Planty Park, Krakow (must see)

Planty Park is a leafy ring of gardens that surrounds the city’s historic Old Town — the area where the old medieval walls once stood. The park dates back to the 1820s, when the deteriorating fortifications were dismantled, and a decision was made to convert the neglected moats and fortifications into a public green space.

Today, Planty stretches for around four kilometres and covers approximately 21 hectares — a broad green belt that encircles the heart of Kraków and offers a continuous walkway. The park is made up of more than thirty different styles of smaller gardens, each with its own layout and character, linked together by paths, benches, fountains, and leafy promenades.

One of the most appealing aspects of Planty is the blend of calm and history: you walk around what used to be defensive walls, now transformed into a shaded, tranquil belt — perfect for a stroll, a rest after sightseeing, or simply to take in the atmosphere away from the crowds. Along the walkway, you’ll encounter more than twenty monuments and statues honoring important figures, including Nicolaus Copernicus, Jan Matejko, and Queen Jadwiga of Poland.

In addition to the statues, the park offers a changing natural display: shady trees, flowerbeds, fountains, ponds, and benches where one can pause and absorb a softer side of Kraków. Because Planty encircles the Old Town, it also acts as a gentle border between medieval streets and the more modern parts of the city — making a stroll through it a kind of transition between past and present.