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Offered languages
- English
During this tour, you will take a big step back into the communist past of Krakow’s Nowa Huta district which was designed by the Soviets as a model communist city, but later became an anti-communist hub and an important part of the Solidarity movement.
We will visit the enormous Central Square (Plac Centralny), the calling card of the district. Centrally planned right after WWII, today the square and its surrounding areas are like a museum of the many architectural styles and ideas from the past.
We’ll see the spot where a huge monument of Lenin used to stand, and then you’ll visit a local bar for a shot of vodka, just as you might have done back in the communist era.
We’ll also spend some time visiting a huge church known as the Lord’s Ark, which became a symbol of the long fight for freedom and democracy. The church was built by residents completely by hand.
By the end of the tour, you’ll have a better sense of the communist history in Poland.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Your Krakow Urban Tours guide will wait for you at the 1 Dluga Street (ulica Długa) at the corner of Dluga and Basztowa, by the entrance of the bookshop ‘Pod Globusem’.
Krakow’s Main Market Square area
Itinerary
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1Podziemna Nowa Huta - Muzeum Krakowa
Your Nowa Huta tour from Krakow begins with a visit to the underground museum of Nowa Huta, located in a former Cold War shelter. Here, you’ll step into the everyday reality of life under communism through original interiors, propaganda displays, household objects, and personal stories from the socialist era. This immersive museum experience provides essential context for understanding why Nowa Huta was built, how people lived here, and how ideology shaped daily routines in post-war Poland.
45 minutes • Admission ticket included -
2
After the museum, continue on foot through the heart of Nowa Huta. Your guide explains the urban design principles behind this planned socialist city — wide avenues, symmetrical housing blocks, monumental squares, and carefully designed public spaces. This part of the Krakow communist tour focuses on how ideology influenced architecture, city planning, and community life, while also highlighting how the district has evolved since the fall of communism.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
Nowa Huta Cultural Centre (Pass by)
As you walk through the district, you’ll pass the Nowa Huta Cultural Centre — a key institution that once promoted socialist values through art, theatre, and music. Your guide explains its historical role and how it functions today as a cultural hub for the local community.
Admission ticket free -
3Krakow
No visit to Nowa Huta is complete without tasting everyday food from the communist era. You’ll stop at a local spot to try zapiekanka, Poland’s iconic open-faced toasted baguette, followed by a shot of traditional Polish vodka in a genuine communist-style bar. This short stop adds a social and cultural layer to the experience, showing how food and drink were part of daily life in socialist Poland.
45 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4
The tour concludes at the striking Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland, also known as Arka Pana (The Ark of the Lord). Built despite strong opposition from communist authorities, this church became a powerful symbol of resistance, faith, and community solidarity. Your guide explains how religion played a crucial role in Nowa Huta’s story and why this church represents one of the most important chapters in Krakow’s modern history.
45 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How you will help the local community by joining this tour: - The admission fee to the local Museum of the Nowa Huta helps to support the conservation of local heritage and culture. - We have a vodka and snack stop in a local restaurant that’s off the main tourist path, ensuring local vendors who are producing the locals’-favorite dishes also benefit from tourism to their city. - Support local vendors at a local market by sampling a traditional zapiekanka treat.
- Please wear comfortable shoes for walking.
Additional info
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How you will help the local community by joining this tour: - The admission fee to the local Museum of the Nowa Huta helps to support the conservation of local heritage and culture. - We have a vodka and snack stop in a local restaurant that’s off the main tourist path, ensuring local vendors who are producing the locals’-favorite dishes also benefit from tourism to their city. - Support local vendors at a local market by sampling a traditional zapiekanka treat.
- Please wear comfortable shoes for walking.
- Food Allergies: Unless you suffer from multiple, combined food allergies, or unless you are a vegan, we will figure it out. Vegetarians are welcome on all tours.
- Tips: If you are happy with the services provided by your local guides a tip - though not compulsory - is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, it is of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry. Please consider this when budgeting for your extra expenses on this tour.
- For private tour option we offer central Krakow hotels pick up. Please call or email us.
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Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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