The city of Kraków officially spelled as Cracow in the English language has grown from a stone age settlement to Poland‘s second most important city. In the period of 1038 to 1596 it was the capital of Poland, nowadays its Warsaw. Nowadays, it is the capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Krakow is a city of size with a population that exceeds 755 thousand people according to latest count.

Lots of times travelers visiting Krakow pre-assume it’s a big gray and boring city, but in fact it’s a lively city with a nice infrastructure, lots of big and ancient buildings and clean streets. Krakow is one of Poland’s major academic and artistic center with the ongoing establishment of new universities and cultural venues. A popular destination within the city is the main market square, where pigeons dominate the area. The square is about the size of 656 ft. and is the historical center of Kraków’s Jewish social and religious life it also has several old churches, museums and a fourteenth century building of the Jagiellonian University.

As there’s many students from all over Poland move to the city, it’s nightlife is alive and vibrant. The street scene is filled with pubs and bars, and late night clubs that are open until the early hours. Most of the bigger clubs are located in dungeons under the ground, the average price of a beer is 3.5 PLN (about $1.20). Getting around in the city is no problem, there’s bus stops throughout the city and the taxis are available, to any location in the city it shouldn’t be more than 70 PLN (about $25.00)

There are two main seasons in Krakow, with hot and humid summers (June, July and August) and cold winters (January and February). The month of September has the most rain. American and European tourists visiting Krakow only need a valid passport if their stay does not exceed 90 days. Confirmation of travel itinerary and proof of accommodations may be required at the border.