Small group walking tour of kazimierz in krakow

Get to know Krakow’s Jewish and World War II history on a walking tour of Kazimierz, the historically Jewish section of the city. With a guide, see sights like Old Synagogue and learn about the district’s rich history, from Jewish settlement in the 14th century to the Holocaust. Plus, see the site of Oskar Schindler’s factory and other locations from 'Schindler’s List,' the Academy Award-winning movie partly filmed in Kazimierz.

Make your way to Krakow Old Town and meet your guide at St Adalbert Church, where your walking tour starts. Take a moment to admire the 11th-century St Adalbert, one of the oldest stone churches in Poland, and then follow your guide south to Kazimierz.

As you walk along the lively streets filled with cafes and restaurants, hear from your guide about the district’s long history, which was home to Krakow’s mixed Jewish-Polish population from the 14th century until World War II, when most of Krakow’s Jews were killed during the Holocaust. Learn about the mass deportation of Kazimierz residents to the Nazi concentration camps and how the district fell to ruin once all traces of Jewish life disappeared.

Kazimierz is full of life once again, but only the architecture tells you that this was once Jewish area, and you’ll see some of the synagogues that surprisingly survived the war, including Old Synagogue and High Synagogue. When you enter the western part of the district, you’ll notice a change – this part of Kazimierz was traditionally Catholic. Walk by Christian sites like Catholic churches and Skalka (the Church on the Rock).

Finally, arrive at Oskar Schindler’s enamelware factory, which saved many Jews from death when Schindler employed them to work there – a story made famous by Steven Spielberg’s movie Schindler’s List. The factory today is a museum dedicated to the history and tragedies of Krakow’s Nazi occupation.

Your tour ends here and does not include a visit inside the museum, but you may enter it at your own expense after the tour, if you wish.