I used Kraków Airport for the first time three weeks ago on my trip to UK and was surprised how far it is from the centre of Kraków. There is a bus that takes you from just outside the bus station to the airport and…Read More

I used Kraków Airport for the first time three weeks ago on my trip to UK and was surprised how far it is from the centre of Kraków. There is a bus that takes you from just outside the bus station to the airport and it takes about 40 minutes stopping at quite a few stops on the way. The driver on this day was a terrible driver so it was a bumpy ride, people and luggage were sliding around and I was gripping the rail very tightly. If you don’t want to take the bus a train will take you to a stop that is approximately 200 metres from Terminal 1 or if you want you can travel by taxi but always make sure the cab is licensed and agree a price before setting off. Most taxi drivers will speak a little English.

The bus parked up close to Terminal 1 which is the International Terminal and there are stops near Terminal 2 (domestic flights). It was a very hot day so a lot of people were sat on the wall opposite the entrance to Terminal 1 holding glasses of beer but not for long as the officers in blue came along and asked these people to sit at the outside bar or go inside. Drinking in a public area is not allowed in Poland. The majority of people rushing around and sat outside were football supporters who were returning to their countries after watching some of the matches based in Kraków during the Euros 2012.
I could see there were a couple of seats vacant at the outside bar which looked inviting as it was shady and didn’t look as crowded as inside. Before buying a pint I decided to have a quick look at the information board and I wanted to see if I could pick up a couple of those transparent bags to put creams and make up in. I asked a young girl at the Information Desk and she said that I would have to wait until boarding as this is where the bags were situated.

It seemed very busy on this level and I was so pleased that I had checked in online as the queue for check-in was horrendous and I could see people were getting irritated due to the heat and hanging around. There are a couple of coffee shops on this level, Coffee Express and Coffee Minute but I had my heart set on a cold glass of Polish beer. Also, on this floor there are a couple of duty free shops, one selling perfume and the other selling vodka and other alcoholic drinks. For the kids there is a sweet shop displaying lots of sugary colourful delights that are very bad for your teeth.

It was great to sit down with a beer and do a bit of people watching. I couldn’t take my eyes off one guy who wasn’t exactly a tramp as such but he seemed down on his luck. He had a huge shopping bag under the table filled with crushed empty cans and as soon as someone left their table he rushed over to see if they had left any empties. His eyes were like radar and he homed in on left over beer. Waste not want not is the saying I believe. This chap was in his element and in the time we were sat outside he must have downed at least two pints from left over beer.

On the top floor there is a selection of shops, a couple of bistros selling readymade meals, sandwiches, good selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, souvenir shops called Discover , Kraków selling everything to do with the city and Poland, an Amber jewellery shop and other duty free shops. I wasn’t so interested in looking at these shops mainly because this floor is very pokey and cluttered. I felt too claustrophobic and couldn’t wait to pass through security control and go to the boarding gate.

I was a little cross with myself because I hadn’t kept the clear bags from my previous trip and knew it would hold things up faffing around with all my little pots and tubes. Sometimes I don’t bother to take any at all because of this reason but seeing that I was on my way to see Bruce Springsteen I thought I had better make an effort and not turn up at the concert looking like a bag lady hence the beauty creams. Talking of bags I did remember to place my handbag in the top of my rucksack so it looked like I only had one bag. This is another airport rule that drives me mad. Security here is quite strict and you are expected to take everything off that might beep including ear-rings, belts, jewellery etc. Also, don’t forget your shoes – they have to come off too. The embarrassing thing was I knew I had holes in my socks and tried to pull both socks over my heels so people wouldn’t see the holes. It’s not that I don’t own a pair of socks without holes, of course I do. I just liked the stripy socks I was wearing. I think I got away with it, nobody noticed. Nothing beeped and the security guards weren’t too grumpy.

At last we could go through to the departure lounge and to Gates 6-8. The flight we were going for was to Edinburgh and it was delayed according to the information board. There seemed a lot of families sat in the lounge with small children who were fractious. It was 10pm so I could understand this, they just wanted to sleep. We couldn’t actually see a plane outside the window whether it had arrived at another gate and was being cleaned, I don’t know. The young girl at the boarding desk made one announcement about the delay but she didn’t say how long the delay would be. I think we were hanging around for about 40 minutes when the plane rolled into sight. There was a hectic rush to board and there didn’t seem any order to the boarding procedure. Usually priority boarders go first like parents with small children, elderly, wheelchair users, business people etc. Here, it was every man for themselves and was more like a rugby scrum. I was relieved to get on the bus which took us to the plane so we could fly off to Scotland’s capital city.

I have to say I wasn’t so keen on Kraków Airport. It is too small for the amount of people passing through and is very disorganised and claustrophobic. We were lucky for most of the time that we could sit outside but I should think this bar facility will be closed in the winter which means more people will be milling around inside causing havoc.

Ryan Air, Easy Jet and Finnair operate from here as well as LOT and Lufthansa. If you want to see a full list of airlines operating from Krakow here’s a link:
http://www.krakowairport.pl/en/15/2/175/Airlines-operating-tofrom-Krakow-Airport

I chose this airport because I managed to buy a cheap ticket with Ryan Air but I think in future I will fly from Warsaw because by the time we’ve purchased a train ticket to Kraków and bus ticket to the airport the cost works out the same plus it only takes twenty minutes to Frederic Chopin airport from my home whereas the travel time to Kraków took just under 4 hours including the trip on the bus.

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As previously said, I am excited about East Europe. In the twenty years since the break-up of the Soviet Union, many wonderful things have happened in the East and I compared the countries to Germany. In the two weeks that I spent in…Read More

As previously said, I am excited about East Europe. In the twenty years since the break-up of the Soviet Union, many wonderful things have happened in the East and I compared the countries to Germany. In the two weeks that I spent in Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary, as well as in Germany and Belgium, I met many people from East Europe. Most of them were young simply because English has only been required in schools for 15 to 20 years. Russian was their universal language. I found that most young people were very friendly and helpful and if the did not speak English, they would find someone who does.

In the hostels and on the trains I was able to engage in conversations with many people from all over Europe. I tried to talk with as many people as possible, especially folks from the East. Some of the older people did speak English, and I met a couple of octogenarians who still remembered their English from former times. I learned a lot.

In my conversations I found that West Europeans are angry at the East Europeans for stealing jobs from their countries. That attitude seemed to be found mostly in Germany and France, but I didn't meet many Italians or Greeks and they have also lost jobs. It was funny in listening to people blame the situation on the people from the Eastern countries rather than the corporations that moved. A number of West Germans told me that reunification had been bad for Germany. They also blamed Hungary because they "enticed" the corporations to build in that country.

On the other hand, surprisingly, the East countries had much different attitudes. While I expected them to be grateful for the jobs that had relocated to their countries, I found a lot of cynicism. People from the tourist cities were better off because the rate of employment was better. Service jobs are available, even though the wages are poor in comparison to the West countries and most of the people I met felt that they should be paid equally with their western neighbors.

In the East countries, I also found very cynical attitudes toward their governments. In all of the countries that I visited, everyone that I met said that the governments were corrupt, which is certainly probable. That will work itself out as the older generation who worked in the very corrupt communist system is replaced by the younger generation, and I said this to quite a few people. They all said that it would be nice, but they'll believe it when it happens. The cynicism was greatest in Poland and I suspect that this is an ingrained belief. Poland has been a football for Germany and Russia for centuries. The country has known little but conflict in their history back beyond Medieval times. One corrupt government after another has ruled the country and throughout their history it seems that the Polish people were ruled by others who took everything out of the country and kept the population poor. Or at least that's the belief. Their attitude is to watch and wait and not to expect too much. I hope that my vision is better.Close

With flights coming in from all over Britain and the rest of Europe, Kraków is one of Poland's most accessible cities, and almost certainly its most welcoming. The surge of popularity the last decade or so has seen, however, has brought influxes both good and…Read More

With flights coming in from all over Britain and the rest of Europe, Kraków is one of Poland's most accessible cities, and almost certainly its most welcoming. The surge of popularity the last decade or so has seen, however, has brought influxes both good and bad. On the positive side, the flow of tourists in the city has seen supply more than meet demand, resulting in a wealth of accommodation and entertainment options, and a varied, cosmopolitan cuisine that only the capital, Warsaw, can really rival.

The flip-side of this has been the arrival of hordes of stag-parties looking to make the most of favourable money-to-inebriation exchange rates. Those arriving in search only of Poland's celebrated resources of beer, vodka and beautiful women (of which there is much of each), however, miss out on one of the richest, most attractive cities in Europe, bearing comparison with the likes of Paris and Tallinn.


~ Kraków's Place in History ~

Poland's capital from 1038 to 1596, Kraków (or Cracow, anglicised) shows off proudly all the remnants of its days as a seat of royalty. The Old Town (Stare Miasto) at the centre of the city, surrounded by a ring of greenery, contains these most picture-perfect attractions, from St Florian's Gate at its northernmost end to the lair of the fearsome Smok Wawelski, the dragon of Kraków (who was vanquished by Krakus, the supposed founder of the city) at the southern apex. Above it all, Wawel Castle overlooks the bend of the Wisla (Vistula) river, which winds south-north through Poland, cutting through Kraków, Warsaw and Torun, amongst others, en route to the Baltic Sea.

More recent events have of course been a darker, bleaker part of the history and the city and the surrounding area. The remains of Oswiecim Detention Camp, better known by its German name, Auschwitz, lie not far to the west, and visits to the site feature on many Kraków itineraries. The scars inflicted by the Second World War are also evident within the city, in the former Jewish ghetto in the Kazimierz district, south of the centre.


~ Orientation ~

For most visitors, the Old Town and the sights along the Royal Road which runs through it are the base and focal point of the stay. If you arrive by bus or train, the walls of the Stare Miasto are less than five minutes' walk to the south-west, if you can navigate through the new shopping centre which has swallowed up the railway terminus. Pope John-Paul II Airport is seven miles west of the centre; a short hop by taxi (expect to pay 20-30 zlotych) or train, taking around fifteen minutes.

The Market Square (Rynek Glowny) is the heart of both the Old Town and the city of Kraków at large. One of the widest squares in Europe, it is a striking space, dominated by the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), an imposing building at its centre which now only seems to trade in hit-and-miss tourist souvenirs inside. The Basilica likewise is an impressive structure overlooking the square, and the Rynek is lined with all manner of bars and restaurants which exhale in a cloud of tables and chairs across it come the summer months.


~ Wawel Hill ~

The Royal Road splits the Old Town, running north-south, leading from the Market Square to Wawel Hill and its stunning castle. Overlooking the Wisla River, Wawel Hill was the seat of the Polish kings and queens for years, and many are buried here. The castle is open from 9:30, although on Mondays many sections are closed (the Treasury, Armoury and "Lost Wawel" areas are free entry during the summer months, though), and offers a chance to explore the innards of these great monuments. However, for the tight-fisted and/or short of time, one can get a good impression of the scale and majesty of the place exploring the walkways and courtyards that are open to all.

Being something of a sprawling complex, there is no ticket that gains entrance to the castle as a whole; rather, each of the areas and attractions on Wawel Hill requires its own admission fee. Tickets cost from 3 zl for the Dragon's Den to 24 zl for the Royal Private Apartments; although the latter includes the compulsory guide. If you wanted to see everything, the cost would of course mount up - however, there's a lot to get round (about a dozen attractions, including those within the cathedral), and the system will work to your advantage if you decide just to visit a few of them.

Prices are generally a little lower during the winter season - entry to the State Rooms, for instance, falls from 17 zl to 14 zl from November to April. If you're a student or a teacher, reduced rates are available, and if you happen to be either under seven or a holder of The Order of the White Eagle (bonus points if you're both ...), admission to all attractions is free.

There's plenty here that everyone should enjoy something - and the views are both excellent and free. For those with children, the Dragon's Den, where the fabled Smok Wawelski is said to have lurked, will appeal - and one can meet a less dangerous, more metallic, but still fire-breathing version of the dragon at the bottom. You might want to save this one for last, as the exploration of the grotto is a one-way trip that takes you from Wawel Hill and deposits you down by the river.


~ Piwo i Pierogi; Filling One's Stomach ~

As mentioned at the outset, Kraków offers diversity and quality in its dining options like few, if any, other places in Poland. Wherever your tastes lie, you'll find attractive restaurants and cafes to satisfy them in the Old Town and the surrounding City Centre. There are the usual Italians (which the Poles tend to do rather well) and a scattering of Mexicans - but you'll also find more unusual cuisine, including the ever-elusive Indian. Alongside this, of course, you'll come across Polish eateries that will cater for every budget.

Although it's near-impossible to exhaust the possibilities the centre of the city offers, a visit to the Kazimierz district offers a chance to explore a different side of Kraków. A run-down, dilapidated part of the city until recently, it is still a much less polished neighbourhood than the Old Town, but has a low-key charm quite of its own. Eating and drinking options are plentiful here as elsewhere, and are likely to offer better value than those around the Market Square. Much of the appeal of Kazimierz is to be found in exploring at leisure without following a particular itinerary; find food and drink in the same manner.

At the lower end of this price-spectrum, Milk Bars (Bar Mleczny) are a canteen-style arrangement, offering simple, tasty (and cheap) eats. Most of these are likely to be found outside the Old Town, where more touristy options prevail. There are so many decent restaurants in the city, I would hesitate to recommend based on my limited samplings, but for the first-time visitor, it's worth trying Zurek (a sour soup), Pierogi (filled dumplings, in a variety of flavours) and Bigos (a tasty, filling sausage & sauerkraut dish). Make sure to give Smalec a try; a dish of mixed onions and lard that tastes a lot better than it sounds!

In terms of drinking, Irish Mbassy has a good reputation, and manages to carve out a good halfway-niche between being a heaving sports bar and offering some rather good food. Nic Nowego styles itself as a "modern" Irish pub, and is also well thought-of - again offering something more than the
average venue.


~ Why Visit? ~

Kraków really does have something to offer all visitors; and perhaps most attractively, it's all within easy walking distance. Poland has a lot going for it as a whole, and this city shows it off best - culture and history to rival any European city, and everything at a fraction of the cost of Euroland. The Zloty doesn't represent quite the value it used to - when I moved to Poland in 2006, it was at about six to the pound; now it's rather less - but this still represents an attractive rate for a weak pound.

With the concentration camps, mountains and Wieliczka salt mines all relatively close to Kraków, there's enough here to comfortably fill an extended visit; even living in the country, I've been to neither the first nor last. That said, you needn't fill a stay with ticking off boxes on a tourist's itinerary. Great pleasure is to be found in taking a seat at one of the endless streetside bars which appear come warm weather, watching, drinking and relaxing. Whatever works for you, Kraków provides a rich, welcoming backdrop against which to do it; even the resident dragon is taking in visitors now.

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Crazy Tours offer guided tours is conducted (for the most part) in a Trabant - that iconic fibreglass car of 1960s and 1970s eastern Europe.I found Crazy Tours when surfing the internet. I saw the name Crazy Guides on a couple of sites but it…Read More

Crazy Tours offer guided tours is conducted (for the most part) in a Trabant - that iconic fibreglass car of 1960s and 1970s eastern Europe.

I found Crazy Tours when surfing the internet. I saw the name Crazy Guides on a couple of sites but it wasn't until I saw a photograph of a Trabant that I started to take notice. My other half is an ardent Trabantophile.

The background to the company can be found on their website but a potted history goes like this. "Crazy Mike" the founder of the company was, several years ago, working as a receptionist in a Krakow Hotel having just completed his law studies. He was asked to take an American couple on a two hour guided tour of the city but when he met them he learned that they weren't first time visitors so he changed the itinerary and took them to some of Krakow's hidden treasures in his decrepit Fiat and even cooked them dinner in his own apartment. The Americans enjoyed it so much they much they suggested he start his own alternative tour company and, even better, they offered to finance the project to start it up. He bought the company's first Trabant and the rest, as they say, is history.

Crazy Tours now has a fleet of ten vehicles including Russian Ladas and Polish Fiats and a fabulous bus, the JELCZ 272 known as "The Cucumber" which was made under license to the Czechoslovakian company Skoda. And they don't just do tours of Nowa Huta, they have a selection of tours tailored to suit different sized groups and will even meet you at the airport for a good old Communist Welcome to Krakow!

THE TOURS

We took the "Communism Tour" which lasts around two and a half hours. You get to travel in a Trabant, get a guided tour of the district of Nowa Huta and refreshments - a drink - at a Nowa Huta restaurant included in the price. (Per person 119 PLN, 36 Euro, £29)

COMMUNISM DELUXE TOUR - this is an extened version of the Communism tour with the addition of lunch in that Polish institution a milk bar, a visit to what Crazy Tours describe as their "private museum" - a Nowa Huta apartment unchanged since Communist days (look at the photographs on the website - this place is a gem!) and, if requested, a meeting with "the legendary Communist worker, Mr Vieslav (again his picture is on the website) - apparently you get to drink vodka and eat pickles with him. They will even allow you to have a go at driving the Trabant! (Per person 169 PLN, 51 Euro, £41, four hours)

THE REAL KRAKOW TOUR - another four hour tour that takes in not only Nowa Huta but also the pagan burial mounds and a tour of the Jewish quarter which, as well as being a great place to see today, has great historic importance - it was here that Oskar Schindler had the factory that stopped so many Jewish people being sent to the death camps of southern Poland. (159PLN per guest (48EUR, 38GBP)

CRAZY FARM TOUR - this four hour tour takes in a farm on the outskirts of Krakow where you get to learn about rural life in Poland. You can meet the animals, learn how to make bread or be a blacksmith and then you get to sit down for a traditional Polish dinner with beer and home-made (alarm bells!) vodka. (199PLN per guest, 60EUR, 49GBP)

COMMUNIST WELCOME - AIRPORT PICK-UP - a "Communist worker from the 1970s" will pick you up from the airport in a Trabant, greet you with vodka and pickles and take you to your hotel in Krakow. The blurb says that or an extra charge you can even have the folk band "Leopold 'The Sausage" greet you with a full fanfare! (200PLN/car up to 3 passengers, 61Euro , £48)

COMMNIE TOUR AND DISCO - This tour lasts between four and five hours. You start with the standard Nowa Huta tour and then head to the Communist-era Stylowa restaurant where you get a Polish dinner, Polish beer and three different shots of vodka. Then it's onto a 1980s style Polish disco and afterwards - the now infamous - Mr Vieslav will drive you home "in his best evening dress". (199PLN per guest (59 EUR, 49GBP)

COMMUNIST ADVENTURES FOR ORGANIZED GROUPS - these are tailored according to what groups want so the activities, times and prices vary. Travel is by bus or tram and you can enjoy a traditional Polish meal with live entertainment - obviously a more practical option because of the larger number of tourists and so not available to smaller groups.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Booking the tour was easy, I simply sent an e-mail enquiry one evening and received confirmation the following morning that we could take the tour at the time I had suggested. Crazy Tours will pick you up anywhere in the city and drop you afterwards where you want too. I arranged a pick up from our hotel at 10am and at the appointed hour a little black Trabant pulled up in front of the hotel. Himself, who had no idea what was happening, started gibbering about the "really cool car outside" and went racing over to look at it - and met Erik, our guide; it took a moment for him to register that it was there for us! Erik was a charming young man in his twenties, the Crazy Tours website claims he is "the only Communist worker in history with dreadlocks".

Erik explained where we were going and the itinerary we would follow and we climbed in and set off. Himself is six feet two and so sitting in the front seat of that tiny Trabant he did look to be wearing his knees near his ears. I was in the back, climbing in and out was not impossible, but certainly not easy. On the way to Nowa Huta Erik told us a bit about the car - it runs on a two stroke engine, you have to mix the fuel yourself and it's basically a fibreglass shell that runs like a lawnmower. Of course, that didn't stop it being highly sought after in Communist times when the average time to buy one could be ten years or more.
He then started to tell us about Nowa Huta and its history.

When we arrived in Nova Huta we parked up and went to Stylowa which is a restaurant-bar that was recently refurbished in its original Communist-era style. There we drank coffee while Erik told us some more about Nowa Huta and showed us some maps and photographs charting the progress as the building work was underway. We then explored a little on foot before going back to the car and driving to the steelworks where we were able to get out for another photograph opportunity. Next we went to see the Arka Pana, the first church to be built in Nowa Huta (naturally the original plans had excluded places of worship, as was the Communist way) and here we parked up and went inside to find the interior as impressive as the striking exterior. After some more driving to see a couple more landmarks the tour was over and Erik dropped us in town at the end of Florianska.

The time flew by but that is not to say we didn't see enough. With Erik's expert commentary we learned so much; this isn't just a scripted tour, we asked questions and Erik knew the answers, his historical knowledge was excellent - and his English was too. He was very professional but he was also good fun and we had a great time with him. He would punctuate the commentary with things like "Now comrades, let's return to our limousine" and at the end talked of returning to the "bourgeois city".

I would recommend Crazy Tours to anyone wanting to see an alternative Krakow; it would be easy enough to jump on a tram and head for Nowa Huta but the guided tour really educated us about what we were seeing and put the various sights into context. The price is reasonable enough, especially if you consider that the upkeep of Trabants is becoming increasingly difficult as the parts become more and more rare. Erik told us that sometimes people leave notes under the windscreen wipers saying they have spare parts available. If you still think the price per person is expensive remember that this is a private tour with a guide who speaks perfect English and is an expert on the historical background and think about how much you'd have to pay in the UK for such a tour.

http://www.crazyguides.com/
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“From my earliest years, my own devotion to Mary was deeply joined to my faith in Christ. The shrine of Kalwaria helped me greatly in this” – Pope John-Paul II.Whilst in Krakow there is one day trip that must be compulsory for Catholics – and…Read More

“From my earliest years, my own devotion to Mary was deeply joined to my faith in Christ. The shrine of Kalwaria helped me greatly in this” – Pope John-Paul II.

Whilst in Krakow there is one day trip that must be compulsory for Catholics – and pretty interesting for detached agnostics like myself, too. That is a trip on ‘Pociag Papieski’, ‘The Pope’s Train’, the best introduction an outsider can have to religion, Polish-style.

Pope John-Paul II (Jan Pawel to Poles) was born as Karol Wojtyla in the small town of Wadowice 30km south-west of Krakow in 1920. A powerful influence on his youth was the nearby Calvary of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, a pilgrimage route for devout Poles determined to follow in the steps of Christ since the early 17th Century. Later of course he became Archbishop of Krakow before his elevation to the Papacy in 1979. Now a brand spanking new train line (only officially opened in May 2006) links these sites for modern-day pilgrims. For 22 zloty you can buy a day return, allowing you to get off and on at will. However, please bear in mind that the tickets are only valid on this train, which only runs three times a day in each direction!

Running from Krakow Glowny the express train is a delight. It has a very distinct livery of gold and white (the colours of the Vatican flag) on its external paintwork, the seat coverings, and even the ties of the friendly English-speaking conductors. Also on the outside can be seen the image of a dove and the words ‘Totus Tuum’, Latin for “I am completely yours”, words of devotion to the Virgin Mary and the motto of John-Paul’s Papacy. Inside flat-screen TVs hang from the ceiling, showing documentaries (in Polish) of the Pope’s career, paying particular attention to his visits back to his homeland. What is apparent from these is that as far back as 1999, six years before his death, he was suffering very badly from Parkinson’s disease, but was determined to continue spreading his message.

First stop on the route is the stunning modern basila at Krakow Lagiewniki, scene of the Pope’s last address to Poland in 2002. From there it continues to the pilgrimage centre of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, and from thence on to Wadowice, taking about an hour in total.

Wadowice is a pleasant little Polish country town, revelling in the fame of having produced one Pope, and having been visited by his successor earlier this year (while in the neighbourhood Pope Benedict XVI also blessed the train). The Pope’s childhood home is now a museum run by the Nazareth Sisters, where you can see the infant Karol’s actual cot. Outside there are plenty of stalls and shops selling religious iconography, some simple and moving, some tacky and kitsch (ever wanted a John-Paul action figure with opposable joints? Here’s your chance!)

I found Kalwaria much more moving. There are two train stations in the town. Get off at Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Lanscorona – it’s nearer to the centre. Despite this you’ll still have a five minute walk up an inclining street to the heart of the town. Bear left at the roundabout. The road winds up the hill slope, with occasional road signs. At the top there is a junction. The main road continues on, where there is another sign for the sanctuary. However a smaller road splits off to the right, with a high blank wall on its left. If on foot take this turning – a left turn at the top will take you a shorter route past the seminary.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Angels was founded four hundred years ago by Mikolaj Zebrzydoski, the then mayor of Krakow. Intending just to found a Benedictine Monastery, he saw in the rolling pine-clad hills a similarity to the Jerusalem of the Gospels. Yes, I was surprised too. And so he constructed a Via Crucis, or Way of the Cross, with a series of chapels representing the stages of Christ’s Passion as he carried the cross to the place of his execution at Golgotha. His grandson carried on the task until there were 37 chapels representing the story of the crucifixion. This soon developed into a fully-fledged centre for pilgrimage as the devout follow the paths and reflect upon the death of Jesus.

As you walk you pass houses as well as the chapels. Quite a few have little tables set up holding bottles of water or jars of local raspberries, working on a ‘suggested price’ and ‘honesty box’ system. Otherwise there are cafes near the basilica itself or down in the town. Entry to the church is free though there are obvious collection boxes. All in all, it’s a very interesting day out.Close

Poland’s national shrine revolves around the Byzantine icon of the " Black Madonna."The painting’s real origin is unknown, but it is said to date from the 6th to 14th century. Many legends revolve around its miraculous history, one being that around 1430, the…Read More

Poland’s national shrine revolves around the Byzantine icon of the " Black Madonna."The painting’s real origin is unknown, but it is said to date from the 6th to 14th century. Many legends revolve around its miraculous history, one being that around 1430, the icon was stolen by a Hussar knight after a attack on the fortified monastery. It was a stormy night, and as the lightning flashed, a shaft of light blinded the knight, his horse refused to move, and the knight threw the painting to the ground and stabbed it. Immediately a spring erupted and remains to this day. Indeed, many pilgrims take the water, as they do in Lourdes, France. The icon was restored, but the marks on the virgin’s face remain.

Then, in 1655, Swedes overran Poland but were unable to breach the walls of the monastery. Their cannonballs kept bouncing back, inflicting casualties on the shooters. The siege continued a month, but the small number of monks, soldiers, and knights battled on against 10,000 Swedes. The end came when a picture of the icon appeared in the sky above the monastery. The Swedes fled, and the Black Madonna was revered as Queen of Poland.

I first became aware of this icon when I was a student nurse in London and noticed that most Polish patients had a copy of the icon at their bedside and heard many tales of miracles {it would be a miracle today if anyone had time to talk to patients}, and so when we found ourselves in Krakow, I too decided to make the pilgrimage of the Polish patients.

The shrine is a 15- to 20-minute walk from the train station {left out of station, left at main road}. You can’t miss seeing the slender towers that are the focal point of the town.

The icon is located in the Chapel of the Mother of God that is attached to the beautiful baroque basilica. The chapel began as a wooden shrine in 14th century and was rebuilt from the 17th to 20th centuries. The oldest Gothic part features the icon, which is mounted on a 1650 ebony-and-silver altar and is covered with a sliding silver panel that is raised and lowered twice during the day, and the ceremony is a must-see. The panel slides very slowly to drums and a trumpet fanfare, a very spiritual experience; one can feel the hopes and prayers of the pilgrims. The chapel's walls are lined with votive offerings (crutches, glasses, jewellery, etc.), and there are even more in the sanctuary's treasury.

Within the grounds are several museums. The Knights Hall features paintings depicting important events relating to the monastery, the Swedish siege, the Hussite raid in 1430, and a lovely copy of the icon. The Arsenal houses an extensive collection of armor, paintings, swords, and medals. The Treasury, built in 1649 over the sacristy, showcases votive offerings, jewelry and liturgical vestments, and a drawing by Jan Matejko. My favorite was the museum. It houses documents from the foundation of the monastery articles donated by Pope John Paul II, Lech Walesa’s Nobel prize, photographs, gold and silver jewelry, and a poignant bread rosary made by a concentration camp prisoner. Tower Apart from its value as a national monument, the Jasna Gora complex, because of its situation, offers a commanding prospect of the Warta Valley, especially from the high, slender tower that rises above the surrounding town to a height of 348 feet. Built in 1906, it is the tallest church tower in Poland. We did not explore the town due to time constraints, but the grounds of the shrine and museums can fill up, and it takes half a day to walk around the outside of the walls. They are awesome up close, and the whole area is set in lovely parkland.

This shrine was a great favorite of John Paul II; he placed the assassin’s bullet in the crown of the icon. I have visited many shrines and always as a pilgrim. At every shrine I found a purpose, a genuine piety and a single-mindedness, which all contributed to a very powerful atmosphere. The spiritual climax after long pilgrim marches is really something to witness. Only the most cynical could remain unmoved. For my part, I didn’t experience a difficult journey; instead, I enjoyed a very pleasant train ride, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

Other historical buildings worth seeing in Czestochowa include the Gothic church of St Sigismund and two early baroque churches built by the Pauline monks in the mid-17th century.

Raising of Screen: 6am and 1:30pm; Sunday 3pm; winter 2pm and Saturday, Sunday, and holidays
Lowering: Noon and 1pm; Saturday, Sunday, and holidays at 7:15pm
Information center: Summer 7:30am-7pm; Winter 8am-5pm
Tower: 8am-4pm, 2 zlotys
Arsenal and other museums: Summer 9-5pm; Winter 9-4pm
Admissions 2-5pm
Train ride: duration 2 hours, cost return 34zlty {two persons}
Photography not permitted in the chapel.

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The journey of John Paul II began in this medieval market town nestled among hills and woods along the Skawa river. Today this sleepy town is alive with tourists following the trail of the late Pope. They flock to the pale yellow baroque basilica of…Read More

The journey of John Paul II began in this medieval market town nestled among hills and woods along the Skawa river. Today this sleepy town is alive with tourists following the trail of the late Pope. They flock to the pale yellow baroque basilica of St Mary, where he was baptized. Outside flowers and candles are massed under a bronze bust brought from the town hall, and it is to remain until a statue of the late Pope replaces it. Today it seems as if the flower sellers have been cleaned out.

We traveled by bus to Wadowice; the hour-long journey was very pleasant and gave us a chance to observe the landscape. Ten minutes after leaving the center of Krakow the road began to wind through narrow wooded hillsides, and through tiny villages. Peppered along the route we noted fine wooden houses the overriding impression was of Alpine chalets, colorful duvets hung over most of the balconies and crisp white sheets fluttered on the wash lines.

The bus station in Wadowice is very small and a ten-minute slow walk to the center. After leaving the bus we turned to the left and walked along the path through the open green space. Surrounding that area are large blocks of apartments pretty grim looking buildings that have a communist era look to them. At the top, we crossed the road and climbed the steps, which led us to the side of St Mary’s Basilica and the town core. Although it was only 10am, a throng of tourists were already there along with busloads of schoolchildren.

The 15th century onion-domed Basilica is set in a small green square. A large picture of a younger John Paul his arms outstretched decorates the church entrance. Inside a mass was ongoing and the wide center nave filled with kneeling young people, all pews were filled. We went to the Chapel of the holy cross in the left nave. The chapel holds a miraculous picture of Our Lady Of Perpetual Help that was crowned by the late pope on June 16, 1999. The crown was made of gold coming from wedding rings, earrings, chains, etc., all presented by the people of Wadowice. The baptismal font where Karol Wyojta was baptized is also on the left nave, opposite end to the chapel. The 15th-century font is topped with a gold dome almost like the dome of St Peters, beneath the font was a huge bunch of red and white roses and a photograph of John Paul kneeling in prayer, taken on his last visit to Wadowice. The interior of the basilica is very beautiful, with cream and pale pink walls. Its style is Baroque, with several notable paintings.

After leaving the church, we visited the Town Museum next door. The exhibits are pretty sparse; we had just missed the Ground Zero exhibit, a tribute to its victims and to America. We wandered through spacious rooms filled mainly with photographs of the Pope many from private collections. Historic documents and photos relating to life in Wadowice and a pretty ceramic stove {c. 1930s} held our attention. Directly opposite the town museum is the apartment where John Paul was born and where he lived for the first eighteen years of his life. A humble home indeed. The small rooms are filled with mementos of John Paul, school records, Ski’s papal robes, and many personal items donated by the late pope. The building is much too small to accommodate the tourists, but it is worth a visit. Unfortunately, photography was forbidden inside the apartment.

The town records date back to 1325, noting a small community settled along the Skawa River. The core itself is centered around the church. A few shops and restaurants ring the small square but it is simply a small town of a famous son and its unique character is expressed in the words of a popular song.

"This place is extremely pretty
Here Karol Wojtyla was born.
This is a mountainous region
This is my town--Wadowice.
This is graceful singing of the Skawa.
This is my beloved house."

Pope John Paul II must have agreed--among the last words he spoke in public during an appearance in his Rome hospital window March 13th were "Hello, Wadowice."

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This pre-war Polish barracks in Oswiecem {German name is Auschwitz} was transformed into a death factory from 1940, until it was liberated by the Russians in 1945. The day was chilly and overcast when we boarded the bus from Krakow. The journey took two hours,…Read More

This pre-war Polish barracks in Oswiecem {German name is Auschwitz} was transformed into a death factory from 1940, until it was liberated by the Russians in 1945. The day was chilly and overcast when we boarded the bus from Krakow. The journey took two hours, and when we arrived, it was drizzling rain, which seemed fitting to us, as if nature itself was weeping for the souls murdered in this place. Brochures refer to this place as a museum, but it is a cemetery--it is a harrowing place, and nothing prepares you for the horror of the residue of lives lost there. We watched a fifteen-minute film on the liberation of the camp and then spent six hours visiting. We did not use a guide, preferring to follow the route set out in the guidebook.

Above the iron entrance gate is an ironic motto: Work gives Freedom. But this promise was definitely extended to very few of the prisoners gathered from all over Europe. Though the vast majority of victims were Jewish, according to studies, over a million and a half prisoners are said to have died in Auschwitz, ten percent of them Soviet prisoners of war, Polish political prisoners, and gypsies. Initially, the camp comprised 20 buildings; they were mainly ground-level, but from 1941-42, upper stories were added, and the prisoners were forced to build eight new blocks. The number of prisoners was between 13-16,000, reaching above 20,000 in 1942. They were crammed into accommodations designed for far less bodies.

One thing to keep in mind was the fact that for most of the Jewish inmates, the severe hardship they endured from the start of the war rendered them weak and sick; hiding out in attics and scurrying from place to place for over two years had already taken its toll.

A convoy of cattle trains and trucks would bring in the half-dead and dehydrated souls, and Nazi doctors decided their fate. Weak women, children, and old people were sent to "shower", and the men were sent to hard labor on meager rations. Prisoner’s possessions were confiscated upon arrival; some convoys were taken straight to the crematoria--no selection. It is difficult to describe what we saw, but I will mention a few of the exhibitions.

Inside the barracks, we saw triple rows of bunks not three feet high--just strips of wooden planks in which victims were herded, and not a stitch of covering. In block four, room five, we saw great heaps of women’s hair and, among it, neat plaits of young girls. Seven tons of hair were discovered in the camp warehouse after liberation. The hair was shipped to textile factories in Germany.

I note a young girl gazing through the glass; she is part of a school trip, and her hair is long and shining like a black walnut--I wonder what her thoughts are. In Block 6, there are mountains of shoes, artificial limbs, wire-rimmed glasses, baby clothes and articles for their care, and suitcases inscribed with the owner’s names. The exhibition is behind glass and is terrifying in its scope. All plundered personal effects were sorted, stored, and subsequently transported to Germany.

Block eleven was the death block. The prisoners were made to work, and then they had to stand packed tightly together in a bricked-up wall; eventually, they starved to death. We saw the cell of Father Maximillian Kolbe, who gave his life for another prisoner. John Paul II placed a candle inside this cell when he visited Auschwitz. In another cell, a Polish prisoner had scraped out a picture of Christ and his mother upon the wall.

Throughout the long corridors are hundreds of photographs of the prisoners. I look at them and note their names. There are dark and pale faces, plump or gaunt, humble and grim--some seemed to have a resigned look, while others were defiant, and I was astonished to find the camera had caught some of them smiling, but then I remembered that many of them believed they were going to be relocated into new Jewish settlements. Most appalling were photos of groups of naked ladies walking to their "shower"--but under the smirking eyes of the Nazi soldiers. They were not even allowed to die with dignity.

But what finally did me in was one photograph of a prisoner sporting a black eye. I felt an inner rage and felt compelled to seize some Holocaust denier, drag that person to the glass enclosures, and ask if the denials stand. I went out and took a deep breath at this point, looking out at the dismal sky, the bleak grounds full of milling tourists.

We paid our respects at the death wall where prisoners were shot, and then we took the shuttle bus to Birkenau, a distance of 3 kilometers. This camp was the most unsettling of the two because of its immense size and the fact that it was built mainly for extermination. It was the ultimate hellhole. In comparison, Birkenau Auschwitz was a resort. The brick barracks were built without foundations, and the three-tiered berths spread with rotting straw held 10 persons for sleeping. There were many wooden buildings that once served as stables but were used to hold up to 1,000 prisoners. There were over 300 barracks and four huge gas chambers. Each chamber accommodated over 2,000 bodies; electric lifts were used to raise the bodies to the ovens. Toward the end of the war, retreating Nazis bulldozed the chambers and some of the barracks. Between the ruins stands the international monument to the victims.

How could men bestow such brutal cruelties and not go insane? Everyone should see these camps. The visit will hurt and disturb but will never be forgotten. My most fervent desire is that such genocide and crimes of hate will never again be repeated anywhere on this earth.

Getting there: 10 Zloty each way per person. Return is 7 Zloty per person. We took the 8am bus there and returned on the 4pm bus.

The museum is open every day except Jan 1st/December 25th and Easter Sunday.
8am-3pm from 15th December to 28/29th February
8am-4pm-from 1 March to 30th March and from 1 November to 15th December
8am-5pm-from 1 April to 30th April and from 1 October to 31 October
8am-6pm-from 1 May to 31 May and from 1 September to 30th September
8am-7pm-from 1 June to 31 August

Telephone: {0048-33} 843 20 22

Shuttle to Birkenau is free

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Founded in 1335, Kazimierz was an independent town with its own culture and atmosphere, places of worship, town hall, and market. In those days, the Christian quarter in the western section was separated by a wall, and in 1820, the wall was demolished, and on…Read More

Founded in 1335, Kazimierz was an independent town with its own culture and atmosphere, places of worship, town hall, and market. In those days, the Christian quarter in the western section was separated by a wall, and in 1820, the wall was demolished, and on the whole, the two religions coexisted peacefully. Until WWII, Kazimierz was home to one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe; today, due to the slaughter in the death camps, there are less than 500. It is located on the southern edge of Krakow, just a ten-minute walk from the Rynek. Almost by accident, we found ourselves wandering this ancient ghetto on our first night in the city.

Thanks partly to the change in the political system in the late '80s and help from the Jewish communities, this area is undergoing a revival. Steven Spielberg’s movie Schindler's List was filmed in and around this district and has also played a huge part in putting this area on the tourist list. Smart cafes, restaurants, and hotels have sprouted up. At night, it is alive with people enticed into its innumerable candlelit pubs, restaurants, and coffee shops.

Tours of the district are offered throughout Krakow, but it is a tour you can easily do yourself. We used the Krakow in your Pocket guide and followed the route and map, but as previously mentioned, on our first evening in Krakow we found ourselves in the district and just wandered around, taking in the cafes and vibrancy of its nightlife. It was magical--almost every window held a flickering candle, giving an air of welcome and warmth to the old stone buildings.

We returned a few days later to explore more fully. In the daytime, there remains an atmosphere of sadness about its narrow alleyways, dilapidated buildings, peeling facades with wooden shutters, and an eerie silence prevails, as if the old buildings retain the sadness of the souls who once occupied them. I pictured how it must have thrived, peopled by men in long black coats and round velour hats, going about their business, and boys and youths wearing ceremonial curls beside their cheeks. The synagogue on a Saturday morning would have been packed: the women in the gallery and men below swathed in striped prayer shawls swaying in a fervor of religious ecstasy--and after perusing photographs in the old synagogue, I wonder, did Rembrandt find his models here?

Ulica Szeroka is the heart of the old district; its square was once the hub of Jewish life, and presently, charming cafes, hotels, and restaurants ring it. On the south side of the square, you will find the old synagogue, now a museum, and at the opposite end, the Remuh synagogue. Built in 1553, this is the only synagogue out of the remaining seven that is still in use. You can stroll through its cemetery, which was in use until 1800; it was badly damaged and vandalized by the Nazis; however, a huge wailing wall has been erected from the tombstones. We were not able to visit the synagogue or cemetery on this trip because of Passover the Jewish holy days. Directly facing the Remuh is a small park that once housed an ancient cemetery; it now holds a plaque commemorating those who lost their lives in the Ghetto. The park was shown briefly in the movie Schindler's List; in fact, the scene of the Jews leaving their homes after being ordered to Podorgorze was filmed in and around this square.

Steven Spielberg depicted Kazimierz as the Bohatorow Ghetto over the river in the nearby Podorgorze district; but he filmed most of his shots in this area because its architecture is mostly unchanged since the 1940s whereas Podorgorze is surrounded with modern buildings, however he did build the sets for the work camp in Podogorze. Nearby Jozefa Street and Meisela is where the scene under the stairwell took place when Mrs. Dresner hid there.

We had lunch in the Klezmer Hois. In the 16th century, it was the ritual bathhouse, and today it is a lovely hotel/restaurant in the heart of the district. The original pre-war décor makes one feel as if you are in a comfy home, with 19th-century rugs and paintings and in the hallway and photos of Jewish life. Each night, there are concerts presenting Klezmer {traditional Jewish} and Gypsy music. Jewish cuisine is the menu draw here. We wandered in one evening, and even though we didn’t get to dine, we sat in the hallway and sipped on a glass of wine and listened to a lovely concert.

We did have lunch there--our choices consisted of Sabbath soup, eggplant salad, breads, and a wonderful egg salad starter, but the big hit for my sweet tooth was the chocolate cake. Do try this place, but you need reservation for the evening meal.

There are many dining choices in this district, but we are sorry we missed the evening meal at the Klezmer Hois. Our travel agent told us that was the restaurant Steven Spielberg frequented when he was filming Schindler's List.

Kazimierz is still undergoing renewal; everywhere there is a frenzy of re- building, with new businesses opening monthly. Fortunately, the charm of the old buildings remains, and those facades that have been revitalized are tasteful. This district is another jewel in Krakow’s crown.

Tourist Information Office: Ul Jozefa. Phone: 4 320 11 0
Open 10am-4pm daily; closed Saturday
Jarden Bookstore: Ul Szeroka 2. Telephone: 4291374
Arranges Schindler's tours and trips to Auschwitz/Birkenau. Open 10am-6pm.

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The most moving reminder of the Jewish legacy of the Podorgoz Ghetto is written on a plaque outside The Pharmacy Of The Eagles. It reads, "Plac Zgody served as the site of mass murder of Krakow Jews in the years 1941-43. It was from…Read More

The most moving reminder of the Jewish legacy of the Podorgoz Ghetto is written on a plaque outside The Pharmacy Of The Eagles. It reads,
"Plac Zgody served as the site of mass murder of Krakow Jews in the years 1941-43. It was from here that Jews were transported to concentration camps. From the first days of the Nazi occupation, German authorities continued to restrict the rights of Jews commanding them in 1940 to leave the city of Krakow within 4 months. The 17.000 of those who remained were forced into the Ghetto formed in March 1941 in a part of the district of Podogorze. From the 1st-8th June and on the 28th October 1942 mass displacement of inhabitants of the Ghetto to the death camp in Beltec continued and the area of the Ghetto was reduced and divided into two sections. Those in employment lived in Section "A", while section "B" was inhabited by the unemployed. On 13th March 1943 the Nazi’s liquidated the Ghetto: Inhabitants of section "A" were marched to the labor camp in Plaszow, and people living in section "B", mostly women, children, elderly and the ill were murdered or transported to Auschwitz/ Birkenau concentration camps."

Twenty thousand people were herded into a cluster of no more than 300 buildings. All the people in section "A" worked for Oscar Schindler. Today the square is ringed with modern apartments {the reason Steven Spielberg filmed in Kamiriez}.

A small section of the Ghetto wall remains on Ul Lwowska. If you head up the path on the corner of Ul Limanowskiego and Rekawka, you will see a narrow, overgrown path. If you follow it, you will reach the ruins of the Austro-Hungarian fort where Oscar Schindler rode his horse and looked down on the Ghetto. The Schindler factory is located on Lipowa 4; it is now an electronic works, and a notice over the gate indicates its heritage. I read recently in our local paper that the factory is to be turned into an art museum. It is to house modern works of art and a permanent exhibition dedicated to Oscar Schindler. There are only eerie ruins of the Plaszow concentration camp, as the Nazi’s retreated they destroyed it. There are a number of monuments commemorating those who died and a large one at the top of he hill. The camp area is mostly parkland, and Amon Goethe’s Villa is privately owned. We didn’t have time to fully explore the Plaszow area as it poured rain, and we were walking {I couldn’t use my camera}, but believe me--it was eerie, and again, the rain was fitting.

The Pharmacy's owner, Tadeuz Pankiewiewicz, was the only non-Jew allowed to live in the Ghetto. He provided medical aid and even hair dye to disguise age, thus save lives; he also hid Jews. The museum is filled with photographs, old medicine vials, and furniture and portrays photos of life {some graphic} in the Ghetto. After the war, he received a Righteous Among The Nations citation from Israel for his aid.

Opening times of Pharmacy Under The Eagles: Monday-Friday 10am-4pm; Saturday 10am-2pm; closed Sunday. Admission 2 Zlty.

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