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Welcome to Krakow, a city wrapped in legend, where time flows differently, and where every moment becomes a moment of history. Forged in battle, war, conquest and fate, Kraków celebrated its 750th birthday in 2007. The City is by far Poland’s biggest drawcard, and it’s immediately apparent why. As the royal capital for 500 years, the city was able to absorb much history and talent over the centuries and is today a treasure trove of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Miraculously, this jewellery box emerged largely intact after WWII. As a result, no other city in Poland can boast so many historic buildings and monuments or such a vast collection of artworks, with some 2.3 million registered. Famous landmarks include the Main Market Square with St. Mary's Basilica and the Sukiennice Cloth Hall, the Wawel Castle, the National Art Museum, the Zygmunt Bell at the Wawel Cathedral, and the medieval St Florian's Gate with the Barbican along the Royal Coronation Route. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish scientific, cultural and artistic life. As the former national capital with a history encompassing more than a thousand years, the city remains the spiritual heart of Poland. Although the city no longer plays such an important administrative role, for many people, thanks to its rich history, Krakow nevertheless represents a synthesis of all things Polish, connecting tradition with modernity.

By day it is easy to drown in culture. The city is an A-Z of architectural styles, and its museums and galleries the home of everything from works by DaVinci to Japanese comics. Wawel Castle is Kraków’s centrepiece and a must-see, but most visitors will find themselves drawn to the Old Town, with its soaring Gothic churches and gargantuan Rynek Główny (Main Market Sq). Laid out in 1257, the Rynek Glowny (Main Market Square) is one of the largest medieval market squares in Europe - the centrepiece of a town plan which was, and remains, a remarkable piece of town planning. Just outside the Old Town, a few minutes walk south of the Old Town, and separated from it by Jozefa Dietla street, lies the old district of Kazimierz. Until 1880, Dietla was a tributary of the Vistula river, and Kazimierz an island. Best known as the old Jewish Quarter of Cracow, it is in fact divided into two distinct halves, with Jewish Kazimierz occupying the northeastern part and Christian Kazimierz the southwestern part. Jewish culture flourished here from the 15th century until World War II, when the Nazis forced most of the remaining Jews into a specially created ghetto across the Vistula river, where they were either killed or transported to nearby concentration camps, including Auschwitz. At the end of the war, only 6,000 returned, but few could settle. The vestiges of this once prosperous Jewish world cover Kazimierz, and numerous synagogues have been preserved and restored and now house exhibits depicting pre-war life.Even the suburb of Nowa Huta, the sooty legacy of the communist system, is now emerging as an off-beat tourist site.

Kraków, well endowed with attractions and diversions of a more modern variety, with hundreds of restaurants, bars and music clubs tucked away down its cellars and narrow alleyways, attracts seven million visitors annually. As dusk settles the city becomes a haven for hedonists. As you will no doubt learn for yourself, it is all too easy to descend the stairs into one of the Gothic cellar bars, and emerge at daybreak missing both your memory and friends. Though hotel prices are above the national average, and visitor numbers are very high in summer, this vibrant, cosmopolitan city is an essential part of any visit to Poland.

In 1978, UNESCO added Kraków's historic centre, which includes the Old Town, Kazimierz and the Wawel Castle to the list of World Heritage Sites. Give yourself at least several days or even a full week to do Kraków justice. This is not a place to rush through; the longer you stay, the more captivating you’ll find it. And without even trying, you’ll discover something pretty, old, curious or tasty around every corner.

Facts&Figures about Kraków Voivodeship : Lesser Poland (also known as Małopolska Province ) City rights : June 5, 1257 Area Code : 012 Time zone : GMT/UTC + 1 ATMs : Widespread Population : 756,757 Website : www.krakow.pl Famous for : Wawel ( The Royal Castle and Cathedral ), Witt Stwosz Altar, The biggest medieval Main Square, Kazimierz District ( former Jewish town ). Oskar Shindler, obważanek .

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