With the days still short and the temperatures still in single digits, you may be forgiven for thinking that the only holiday option is to find a beach somewhere warm and defrost! But an increasingly popular way to spend the winter months is by visiting a winter city break location only a few hours away, and one such destination is Krakow in Poland. But what will await once you arrive? Let us take you through Krakow’s highlights and you could be enjoying one of the best
Europe holidays this winter.
Large Medieval Square
Krakow’s pride and joy is being able to boast one the largest medieval squares in Europe and this is the heart and core of the city. It’s the ideal spot to sit back and relax with a coffee while planning your sightseeing and watching the world go by. The dominant Cloth Hall was once the centre of the city’s textiles trade and today is home to a museum, and a variety of souvenir stalls, coffee shops and eateries.
Not to mention the Christmas Markets that adorn the square during the festive period. The adjacent gothic church of St Mary’s Basilica will astound you with its elaborate architecture and decorations, while a climb up the tower of the Town Hall will give you the best panoramic views of this ancient capital of Poland. Depending on how long you have booked to stay in Krakow, there are other places that are worth a visit since you have come this far.
History and Culture
In the southern district of Podgorze you will find Schindler’s old enamel factory. Oscar Schindler saved the lives of over a thousand Jewish workers and his story inspired the Steven Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List. The factory building today houses the Kraków during Nazi Occupation 1939-1945 museum and MOCAK - Krakow's excellent contemporary art museum which opened in 2011. The office of Oscar Schindler has been left intact and offers an exclusive window into a piece of history for you to see.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine located 30 – 40 minutes away from the city is an underground network of chambers and tunnels and will astound you with its complexly carved archways and statues carved out of salt not by architects or artists but by the salt miners themselves who started carving statues of saints out to the salt for protection. The most impressive is probably the chamber containing the chapel of St Kinga which features an altar and chandelier all carved out of salt. An added bonus is the air inside the mine is pure, free of pollution and rich in micronutrients. So take lots of deep breaths!
Daytrips
Krakow is also a good base for you if, like many, you plan to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum which is a day trip. Here you will find the austere Nazi Concentration Camp known for the massive genocide of Jews and gain a far better understanding of the most disturbing, harsh and harrowing torture and genocide that actually happened here.
If you have a couple of days to spare, you should consider an overnight trip to Zakopane, the Polish gateway to the Tatra mountains which is a popular winter resort and where forests of pines covered in a feet-deep blanket of snow will provide you with the perfect White Christmas scenes exactly like you see on Christmas cards. If you fancy some snow walking through these wintery pine forests try and stretch this visit to a two-night stay.Wrap up warm though and make sure you’re properly kitted out for the snow walking experience of your life.
