Kazimierz

Overview

Kazimierz is Kraków's historic Jewish quarter, now the city's most vibrant neighbourhood for nightlife, vintage shops, and street food. Pre-war synagogues and the Ghetto Wall remnants coexist with craft cocktail bars and live-music venues.

Highlights

• Old Synagogue: Poland's oldest surviving synagogue (15th century), now a museum.
• Plac Nowy: A circular market hall surrounded by food stalls and bars.
• Nightlife: Kraków's densest concentration of bars, clubs, and live-music venues.

History

Founded as a separate city in 1335 by King Casimir the Great, Kazimierz became a centre of Jewish life from the 15th century. The community was destroyed in the Holocaust; revitalisation began in the 1990s, partly inspired by Spielberg's filming of Schindler's List.

Visitor Tips

• Evening: The bar scene on Plac Nowy is Kraków's best.
• Jewish heritage walk: Visit the synagogues and the Galicia Jewish Museum.
• Duration: 2–4 hours.