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District of Kraków in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland
Photo: Wizzard, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
In the early 20th century Kraków grew rapidly, engulfing surrounding neighbourhoods. This page covers those new areas north of the river, which are mostly west but include some north and east of Old Town. The places of interest to visitors are either in the ring a short walk from Old Town, or in the western parkland of Zwierzyniec (District VII, and not to be confused with the town of that name many miles to the east). The other districts are residential, though there's a strip of visitor accommodation along Highway 79 to the north. This page does not include western areas south of the river, Kazimierz or the eastern post-war new town of Nowa Huta.
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Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie - Gmach Główny
The permanent collection comprises 20th-Century Polish Art, Decorative Art, and Arms and Uniforms in Poland. The ground floor has temporary exhibitions
Kopiec Kościuszki
Tadeusz Kościuszko (1746-1817) was a revolutionary hero first in the US (where he designed West Point) then in Poland where he led the 1794 uprising against the country's second partition. He was captured but survived the reprisals after the uprising, and eventually retired to die in Switzerland. He was buried there but his remains were soon transferred to the royal crypts in Wawel. This artificial mound was built in 1820 to commemorate him, with a Neogothic chapel and a citadel added under Austrian rule in the 1850s. It was several times threatened with demolition; in 1997/98 it was badly damaged by floods but restored in 2002. Ticket price includes the citadel and chapel; free entry on 4 Feb (Kościuszko's birthday), 24 March (the launch of his uprising) and 15 Oct (his death).
Kopiec Piłsudskiego
Józef Piłsudski (1867-1935) was the military leader who used the 1918 post-war power vacuum to re-establish Poland after 123 years of partition. The Germans and Austrians departed peacefully but it took wars with Russia to reclaim territory in the east. He was the de facto strongman ruler of Poland until his death. This artificial mound was begun in 1934 to celebrate Polish independence but was re-dedicated when Piłsudski died, incorporating soil from every WW1 battlefield where Polish soldiers fought. He himself is interred in Wawel. Later regimes hoped to write him out of history and his mound, like Kościuszko's, was damaged by the 1997/98 floods but restored in 2002.
Krakowski Ogród Zoologiczny
With about 1500 animals and 260 species, headliners are two Indian elephants, pygmy hippos, Humboldt penguins and Przewalski horses.
Muzeum Fotografii
Permanent collection shows works of Polish photographers from 1850 to WW2. Several temporary exhibitions a year on both documentary and art photography.
This collection of offbeat modern sculpture is in Decius Park just north of the Villa, both outdoor and within the gallery. Chromy (1925-2017) created many public sculptures around the city, including Smok the dragon at the foot of Wawel.
Extensive peaceful gardens (closed winter), ticket includes a small museum.
Muzeum Armii Krajowej
Museum dedicated to Polish underground movement during and after World War II, and its armed forces.
Cmentarz Rakowicki
400 m north of the main railway station, was laid out in the early 19th century and contains notables such as Helena Modrzejewska, Jan Matejko and Wisława Szymborska.
Originally a student theatre, now repertory but still avant-garde.
Old-style cinema hall in 1960s modernist building. Also has concerts and other events.
Arthouse cinema shows European & retro, seldom mainstream Hollywood.
Opera Krakowska
Two stages for opera and ballet.
Park Wodny
Indoor pool with slides, children's pool and padding area, plus sauna.
Chiński Pałac
Good Chinese cuisine, filling portions.
The "Blue Nysa" is a Krakow institution that has been serving up sausages cooked on a wood-fired grill since 1991, shortly after free enterprise was allowed again. The menu is as simple as it gets: 15zł for a kielbasa with a squirt of mustard (ketchup is optional), 3zł for a stale bread roll, 3zł for gazowana (a Communist-era orange-flavored soda). There's one shared table to stand around and make new friends. There's always a queue, and it can get rowdy late at night.
Despite the name, this is also a microbrewery.
Microbrewery.
Beer garden and sausages.
Open whole year. Good facilities, pay in cash only. Some noise from nearby highway but a good bus service to town.
Open mid-April to mid-October with camping and tourer pitches plus bungalows. Free WiFi, swimming pool. Good public transport to the centre, shops, restaurants and a park nearby. But in summer the place gets overcrowded and unclean.
Good location & rate but not always clean. No alcohol or smoking, apparently. You need to be out between 10:00 and 16:00. Discounts for members of PTSM, the Polish Youth Hostel Association.
Good reliable hostel, clean & comfy. Rooms for 1-4 and dorms for up to 8 people. All with ensuite facilities, TV, SAT, and internet connection (cable or wi-fi).
Three star hotel, okay for the price. Hot & stuffy in summer, and roaring traffic if you open a window.
Just west of Old Town, good four star chain hotel with 198 rooms, leisure centre, pool and sauna.
232 guest rooms, suites and executive rooms. It has an indoor pool and wellness center, along with of event space.
Kraków Airport is nearby to the west of the city, so it may be convenient to take a taxi direct to your accommodation instead of going downtown.
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Balice · International · KRK
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