The Adventures of Debbie Dimples - Poland - Krakow

Krakow

I went on a 4 day trip to Krakow in Poland with a good friend back in 2016. We visited the city in the February of that year. Krakow is a historic and visual gem of a city, and is arguably the most popular destination to visit in Poland.

The Main Square (Rynek Główny)

The Main Square (Rynek Główny) in Kraków is 40000 square meters, and is the largest Medieval square in Europe. The square is home to an abundance of visually stunning architecture, and is dominated by the Cloth Hall (MNK Sukiennice) and the iconic St. Mary's Basilica.

Vodka Tasting

Krakow is well known for its love of vodka. I'm not a big drinker, (and especially not of vodka being more of a pina colada girl), but on our day of arrival, we decided go vodka tasting.

Grzane Tasting

Another drink which is common in Krakow is mulled wine or Grzane. We went on a bar crawl and stopped off for some mulled wine during our trip. Grzaniec or Grzane wino (literally: hot/mulled wine) is made by heating (mostly red) wine and infusing it with a variety of aromatics; such as citrus fruit and spices.

Polish Food

During our trip, we visited several restaurants which all served delicious Polish cuisine. Some of the dishes we tried were Polish sauerkraut soup in a bread bowl, Polish beetroot broth (borscht) with dumplings, Polish potato pancakes (placki ziemniaczane), often followed by a delicious Polish apple cake or hot chocolate for dessert.

Chopin Concert Hall - Piano Concert

During our trip to Krakow, we spent an elegant evening at a piano concert, listening to the music of Frederic Chopin (Poland's most-celebrated composer) at the Chopin Concert Hall.

St Peter and Paul Church - Classical Music Concert

The second classical music event we went to was a violin quartet concert which took place in the St Peter and Paul Church. The concert featured the works of multiple composers and classical musicians.

Jewish Quarter

Kazimierz is one of Kraków's most fascinating districts, known for its rich Jewish heritage, historic synagogues, and bohemian atmosphere. There are many attractions in the Jewish Quarter, such as the Empty Chair Memorial, the Jewish Museum, Jewish Murals, and Schlinder’s Factory.

The Barbican

The Barbican, also called the Rondel, is one of the most important medieval monuments in Krakow. It was built in the 15th century to strengthen the city's defence.

Wawel Royal Castle

Towering over Wawel Hill, Wawel Royal Castle is one of the most beautiful constructions around the world and the iconic symbol of Poland.

Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum

We decided to take a group tour to Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau during our stay in Krakow. Auschwitz Birkenau Memorial and Museum is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Poland. It is also the most often visited and notorious former Nazi concentration camp. The camp became a site of the largest mass murder in the history of humankind. Taking this tour was extremely sad and a real eye-opener to the extent of the horror and suffering which the prisoners endured.

Wieliczka Salt Mine

The Wieliczka Salt Mine has been the world's longest active salt mine and perhaps the most startling example of industry meets art. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Wieliczka Salt Mine features miles of walkways, magnificent chambers, lakes, chandeliers and breathtaking salt statues.

We had a great trip in Krakow, and I would recommend it as a city break for a few days.