Best Krakow Day Trips & Things to Do

Also spelled Cracow, this Polish city is the country's second largest and one of the oldest with roots in the 7th century. Krakow was settled during the Stone Age and was Poland's capital from 1038-1596. The city regained its independence in 1918 after being under Austrian rule. Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and moved many Jewish residents to the Krakow Ghetto and later the concentration camps of Płaszow and Auschwitz. Many visitors to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum depart from Krakow. Other Krakow points of interest include Old Town, Wawel Castle, Jewish Quarter, Main Market Square, St. Mary's Basilica, Schindler's Factory, Juliusz Słowacki Theatre and The National Museum.