Cracow over the weekend

Cracow is a diverse place and everyone might find his own key to its rich culture cognition. You could go through the sacral architecture and follow its development from early Middle Age till present days. You’ll be able to have fun during the night going from one pub to another and doing the clubbing as all of them are close to one another. You may have your fancy drink in a restaurant’s garden and observe the passers - by. Classic sightseeing tours allow to immerse in he city atmosphere. Such walking remains in our memories for a long time.

The following are some of the possible tourist routes one might find attractive to choose from.

1. The Royal Road.

Ceremonial tour of royal march, great funerals and festive parades. The historical road leads from St Floriana church through Barbakan, Florianska Gate and Grand Market to the Royal Palace on Wawel Hill.

At Florianska street we can find interesting, historical houses: Jan Matejko House, Hotel “Pod Roza”, old Palace of Kmita. Next the tour leads through Grand Market. This is the heart of the city life, place for meetings, full of tourists in each season of the year, with its characteristic pigeons and florists near monument of Adam Mickiewicz, and hackney cabs. Here we should see Mariacki church with its magnificent altar sculpted by Wit Stwosz. Every full hour a trumpet player gives an unique signal from the church’s tallest tower.

Sukiennice is located in the central Market’s area. It’s a medieval shopping arcade. A town hall’s tower rises above it. The tour leaves Grand Market leading towards St Wojciech Romanesque church, to Grodzka street where there are St Trinity church, Franciscan monastic order and Wielkopolski Palace.

Grodzka street leads us past baroque church of St Peter and Paul to the Royal palace and a cathedral on the Wawel Hill. Wawel cathedral is the necropolis of Polish kings and national heroes. There are Zygmunt chapel - a great Renaissance work of art and Zygmunt’s Bell (it weighs 8 tons) originating from 1521. The unique collection of 137 tapestries and artwork of oriental collection from 16th –17th centuries (period of Polish and Turkish wars).

2. The Univeristy Tour.

Jagellonian University (JU) was founded in 1364. It’s one of oldest universities in Central Europe. That was the golden period of Cracow’s prosperity, humanism and reformation, which created the identity of the city. Among the students of Jagelloninan University there were many Polish scientists and famous thinkers such as e.g. Mikołaj Kopernik and John Paul II..

The university tour begins at the Academy of Arts, it leads through Planty park and winds itself among historical structures: Collegium Maius, Nowodworski Collegium, Collegium Novum and Collegium Iurisdicum.

Not far from the center there is a modern building of Jagellonian Library and the beautiful Kopernik street with a lot of university’s clinics - Collegium Medicum. At the end of the tour you should visit JU Botanical Garden. There is an old astronomic observatory there.

3. Trail of John Paul II.

Cracow was always present in life of John Paul II. Being a student, worker, priest, teacher, bishop, archbishop and finally being the Pope, John Paul II was constantly close to various places in the city. One might visit them and find oneself closer to the phenomenon of Karol Wojtyla.

The early period of John Paul’s stay in Cracow is related to Jagellonian University, his parents’ grave at Rakowicki Cementery and houses in Debniki. During the II world war Karol Wojtyla was working in Zakrzewek quarry and at the plant “Solvay” in Lagiewniki and studying at the High Seminary in Cracow Archdiocese. After the war he came back to Cracow and took over St Florian parish near Matejko square.

He took holy orders in Wawel Cathedral and settled down in Cracow Bishop Palace. Being a bishop he supported Arka Pana church’s uprising in Nowa Huta. During Polish pilgrimages John Paul II was visiting Cracow and consecrating its churches.

Going to Cracow soon.. Hehe.

Cracow is a fantastic place, we went there for a friends stag weekend, we booked it online with a local company lifestyletours org it was a fantastic weekend, one of the best places to party in the world the girls are fantastic and love to have a good time. Cracow you guys rock.

Luke UK

I loved Krakow, the only thing that pi**ed me off was the d*ck heads on stag parties!!!! Hopefully there wont be any there in Jan/Feb!

That would be us British proably lol

Actually they were Scots - all wearing kilts - oh and some scousers being loud and acting up, it was quite funny because they were all in their 30is apart from a couple who looked in their very early 20is who were in fact ashed of their older travelling companians...lol

lol, yeh tis embarassing for me too when i see my fellow british ppl in the same coutnry as me, at first its hey helloooooo, then after a few seconds its, actually im off lol...

I had a similar problem with Americans in Krakow. I was really embarassed by the yelling. I saw a lot of Scots in Poznan but it must've been too early because they weren't too loud.

alcohol and loudness go hand in hand in most countries ive noticed... regardless of nationalities drinking... :)

True, but I dont think half of it is neccessary the scousers were singing crude songs really loud and there was a really gross looking one with them who was bragging about how much sex he'd been getting off Polish girls - I just thought the beer in Poland is strong but it's never going to be strong enough for an ugly biffer like you to get laid!!

yeah... its always a bummer when you can understand the crap people around you are talking...


scousers....

you sort of know its the beginning of the end for a city once scousers start visiting..

I dont think they'll be any there when Im ther next though.

Foreigners, who ever they are, including people who come here to partry, - HELP the polish community by providing tourisim dollars, and big ones, so if our friends, as they mostly do - work in bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants, carfe etc, THEN do not bag tourists, including stags who spend a lot of money that goes back into the community.

Paul

Kraków - Student

it's so annoying right now in Cracow, cuz you go to the club or bar and everybody speaks damn english. and all handsome guys are british, irish or american. I dont have nothing against that, the problem is that you cant even date with them cuz they are here only for a couple of days. I want to just point out that THIS IS NOT FAIR!!! :)

Troll, I saw your post slagging off Polish men before

paulkrakow

I understand your points and tourism is a good thing, but I am talking about how people conduct themselves when they are out and about and how english men on stag parties are perceived reflects on the english as a whole and the problem lies therein.

anyway, english speakers are right now in every bar. you have to be very lucky if u go to bar and there will be no foreigners.

I hope that Kraków want be so popular as Prague.

Hi,i`m Scottish&yes i wear a kilt when abroad,but i wear it sensibly,no flashing.Krakow sounds great&i like the Polish people,they are friendly,there are many who work over here in Inverness(Scotland)please don`t judge all Scots guys as kilt-Flashers!Hope to visit Krakow,should i bring my kilt though??

No, leave it at home.

The Poles generally like the Scots. The women would love it, don it with pride laddie.

I'll be in Inverness quite soon. I have fond memories from childhood

Seanus,are you Polish?Just that your handle sounds Irish?If your in Inverness head to Johnny Foxes,live music,usually the best bar in Inverness,another good place is Hootanannys,anything you want to ask feel free??How good is Krakow?Sounds like a nice place with friendly people,from the Polish people i`ve talked to over here?

Krakow is braw, aye, tis a bonnie wee toon. A wiz a bittie miffed kind fin ye sid a wiz fae thon Emerald Isle. Yeah, I'm Polish ;) Trying to maintain a poker face

Good on ya,If you make it to Foxes,me&mates will buy ya a drink,or 2,we`re a friendly bunch us Scots How will we know its you though??You must like the Scots?

The Scots are a nice bunch. I have a kind of affinity, u could say attachment, with them :)

This tune rocks

It was going around too fast for me to see the title though.

Hoots Mon

Posted this before but couldn't find it. The God that is..........Jimmy Shand.

Great,you Poles are putting together a good case for visiting your country!Good on you,as we say in Scotland Good craic!!

Aye, nae bither like. Slainte mhaithe

Guys, when you come to Krakow, pay attention to notices in toilets and follow the instructions:

Do not pee into the sink! Show good manners of your country!

And for some forgetful Poles: Nie załatwiać się do zlewu!