Krakow is a city of layers — medieval churches, Jewish neighborhoods, postwar repairs and contemporary café life all stand side by side. Visiting the Dominican Church and monastery offers a chance to learn about the city’s sacred, artistic and architectural traditions, while a walk following World War II traces in Kazimierz and Podgórze teaches you to read the city like a book of memory: patches of plaster, changed building functions and quiet memorials tell a lot about what happened here.
Choosing this route makes it easy to build a narrative: start with the interiors and cloisters of the Dominicans (a place for meetings, Mass and a small museum), continue to the tenement houses and synagogues of Kazimierz, and then cross the Vistula to Podgórze, where the ghetto once stood and where memorial sites now mark the past. It’s a walk that mixes beauty with reflection.
Start: the Dominican Basilica and monastery (entrance from Stolarska Street) — walk through the cloisters, visit the Dominican Museum and study the basilica façades. Time inside the church gives context for the rest of the narrative about religion and art in Krakow.
Kazimierz: Szeroka Street — Old Synagogue — Remuh and its cemetery — Miodowa Street with the Tempel Synagogue. Pay attention to details: differences in plaster and brick, traces of old shop signs, preserved inscriptions. Suggested time: 60–75 minutes.
If you have an extra 30–45 minutes, cross the Vistula (Bernatka Bridge or Grunwaldzki Bridge) to Podgórze — here you’ll see places connected with the ghetto, the area around Oskar Schindler’s Factory, and several memorial sites. Together this creates a fuller picture of the city’s wartime topography.
Where: 12 Stolarska Street, in the very center, close to Wawel and the Main Market Square. Around the complex you’ll find the cloister entrances and doors leading to the monastery museum.
Good to know: the Dominican complex holds regular services — check Mass times and museum opening hours before visiting so you don’t disturb services or find spaces closed. The monastery also runs events and guided historical-architectural walks — a chance to see areas usually closed to independent visitors.
Practical tip: if you come across an event or a walk led by historians, consider joining — an expert’s commentary will help you read architectural and artistic details that are easy to miss at first glance.
The ghetto was located in Podgórze — this is a key fact that helps organize a walk across both banks of the Vistula. Kazimierz preserves traces of prewar Jewish life: synagogues, matzevot and fragments of architectural details; Podgórze contains concrete relics of the occupation period.
What to look for: differences in plaster and brick texture (postwar patches and repairs), traces of old signs and shopfronts, inscriptions on matzevot (a hand symbol — Kohanim, a pitcher — Levites, a menorah — priests). Looking first at the street layout and then zooming in on details lets you assemble a coherent story of changing functions in the area.
Photography: the best light is morning between 9:00 and 10:30 on Szeroka and Miodowa streets, and the hour before sunset at the Remuh gate — details and inscriptions are more legible and the mood is more intimate. After rain, cobbles and puddles offer interesting reflection shots.
Respect places of worship and memory: when entering synagogues, the Remuh cemetery or monastery interiors, keep quiet, turn off flash and avoid entering areas where services are held without permission.
Photographing matzevot and graves: take photos discreetly; if a service or prayer is taking place, keep your distance and don’t interrupt. Remember Remuh is an active cemetery — treat it accordingly.
Common tourist mistakes: 1) confusing the ghetto’s location — don’t look for its walls in Kazimierz; 2) wearing headphones or playing music in places of memory; 3) skipping the opposite bank of the Vistula — many historical contexts need a visit to Podgórze. How to avoid them: plan your route on a map, allow time for two zones (Kazimierz and Podgórze) and read a short history note about the area before you set out.
Kazimierz and the surrounding area offer a wide choice — from traditional local dishes to higher-end restaurants. A few tried-and-true names to consider: Starka (well-known for traditional dishes and flavored vodkas), Alchemia (a cozy bar and café for evening visits) and Singer (a friendly spot for coffee and cake). In the Old Town you’ll also find Café Camelot and Hotel Stary (bar/restaurant for a higher budget).
Accommodation: if you want comfort and a central location, consider Hotel Stary; for a modern, design-focused stay, PURO Kraków Kazimierz hotels are a good option. For a budget-conscious choice there are budget chains like Ibis near the Old Town.
Tip: book tables and rooms in advance during the tourist season — evenings in Kazimierz can be crowded and the best places often fill up quickly.
Do you have to go inside the Dominican basilica? Not necessarily — the interior adds a lot to understanding the site, but if you arrive during a service it’s better to come back later. Check Mass times before you visit.
How much time should I allocate for the route? The essence of Kazimierz with the Dominicans is 60–90 minutes; a deeper version including Podgórze and museums is 2–3 hours. For full comfort plan a half-day.
Is the route suitable for families with children? Yes — break the walk into shorter modules (10–15 minutes per stop) instead of one long section. For students and younger participants, prepare short photo tasks or a list of symbols to find.
Not all traces of the war are dramatic — often they are small differences in mortar or the absence of old shop signs, which for an observant eye reveal the past.
The Dominican Basilica hides corners and cloisters rarely open during ordinary visits — check local historical-architectural walk dates to see places usually limited to façade viewing.
In Kazimierz photo spots change with the time of day — not only the light but tourist flow and street music affect the atmosphere; if you want quiet and detail, choose the morning.
If you found this article helpful, share it with friends or on social media — a short photo and a route description can encourage others to explore thoughtfully.
If you want to tour Krakow with a guide, Małgorzata Kasprowicz offers private tours with deeper introductions to the topic — contact details and more information are available via Zwiedzanie Krakowa (search for the guide Małgorzata Kasprowicz). This is a good option when you want broader context without wandering and wasted steps.
Enjoy your visit — may the walk be an opportunity for beauty and reflection, not just for photos.
