Krakow is a walkable city and everything focuses on the Market Square in the pedestrianised Old Town. With its classical old buildings line, the square dating from 1257, 200 metres long and 200 metres wide, is believed to be the largest such public space on the continent.

Picturesque sights can be found everywhere you look: horse-drawn carriages, little bands of costumed musicians, a bulky old fountain, an imposing clock tower. Near the tower, Cloth Hall, a medieval marketplace, still bustles, its long corridor lined with booths selling crafts, jewelry, souvenirs and clothing. On a few side streets you may peek into one out of over 200 pubs and bars, most of which are located in medieval cellars and stay open until the last customer staggers home.

The city, unlike Warsaw, Poland's capital, escaped World War 2 damage. Today it is a residence of over 750,000 inhabitants, of whom over 100,000 are students of respected universities, including the Europe's third oldest, now called Jagiellonian, where, perhaps, young Nicolaus Copernicus first figured out - contrary to the 15th-century thought - that the Earth circles the sun.

Cracow rank as a World Heritage Site has put the city at the very top of Polish tourism. With so many visitors and students, nightlife is very lively and costs are low.

 

Cracow can offer almost everything from the traveller's most-wanted list.

Municipal Government	Rada miasta Kraków
Mayor	Jacek Majchrowski
Area	326,8 km²
Latitude	50°04' E
Longitude	19°57' N
Population (2004)
- city	757,500
- urban	1,200,000
- density	2317.93/km²
Area code	(+48) 12
Car registration marks	KR OOO1 to KR 99999
Administrative districts
Stare Miasto, Grzegórzki, Pradnik Czerwony, Pradnik Bialy, Lobzów, Bronowice, Bienczyce, Zwierzyniec, Debniki, Lagiewniki, Swoszowice, Wola Duchacka, Prokocim-Biezanów, Podgórze, Czyzyny, Mistrzejowice, Grebalów, Nowa Huta