Winter Krakow Trip (Day Three)

For our third and final day we wanted to spend some time in Kazimierz, the Jewish Quarter. It was only a short walk from the Aparthotel to the main square. The main square is spacious with many restaurants down one side. We decided to stop for breakfast and a warn drink to heat us up in the wintery weather. Seated opposite the Remuh Synagogue (known best for it's wailing wall made up of Jewish tombstones destroyed by the Nazis) and next to a memorial for those who lost their lives during the second World War, it was nice to just sit and read my guide book soaking up a bit of history about the area.

At the end of the square is the Old Synagogue, that now houses a museum on Jewish holidays and traditions. If you already have a knowledge of Judaism you may not find that you learn too much but for a small price it is worth having a peek inside.

After we finished our time in the museum we spent a lot of time wandering and exploring the many Synagogues and Churches in the area. If you ever visit you will see loads of electrics cars that do tours of the area. For me I can't think of anything worse than whizzing round such a nice area with little to no time to look into the gorgeous buildings.

Unfortunately due to the sheer size of some of the Churches it was difficult to actually photograph them as I just couldn't fit them into the frame. Truly these things need to be seen in real life to be appreciated.

And that was it, we were out of time. I really feel like we could have done with at least another day. There was so much we still really wanted to see. For sure we will definitely be going back at some point.

If there's any questions anyone has about Kraków just ask in the comments.

Winter Krakow Trip (Day Two)

On the Monday we set off early for Auschwitz. An experience that I knew would be incredibly upsetting but I felt it was important to go and see first hand the sort of conditions the victims of the Nazi state were subjected to. Out of respect for those who lost their lives there I opted not to take any pictures. A decision that I hope my readers will understand and respect.

We decided that we would prefer to go early without a guide. I had heard how busy it could get with groups and I didn't want to feel like I couldn't spend the time I wanted to take it all in and absorb what I was seeing. If you do want to go round without a guide then you do need to go before a certain time. I can't quite remember. Check out the website for precise details but I think it's before 10.

We went for half 8. Do remember that if you are going by public transport it does take around an hour and a half on the bus. It's easy enough to do it yourself. The bus was cheap and took you straight from the bus station to Auschwitz. They are also fairly regular. We visited a Tourist Office the day before to make sure we had up to date information and didn't miss our reserved time. On that note, you MUST book your tickets ahead of time.

The whole experience of both Auschwitz I and II was enlightening, disturbing and extremely emotional. The exhibition of the possessions stolen from their victims was almost too much for me and I wasn't the only one walking round with tears streaming down my face.

At Auschwitz II (a short free bus journey) I was taken aback by the sheer size of the camp. It was massive and I found that I just couldn't comprehend how any human being could condone such actrosities on such a huge scale.

It is an experience I will never want to experience again with the exception of taking my kids in the future to ensure it is never forgotten. I hated every moment and felt physically sick, but it is something I am so grateful I got the chance to go and see first hand. It does take up the majority of your day so do make sure you put the proper amount of time away to visit.

On our return to Krakow we went for a wander by The Barbican. It's an incredible piece of military architecture situated next to St Florian's Gate.

We then headed back down for a few beers at Rynek Główny, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying people watching. As I said in my last post the square really is a stunning spot that any tourist will be sure to love, especially at night.

Afterwards we had a short walk to dinner. I'd seen another place recommended on TripAdvisor and was looking forward to trying it out: Pod Wawelem Restaurancja. Famed for its huge portions we were looking forward to a tasty meal. Beer aplenty: good. Breaded camembert with cranberry sauce: good again but definitely a case of quantity over quality. So far so good though.

That final picture is when it all started going wrong. We had pretty much only just started our starters when the waitress came over with our mains. Mine being the above pictured 'Officer's platter': a gigantic portion of all the meats with potatoes and rice. We told the waitress we weren't ready who just shrugged and rearranged the table to squeeze the plates on. Again it was definitely quantity over quality. None of mine tasted good. Needless to save I didn't finish it, went back to the hotel and fell into what can only be described as a 'Meat Coma'.

Read about our final day in Kraków in my next blog!

Winter Krakow Trip (Day One)

So this year instead of exchanging meaningless Christmas presents we opted to treat ourselves to a little mini break away. We wanted to go someone that neither of us had been to before (which ruled out quite a lot of Europe for us). In the end we decided to go to Krakow, Poland. We booked a nice little Aparthotel right next to Wawel castle. Perfect location and great facilities. Getting from the accommodation from the airport was easy enough. Hopped on a bus that took us a ten minute walk or so to our hotel. Only one problem....it was pouring with rain and I thought I'd left my umbrella back home (turns out it was in my suitcase). Once we did get to the hotel and dry off, we went out for dinner at a lovely restaurant at the end of the road, Malecon http://www.malecon.pl/?lang=eng. It was a really lovely meal and even though it was a Saturday night it was still nice and quiet.

The following morning and afternoon we spent up at Wawel Castle and Cathedral. I would recommend going up really early as tickets are limited and it can get busy with tour groups as well. We had a very informative tour of The Royal Apartments which was really interesting. We also went round The Treasury and The Cathedral. The Wawel area is rich in history (of which I won't bore you) but I would suggest reading through a guide book before visiting to get a better understanding. It really was a lovely day. However, the eating facilities up there did leave a little to be desired.

Afterwards we walked up to Rynek Główny (Main Square). It's a huge open area with bars and restaurants round the side. The central area is dominated by The Cloth Hall (imagine an amazing Christmas market set inside) and what's left of the old town hall (now just a tower). At the far end of the square is St Mary's Cathedral. On the hour every hour, a firefighter goes to the top of the tower of the Cathedral and plays a trumpet solo out each window. Be sure to give him a wave of you do visit. The square has been there since the 13th century and it really has a magical feel as you sip a beer, next to a heater, snuggled under a blanket with a loved one. 

For dinner we had something rather special planned, Wiezernyek.  http://en.wierzynek.pl/

I had spotted this wee gem on TripAdvisor and knew I had to go.

The view from our table of Rynek was stunning. While we waited on our starters they brought us a delicious goat's cheese and smoked paprika slice. It was a lovely touch. For starters we both had Goose Pate, which without a shadow of doubt was the best pate I'd ever had.

My main was Ossobucco.  It was ridiculously tender and as you can see everything was beautifully presented. I can't remember what the other half did but he assures me that it was something equally delicious. Following on from that I had a melted chocolate pudding that people had been recommending on TripAdvisor. I was stuffed fit to burst but could resist some chocolaty goodness. If you eat anywhere in Krakow, this is where I would recommend!