Our Long Awaited Trip to Krakow
With travel still being affected by Coronavirus, airlines are still having to make schedule changes either to flight times or on occasions, the UK departure airport. Our flights were moved from Gatwick to Luton and so we decided that we would take advantage of the Luton schedule by increasing our stay to 4 nights; after all – we had waited long enough to go so why not?! This was my first experience of flying out of Luton Airport and whilst it was hard to drive past not one, but two London airports to reach it, I was pleasantly surprised at the size of the airport and how smooth travel currently is, despite the added requirements that are currently in place. The airport was very quiet and with all our travel documents in hand, we soon found ourselves relaxing in the airport lounge. When travel is operating as ‘normal’ a lounge is a great addition to your holiday, along with being a lovely way to start your holiday off in style, it allows you to escape the hustle and bustle of the main terminal and relax before your flight. Upon our return to Luton, within 15-minutes of landing we had passed through passport control, collected our hold luggage and were on our way to the car! It must be said that if our flight had been full (it was less than a quarter full) I am aware that this would have taken longer but there are certainly some perks to the current situation!
On arrival into Krakow, we had decided to travel into the city by train. The station is attached to the airport terminal and the journey was really smooth. I travelled with my dad, and we had booked a 2-bedroom apartment in the Old Town of Krakow. The Antique Apartments are just off the main square of the Old Town and in walking distance of many restaurants, tourist attractions and the collection point of our tours. Well equipped and comfortable, with a lovely cocktail bar next door, my only disappointment was the noise each morning at around 6am. I am a light sleeper so if you are one who can sleep through anything then this should not put you off!
Like many other visitors, the main reason for our trip was to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. I would recommend pre-booking a guided tour that includes your transport from the city, and this is quite often offered with a second half day excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mines. Located approximately an hour and half outside of the city centre, we travelled there on a snowy winter’s day which felt appropriate and gave us only a small fraction of an idea of the cold, bleakness that those who suffered there would have endured during their time at the camp. The guided tour spans across both sites and lasts roughly 4 hours. With knowledge of Auschwitz and the suffering that went on, I thought I was prepared for what we would see. Whilst the trip was educational, thought provoking and incredibly emotional, you need to prepare yourself for how harrowing witnessing these sites is. A must for everyone to simply pay your respects and understand the horror that went on here.
The other hugely popular attraction in Krakow is the Wieliczka Salt Mines which are only a short 20-minute coach ride from the city centre. After such a long day the previous day, this tour only takes half a day and will certainly lift your spirits when you see the amazing sculptures that have been created over the years from salt. Discovered over 6000 years ago, the salt mines were active until the late 1990’s. Now the only salt mined comes from the water that still runs through the lower-level chambers and this is done in order to prevent flooding of the whole attraction. This tour would not be suitable for anyone with walking difficulties. Something that is highly encouraged is to lick the walls at some point during your tour!
Main tourist attractions aside, another huge pull for us was the Polish food. There are plenty of restaurants to try and if Polish isn’t your thing, then don’t worry – all cuisine is catered for. My favourite restaurant, which was recommended by our taxi driver, was Morskie Oko. Named after the famous Polish lake in the Tatras Mountains, this restaurant has a traditional highland feel to it with stunning Polish food. I had the grilled sheep cheese to start followed by boar loin, both traditional dishes and both amazing! You can’t visit Poland without trying their famous dumplings and traditional soups. Don’t be surprised if your soup turns up in a bowl made of bread, including a bread lid. As I was told when asked if I wanted bread with my soup, ‘when in Poland you must have soup with bread’.
Having travelled to Krakow in late November, we were also able to take in the Christmas markets. These too were in the Old Town, and we spent a couple of afternoons wandering around the stalls, tasting the street food, and washing it down with a compulsory (in my opinion!) Gluhwein.
As our time came to an end and we spent some time reflecting on our trip, I would recommend visiting at this time of the year to take in Auschwitz in the cold but if you were to return, head back when the city is in bloom to see it in another season. With plenty of tourist attractions yet to be explored, this is a city that could certainly be given a second visit. My travel head is already looking at the bigger picture and taking me to the next European city to explore but never say never….Krakow, you have plenty more to offer – until the next time!