European Culture for less! found this online

"Krakow, Poland: European culture for less"

"During World War II, when air raids were laying waste to London, Dresden, Berlin and other great European cities, Krakow was only lightly bombed. Consequently, it has one of the most spectacularly preserved medieval town centers on the Continent. Visit early enough in fall (it gets quite chilly later) and you’ll also be able to experience its vibrant street life, which in some ways mirrors that of Paris, with throngs of people hanging out in sidewalk cafes and street performers turning the pavements into a daily carnival. There are also superb sightseeing opportunities in the city and beyond, including exquisite ancient cathedrals and synagogues and the sobering Auschwitz concentration camp.

Airfare will easily be your biggest expense, so if you have any frequent flier miles saved up, now’s the time to spend ’em (from New York City, the cheapest gateway to Europe, I’ve found round-trip fares as low as $785 in September and $615 in October). Your costs on the ground will be fairly reasonable, as Poland is not yet on the euro (which is currently trading at near-record highs against the dollar).

Budget lodgings, such as the bland but fine U Pana Cogito (http://www.pcogito.pl/), will run you about $80 a night for a spacious double room with private bath. A charming hotel in the city center, such as the Hotel Karmel (http://www.karmel.com.pl/), will cost closer to $100 per night. Budget $6 per person for picnic lunches, and just $10-$15 for nice sit-down dinners."

This came to our MSN home page, and of course I jumped on it! And in reality it does cost more than they quote. But Krakow is on the map!