Poland
Cracow
About Cracow:
Cracow is a city wrapped in legend, where time flows differently, and where every moment becomes a moment of history. For centuries it was the capital of Poland, the seat of kings, drawing great scholars and artists from all over the world.
Cracow, or rather: Capital Royal City of Cracow, is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula river, it dates back to the 7th century. It began as a hamlet on Wawel Hill, and was already being reported as a busy trading centre of Slavonic Europe in 965. It was the capital of Poland from 1038 to 1596 and now it’s the capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship.
Throughout the 20th century, Cracow reaffirmed its role as a major national academic and artistic centre, with the establishment of new universities and cultural venues. Without doubt, it’s the cultural capital of Poland - a place with an exceptional atmosphere created by its artists. It is definitely one of the jewels of Poland. As a world-renowned college city, it has a lot of life and flavour. On the other hand, as the former capital of Poland it has a lot of old world charm and deep history. We must bear in mind that Cracow has survived World War I and World War II fairly undamaged, and it’s proximity to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp and Wieliczka Salt Mine, makes it one of Poland's most important tourist attractions. Thanks to its castle, the Vistula River, old churches, historic squares, shops, and pubs, Cracow has everything that you would expect from a truly European city.
As for Poland, it has been both a bridge and a front line between eastern and western Europe and thus a scenery of important events in world history. Today, free from outside interference, Poland is the place to go if you're interested in seeing how a nation picks itself up off the floor and tries to reinvent itself. And Cracow is one of the most beautiful and popular cities in Europe thanks to a fine architectural heritage, outstanding artistry and royal patronage. In 2000 the city was awarded the title of the European Capital of Culture recognizing its heritage and contribution the world’s cultural achievements.
Important Landmarks:
Main Market Square- the natural centre of Cracow and a stage for various minor and major events, a reference point, a meeting place, and the starting point or destination for countless walkers. Historically speaking, the Main Market Square began to operate in a shape and size similar to what we see today, i.e. a square with 200-metre-long sides. The centrally located Cloth Hall (see below) was originally a commercial establishment for trading in cloths, and for over a century has been the main seat, and later one of the branches, of the National Museum. Other buildings standing to this day in the heart of the Main Market Square include: the diminutive Church of St. Adalbert (a site of important archaeological discoveries), and the solitary tower - a remnant of the Town Hall demolished in the 19th century. In the north-eastern corner of the square stands St. Mary's Church, frequently referred to as a basilica, with its two slender towers, one of Cracow’s landmarks. The Nuremberg master, Wit Stwosz created his opus magnum here - the monumental High Altar of St. Mary's - a marvel that attracts thousands of tourists every day.
Adam Mickiewicz Monument - one of the best known bronze monuments in Poland, and a favourite meeting place at the Main Market Square in the Cracow Old Town. The statue of the greatest Polish Romantic poet of the 19th century was unveiled on June 16, 1898, on the 100th anniversary of his birth, in the presence of his daughter and son. It was designed by Teodor Rygier, a little known sculptor at the time, who won the third and final competition for this project by popular demand ahead of over 60 artists in total, the renown painter Jan Matejko included. At the poet's feet there are four allegoric groups symbolising the Motherland, Science, Courage and Poetry. The inscription on the pedestal reads: "To Adam Mickiewicz, the Nation".
Barbican - today the Barbican has an almost fairy-tale presence as its seven turrets stand out amidst the trees of the Planty. Built in 1499 during the era of the Ottoman threat, the Barbican has survived, against all the odds, and remains the best example of its kind in Europe. During the Middle Ages the entire city was ringed by a system of walls and moats. The Barbican was then both a principal gateway and a key element of defence. A covered passageway linked it to St. Florian's Gate, and by day the city's traffic passed through. Nowadays it’s a meeting point of local artists and a place they exhibit, and sell, their works.
Sukiennice - Cloth Hall (also see below in the Souvenirs&Shopping section) - for many centuries the Main Market Square was a large trading center and was covered with the network of stalls creating something like a trading village. The Cloth Hall, a large set of stalls, was founded in the 13th century. Destroyed by fire, it was rebuild in the Renaissance style. In the old times cloth was sold in the hall on the ground floor, while various goods were offered on the floor above. Nowadays you can buy here souvenirs from Cracow, works of Polish artists, leather goods, silver jewellery and folk handicrafts. The upper floor houses the Gallery of Polish 19th Century Art.
Wawel Castle - Wawel Hill is home to Wawel Castle, which was the seat of Polish kings. Today, the Castle complex is the most frequently visited museum in Poland. The place owes its popularity not only to its architectural beauties, priceless art treasures and relics of the past, but also to the ideal geographical location. From Wawel Hill, visitors can admire a picturesque view of the old part of the city, as well as the bend of the Vistula River that flows through Cracow.
Royal chambers and royal private apartments in the Castle abound in old masterpieces such as the collection of European painting, the collection of Flemish tapestries as well as the Crown Treasury and Armoury.
Another part of Wawel is Wawel Cathedral, national sanctuary with millennial history. One of its chapels is often referred to as "Pearl of the Renaissance to the north of the Alps". The Cathedral was the burial ground of most Polish royalty and richly adorned tombs and sarcophagi are of matchless quality. In addition, the Cathedral boasts Poland's largest bell, the Sigismund Bell.
Kazimierz - Jewish Quarter - for almost seven hundred years, Cracow was home to a large Jewish community. This was all but extinguished during the war, yet the echoes of this world can still be felt across the city. After a long period of post-war inertia, colour is returning to the district: splendid synagogues are again functioning as places of worship, and vibrant museums have opened in tribute to the lost world. Jewish Klezmer music, reborn with a contemporary twist, echoes from the cellars of Kazimierz, the ancient heart of Jewish Krakow, drawing a host of young Polish and international fans.
http://www.scrapbookpages.com/Poland/kazimierz/Kazimierz01.html
Recommended Places
Please note that Cracow is a mecca of nice little cafes, restaurants with extraordinary ambience and cuisine, and plenty of sui generis clubs.
Restaurants:
Aqua e Vino http://www.aquaevino.pl/ - modern decor, impeccable service, and wines from leading Italian wine yards .
Bohema http://bohema.cracow.pl/en/ - located in 15th century cellar, recommends traditional Galician live folk evenings, which are a combination of Polish, Jewish, Ukrainian and Gipsy music.
Chimera http://chimera.com.pl/htm/ang/glowna.htm - specializes in Polish cuisine, using traditional recipes from the aristocratic kitchens of the 19th century, recommends dishes with geese, lambs and game. Boasts to be a favourite dining place of artists, professors and politicians.
Floriańska http://www.restauracja-florianska.pl/index-en.php - wonderful ambience for social and business meetings.
Greenway http://www.greenway.pl/ - famous Polish vegetarian chain is also present in Cracow.
Hawełka http://www.hawelka.pl/index2.php - traditional Polish cuisine, one of the oldest places in Cracow.
Karmela http://www.karmela.pl/indexen.html - a wide choice of pierogi (traditional Polish dumplings), boasts to have the best in the whole city.
Kawaleria http://www.kawaleria.com.pl/ - the menu at Kawaleria changes a few times a year, adapting it adequately to the year seasons and changing tendencies.
Klezmer Hois http://www.klezmer.pl/restaurant_klezmer_hois - located in the heart of Kazimierz, the Jewish Quarter in Cracow, in the former Mykva (Jewish baths) building. With its special atmosphere, artistic climate and finest cuisine, it is unique in Poland, and is reminiscent of the pre-World War II tradition of Jewish Kazimierz.
Miyako Sushi http://www.miyakosushi.pl/ - sushi-chain restaurant, with several locations.
Pod Aniołami http://www.podaniolami.pl/ - offers dishes made according to the oldest Polish recipes.
Tesoro del Mar http://restaurant.tesorodelmar.pl/ - an intimate restaurant in Kazimierz serving see food.
Wentzl http://computersystem.ehost.pl/wentzl/restauracja/eng/indexeng.php - boasting to exist since 1792, has a fine selection of international cuisine.
Zen http://www.zensushi.pl/main_eng.htm - “celebrating meals is our most urgent necessity and we should continue the tradition of making it a generous part of our lives”.
Souvenirs & Shopping:
We strongly recommend visiting Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) situated in the heart of Cracow, in the middle of the Old City Main Market Square.
As mentioned before, Sukiennice is one of Cracow's most distinctive buildings. It is best approached from Florianska street - down the Royal Way. The Cloth Hall, as its name suggests, was once a main focus of Cracow's trade. Merchants would meet here and discuss the state of business, whilst inside a lively bartering went on. During its heyday, some five hundred years ago, a rich traffic came in from the East - spices, silk, leather, wax - and Cracow itself exported textiles, lead and of course salt from the mines at Wieliczka. The Cloth Hall has played host to many distinguished guests over the centuries and it is still used to entertain monarchs and dignitaries to this day. Both Prince Charles and Emperor Hirohito of Japan were welcomed here in 2002.
If you wish to shop in a modern mall, we recommend Galeria Krakowska situated just next to the Cracow railway station
http://www.galeria-krakowska.pl/
Nightlife
Kraków's nightlife is definitely one of the best and richest in Poland. Clubs are grouped into two centres: around the Main Market Square and surrounding streets, and in picturesque Jewish Quarter Kazimierz.
Bars, Clubs and Cafes:
Albo tak http://www.albotak.pl/ - negotiate your way past the bookshelves on the ground floor, and make your way up the stairs to a quirky and fun café-pub on the first floor.
Błędne Koło Art Club http://www.blednekolo.pl/ - błędne koło means 'vicious circle', but besides developing an attachment to fine cocktails, you shouldn't feel too guilty about returning to this club, as with their top selection of local DJs, regular guests from abroad, and a sequence of groovily decorated rooms it is one of the brightest stars in Cracow's clubbing galaxy.
Bodega Marques http://www.bodega.pl/?mod=3&adultAgree=1 - Bodega Marques offers over three hundred varieties from distinguished wine-houses across the globe and a range of delicious Spanish tapas provides the perfect compliment.
Budda Drink and Garden http://www.buddabar.com.pl/mainEN.html - chilled beat, flavored with hints of native Indian tones, leads you through a stained-glass entrance.
Café Młynek http://www.cafemlynek.pl/ - Cafe Młynek, "Grinder Cafe" in translation, is a place where you can find some peace and quiet away from the everyday bustle, as well as satisfy your hunger - both intellectual and physical.
Carpe Diem http://www.carpediem.pl/ - at Carpe Diem you can throw yourselves into the spirit of things Slavic style;-)
Club PRL http://www.clubprl.pl/ - ripping in nostalgia for the "good old days" of communism, Club PRL (PRL =People's Republic of Poland) takes the communist kitsch to a new level. Every weekend, the club hosts a 70s, 80s, and 90s disco party and a rockoteka, featuring rock hits from several decades.
Cocon Music Club http://www.klub-cocon.pl/ - Cocon Club, open only on Fridays and Saturdays, lays on funky discos for weekend partiers. They've got two spacious rooms for dancing with modern lighting, tree bars, as well as a summer garden.
Jama Michalika http://www.jamamichalika.pl/index_eng.htm - a favourite haunt of artists.
Pod Jaszczurami http://www.instytutsztuki.pl/index_start-3-en.html -“Under the Lizards” is one of the oldest and most famous student clubs in Cracow. It was opened in 1969, but the magnificent vaulted ceiling transports you back to the days when a certain Nicholas Copernicus was a student in the city.
Kitsh http://www.hotparty.pl/kitsch-club-krakow-lokal-486.html - Perhaps the most well-known "gay club" in Krakow is Kitsch, though in recent years it's become more of an after-party place for straight partiers than gay and lesbian revellers. Luckily, you can always count on grabbing a drink here at 4 in the morning, and the dance floor is always packed, and always tolerant - even if it's not quite gay.
Klub 7 http://www.7klub.com - Cracow's most long-standing gay club, and considered the best by many in the gay community. NOW CLOSED
Blue Bar Club http://www.cracow-life.com/drink/pubs_cafes_details/1124-Blue_Bar_Club - Newly-opened discreet gay haven between the Old Town and Kazimierz
Plastic: http://www.cracowonline.com/344-Plastic-Discotheque From the creators of Kitsch comes a club as gay as Kitsch used to be!
Ciemna Club: http://www.ciemnia.com.pl/ Hidden discreet club for men only.
Pozytywka: http://www.pozytywka.pl Gay-friendly cafe with an underground dance floor.
Surroundings:
Auschwitz-Birkenau - a network of concentration camps built and operated in occupied Poland by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. It was the largest of the German concentration camps, consisting of Auschwitz I (the Stammlager or main camp); Auschwitz II-Birkenau (the Vernichtungslager or extermination camp); Auschwitz III-Monowitz, also known as Buna, a labor camp. Auschwitz is the German name for Oświęcim, the town the camps were located in and around and it was renamed by the Germans after they invaded Poland in September 1939. Birkenau, the German translation of Brzezinka (birch tree), refers to a small Polish village nearby that was mostly destroyed by the Germans to make way for the camp. http://en.auschwitz.org.pl/m/
Wieliczka Salt Mine - located in the town of Wieliczka in southern Poland. The mine had been in continuous operation, producing table salt since the 13th century until 2007 as one of the world's oldest operating salt mines (the oldest being in Bochnia, Poland, 20 kilometers away from Wieliczka). The Wieliczka Salt Mine reaches a depth of 327 meters and is over 300 km long. It features a 3.5-km touring route for visitors (i.e. less than 1% of the length of the mine's passages) that includes historic statues and mythical figures. The oldest sculptures were carved out of rock salt by miners; more recent figures have been fashioned by contemporary artists. Even the crystals of the chandeliers are made from rock salt that has been dissolved and reconstituted to achieve a clear, glass-like appearance. At the end of the tour, there is a large cathedral and reception room that can be reserved for private functions such as weddings or private parties. Wieliczka also houses a private rehabilitation and wellness complex. In 1978 the Wieliczka Salt Mine was placed on the original UNESCO list of the World Heritage Sites.
Over the centuries, visitors to this site have included Nicolaus Copernicus, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Alexander von Humboldt, Dmitri Mendeleyev, Bolesław Prus, Ignacy Paderewski, Robert Baden-Powell, the Pope John Paul II, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and many others.
http://www.muzeum.wieliczka.pl/favicon.ico?L=1
Zakopane – situated 3 hours by train from Cracow, Zakopane is Poland's premier centre of mountain hiking and skiing. Although its local population is only about 30,000, Zakopane is visited by a staggering 2 million tourists a year. Zakopane is also Poland's highest situated town: its municipal region extends from 750 to 1000 m above sea level. The highest peak in the area of the town is Mt. Świnica which is 2301 metres above sea level, with the highest peak in the whole of the Polish Tatras, Mt. Rysy, reaching 2499 m above sea level, while the central point of the town - the crossroads of Krupówki St. and Kościuszki St. are 838 m above sea level.
http://www.ezakopane.pl/poland/
Museums
National Museum In Krakow :
“The mission of the Museum is to bear testimony to national and human values by promoting world and Polish art, especially the achievements of the Krakow artistic community, as well as through museum activities associated with its collections and works of scientific, historical and artistic merit, which were produced out of beliefs of those who shared a sense of belonging to or respect for Polish culture, regardless of their place of residence, nationality or religion”. http://www.muzeum.krakow.pl/?L=1)
Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Krakowa
We are here to learn and protect the unique heritage of Krakow.
Also, we are supposed to familiarize people of today with this heritage and pass it on to our posterity.
Our work is a duty in a field of shaping people’s awareness of their identity.
http://mhk.pl/
Zamke Królewski na Wawelu
Wawel Royal Castle – The National Art - is a national cultural institution, legally constituted, registered in the National Cultural Institutions Register at no. 21/92 and in the State Museum Register at no. 16/98. The Castle operates on the basis of a statute granted by the Ministry of Culture (Official Journal MKiDN no. 4 item 7 of 2000)
Wawel Royal Castle is a historic residence museum.
http://www.wawel.krakow.pl/en/
Center for Jewish Culture
War II. During the war and for many years afterwards, the building was used as a carpentry workshop and then as a warehouse, and from the early 1980s it stood as an abandoned ruin. Its thoroughgoing renovation and modernization carried out in 1989-1993 was made possible by financial aid from the Congress of the United States of America, provided through the Polish-American Joint Commission for Humanitarian Assistance in Warsaw, and also from the Municipality of Cracow, the Governor of Cracow Province, the Citizens' Committee for Restoration of Cracow's Monuments, and the General Conservator of Poland.
http://www.judaica.pl/index1.php?zmien_jezyk=EN
Interestin Links
http://www.cracow-life.com/
http://www.krakow-info.com/
http://www.cracowonline.com/
http://www.krakow4u.pl/eng_index.php?parametr=eng_glowna_s
Taxis
From the airport to the centre of Krakow costs approx. 50 PLN.
You can also pay by credit card
Arrivals and Departures at the airport
http://www.krakowairport.pl/en
Transport to and from the airport
Train: Fast railway line to the centre of Kraków – Operted by “PKP Przewozy Regionalne Sp. z o.o.” The train service provided by PKP Przewozy Regionalne Sp. z.o.o is the fastest link between the centre of Krakow and the airport. Travel time is 16 minutes.
The train station is located 200 m from the T1 international terminal. For travel between the terminals and the station, we advise you to use the free Shuttle Bus service.
The Shuttle Bus awaits at the rail station and transports passengers between the international (T1) and the domestic (T2) terminals and then comes back to the station.
Bus: Krakow Airport is served by two regular bus lines: 208 and 292 and one night line: 902.
These are AGGLOMERATION BUS LINES
| Agglomeration ticket prices | ||
|
Ticket type |
Normal |
Reduced |
|
1 Person – Single trip |
3,00 |
1,50 |
|
1 Person – Multiple trips – 90 minutes |
5,00 |
2,50 |
|
1 Person – Multiple trips – 24 hours |
15,00 |
7,50 |
|
1 Person – Multiple trips – 7 days |
52,00 |
26,00 |
Price of a single ticket bought from the bus driver: 3.50 PLN Normal / 1.75 PLN Reduced Tickets can be purchased from:
Taxi: Radio Taxi 19191 – Official partner of Kraków Airport
| From mobile phones of the following providers: | |
|
Newtork |
Telephone number |
|
Era |
+48 602 122 919 |
|
Orange |
+48 501 232 555 |
|
Plus |
+48 663 919 191 |
http://www.radio-taxi-919.krakow.pl/reserve.htm
From the airport to the centre of Krakow costs approx. 50 PLN.
You can also pay by credit card
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Click on the links below to see the web site for last year's conference - TM Europe 2009.
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