Krakow

I know exactly what Rick Steves does and how it is done. I am an experienced European traveler; this will be my 39th pleasure trip to Europe. I learned long ago that you can read all the travel books and see all the travelogues you like but there is NO subsitute for visiting with real people that have been there. They have no agenda other than to share their experiences with fellow travelers.

Krakow has more churches per square mile than any other city. The guidebooks only have room to list a few, but try and visit any church you come across...they're all stunning! Just beware the Poles are very religious, and services will be held throughout the day, everyday....be respectful when services are ongoing.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Krakow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxARTvlbKAk

You can explore the old section of Krakow and pretty much see everything in about 1-2 days. It's fairly compact, and as far as I could tell, there were no major museums. I can sum up the town as "churches, churches, more churches, Wawel, a river bank, the cloth hall, and still more churches." I found the old Jewish section much less interesting than Rick Steves advertised.

In my opinion, town square is one of the more relaxing places to sit and have a beer.

Geeez, have any of the previous posters actually been to Krakow? Do you people post just to read yourselves or pad your "posts" numbers?

Richard, I was In Krakow in late March 2009. Since I don't know where you'll be staying, I'll start at the Florian Gate, which I believe is the last of the original city gates built in the 1300's. Be sure to check out the massive Barbican just off the gate entrance. A stroll down Florianska Str. will take you to the impressive Rynek Glowny sqaure. Check out the Cloth Hall. Good place to pick up some souvenirs (check tourism board for free outdoor concerts usually on weekends). St. Mary's church has an impressive interior and is worth a look (climb the tower for 5 zloty). My favorite church though is the Church of the Franciscan Order just south of the square down Bracka Str. Fantastic murals and art nouveau interior. Don't miss the cloisters. Keep heading south to Wawel Castle. The castle can eat up half your day. You may want to concentrate on the cathedral (small fee). Gorgeous views of the Vistula River to the south and the old town to the north(free)from Wawel Hill.

For something completely different, head south to the Podgorze Ghetto district if you're a fan of the movie "Schindler's List." Very haunting place. Check out the 15th century Old Synagogue and remnants of the ghetto wall on Lwowaska Str. Don't forget to check out the famous factory on Lipowa Str. (It's now a "Telepod" factory).

For local traditional food try Chlopskie Jadlo on Ulika Sw. Angiezski. Try the four soup combo with the bigos and golabki. Now for my favorite part: Beer Pub Crawl. They love their cavern taverns in Krakow. Piwiarnia pod Brama on Florianska must be 100 feet underground with a post modern feel and a fun crowd(7.8% Piast on tap). U Kacpra on Slakowska is another bunker brewery with vaulted ceilings (EB Specjal Pils on tap). My favorite: Fischer Pub on Grodzka (ingore the members only sign). Have Fun!

I want to second what Michael said about the amazing churches, and add my two cents to Ed’s excellent suggestions.

Don’t be afraid to wander aimlessly around the old town. There may not be as many “must-sees” as some people would like, but Krakow is, IMHO, endlessly charming. Be sure to stroll through the park tracing the former city walls and enjoy some excellent people-watching. One of the things I like about Krakow is that, at least a few years ago, it is/was still a city of locals which is evident in the park where locals take their kids to ride their bikes or walk their dogs.

Speaking of riding bikes, I enjoyed renting a bicycle and riding along the Wisla (Vistula) River. There are miles of trails and you can get some amazing pictures of Wawel Hill, etc.

If you are in fact interested in Schindler’s List and follow Ed’s suggestion to visit the Podgorze district and the factory (I think it has recently become an official museum) I would suggest continuing down Limanowskiego (you can catch a tram) to the Plaszow concentration camp, the one run by Amon Goeth as depicted in the film. There isn’t anything left except his house (it’s still inhabited) and some memorial markers and sculptures. Not much to see, but very moving. And sorry Ed, I have to make a correction. I hate to since you obviously love Krakow, and are therefore “good people” in my book. The Old Synagogue is in Kazimierz which was the traditional Jewish quarter, Podgorze was the ghetto where the Jewish people were forced to move; it’s across the river from Kazimierz.

I second Chlopskie Jadlo. A lot of people dismiss it as “touristy”, but when I went I heard a lot of Polish spoken around me:) I liked the pubs around the university; they are lively but fairly quiet with groups of students intently discussing philosophy, or maybe just Brad and Angelina:) Try the pivo z sokiom(sp), beer with either raspberry or ginger syrup. It sounds disgusting, but it’s mighty tasty… but maybe too girly:)

I also recommend visiting most of the churches, the castle on the south end, the Schindler's List filming site, as well as taking the bus out of town to visit Auschwitz I and II (another filming site) which are very moving...

But there are some nice restaurants and usually a lively scene in the main square, a more modern area near the train station / mall on the north end, and more communities and housing on the south/east end where you can meet some friendly locals if they are out enjoying the day.

Enjoy your travels!

"Geeez, have any of the previous posters actually been to Krakow? Do you people post just to read yourselves or pad your "posts" numbers?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syV2LkGpQB0

"If you want to engage in a one-to-one conversation with another poster, send a private message..." Sad how some people attempt to rule this wonderful forum as if it were their private fiefdom.

The only thing I can add to the "useful" posts on this subject is the delightful Collegium Maius courtyard in Jegiellonian University. The university museum is well worth the effort with its numerous exhibits, art, and ancient science equipment. I think its free on Tuesdays. In my notes I have a phone number of 48-126631307 to make reservations. They do speak excellent English and are very friendly. I hope you have a great time Richard.

Richard, you asked about weather…one important thing to keep in mind is that fog can set in fast and thick soon after sundown, especially in October. It can be very disconcerting, even a bit frightening if you're not sure where you are going in the first place. So be sure to note landmarks along the way to your hotel.

To James:
“I could give a 3-day account of my travels there, but one, I don't presume anybody cares, and two, what can I significantly add that isn't already covered somewhere on the internet.”

Um, James? Whether or not anyone cares about personal accounts of someone else’s travels, that’s kinda the point of this message board. You may (or very definitely:)) find my posts boring. Sorry, but I am very sentimental about my travel experiences (especially about Krakow where I spent nearly 18 months on and off over several years) and I know I tend to ramble on too long. Again, I apologize, but I don’t think my insight is completely worthless. And certainly not the insight of others here. Yes James, even you are helpful when you are being sincere rather than snarky:)(or sincerely snarky)

“And the Cathedral is free...it's the naves that have "special" stuff that you have to pay to see.”

The front entrance is free, but that entrance is intended for worshippers. The visitors' entrance where you pay is on the side.

Now I’ll follow Michael’s advice to "lighten up":)

Bravo, Penny and Bill.

I understand Ed's frustration with his "Geez" comment, but, unfortunately, that just adds fuel to the fire for the snarky posters. Sorry, James, but if you don't want to share tidbits from your trip, then don't post. And Michael, your post didn't sound like you were sharing from personal experience. I was hoping your response to Ed was video from your trip to Krakow to prove him wrong. I was disappointed.

I'm sure we're all nice people and if we were to meet we'd be polite in our disagreements. Sadly, the internet, as wonderful as it is, has given the opportunity to those who choose to hide behind usernames and become faceless bullies.

I visited this page because I thought one day I might visit Krakow. When I plan my trip, I'll know who to ask and who to stay away from! ;)

'm sure we're all nice people and if we were to meet we'd be polite in our disagreements. Sadly, the internet, as wonderful as it is, has given the opportunity to those who choose to hide behind usernames and become faceless bullies.

I don't have the time, energy, or writing skills to write a complete "guidebook" when someone asks what there is to see and do in a city. If others do, more power to them, and the more the merrier. Instead I gave a link to a clip to from Rick's TV, show and a mini guide from Wikitravel, plus a tip about the churches that the guidebooks don't mention (which BTW other posters "seconded"). What harm was done?

Unlike you Chris, my full name and hometown appears at the bottom of all my posts. But if that's still "hiding behind a username",
here's my house.
If you zoom in you can see my underwear hanging from the clothesline (yes I wear briefs).
My phone number is:
845-633-0464
The license plate number on my red Ford Escape is: ADM-4623.
Any other info you need?

How mature of you. I was making a mostly general comment about snotty posts. Until our usernames are Harry Potter-esque real time videos of ourselves, we're all hiding behind usernames.

And there's no harm in what you posted, but people come to the helpline for personalized advice. If they got here, then they probably have the skills to search for their subject in Google, too.

By the way, my hometown is Santa Ana. That doesn't tell people much. Since the TV show "The OC" came out, more people know where that is. Probably I should just change it to "Within Earshot of the Disneyland Fireworks, CA, USA."

"....If they got here, then they probably have the skills to search for their subject in Google, too."
Chris...you'd be surprised....

Chris - Look at the thread about finding an apartment in Barcelona. I think that illustrates why people ask for opinions at this site - instead of just googling.

Another typical case of a couple of cyberbullies beating up on a sincere poster. I would like to encourage everyone to contact the Webmaster and bring attention to the recent postings. They have promised me that they will take action in the future. Now's the time. It just takes a couple of minutes. Let's please put a stop to this childishness.

Chris wrote:
And there's no harm in what you posted, but people come to the helpline for personalized advice. If they got here, then they probably have the skills to search for their subject in Google, too.

Odd, your posting on the Dublin thread isn't exactly "personalized" advice, and is simply a listing listing of websites anyone could have found using Google. It's okay for you to do that, but not me????

I was in Krakow July 2010, so can not give information about weather. The town square was exciting because of the people, the activity and the atmosphere. It was like arriving at a party that is in full swing. The concerts in the little churches was very rich. Look above the doors at the architectural details. Also, there is some peculiar graffi on the walls--like stencils of animals. Try out the chakras (sp?) on the palace grounds.

Ooops. Meant July 2009.