Krakow built its academic and artistic reputation as a prominent middle-European trading hub in the 10th century. It’s home to one of the world’s oldest universities, one of the largest market squares in Europe, and the historic Old Town was one of the first-ever sites to be awarded the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage designation. Climb Wawel Hill for a fabulous panorama of the Old Town, lying beneath the magnificent castle and cathedral. The former residence of the kings of Poland now houses one of the country’s most important art museums, while the cathedral is a paradigm of Gothic imagination.