Yelp Review 2023 #280:…read more A square in Podgorze with 30 plus chairs right next to Eagle Pharmacy. People taking pictures (so was I), children running around and trying to sit on every single one, influencers influencing I don't know what and how. I tried to count all the chairs but there was too much chaos. Plac Bohaterow Getta (Ghetto Heroes Square) used to be a bustling market called Zgody Square. Then, the Nxxis came and changed all that. It became a square for publicly dehumanizing and taking lives of Jewish people or be sent on a train to one of 3 concentration camps in Poland - depending if you're fit enough to work or not. Until the streets were empty. Those that tried to hide were caught and were not spared. So what are these chairs doing in this square? Why not use something easier to understand to symbolize what happened here? Each chair is supposed to represent thousands of lives that were lost during the Holocaust. Like things that were of no value to Nxxis: furniture, clothes, pictures, anything that's not a precious metal or stone - thrown away. Certain people and their lives were devalued and discarded - no care for humanity at all. Empty.

We all know of the horrors that began in these Ghettos and Krakow's Ghetto was no exception…read more There's not a lot left of the Ghetto today, from what I could tell there are no markers as to where the boundaries were or anything but it's clear there wasn't a lot of space. You can also visit Schindler's Factory and read all about the war and how it affects Krakow. Getta Square is also a good place to visit to see the memorial. Getta Square is a very important place to visit when you're walking about Krakow's Ghetto. There is a simple yet effective memorial in the square - a collection of chairs marking those who were walled in and who died during the horrific event that was WWII. I would definitely recommend checking it out, but read up on the significance of the square before you go as there isn't a lot of information around to explain the significance of the chairs etc.

I think it is place where you can have 360 grades view around the Krakow City and lovely panorama…read moreto admire.. It is located in Podgórze where you can visit many famous spots too. Kopiec you can see as a high hill - I think for mountain is too small- from the distance. The grass is growing on the hill and small paths are created to be able to climb on the top of it. You can see Old Town from it in panoramic and also Kamieniolom Liban on the other side. Green, windy, sunny- place to go for a walk and get some sun on your skin after winter.

This is an extraordinary museum in Krakow. It really is much more than a museum about Oskar…read moreSchindler's life, the people he saved and the factory. It covers decades of history. You get to see Schindler's actual desk and some of the ceramic pots that were manufactured here. I definitely learned a lot about him. But the scope of the museum is much broader than just the factory. It goes into a lot of depth with what Schindler did to save Jewish people, the factory laborers, what happened in the Holocaust and basically decades of the Polish history surrounding it, building up to it, and why it happened, what happened in Krakow, etc. Everything is so detailed and well done and you could spend hours here because the exhibits are so multi faceted and there are so many videos and things to watch. Make sure to buy your tickets in advance. I was really lucky because I went off-season in the middle of the week and waited in line for about half an hour and was able to get tickets, but I don't think it's going to be that easy if you go in the summer at peak times. It's definitely worth visiting and it's so easy to get to from old town Krakow. It's walkable here from the old town, about 35 minutes. The area surrounding the museum is quite trendy and has some great art museums. There's actually a fabulous modern art museum attached to this museum. And there are all kinds of coffee shops and some interesting shops around the neighborhood. It was really a very deep and moving experience to visit this museum and I highly recommend it. Just try to get your tickets in advance if you can, otherwise go early in the morning and you probably will be able to get in if you wait in line during the mid week.

I did some research ahead of time and knew that the enamel factory was the first factory run by…read moreOskar Schindler but ultimately moved to Germany as the war progressed. Even though most of the original equipment was removed, the museum was still a worthwhile place to visit in Krakow since it contained very good exhibits about WWII, Nazi occupation and the impact on the Jewish population. The museum did recreate the office used by Oskar Schindler but overall exhibits were small percentage about Oskar himself, the factory workers and his efforts to protect his workers. I booked my ticket online about one week in advance but the earliest available was a 11:30am timeslot. I was a bit confused when I arrived and originally fell into the long line which turned out to be those people without reservations. To go right in with the online ticket you just need to walk up to the front door, show the ticket to the staff and they'll let you into the lobby right away. Note that inside the lobby a monitor displayed the number of walk in available tickets (up to 14 during my visit) per entry time. No bags were allowed inside but free lockers were available as well as a coat/bag check. Tickets were scanned but as I was early meant having to wait until closer to my 11:30am timeslot. They explained there were some narrow halls and small rooms which limited people movement. Overall I spent two hours here. I'm glad I chose the self guided tour since I went at my own pace as the group tours were large and tended to clog up the exhibit areas since it was a one way flow through the museum. When those jams happened I would bypass them and then backtrack to see what I missed.

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.

Wawel Cathedral was a beautiful cathedral to visit in the heart of historic Kraków. The cathedral…read moreand royal castle were built sometime around the 13th-14th century and are beautiful works of art. There is a large hill to climb from the main road to get up to this, but it is definitely worth the trek. I bought tickets to visit the cathedral and it cost me under $10 USD and included an audio guide that knew where it was based on some sort of location sensor. This was great cause I didn't know much about the castle before, but didn't feel like going on a guided tour. The cathedral was absolutely beautiful in sign with very elegant and elaborate artwork, decor, and architecture. It was truly something to behold. There was also a very nice climb you could optionally do to see the top of the bell tower which I did. It was beautiful to see Kraków from so high up and considering the city is pretty low you could really see everything from up there. Also, the ticket to the cathedral gained you access to a smaller museum. It was okay, honestly not worth visiting, but it was included so why not! If you're visiting Kraków, I think this is a must see!

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.

12 zloty to read about 4 or 5 Jewish families who lived in the Jewish district of Krakow before…read moreWWII, and what became of them. Also can see their photos. Not worth 12 zloty. Nor 0 zloty. Needs more content and a better display.

We visited this synagogue today (it's also known as the High Synagogue) - and although it's no…read morelonger in use as a synagogue, there's a wonderful photo exhibit on the second floor portraying what happened to six families in Krakow during the war (with some detailed/extensive and very interesting written information). Also, there's a branch of Austeria Bookstore on the first floor (see my separate review) and the selection is *superb*. A very sweet-natured young woman works there and we had a delightful conversation with her.