A Few Great Hours in Krakow

Leaving Prague at 8 a.m. was definitely the right decision, even though it meant some rushing around in the morning. It also meant we had some daylight hours in Krakow, which was wonderful.

Our driver Yan was a big guy and his Czech accent was strong, so we didn’t understand a lot of what he said, but we understood enough to know he was a really nice guy. He was also a great driver, negotiating his way around traffic and getting us to our destination.

It’s about a 6-hour drive from Prague to Krakow, so it was nice to make the trip in the backseat of a comfortable car. On the way, we took a short detour to at least see the location of Auschwitz. Unguided tours aren’t offered on the weekends and our private transfer schedule didn’t allow time for a guided tour. We wish we had planned better, but it was still important to us to see the location and get an understanding of the size and appearance of the camp. Even from the outside, the evil purpose of that stark, sad place is unmistakable.

If we return to Eastern Europe, and we may, we’ll plan to visit at least one of the camps in this region. Our visit to the Jewish Quarter in Prague was so moving, but we know the camps are where the lessons of those dark times are most evident and where our respects should be paid.

We arrived in Krakow about mid-afternoon at the Metropolitan Boutique Hotel, not much from the outside, but wonderful on the inside with excellent service from the staff. We dropped our bags and walked 15 minutes into the heart of Old Town. A few drops of rain fell, the wind blew and the clouds looked ominous, but we wanted to at least get a glimpse of the square.

Created in 1257, Krakow’s market square is the largest medieval square in Europe. In the center is the Cloth Hall, which has a been the heart of the city’s trade since 13th century when it was two rows of wooden stalls with a pathway in between, where merchants would trade salt, lead and textiles for exotic products imported from the East. It is still lined with stalls on the interior that sell everything from crystal to Christmas ornaments (we bought one) to clothes.

We were hungry when we arrived in Krakow, having only eaten small Kind bars for breakfast. The rain was still falling and more seemed headed our way, so we found a table under an umbrella in one of the cafes that line the square.

We didn’t want to eat much because we wanted to have a nice dinner on our last night in Europe, so we ordered an appetizer of baked goat cheese and roasted, marinated beets. If beets are on the menu, Betsy is going to order them, even though she’s not usually a goat cheese fan. However, this cheese was mild and delicious.

As we sat and enjoyed the dish and the activity on the square, the dark clouds moved out and the sky turned blue and sunny, an unexpected treat based on the weather forecast.

We walked around the square, and peeked inside the prominent church, St. Mary’s Basilica, built in the 13th century. It was stunning on the inside, but no photos were allowed.

The tower of the church served as a watchtower for medieval Krakow. A trumpet call is still played from the tower every hour, four times in succession in four directions. It always breaks as though unfinished to commemorate the legendary event of the trumpeter who tried to warn the city of approaching invaders, but was hit by an arrow and could not finish the trumpet call.

The clouds started moving back in, so we walked back to the hotel. On the way, we passed a market area with a live performance of traditional Polish folk music.

We got back to our room just in time to miss a torrential rainfall. We waited it out for about an hour and then walked in the opposite direction of the square to the Jewish Quarter, or Kazimierz. It was the center of Jewish life for 500 years, until it was systematically destroyed during World War II when the Jewish population was forcibly removed by the Nazis. Kazimierz received worldwide exposure through the lens of Steven Spielberg, who in 1993 shot much of the movie, Schindler’s List, there. The real Oskar Schindler’s factory is located in Krakow and now hosts a museum. The movie, and the fall of the Communist regime in 1989, created an opportunity for new investment and renovation of Kazimierz. Its historical Jewish sites have been restored and it is packed with cafes, restaurants and art galleries.

We decided to eat in the hotel restaurant, Fab Fusion. The food and the service were both excellent. We ordered pierogi and a pork dish. The plating was beautiful and both dishes were delicious. For dessert, we had a pear/apple crisp and dark chocolate creation with raspberry sauce. It was a perfect last dinner in Eastern Europe.