Medieval Charm
The former Polish capital will forever be linked with events during WWII, but it’s also a city of great compassion and optimism so while Krakow school trips will find the German camp is a fascinating and informative reminder of the past it certainly isn’t all there is to see in the city.
The city has many historical sites covering many eras of the city’s history there is so much for students to see and do in what is a modern, bustling and vibrant city that retains much of its medieval charm and character.
Krakow School Trips - Hotels
Wyspianski Hotel
Includes: Free WiFi, Gym, Restaurant, Cash Machine, Luggage Storage, Gift Shop, Packed Lunches, Meeting Rooms
City Hostel Krakow
Includes: Free WiFi, Luggage Storage, 24hr Reception, TV Lounge, Vending Machine
Hotel Alef
Includes: Free WiFi, 24hr Reception, Luggage Storage
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Auschwitz-Birkenau
Auschwitz-Birkenau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the first and foremost concentration camps to be memorialised as a museum about the atrocities committed there. The Auschwitz memorial houses over 10,000 historical artefacts, including the personal possessions of the people forced to work there as well as various objects belonging to the SS.
Visitors can take guided tours of the camps preserved remains, including the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau camps with exhibitions offering insight to the day-to-day operations of the camp. The so-called 'Central Sauna' and the ruins of the gas chambers are also points of interest visitors can witness on a tour.
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Jewish Museum Krakow
Krakow's Jewish Museum celebrates the lives of Polish Jews throughout history, and commemorates those who were lost in the Holocaust. Set in a refurbished mill in the heart of Kazimierz, the museum is made up of two main exhibits, Traces of Memory: A Contemporary Look at the Jewish Past in Poland and the critically acclaimed An Unfinished Memory: Jewish Heritage and The Holocaust in Eastern Galicia.
As well as walkthroughs of the permanent exhibitions, guided tours of the museum include a look at the temporary and travelling exhibits, collecting intriguing photographs that shed new light on the Jewish past.
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Kazimierz
Krakow's bustling Jewish District is a place of deep historical and religious significance, and houses some of the city's most notable landmarks including the Old Synagogue and Oskar Schindler's factory. Kazimierz was the home of Krakow's vibrant Jewish community from the 1300s to WWII, when the area rapidly changed as a result of the Holocaust.
Guided tours of the area take visitors through the historic cobbled streets of Kazimierz to see the old synagogues and cemeteries, as well as several remarkable sites and museums.
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Schindler's Factory
Since the end of World War II, Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory has become a world-renowned symbol of resistance against the Nazi occupation of Poland, as depicted in Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning biopic Schindler's List. Schindler's Factory Museum offers visitors the chance to experience this remarkable story first hand, with interactive multimedia exhibits to bring events that occurred over half a century ago to life.
The museum also features several exhibitions exploring life in Krakow under the Nazi regime, and how the Jewish district of Kazimierz was left abandoned after mass deportations to the anti-Semitic ghetto of Podgorze.
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Wawel Castle
Built at the request of King Casimir III, Wawel Castle has stood by the side of the Vistula River for nearly 700 years and is the focal point of many national legends, myths and fables. Visitors will be able to explore the Royal Apartments and the medieval Crown Treasury, step into the Royal Armory including ancient artefacts such as swords and pieces of armour, and hear the story of the infamous Wawel Dragon in the caves beneath the castle.
Wawel Castle also features intriguing exhibits about the medieval history of Krakow, as well as a vast collection of historical artworks from the Orient. This is a great diversion which will add balance your Krakow school trip.
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Wodny Waterpark
Wodny Waterpark is one of Krakow's most popular leisure attractions, including a range of slides, swimming pools, spa facilities and water sports for visitors of all ages. Younger guests can appreciate the colourful design of Pirate Island, The Rainbow Path, Alligator Slide and Yellow Serpent while older students in search of a little more adventure can enjoy the Tornado, Salamander, Rapid River and the Wave Pool.
Get a quoteA City of Art, Culture and History
The city is home to 24 educational institutes and over 200,000 students. Other World War II sites of note include the Remah Cemetery, Historical Museum, Square of Remembrance and Kościuszko Mound. Krakow school tours can also visit the Cloth Hall, salt mine, Polish aviation museum as well as the medieval barbican, and Wawel castle, which according to legend sits on top of the sleeping dragon, that the city was formed over.
Krakow School Trip Facts - Did you know...
- According to legend, Krakow was named after the mythical Krak who built the town over a sleeping dragon
- The old town is home to two million works of art
- Krakow is a major centre of learning with 24 colleges and universities and over 200,000 students
- It was the capital of Poland from 1038 to 1596
- Krakow is a UNESCO world heritage site
- The city has an annual Dachshund parade
- Every hour a bugler plays an unfinished tune at St Mary’s Basilica
- Wild bison roam the forests and nature reserves around Krakow
- Krakow old town contains 6,000 historic buildings
- Wawel castle is the last resting place of many Polish kings
Places to go, people to meet...
Great Krakow Locations
- Wawel castle
- Main Square
- Wieliczka Salt Mine
- Krakow Cloth Hall
- Kościuszko Mound
- Krakow Barbican
- Polish Aviation Museum
- Rynek Underground Exhibition
- Square of Remembrance
- Czartoryski Museum
- Smocza Jama
- Historical Museum of Kraków
- Ogrodzieniec Castle
- Armia Krajowa Museum in Kraków
- Remah Cemetery
- Auschwitz and Birkenau
Famous Krakow Residents
- Marie Curie
- Frederic Chopin
- Lech Walesa
- Roman Polanski
- Henryk Sienkiewicz
- Agnieszka Radwańska
- Stanisław Lem
- Nicolaus Copernicus
- Catherine the Great
- Joseph Conrad
- Meyer Lansky
- Helena Rubinstein
- Art Rubenstein
- Karol Adamiecki
- Abraham Stern
- Henryk Sienkiewicz
- Pope John Paul II
- Kazimierz Funk
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