It's the medieval marketplace located in the middle of Old Town square. It originally started in…read morethe 13th century with uncovered vendors in wooden stalls selling cloth. The first covered building in the Gothic style was funded by King Casimir the Great in the 14th century. A fire in 1555 destroyed it, but then it was reconstructed in the Renaissance style. Today, it still has elements of both architectural styles. There are some plaques written in Latin, gargoyles with satirical faces, and female angelic figures that were added to the facade over the years. There's even a knife hanging down from the entrance on the side of St. Mary's Basilica. It's tied to a legend of the 2 brothers who built the church towers. There are some uncovered and restored advertisements near one of the archways. The building has a lot of character. There is a branch of the Museum of Kraków featuring 19th century Polish art that is located on the top level. It's closed on Mondays with free admission on Tuesdays. There is a restaurant called Café Szal that boasts beautiful views of the square. The shopping within the Cloth Hall is mostly souvenirs and touristy items. There were many tourists buying their goods. We had a better cultural experience at the Stary Kleparz market which had a little of everything (including food and wine). The Cloth Hall is still worth a visit, and shouldn't be missed.

The market square in Krakow is another must visit. The "bazaar" here is very interesting. Lots of…read morestores selling kitschy stuff, local goods and souvenirs. I did not buy anything but enjoyed the visit and looking around.

It's the medieval archway at the beginning of Floriańska Street. The one with the emblem of St…read more Florian who protects the city from fires and all harm. It was built into the defensive walls of the city. There was once a covered passageway leading to this gate from the outpost, or Barbican. It's where royalty and visiting leaders would meet before heading to the castle. It's probably where the young Habsburg prince entered the kingdom on his way to visit his intended bride-to-be, Jadwiga of Poland. He could have also been kicked out of Kraków from here. This gate has certainly seen a lot of historical moments. All of it is still there. It was more Gothic in nature until the Baroque period. That's when they added more architectural features to adorn it. There is also an altar in the middle of the archway. You'll see it as you're walking under the tower. It was a great meeting point for our Walkative tour of Old Town & Wawel Castle. I can't think of a better place to start than at the entrance to this beautiful city. There are musicians playing songs, and even art for sale along the the wall near the gate. It's a nicely preserved part of history that deserves a visit.

This is a basic must-see on any trip to Kraków; especially since it is free. Be sure to check out…read morethe high-quality artists displaying their paintings along the wall. You can sometimes get some phenomenal artwork at a very good price.

The Wawel Cathedral was the highlight of a visit to Wawel Castle and grounds…read more Outside was an impressive view and more than the castle itself. Tickets were purchased across from the cathedral entrance. Admission included a climb up to the bell tower, crypts and the separate Archdiocesan Museum. When climbing the stairs up to the entrance make sure to check out the huge bone hanging above to the left. Maybe a whale or purported dragon bone. Inside was ornate and full of royal or VIP tombs as expected. Not all chapels were open for visitors that day but St JPII's one was a popular stop eventhough it was empty. The royal crypts were accessible but not the crypt holding many of Poland's famous poets or authors. It was under renovation until the end of March. The climb up Sigismund tower was narrow at times but does open up to a decent size room with Krakow city views from two sides. Lots of closeups with the various bells. Traffic jams do happen on the way up when a tour group beats you in so be prepared for slow progress. The crypts were brightly lit and held the remains of a US Revolutionary War general and other military heroes, a Polish President and First Lady, and of course royals. It was brightly lit and well organized. Mass was held regularly and open to the public. You have to let the security guard in the front know you want to attend and he will go over the rule of attendance. Seating was limited and visitors not allowed to wander in the cathedral before or after.

It's the cathedral at Wawel Castle. If anything, visit it to learn about the Polish Kings and to…read moreclimb up to Sigismund Tower. It is said that touching the heart of Sigismund Bell will bring you good luck. We were told that it will bring you marriage. One husband is enough for me. Haha! There are 5 bells in the tower, so be sure that you're touching the right one. This is also the cathedral where Father Wojtyła (Pope John Paul II) celebrated his very first Holy Mass at the crypt of St. Leonard. I would have taken a picture of it, but they don't allow photography in the cathedral with the exception of the bell tower. I was only able to snap one of the informational signs next to the tomb of King Władysław II Jagiełło (former Duke of Lithuania) before being told it's not allowed. He was married to King Jadwiga of Poland. Yes, female monarchs held the title of "King" in those times. Isn't this the first diarcy in history? It's my first time reading about 2 Kings ruling over a country. He became the sole King of Poland after her death from complications after childbirth. Did you know that she was only 12 years old when they married in 1836? Apparently, it wasn't controversial at the time. The only controversy was regarding her previous marriage or unmarriage to the 14 year old William of Austria (Habsburg Dynasty). Was it consummated, or not? We'll never know because he was expelled out of Poland. All controversy aside, she did a lot of good for the Polish people during her 15 year reign. You'll get to see her tomb in the cathedral, and many others. It's a beautiful cathedral, and well-worth the small entrance fee. The ticket office is in a separate building near the entrance. We purchased an individual ticket without the tour option. I didn't think it was needed since the most important parts had description markers. Don't forget to take pictures of the dragon bones hanging at the entrance on your way in. You will exit through a different path that takes you through more crypts on your way out. It's a part of Kraków's history that shouldn't be missed.

Located below Wawel Castle and Cathedral along a popular walkway next to the Vistula River was the…read morefire breathing statue of Smok the dragon. The statue was created from the legend of a dragon that lived below Wawel castle and terrorized the city. After sacrificing sheep or virgins to keep the dragon happy, it was finally defeated after it ate a ram filled with sulphur. While the ram smoldered inside, the dragon drank water from the river to put it out but instead blew itself up. You can see the blackened mouth of the dragon from its regular fire breathing. Luckily I happened to walk by as a crowd grew around Smok and within five minutes the flames started and lasted for around 10 or 15 seconds. I'm not sure if there was a regular schedule but worth seeing if you're in the area.

It's a popular attraction when walking along the Vistula River. I mean, how can you go to Kraków…read moreand not see Wawel Castle and its famous fire breathing dragon? Impossible! The dragon is a Polish legend. The story appears to be told differently each time. Was it slain by Prince Krakus, or by the town shoemaker? The plaque on the castle wall says it was Krakus, Prince of Poland. All I truly know is that this 7 headed dragon statue was created by Bronislaw Chromy in 1972. We were told it breathes fire every 10 minutes, but the timing of it varies. It was more in the range of 5 to 7 minutes apart. The dragon no longer takes text messages. That's right. It could no longer handle the mass texts commanding it to breathe fire. So, everyone just hangs around the dragon waiting for it to happen. It's actually kind of funny if you think about it. When it finally happens, everyone sighs or groans at the end. The event goes by so quickly. Be prepared to take a video of it. It doesn't look so impressive in a picture. It's just the novel thing to do when visiting Kraków. There's a tourist trappy attraction at the top of the castle hill called "Dragon's Den." Some will pay admission to walk down steps into the cave below the castle. It eventually leads you down to the dragon statue on the riverwalk. It may be cool for families with small children. We were happy just seeing it while walking to our hotel. It's enjoyable no matter what route you take to get there.

It's a beautiful city! What more can I say? All I can say is that I wish we had more time to see…read moreeverything. It has so much to offer. There's a reason why it's the most visited city in Poland. There's culture, history, festivals, nightlife, and some very amazing places to eat. It's more affordable for tourists compared to other European cities. It's very walkable (like Prague & Budapest), and especially if you're staying somewhere close to Old Town. There's always something new to discover as you're walking in and around the city. Even the lifestyle feels more relaxed. I can't explain the feeling. I just felt very comfortable there. I would return to Kraków in a heartbeat. I'm just glad that my husband suggested it to me when picking out vacation destinations. It's now on my top 10 return list. It's that memorable!

One of the premier destinations in Europe! It is still relatively inexpensive and offers a lot of…read moresights, sounds, and tastes. If you haven't been, waste no more time.

Poland, especially Kraków, is not all Roman Catholic. This part of town is proof of that. Take a…read moretour and see how ahead of its time this country was in acceptance of religious minorities, such as Jewish persons.

Every year this place is getting more disguisting. It is always dirty, full of food under your…read moreshoes, ugly food olaces, smelly af, with no place to sit, dumped with electric scooters, with no greenery at all. The city should definitely do sth with it to make it more pleasant, cleant and just hygenic. I used to love it, it was a heart of Kazimierz but now I just pass thru when I really have to and that is it.

This Plaza has been around for 100+ years and is visited by locals and tourists alike. On the…read moreperimeter there is a flea market of sorts. You can find old war medals, authentic street signs and the usual stuff one would expect at the flea market. In the center there are ordering windows for Zapiekanka orders (an open-faced sandwich grilled with cheese, meats and veggies you choose). Think of a delicious pizza 1/2 sandwich and you get the idea). It is a must-do and right in the heart of the Old Town. I withheld a star because it is a bit littered and probably a good locale to be pickpocketed.