Stare Miasto
About
The 13th century merchants' town is home to Europe's largest market square and offers numerous historical houses, palaces and churches with magnificent interiors, 14th century fortifications, ancient synagogues, Jagiellonian University and the Gothic cathedral where the kings of Poland were buried.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Address
Neighbourhood: Stare Miasto
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See what travellers are saying
  • James G
    4 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Utterly gorgeous Old Town, worth several days of relaxation and tourism.
    Perhaps my favorite Old Town in Europe, for charm, beauty, museums, and great food. The only downside: nighttime brings out constant invitations to sex-oriented clubs in some areas of Old Town. But all in all, one could easily stay a week in Old Town and nearby areas.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written November 2, 2023
  • Traveler807809
    Ridgefield, Washington4 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Rustic elegance a hidden gem.
    Stare Miasto Krakow Old world character with modern amenities. Easily give this five stars, if they provided onsite amenities for food/drinks/snacks. The outside appearance is very minimal, but the room was a nice integration or rustic elegance. The 1600 building's character is so well reserved and maintained. Rooms are upgraded with jetted tub, marble floors, streaming TV options, exposed beams, mirrored bathroom, cook top and spacious quarters. Robes and slippers are provided and a quiet hotel. Evening revelers could be heard late at night leaving the square but quite incidental during our stay. This sort of style is very high end in the US similar to light industrial areas turned into chic lofts and restaurants. Loved our stay! Only a few blocks off the old world square good access to food, night life, people watching with short walks to the trolley and parks. Receptionist spoke ghost English able to recommend authentic polish cuisine. Go back in a heartbeat!
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written February 23, 2024
  • newlifechapters
    Nashville, Tennessee206 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    great place to stay and explore
    Loved this area- lovely buildings, quaint side roads, beautiful gardens to walk and wonderful history with the castle area. We loved the easy, laid back vibe of Krakow. This area was not expensive either. We'd love to come back. Please don't miss the Basilica of Mary for the noon opening of the altar, followed by the trumpeter! It was amazing.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written April 9, 2024
  • Lilac G
    362 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Old town Krakow.
    It is surrounded by a lovely park, where one can relax, read, go cycling. Well preserved buildings and some churches all around old town. There are souvenir shops, restaurants and horse carriages adding to the local folklore. There is also a big arcade with shops selling mostly amber. In the beginning of June, when I visited the city, there were many tourists in the area(but not so many as to become a nuissance) although the weather was not warm. So, I guess, this is when it is considered a good time to visit and enjoy. The place is easily accessible by tram connections and has a lively atmosphere. It was a positive experience and I would like to visit again sometimes in future, because it is not a small area and one can enjoy more visits.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written May 3, 2024
  • Leonhkny
    Hong Kong, China21,615 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Reason in Krakow
    Krakow's UNESCO-accredited old town is a main tourist draw for the city or even Poland. The quaint medieval town remains relatively intact after the world wars and offers a real taste of history. Do devote enough time to get yourself immersed into the city.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written August 20, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles9,056 reviews
Excellent
7,064
Very good
1,806
Average
150
Poor
15
Terrible
21

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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Robert O
Rotterdam, The Netherlands5,856 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020
Whenever there is a concentration of old buildings in Europe or even the world with a UNESCO recognition as historic, the place is almost inundated with tourists. The dynamics of the place change dramatically with local residents moving out unless they gear their activities towards tourists. Many tourists are not really interested in history, but rather in the historic ambiance serving as a background for selfies. In this respect the old town of Krakow is similar to Prague, Venice or Amsterdam.

Most of what is left of the historic medieval old town is underground and many of the buildings have been restructured (especially after a devastating fire in 1850). The predominant architectural style is neoclassicism (late 19th century), though especially some of the churches have maintained a Baroque appearance (17th century). Stare Miasto district is larger in size than the area surrounded by Planty park where the old city fortifications and moat used to be. The district includes Kazimierz and Rakowicki cemetery just north of the railway station. Price levels are significantly lower in this wider belt area and the ambiance is still predominantly Polish. Quite a relief after confrontations with touts and souvenir vendors.
Written February 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris L
Sumter, SC143 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Family
Walking around the area gives you a feeling of what could be nostalgia. The green space was created from the old moat, and several areas are preserved as museums, like part of the old wall. No trip to Kraków would be complete without wandering around here.
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lilac G
Athens,Greece362 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Solo
It is surrounded by a lovely park, where one can relax, read, go cycling. Well preserved buildings and some churches all around old town. There are souvenir shops, restaurants and horse carriages adding to the local folklore. There is also a big arcade with shops selling mostly amber. In the beginning of June, when I visited the city, there were many tourists in the area(but not so many as to become a nuissance) although the weather was not warm. So, I guess, this is when it is considered a good time to visit and enjoy. The place is easily accessible by tram connections and has a lively atmosphere. It was a positive experience and I would like to visit again sometimes in future, because it is not a small area and one can enjoy more visits.
Written May 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Denisa Moricová
Frydek-Mistek, Czech Republic25 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Gorgeous architecture everywhere you look. However the number of tourists there even on workdays is astounding. It's even worse than Prague. The moment you turn a few streets - it's empty. Everyone is cramped on Florianska Street and on the square (which is enormous so luckily even with a lot of people there's still plenty of space). I still recommend this place though because it's just beautiful, There are also horse carriages everywhere and I personally really love the look of that :) and the sound.
Written August 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sokolalene
Kyiv, Ukraine2,516 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Friends
Due to the queue at customs, exploring Krakow was reduced to only a few hours. But this city is really so beautiful, unlike any other, that it made me want to come for a few days and admire it slowly, savoring it. The most beautiful Market Square, majestic churches, ancient houses with many details, souvenir shops and restaurants - I so wanted to stay, sit down, linger, go to the palace, but time... And so we were very lucky - it was raining, but as soon as we entered the Old Town through the gate of the ancient gate, the rain stopped. We bought donuts with pink jam (mm-mm) and went for a walk. Krakow, we will definitely get to know you better, I promise.
Google
Written October 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Traveler807809
Ridgefield, WA4 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
Stare Miasto

Krakow

Old world character with modern amenities.

Easily give this five stars, if they provided onsite amenities for food/drinks/snacks. The outside appearance is very minimal, but the room was a nice integration or rustic elegance. The 1600 building's character is so well reserved and maintained. Rooms are upgraded with jetted tub, marble floors, streaming TV options, exposed beams, mirrored bathroom, cook top and spacious quarters. Robes and slippers are provided and a quiet hotel. Evening revelers could be heard late at night leaving the square but quite incidental during our stay.

This sort of style is very high end in the US similar to light industrial areas turned into chic lofts and restaurants. Loved our stay! Only a few blocks off the old world square good access to food, night life, people watching with short walks to the trolley and parks. Receptionist spoke ghost English able to recommend authentic polish cuisine. Go back in a heartbeat!
Written February 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PRAIRA
Ankara, Türkiye718 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
It's a wonderful old city where you can't get enough of wandering around, looking around, breathing and feeling. In this impressive, historical and preserved area, there are museums, churches, bazaars, food and beverage venues, castle, grand bazaar, statues, historical gate, streets and horse-drawn carriages. There is no end to the explanation, walk every inch of it, live it to the fullest, feel it in your bones, you will really love it.
Google
Written September 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CLAUDIOMAS
Ceccano, Italy5,070 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
For five centuries Krakow (the current historic center) was the capital of Poland; as much as 1/4 of the national artistic heritage is located here, therefore you can understand the beauty and elegance of the historic buildings of Stare Miasto. This is made even more evident by the administrations' care towards this heritage which is well maintained and preserved. Walking through its squares and streets, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978, is truly satisfying
Google
Written December 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mark H
Paphos, Cyprus560 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Visited Krakow for a 4 Night Christmas break and what an amazing time of the year to visit Krakow visit its Christmas market and walk the streets of the old town stopping for the odd drink and snack whilst people watching. Krakow offers so much to see and do and all within walking distance of the old town from a walk along the Vistiula River and Wawel Castle to St Marys Basilica and the amazing Galeria Krakowsa Shopping Mall.
....A wonderful City!
Written January 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leonhkny
Hong Kong, China21,615 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
Krakow's UNESCO-accredited old town is a main tourist draw for the city or even Poland. The quaint medieval town remains relatively intact after the world wars and offers a real taste of history. Do devote enough time to get yourself immersed into the city.
Written August 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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