Wawel Dragon's Den

Beneath Wawel Castle, a limestone cave plunges 15 metres through the rock to emerge at the riverbank — and this, according to legend, is where the Wawel Dragon lived. The story goes that a terrible dragon terrorised medieval Kraków, devouring livestock and the occasional maiden, until a clever cobbler named Skuba fed it a sheep stuffed with sulphur. The dragon drank so much Vistula water to cool the burning in its belly that it exploded.

The cave is genuinely old — geological evidence suggests it's been a natural formation for millions of years, and archaeological finds indicate human habitation dating back 50,000 years. It was used as an inn, a brothel, and a storage space before being turned into a tourist attraction. The descent through the cave takes about 10 minutes via 135 spiral steps cut into the rock, and the chambers — while not vast — are atmospheric enough to make the dragon story feel plausible.

You emerge blinking into sunlight on the Vistula riverbank, where a bronze dragon sculpture by Bronisław Chromy breathes real fire every few minutes (fuelled by natural gas). Children love it. Adults take photos. The fire is triggered by sending a text message to a specific number, which is the most 21st-century detail in a story that dates to the 12th century. The cave is only open in summer and costs a few złoty — enter from Wawel Hill and exit at the river.