Top Things to do in Lesser Poland Province
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Things to do in Lesser Poland Province, Southern Poland: The Best Sights & Landmarks
Discover the best top things to do in Lesser Poland Province, Poland including Stare Miasto, Archangel Michael's Church, Bukowianskie Centrum Kultury Dom Ludowy, Panstwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau, St Mary's Basilica, Krakow's Rynek Glowny Central Square, Wawel Royal Castle, Wawel Cathedral, Kazmierz The Former Jewish District, Wieliczka Salt Mine.
Restaurants in Lesser Poland Province
1. Stare Miasto
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8,988 reviews
The 13th century merchants' town is home to Europe's largest market square and offers numerous historical houses, palaces and churches with magnificent interiors, 14th century fortifications, ancient synagogues, Jagiellonian University and the Gothic cathedral where the kings of Poland were buried.
2. Archangel Michael's Church
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 29 reviews
Old church made of wood, old from 15th century, never destroyed, and part of the road of ancient wooden architecture in Little-Poland (South of Cracow)
3. Bukowianskie Centrum Kultury Dom Ludowy
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 11 reviews
4. Panstwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 14,352 reviews
Established by the Nazis in 1940, Auschwitz-Birkenau has become a symbol of terror, genocide and the Holocaust. Although the exact number of victims is unknown, many Jews, Poles and gypsies died here. The museum consists of two parts: Auschwitz I, the first and oldest camp (the number of prisoners fluctuated around 15,000, sometimes rising above 20,000) and Auschwitz II, Birkenau (which held more than 90,000 prisoners in 1944). The greater part of the apparatus of mass extermination was built in Birkenau and the majority of the victims were murdered there.
Reviewed By katiecharlotte18 - Armitage, United Kingdom
I don’t want to call this a review like it’s rating some sort of amusement park but want to share some thoughts and info for those thinking of visiting. One the things our guide repeated various times was this is first and foremost a cemetery for those lost in the holocaust and should be treated as such and he was so so right. I have seen it mentioned many times but personally we never felt rushed on our guided tour, although there were many different languages tours occurring at the same time so it sometimes overlapped but it’s a place of many many visitors and they do need to keep the pace. However there is always time to wander round afterwards and reflect on your own time. After the initial Auschwitz tour which is mainly exhibitions in the original blocks were all the belongings of the prisoners are piled up, this part does feel more like just that..an exhibition, it almost doesn’t feel real and yet the hairs on your neck stand on end at the sight and you feel a continuing sense of sadness and depression all throughout. The guide then invited us to have a break and meet up together again at Birkenau if we wanted to or we could take some time and wander at our own leisure if we wanted. Birkenau itself is a completely different experience and it’s here you really feel the weight of the experience even though most of it lies in ruins. Our tour guide (we think his name was Andres or something similar) was so knowledgable and genuine, you can tell he really feels passionate and humbled to show people through this harrowing experience and really make sure you feel the full impact of what can only be described as be most haunting and evil place on earth. Some people complained at the volume of the tour and we had several stops of people getting new headphones as they kept saying they couldn’t hear properly, poor guide had to hold his microphone the whole way round which he did without complaint. However he very rightly said it’s important for him to remain respectful and not shout in the exhibitions. We felt very grateful for our guide and felt it was the right choice for us. A definite must experience in life.
5. St Mary's Basilica
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,788 reviews
One of the most famous of Poland's churches, this Gothic structure features two striking towers of different heights and surprisingly richly decorated insight, mostly thanks to the vibrant polychromy by great Polish artist Jan Matejko. The greatest masterpiece is though the Main Altar by Veit Stoss - a late Gothic illustration for St. Mary's and Jesus life, including scenes of Mary's death and Assumption. Please note that the church, including Main Altar, is currently under long maintenance and renovation works, which may be of some inconvenience.
Reviewed By alexanderd59 - Lisbon, Portugal
A most beautiful church and during the Christmas market period sands out like a beacon ,we had seen the film of the beautifully carved alter backdrop that the nazis stole in 1940 and was found in Nuremberg after the war , it was repaired ,restored and placed back in the church ,the Krakow square is a magical place ,but below it is a fantastic museum , that shouldn’t be missed ,
6. Krakow's Rynek Glowny Central Square
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 26,455 reviews
Huge 10-acre square, the largest in any of Europe's medieval cities, features the 16th-century Renaissance Cloth Hall and the splendid 14th-century Gothic Basilica of the Virgin Mary.
Reviewed By vickitD6053PZ - Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Lovely place to sit Nd people watch , with plenty of atmosphere lots of restaurants with outdoor seating, you can even take your pick and go for a horse and carriage ride or hire a segway or even a scooter, you will never get bored here and can return time after time
7. Wawel Royal Castle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10,412 reviews
Serving as a royal residence and the site where the country's rulers governed Poland for five centuries (1038-1596), this castle is a symbol of the independent Polish state and today contains a priceless collection of 16th-century Flemish tapestries, considered to be one of the largest in the world.
Reviewed By travelessential - Melbourne, Australia
Definitely worth your visit, amazing detail and architecture especially see Lost Wawel and the armoury. Strangely you have to buy tickets for each section you are wanting to see and the queues are long so definitely use online if you can. Also strangely the cathedral is another ticket and another office. They should really just sell one ticket covers all. It would be a lot quicker!
8. Wawel Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,816 reviews
National shrine known for its superb religious art including the giant bell of Zygmunt of 1520, one of the world's largest, and the burial place of many Polish kings and their families, national heroes and numerous bishops.
Reviewed By MarkH706 - Paphos, Cyprus
Great and very intresting trip to Wawel and the Royal Cathedral on Wawel Hill Visiting the Royal Tombs to see the last resting place of Polish monarchs and national heroes also visiting the Pope John Paul II Cathedral Museum. Worth the visit but the ticket office on our visit was hectic.
9. Kazmierz The Former Jewish District
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9,378 reviews
Sizable Jewish population of Krakow moved to this district at the end of the fifteenth century, which served as the main cultural center of the Polish Jewry for centuries.
Reviewed By ChristineJ192 - Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
This is a wonderful area to walk around and discover.Buildings are great & a lot of them are being renovated so I suspect this will become a more popular area over the next few years. The Plac Nowy is a central square which has a brilliant flea market on a Saturday & in the centre is a round building which houses lots of little street food kiosks serving a traditional Polish pizza like snack for around £2 Take a look & enjoy wandering the streets
10. Wieliczka Salt Mine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13,681 reviews
Reviewed By 622AndrewW - Moreton, United Kingdom
This is one of the best attractions we have ever been to see, you have a guided tour of the mine and see the sculptures created by some of the miners after their shifts had finished, lasts about two hours or more. If you could get to see all the mine workings you'd probably be down there for a couple of days as you only get to see about 3 percent of the mine.
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