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In the last two decades the shops along the narrow alleys and cobbled streets of Kazimierz have attracted a variety of artists who have set up their businesses here as the neighbouhood has become Krakow’s bohemian quarter. Visitors can now spend several hours happily browsing the shops along Ulica Jozefa. Cheder Café offers Middle Eastern snacks and is decorated in a contemporary style that is unmistakably Jewish in character and feels like a relaxed library.

A short walk away from the center of the Old Town is the four-star Hotel Kossak; its rooftop Cafe Oranżeria has a fabulous panoramic view over the Wawel royal complex, the Vistula river, and the Old Town. It’s easy to spend an evening in the Oranżeria and barely notice the food, so spectacular is the view. Fortunately the quality of the cuisine is also first-class and it is rightly considered one of Krakow’s best restaurants.

Alongside the revival of Jewish culture that has taken place in Krakow in the last two decades, the number of restaurants serving traditional Jewish cuisine has grown. Several places fight for business in Ulica Szeroka, near the Old Synagogue. The majority of dishes will be familiar to those with European Jewish ancestry, and despite a heavy dose of kitsch, restaurants such as Ariel (pictured here) and Klezmer Hois do a reasonable job in promoting nostalgia for traditional Jewish cuisine. For kosher dining, the Hotel Eden in Kazimierz imports certified kosher meals from London and is Poland’s only fully kosher hotel.

As the number of bars in Krakow has gradually increased, the spots from which to enjoy a sunset drink have also expanded. One of the most glamorous spots is the Sky Bar on the roof of the Hotel Stary, overlooking the main square. Order a cocktail or a decadent homemade dessert and watch as the bustle of the city plays out below to the occasional tune of the unfinished bugler.

The Summer Restaurant in the Hotel Stary offers top quality food with a bird’s eye view over the market square (just be sure to ask for a table with an OId Town view).

The Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) acts as the spectacular centerpiece of the market square and it’s in this covered area that much of the trade in 15th-century Krakow was done. Today it’s a long stretch of shops selling souvenirs to visitors from around the world. It’s a great place to stroll and browse and while there is the usual selection of tacky T-shirts and plastic toys, it’s not hard to look beyond these for a wide variety of handcrafted wooden gifts and skillfully embroidered items. The stalls of the Cloth Hall and nearby Old Town streets are also a popular place to pick up amber jewelry, although those tempted to buy should always obtain a certificate of authenticity before they part with any cash.

St. Mary’s Basilica is Krakow’s most iconic church, occupying a prominent spot in the northeast corner of the main square. The main structure dates back to the 14th century and its two towers are distinctly asymmetrical, with one doubling up as watchtower during the church’s early years. The interior of the church is magnificent throughout, but the highlight is the 15th-century wooden altar carved by German artist Veit Stoss. Entry to the main part of the church is free but it’s worth buying the separate ticket required to see the intricate beauty of the altar up close. On a weekday try to visit just before noon when the wooden doors of the altar are opened.

After a night of barhopping, it’s only natural to develop an appetite. Visit Plac Nowy in Kazimierz for zapiekanki, a Polish pizza-style snack of baked bread with a topping of tomato sauce, cheese, ham, and garlic sauce. There are a few stalls in Plac Nowy serving zapiekanki late into the night, but only Endzior has a constant line of loyal customers. Another Krakow institution is the sausage stand outside Plac Targowy where men in white coats serve an eager line of customers with delicious sausages smoked over their wood-burning stove and delivered in a bread roll with mustard. This makeshift stall has been on this spot every day between 10:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. for longer than most of their customers care to remember.

The walls of Dawno Temu Na Kazimierzu (“Once Upon a Time in Kazimierz”) are lined with accordions, mannequins, and miscellany in a nod to Kazimierz, the historic Jewish quarter where it stands. Absolutely everyone, the elderly women included, will be taking shots of Zubrówka, a dry vodka that gets its herbaceous flavor from bison grass.

Rynek Główny, the main square of Kraków, is the largest medieval marketplace in Europe. The site of several historical events, it’s now home to the greatest concentration of outdoor cafés and souvenir shops in town, and serves as a stage for concerts, shows, and occasional political rallies. Within the square, visitors will also find several museums (two of which are located in the Cloth Hall in the middle of the square) and two churches (including St. Mary’s Basilica with its famous Weit Stoss altar). Horse-drawn carriages, flower stalls, street musicians, and pigeons all crowd the area, where time is measured by the trumpet call played from St. Mary’s tower every hour.

Wawel Hill occupies a special place in Polish history—the seat of kings, it served as a symbol of Polish identity even when the country was erased from the map during partitions. Perched on the limestone hill above the Vistula River, the Wawel Castle and Cathedral are filled with treasures, including a unique collection of Flemish tapestries and several other wonderful artworks and artifacts. Visitors can tour the state rooms and royal private apartments (note that there are a limited number of timed tickets available each day, so it’s best to book in advance) as well as the Crown Treasury and Armory, but the can’t-miss attraction is the cathedral, where royal christenings, weddings, coronations, and burials once took place.

If you dare, climb the steep wooden staircase from the cathedral’s sacristy up to Sigismund’s Tower, where the famous Sigismund Bell (commissioned in 1520 by King Sigismund the Old) still tolls on solemn state and church occasions. When you’ve caught your breath, descend to the crypt below the cathedral, where several Polish kings and national heroes are buried. On your way out, exit Wawel Hill via the Dragon’s Den—the rock cave where it’s believed the fire-breathing dragon Smok once lived.

As its fish-and-sack-of-flour logo suggests, Farina serves fresh seafood and homemade pasta, prepared with seasonal ingredients to the very highest standards. In addition to Mediterranean fare, chef Monika Turasiewicz also offers a small selection of traditional Polish dishes—her pierogi ruskie are among the best in town—and a special seafood menu Thursday through Sunday. No matter what you order, your meal will start with the restaurant’s signature appetizer of truffle-and-mushroom pâté, served with scrumptious little rolls that are baked in-house. Farina also has a solid selection of wines, plus a sommelier to recommend the ideal pairing.

A five-minute walk from the main market square and you’re at Kogel Mogel, a cozy, velvet-curtained spot for traditional Polish cuisine. On the cheeky menu, printed to look like a Communist newspaper, watch out for the pierogies and the house specialty: goose marinated in red wine and served with plums.

Owned by a Chinese chef who spent time cooking for French celebrities in Paris, Chez Nicholas is a small restaurant with big flavor. Here, Chef Nicholas serves five-star French cuisine to a smattering of tables (always make a reservation to avoid disappointment). For the best possible meal, don’t choose your own dishes—just order the five-course prix fixe, which comes in “simple” or “deluxe” versions with or without wine pairings, and let Chef Nicholas take it from there. Once a month, he does a Chinese weekend, with gourmet dishes from different regions of his home country. No matter when you stop in, however, expect exquisite food accompanied by the elegant sounds of French music and opera (the chef’s favorite).

During the communist era, milk bars could be found in every Polish city. These were canteen-style restaurants where workers could come and eat decent, inexpensive portions of simple food in a no-nonsense setting. Despite their popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, most of the milk bars died away as the Polish restaurant scene was rapidly modernized; however, the few that survived are now increasingly treasured as an important part of Poland’s cultural heritage. U Stasi is well-known for its friendly service (something that milk bars traditionally lacked) while Bar Mleczny Górnik (Miners’ Bar) is basic to the core in all ways except the food, which is consistently good and outrageously cheap.