Krakow

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Krakow; known for Pope John Paul II, Copernicus and Chopin, Ancient capital of Poland, Medieval trading, close to Auschwitz and salt mines.



Long, long 13 hours by 4 trains from Hradec Kralove to Krakow. First impression of Krakow weren’t great, but then it was 9pm and we were very tired. Busy main pedestrian street, full of people eating kebabs (numerous kebab shops), lots of young women trying to get you to go to nightclubs. Stayed right by the main square (which is absolutely massive), hostel fine and quiet except on the hour when the church bell rings and the fireman plays his bugle (fortunately this stopped between 11pm and 5am). The square was packed even in the evening. We also had a kebab for dinner.



Worth getting up early to enjoy the light in the square and at the castle and before the square becomes filled with cafes, flower sellers, horse and carts and thousands of tourists. The Church of St Mary on the main square has an amazing alter piece venerating Mary. Best visit of the day was the underground museum, also on the square. It’s fairly new and is an excellent place giving a detailed history of Krakow, it’s mercantile past from the 1200s onwards. Lots of very good visuals and plenty of information in English with ancient ruins of the central part of the square. Visited the courtyard of the ancient university from the 1400s where Copernicus studied and wandered over to the Jewish quarter and visited the old Remuh cemetery there with graves again dating back to the 1551.



The Wawel Royal Castle is beautiful, well restored after being badly damaged by the Austrian army in the 1700s. The State Rooms (one of the optional entrance fees) are worth visiting with rooms with beautiful larch ceilings, furniture from the 1600s and wonderful tapestries. Inside the castle is the cathedral, very ornate, initially consecrated in the 1300s, there are the remains of two saints there, St Stanislaus and St Jadigwa (Hedwig) and. A chapel to John Paul II and a plaque for Chopin (he’s buried in Paris). There are also tombs of old Kings and Queens of Poland.

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