10 things to do in Krakow
Fire breathing dragons and more...
If you plan to visit Krakow in Poland here is a list of 10 things I would recommend you do or see.
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| The Cloth Hall in the main square of Krakow |
1. You shouldn't visit Krakow without seeing the main square in the old town (Rynek Glowny), the largest medieval town square in Europe. Here you will find elegant historic houses, Gothic churches, a tower and a 14th Century shopping mall – the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice).
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| Inside the Cloth Hall |
2. While in the main square climb the tower to see views over Krakow then go to the café on the roof of the Cloth Hall for refreshments and to watch the events in the square below. There are usually plenty of activities taking place.
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| St Mary's Basilica |
3. On the hour listen out for the bugle player while in the main square. If you look carefully you will see the golden bugle sticking out of the west window, just below the spire, of the higher tower of St Mary’s Basilica in one corner of the square. Suddenly the music will stop, mid tune. This is to remember the brave bugle player who sounded the alarm when Krakow was being attacked but who was hit by an arrow while he was playing the tune.
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| Medieval altarpiece inside St Mary's Basilica |
4. Visit St Mary’s Basilica to see the incredible medieval altarpiece by Veit Stross.
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| Zapiekanki |
5. Fancy some street food? Visit Plac Nowy for zapiekanki – long, pizza style baguettes with a variety of toppings. They're very tasty.
6. In the evening try out Harris Piano Jazz Bar in the main square for some bison grass vodka and good music.
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| Bison grass vodka |
6. In the evening try out Harris Piano Jazz Bar in the main square for some bison grass vodka and good music.
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| Signposts in Krakow |
7. Spend time in Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter, for history, traditional food, and savoury and sweet pierogi (dumplings).
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| Wawel Castle |
8. Explore Wawel Castle and cathedral, above the banks of the River Wista (Vistula), if you follow the path down to the river you might see a fire breathing dragon at the foot of Wawel Hill in the Dragon's Den.
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| Downstairs at Charlotte |
9. An excellent place for breakfast is a bakery / French bistro called Charlotte close to the University area, north west of the main square (address : pl. Szczepański 2). It has a wonderful atmosphere and delicious food.
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| Auschwitz Wieliczka memorial near Schindler's Factory |
10. To get a real feel for the city and its history during the German occupation I recommend a tour at Oskar Schindler’s factory. This is located in the Podgorze area south of the river. It is a thought provoking and often shocking exhibition which brings to life the tensions and horrors of the time. Allow a couple of hours for the visit to see everything. There is also a contemporary art museum, MOCAK, on the site.
There are plenty of other things to see and do if you have more days to spend in Krakow. I will share some more ideas in a later post.
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