//
Former town, former XXII quarter of Kraków, Poland
Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Southern part of Kraków consists of six districts. Most interesting are Podgórze and Dębniki, located on the Vistula river bank opposite the Old Town. Districts further south (Łagiewniki, Kurdwanów, Bieżanów) are mainly residential.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Kopiec Krakusa
An artificial mound of great age, but just how old and its original purpose are unknown. It was supposedly built in honour of King Krakus, a mythical figure, but it contains no human remains and its earliest artefacts are 8th century. Four smaller mounds ringed it but were raided for building material in the Middle Ages. There is a curious astronomical alignment: if you stand atop it on Beltane (1 May), the sun rises over the equally unexplained Wanda Mound north of the river. But Beltane is a Celtic rite: this region hasn't been Celtic since the La Tène Iron Age culture of 2000 years ago. A mystery.
Fort Benedykta
Gun turret built between 1853 and 1856. Unique in terms of European fortress architecture. The building is not accessible and the surrounding area is fenced off.
Obóz Koncentracyjny Kraków-Płaszów
Area of former camp is now grass fields and hills with one large stone monument commemorating the victims. Also the villa of Amon Göth, the commandant of the camp, is still standing. See Holocaust remembrance for context.
obóz pracy Liban
Camp for Polish and Ukrainian prisoners who worked in very harsh conditions in a quarry and lime kiln.
Park Bednarskiego
Established (by the end of 19th century) around former industrial area (limestone quarry). These days slightly run down but has its own unique atmosphere and is considered the most beautiful park in Krakow.
Museum Of Contemporary Art Krakow
One of the newest museums in Krakow, located in renovated buildings belonging to the former Schindler’s Factory, houses a permanent collection and temporary exhibitions of modern art, sometimes the 'I don't get it' kind. Inside a bookstore with albums on not only Polish art and a cafeteria.
Fabryka Emalia Schindlera
Museum houses a permanent exhibition concerning Krakow under Nazi occupation; it is located in the administrative building of the former Schindler's Factory.
Apteka pod Orłem
Exhibition focuses on the pharmacist - Tadeusz Pankiewicz, a Righteous among the Nations and life in Jewish Ghetto and Plaszow camp. Museum was renovated as memory lab and expanded in March 2013.
Ośrodek Dokumentacji Sztuki Tadeusza Kantora
Museum documenting life and work of one of the most important 20th century Polish artists. Rusty structure built on the Vistula bank, opened in 2014.
Former Zucker Synagogue built in 1880s. Today a gallery showing well-known Polish artists such as Magdalena Abakanowicz, Tadeusz Kantor or Jerzy Nowosielski.
Kościół św. Józefa
Built in 1905-09 in neogothic style and modeled after the St. Mary´s Church.
Zgromadzenie Najświętszego Odkupiciela
Built in 1905 by Jan Sas Zubrzycki in neogothic and neoromanesque style.
Centrum Sztuki i Techniki Japońskiej Manggha
Core of the collection is the artwork amassed by the Kyoto-Krakow Foundation set up by Andrzej and Krystyna Wajda, especially the 6500 items collected by Feliks Jasieński (1861-1929). The building, facing Wawel across the river, is an interesting contemporary structure by Arata Isozaki.
Opactwo Benedyktynów w Tyńcu
St. Peter's and St. Paul's Church and Benedictine Abbey are situated at the bank of Vistula river. In the 11th century it was one of the most important scientific places in the first Polish Kingdom, the first chronicles of Poland were written here about 1100. Built as a fortress, in the 15th century the church was rebuilt and later remodelled in the 17th and 18th centuries. Its buildings were damaged during the Confederation of Bar in 1764 hostilities. The revival of the Benedictine tradition at Tyniec occurred in the 20th century.
Sanktuarium Bożego Miłosierdzia
A popular destination for religious pilgrimages to Kraków. The basilica was built between 1999 and 2002. You can climb the tower of the sanctuary and enjoy views over the southern parts of Kraków.
Sanktuarium Świętego Jana Pawła II
This sanctuary is near the Divine Mercy Sanctuary. You can find there an original tomb table taken from his grave at Vatican. In the main altar, an ampoule containing the Pope's blood is built in. This sanctuary is even newer than the Divine Mercy Sanctuary. The church was inaugurated in 2013.
A cinema and a cafe. Arthouse, European films, classics, showings for children.
Ogniwo
Leftist cafe, bar, bookstore and culture house owned and managed by a cooperative. They organize many events: discussions, film screenings, exhibitions and book promotions. Prices at the bar are pretty low. Books they sell are mostly in Polish. LGBT friendly.
Budget "milk bar" or soup kitchen, cheap & cheerful.
Basque cuisine, tasty but small or tapas-sized portions. Reservation recommended.
Breakfasts, pastas, pizza. Great riverside location, food is good when they get it right but quality very erratic.
That translates as "Eating place yesterday & today" so they're aiming for communist-era. Canteen with self-service, good budget Polish meals, no alcohol.
French style bistro/restaurant gets rave reviews for quality and price. Interesting wine list.
Ground floor is Cawa café (daily 09:00-22:00), the basement is Drukarnia club with concerts/disco.
Great winebar with natural wines 100 m from the Schindler's Factory.
Efficient four-star hotel with sauna, jacuzzi, fitness centre and pool. On riverbank by Powstańców Śląskich bridge across to Kazimierz, 30 min walk or tram to Old Town.
Hostel for youth & school parties but they take individual travellers. Open all year. They run a similar hostel on Sokolska near the Qubus Hotel on the south river bank.
Functional modern 3-star with a 5-star view: great location on the bend in the river, looking across to Wawel.
Open all year. Very basic, looks like it's not been cleaned or repaired since communist times.
If you really like going to shopping malls, you can visit the Bonarka City Center mall located nearby Podgórze centre. To get there, you should approach Rondo Matecznego (Mateczny Roundabout) and take any bus going via Kamieńskiego Street. After two stops you will see a big building with a high chimney standing nearby. This chimney remains from the Bonarka chemical factory, located on this area in the 20th century. When it is after dawn, you can notice that the top of the chimney is illuminated with colourful lamps.
Stroll from Kazimierz through the bike/footbridge called "The Father Bernatek's Footbridge" (in Polish "Kładka Bernatka") at the end of ul. Mostowa.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Balice · International · KRK
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about South and Poland.
Travel tipsDiscover the cheapest countries to visit in Europe in 2026. Compare daily budgets for Albania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Portugal with real costs.
8 min read
Culture & historyThe Holocaust was a campaign of deportation, forced labour and mass murder during World War II, carried out by Germany's Nazi regime and several other Axis states.
Wikivoyage
Culture & historyThe Wooden tserkvas of the Carpathian region in Poland and Ukraine is a world heritage site made up of 16 wooden churches in these countries.
Wikivoyage
Travel tipsIf travelling between major cities in Poland, you don't have to drive, but to visit places off the beaten path, having a car can be a good idea.
Wikivoyage
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.