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Things to do in Podgórze

Our most recommended things to do in Podgórze

Krakow: Bike Tour of the Old Town, Kazimierz, and the Ghetto

1. Krakow: Bike Tour of the Old Town, Kazimierz, and the Ghetto

The joys of this tour lie not only in what you will discover but also in the simple pleasures of biking through the beautiful gardens, along the lazy Vistula river, and through the colorful streets of Kazimierz. Despite being extensive, the tour is not too strenuous and is suitable for all levels of fitness. There are plenty of stops for historical explanations and photo opportunities. The duration of the bike tour is 4 to 4.5 hours, including a 45-minute break for lunch at a traditional Polish restaurant where you can order anything from pirogies to Żurek, a sour wheat soup. The city bike tour begins every day under the Adam Mickiewicz statue in the main market square. 

Krakow: 2-Hour Electric Car Sightseeing Tour

2. Krakow: 2-Hour Electric Car Sightseeing Tour

Your tour begins next to the Wawel Castle at an easy-to-find meeting point. From there, you will begin covering the most important parts of Krakow. Begin by explore the Old Town, including Wawel Castle. This area contains many gorgeous churches as well as the Bishop's Palace, the Jagiellonian University, and many other historical buildings. You will then explore the Jewish Quarters, which contain breathtaking Christian churches, old Jewish synagogues, and historical buildings from the former city of Kazimierz. You will then discover the remains of the Ghetto walls and Main Square, as well as Schindler’s Factory. Following those 2 hours, you will have some time to go inside Schindler's Factory on your own. Please check the price of the ticket and if the museum will be open this day, and your driver is able to wait for about 50 minutes before driving you back to the city center.

Krakow: Private 3-District Electric Car Tour

3. Krakow: Private 3-District Electric Car Tour

Kraków's Old Town is the historical and central district of Kraków, and is one of the most famous old districts in Poland. The district features the centrally located Rynek Główny (Main Square), which is the largest medieval town square of any European city. There is a number of historic landmarks in its vicinity, such as the St. Mary's Basilica (Kościół Mariacki), the Church of St. Wojciech (St. Adalbert's), and the Church of St. Barbara, as well as other national treasures. At the center of the plaza and surrounded by kamienice (row houses) and noble residences, stands the Renaissance cloth hall Sukiennice. Kazimierz is the district south of the Old Town and was the center of Jewish life in Kraków for over 500 years before being systematically destroyed during World War II. It was rediscovered in the 1990s thanks to the fall of the regime and worldwide exposure gained from the lens of Steven Spielberg. This has caused Kazimierz to rebound, and it is today Kraków’s most exciting district. It is a bustling, bohemian neighborhood packed with historical sites, atmospheric cafes, and art galleries. As a result, the district has become a major tourist draw and pilgrimage site for Jews, which has led to the return of contemporary Jewish culture in the area. Podgórze was the site of the city’s greatest human tragedy. The Nazis saw its natural placement between the river and the cliffs of Krzemionki as the ideal place for establishing a prison district, and in March of 1941, Kraków’s Jewish population was marched into the center of Podgórze and walled off in what became known as the Kraków Ghetto. Liquidated two years later, the majority of the Ghetto’s residents were murdered inside, while others met death in the nearby Płaszów concentration camp or in the gas chambers of Auschwitz and Bełżec.

Krakow: Schindler's Factory & Ghetto Guided Tour

4. Krakow: Schindler's Factory & Ghetto Guided Tour

Visit one of the most important and popular museums in Krakow at Oskar Schindler's with your professional guide. Learn about the story of a German entrepreneur who helped many Jews throughout the war at the exhibition "Krakow Under Nazi Occupation" Then, walk through the streets of Podgórze and see the evidence of the terrible events that took place during the Second World War. See a part of the undestroyed wall around the ghetto, houses where thousands of displaced Jews used to live, the "Pod Orłem" pharmacy, and the Empty Chair Monument in the Heroes' Square, with its symbolic 68 chairs.

Kraków: Evening or Night River Cruise

5. Kraków: Evening or Night River Cruise

Feast your eyes on the visual delights of Krakow, from the majestic Wawel Castle to the historic Zwierzyniec and Kazimierz districts. Hop onto a Vistula River cruise, one of the best ways to discover all that Krakow has to offer. Begin the cruise at the foot of Wawel Castle then glide along the picturesque boulevards first in the direction of Podgórze and Kazimierz districts. Pass by well-known sights like Church on the Rock, Mangha Museum, Bernatka Footbridge, Cricoteka, picturesque bridges, towards Dabie district. Journey along the river that flows through the heart of Krakow, which happens to be home to some of the most iconic landmarks in Poland. Have the chance to see the city's primary attractions and immerse yourself in the spirit of Krakow thanks to the comfortable pace of the tour.

Krakow Vistula River Cruise

6. Krakow Vistula River Cruise

Sit back and relax on a cruise along the Vistula River in Krakow. Take this unique opportunity to see Krakow from a different perspective. It begins at the bottom of the Wawel Hill and takes you along the Vistula boulevards, past famous churches and other Krakow attractions.  You will have a loudspeaker in English and Polish so you have the opportunity to hear historical information on Krakow’s history and the sights you will pass by in the boat.  Starting from Wawel Hill traveling up the river, you will pass famous places including: Wawel Castle, Old Town, Church on the Rock, Norbertine Monastery, Kościuszko Mound, Schloss Wartenberg, Podgorze and Kazimierz.

Krakow: Jewish Quarter Guided Walking Tour

7. Krakow: Jewish Quarter Guided Walking Tour

Kazimierz was once a Jewish district, and before World War II the Jewish culture flourished. But the area, and the neighbouring district of Podgórze, became the scene of Nazi devastation, with most of the remaining Jewish population fleeing following the war. However, since the late 1980s the area’s Jewish heritage has come back to life, the progress aided by the success of the Spielberg film, Schindler's List. Now, you can experience the history of this interesting district and see exactly why Spielberg chose it as the set for his Academy Award-winning movie. Wander through Kazimierz, then across the bridge to Podgórze to see Schindler’s factory and surviving remnants of the WWII ghetto. Along the way, you’ll see attractions such as the New Cemetery, a place where Krakow’s distinguished Jews were buried in the 19th and 20th centuries. You’ll also visit the Old Synagogue, the oldest remaining example of Jewish architecture in Poland. Built in the early 1500s, the synagogue is now the site of many exhibitions devoted to Polish Judaism. Another highlight is Isaac’s Synagogue. While the renovation of this historic building is still in progress, it is quite possible the most interesting and beautiful Jewish monument in Krakow.

Krakow: Kazimierz Tour with Schindler's Factory Stop

8. Krakow: Kazimierz Tour with Schindler's Factory Stop

Learn about the everyday lives of the Jewish community before and during World War II. In a tour of a maximum of 12 people, you will learn about the beginning of Nazi occupation, the first resettlements and the harsh conditions of life in the ghetto. The tour starts in Kazimierz where you will see the Jewish Quarter, the center of Jewish life until the beginning of World War II. Explore the neighborhood and learn about one of the largest synagogue complexes in Europe. From Kazimierz you will head towards Podgórze, the district where the Jewish ghetto was located. The tour passes the Ghetto Heroes Square with its meaningful monument of empty chairs, the Eagle Pharmacy, and fragments of the Ghetto Wall.  At the end, you will get an insight into the history of Oskar Schindler and see the original factory which now houses the Historical Museum of Kraków. The tour ends in front of Schindler’s Factory which you can explore on your own, or you can be dropped off at the starting point.

Krakow: Jewish Quarter Kazimierz Walking Tour

9. Krakow: Jewish Quarter Kazimierz Walking Tour

Learn about the long Jewish history of Krakow's Kazimierz district. The rich memory of Jewish settlement in this district is preserved through synagogues, prayer houses, and small shops. Walk with your guide around the famous Szeroka Street with Remu and Old Synagogue, old city walls, original Schindler’s factory in the city’s industrial district of Zabłocie. Check out Podgorze where the ghetto was located during World War II. In Podgorze, see Pankiewicz Eagle's Pharmacy and Plac Bohaterow Getta square with a memorial made of 68 chairs.

Krakow: River Cruise and Golf Cart Tour of Jewish Heritage

10. Krakow: River Cruise and Golf Cart Tour of Jewish Heritage

Take a look at the royal city from the deck of a modern catamaran, embarking on a short panoramic cruise on the Vistula River. Travel in comfort on a heated deck with leather sofas on cold days. Enjoy the beautiful views from the upper deck on warmer days and spend some time outdoors. Hear the history of Krakow from a modern boat sound system and watch a multimedia presentation on a 50-inch screen. Look at Krakow from the riverside, and see such monuments as the defensive walls of Wawel with a panorama of the Royal Castle, the Cathedral, the silhouette of a dragon, and more. Follow the footsteps of Jewish cultural monuments in Krakow in a comfortable, eco-friendly golf cart. See authentic monuments in the Kazimierz district and the ghetto that existed during the war in the Podgórze district, and learn more about its history. On the route of the tour, see over 20 monuments, visit the beautiful, picturesque streets of Kazimierz and learn about the history of its inhabitants. Visit one of the most important areas on the map of Krakow, where that the cultural life of contemporary residents and tourists takes place.

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What people are saying about Podgórze

Overall rating

4.3 / 5

based on 1,195 reviews

Great tour which is very informative and adds a lot of context to the things you may have read about the holocaust previously. The Jewish Getto tour covers a lot of ground and is very interesting. The Oskar Schindler Museum is a little rushed and you miss a lot of the detail as you are moved through quite quickly. The plus side is that our guide was very knowledgeable and spoke very clearly and had all the facts. Overall, whilst we had different expectations of what we were going to see and do, we left very happy and felt informed and with a little more understanding of what the people endured. We would highly recommend if you are short on time and want to do it with a guide for the relevant facts.

We were quoted 720 pln (around £135) by one of the guys doing the tours in Old Town. We decided to check ‘Get your Guide’ having already booked 2 trips through them and booked the electric car tour at a fraction of the cost we were quoted. We booked the trip and met our tour guide just 45 minutes later. Great tour, friendly guide and fantastic value for money.

Brilliant private guided tour. Picked up on time from our hotel and dropped off at a place of our choice. Our tour guide, Walter, was really friendly and informative and gave us time to look round a couple of places. We were so lucky as we picked New Year's Day and the roads were really quiet. Thoroughly recommended.

Super leuke fietstour gehad! Mike, onze gids heeft ons naar plekken gebracht waar je anders niet komt. Heerlijke lunch gehad in een lokaal restaurant. Een aanrader!

Fun trip. Covered all the main sites. Very cycle friendly city.