If you are interested in exploring Kraków and would like a bit of help to do so, there are many tour operators working out of the city and many tours to experience.

One of the more favoured tours is the Wielicza Salt Mine Tour. This tour is suitable for the whole family and buses leave twice daily from the centre of Kraków during the high season. During World War Two, the Nazi’s used the Wielicza Salt Mine for war related production and storage but now visitors are able to walk through the mine and enjoy statues and sculptures carved from rock salt by both original miners and modern artists. You will also enjoy the beauty of an underground lake and the underground ‘Catholic Cathedral’ carved from salt and stone.

Another popular tour is the ‘Schindlers List Tour’ run by the Kraków Informer website (www.krakowinformer.com) which attempts to highlight the altruistic actions of Oscar Schindler. This tour takes you right through Kazimierz, over the river into Podgorze where the Jewish Ghetto was and then ending at Schindlers factory, which is now a museum.

If you are after a more catholic experience, then the Kraków City website (www.krakow.pl) offers a list of places under the heading ‘The Paths of John Paul II’ which may be of interest to you. These include sites of interest such as The Palace of Kraków Bishops, the Papal Stone on the Blonia Commons, the Tomb of the parents of John Paul II and the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in ?agiewniki. This can be cost the price of a map if you choose solely to walk between each location, or you can choose to pay extra to go inside some if you wish.

If you are interested in visiting the Nowa Huta area of Kraków that was created under the communist regime, the Kraków City website again has a route you may be interested in. This route includes areas of interest such as Jan Matejko’s house, The Cistercian Monastery and Church, the Stefan ?eromski Specialist Hospital and the Centralny Square. There are also tour operators which run their own tours through this district so if you would prefer a guided trip here, this is a possibility.