A late afternoon in Krakow's main square

After a long journey from Zakopane to Kraków, mainly due to road works and a one lane bridge that connects Zakopane with surrounding towns, we reached our hotel and decided to walk to the town centre..."just follow the street to the end" was our advice from hotel reception. Five kilometres later we headed for the nearest restaurant to sit and have a very late lunch or early dinner. Later that night we slept soundly after walking at least 12km.

Krakow's Main Market Square is similar to Prague's with the Town Hall clock tower, cathedral and surrounding Renaissance/ Baroque buildings but in its centre is the Cloth Hall. Originally built in the 1400s, it's purpose was a market, or the first undercover 'shopping mall' where artisans, salt, linen and other merchants could sell their wares. Today, the centre passage of the Cloth Hall has wooden market stalls were souvenirs, jewellery and art works are sold. 

The main market square is a busy place, even in the late afternoon, with tourists, diners, buskers and horse and buggy drivers waiting in a line for clients. There is also a big police presence with security vans that X-Ray bags or mysterious parcels. Police were heavily armed and moved groups of sellers or buskers from open areas in the main square.

Town Hall clock tower 

The Cloth Hall

Horse and buggy rides

Having lunch/dinner at an outside cafe in the main market square with the cathedral and Cloth Hall in the background

Archway along the outside of the Cloth Hall

Inner passage way of the cloth hall

St Mary's Basilica and sculpture of Adam Mickiewicz, a famous Polish writer

Buildings lining the main market square

Police security checks

Clock Tower

The Polish airforce flew over in formation at least 3 times

Florists shop near the square

Window of the Wax Museum on the main square