Kracow Travel

Krakow is the jewel of Poland. The town which served as the ancient capital of Poland, was the residence of Polish monarchs for centuries. Its flamboyant monuments have been included by UNESCO in its list of world heritage sites. For the connoiseurs of history, the city brings loads of delight. Krakow is the most glorious witness of Polish history. Kracow travel would take you close to all tourist attractions of the town.

Tourist Attractions
Sightseeing
Wawel Royal Castle served as residence of three dynasties of Polish monarchs. Its elegant halls and fine chambers are embellished with fine pieces of art. Wawel Cathedral is an example of impressive church art. Giant bell of the church ranks among the world's highest. Most Polish monarchs found their last refuge in the Cathedral. Basilica of Virgin Mary's is an immense Gothic church. It is the centre of Krakow's people faith since 13th century and shelters exquisite pieces of Gothic sculpture. Town Hall Tower is the leaning tower of Krakow. 700-year old City Gate with adjoining mighty walls and towers all deserves your visit. Great Barbican is a fine example of medieval military engineering. St. Norbert's Convent is a fortified complex on the banks of Vistula river. Tyniec Abbey is Krakow's hilltop monastery-fortress. Kanonicza Street is one of the most beautiful of Europe's ancient streets. The synagogues would also prove to be nice visit.

Krakow Marvels
Lady with an Ermine
Krakow is one of those few places which hold painting of famous artist Leonardo da Vinci. Krakow's 'Lady with an ermine' is a world-famous Vinci painting.

Gothic Art
Veit Stoss, greatest sculptor of Gothic art, practised his art in Krakow for 19 years. And his masterpieces make Krakow artists' delight. He best work is 3-storey high altarpiece in the basilica of Virgin Mary at Krakow's Central Grand Square. 42-foot high and 36-foot wide altarpiece is the biggest Gothic sculpture in the world. Limewood sculptures are treated with color and gold foil.

Wieliczka Salt Mine
Wieliczka Salt Mine is the place of labyrinthine passages, giant caverns and rich ornamentation carved in salt rock. Once it was one of the world's biggest and most profitable industrial establishments. Today tourists go underground for about 2000m in the oldest part of the mine and watch its sub-terranean museum and amazing structures. UNESCO has included Wieliezka Salt Mine in its world heritage list.

Sigismund Chapel
Gold-plated dome of Sigismund Chapel is a fine specimen of Renaissance art and architecture. The stone walls and dome is covered with exquisitely sculptured, fine floral arabesques, grotesque creatures and mythological scenes. Idols of St. Peter, St. Paul. St. Wenceslas, St. Florian, St. John the Baptist, and St. Sigismund are made of red marble while the walls are white.

Masterpiece Stained Glass Windows
Splendid examples of stained glass windows grace the Basilica of Virgin Mary's. These windows have been created by artistic genius Stanislaw Wyspianski (1869-1907).

Museums
Krakow travel offers an array of museums which hold the best collections in Poland. Most important of these is National Museum in Krakow, loacated at Maja Street. The museum houses nearly 500 outstanding works by Poland's modern artists. The Czartoryskis Museum houses the world-famous painting of Leonardo da Vinci 'Lady with an Ermine'. The museum has other classical works of old masters as well. Royal Castle holds priceless art, best period furniture and rare ancient objects. Palace of Bishop Erasmus Ciolek houses art pieces from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance to the Baroque. The palace has undergone thorough renovation. Exhibitions of Archaeology Museum include 'Krakow a Thousand Years Ago', 'Ancient and Medieval Malopolska', 'Ancient Egypt', and 'Gods of Ancient Egypt'.
Apart from these more famous museums, Krakow has other museums like Archdiocese Museum, Ethnography Museum, Photography Museum, University Museum, Aviation Museum, Remembrance Museum, Museum of Natural History, Jewish Museum, Stanislaw Wyspianski Museum, Jan Matejko's House, Jozef Mehoffer's House, Museum of Krakow Theater, Pharmacy Museum, Gallery of Old Japanese Art, Cathedral Museum, Geology Museum, Hipolitow House, Zoology Museum, Museum of Municipal Engineering, Young Poland's 'Rydlowka' Museum, Home Army Museum, Dom Slaski, and Celestat.

Shopping
Make friends happy back home with a souvenir from Krakow. Prime place for shopping is Krakow's central Old Town historic district. Shops of all sorts abound the place. Retailers have occupied every inch of available space here. Luxury good, designer garb, jewelry, books, antiques, sportswear, CDs; everything of the shoppers' choice is available here. Shopping malls have also developed in Krakow now where you can shop for all international brands. Conventional marketplaces are scattered all around Krakow.

Transport
Most part of historic Krakow has been declared pedestrian zone. All well-known places are at walking distance from one another, and you can easily enjoy these on foot. If you are not comfortable with walking, you can use a horse cab, a cycle rickshaw and an electric cart. As for moving around in other part of the city, one can use tramways and buslines. Private-owned minubus fleets also operate here. Local trains can be boarded to reach nearby places. Taxicabs in Krakow are cheap and plentiful. One can also rent a car.