Krakow Cornucopia

We fell in love with this magical city. There is so much to do and see; the glories of Wawel Castle and Cathedral, Collegium Maius, superb museums, churches, restaurants, and delightful walks along Planty Park. Krakow was the nation's capital for 500 years. Its kings and saints are buried in its majestic cathedral, and despite Warsaw being its capital, it's beloved heroes continue to be placed there. The castle and cathedral stand shoulder to shoulder atop Wawel hill, their buttressed walls almost touching and therein beats the soul of this city.

Its medieval market square is immense, filled with life and delightful patios. If the weather is fine, street entertainers are abound, filling up the square with music and fun. Taking center stage is the Sukiennice hall (cloth hall), originally constructed in the 14th century, and rebuilt later in a Renaissance style. The building remains a thriving commercial enterprise, packed with stalls selling amber and a host of other souvenirs.

St Mary’s Church, located on the corner of the square, has a wooden, Gothic-altar famous throughout the land; the trumpet call from its church has sounded for hundreds of years. A few more of Krakow’s attractions are: The Barbican, Florianska gate, Kazimierz district, and its friendly Polish citizens.

Quick Tips:

Safety • We wandered around night and day, often walking back late at night along the river's edge. We never felt threatened, but we didn’t carry a camera or wear jewelry (at night).

Public Toilets • If you think that Krakow’s dragon was slain, try getting past the ladies who man the toilets! Expect to pay 1 to 1.50 zloty, and don’t wait for change—they never seem to have any. That said, the facilities are clean.

Money • ATMs are your best bet, and are easy to locate. The foreign exchange (Kantor) are reluctant to change travelers checks, although we found one who would on Florianska, and at the bank we spent an hour changing four -checks, as each check required individual paperwork and deep scrutiny by a supervisor. There is an ATM on the arrivals level at the airport.

Wawel castle’s entry tickets are limited, so arrive early or book ahead. The tourist office in the Rynek was helpful with bus and train schedules. They also sell the "Krakow in your Pocket City Guide," which is very helpful, and the Krakow Tourist card.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to see the sights of Krakow is on foot, as all its major attractions are within walking distance from the Rynek Glowny. On this vacation, we relied totally on public transportation, which was easy and efficient. The Krakow card is offered and available at tourist offices and hotels. The advantages include; unlimited transport on trams and local buses, entry to over 30 museums, and discounts at shops and restaurants. A two-day pass costs 45zloty, and a three-day pass is 65zolty. Single trips on a bus or tram cost 3zolty; you need to validate the ticket at the machine on board, and they can be purchased in kiosks selling newspapers, and from drivers (50 grossy extra). Bulky luggage requires an adult ticket.

Taxis are cheaper if you book by phone. We paid 50 zloty from the airport-using Barbican.

The bus is the best option to Auschwitz and Zakopane, and the train is the best to Czestochowa.

Rent a bike at Sw Any 4 Wypozycalinia Rowerow (Off Rynek).

Florianska Street, just off the Rynek, is Krakow’s busiest street. It houses a myriad of cafes, pubs, upscale shops, and a McDonald's. It is a touristy, pedestrian street, but at one time, it was the center of commerce and home to upscale citizens. Jan Matjeko, Poland’s famous painter, once lived here. His house is now a museum; we passed it frequently and never did find time to visit, but I am sure that was our loss.

At the end of the street is the Florian Gate, part of the old-city fortifications. I was surprised that McDonald's was allowed so close to it. Monarchs once entered the city through this gate on the Royal Routs. Perhaps, these days a king would want to stop and grab a Big Mac.

On the left side of the street there is a charming cafe/pub, although I would not classify it as a pub, as it is more like a cozy restaurant. To enter, head under the small arcade on Florianska, and down the cellar steps to the left. They do have a summer patio, but it was closed in April.

The interior of this spectacular cellar is inviting and friendly. The vaulted red-brick rooms reminded me of the Cava’s of Paris. The decor harks back to the era of Kaiser Franz Josef. Gleaming wood work and brass glint and shine, and a charming brass chandelier hangs in the middle of the room, giving it an air of quiet elegance. The tables each sport a flickering candle and fresh flowers.

We ate here several times. It was comfortable, after a day of sightseeing. The staff came to know us, and we looked forward to sharing our day with them. They, in turn, were anxious that we enjoy the town and provided helpful information. We also enjoyed our conversations covering Polish culture, and the impact tourism has had upon it.

The menu is varied, with a good selection of local dishes: beef, chicken, steak, sausage, and fabulous soups. Our main course usually consisted of pierogies, crepes, dumplings, and pancakes; all with tasty fillings, such as cheese, sour cream, mushrooms, potatoes, and vegetables. We always had a starter of roasted almonds (hot, salty, and so good). Fresh vegetables and salads completed the meals, as did sometimes-chunky bread. For dessert, we enjoyed apple strudel, Pope’s cream cake, chocolate cake, or ice cream served with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

We both took a liking to the vodka (I never drink it at home), but I enjoyed one flavored with honey (Krupnik). It tastes like Drambuie. Neil enjoyed the Zubrowka (Bison). All in all, we enjoyed our visits to this friendly place. Our bills averaged around $40 for two, not including tips, and its clientele was of mixed ages, from the mid-20s to over 70. Do try this place when you get the chance.

One of the highlights of our trip to this city was the visit to this historic building. King Casmir founded the Jagiellonian University, one of the oldest in Europe, around 1364. The oldest preserved building is the Colleguim Maius. Its beautiful Gothic architecture, and 15th century quadrangle and cloisters, is like stepping back into another world.
We booked ahead for the English tour of its main exhibits, scientific, and fine arts collection. We wandered through former-professors quarters, beautifully furnished in the historical period; a library; a common room with a baroque spiral staircase; and the Aula, an impressive assembly hall filled with portraits of kings and other benefactors. Its original Renaissance ceiling and beautiful wooden seating is a “must-see.” It was in this room that Pope John Paul II was given an honorary doctorate.

Especially interesting was a set of cryogenic instruments, and astronomical pieces thought to have been used by Copernicus. The Copernicus room was fascinating, with its telescopes, sextants, and the golden Jagiellion globe showing America for the first time with the inscription "America noviter reperta." We also viewed an amazing collection of 15th- to 16th-century clocks, laboratory equipment, and many beautiful globes. Gothic scepters of rectors from the 15th century, an Arab astrolab, and scientific instruments were also among the impressive artifacts.

In the library, we saw Pope John Paul’s class register; but throughout the tour, and easily overlooked, are some quirky mementos that belonged to, or were touched by, distinguished visitors. Chopin’s sweet tin, autographed 1829, is a round tin covered with shiny paper that Chopin used for keeping chocolates in, plus a plaster cast of his hand (small and fine boned). There was a bar of dark chocolate decorated with the initials of Stanislaw August Poniatowski, the last Polish king, and a plastic ball pen borrowed from one of the museum employees by Pope John Paul II to sign the visitor’s book in 1983.

The museum tour takes over an hour, and goes around the complete circumference of the building that surrounds the courtyard. The courtyard itself is a peaceful place to sit and wait for the tour. We waited for ours while sipping the richest hot chocolate I have ever had. A couple of small tables and chairs were set out just under the cloister. In the basement, a student cafe is set up with small displays relating to the university's history. A notable clock, that chimes every hour with a procession of mechanical knights and horseman touting away, added greatly to the atmosphere drumbeats and all. We found our visit to the Collegium Maius truly memorable, and I highly recommend that you pay a visit. Photos were permitted in the first two rooms only. The tour runs Weekdays starting at 1pm, and admission 16 zloty.

Open Weekdays from 10am to 3pm, and Saturday 10am to 2pm. Closed Sunday.

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 Saint 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 10-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 18 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."