Cracow

Perhaps Europe's most underrated cultural Mecca, Krakow (Cracow), is Poland's historic arts centre. Remarkably, Krakow survived WW II virtually unscathed and is now considered to be a World Heritage site. Krakow's Main Market Square is a medieval wonder. It is here that many of the city's great architectural and cultural sites are found. Among the many to be seen on the culture vultures' itinerary is St. Mary's, with its world famous wooden altar carved by Wit Stwosz, the Royal Castle with beautiful 16th century tapestries, Czartoryski Museum housing ancient European artefacts, and Wawel Castle and Cathedral. With its massive student population attending Jagiellonian University, your IQ could possibly rise considerably just by spending a couple of days wandering through Krakow. In fact, one JU alumnus is none other than Nicolaus Copernicus, the guy who came up with that idea about the Earth revolving around the sun.

The great thing about Krakow is that just about everything worth seeing is crammed into the Old Town - a tiny area of about 800m by 1200m. Therefore, with a strong pair of legs and a good constitution no funds need be wasted on public transport dashing here, there and everywhere. There is plenty to see for free, not least of all the exquisite architecture, the biggest and most decorative square in Europe, Rynek Glowny, the Sukennice - the famous covered market place. Krakow allows you to save money, under the impressive guise of being incredibly cultured. There is no shortage of bars and pubs, of which there are more than 50 in the Old Town alone and thanks to the city's 11 universities, there are plenty of half priced drinking dens to explore. Most things in Krakow range from the lavish and luxurious, to the cheap and cheerful, with campsites, and hostels for budgeting students plus a range of wonderfully cheap self-service eateries. Krakow lets you spend as much or as little as you can manage - an absolute bargain.

Beyond the history, Krakow has a vibrant pulse pumping beneath its medieval exterior. Nightlife in the city is varied and vibrant. Being such a colourful student town, Krakow has everything from smoky little jazzclubs to cheap beer nights at the local pub plus excellent performing arts events. A fun night out can be anything from grabbing some poppy seed pretzels before heading to the Jewish Quarter for a good live klezmer session to full on nightclubbing. Check out either Gazeta Krakowska or Gazeta Wyborcza for the latest club and concert listings. If you need to grab a quick bite after your night out - you're in luck, food in Krakow is about the best and most varied you'll find in Poland. With over 300 eateries in the old town alone, you will be able to find many late night operators.

Krakow truly is an old city with a youth injection, a city jam-packed with culture and history, mazes of churches and synagogues, untouched gothic cemeteries and endless galleries, museums and monuments. All this coupled with a new age population and a healthy modern arts scene. It is as if the city has just drunken from the great fountain of youth. Don't miss your chance to visit Eastern Europe's most fascinating city.

For further exploration head eight miles from Krakow to the Wieleczka Salt Mine, an incredible site featuring underground lakes and churches carved out of salt.

Write your own travel review >>