Poland Travel Guide

Wander the cobbled streets of Kraków’s UNESCO-listed Old Town, centred on the vast Main Market Square, one of the largest medieval squares in Europe. Browse the stalls of the 16th-century Cloth Hall, admire the twin towers of St Mary’s Basilica and climb the hill to Wawel Castle for sweeping views over the Vistula River. With its café culture and layers of history, Kraków rewards slow, unhurried exploration.

A visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum is a profound and moving experience, offering a powerful insight into the history of the Holocaust. Guided tours lead visitors through the preserved camp buildings and grounds, providing historical context and personal accounts that leave a lasting impression. It’s a sobering but essential part of understanding Poland’s 20th century history.

Once the city’s historic Jewish quarter, Kazimierz has become one of Kraków’s most atmospheric neighbourhoods, its cobbled streets lined with characterful cafés, vintage shops and moving reminders of its past. Visit the Old Synagogue, wander past Schindler’s Factory and finish with a coffee or a bowl of traditional Jewish-Polish comfort food at one of the district’s many courtyard cafés. It’s a rewarding way to spend a free day, entirely at your own pace.

Poland’s food culture runs deep, from hearty pierogi dumplings to smoky kielbasa sausage and rich, warming soups like żurek. Sample local specialties at a traditional milk bar, browse a bustling market hall or enjoy a sit-down meal paired with Polish vodka. Food here is warm, generous and deeply tied to family and tradition.

Just outside Kraków, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of Poland’s most extraordinary sights, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed labyrinth of tunnels, chapels and chambers carved entirely from rock salt over more than 700 years. Highlights include the stunning underground Chapel of St Kinga, complete with salt chandeliers and intricate relief carvings. It’s an easy, unforgettable half-day escape from the city.