You can expect

The Pearl of Krakow's architecture

Almost everyone loves castles. Why, you may ask? Maybe it has something to do with our childhood games - girls pretending to be princesses and boys fighting dragons with their sword (or the other way around, let's be open-minded) Now all princesses and knights are welcome to visit Wawel Royal Castle and basically feel like home ;)

Gentlemen - there is the Wawel Castle Dragon to conquer for you as well!

Perched on top of the hill above the Vistula river, south of the Old Town, the Wawel Castle is the crown jewel of the city's architectural treasures. It is by far the most important collection of buildings in Poland. Its historical and artistic value - dating from the 14th century - places it amongst the gems of the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Highlights

- Admire an impressive courtyard and castle's interiors
- Discover Wawel Royal Castle with a knowledgeable local guide
- Explore the staterooms where the royals once lived

Imagine:

500 years ago Polish kings and queens were walking along those corridors and rooms, which are now an integral part of Polish history. State Rooms are the castle’s main exhibition with thousands of tourists visiting each year. The exhibition consists of a couple of suits of the Governors of Krakow and several guest apartments.
During the tour, you will be able to admire their original wooden ceilings that date back to the Renaissance as well as marble portals. You will also hear the story about the fire which ruined a great part of the castle in 1702 and about some of the foreign invaders who helped to destroy the castle’s magnificent interior. Wawel Castle Tour gives you an opportunity to see large fragments of original wall friezes, unique woodcarvings on a ceiling, Tuscan furniture, Polish royal portraits and precious tapestries from the 16th century that depict scenes from the Bible.

In the Crown Treasury and Armoury room...

...you will learn how the Kingdom of Poland, and later of the Commonwealth of the Two Nations got its independence and what were the most visible signs of it. The guide will tell you about the insignia of the royal power that could be dated back to the 14th century such as crowns, scepters, orbs, a sword, the Book of Gospels and a tray used in the ceremony of anointing a new king. The story will include a brutal invasion of the castle in 1792 and a very long journey of the coronation sword that was secretly transported to Canada during WWII to keep it from the Nazis.
One of the most valuable unit in Wawel Castle is the mantle of a Knight of the Order of the Holy Ghost which in 1676 King Louis XIV of France gave to John III Sobieski; a consecrated sword and headwear presented to him by Pope Innocent XI in 1684. And needless to say, if you are not interested in history whatsoever, and you don't know what we just talked about - go for this tour anyway. The Castle is simply amazing to experience and walk around!