Page 15 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Krakow

GREA T D A Y S IN KR AK OW  13

Day 3
Morning Take the bus to
Oświęcim for a guided tour
of the former Auschwitz
concentration camp (pp164–5).
Afternoon Visit the nearby
killing fields of Birkenau
(pp166–7) before returning
to Krakow by bus.

5 Days in Krakow
• Immerse yourself in
Krakow’s monument-
packed Old Town Wawel Royal Castle at Wawel Hill seen from across the Vistula River
• Descend into the amazing
underground world of the Detour into pretty Kanonicza St Catherine and the Paulite
Wieliczka Salt Mines Street (p81), where you can visit Church “On the Rock” (p128).
the medieval art collections of
• Enjoy woodland walks in
the Archdiocesan Museum Day 3
Las Wolski forest
(p84) and the Palace of Bishop Morning and afternoon
Erazm Ciołek (p84). Afterwards, Reserve the whole day for a bus
Day 1 spend a leisurely hour or two trip to the Auschwitz-Birkenau
Morning Explore the Market walking the complete circuit of memorial museum (pp164–7),
Square (pp92–3), touring the the Planty (pp170–71). taking time to walk through
Gallery of Polish Art on the top the extensive Birkenau site.
floor of the Cloth Hall (pp104–5) Day 2
before climbing the Town Hall Morning Devote the morning Day 4
Tower (p99) for views of the to as many museum collections Morning Catch a swift
Old Town skyline. Admire the within Wawel Royal Castle suburban train to Wieliczka
altars of the Church of St Mary (pp72–3) as you have time for. If to take a guided tour of the
(pp94–7), then take a peek at time is at a premium, prioritize spectacular man-made caverns
St Barbara’s Church (p98) the State Rooms and the Private of the Salt Mines (p160).
just behind it. Stand beneath Royal Apartments. Try to arrive
the towers of the Church of early, since there may be Afternoon Return to Krakow
St Mary on the hour to hear a queues for tickets. by train and take the tram to
trumpeter playing the hejnał Nowa Huta (p156)(p156)( . You can
bugle-call (p94). Afternoon Head for Kazimierz then stroll from the centre of
(pp120–29) and visit the area this 1950s-era suburb to the
Afternoon Walk south along around Szeroka Street (pp122– medieval Mogiła Monastery
Grodzka Street (p80), pausing 3), site of the original Jewish (p156) nearby. Again taking the
to examine the churches of quarter. Afterwards, visit the tram, call at the Polish Aviation
St Andrew (pp80–81) and western part of the Kazimierz Museum (p156) on your way
Saints Peter and Paul (pp82–3). district, with the Church of back to the city centre.
Day 5
Morning Explore the extensive
art and history collections of the
National Museum in Krakow
(pp150–51). Be sure to leave
enough time for the modern
paintings on the top floor.
Afternoon Walk, cycle or catch
a bus to the Zwierzyniec district
in order to scale the Kościuszko
Mound (p173). Follow this up
with a stroll or mountain-bike
ride around the Las Wolski
forest (pp174–5), pausing to visit
either Krakow Zoo (p175) or the
Kościuszko Mound and the fortification surrounding it Camaldolese Monastery (p174).