Krakow, Poland

May 2018 –

Question: What do Krakow, Prague, Lake Como and Venice have in common?

Answer: Absolutely nothing except we combined them all into one trip!

That is one of my favorite aspects to European travel; it is so easy to explore multiple countries all within a limited timeframe.

For this post, I’m going to focus on the first stop of our trip, Krakow. Visiting Krakow, Poland was on my wish list for a long time. My grandpa and I were very close. He grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but his parents immigrated from Poland. My grandpa passed away when I was 16 after a short battle with lung cancer. At that age, I never stopped to think about all the questions I wanted to ask him about our history. It was important to me to make this trip at some point to honor him. I did a bit of research and with the help of family, I believe my great-grandparents were from an area just outside of Krakow. Krakow was an easy choice as it also just seemed like a fun city to explore. It has a vibrant art scene and lively college community.

We stayed at a cute little Hotel Indigo right in the heart of the city. A hotel with great bathroom tile always scores extra points with me!

After settling in, we headed over to the Main Square which is still surrounded by a medieval wall that makes you feel as if you are stepping back in time. But not too far back in time, as you’ll quickly see a coffee shop and McDonalds. =)

Our first stop was to St. Mary’s Basilica on the Town Square. The inside of the church is gorgeous, and its history is just as remarkable. Krakow was heavily damaged during World War II. The Nazis took over the city and, in the process, they stole the church altar. It was recovered after the war and sent back to Krakow. In fact, there are still stolen art pieces that were never returned.

After touring the church, we went to the Square to get what every Polish girl must eat while in Poland, perogies! It was $3.00 for six perogies and holy molly were they good. I told Adam we could cancel our dinner reservations and eat them at every meal for the rest of our trip! Ha!

We then wandered around the vendors throughout the Square and through Cloth Hall. This is the perfect place to pick up a souvenir or two to take home.

We walked from the Square to the Wawel Castle and Cathedral. It is a massive complex that sits on top of a hill with beautiful views of Krakow. There is plenty of history to discover here and an old legend you can explore for yourself. The Dragon’s Den sits on the western slope of Wawel hill. As the legend goes, a dragon used to live within this cave terrorizing the people of Krakow until a dragon slayer came long to destroy him. Very Polish Game of Thrones, if you will.

We had the perfect day for sightseeing and enjoyed the walk along the Vistula River. We worked up a thirst and stopped at a bar off the Square with a familiar face. Naturally the Bulldog Bar was a must do. If there is a restaurant or bar in a city, and it features a bulldog, there is a 100% chance I will stop by for a visit.

The following day we toured the MOCAK and Schindler’s Factory. While I was familiar with the history of the museum, I was fascinated by the great detail the museum paid to the invasion of Poland and how it was savagely impacted by World War II. It is a somber museum to visit but I think it is an absolute must while in Krakow.

After a heavy morning, we decided to lighten things up by doing some sightseeing in the Jewish Quarter of Kazimierz. While rich with history, this is a bustling modern hub of the city. You will find quaint cafes and even food trucks during your visit.

I stumbled upon a jewelry store, Blazko and met Grzegorz Blazko, the artist himself. I was instantly draw to his pieces and picked up a ring I now wear daily. It still catches my attention from time to time and I like to think my Grandpa would be happy to know I keep a piece of Poland with me. After exploring, we ate a more traditional Polish meal at Starka. Growing up, Polish food was a little adventurous for my palate but as adult I really enjoyed everything we tried. There was so much flavor in each dish and at Starka and Krakow in general, everything is very reasonably priced!

As we were planning our trip, we knew we would be very close to Auschwitz. It felt like a place we needed to visit even though we knew it would be a very sad day. For me personally, I don’t feel like I can share pictures of Auschwitz and Birkenau and give them the proper reflection and respect they deserve. In fact, I took very few pictures while I was there. I don’t need them. Certain images I can see clearly as soon as I close my eyes.

I believe this quote sums up my feelings on the experience. (ADD PIC) I left being more determined than ever to stand up to anyone regardless of their position or power who thrives off spreading division and hate. It was a very powerful day.

There was a bright spot to the trip, our driver Andrew Durman. Andrew caught the attention of Rick Steves and I can see why. Andrew was a driving encyclopedia of Polish history. He also specializes in genealogy work. Upon learning my maiden name was Wisniewski, he brought me a bottle of Polish alcohol bearing the same name and even a homemade version made by his wife.

Andrew has a great sense of humor and a kind heart underneath. He kept telling Adam that he had landed a beautiful Polish girl so maybe that’s why I liked him! For a day, I felt like I almost got my Grandpa back. We even still email from time to time. My one regret is I didn’t take a picture of the three of us together; hopefully someday I’ll have the chance to see Andrew again. If you find yourself in Krakow or a surrounding region, a day with Andrew is a day you’ll cherish.

That evening we had dinner at Trzy Rybki in Hotel Starry. It is right off the Main Square with beautiful rooftop views of Cloth Hall and St. Mary’s Basilica. The bread basket alone at Trzy Rybki was enough to make me a fan!

Post dinner we headed up to the rooftop for an after-dinner cocktail. I swung into the restroom telling Adam I would meet him on the patio. When I went to leave the restroom, I tried to open the door and I heard a sound almost as if something had fallen inside the door. The problem was, the door did not open. Now this is one of the things you don’t think about sometimes when traveling internationally. At home, I would have text Adam to say “Um, hey I’m stuck.” But with no cell phone service, that wasn’t an option. It felt like an hour, but it was likely only about 10 minutes before they came to look for me. They had to literally chisel away at the door to get me out! =) The tumbler broke off inside the door and it was a really thick door! We had a good laugh about that one the rest of the trip.