In thr city of Kraków, southern Poland

 “You know, seeing the world straight doesn’t make you smarter or better. It might just make you worse and more complacent about things.” ―  Alex Rosenberg, The Girl from Krakow

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(in southern Poland) Kraków (also spelled Cracow), the capital of Małopolskie province, lies on both sides of the upper Vistula River. The second largest city in Poland, it is known primarily for its grand historic architecture and cultural leadership (UNESCO designated its Old Town area a World Heritage site in 1978). Its marketplace, Rynek Główny (Main Square), has existed since the 13th century, and a modern landscaped area is laid out on the site of past fortifications. Poland's former royal capital fuses medieval pomp and pageantry with modern-day, student-fueled fun into a harmonious whole.

+ Alternating themes of destruction and rebirth run throughout Kraków's history, back to the 13th century when marauding Tatars sacked the city. A century later, Kraków was back on top as Poland's capital, and then dashed again in the 16th century when the capital moved to Warsaw. In more recent times, Kraków re-emerged after WWI only to be occupied by Nazi Germany 20 years later. After that came communism, and another chapter of rebirth. Over the 1.000 years of Kraków's existence, all of the great European architectural styles -- Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, baroque, and art nouveau -- have left behind traces that prove the whole is considerably greater than the sum of the parts. Find the world's largest late-Gothic altarpiece within the darkened interiors of St Mary's Basilica, and then step out into the sunshine to see the gleaming 16th-century Renaissance Cloth Hall, built at a time when Kraków's royal authority was at its peak.

+ Although Kraków is no longer Poland's political capital, it makes a strong case for being the country's cultural capital. The one-time home of the Polish kings and queens of yore also has a wealth of fantastic bars and restaurants for you to check out, and lots of cultural events and festivals take place here. The annual list of festivals and events is quite long, with celebrations of theater, the arts, music, film, dance, literature -- and food. Outside the festival calendar, Cracovians are inveterate theatergoers, jazz aficionados, poetry lovers, film buffs, and klezmer listeners, and seemingly every corner of the city, every basement and hidden garden, buzzes with artistic anticipation.

+ Yet, no account of Kraków's charms would be complete without mentioning its culinary delights. Come for your fill of traditional offerings like kiełbasa (Polish sausage), pierogi and vodka, served everywhere from grand Gothic cellars to simple stands. Today, Cracovians also love to expand their palates. French, Italian and Asian-inspired restaurants are popular, while vegan and vegetarian foods are experiencing something of a moment -– vegan sushi and meatless kebabs are all the rage. (Finish off with lody [ice cream], a national mania.)