When talking about the most popular districts in Krakow, you will probably hear: the Old Town! Kazimierz! And that’s true, but let’s not forget that our royal city has many more beautiful places that deserve the attention of both locals and guests! Today we will focus on what we think are four places worth exploring on your next trip to Krakow!

Kleparz - jedna z najciekawszych dzielnic Krakowa

Podgórze – Father Bernatek’s pedestrian bridge across the Vistula River

This district neighbours Kazimierz – formerly the Free Royal City of Podgórze – and was only incorporated into the city of Krakow in 1915. This is where the Jewish Ghetto was located during World War II. This area is not only known for its tragic history, but also has many unique places worth visiting. Here are some places to check out in Podgórze:

Podgórski Market Square (Rynek Podgórski) – long ago it was a bustling market, full of merchants, eagerly visited by residents of nearby villages and towns. Now it is a quiet place for residents to relax. You will find the Church of St. Joseph here with a tower similar to the one at St. Mary’s Church
Jewish Ghetto in Krakow – a place that witnessed the tragic fate of Jews in 1941. When visiting Podgórze, it is worth seeing the Ghetto Heroes Square (Plac Bohaterów Getta) marking these events and the “Pod Orłem” Pharmacy, a branch of the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow
Krakus Mound (Kopiec Krakusa) – a mysterious hill overlooking the beautiful panorama of Krakow
Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory (Fabryka Emalia Oskara Schindlera) – a former metal item factory during the Nazi occupation between 1939-1945. Interestingly, Steven Spielberg made the movie “Schindler’s List” based on its history

Dębniki – atmospheric and full of treasures

You’ve likely heard about the old quarry, caves, Twardowski Rocks (Skałki Twardowskiego) and the swimming pool complex in Zakrzówek, however, the Dębniki district where these attractions are located also hides other treasures. This former part of Podgórze captivates with its:

Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology, where numerous cultural events, exhibitions and classes take place
Elvis Presley monument located near the Twardowski Rocks
The picturesque Poleski Boulevard with a view of Wawel and Czesław Miłosz’s steps
Dębnicki Market Square (Rynek Dębnicki)
Tyniec Forest

Nowa Huta – a city within a city post the communist era

There is probably no district in Krakow as intriguing as Nowa Huta, where you can still feel the remnants of the communist era mixed with the freshness of recent modernity. Built during Stalin’s reign in the Mogila village, the buildings at the heart of the Central Square (Plac Centralny im. Ronalda Reagana) and Aleja Róż became the largest model city of socialism and we can still admire its influence today. There is no shortage of architecturally historic attractions in Nowa Huta, including:

The oldest and perhaps most mysterious mound in Krakow, the Wanda Mound (Kopiec Wandy)
The oldest church in Krakow, located in Mogila (Kościół Św. Bartłomieja)
People’s Theatre (Teatr Ludowy)
The famous Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland (Arka Pana), historically known for being a focal point for anti-communist resistance in Nowa Huta
Zalew Nowohucki and the surrounding park
Museum of the Polish People’s Republic (Muzeum PRL-u) in the building of the former Światowid Cinema

Kleparz – the famous market in the heart of Krakow

Kleparz, formerly known as Clepardia, is a neighbourhood north of the city center that was once a key trading point in southern Poland. This district attracts tourists leaving the center through the famous Barbican (Barbakan) and Florian’s Gate (Brama Floriańska) walking towards Jan Matejko Square (plac Jana Matejki). Similar to Kazimierz, Kleparz was the most important settlement in Krakow, where to this day we can admire the municipal office and the town hall buildings, the main building of the current Academy of Fine Arts and the former town square of Kleparz – which is made up of Matejka Square and the Stary Kleparz market known to this day.