It was a dark and stormy night. Not a single human soul could be seen on the streets of Krakow. Suddenly, at 11 p.m., a priest from St. Mary’s Church heard a knock on his door. A mysterious man with a mask covering his face came to him, talking about a young girl who was supposed to die that night. He asked the priest to follow him through the labyrinth of empty streets...’

From the Legend of the White Lady of the Wielopolskich Palace.

Introduction
According to Cracow Planet team, this tour is a must for people visiting Krakow for the first time. It is a perfect introduction to the city – our guide tells you briefly about the history, culture, and contemporary life of Krakow. You are also shown the most important sites, and advised on what else to see, where to go, and which museum to visit. After this tour you can go on exploring the city, choosing only the places that really interest you!

This tour shows the variety of the historical and cultural heritage of Krakow. You have a chance to see the Royal Krakow, Jewish Quarter, Communist Paradise… The first part of the tour retraces the history of Krakow as the former capital of Poland. During the tour, which is intended to give you a general view of the city, we follow the co-called Royal Route, visiting the most famous and historic sites in Krakow: the Wawel Hill, with the magnificent Royal Castle and Cathedral, the Old Town and Main Market Square with its famous landmarks – the Cloth Hall and St. Mary’s Basilica. Afterwards we follow the traces of Jewish culture in the former Jewish city called Kazimierz. Here, the old synagogues, cemeteries and old-fashioned cafes tell you the story of Krakow’s Jews. We will also visit the Communist Paradise – the district of Krakow called Nowa Huta. Fidel Castro, who refused to visit the Main Market Square in Krakow, demanded to be taken to the Nowa Huta complex. Here we will discover that the heart of communism is still beating.

Programme
The tour begins on the Wawel Hill, for centuries the seat of power of the Polish state, with its magnificent renaissance Royal Castle and Cathedral. The next step is Kanonicza - the oldest street in Krakow, and then Grodzka Street with its numerous churches. Then we take a walk around the Main Market Square - the biggest medieval square in Europe, with the renaissance Cloth Hall, gothic Town Hall, and St. Mary’s Basilica with the marvellous medieval altar. Afterwards we follow the traces of Jewish culture in the former Jewish city called Kazimierz. We take the Szeroka Street, with its old synagogues, and listen to the stories about famous rabbis and seers. After a short coffee break we visit Nowa Huta, the district of Krakow built after the Second World War by Stalin as a Communist Paradise. Here we drive around the Central Square, where one of the biggest statues of Lenin used to stand. The square is surrounded with socialist settlements designed as fortresses… We also see the Ark of the Lord Church, so significant for the history of Nowa Huta, and the main office of the steelworks, known as the ‘Vatican’.

Duration
approximately 3,5h, coffee break meanwhile

Our offer includes
An Expert City Guide’s service; no entrance fees; transport service

Our recommendation
This tour is a perfect introduction to the sightseeing of Krakow. It can be combined with the Krakow City Tour or Wieliczka Salt Mine tour.

1-3 people