Getting There

By plane: Krakow's airport is just 12km from the city centre. To get to the city centre take the feeder bus from outside arrivals to the train station and then the train to the city. The journey takes 20 minutes and costs 8PLN.

By train: If you travel to Krakow by train your journey will end in the central train station at Plac Kolejowy.

By bus: Buses on long-distance journeys to Krakow end up at the central bus station on Cystertow.

Getting Around

On foot: Getting around Krakow on foot is effortless. All the main attractions are within walking distance of each other and the only time you will be required to really stretch your legs is if you go south of the river to the suburb of Podgorze.

By bus/tram: There are trams and buses in operation but the chances of you needing to use either during your stay are slim.

By taxi: Taxis can be hailed down in Krakow easily and they aren't too expensive. Those that are available will have their light lit up on their roof.

Due to its location on the border of Central Europe and Eastern Europe, Krakow enjoys a temperate climate. Summers can be quite hot, with temperatures regularly going beyond the average of 20°C. Like in many European cities, autumn is a good time to visit, but by mid-October it starts getting cold again. Winters are usually white ones and it drops below 0°C regularly. Spring is regarded as the best time to visit.

Embassies/Consulates

USA: +48 (0)12 424 5100
UK: +48 (0)12 421 7030
Canada: +48 (0)22 584 3100*
Australia: +48 (0)22 521 3444*
South Africa: +48 (0)22 625 6228*
Ireland: +48 (0)22 849 6633*
Germany: +48 (0)12 424 3000
Spain: +48 (0)22 622 4250*
Italy: +48 (0)22 826 3471*
New Zealand: +48 (0)22 521 0500*
France: +48 (0)12 424 5300

*Embassy in Warsaw

U Babci Maliny, Szpitalna 38, Stare Miasto As you are greeted by the butler-esque concierge at the door of this restaurant, you may think it is beyond your budget. But look through the menu you'll see it isn't that expensive after all. Try the traditional meat and cabbage stew which is served actually in bread. Open daily from 11am-10pm.

Eh, you speak English? Pod Temida, Grodzka 43, Stare Miasto During the communist era, a number of 'milk bars' were set up in Poland. These were cafeteria-style, cheap eateries subsidised by the state. This is Krakow's most famous one and still serves ridiculously cheap food. The menu is in Polish, but staff don't mind playing interpreter every now and then. Open daily from 9am-8pm.

Fabryka Pizzy, Jozefa 34, Kazimierz Undoubtedly the best place to get pizza in Krakow, this trendy pizzeria doesn't only deal with the calorie-ridden Italian specialty. Pasta and gnocchi dishes are in abundance too, while they also serve 'bombery bombers', small hand-sized pizzas that come in eight varieties. Open daily from 11am-11pm.

Zapiecek, Slawkowska 32, Stare Miasto When in Krakow, one must try 'pierogi' - pastries filled with everything from summer fruits to meat. You can get them in most restaurants, but this small eatery in the Stare Miasto doesn't serve much else, making it the best place to try them. You can even see staff make them at the booth beside the counter. Open daily from 10am-9pm.

Obwarzanki Stalls, Stare Miasto All over the Stare Miasto are old men and women sitting in stalls that sell obwarzanki - bagel-type bread rings. They come in five varieties - white, brown, salt, poppy and sesame. Costing just 1,20PLN, they are perfect for a quick morning snack. Open daily from 8am-5pm.

Harri's Piano Bar, Rynek Glówny 28, Stare Miasto Harri's Piano Bar is an intimate, underground venue that hosts jazz bands on a nightly basis. The room with the main stage can get packed quickly so get down early. If all seats are gone though, don't fret...the adjoining room has a plasma screen hanging on the wall televising the show live. Open daily from 1pm-2am.

Kolory, Estery 10, Kazimierz Want to go out but don't want a big night? Let me introduce you to Kolory, Kasmieriz's coolest bar. Extremely unintrusive, there's no house music blaring, no jazz musicians blowing their saxophone in your face, and no bands. Just red leather seats, friendly staff, and cool tunes. This is the perfect place for a drink and a chat after a day's sightseeing. Open daily from 7am-midnight.

CK Browar, Podwale 6-7, Stare Miasto Are you the type of person that hates going back and forth to the bar every half hour? If so, this place is just the ticket. Rather than order one drink, you can order three or five litre shuttles with their own taps for your table from the friendly waitresses constantly floating around this huge bar. Open daily from 9am-3am.

B-Side Club, Estery 16, Kazimierz While the majority of the city's live music venues play host to jazz acts, Kazmierz's B-side Club is where you will find Krakow's up and coming indie and rock acts. The stage is in a very small room underground so watch out for flying pleks and drum sticks. Open daily from 11am-close.

Frantic, Szewska 5, Stare Miasto With three bars, two dance floors and a couple of chill-out areas to get away from it all, Frantic is one of Krakow's most popular clubs. On one stage you'll hear hip-hop and R'n'B, while on the other it's house music making them sweat. Open nightly from 5pm-5am.

Rynek Główny, Stare Miasto Dating back to the 13th century, Krakow's Rynek Glówny is one of Eastern Europe's most beautiful squares and the focal point of the city's Old Town. Bordered by St Mary's Church on one side, and home to Sukiennice in the centre, it is the largest medieval town square in Europe, measuring 200m by 200m.

Royal Apartments/State Rooms, Wawel Hill Grand, opulent and decadent are just some of the words to describe these rooms. In the State Rooms The Senator's Hall is breathtaking with its enormous tapestries, while in the Royal Apartments you will marvel at the Guest Bedroom. Open Tues-Sat from 9.15am-2.45pm; admission varies.

Wawel Cathedral, Wawel Hill Poland's most important place of worship dates back to 1364 and is the burial place for much of Poland's deceased royalty. National heroes and bishops are buried there also. At the top of the cathedral is a bell that brings you good luck once you touch it. Open Tues-Sun from 9.15am-5.15pm; admission 10PLN.

Sad but true Auschwitz-Birkenau Walking around Auschwitz I and Auschwitz-Birkenau, it's hard to fathom that such atrocities took place there less than 70 years ago. Operating between 1940 and 1945, they were the biggest of the concentration camps set up by the Nazis during WWII. Today you can walk through the barracks they used to sleep in along with the gas chambers. For tour info visit www.hostelworld.com/tours.

National Museum, Aleja 3 Maja 1, Zwierzyniec Krakow's National Museum has three permanent collections: Arms and Uniforms in Poland, Gallery of Decorative Art and, its most popular, 20th-Century Polish Art. Open Tues, Thurs & Sat from 10am-3.30pm, Wed, Fri & Sat from 10am-6pm; admission 18PLN.

February - Krakow International Sailors' Song Festival Also known as 'Shanties', this annual festival celebrates songs and poetry with a nautical theme. Over twenty years old, along with songs and poems there are sailing races, cruises and more.

May - International Soup Festival Kazimierz's Plac Nowy sees chefs from all over Poland vie against each other to be the creator of the best soup. Get down for a free taste!

May - Krakow Film Festival Krakow's film festival is one of the oldest in Europe and specialises in documentaries, animation and short film. During the festival over 300 films from over 20 countries across the globe are screened.

June - Lajkonik Celebrating the defeat of the Tartars in 1241, Lajkonik is a procession through the streets of Krakow that ends up in the city's main square. For the procession thousands follow a hobby horse through the streets.

June - Wianki Another age-old tradition, Wianki sees magical wreaths float down Krakow's River Vistula. The festival ends with a fireworks display opposite Wawel Castle.

June-July - Jewish Culture Festival Krakow's Jewish Quarter Kazimierz is the location for Krakow's annual Jewish festival. Lasting seven days, the district's synagogues, pubs, cafés and more celebrate Jewish culture.

July-August - Summer Jazz Festival Krakow's Piwnica Pod Baranami, famous throughout Poland for its Parisian cabaret, hosts the annual jazz festival every summer. Both local and international acts perform at the festival.

September - Sacrum-Profanum Festival This is a must for classical music lovers as hundreds of performances take place in the city's Filharmonia along with other venues.

November - Festival of Polish Music This is one of the city's newest festivals, having being founded in 2005. Showcasing Polish music from the Middle Ages right up to music from today, performances take place in different venues throughout the city.

December - Nativity Each year a competition is held to find the best 'szopka' (nativity scene or crib). The szopka, which are built by local artists, are elaborate affairs and are then put on show in the city's main square.

Nowy Swiat Just west of the city centre, Nowy Swiat is home to two of the city's less-visited attractions – Filharmonia Krakowska, the city's concert hall, and the National Museum. Two of Krakow's largest parks are here also, giving those who don't consider themselves to be culture vultures a good reason to visit also.

Stare Miasto Krakow's historical centre is bustling all year round as this is where you will find the highest concentration of tourists. In saying that it isn't overrun by them by any stretch of the imagination so don't deliberately avoid. Instead take the time out to explore its countless underground bars and the jewel of the area, Rynek Glówny.

The Jewish Quarter Kazimierz Named after King Kazimierz in the 14th Century, Krakow's old Jewish neighbourhood is the city's most famous inner-city suburb. Today only two active synagogues remain, and instead this is now one of the city's most vibrant areas. Plac Nowy is lined with bars and restaurants, as are the surrounding streets. You will know you are there when you see the cobbled streets.

Podgorze Best known for being the home of Oskar Schindler's factory during WWII, Podgorze is south of the banks of Krakow's River Wisla. When translated into it English 'podgorze' means 'at the bottom of/near a hill'. It got this name as it was initially a village at the foot of Lasota Hill.

Nowa Huta 10km east of the city centre and one of Krakow's most populous areas with over 200,000 residents, Nowa Huta literally means 'The New Steel Mill'. The suburb was started in 1949 as a home for the workers at the mines. It was to become the ideal town for communist propaganda but ironically today is famously anti-communist.

Galeria Krakowska, Pawia 5, Central Krakow Krakow's newest shopping mall found right beside the train station has over 270 stores to get lost in. Between them they offer everything from clothes to toiletries. Some of the more recognisable brand names include Benetton, Reebok, Pull and Bear, Versace and Esprit. Open daily from 8am-11pm.

Krakow kitsch Sukiennice, Rynek Glówny, Stare Miasto Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) is one of Krakow's most instantly recognisable landmarks and home to a market that was once a major centre of international trade in Poland. Today that isn't entirely the case. Instead it's where you'll find mugs, dolls and t-shirts with 'Krakow' sprawled all over them. Open daily from 10am-8pm.

Empik Megastore, Rynek Glówny 5, Stare Miasto If you can't afford to treat yourself to a new item of clothing or jewellery, but still fell you deserve a gift, you'll be able to find something in this huge music store that won't stretch your budget. Over its 5 floors you can pick up international newspapers, CDs and DVDs. Open daily from 9am-10pm.

Florianska Krakow's main shopping strip branches off Rynek Glówny and is quieter than some of the other main shopping drags around the world. This may be largely due to the fact that the shopping centres offer a better selection. In saying that, strolling down it is very pleasurable and it is inevitable that you will end up here at some stage.

Galeria Kazimierz, Podgorska 34, Kazimierz Before Galeria Krakowska opened its doors, this was the heavyweight of shopping malls in Krakow. It doesn't have as many international brands as its newer counterpart, but cinema buffs take note - it is also home to a 10-screen cineplex, with many movies screened in English. Open Mon-Sat from 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-8pm.

Soak up some culture for free If you're planning on visiting some museums when in Krakow, you may want to go to one that has a 'free day'. For instance, the Jan Matejko House (Florianska 41) is free on Thursdays. Others may choose to visit the Manggha Centre of Japanese Art & Technology which is just south of the river on Konopnickiej and is free on Sundays.

Enjoy free live music It's hard to think of another city in Europe with as much live music staged in its pubs and clubs as Krakow. All around Rynek Glówny are jazz clubs where musicians from both home and abroad play, while indie and rock bands play in others. Entry to gigs is almost always free.

Wander through the grounds of Wawel Castle If you wish to gain entrance to the attractions of Wawel Castle you'll have to fork over a few Zloty for your tickets. If you aren't in the position to do so it doesn't mean you have to avoid it - to simply gain access to the castle's grounds is absolutely free.

Let us praise God Visit Krakow's churches Like in many European cities, some of Krakow's most beautiful buildings are its churches, and entrance to most is free. The best known are the Church of SS Peter & Paul (Grodzka 52) due to the statues of the Twelve Apostles at the front and the Church of St Andrew (Grodzka 56) which dates back to the 11th century.

Chill out in Krakow's parks If you're looking to take it easy for a couple of hours, take a break in one of Krakow's parks. Park Jordana and Blonia Common are two of the best-known. The former has many nooks and crannies and has a large pond perfect for lazing at. The latter is a large unbroken meadow without the flowerbeds of its counterparts that also boasts good views of the city's steeples.

Start the day with an 'obwarzanki' from a stall on Rynek Glówny, the city's main focal point. Then take your time to explore one of Europe's most beautiful squares.

Visit St Mary's Church (below), the church that dominates the square. Its main attraction is the Veit Stoss Altar, which dates back to 1484.

Wawel Castle, perched up on Wawel Hill just minutes from Rynek Glówny, is the city's main attraction. Go to check out the Royal Apartments, Wawel Cathedral and more.

One must try 'pierogi' on a trip to Krakow. Get some for your lunch. Try it in one of the city's milk bars, or in 'Zapiecek', a restaurant that sells nothing else.

Take the short stroll to the district of Nowy Swiat. Treat yourself to some culture in Krakow's National Museum.

Upon returning to the city centre, visit Kazimierz, the city's best known neighbourhood. Once the city's main Jewish area, it is home to some synagogues.

Kazimierz is also full of restaurants and bars. Relax with a drink in one of the district's many bars before going for a pizza in 'Fabryka Pizzy', Krakow's best pizzeria.

With so much live music on offer in Krakow, it would be criminal not to catch a live gig. Try Harri's Piano Bar on Rynek Glówny, one of the best places for live jazz music in town.

Finish the day off dancing the night away in one of the city's clubs. Frantic, which is just off the main square, has two dancefloors, chillout rooms and good music.