Old Synagogue, Krakow

Krakow's Kazimierz district has a long Jewish history. From the medival times Jews were living around this district. The memory of this rich history are beautiful preserved synagogues, prayer houses and small shops located around Kazimierz. Your guide will walk with you 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 and the Podgorze where Getto was located during World War II. In Podgorze you will have chance to see Pankiewicz Eagle's Pharmacy and Plac Bohaterow Getta square with memorial made of 68 chairs.

Learn about the Jewish heritage of the city of Krakow on a guided tour. Start the tour outside the Old Synagogue in the Kazimierz district. This district has been home to the Jewish community for centuries. Explore the charming streets of this now trendy neighborhood with your guide, as you learn about the history of Jewish people in Krakow. Next, visit Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory. Learn about the horrors of the Holocaust, and Oskar Schindler's heroic efforts to save Jewish people from the concentration camps operated by the Nazi regime. Finally, make your way to the site of the former Jewish ghetto, where many Jews were forced to live during the Nazi occupation of Poland. Learn about the suffering and overcrowded conditions endured by the Jewish community. See a part of the undestroyed wall around the ghetto, houses where thousands of displaced Jews used to live, the pharmacy "Under the Eagle", and the monument of 68 chairs in Heroes' Square.

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.

Having been established as a city on the island in close vicinity of Krakow, Kazimierz was supposed to become a competition to its neighbour – Krakow. The Jews who in the Middle Ages were prosecuted in the Western Europe started settling in Kazimierz and soon this city became a place of Jewish prosperity. It is here where you can find Jewish synagogues, cozy and tiny streets on which the hustle and bustle of Jewish life was prevailing before the catastrophe of WW2. See the oldest synagogue in Poland, trace the filming spots of the ‘Schindler’s List’ ,learn who are Ashkenazim and Sephardim, get to know Helena Rubinstein, Roman Polanski, Ludwick Zamenhof, and Maximilian Faktorowicz. Join us for 2.5-hour tour where we will discover the Jewish heritage in Krakow, get to know their traditions and exciting people who were creating the Jewish history in Poland.

The Holocaust almost totally destroyed the rich culture of Polish Jews. Almost. Experience a mixture of feelings — perhaps sadness, nostalgia, and hope, as you discover the rebirth of Krakow’s Jewish district on this guided afternoon tour. Meet your guide in one of the most interesting parts of Krakow, Kazimierz, the only Jewish city of medieval Europe that has survived to this day. Nowadays, Kazimierz is one of the most popular parts of Krakow, with a unique, bohemian atmosphere and a vibrant nightlife. As you walk through the area, talk with your guide about the co-existence of two cultures and religions, the traditions of Krakow’s Jews, their customs, and famous Poles of Jewish origin.   On numerous squares, surrounded by synagogues, and near the ghetto wall, learn about events that were important for Jewish history and culture. Together, you’ll search for answers to difficult questions that concern us all.

Take a sightseeing tour of Krakow by electric golf cart with an audioguide. Drive through the old Jewish neighborhood of Kazierz and see some sights around the Old Town. Meet your tour just outside the Old Town at the Mały Rynek and board your electric vehicle. Start your drive down the cobblestone streets of the Old Town while you listen to your audioguide. Admire the vibrant Main Market Square as you ride through it. Gaze up at the imposing Renaissance-era architecture of the Cloth Hall. Marvel at the elegant St. Mary's Church and enjoy the lush green space of Planty Park. Cruise down narrow streets flanked by charming old buildings. Take in dazzling views of Wawel Castle on your way to the old Jewish neighborhood of Kazimierz. See the site of the former Jewish Ghetto and learn about its history from your audioguide.

Cruise through Krakow's historical highlights on an electric, eco-friendly golf cart with interesting commentary from an audio guide. View more than 20 monuments, including the Historic Center of Krakow from the UNESCO World Heritage List. Visit the Main Market Square at the heart of the city. See Cloth Hall and St. Mary's Church, which are surrounded by Planty park. Enjoy wonderful narrow streets with many temples, universities and charming houses. Drive past the famous Wawel Hill and Wawel Royal Castle. Head to Kazimierz to see the oldest district of Krakow which was once a separate city. Drive through the picturesque streets of Kazimierz with old synagogues, cafes, and stalls. Along the way, learn more about these spectacular sights from your audio guide.

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.

Discover Kazimierz, the oldest district in Krakow, on a group electric golf cart tour. Uncover how local Jewish and Christian cultures have intertwined in this dynamic district. View over historic 20 monuments in Kazimierz and the former Jewish ghetto. Ride along the vibrant streets of Kazimierz in a comfortable and eco-friendly vehicle. Cruise through twists and turns to discover charming shops and restaurants. Learn about the history of its inhabitants from your audio guide. Head to the former Jewish ghetto, which existed during WWII. Be moved as you see a fragment of the ghetto wall, the houses of displaced Jews, the Pod Orłem pharmacy, and the monument in Ghetto Heroes Square.

Follow the history and culture of the Jewish community in Krakow on a guided tour of Kazimierz, the former Jewish district. You will see all of the most important places that are related to the culture and history of its former inhabitants. For many centuries Jews played their part in creating the history and culture of the city of Kroke, as Krakow is known in Yiddish. Before World War II they made up as much as 25% of the city’s population. It was here that the famous philosopher Mojżesz Isserles (called Remuh) taught, Helena Rubinstein was born, and Roman Polański spent his childhood. Meeting point We will meet you on the stairs at the Old Synagogue, 24 Szeroka Street, 31-053 Krakow. Sightseeing part I (~ 1.5h) Our guide will take you for a walk along the streets of Kazimierz, the former Jewish district in Krakow where Jews settled in the 14th century. You will start your walk from Szeroka Street which used to be the center of the so-called Jewish city. The importance of Szeroka Street is evidenced by the fact that four synagogues here, something that has not happened anywhere else in Europe. You will get to know three of them as the fourth one was demolished during World War II. On Szeroka Street you will see the buildings that were built in the 16th or 17th centuries, such as The Old Synagogue, the Remuh Synagogue with the old cemetery (entrance), the building of the former ritual bathhouse or the house where the "queen of cosmetics," Helena Rubinstein, was born. Break for rest and a cup of delicious coffee (0.5h) You will have an opportunity to rest while sipping a cup of coffee in the world-famous restaurant where Steven Spielberg loved to hang out when he was filming "Schindler's List." There you may want to discuss the lives of the world-famous Jewish entrepreneurs and outstanding personalities of culture and art or learn more about the Jewish traditions. Sightseeing part II (~ 1h) Your guide will take you for the second part of the walk along the mysterious and picturesque streets, where synagogues, ritual slaughterhouses, and prayer houses are located. See the Jewish Market Place, surrounded by countless bars, pubs, and restaurants. Hear the stories related to the everyday life of the quarter and get taken to the so-called Schindler's Backyard which is shown in the film “Schindler's List” and which looks as if it was taken straight from the pre-war days. Later, you will enjoy the charm of small art galleries with locally made souvenirs, which are located one after another, on a street that used to be one of the most characteristic streets of the Jewish district. End of the tour You will end your tour at the High Synagogue. After the lunch break, you may also want to decide on joining other tours organized by our company on that day.