Weekend Getaway to Krakow Poland
Poland is a European country that I have always wanted to travel to. First of all, I am a sucker for cheap prices. Secondly, the World War II history of this country is insanely important to learn about and see for yourself.
However, this weekend trip was not taking a visit to the infamous concentration camp, Auschwitz, or diving face first into museums. One of my best friends from living in Greece was taking a short family vacation to Kraków, and since it’s only a 3 hour flight for me from Stockholm – it was perfect.
My first impressions was that this city is very well connected to wi-fi. My second impression was of their mall (the train from the airport drops you off there): Galeria Krakowska at Krakow Glowny. They had every shop I could think of, and prices I was drooling over. But enough of the modern day things I noticed.
The ghastly buildings of Krakow echo a horrifying past that none of us could ever imagine. The caked dirt fill in the cracks of weeping concrete; while graffiti tells us stories of what was and what is.
Whenever I travel, I look at the architecture of the buildings. Europe has some of the most amazing and unique styles. Some buildings were beautifully painted, while others look like they used to be beautifully painted.
The inescapable smog, caused by burning coal for heat, blankets the city and chokes out the sun – this is why many of my photos have a white skyline in daylight. Looming over the run down buildings of the city, is a striking 14th century Renaissance and Gothic style castle.
Funny Story: Poland’s currency is Zloty. You get big bills at the exchange, and trams cost about 2 zloty and come in coin form. I was trying to get some coins out when the wind knocked all my bills out of my wallet and spread them around the town square. Thankfully, most of them were returned to my embarrassed self.
Where to Stay
I stayed in Leone Aparthotel located just outside the Jewish quarter (Kazimirez). It was well priced and very comfortable for my 2 night stay. I had received a great deal through Expedia that combined my flight with hotel. They hotel offered breakfast for an extra 30 zloty ($7.50), but since they supplied a refrigerator in the room I thought it would be more fun to buy my own Polish snacks.
Price Range: $40-60 per night
- Refrigerator in room
- Nice showers
- Comfy pillows
- Close to attractions
How to Get Around
Sure, you can walk just about everywhere or use the city’s well established tram lines. However, Uber and taxis in this city are very handy and the prices are about $0.20 per mile. Winning.
Best Restaurants in Krakow
I can only speak about my experience, but we ate at some really amazing places for a price tag of under $100 for 3 people – this is including bottles of wine. You have to try to Polish wine.
- Zielona Kuchina: I loved the ambiance in this place, and their Filet Mignon was to die for and only cost $17.
- Pon Aniolami: Once again, the restaurant was so cute and cozy. I tried the sauerkraut dish with 7 types of game meat.
- Dawno Temu na Kazimierzu: This was an Israeli cuisine restaurant. If you are looking for an experience, I hear at night they have live music playing. But the place is made out of old wood and has a very big story behind it!
Oskar Schindler Factory Museum
This was the one museum I had to attend. If any of you have watched the movie Schindler’s List, you should know the history of what went down in this factory. I have had some people ask why I want to see ‘this stuff’ or visit the concentration camps. I know for many with Jewish heritage and have families effected by this horrendous extermination of human lives need time to prepare for such things. But it is very important that we know what happened between 1939 and 1945 so we can make sure this never happens again. Below are some of the more dramatic parts of the museum.
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The Ghetto Wall and Deportation Memorial
After seeing the Schindler museum, I wanted to stand in what used to be the Krakow Ghetto. It was a 10-minute walk, which took me along the Vistula River. I couldn’t help imagining what it was like there from 1939 to 1943 (when the Ghetto was liquidated). I read a quote from a young Roman Polanski that read:
“I suddenly realized that we were to be walled in. I got so scared that I eventually burst into tears.”
