• splendid collections of paintings, including works by Leonardo da Vinci (the famous Lady with Ermine) and Rembrandt
• the world’s largest medieval market square, still full of life today historic city centre listed as a UNESCO world heritage site
• the altar at the Church of St Mary made by Veit Stoss
• the Jagiellonian University, the oldest university in Central Europe, whose former students include Nicolaus Copernicus
• an abundance of memorabilia which illustrate the Poles’ great affection for the late pope John Paul II, the former archbishop of Cracow
• intellectual climate, which boosted the talent of the recently deceased phenomenal poet Wisława Szymborska, another graduate of the Jagiellonian University, and winner of the 1996 Nobel Prize for Literature
• luxurious hotels, some with a tradition of several hundred years, and others which could not be more modern
• magnificent cloister complexes full of priceless treasures
• the Salt Mine in Wieliczka, the world’s oldest still-functioning industrial facility, with a breathtaking underground route for visitors
• Cracovians, the people who have been shaping the city where time flows differently for over 1,000 years
These are only a few of the significant reasons why Cracow is worth visiting. To tell the truth, it is difficult to list them all, but the greatest pleasure comes from discovering them.
