25. Krakow, Poland

Krakow, the second largest city in Poland, became the capital of Germany’s General Government after the Nazi invasion of Poland in World War II and thus was spared from major destruction. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful European cities. Top sights to see include the Market Square and its Sukiennice, or Cloth Hall, Wawel Castle, the Barbican and the Jewish Quarter.

Happiness: 17th

Historical Landmarks: 2nd

Sports: 33rd

Schools and Education: 16th

Governmental Stability: 31st

Crime: 13th

Healthcare: 39th

Affordability: 15th

Food: 24th

Innovation: 39th

Pollution: 48th

Climate: 36th

Overall Average: 26.08

Happiness: According to the World Happiness Report, Poland scores in the highest category of the happiness scale.

Historical Landmarks: Krakow’s historic city center has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, along with Kalwaria Zebrzydowska (symbolic places of worship) and the Wieliczka and Bochnia salt mines and Wieliczka Saltworks Castle that are not too far away from Krakow.

Sports: Krakow is currently home to two clubs in the Polish Premier League—Wisla Krakow and MKS Cracovia. Their bitter rivalry is know as the “Holy War.”

Schools and Education: Krakow has two universities in the top 1000 worldwide—Jagiellonian University at 339 and AGH University of Science and Technology at 782.

Crime: In Krakow, crime is low overall, with car theft and violent crimes very low.

Affordability: Krakow has a cost of living index at 41.2, meaning it’s significantly less expensive than many other European cities.

Food: Only 1 restaurant in Krakow has 1 Michelin star, but this could increase as more discover Krakow’s beauty.

Pollution: A pollution index score of 69.49 means that Krakow has very high air pollution and moderate noise and light pollution.

Climate: Krakow reaches the low to mid 70s (F) in summer months, while in the winter, it can be found in the low to upper 30’s in Fahrenheit.

Personal Note: I visited Krakow in the summer of 2022, and I would describe it as a fascinating mixture between elements of Western and Eastern Europe. This mixture is more present than in most of the other more Eastern European cities I’ve visited, as some areas, like the Jewish Quarter, by the Vistula River, and further on the outskirts of town have the more gritty Eastern appearance, while the central square and surrounding Planty Park seem like they could be from a country like Germany. I personally really enjoyed this balance and the diversity it offered, as each neighborhood seemed to have its own unique quality that made it fascinating to explore. In particular, Krakow’s central square, one of the largest in Europe, strongly stood out to me as one of the most vibrant and culturally engaging places along my travels, with its many shops and restaurants, along with the giant Cloth Hall market center. Krakow has most of the elements for a very interesting city that’s slightly further off the beaten path. However, compared with some of the nearby Eastern European cities I’ve visited, it felt like the city was missing something that gave more of the intimate, charming feeling, which is likely due in part to the Old Town feeling much more expansive in terms of both building size and street width. On the whole, Krakow is quite a nice city that I could argue to be slightly higher on the list, but I can also understand the reasoning with its placement here as around the middle of European cities in this research.