Krakow: small and manageable
One of the basics before entering the old part of the city is wawel castle . Located on the hill of the same name, the architectural complex includes a cathedral, that of Saint Wenceslas , which is considered one of the architectural and religious jewels of the country. Its combination of styles -Gothic, Renaissance- and the fact that different chapels are embedded in it generates a patchwork, colorful and heterogeneous effect on its façade. It is UNESCO world heritage.
just a few meters away, the dragon's cave is a grotto where one of these mythological animals apparently lived . No wonder some of Wawel's squares are reminiscent of “Game of Thrones”. While the rest of humanity remembers John Paul II as the Pop Pop , with his pope-mobile and his world tours, in Krakow he is treated like the saint he really is. In the domains of the castle, there is a statue dedicated to who was Bishop of the place before becoming Pope. Another of the great attractions of the area is the masterpiece of painting that resides in it : the lady with the ermine by Leonardo da Vinci.
krakow cathedral
Adjacent to the castle is, now, the historic center. In addition to having religious attractions (about twenty churches are crowded into a very small space), the area offers many other attractions. Near the impressive Church of San Pablo and San Pedro and its twelve frontal statues, located in front of the María Magdalena square, the mini coffee it competes with the church to attract parishioners, in this case from sugar. Ice creams, waffles and rurka (cylindrical filled sweets) of all possible sizes ready to seduce whoever walks down Grodzka 45 street . It's like being in Hansel and Gretel's house. On the same street is the gourmet shop ** Krakowski Kredens **, with delicacies from Polish cuisine and international staples. Tasting their products transports you to the past, when having a picnic in Planty Park a Sunday afternoon was a tradition among good people. The old town is surrounded by this original park, which is barely a few meters long, but forms a green belt that surrounds the epicenter of Krakow.
Café Mini: sweetened cuquismo
Walking straight ahead you reach the Krakow Market Square (Rynek Główny), a place to indulge in the most obvious souvenir under the central arcades, take a photo of the Town Hall Tower and avoid tourist restaurants. The limited size of central Krakow means you can find more authentic places to eat just a few steps away. For example, Czerwone Korale , of very competitive prices and deliberately kitsch aesthetics , referring to Polish folklore, on Slawkowska Street. A more current option is enclosed within the walls of Kogel Mogel at 12 Sienna Street.
Posture at Kogel Mogel
It is a restaurant with a more cosmopolitan atmosphere, although without forgetting to pay attention to local gastronomy -such as homemade dumping-. With the air of a French boulangerie, Charlotte chleb i wino, It is like an oasis of modernity among so many historic buildings. Pastel blue as a corporate color and the multitude of boys with bags and perfect hairstyles among its clientele denotes its status as a rare bird in a country that is generally somewhat obsolete with respect to some social rights. Both dessert is paid for and the prices of the menu consisting of healthy sandwiches and tasty salads are somewhat above average.
Royal Castle on the banks of the Vistula River (Krakow)
To the south of the city is the Jewish quarter, Kazimierz , place is where part of Schlinder's List , the Steven Spielberg classic. Ruined and reviled area during World War II and currently semi-recovered, in it you can enjoy the tranquility of a town, despite being just over a ten minute walk from the center of Krakow.
The area is full of wineries and cocktail bars that give it a bourgeois touch s and has a sufficient number of synagogues to make a specific route through them. An obligatory stop is Szeroka Square, full of restaurants and Jewish shops, and, in particular, the Plac Nowy . It is the so-called new square where you must try the pierogi -the Polish version of the dumpling-. A gigantic kiosk brings together twenty stalls ; all of them offer the same product although with different variants: Pierogis with potatoes, with cheese, with meat, with mushrooms... and endless other combinations. It is not food suitable for a hypocaloric diet and it is evident that the critics of the Gault-Millau guide are not there nor are they expected, but the saying goes: "When in Rome, do as the Romans".
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Jewish Quarter Corner: Kazimierz