What to do in krakow for the weekend, or a couple of days.
Ellemay
world traveller.
2 May 2006
based on 21 votes
This city is full of history and most incredible architecture, you will have a hard time trying to fit everything in.
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Explore locations featured in this Traveler List:
Krakow, Oswiecim
- Category: Best of
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Traveler type: Culture, Sightseeing, Shopping
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Appeals to: Business travellers , Couples/romantics, Singles, Seniors, Students, Active/adventure, Tourists
- Seasons: Spring, Summer
- Tags:
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The city has great history and is the fourth largest city in Poland. It is situated on the banks of the Vistula River, and has one of the best-preserved medieval city centers in Europe, with dozen of churches covering almost every architectural period surrounded by montasteries and abbeys. So if you are a history or museum nut...then this city would offers all. |
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Ave price:
$214
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The Hotel Roza is situated in Florianska Street, a beautiful old building in the heart of the city and minutes from the main market square. The history of the hotel goes back to the 14th century and visited by many famous people over the years such as Alexander 1 and Franz Listz.
The best thing about this Hotel is its position. Within walking distance to Wawel Castle, shops and the Cloth Hall in the Main Square.
Our room was spacious and elegantly designed, the only minus was it only had a bath no shower which made it difficult to bathe. (My partner is 6ft 4 but I didn't have a problem being a shortie!)
Points of interests whilst in Krakow.
Auschwitz and Birkenau camps.
Jewish Town - Schindlers List Factory.
1. The salt mines about 40 minutes drive in the town called Wieliczka. A fabulous experience.
2. The Jazz Club across the road from the hotel - excellent music for Jazz lovers.
3. Kanonicza Street - where small arcaded Renaissance courtyards are still |
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3. Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
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This is one tour I will never ever forget. This is a real MUST DO if visiting Krakow.
The Nazis established Auschwitz in 1940 in the suburb of the city of Oswiecim. The name was later changed to Auschwitz which became the name of the concentration camp. Here are my details from my journal .
" Every block was appalling, one block had it's entire space filled with human hair, and another had millions of suitcases others with glasses and artificial limbs.
The most dreadful experience was the echos of the children's block were they experimented with children. One could literally feel the terror and fear in the room.
The tour only got worse, we were led from the blocks into the gas chambers and torture rooms. It was so eerie, so quite, one could feel the utter loneliness speaking through the cold walls and corridors. It felt like a place filled with blackness, empty yet full. The feeling saturated the walls, floors, doors and every little piece of space.
After the gas chambers we were led to the furnaces, were the dead corpses would then be cremated. The railway with its carriages still stands next to the furnace, the rails leading from Auschwitz into Birkenau..." which is another horror story. |
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4. Royal Wawel Castle (Zamek Krolewski)
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| This castle is full of history which dates back to the 11th century.The most loveliest is the three story Renaissance arcade courtyard.You can spend hours strolling through the castle and the grounds. |
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5. Main Market Square (Rynek Glowny)
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| The main market square is one of largest medieval market squares in Europe.The market square has been the focal point of the city's public, religious, and econimic life for centuries. It's a perfect place to sit and watch the activities of the locals. It is a lively, entertaining and busy square with a fabulous atmosphere. |
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6. Jewish District (Kazimierz)
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| The Jewish Town is very interesting and I suggest you take a tour here as the history is fabulous. Here you will find the factory where Schindlers List was filmed.You can spend hours strolling through this area, but make sure you take in lunch for a real Jewish experience. |
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| The Old Synagogue is in Szeroka Street and dates back to the 15th century. It was destroyed by the Nazis during WW11 but later restored and renovated. It contains objects and articles related to Jewish ceremonies and their history. |
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8. Cloth Hall (Sukiennice)
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| The Cloth Hall is located in the middle of the Market Square, and is absolutely stunning architecture that dates back to the 14th century.The Hall still plays a role as a trading center with lively market stalls and pavement cafes inside and out. |
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Krakow Bike Tours operate a tour which takes in the Old Town, the Main Market Square, Czartoryski Museum, St. Mary's church, Oscar Schindler's factory , The Jewish Factory , and the Old part of the Jewish Town.
Facts :
The Bike tour is open in the summer months. The tour is spoken in English. The tour takes approx 4 hours and is revelantly easy to cycle. The tours start at 1pm everyday from the end of Kanonicza Street just opposite the main entrance to the castle. For more details check their website.
http://krakowbiketour.com |
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10. The Royal Route Walk tour.
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The most popular tourist walk in Krakow is following the Royal Route walk. The route leads you through the most interesting parts of the Old Town showing the route which the Polish Royalty would use when traveling to the Wawel Castle. The walk includes visiting all the major attractions of krakow like the beautiful Floriaska street, Kanonicza street, Krakow's largest church basilica of the Virgin Mary, Cloth Hall, the Wawel Royal Castle , and the Wawel Cathedral. |
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There are some excellent restaurants in Krakow. Here are a few suggestions for you to try.
Cul-de-Sac in Old Town http://www.cil-de-sac-pl
Il Calzone - Italian www.ilcalzone.pl
A San Sebastian in Kazimierz district
Sukiennice Restaurant in the landmark Cloth Hall.
Weirzynek Restaurant in the Main Square www.weirzynek.com.pl
BARS:
Cie' club
Dynia Café |
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12. The Weiliczka Salt Mines.
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The Salt Mines are about half hour drive from Krakow, in a little village called Wieiczka. The mines date back to the 13th century and it truly is an amazing experience. I had to walk down thousands of steps to underground corridors and different terraces. Along the way there are fascinating sculptures made out of salt.
For centuries, salt was picked by hand and carried up to the surface.On the bottom level is a chapel all made from salt. Just awesome, sculptures of Christ and the Apostles and even the tiled mosaic floors all made centuries ago. The galleries in the mine are 150k long and reach the depth of 300m.It used to be one of the world's biggest and most profitable industrial establishments when common salt was commercially a medieval equivalent of today's oil.
If you want to eat there is a cafe restaurant across the road from the Salt Mines |
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Compliment Ellemay
