Not a place you might think you want to go but it has a lot to offer and is incredibly inexpensive to stay and eat!
Krakow once the capital is a beautiful City with so much to see and so much history although some of this is somewhat upsetting. The biggest attraction is Auschwitz and Birkenau which I will talk about below. The Salt
mines are incredible and can only be reached by 300+ steps down to 135 mtrs below the surface but they really are worth a visit.
Food & Drink
The meat stew called bigos is often called the national dish of Poland. Other famous Polish dishes are golabki (cabbage leaves stuffed with ground meat and rice) and golonka (fresh ham served with horse-radish). Poles also like to eat smoked and pickled fish, especially herring.
You can, of course get everything from Pizza to McDonalds and can eat well for very little. Try Moo Moo Restaurant (booking is advisable) for a great steak or home made burger! We ate at various restaurants around the old Town Square but they are slightly more expensive due to the location.
Beer and Wine are both widely drunk in Poland but Vodka is very popular and it claims to be the best in the world.. Alcohol compared to the UK is a good 30% cheaper.
Polish Zloty 100 = approx £21 (Jun 19)
Street Art Jewish Quarter
The old Jewish Book Store
The Oldest Synagogue
Empty Chairs Ghetto Heroes Square
The Jewish quarter really is a social hub and comes alive at night with streets of restaurants and bars. A visit here is a must! Amazing street art covers many walls and Helena Rubinstein features along side these and you can even see where she once lived. The bronze statue of Jan Karski next to the Remuh Synagogue. He smuggled himself into the ghetto with the sole intent of recording and witnessing the horror being perpetrated against the Jews.
We booked a tour in a Golf Cart and visited the Ghetto wall, The Old Synagogue, Empty Chairs Memorial, The old cemetery, the prison which housed POW,‘s The Jewish book store and Schindler’s factory. (See pic below)
Allow at least 1/2 day here
A visit to this is a must. The heart of Poland through the 16th century, Wawel Castle is a symbol of national identity. It's now a museum containing five separate sections: Crown Treasury and Armoury, State Rooms, Royal Private Apartments, Lost Wawel and the Exhibition of Oriental Art. Each requires a separate ticket. Of the five, the State Rooms and Royal Private Apartments are the most impressive, but to be honest, the best part is just wandering around the castle grounds The grounds are beautiful (See pics) and the views over the River Vistula fabulous.
Concentration camps of the Nazi Holocaust. I am sure everyone has knowledge of this atrocity and for me it was a visit I wanted to make because of my Austrian heritage. A very popular tour but be prepared to come away feeling very emotional. but having said that it really hits home what happened and you certainly get a better understanding of the importance of a memorial to the victims of the war. 60 km west of Krakow there are many tours lasting approx 7 hours and starting at approx £30 upwards
We booked this tour with hotel pick up as this trip is 25 mins from Krakow centre. Tickets can be bought from Viator/Tripadvisor from about £25..
You will be led through a number of chambers and see underground lakes, shrines and salt monuments. The underground labyrinth covers 9 levels at 64 to 327 metres below the surface of the earth.
Nearly 2,400 chambers are connected with sidewalks, for a total length of 245km. The mine was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1978.
The first tourist trail in Wieliczka was established at the turn of the 19th century. The trail leads through numerous drifts and galleries where evidence of mining activity has been preserved. You’ll also see examples of sacred art and themed compositions relating to the history of the mine and legends surrounding it.
Oskar Schindler's factory museum. An exhibition documenting the period of German occupation. If you have seen the film of the same name you will know that Schindler saved over a thousand Jews from death. The exhibition is a story of the fate of its Polish Jews during WW11. Outside the factory is the original gates and pictures of all the Jews he saved.
Entry price from about £7 with Tours from £18 and you will need about 2 hrs.
This town is just so pretty with no vehicles allowed only horse drawn carriages for a quick round the block trip which we thoroughly enjoyed. The medievel buildings some which date back to the 10th century. In fact it has been added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You will see St Mary's Basilica, the Cloth Hall, The Town Hall Tower and many others. There is a market that runs through the alcoves selling souvenirs, Amber, Silver and a host of other things. The square is surrounded by restaurants and cafe's and a great place to eat or have a cocktail whilst watching the horse drawn carriages pass by. (See pic gallery)
The capital of Poland and a great place to visit. Currency is the Polish Zloty. Temperatures during the summer months are on average 25 degrees and June to August is the best time to visit. Winter months December to February sees temps fall to 0 to 5 degrees. We visited in July and August both times the temperatures exceeded 28 deg. There is plenty to see from churches to neoclassical palaces mixed in with modern Skyscrapers. The Old town was restored after damage during WW11 and is awash with pastel building, open air cafes and the Monument of the Warsaw Mermaid in the centre.
The Old Town is a bustling tourism hub, with cobblestone alleys and medieval buildings reconstructed after WWII. At its heart is Rynek Starego Miasta, a busy square lined with burgher houses.
Łazienki Park or Royal Baths Park is the largest park in Warsaw, Poland, occupying 76 hectares of the city center.
Wilanów Palace is the Baroque gem of Warsaw. The palace and garden remained unchanged despite annexations, wars and occupations. See the home of King Jan III Sobieski, the vanquisher of the Turks at Vienna, who in 1683 stopped their march through Europe. The ruler, who gained the nickname of the fearless Lion of Lechistan, lived in the palace with his beloved wife.
City of Spires ! One of my favourite Cities so much to see and do we spent a week here and still did not get to see everything. Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Astronomical Clock, Old Town and much more
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