I’ve had a trip to Krakow on my list of adventures for a little while now, so it was great to finally get there and explore the place! The winter months are obviously quite chilly in Krakow, but the air is crisp and during my visit I only had some falling snow on the first day; the rest of the time it was blue skies and beautiful snowy scenes. Everywhere was decorated for Christmas, and there were some amazing Christmas trees and lots of twinkling lights - it really got me into the festive mood.
The lovely Polish city of Krakow with a population of over 700,000 is close to the Czech Republic border and is one of the largest cities in Poland. Krakow’s grand and historic architecture, such as St Mary’s church and Wawel Castle, lies by the Vistula River and is fringed by scenic Planty Park. Once serving as Poland’s economic and political centre, the city was a place of trading between England and Hungary.
Having arrived during the evening of the previous day, it was time to get up and have breakfast before heading out to explore the city. I had a great view from my window, as I overlooked Planty Park. I stayed in the Old Town just a few minutes away from Wawel Castle, so that seemed like a good place to start. The 1000-year-old castle is built on Wawel Hill just by the river and south of the Old Town. The castle used to be home to Polish kings and is one of the biggest castles in Poland. It is now a museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There is a lot to see in the castle and it would probably take you several days to see everything, but the good news is that there are a couple of tours that are actually free and will give you a good flavour of the castle – yes, I did say FREE! The tours had to be booked in at specific times, and it was still quite busy even during the winter months. It was possible to book these tours directly at the castle, but in high season I would imagine you would need to book in advance online to avoid disappointment. The two free tours were really good and lasted around three hours in total. There was a lot to see, including statues, wood carvings, tapestries and paintings, books, trinkets, and costumes. There was also the beautiful State Rooms. Outside the castle, there is a lovely courtyard and cathedral. You can also visit one of the gift shops, and there is a tearoom for those much-needed refreshments. Before going into the castle, I must mention that you will need to drop any bags off at the luggage room, as only handbags are allowed in.
Outside the castle is a statue of the Wawel Dragon that breathes real fire. Legend has it that the dragon lived at the foot of the hill. The dragon was said to be invincible, but eventually a man by the name of Skuba was able to conquer him - lots of dragon toys and books can be seen around the shops.
After some refreshments it was time to head out towards the Main Square which is about a 15-minute walk from the castle. If you don’t fancy the walk, or you have any mobility issues, then there are plenty of trams around the city.
Just before leaving the Wawel area, I went over to have a look at the river which is the longest river in Poland. It flows through the city from West to East. There are river cruises on offer, but this did seem like more of a summer interest than a winter one - even though I was assured of blankets and heaters onboard.
Krakow’s Main Square is called Rynek Glowny and covers an incredible 4000 square feet. The square is the hub of Krakow and is always bustling with visitors. It houses numerous cafes, restaurants, hotels, shops, and museums, and during the late winter months is of course home to the famous Christmas markets that attract many visitors.
The square is adorned by fantastic architecture like the iconic Cloth Hall that was once a major centre of international trade for spices, silk, leather, and wax. The 70-metre-high Tower Hall Tower dates back to the 14th century and is the only remaining element of Krakow’s Town Hall complex.
The square is really pretty, and especially at Christmas time. It’s a good place to sample some of the festive food and drink on offer, although some of the food wasn’t as cheap as I had expected it to be. There are plenty of gift items to peruse that would make perfect Christmas gifts, and there is also a large indoor market that offers an abundance of items from food to gifts.
I spent quite a while wandering around the square before heading back to the Wawel area. In the evening, it was time to go out and sample some of the Polish food. Poland, like every country, has a number of “must try” dishes as well as some German influence. Some dishes to try, include beetroot soup (borscht), a schnitzel type dish (kotlet schabowy), potato pancakes (placki ziemniaczane), and Polish dumplings (pierogies). I tried a potato pancake dish that was topped with vegetables and beef that literally melted in the mouth – I would definitely recommend it!
