Things to do in Cracow
Pay your respects at Auschwitz
Deciding to take a trip to the place of mankind's worst atrocities (tel: +48 33 844 8099; http://auschwitz.org is a deeply personal choice, but if you think you would like to visit admission is free all year round. For a varying fee, dependent on the number of people in your group, guides will take you on a three and a half hour tour. This should be booked at least a month in advance.
Play laser combat in a disused hotel
A former hotel on the riverside, Laserpark (tel: +48 12 296 0130; www.laserpark.pl) is a laser arena where gun-toting adversaries can fight it out for bragging rights in future-industrial arenas. Watch out for the stag dos at the weekend.
Suck up the rays on Cracow’s artificial beach
You won't see hide nor hair of an ocean in Cracow, but the city has made great use of the Vistula riverside by creating its own artificial beach. Plaza Kraków (tel: +48 530 950 303; www.plazakrakow.com.pl) has 10,000 sq m (107,639 sq ft) of golden sand and an open-air swimming pool with great views.
Take a trip underground
If you're finding life too much above the ground, take a trip into the Cracow's underbelly and the Rynek Underground Museum (tel: +48 12 426 50 60, http://podziemiarynku.com). It displays an interactive journey of the city's history, from its first settlers to the death of Pope John Paul II. The mercury gets pretty high down there, so if you're going in summer leave the jacket at home.
White water kayak along an Olympic course
Cracow might seem like an unlikely location for some white water action, but Cracow Canoe Club (tel: +48 12 259 3540; www.kolna.pl) boasts 350m (1,148ft) of manmade rapids on the Vistula River. Located in the city's suburbs, the Olympic course offers high-adrenaline aquatic action, with professional instructors thankfully on-hand throughout.
