Man! What can I say! Poland is bloody beautiful!
I will be honest with you before I went to Poland I had heard many opinions and thoughts on the country from those who actually had never been there themselves. Although I never took any to mind, their opinions where not shedding good light, basing their thoughts on old mentalities of the country, being that they are not susceptible to those who are not polish and not welcoming to foreigners, ethnic forefingers being black like me, travelling to a prominently Caucasian country.
I want to clarify Krakow was definitely not like this, my friends who are polish are not thinking like this, the people living here are not like this and I did not experience nothing but good vibes and great people. A country and city that is full of history, culture and people full of life.
Now Krakow has so much to offer and it was a real shame I distant even scratch the surface as this on the verge of the country's lock down in dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic. Luckily enough, I planned it for a long weekend and traveled there for four days. I was very fortunate to have a great friend there who took me around and entertained me on the trip though most of the trip
(By the way hes a classical trained Saxophonist & Pianist. Book him - Syzmon Wojtala)
Like I said, the surface was not even scratched however in the little time I was there I got to see so many many beautiful structures and streets within Krakow that gothic, byzantine and modern day architectural attributes into one. It is quite unique to see the streets so clean too, the people visiting and living here respect their environment so well, it is refreshing to see coming from bustling, grimy London.
Now though short I saw many beautiful elements to the city, the cute places I got to visit within Krakow:
The Jewish Quarter: Set within walking distance of the Old Town, the historic Jewish Quarter of Krakow was once a separate city in its own right. Nowadays, it is embedded into the fabric of the town, but still retains a unique culture and vibe with its crumbling tenement blocks, great synagogues and cute beer joints, i did not get too dabble in much this time round. I had a fantastic hotel near here, (Avena Hotel for those wondering) it was honestly a real easy location to start from. The hotel was great so was the concierge, who are informative and polite.
Florianska Street: This is where I took my polish vodka shop experience and where you should come for it too! Active street with your fast food shops, Sephora and more this very heart of the northern half of the Old Town district, the bustling street has from craft beer bars to souvenir emporiums to vodka tasting. This is for sure the one to start with.
Market Square
This is the spot to have good vibes, great energy and here a mass amount of British folk drop out of the buzzing, bar-packed, café-spots. This is the heart of the UNESCO-attested Krakow Old Town, the Market Square, is where all the action has played out since the Middle Ages. Come here for people watching, history, beautiful architecture and more for sure because I definitely did.
St Mary's Basilica: This is one pretty structure and right in the middle of market square the redbrick façade and great twin spires of St Mary’s Basilica have become one of the notable symbols of the city of Krakow. First raised in the 14th century, surviving Mongol invasions you can still feel the vibe with the hourly trumpet called the 'Hejnal Mariacki' which has many stories to the reason the trumpeter is interrupted during playing, with people saying the trumpeter was shot before finishing.
Planty Park:This is a romantic spot for sure and rings around the whole area of Krakow’s historic Old Town. You will definitely see the old and young folks within this one, its a pretty park for walking the dogs, looking at sculptures and cafes spill onto the sidewalks. You can tell in the summer, this is the place to be and a winter wonderland to look at during the colder months.
The Sukiennice: This gave me a real brick lane vibe if you are coming from London, hailed as the world’s oldest shopping centre, the Sukiennice has stood in the middle of the Krakow Market Square for centuries. Inside you will souvenir stalls and their mounds of interesting folk trinkets, or stay outside to wonder at the handsome Renaissance architecture, walk around here with a hot choccy from the local shops and have fun.
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Now the places I must definitely go to on my return:
Auschwitz-Birkenau: This one I know will get me, however being of Nigerian Biafra heritage, tales and history say we hail from the Jewish so this has been one I have wanted to see, though not appealing to everyone. Though very sad, it remains one of the top activities to do in Krakow, offering an informative and sensitive insight into the horrors of the Holocaust and the destruction wrought by the Nazis on the Jews and minorities of the continent. The memorial and museum are around an hour from the city centre.
Barbikan: For the historian, documentary enthusiast that is in me, I want to see this. The Barbikan is the only remaining gatehouse of the medieval fortifications that once encircled the whole city. It’s redbrick bulwarks and formidable turrets helped to fend off the Mongol hordes during the 13th century. Now it is used for occasional theatre productions and art shows hosted inside.
Wieliczka Salt Mine: This one is another spot everyone should visit and is located just outside of Krakow and offering an unforgettable sight of underground salt art and architectural design. As part of the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1978 and is undoubtedly one of the most important monuments in Poland. There is many ways to see it, the most popular being the Tourist Route. It leads through over 20 of the most important and of course, beautiful! underground chambers and has several kilometers of winding corridors. I have to go back to see this one!
St. Florian's Gate: Pretty architectural detail, I will not say no! Looking wonderful in its Polish Gothic shell, St Florian’s Gate marks the start of the so-called Royal Route. Pass through and note the buskers that play everything from highlander folk to Dylan-esque country in the echoing tunnel, before heading into the Old Town in the footsteps of the erstwhile Polish kings.
Kosciusko Mound: Built in the image of the primeval Pagan mounds that surround the city at various points, the soaring hill of Kosciusko was raised in 1823 to honour its namesake national hero Tadeusz Kosciusko. From the top, travelers enjoy sweeping panoramas of the city, while clear days even reveal the Tatra peaks to the south.
The Dragon's Den: After hearing all the enthralling, swashbuckling tales of beasts and princes that surround the founding of Poland’s southern city, be sure to head to the base of the Wawel Hill, where a deep cave is said to have once been the lair of the formidable Smok Wawelski dragon himself anbd outside is a statue that even breathes fire!
Vistula Boulevards: As the winding courses of the Vistula River snake through the heart of Krakow, its banks host wide spaces of greenery, ad hoc summertime markets, beer bars and bobbing boat cafes aplenty. Perfect for a stroll, people watching, jogging and cycling, all things I like to do after a heavy night of fun and partying.
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Check out the beautiful pictures I took whilst there. I will be back for sure! There is way too much to see and going on a short trip you will have plenty to do. On my return, I will visit Warsaw too, which as Poland's capital city, it has a very different vibe.
For now, whilst we await the lock down limitations and get over this pandemic, we can plan!
Love,
Your Writer Nat.
