Visiting in Krakow

Krakow

Visiting new places has always been a part of my bucket list for as long as I can remember. One of the top countries in my to-visit list was Poland. Specifically Krakow. It made my list for its legendary castles for with their Gothic tops honestly. But, it has so much more to offer.

If you book a proper tour for your trip with a guide who knows the ins and outs of all types of attractions that the beautiful wonderland, that is, Krakow has to offer like this one from https://discovercracow.com/tours-and-trips/auschwitz-tours/, then you can see what I mean. I am sure it will become one of your favorite destinations to visit.

Krakow is a beautiful, full of history, southern Poland city near the border of the Czech Republic. It has a 14th-century Gothic church – St. Mary’s Basilica, well-preserved medieval core and Jewish quarter, and a Renaissance-era trading outpost among others. If you are sold, here are some places you wouldn’t want to miss once you visit Krakow.

1. Auschwitz-Birkenau

Auschwitz-Birkenau is dark, emotional, moving, and sobering in the extreme as a memorial and museum. It is an hour from the city center. It will always make the list of any itinerary you follow to tour the city or any research about top activities to do or places to visit.

It offers an informative and sensitive insight into the horrors of the Holocaust. Your emotions are brought out by the display of the destruction wrought by the Nazis on the Jews and minorities of the continent.

2. Wieliczka Salt Mines

Natural features of any place are automatically appealing to me – one such attraction in Krakow is the Wieliczka salt mines. The center of attraction being the breathtaking underground cathedral of St. Kinga’s Chapel which is made totally of salt. How marvelous is that!

3. Vistula Boulevards

The Vistula River snakes through the heart of Krakow. The winding courses of the river make the place a beaming attraction to locals and visitors alike. Its banks host wide spaces of greenery, ad hoc summertime markets, beer bars and bobbing boat cafes aplenty.

It is perfect for a stroll along the banks, people watching while sipping a beverage in the cafes or bars, jogging and cycling, these are known as the Vistula Boulevards.

4. Wawel Cathedral

I talked about the medieval appeal this place holds and one of them is a Gothic church. It was only fair to mention arguably the most important church in all of Poland – Wawel Cathedral. It is hidden behind the old walls of the Wawel Castle and is looming high with its Baroque and Gothic frontispieces.

Attractions of this Cathedral are both high and low. Ranging from the soaring lookouts of the Belfry to the national crypts under the main basilica – you are bound to be mesmerized by the feelings this place evokes.

5. Market Hall Unitarg

Visiting new places means getting gifts for your friends and family. Visit the market hall Unitarg on the weekends to get a bona fide Polish flea market experience. You will find ramshackle stalls overladen with everything you can ever want to get as presents – from Soviet trinkets to band patches, to age-stained metal tankards. Not only that, you get to haggle for everything, of course, to get the best flea market experience and this goes without saying, but be sure to get in early for the best deals.