Wawel Castle was founded in 1001, and its buildings mix Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance architecture, with the Renaissance arcaded courtyard among the parts shaped by Bartolommeo Berrecci. Today it is a history museum on a hill in the centre of Kraków.
The practical base is the Promotion and Information Centre, which holds the ticket desks, tourist information, a restaurant and café, a gift shop and toilets. More toilets are in the outer courtyard and the arcaded courtyard, so a visit with small children can be broken up without leaving the hill.
The trade-off is the climb. Both approaches up to the entrance gates are steep, and wheelchair users are advised to come with a companion for them; once on the hill, barriers on the roads and paths have been removed. Luggage can be left in storage in the arcaded courtyard, entered through the Berrecci gate, but only if you hold a ticket to the exhibitions.
