Kraków is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland near the border of the Czech Republic, known for its well-preserved medieval core and Jewish quarter. 

Its Old Town - ringed by Planty Park and remnants of the city's medieval walls - is centered on the stately, expansive Rynek Glówny (market square). This plaza is the site of the Cloth Hall, a Renaissance-era trading outpost, and St. Mary's Basilica, a 14th-century Gothic church.  

Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 and has traditionally been one of the leading centers of Polish academic, economic, cultural and artistic life. Cited as one of Europe's most beautiful cities, its Old Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.