Flights from Dublin and Shannon to Krakow, Poland.

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KRAKOW

Krakow in Poland is an ideal tourist destination.

Renata invites you the visit the most beautiful city in Poland.

Read her account of this fantastic destination.

"In 2000 Krakow was named the greatest city of culture in the world, and it continues as a tourist centre and fun city.

The city of Krakow was founded over a thousand years ago.

It is the former capital of Poland.

The town centre has the biggest mediaeval square in Europe.

In Krakow you can find the old Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, in which evidence of Jewish culture still remains, and the royal castle overlooking the city. All contribute to one of the most interesting urban settlements in Europe and is listed with the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

But the city is not just about history. Krakow is one of the biggest academic centres in Poland. Every year there are approximately 180,000 young people studying there. I was one of them – I spent 5 years in Krakow. I have to say that I love the city and I think that there are a thousand reasons to visit Krakow.

I will try to show you my Krakow.

Krakow is a lively centre, with numerous festivals, exhibitions and concerts. The hundreds of cafes, restaurants and pubs situated in stunning mediaeval surroundings also add to the unforgettable atmosphere of the city.

There are places to eat everywhere in Krakow, from the legion of takeaways and kebabs in Kalwaryjska Street to excellent lunchtime and evening food in restaurants around the Main Square.

There are many small restaurants within a walking distance of the city centre, with a concentration in the Grodzka Quarter.
The further-away district of Kazimierz offers traditional Jewish cuisine.

The most typical Polish restaurant is “Chlopskie Jadlo” (ul. Sw. Jana 3, ul. Sw. Agnieszki 1, Glogoczow 196, ul. Grodzka 9 ), serving dishes according to authentic recipes of Polish cuisine and the feasting traditions of the Polish peasantry. The most popular meal is stuffed roast pork with garlic cloves for € 3.00 and Silezian noodles for € 2.00.

If you go to visit Krakow you can also see:

1) Salt Mine Wieliczka
which is one of the best known tourist venues in Poland. Every year it attracts nearly a million tourists and is just 13 km away from Krakow.

The mine at Wieliczka is an undergroound world. At nine levels, reaching dept of 327 meters 3000 chambers and nearly 300 km of passages are situated. A Tourist Route leads through the oldest and most beautiful part of this world. A stroll along undergrounds of Wieliczka means walking over two kilometres in therapeutic microclimate, in the scenery of corridors, underground lakes and chapels, specific forms of the underground “architecture”. All this, beautiful and unique itself is enriched by the artistic creations of talent and imagination of generations of miners, sculptors and by the bas-reliefs.

2) Every visitor to Poland should visit Auschwitz Birkenau Memorial and Museum.

Auschwitz Birkenau is the most well known cemetery in the world and place of genocide and it is just an hour and a half journey by car from Krakow.

Started in 1940 as a concentration camp for Polish political prisoners in 1942, it became the centre for extermination of European Jews. In the years 1940-45 the Nazis killed about 1.5 million people there, mainly Jews as well as Poles, Gypsies, Russian and members of other nationalities.

Reserve Auschwitz Birkenau Excursion.

3) St. Mary’s Church

4) Cracow’s Aqua Park

5) Wawel Royal Castle

In the past Wawel Royal Castle served as the seat of the Polish kings.

6) Krakow has excellent shopping streets just off the Main Square, but the best idea for shopping will be to visit couple of the biggest shopping centres in Krakow:

- Galeria Krakowska near the Krakow Glowny main train station.

- Galeria Kazimierz on Podgorska Street No 34

- Plaza on Al. Pokoju No 44

- M1 on Al. Pokoju No 67

The best time to visit Krakow is the time between May and September, because in winter time it can be very cold in Poland.

There are direct flights from Shannon to Krakow every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

On arrival, getting to the city centre straight from the airport does not present much of a problem, as the new shuttle train service links Krakow’s Airport in Balice with the Krakow Glowny main station in the city centre.

Trains run every thirty minutes between 4 a.m. and midnight. The 15 km journey should last about 20 minutes. A single ticket cost an equivalent of under €2. You can purchase tickets on the train. The cheapest transport will always be bus ( line 292 and 208), as a bus ticket costs no more than 80c. However, if time and comfort are of some importance, taking a taxi or train may be an alternative solution."