Artistic treasures and sacred art

1. Stroll around Rynek Glowny, Europe's largest medieval square and admire the diverse architectural styles of the buildings that surround it. Peep inside the Cloth Hall and explore the best assortment of souvenirs and handicrafts that Krakow offers. On the hour, listen to the five-note melody played by the trumpet blower from the watchtower of St.Mary's Church.

2. Colossal and majestic, St.Mary's Church contains the finest Gothic works of art in Poland. The high altar and the gilded five-panelled altarpiece by Veit Stoss are masterpieces of medieval art.

3. Walk south along ul Grodzka and visit the Dominican church on ul Dominikanska and the nearby Franciscan church on ul Franciskanska. Continue straight until you reach the Church of St.Peter and St.Paul whose front parapet is adorned with the figures of the apostles. Next to it, the small Chapel of St.Andrew also merits a visit for its intricate Baroque interior. Continue along ul Kanonicza until you reach the foot of Wawel Hill.

4. Climb Wawel Hill towards Wawel's royal cathedral and Wawel castle. Everything here is an extraordinary artistic achievement. However, whatever your interests, don't miss the Sigismund Chapel and the Shrine of St.Stanislaus, both artistic treasures of unparalleled beauty.

Quick Tips:

1. Hotels in Krakow's centre are expensive and it's hard to find accommodation in the tourist season. Try to arrive early so that you'll have time to trace out a room.

2. The KART Tourist Information Office is opposite the train station at ul Pavia 8. At least one member of the staff in the office speaks English. There are other private information offices scattered around. Orbis at Rynek Glowny 41 operates tours in Krakow and beyond. Almatur at Grodzka 2 provides sightseeing excursions in the countryside, hiking trips and horse-riding tours.

3. Krakow's unique delicatessen is the obwarzanki, sold by street vendors along ul Florianska, Rynek Glowny, ul Grodzka and other tourist-frequented areas. Selling cheap for less than 1 zloty, each consists of nothing more than a crispy bread ring powdered with poppy seeds. Their taste is unique and delicious, particularly when they are washed down with cold Tyskie or Zwiec, both first quality local beers.

4. Take the usual precautions if you have to use Krakow's Glowny train station at night. The station has lately become a favourite playground for thieves and pickpockets.

5. Exchange offices known as kantors are numerous both along ul Florianska and ul Grodzka.

Best Way To Get Around:

1. Krakow's Old Town is mostly pedestrianised and the only way to go around is on foot. The easiest way to roam about the Old Town's streets is to start from the northernmost end of ul Florianska and then walk south towards Rynek Glowny. From here, more than a dozen streets spread out towards scores of historical monuments, churches and museums. Ul Grodzka that leads straight from Rynek Glowny to the foot of Wawel Hill has a unique stately atmosphere that is best savoured early in the morning before tourists besiege everywhere.

2. The bus and train stations are near each other. To go to Warsaw, 300kms due north, the best way is to take an Intercity train that covers the distance in about two and a half hours. Distances less than 100kms away are better covered by bus. To Auschwitz, there are 9 buses a day while to Zakopane, buses leave on the hour.

3. The Wieliczka salt mine, 15kms southeast of Krakow and a major attraction that shouldn't be missed, can be reached easily by minibus from Krakow's bus station. The frequent minibus service operates all day long. Look for the sign 'Wieliczka' displayed on the windscreen.

Conveniently located a stone's throw away from Krakow's train and bus stations, Hotel Europejski is probably the best affordable hotel in the area. Renovated and redecorated five years ago to meet the needs of tourists from the west, it is one of Poland's huge communist-style places of accomodation. Its twin sister in Warsaw on ul Krakowskie Przedmiescie is very similar both with regards to interior decoration and room facilities.

Time has taken its toll on Krakow's grandest and oldest hotel. Though meticulously restored, this once elegant building is now a mere shadow of its former glory. Nevertheless, no other three-star hotel in Krakow offers so much at a price that is within the reach of many.

From the outside, the Europejski looks like a huge characterless block of apartments with unending rows of symmetrical windows. Step inside however and you'll be pleasantly surprised. The fully refitted reception area retains the spanking feel of days past. It has lately been redecorated with elegant red thick-pile carpets, rose-tinted wallpaper, intricately carved gypsum mouldings, fine furnishings and leather sofas. Speaking perfect English, the receptionists on duty lacked the traditional Polish hospitality for which Krakow's Europejski was formerly renowned. Hospitality issues aside, however, we were promptly shown the way to the elevator after being assigned to a double room on the second floor.

Our room, though small, was perfectly functional, and the high ceilings created an illusion of space. Unlike the reception area that was clearly a manifestation of luxury, our room was very basic and low on frills. Though clean, it lacked the comfort of a sofa or the pleasure of air-conditioning. However, the sparkling bathroom was in pristine condition boasting such luxuries as shower soap, body lotion, hairdryer, shampoo sachets and daily clean towels.

An extravagant breakfast buffet served inside the hotel's luxurious restaurant on the ground floor is Europejski's most valuable asset. A huge display of plenty of good food whose quality appears to have been lately revamped is as inspiring as the wide range of freshly-squeezed juices. Take your share from the lavish choice of exotic fresh fruit, fruit salads and cereals. The delicious looking pastries and cakes are simply irresistible.

An attractive breakfast, a clean room, and a luxurious reception area are not enough, however, to make Hotel Europejski Krakow's number one choice. Europejski's biggest drawback is unquestionably the terrific train noise that makes sleeping here impossible unless all windows are kept closed. Rooms overlooking ul Radziwillowska are the worst hit since the busy train tracks pass close by before finishing off at Krakow's main train station. To keep up with European standards and the traditional significance of its name, Hotel Europejski needs urgently soundproofing and airconditioning in all rooms.

Pizzerias have taken Poland by storm, cropping up everywhere particularly along tourist-frequented areas. It's no surprise then that more than a dozen pizzerias have suddenly opened in Krakow's Old Town. Pizza Hut serves the usual deep pan pizza, an uninspiring thick layer of dough containing a savoury cheese mixture and a lot of tomato sauce. Better than this is the pizza served at Pizzeria Grace. With three branches at ul Sw.Anny 7, ul Sw.Jana 1 and ul Sienna 17, this is an Italian-style pizzeria that merits a prize for tasty food, excellent service and cheap prices.

Better by all standards than Pizzeria Grace is Pizzeria Cyclops, a veritable restaurant that has lately become a symbol of Krakow's best Italian cuisine. Hidden inside a medieval building on ul Mikolajska only a couple of minutes away from Rynek Glowny and St.Mary's Church, Pizzeria Cyclops serves delicious pizza, savoury pasta and risotto dishes and a wide range of mouth-watering soups. The owners have never bothered to put a sign outside to indicate the restaurant's precise location. There's actually no need to do this since the premises is always full up with locals and tourists. It's not unusual to turn up and find that there's no room for you.

The street door leads into a medium-sized anteroom that Pizzeria Cyclops shares with Jadlodania U Stasi. Managed by the same owners, these two side-by-side restaurants are ideal for those who are after huge dishes of tasty food at cheap prices. Unlike Pizzeria Cyclops, Jadlodania U Stasi does not offer Italian food; the menu here consists of typical Polish dishes whose main ingredient is usually a fatty meat product. Popular with locals, Jadlodania U Stasi opens only on weekdays at 12:30pm and closes as soon as the prepared dishes run out, sometimes as early as 4pm. If you want to taste the best Polish food Krakow presents, come here and choose a dish of pierogi from the wide variety on offer.

Lovers of Italian food will find the rich variety of Italian dishes at Pizzeria Cyclops as tasteful and inspiring as the excellent atmosphere inside. Accompanied by recorded Italian music, a dinner at Pizzeria Cyclops is always a manifestation of plenty of good food served in an atmosphere of festivity and amusement. Cooked inside a wood burning brick oven in full view of the customers, all dishes are equally delicious. My wife's exquisite dish of cannelloni stuffed with spinach and topped with fuming Parmesan cheese was well-presented and rightly-sauced.

However, it is where pizza is concerned that Pizzeria Cyclops excels. Prepared by a native Italian pizzaiolo, the pizza served at Pizzeria Cyclops is the best I've ever tasted anywhere north of the Alps. Opting for a large pepperoni pizza, I didn't expect to find such a huge dish of divine food. Though oversized and over-stuffed with delicious ingredients, I couldn't resist eating it all. A bottle of red Chardonnay from Trento completed the evening.

Pizzeria Cyclops opens daily from 12:30pm to 10pm.

The best way to reach Wawel Hill from Rynek Glowny is on foot. From Krakow's huge square, walk south along ul Grodzka for about 400 metres until you reach the Church of St.Peter and St.Paul, its front courtyard adorned with the colonnaded statues of the twelve apostles. Once here, take a sharp turn right, then turn left again and walk further south along ul Kanonicza that leads directly to the foot of Wawel Hill. From here, a lane takes you up a rather steep hill past the equestrian statue of the Polish hero Tadeusz Kosciuszko and leads you to a large central square. This majestic place ringed with an abundance of stately buildings still retains an air of history, symbolism and magic.

The most splendid building here is unquestionably the cathedral, its present form completed in 1364. Its beautiful external architecture enhanced by Renaissance chapels that were constructed around the main building is as outstanding as its amazing interior. Once inside, the first attraction that catches the eyes of visitors is the silver coffin of St.Stanislaus, patron saint of Poland and former bishop of Krakow. Standing right in the middle of the church and adorned with ornate bas-reliefs in silver, it is one of the most beautiful artistic works anywhere in Poland. The coffin is further enclosed within an ornamental canopy that makes it even more beautiful.

More than a score of chapels enhance the beauty of the side naves but the most splendid is unquestionably the Sigismund Chapel, its dome gilded on the outside makes it easily recognizable. This artistic showpiece is a Renaissance gem of unique beauty; you'll never find anything of this sort elsewhere. On the southwest corner of the cathedral, the Holy Cross Chapel, enriched with Byzantine frescoes and artistic works by the master craftsman of Nurnberg Veit Stoss is another extraordinary artistic achievement.

The inside of the cathedral is a permanent exhibition of marble tombstones and burial vaults where the remains of Polish kings have been preserved for centuries. If these are not enough however and you want to see more, go down to the Royal Crypt where more kings and Polish heroes are laid to rest. From the cathedral's sacristy, climb the steps to the Sigismund Tower to see the 11 ton Wawel bell, the largest bell in the country.

A second building constructed in splendid Renaissance style is Wawel castle, its present structure dating back to the mid-16th century. Neglected and partly destroyed several times by the Prussians and the Austrians, the castle was restored after World War I. The restoration works that took several years to complete were a huge success since the castle's original form and grandeur were meticulously preserved.

Today, the castle is used to house a multi-section museum. The most impressive section contains the Royal Chambers, restored to their original Baroque style and adorned with artistic furnishings and 136 splendid tapestries. Other highlights inside the castle that you shouldn't miss are the embroidered 17th-century Turkish tents, the collection of artistic Chinese porcelain, the huge display of Persian carpets and the exhibition of Oriental Art. The Armoury on the ground floor houses a collection of original weapons dating back to the 16th century and another collection of colourful banners reproduced from those recovered from the battle of Grunwald in 1410.

Walk west along the whole stretch of Wawel's central square until you reach the west corner of Wawel Hill. From here, the view of the mighty Vistula below stretching around the Jewish district of Kazimierz is excellent. Take a look far away on the horizon at the Kosciuszko Mound, an artificial hill constructed in 1820 to pay tribute to Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a Polish defender of liberty and independence.

From here, you can climb down a flight of steps that leads you towards the Dragon's Cave. Enter the cave and walk through its interior until you exit right on the bank of the Vistula. The huge bronze statue of Wawel's legendary dragon is nearby.

The history of Krakow dates back to the early 11th century when wooden structures began to appear here and there amidst the forested countryside. Most of these were confined to the area around Wawel Hill. The cathedral itself and the castle (not the structures you see today which were rebuilt much later) were also constructed during this epoch of history. In the mid-13th century however, the Mongols, formerly known as Tatars, attacked the city, burnt down all the existing buildings and devastated the entire area. A couple of decades later, a new town was designed and construction work in stone started immediately, adopting the Gothic architectural style that was prevalent throughout Europe at that time.

The city expanded rapidly. The population increased so quickly that more buildings had to be constructed to accommodate the ever-increasing number of merchants and tradesmen who came here from other parts of Poland. Palaces, churches, more residential buildings and the second largest university of Central Europe were built during this period of time. Consequently, Krakow experienced an economic boom and a cultural revolution, a transformation from a village of farmers and herdsmen to a city of art and science. Great works of art and numerous scientific discoveries came into view for the first time during this epoch of history.

However in 1596, after political pressure from the Polish parliament, King Zygmunt III Wasa moved the capital from Krakow to Warsaw. This political maneouvre resulted in Krakow getting a hard blow, both economically and culturally. To make matters worse, in the mid-17th century, the Swedes attacked Poland and Krakow was heavily damaged, many buildings were destroyed and works of art were stolen. The 18th century was even worse. Krakow was attacked and invaded several times uprooting in the process the prosperity and the cultural revolution the city once enjoyed.

During the third Partition of Poland in 1795 when the country was eradicated from the map of Europe, Krakow was assigned to Austria and it was now Austria's turn to rule the city. For a second time since its existence, Krakow began experiencing again a cultural revival. Artists started giving birth again to great works of art and scientists made new discoveries. So, intellectual life flourished. After Poland's independence in 1918, Krakow was changed into a historical and cultural centre where Polish intellectuals from all corners of the country found the right place to develop their artistic or scientific talents.

World War II broke out on 1st September 1939 with a massive invasion of Poland, the north part of the country being the most easily accessible from Germany through the Baltic sea. Luckily enough however, Krakow in the south was not bombed or devastated like most other Polish cities. Although 70 thousand Jews were expelled from the city, probably to concentration camps or gas chambers, the city itself didn't suffer major structural damages, although great works of art were stolen by the invading Germans.

After the war, as soon as Poland was assigned to the Soviet communists at the Yalta conference, the communist government started building large housing estates to accommodate the working classes. Consisting mostly of similar side-by-side concrete blocks, these were ugly, monotonous and out of place in a city that contains within its walls the best artistic expositions Poland offers. Factories, mostly manufacturing heavy machinery were constructed not far away from Krakow's historic centre. This development ruined the environment and produced much undesired pollution, consequently eroding the beautiful stonework or brickwork of the medieval buildings and churches that stand to witness Krakow's glorious past. However, since the establishment of a democratic government after the end of Soviet communism, much restoration work has been done. Krakow is again making giant steps forward to confirm itself as a city of culture and history.

Come here, walk along the city's medieval streets, enjoy the majestic opulence of the stately palaces and imposing churches and savour Krakow's magnificent past.