Krakow is now well established as a major tourist destination. At the height of summer, Poland’s fourth largest city throngs with tour groups and countless pavement cafés that seem to occupy every cobble of the main square. Out of season, late at night or even in the first slivers of morning light, it is clear why so many people flock to visit. This magical city, situated in the southeast of the country, between the Jura uplands and the Tatra Mountains, on the banks of the Wisla River, has one of the best-preserved medieval city centres in Europe. Dozens of churches cover almost every architectural period and are surrounded by monasteries and abbeys – walking through the Old Town streets is like drifting back through the musty pages of a historical novel.
The city has largely been left intact since the Tartar raids of the 13th century, which accounts for the largely unspoilt Krakow Old Town – now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Laid out in 1257, the Main Market Square is one of the largest medieval market squares in Europe – as well as a remarkable set piece fronted by elegant façades. It is dominated by the 16th-century Cloth Hall which continues to perform its role as a trading centre with lively market stalls and pavement cafés in and around the building. The surrounding lanes of the Old Town are ringed by the Planty, a leafy, linear park that follows the line of the Old Town walls. The voluminous hulk of Wawel Hill, to the south, is home to Wawel Castle, the seat of Polish kings from the 11th to the early 17th century. It was at this location, in 1000 AD, that the bishopric of Cracow was established and the Cathedral remains the spiritual home of Poland.
