Info Krakow

Transcription

Info Krakow

KRAKaddict contents
Addicted to Krakow
Your free PDF guide to the best of Krakow
www.krakaddict.com
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Sites you cannot miss
Calendar of current events
Best hotels, hostels/B&B, serviced apartments
Best restaurants and cafes
Most popular discos, clubs and pubs
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Sightseeing tours
Transport
Shopping venues
And a whole host of other useful
information
published by CracowOnline.com
2008 in Krakow – neo-Bohemia thrives
During the 1990s, Prague was an expatriate
haven, being often compared to Paris in the
1920s. Now, travellers are looking for the next
Prague. And Krakow is the next big thing in
European travel. Unlike most other Polish cities,
Krakow (or Cracow) came through the last war
unscathed, so it has retained much of the history
guarded in its walls, works of art and traditions.
Since 1978 this quaint, friendly and affordable
city is recognized by UNESCO as a World
Heritage site. Krakow’s Main Market Square,
the largest such a square in the world,
is a medieval wonder.
Among the many to be seen is St. Mary’s
Church, with its world famous wooden altar
carved by Wit Stwosz, Czartoryski Museum
housing ancient European artefacts and
Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece Lady with an
Ermine, the Royal Castle Wawel with beautiful
16th century tapestries, klezmer sessions in the
Jewish Quarter, and a real wonder Wieliczka
Salt Mine, an incredible underground museum
featuring lakes and churches carved out of sale,
located 15 kms from Krakow.
With its massive student population attending
Jagiellonian University, your IQ could possibly
rise considerably just by spending a couple
of days wandering through Krakow. In fact,
one JU alumnus is none other than Nicolaus
Copernicus, the guy who came up with that
idea about the Earth revolving around the sun.
Since last year, Krakow is also ranked among
world’s most fashionable cities after its recent
emergence as centre of ’neo-Bohemian
influence’, with a vibrant arts and music scene
and flourishing café society. Warsaw may
be the political capital of Poland, but raise a glass
instead to Krakow, the undisputed pub capital!
There are over 300 pubs, cafes and bars in the
Old Town alone. Enjoy!
Accession Bed and Breakfast is located in a beautifully restored fin-de-siecle Krakovian townhouse,
in a quiet neighbourhood within 5 minutes walk of Krakow’s historic medieval market square.
Email us at [email protected] to check availability.
Krakow basics
most famous world heritage sites, including
the Egyptian pyramids and the Great Wall
of China. Today the list contains almost
700 sites.
Krakow Milestones:
Customs
Approx. 4th century AD
The Polish people are very hospitable, warmhearted and they have a very high opinion of
foreigners who know at least one word in
Polish.
The Wawel Dragon is killed.
Prince Krak establishes the
city on the Wawel Hill.
966
First mention
of Krakow in writing
(by Ibrahim-ben-Jacob,
a merchant from Cordoba).
1038
Krakow becomes
the capital of Poland and
Polish monarchs take
up their residence
in its Wawel Royal Castle.
1257
The location of the city
according to the Magdeburg
law, which gave it a new
layout with a centrally
situated marketplace.
1978
UNESCO places Krakow
on the first World Heritage Site,
while the city’s archibishop
is elevated to the papacy.
2000
Krakow becomes
European Capital of Culture.
2007
Krakow emerges as centre
of ‘neo-Bohemian influence’ with
a vibrant arts and music scene
and flourishing café society.
Krakow (['krakuf]; variant English spelling
Cracow; in full Royal Capital City of Krakow)
is one of the oldest and largest cities
of Poland, with a 2007 population of 760,000
(1.4 million, counting adjacent communities). This historic city is situated on the
Vistula River (Wisla) at the foot of Wawel Hill
in Little Poland region (Malopolska).
Krakow has traditionally been one of the
leading scientific, cultural and artistic centres
of the country, the former residence of the
Polish kings and a national capital, considered
by many to remain the spiritual heart
of Poland due to its history of more than
a thousand years. Krakow is also a major
centre of local and international tourism,
attracting seven million visitors per year.
The earliest known settlement on the present
site of Krakow was established on Wawel Hill,
and dates back to the 4th century. Legend
attributes the town’s establishment to the
mythical ruler Krak, who built it above a cave
occupied by a ravenous dragon.
A visit to Krakow is a meeting with the most
glorious era in our history. Krakow’s Old
Town with Wawel and the Kazimierz district
were placed on the first World Heritage List,
created by the UNESCO in 1978. It should be
remembered that this prestigious recognition
had then been awarded to only 12 of the
Roman Catholicism plays an important role in
daily life and criticism or jokes about religion
are not appreciated, despite the general good
humour of the people. Music and art are also
important aspects of Polish culture. Shaking
hands is the normal form of greeting. Women
have to be prepared for the old Polish custom
of being kissed on the hand. Smoking is
restricted in public buildings.
Time zones
Poland is among countries using Central
European Time (GMT + 01:00). This time
zone applies for Spain, France, Germany,
Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Slovakia,
or Hungary and many other countries.
Seattle, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles
time: -9h
Chicago time: -7h
New York, Toronto time: -6h
Buenos Aires time: -5h
Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo time: -4h
London, Dublin, Lagos, Lisbon time: -1h
Helsinki, Moscow, Athens, Tel Aviv, Cairo,
Johannesburg: +1h
Abu Dhabi, Yerevan: +2h
The Polish people are used to eating early in
the morning. Breakfasts are served between
7 and 9 a.m., lunches between 12 and 2 p.m.
and dinners usually between 6 and 8 p.m.
Sydney, Canberra: +9h
Money
Auckland time: +10h
Poland’s national currency is zloty (PLN). One
zloty equals 100 groszy.
Banknotes come in denominations of 10, 20,
50, 100, 200 zloty and there are 1, 2 and 5
zloty, and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 groszy coins
in circulation.
Average exchange rates in Poland in the
second half of 2007 were as follows: 1 PLN =
3.7 EUR, 1 PLN = 2.6 USD, 1 PLN = 5.5 GBP.
Beijing, Manila: +7h
Tokyo, Adelaide: +8h
Food
Nowadays, the standard of the network of
fast-foods, restaurants, and cafes is similar to
the European one except for cheap street
bars.
In the most expensive restaurants you can
expect to pay over 100 PLN for a meal for
one. If you want something cheaper, go to
a small restaurant or bar, or have a pizza (from
Holidays – The following days all institutions, offices and shops are closed.
1st January – New Year’s Day
24th March – Easter Monday
1st May – Labour Day
3rd May – the 3rd May Constitution Day
22nd May – Corpus Christi
15th August – Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady
1st November – All Saints’ Day
11th November – Independence Day
25th and 26th December – Christmas
Sites you cannot miss!
WAWEL HILL
Wawel Royal Castle and the Cathedral
20 PLN). “Bar mleczny” (milk bar) offers the
cheapest food (5 to 9 PLN). A cake in
a Krakow café will cost you 3-10 PLN, a cup
of coffee 4-10 PLN. The price of a beer in a
pub varies from 6 to 12 PLN. The majority of
larger restaurants accept credit cards.
Do not forget to try the Polish specialities:
bigos, made with sauerkraut, fresh cabbage,
onions and any variety of leftover meat.
Polish meals start with przekaski (starters),
such as pike in aspic, marinated fish in sour
cream, salted and rolled herring fillets with
pickles and onions, kulebiak (a large
mushroom and cabbage pastry) or Polish
sausages such as the long, thin and highly
spiced kabanos or the hunters' sausage
(mysliwska) made with pork and game.
Soups play an important part at mealtimes
and are usually rich and very thick. Soups
such as barszcz (beetroot soup, excellent with
sour cream) or rosol (beef or chicken
boullion) are often served in cups with small
hot pasties stuffed with meat or cabbage.
Popular dishes include pierogi (ravioli), zrazy
zawijane (mushroom-stuffed beefsteak rolls
in sour cream) served with boiled kasza
(buckwheat) and pig’s knuckles. Poland is
also a good country for fish (ryba) such as
carp served in sweet-and-sour jellied sauce,
and poached pike with horseradish in cream.
Herring (sledz) is particularly popular and is
served up in countless different ways.
Pastries (ciastka) are also very good. Table
service is the norm in restaurants.
There are a few kinds of good Polish vodkas
worth recommending, e.g., zubrowka (bison
grass), tarniowka (sloe plum), sliwowica
(prune) and pieprzowka (vodka with ground
white pepper). Western drinks, such as
whisky, gin or brandy, can be obtained in
most bars but are expensive. Wine is available
but, again, is imported and expensive. The
best bottled beer is Zywiec, a fairly strong
lager-type beer.
The Wawel Cathedral, the national temple
built after the bishopric of Cracow was
established in 1000, has witnessed most of
the royal coronations and funerals. Its place
was chosen to be the Wawel (‘Vah-vel’) Hill.
Nowadays, the Cathedral features:
Sigismund Chapel, which is the pearl of
Renaissance architecture and art; Royal
Tombs; Sigismund Bell, popularly called
“Zygmunt”, heavier (twelve people are
needed to put it in motion) and 350 years
older than its famed London cousin, the Big
Ben; Poets’ Crypt (where two great Romantic
poets, Adam Mickiewicz and Juliusz
Slowacki, are buried) and Black Christ’s
Crucifix, which is a 650-year-old, 13-foot-tall
remarkable sculpture.
The Wawel Castle was the residence of Polish
kings from the mid-11th to the early 17th
century. The present image of the castle has
Romanesque fragments and Gothic parts.
They are visible signs of the reign of the kings
Alexander (1501-1506) and Sigismund I the
Old (1506-1548) of the Jagiellonian dynasty.
The Renaissance architecture of the castle is a
work of Master Eberhard Rosemberger and
Francesco the Florentine. Their work was
finished by Master Benedykt and another
Florentine, Bartolomeo Berrecci (who, when
his work was completed, placed the following
inscription over the entrance gate “Si Deus
nobiscum quis contra nos” (If God is with us,
who will be against us?)). At the turn of the
16th century some of the castle rooms were
refashioned in the early Baroque style.
Following the third partition of Poland in
1795, the former royal castle was converted
into Austrian army barracks for the greater
part of the 19th century. The army did not
leave Wawel until 1905. During the Second
World War Wawel was the seat of the
occupation authorities of the Government
General and the residence of Hans Frank.
There are some permanent exhibitions in the
castle on Wawel Hill. If you visit the State
Rooms you will take part in the travel to the
past. The historical interiors are furnished in
the Renaissance style, what is more, there is a
unique and famous collection of the tapestry
of Sigismund August, royal portraits, Italian
and Dutch painting of the 14th to 17th
centuries. You may also visit Royal Private
Apartments, Crown Treasury and Armoury,
where are shown the precious examples of
arms, armours, horse trappings from Poland
and West Europe. Finally, tourists may visit a
room dedicated to the Oriental Art with
Turkish tents, banners, weapons, carpets, and
Chinese and Japanese ceramics. To complete
your Wawel trip, you should visit the
Dragon’s Den, former home of the legendary
Wawel Dragon, located just outside the
Tipping
In restaurants, service is normally included in
the price so you just pay what is on the bill.
Tipping is up to you and there don't seem to
be any hard and fast rules about it. In lowpriced eateries customers rarely leave a tip;
they might, at most, round up the total up to
the nearest whole figure. In up-markest
establishments it’s customary to tip 10% of
the bill.
THE MAIN MARKET SQUARE
The Main Market Square Measuring
200x200m, Krakow’s Rynek Glowny (Main
Market Square) is the largest medieval town
square in Europe and reputedly in all of the
world. It’s considered to be the finest urban
design of its kind. Its layout was drawn up in
1257 and has been retained to this day,
although some of the buildings have changed
a bit. The most recent addition is the
monument of Adam Mickiewicz, designed in
1898 by Teodor Rygier; today it is the most
popular meeting place for young people.
St Mary’s Church
Castle, next to the fire-spitting bronze
Dragon’s monument. However, the entrance
to the cave is next to the Thieves’ Tower at the
western edge of the hill.
The Chakra
The Wawel Castle museums may be
forgettable. But the complex has one “sight”
which – while invisible – attracts travelers
from around the world: the chakra. Hindus
believe the chakra is part of a powerful
energy field which connects all living things.
There are seven points on the surface of the
earth where this chakra energy is most
concentrated. These points include
Jerusalem, Mecca, Rome...and Krakow’s
Wawel Hill. Look for peaceful people with
their eyes closed. One thing’s for sure:
they’re not thinking of Kazimierz the Great.
The Wawel administration seems creeped out
by all this. They’ve done what they can to
discourage this ritual, but believers still
gravitate from far and wide to hug the wall in
the castle courtyard.
St Mary ’s Church is not located
perpendicularly to the Main Square which
proves that it was constructed before the
location of the city. It was firstly mentioned in
the chronicle of John Dlugosz in 1222. The
oldest Romanesque fundaments has
remained as an underground part of the
church (2.60 cm under the present floor). The
new Gothic edifice has been built in the place
of the old one between 1287 and 1320.
During the reign of Jadwiga and Jagiello it
was converted into a basilica. The famous
Veit Stoss (Wit Stwosz) altar, the jewel of the
basilica, was created from 1477 to 1489. It is
13 metres high and 11 metres wide and is the
largest medieval wooden altar in all Europe.
Every hour from the higher tower (81 m) of
the church a Bugle Call (hejnal) is played to
the four quarters of the world in turn. In the
medieval a melody, which now is a musical
symbol of the city, was played as a warning
call. The hejnal is broadcast on Polish Radio
every day at noon.
The Cloth Hall
The creation of the Cloth Hall dates back to
the 14h century. Then in 1555 the building,
designed as a centre for the cloth trade, was
rebuilt after a fire. The present image is
a reconstruction from 1875-1879.
The ground floor continues to be a trading
centre, now for crafts and souvenirs, while
the upper floor has been taken by a museum
of the Polish Art of the 19th century, featuring
works by Jozef Chelmonski, Jacek
Malczewski and the leader of monumental
historic painting, Jan Matejko.
Town Hall Tower
From the Town Hall of Krakow remained only
the Tower and the first floor, which is now
covered by the ground. This Gothic building
dates back to 1316, but after several fires it
was rebuilt several times. The height of the
tower is about 70 m. In the past, it contained
the city dungeon with a torture chamber as
well as a popular beer house. Today, it is a
Historical Museum of the City with a café and
a theater.
St Adelbert’s Church
In the southern corner of the square is the
small St Adelbert’s Church. The oldest
fragments of the Church date back to the
10th century. Traditionally, it is thought that
St Adelbert, who evangelised Poland, used to
give here his sermons. The present shape is
baroque. You can see the original foundations
in the basement, where a small exhibition
also presents archaelogical finds excavated
from the Rynek. Once inside, one should not
miss a look at the figure of Christ crucified on
the rood-screen.
MAIN SQUARE SURROUNDS
The Barbican
It is one of the greatest achievements of the
architecture of fortifications of the 15th
century due to the fact that it was the first of
that type in Poland. It is round, made of brick
and has seven turrets and 130 loopholes. Its
high walls are three meters thick. The
Barbican was connected with the Florianska
Gate by a drawbridge and a walled passage.
Its mission was to obstruct the first attack of
the enemy. The Florianska Gate
Dated to the turn of the 13th/14th century,
along the neighbouring walls and tree
towers, the gate is part of the powerful
fortification system which once surrounded
Krakow with a 3-km long band. It was
reinforced with 47 towers, eight gates and a
moat. The Florianska Gate opened the Royal
Route which royal and envoy processions
took on their way to Wawel. In the 19th
century, city walls were demolished and
replaced by the Planty Park.
The Collegium Maius The history of the Polish
oldest University starts in the year 1364 when
the king Casimir the Great established a
Studium Generale. In 1400 the restoration
and modernization was possible thanks to the
legacy left by the Polish queen-saint Jadwiga.
The Jagiellonian University has got its present
The Franciscan Church and Monastery
Kanonicza street
Gothic, single-nave church established in
1237. Interior decoration, including Europe’s
largest stained glass window (“God the
Father – Let it Be”), from around 1900 by
Stanis³aw Wyspianski. The stations of the Via
Dolorosa were painted by Jozef Mehoffer.
This peaceful and sheltered street, which
turns gracefully towards Wawel Hill, is
Krakow’s oldest street with an unique
historical value which cannot be
underestimated. The principal approach to
the Wawel ran along this street in the Middle
Ages. The street took its name from the
canons of the Krakow Chapter who resided
here in the 14th-century. All the buildings
date to Medieval times, while their portals
and arcaded courtyards come from teh
Renaissance period, a good reason to have a
look at what is hidden behind the gateways.
St. Andrew’s Church
name after her royal husband, King Ladislav II
Jagiello. It became famous all over the Europe
for its high level of mathematics, astronomy,
astrology, geography and legal studies. The
most famous Polish student of the
Jagiellonian University are Nickolaus
Copernicus (1491-95) and Pope John Paul II
(1938-39, 1942-46). Today, the building of
Collegium Maius has been converted into a
museum.
“Plus ration quam vis” (Reason over force)
reads an inscription on the wall of the
Ceremonial Room of the Collegium Maius.
The Czartoryski Museum
A branch of the National Museum containing
Poland’s most valuable paintings: Leonardo
da Vinci’s “Lady with an Ermine” and
Rembrandt’s “Landscape with the Good
Samaritan”. On display are also works of
European painting, mementoes connected
with Polish kings, hetmans and generals, and
an exquisite collection of china, goldwork
and arms.
The Romanesque church dates from the 12th
century and is one of the oldest buildings in
Poland. Its thick walls (1.5 m) and narrow
windows prove that it also had a defensive
function. Its small interior is stunning with its
splendid Baroque decor; its rococo boatshaped pulpit is especially noteworthy.
The Slowacki Theatre
The eclectic building, modelled after the Paris
Opera, was designed by Jan Zawiejski and
built in 1893. The most outstanding Polish
actors – Helena Modrzejewska, Aleksander
Zelwerowicz and Ludwik Solski performed on
its stage. The stage is adorned with a fine
curtain by Henryk Siemiradzki, who painted
on it various allegorical and symbolic figures
connected with theatrical art.
The Divine Mercy Sanctuary Lagiewniki
Up until the 2nd World War, the Convent of
the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of
Mercy in Krakow’s Lagiewniki was an
institution which was closed to the public and
which served exclusively the sisters and those
entrusted to their care. Today it houses the
sanctuary of the Divine Mercy with its
famous, grace-working image of Merciful
Jesus and the relics of the Blessed Sr. Faustina.
The place is visited by some two million
pilgrims from all over the world each year.
On August 17, 2002 Pope John Paul II
consecrated the sanctuary’s majestic 1,600sq.m. brand-new basilica. Pope, previously
the Krakow archbishop Karol Wojtyla, is said
to be once a driving force behind the
worldwide Catholic movement to worship
the Lord’s Mercy with its center in the
Lagiewniki sanctuary.
The Kosciuszko Mound
JEWISH QUARTER OF THE
KAZIMIERZ DISTRICT
This symbolic mound is the effect of work of
volunteers who in this way honored a great
Polish patriot and a 1794 leader of the nation
Tadeusz Kosciuszko. But above all, it is an
ideal place to admire a magnificent
panoramic view of Cracow.
Kazimierz was established by King Casimir
(Kazimierz) the Great as a separate town. In
1494 an autonomous Jewish district was
established here to protect the Jews from the
numerous persecutions and a rout that took
place in Krakow. In the 16th century the Jews
all over Europe had to face the prejudice,
persecutions and finally, the exile. They found
a safe shelter in Krakow. Due to the fact that
they were mainly rich and well educated;
moreover, they belonged to the intellectual
elite of Europe, the Kazimierz Jewish District
soon became eminently prosperous.
Kazimierz became the world of philosophers
and thinkers. In 1812 the Jews were given a
law to settle in all of Kralow. Finally, the walls
were destroyed in 1822, which is linked to the
incorporation of the city into Krakow. The
tragedy of the Second World War and the
extermination of Jews by Nazi invaders
caused falling into a desolate ruin. However,
at the turn of the 1980s heirs of former
inhabitants started the renovation. Today, the
devastated buildings are continuously
restored, so that the district becomes more
and more attractive. Steven Spielberg shot
here “Schindler’s List”.
The enchanting atmosphere of Kazimierz is
created by its narrow streets, the abundance
of markets, the small tenements, synagogues
and kirkuts – Jewish cemeteries. It is a real
treasure of Jewish culture and an important
part of their history. Furthermore, thanks to
its numerous cafés and pubs, Kazimierz has
become a popular place of meeting. It has
also a marketplace of antiques and secondhand jumble. Its historic centre is Wolnica
Square but social and cultural life focuses
around Plac Nowy (New Sqaure) and Szeroka
Street.
Calendar of annual
events in Krakow
The Old Synagogue
Situated in Szeroka street, the former
commercial centre of Kazimierz, the
synagogue was built in the 15th century by
Czech Jews and is the oldest synagogue in
Poland. During WWII it was plunged and
devastated by the Nazis. After the war, the
synagogue has been renovated to serve as a
Jewish history museum.
Remuh Synagogue and Cemetery
It is the smallest of Kazimierz synagogues,
built in the 16th century and still used for
religious worship. It may be visited outside
service hours. Next to it extends a beautiful
Renaissance cemetery with numerous historic
tombstones. The most venerated site is the
tomb of Rabbi Moses Isserless (Remuh) which
draws Jewish pilgrims from all over the world.
Isaac’s Synagogue
A large Baroque synagogue was built in the
mid-17th century. It was commissioned by
Izaak Jakubowicz, a rich merchant and
banker. Its arcaded portal and fine stuccowork adorn the building. Destroyed by the
Nazis during the WWII, has been gradually
renovated since the 1980s. Inside, visitors
may watch two films about Jewish
martyrdom. Interesting 17th-century
inscriptions on the walls are worthy of note.
Corpus Christi Church
One of the greatest churches in Krakow,
funded by Casimir the Great. Various
architectural styles blend together here – late
Gothic (top of the facade), Renaissance
(Belfry), and Baroque (side chapels). In its
atmospheric interior one can admire
masterworks of sculptors’ art – the 17thcentury stalls in the chancel and the 18thcentury pulpit.
St Catherine’s Church
The Augustinian church, funded by Casimir
the Great, represents the Krakow Gothic style
at its best. The great structure of the church
looks particularly impressive after the recent
renovation. The high-altar, a work of Krakow
carvers from the 17th century, ornamental
stalls and a 15th century figure of Madonna
with Child and wall paintings in the chancel
with scenes from the life of St Augustine,
attract the viewer’s attention in the church’s
bright interior.
Pauline Church on Skalka
The origins of the church date back to the
10th century. It is traditionally believed to
have been the site where St Stanislaus was
beheaded by Boleslaus the Bold. In the left
aisle is an altar with a scene of the death of
the saint. The interior of the church is a real
jewel of the Baroque style – pastel colours,
gift ornaments, sculptures of angels and
saints. In the Crypt of the Meritorious below
in the church rest J. Dlugosz, J.I. Kraszewski,
K. Szymanowski, A. Asnyk, S. Wyspianski, J.
Malczewski and H. Siemiradzki. In front of
the church is a pond with the statue of St
Stanislaus – legend has it that the quartered
body of the martyr was thrown into that
pond.
January
! New Year Concert in the Philharmonic Hall
(1 Zwierzyniecka street)
! The Great Holiday Aid Jazz Orchestra
! Wawel Evenings – Classical Concerts at the
Castle
February
! Shanties – the International Festival of Sea
Shanties (Korona Sports Club, Kalwaryjska
street, Wisla Sports Club, Reymonta street,
Rotunda Club, 1 Oleandry street)
March
! Bach Days (Florianka Music Academy Hall,
8 Basztowa street)
! International Theatre Festival – Krakow
Theatrical Reminiscensces (Rotunda Club,
1 Oleandry street)
! Afternoon with Strauss (Courtyard of the Salt
Mine Museum in Wieliczka)
! Tyniec Organ Recitals (Tyniec Abbey)
! Lajkonik Hobby-Horse – traditional parade
through the streets of Krakow (Main Market
Square)
! “Another Cinema” SMOFI International Film
Festival (Paradox Cinema)
! International Military Orchestra Festival (Main
Market Sqaure, WKS Wawel Stadium)
! “Wianki” – Laying of the Wreths (banks of the
Vistula River at the foot of the Wawel Hill)
! International Festival of Jewish Culture
(Kazimierz – the Jewish quarter)
! Summer Organ Recitals (various locations)
! Intimate Summer Concerts (Dworek
Bialopradnicki, 2 Papiernicza street)
April
! Misteria Paschalia Festival (Philharmonic Hall,
Main Market Square, Franciscan’ Basilica)
! National Cabaret Review PAKA (Rotunda Club,
1 Oleandry street)
! International Festival “Old and Young, or Jazz
in Krakow” (jazz clubs)
May
! Cracow Screen Festival (city’s squares)
! Soup Festival (Plac Nowy Square)
! Cracovia Marathon (Blonia)
! Krakow Museum Night (Krakow museums)
! Krakow Film Festival (34 Krasinskiego Avenue)
! Krakow Ballet Spring (Juliusz Slowacki Theatre)
June
! Krakow’s City Festival
! The Grand Dragon Parade „Wawel Dragon
Festival” (Main Market Square, banks of the
Vistula River at the foot of the Wawel Hill)
July
! International Festival of Street Theatres (Main
Market Square)
! Summer Jazz Festival in the Pod Baranami
(Piwnica Pod Baranami, 27 Main Market
Square)
! International Summer Jazz Academy (the final
concert in the Courtyard of Krakow Radio)
! “Crossroads” Festival of Traditional Music
! Old Jazz in Krakow Festival (Kornet Jazz Club
and Planty park in front of Bunkier Sztuki,
3a Plac Szczepanski Square)
November
! All Saints and All Souls Days (1st-2nd
November at Krakow cemeteries)
! Independence Day of 11th November
! Zaduszki: All Souls Jazz Festival (jazz clubs)
! Audio Art Festival (Bunkier Sztuki Art Gallery,
3a Plac Szczepanski Square)
! KRAKFFA Krakow Independent Film Festival
(Mikro Cinema, 5 J. Lea street)
! International Film Festival “Etiuda & Anima”
(Kijow cinema, 34 Krasinskiego Avenue /
Rotunda Club, 1 Oleandry street)
August
! “Cracovia Danza” Festival of Courtly Dance
! “Music in Old Krakow” International Festival
(Krakow churches)
! The Cracow Pierogi Festival (Little Market
Square)
December
! International Jazz Juniors Competition
(Rotunda Club, 1 Oleandry street)
! Christmas Market (Main Market Square)
! “Szopki” – Christmas Cribs (Historical
Museum, 35 Main Market Square)
! Silent Film Festival (Pod Baranami Cinema,
27 Main Market Square)
! OFAFA National Festival of Animated Films
(Wrzos Cinema, 50 Zamoyskiego street)
! New Year’s Eve Party on the Main Market
Square
September
! Dachshund Parade (usually second Sunday of
the month)
! International Race-Walking Meeting “March
to the Market Squar” (Main Market Square)
! “Young Artists in Krakow” Festival (Golden
Hall of the Philharmonic Hall, Krakow
churches)
! T h e “S a c r u m - Pr o f a n u m ” Fe s t i v a l
(Philharmonic Hall, Rolling Mill of the Nowa
Huta Steel Mill)
October
! Student Song Festival (Cracow University
of Economics, Juliusz Slowacki Theatre)
! International Festival of Ancient Music
(historical halls and churches)
! Organ Festival (Krakow churches)
! Bajit Chadasz – Jewish Culture Month
(Kazimierz – the Jewish quarter)
! “Photo Month in Krakow” Festival (galleries,
Main Market Square)
Arriving to and getting
around Krakow
Getting around Krakow
Princess Wanda of Polish legend threw herself
to a watery death in the river Wisla. After
living in Krakow for many years we can well
understand why. Apparently she had some
problems with her boyfriend, but we could
suspect that her genuine reason may have
been frustration caused by the traffic
situation here. The roads of Krakow seem not
to have been repaired since medieval times
and it could be cheaper and safer to travel by
donkey.
The unwary traveller should be prepared for
pot holed minor roads and deeply rutted
major roads. The damage is often caused by
heavily overloaded lorries. The inside lanes of
Polish motorways are particularly hazardous in
the rain, when the ruts fill with pools of water.
Major roads and motorways here are seldom
lit at night, and ‘cats’ eyes’ to reflect the light
from your headlights are unheard of. There is a
toll to pay for the use of the A4 motorway
between Katowice and Krakow (6.5 PLN oneway). The official speed limit, (widely
disregarded), on motorways is 110km/h
(68mph). On major roads the limit is 90km/h
(55mph) and on minor roads 60km/h
(35mph).
Parking on the street in Krakow may be
difficult as the roads are generally
overcrowded. Krakow streets are divided into
three zones, A, B and C, with zone A being the
most central. Parking in zone C is possible with
hourly (3 PLN) or half-hourly (1 PLN) tickets.
You can purchase the tickets from kiosks or
from the parking attendants who work in the
streets wearing luminous yellow vests over
their normal clothes. Circumspection is to be
advised with regard to the safety of your car. If
your car has foreign number plates it may be a
good idea to use the ‘Security Parking’ or
‘Parking Strzezony’ facilities widely available.
The normal cost of this service is 4 to 5 PLN per
hour.
The public transport system within Krakow is
very efficient and there is no problem
travelling from A to B by bus or tram. The
tickets are identical for both forms of
transport and can be bought at kiosks. One
standard ticket is used for one journey and is
called a ‘Bilet Normalny’ (2.5 PLN). There are
often inspectors aboard trams and buses to
check tickets and it is unwise to travel without
one.
With the exception of the inter-city express
trains, the Polish rail system is slow. Rail travel
is, however, a good way to explore Poland
and see the picturesque countryside. It may
not be a great idea to travel with valuable
items and you should keep a close eye on
your luggage. Ticket inspectors on trains here
generally don’t speak English. At the rail
information service in Krakow you may find
an English speaker, but in smaller local
stations certainly not. There is a buffet
carriage on faster inter-city trains, but never
on the normal, slower trains and passengers
should take their own food and drink.
Beware of travel by taxi as you may be taken
by a rather scenic and indirect route to your
destination at great expense. Obtaining the
highest fee possible from bewildered tourists
is a time honoured tradition amongst taxi
drivers here and you should exercise great
caution if placing yourself in their hands.
Unexpected hazards for pedestrians include
deep snow and ice on the pavements during
the winter. Outside the city there are usually
no pavements and pedestrians walk in the
road.
Runners in the city tend to congregate
around the Blonia area near Jordan Park,
close to the Orbis hotel. This area is the
starting point for the Cracovia Marathon (the
seventh edition is to take place this year in
May). The long flat path alongside the river
Wisla is also a good location for running as
well as roller skating. There are cycle paths on
central pavements in Krakow and there are
some good long distance cycle routes to
locations close to Krakow such as Ojcow. The
area around the zoo, a forest called Las
Wolski, is also a great area for running or
cycling. A high level footpath connects the
viewpoint at Kopiec Kosciuszki with Las
Wolski.
Arriving by plane
Krakow Airport, also known as the John Paull
II International Airport, is relatively small but
dynamically expanding airport. Currently
it offers regular, direct connections with
36 cities:
City (country)
Airline(s)
Average flight time
Athens (Greece)
Centralwings
2hrs 30min
Barcelona/Girona (Spain)
Centralwings
2hrs 50min
Easyjet
Belfast (Northern Ireland)
2hrs 55min
bmibaby
Birmingham (United Kingdom)
2hrs 35min
Centralwings
1hr 45min
Bologna (Italy)
Easyjet
2hrs 40min
Bournemouth (United Kingdom)
Easyjet
2hrs 40min
Bristol (United Kingdom)
Brussels Airline
2hrs 10min
Brussels (Belgium)
LOT
10hrs 40min
Chicago (USA)
Germanwings
1hr 45min
Cologne/Bonn (Germany)
Sterling.dk
1hr 25min
Copenhagen (Denmark)
Centrlawings
3hrs
Cork (Ireland)
Easyjet
1hr 40min
Dortmund (Germany)
Aerlingus, Centralwings, Ryanair
3hrs
Dublin (Ireland)
Ryanair
2hrs 35min
East Midlands (United Kingdom)
Easyjet
2hrs 40min
Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
LOT/Lufthansa
1hr 40min
Frankfurt (Germany)
Ryanair
3hrs
Glasgow (United Kingdom)
Jet2.com
2hrs 40min
Leeds Bradford (United Kingdom)
Easyjet, Ryanair
2hrs 40min
Liverpool (United Kingdom)
British Airways, Centralwings, Easyjet, Ryanair
2hrs 35min
London (United Kingdom)
Centralwings
Manchester (United Kingdom)
2hrs 45min
Ryanair, Allitalia
Milan (Italy)
1hr 50min
Lufthansa
Munich (Germany)
1hr 30min
Jet2.com
Newcastle (United Kingdom)
2hrs 35min
Norwegian
Oslo (Norway)
2hrs 15min
LOT, Easyjet, Transavia
Paris (France)
2hrs 10min
CSA
Prague (Czech Republic)
1hr 20min
Centralwings
Rome (Italy)
2hrs 05min
Ryanair
Shannon (Ireland)
2hrs 55min
Norwegian
Stockholm (Sweden)
2hrs
Germanwings
Stuttgart (Germany)
1hr 30min
LOT/EL-AL
Tel Aviv (Israel)
3hrs 35min
Meridiana
Torino (Italy)
2hrs
LOT, Sky Europe
Vienna (Austria)
1hr 10min
LOT
Warsaw (Poland)
45min
The Airport is located to the west of Krakow,
at a distance of 11 km from the city centre, in
a Balice village. The airport can be reached
from the centre of Krakow by four different
roads as well its own exit ramp from the
A4 motorway.
Getting to and from the airport by bus:
The bus stop (lines #192 and #208 –
timetables available at www.mpk.krakow.pl)
is located directly at the roundabout, in front
of the passenger terminal. Bus fare is
2.50 PLN (one-way). Tickets may be
purchased at newspaper stands in the
passenger terminal and from the driver (with
an additional payment). Travel time to the
centre: 35-40min.
building. Ticket fare: 6 PLN. Travel time:
approx. 15 min. Train arrives at the Krakow’s
Main Railway Station (five minute walk to the
Main Market Square)
Getting to and from the airport by taxi:
Individual passenger transport on a roundthe-clock basis is offered by Radio Taxi 9191 the official partner of the Krakow Airport.
Approximately 20 minute ride to the city
centre should cost around 60 PLN.
Arriving by train
Because train travel is relatively inexpensive
and therefore crowded, you should consider
upgrading to first class on longer trips.
Getting to and from the airport by train
(Balice Express):
The cost of one-way ticket from Krakow to
Warsaw (2hrs 40 min) is about 100 PLN
(EUR 25).
The Krakow-Balice Station is located approx.
200 m from the passenger terminal, you can
get there by foot (around 5 min. walk) or take
a free shuttle bus service which operates to
and from Krakow-Balice Station, this is
a 3 minute trip from the airport terminal
Selected international train connections
include destinations such as: Berlin,
Bucharest, Budapest, Hamburg, Kiev, Kosice,
Lviv, Odessa, Prague and Vienna.
Complete timetable is available at
http://rozklad.pkp.pl/bin/query.exe/en.
Krakow Airport contact phone: +48 12 295-58-00
Best places
in Krakow
Hotels
Copernicus****
Hotel Relais & Chateaux member
City centre
Address: 16 Kanonicza street
Phone number: +48 12 424 34 00, +48 12 424 34 01
Fax number: +48 12 424 34 05
Email address: [email protected]
WWW: www.hotel.com.pl
Number of rooms: 29
Price per double room per night: 210 EUR
Located in Renaissance building on beautifully
restored Kanonicza Street, the oldest in ancient town
of Krakow, the Copernicus takes its name from the
Polish astronomer. It offers a splendid change of scene
and is imbued with history and elegance: the vaulted
cellars with the sauna and swimming pool, the terrace
with its panoramic view of Wawel Castle. Period
frescos decorate the specious rooms. Renaissance
ceiling of the hotel’s restaurant has been lovingly
restored to its former grandeur. The warm intimacy of
the restaurant invites one to linger and savor
marvelous culinary delights prepared in tradition of
Polish manor kitchens. Facilities: lift, air-condition,
internet connection in every room, indoor swimming
pool, fitness, sauna.
Stary***** Hotel
Cite centre
Address: 5 Szczepanska street
Phone number: +48 12 384 08 07, +48 12 384 08 08
Fax number: +48 12 384 08 09
WWW: www.stary.hotel.com.pl
Number of rooms: 53
Modernity and comfort have been combined to create
an extraordinary atmosphere for our guests. Unique
furniture design, discrete decorations, different kinds of
exotic wood, best quality marble, oriental carpets, natural
silk have all been used to create an unforgettable interior.
There is also an excellent coffee-shop with home-made
delicacies right on the ground floor, as well as two bars,
one of them a summer bar on the terrace, on the highest
floor of the hotel with a magnificent view of the Main
Market Square of Krakow.
Facilities: air-conditioning, internet access in every
room, fitness club, swimming-pool, sauna, salt cave.
Pod Roza**** Hotel
City centre
Address: 14 Florianska street
Phone number: +48 12 424 33 00, +48 12 424 33 01
Fax number: +48 12 424 33 51
WWW: www.hotel.com.pl
Number of rooms: 57
Beautiful neo-classic tenement-house hides quiet,
charming, the oldest in Krakow Hotel Pod Roza. After
it’s last renovation every floor has unique decor:
individually arranged rooms and modern bathrooms
faced with natural stone present the ideal combination
of tradition and modernity.
The bright, spacious Restaurant Pod Roza located in the
historic yard, decorated with beautiful, renaissance
portals, serves excellent Polish and International cuisine
under a glass-covered atrium. Menu is changed 4
times a year – according to the season.
Batory*** Hotel
City centre
Address: 19 Soltyka street
Phone number: +48 12 294 30 30
Fax number: +48 12 294 30 33
Email: [email protected]
WWW: www.hotelbatory.pl
Number of rooms: 29
We are honored to invite you to our hotel situated
within beautiful downtown of Krakow at the
corner of Lazarza and Soltyka streets and just
minutes from the Main Market. Our hotel is known
for its unforgettable ambiance and family
atmosphere. Our friendly and discreet staff
believes in pampering guests.
Some of our features: close proximity to the Main
Market as well as Bus and Railway Stations, unique
family character, modern, elegant, and ecologically
friendly interiors, free parking, Wi Fi high speed
internet access, excellent Polish cousin.
Our 29 rooms are equipped with bathroom,TV,
radio, and internet connection. All bathrooms
have: shower, WC, wash-basin, bidet, hair dryer.
The hotel is handicap accessible as well as friendly
to people with allergies. All of the rooms are non-
smoking. Hotel is equipped with an elevator,
laundry room, safe, and monitored parking lot.
Saski*** Hotel
City centre
Address: 3 Slawkowska street
Phone number: +48 12 421 42 22
Fax number: +48 12 421 48 30
WWW: www.hotelsaski.com.pl
Number of rooms: 60
Price per double room per night: 85-114 EUR
Welcome to our hotel in the centre of Cracow. Our
priority is to make your stay pleasant and relaxing.
The Saski Hotel has a 200-year tradition of service,
and is situated in a sixteenth-century building, just
steps away from the Main Market Square.
Hostels
Totu Hostel
City centre
Address: 21 Sw. Gertrudy street
Phone number: + 48 12 505 105 102
Fax number: + 48 12 429 29 33
WWW: www.totuhostel.pl
Number of rooms: 7
Totu Hostel is a small, cosy hostel with helpful staff.
Located in the centre of Krakow gives you an easy
access to everything you may want to see
or do in Krakow. It is just a short walk to all tourist
sites as well as restaurant and pubs, which Krakow is
full of! We offer only private rooms (double rooms,
triple rooms and a room for five people). We offer
free breakfast, all day-servings of free coffe and tea ,
free set of linen, free towels, free city map with
essential information and free internet access. Just
come and make yourself at home!
Delta Hostel
City centre
Address: 6 Mazowiecka street
Phone number: + 48 12 633 21 11
Fax number: + 48 12 633 21 11
WWW: www.deltahostel.pl
Number of rooms: 16
Price per double room per night: 35-45 EUR
Hostel Delta is centrally located in the midst of Old
Krakow, within walking distance of most of the city’s
attractions, like the Florian Gate or the Rynek, as well
as the Main Train Station. Best of all, you get all of
the comforts of a budget hotel at hostel prices. Each
room includes its own bath room as well as satellite
TV, Wi-Fi and can fit 1 to 4 people, on free-standing
beds (none of that bunk bed business here!).
The hostel itself also offers a kitchen, a large lobby
with 24 hour reception and free internet access, and
even a dart board and foosball table.
Centrum Hostel
Address: 10 Sw. Gertrudy street
Phone number: +48 12 429 11 57
Fax number: +48 12 429 11 62
Email address:[email protected]
WWW: www.centrumkrakow.pl
Number of beds: 204
Price per bed per night: from 9 EUR with breakfast
Hostel Centrum located in a city centre, offers
comfortable accommodation for groups and individuals
in 2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-bedded rooms with fully
equipped kitchen and bathroom at each floor. Bed linen
& towel, lockers, free tea & coffee all day, TV lounge,
free of charge internet, tourist info, 24h reception.
The Secret Garden Hostel
Address: 7 Skawinska street
Phone number: +48 12 430 54 45
Fax number: + 48 12 430 54 45
WWW: www.thesecretgarden.pl
Number of rooms: 18
You can find us in the city centre at one of secluded
streets of the old Kazimierz – thus indicating that all
is not far away! Secret Graden Hostel is an excellent
choice for people looking for a moderately priced
comfort rooms. We are located in an antique
building that after renovation allows us to arrange
interiors in so interesting order closely connected
with our name? We offer you accommodation in
closed-circle atmosphere single,double, triple and
for 4 and 5 persons rooms. The rooms are assigned
its own names corresponding to its interior
decorations instead of numbers.
The Kadetus Hostel
Accession Apartments
Eva Apartments
City centre
Address: 25 Zwierzyniecka street
Phone number: +48 12 422 36 17
Fax number: +48 12 422 36 17
WWW: www.kadetus.com
Number of beds: 40
Price per person per night: 10-20 EUR
City centre, Kazimierz, the Jewish quarter
Address: various locations
Phone: +48 661 180 824
WWW: www.accessionapartments.com
Price per apartment per night (based on four people
sharing): from 100 EUR
Address: 3b Sienkiewicza street
Price: approx. 25 EUR per person per night in a double
room
Nice arranged rooms, kitchen and common room
will make your stay in Krakow unforgettable. Price
includes linen, towels, free internet, WiFi internet
access, breakfast, all time coffee and tea, luggage
storage, use of washing machine, use of phone.
City Hostel
City centre
Address: 21 Sw. Krzyza street
Number of beds: 85
Price per person per night: 16 EUR
The City Hostel is located 100 m from the main
railway station, in the very heart of Krakow,
3 minutes walk to the Old Market Square. In the
18th century palace you’ll find the three-stars hotel
quality at hostel prices. The modern design of the
interior combined with the building's history
creates the unique atmosphere and inspires to
discover the old and new Krakow.
Serviced Apartments
Red Brick Apartments
City centre
Address: 3 Kurniki Street
Phone number: + 48 12 628 66 00,
+ 48 12 628 66 20
Fax number: + 48 12 415 97 16 w.115
WWW: www.redbrick.pl
Number of rooms: 16
Red Brick Apartments offer you a great alternative
to staying in a hotel. Our guests may enjoy more
space and privacy, but with all advantages of
a high-class hotel. All our rooms have been
furnished and equipped to meet the expectations
of both the tourist guests who come for leisure and
those who come for business purposes. There
is a restaurant and a pub on the ground floor.
Should someone wish to eat in their kitchen, meals
can be delivered to the apartment.
We are a family business providing a personal service
and catering for guests looking for a professional,
caring and authentic Krakow experience – whether
you are staying with us for several months or just
a few days.
Villa Eva
Address: 136 Krolowej Jadwigi street
Phone number: +48 602 466 165
Number of rooms: 4
Villa Eva apartments are located about 1800 meters
away from Old Town. Villa Eva consists of 4 rooms,
2 bathrooms, and fully equipped kitchen. We have
also a garden and a parking for 4 cars.
Live in Cracow
Address: 4 Wolnica Square, 48/30 Dluga street
Phone number: +48 606 670 222
WWW: www.liveincracow.com
Number of apartments: 5 big apartments and 1 studioapartment
Price per apartment per night: from 70 to 85 EUR
for two people
Live in Cracow offers you comfortable apartments
located in the heart of Cracow's city centre (10-15
minutes on foot to Market Square). All apartments
are fully furnished and equipped with individual
kitchens and en-suite bathrooms.
Discover Cracow Apartments
Address: 60/7 Dluga street
Phone number: +48 12 631 05 50
Fax number: +48 12 383 46 85
WWW: www.DiscoverCracow.com
Number of apartments: 50
Price per double room per night: from 35 EUR
Comfortable, individual apartments situated in the
very centre of Krakow, in the vicinity of the Main
Market Square, Wawel Castle and the old district of
Kazimierz.
The apartments are located very close to the city
center and the Old Town (15 minutes on foot).
B&B
& Guest Houses
Bed & Breakfast Wislna 10
Address: 10 Wislna street
Phone number: +48 12 421 98 71
Fax number: +48 12 421 98 71
WWW.accommodation.com.pl
Number of rooms: 40
We would like to offer you a peaceful haven,
comfort and rest in a pleasant, cosy atmosphere.
We are situated in the very centre of Old City,
which makes sightseeing more enjoyable and less
tiring. We organize tours to Auschwitz-Birkenau,
Wieliczka, Zakopane and Wadowice as well as
airport transfers. Take advantage of the reception
which is open 24 hours a day, giving you the
freedom and independence to enjoy your stay as
you wish.
Accession Bed & Breakfast
City centre
Address: 8/4 Garncarska street
Phone number: +48 661 180 824
WWW: www.accessionkrakow.com
Number of rooms: 4
Price per person per night: 28 EUR
Our Bed and Breakfast is located in a quiet
neighbourhood within 5 minutes walk of Krakow’s
historic medieval market square. Set in a beautifully
restored fin-de-siecle Krakovian townhouse,our
4 bedrooms sleep up to a maximum of 10 people.
All rooms have en-suite bathrooms and breakfast
included for as little as 28 EUR per head.
Shopping venues
Likus Concept Store
City centre
Address: 13 Main Market Square
Phone number: +48 12 617 02 50
Fax number: +48 12 617 02 28
LFC is located in the basement of a historical
building which now houses a premier, elite
shopping complex Pasaz 13. The store which
comprises LFC Boutique (Fashion brands such as:
Diesel Denim Gallery, Dsquared2, Gianfranco
Ferre, Martin Margiela), Delikatesy 13, Vinoteka
13, and a Bar 13, is geared towards a sophisticated
clientele which knows that this is one of the places
where that special something might be found.
Galeria Kazimierz
Kazimierz the former Jewish quarter
Address: 34 Podgorska street
Number of shops: over 200
Galeria Krakowska
City centre
Address: 5 Pawia street
Number of shops: over 270
Restaurant & Cafes
Copernicus Restaurant
City centre
Address: 16 Kanonicza street
Phone number: +48 12 424 34 21
Fax number: +48 12 424 34 05
Opening hours: 12am-11pm
Cuisine: Polish court cuisine
The restaurant’s cosy interior melds subtle
modernity with its Renaissance period ceiling and
its original frescoes, a direct reflection of how the
menu has been fashioned. The menu changes with
the rhythms of the season, purveying its delights in
the form of succulent meats, pates, mushroom
dishes, lobster, fresh . water fish and the foie gras.
Green Way – Vegetarian Bar
Paparazzi
City centre
Address: 14 Mikolajska street
Phone number: +48 12 431 10 27
WWW: www.greenway.pl
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am-10pm,
Sat-Sun 11am-9pm
Cuisine: vegetarian, vegan
City centre
Opening hours: 11am-1am
Tasty and healthy vegetarian dishes from all over
the world.
Metropolitan Restaurant & Bar
City centre
Address: 3 Slawkowska street
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 7.30am-12pm, Sun
7.30am-10pm
Cuisine: International
Paese
City centre
Address: 24 Poselska street
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 11am-the last guest
Cuisine: Corsican, French
Da Pietro
City centre
Address: 17 Main Market Sqaure
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 12am-12pm
Cuisine: Italian
Pubs, clubs & discos
Czasem Trzeba Pub
City centre
Phone number: +48 12 432 44 44
WWW: www.czasemtrzeba.pl
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 2pm – the last guest,
Sat-Sun 4pm – the last guest
Price of a beer (0.5l): 4.50 PLN (1.15 EUR, 0.8 GBP)
Music style: rock, poprock
Monday & Tuesday only Polish music, Wednesday
Karaoke, Thursday. Live music, Friday & Saturday .
Rock party
Nic Nowego Irish Bar
City centre
Address: 15 Sw. Krzyza street
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am-3am, Sat, Sun 10am-3am
Transportation and Dental and medical
car rental services
treatment
Pauza
Krakow Advisor
Dental Travel Agency (Poland)
City centre
Address: 18/3 Florianska street
Opening hours: 10am-12pm, Sun 12am-12pm
Address: 108a Krolowej Jadwigi street
Phone number +48 501 020 940
Fax number: +48 665 102 106
WWW: krakowadvisor.com
Address: 5-10 minutes walk from the Main
Market Square
Phone number: +48 514 68 68 28
Fax number: +48 12 429 15 36
WWW: www.dentaltravelagency.com
Cien (The Shadow)
City centre
Address: 15 Sw Jana street
Opening hours: 8pm-5am, closed Sun, Mon
Sightseeing Tours
Regular Krakow Tours
& Private Luxury Krakow Tours
licensed Tour Operator since 1990
Address: 2 Przy Rondzie street (Chopin Hotel)
Phone number: +48 12 421 84 33
Fax number: +48 12 411 55 17
WWW: www.krakow-poland.eu, www.krakowtours.eu
Everyday regular Krakow tours by coach and
private luxury Krakow tours by car in Krakow and
its environs. Krakow sightseeing, Auschwitz
Birkenau, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Old Jewish district
and retracing Schindler’s List, National Park Ojcow
& Pieskowa Skala + Czestochowa, Saint Sister
Faustina, Holy Father John Paul II, Dunajec River
Raft Trip and Zakopane.
Cracow Tours
City centre
Address: 3 Krupnicza street
Phone number: +48 12 430 07 26
Fax number: +48 12 430 07 26
WWW: www.cracowtours.pl
Simply the best sightseeing tours in Cracow.
We offer you Tours and Sightseeing, for example:
Cracow City Sightseeing Tour; Wieliczka Salt Mine
– UNESCO World Heritage Site; AuschwitzBirkenau. UNESCO World Heritage Site; The Traces
of Jewish Culture; Nowa Huta Tour; In the
Footsteps of John Paul II; Zakopane and the Tatra
Mountains; Czestochowa and the Black Madonna;
Jewish Style Dinner; Dunajec River Gorge and
Niedzica Castle; The Wooden Architecture Route;
Warsaw the Capital of Poland.
If you want to be driven from the airport to a hotel
in Cracow by a private car, or you are willing to take
part in a tour around the most interesting places in
and around Cracow, contact us! Our English
speaking driver will be waiting for you at the airport
holding a table with your name. By using our
service you will visit the most fascinating places in
and aroud Cracow in a fast and easy way. We will
be waiting for you at the hotel door and we will
drive you wherever you want.
Want an inexpensive but at the same time
professional dental care? We offer a full dental
travel service at competitive prices for clients from
all over the world. We make it our priority to ensure
the high standard of our services so our clients are
provided with the finest dental care.
The Neighbourhoods
of Krakow
Oswiecim – The Auschwitz-Birkenau
Memorial and Museum
The Museum commemorates the Nazi death
camp that was located in the town during the
Second World War. The first transport of
Polish political prisoners arrived in Auschwitz
on June 14, 1940. Following victims of the
camp were: the Poles, Soviet prisoners of war,
Gypsies, and prisoners of other nationalities.
From the year 1942 started the Hitler’s plan
of the total extermination of the European
Jews – the Holocaust. Men, women and
children were murdered in gas chambers, and
then their bodies were burnt in crematoria.
The overall number of victims in the years
1940-1945 is estimated at between
1,100,000 and 1,500,000 people. At the end
of the war the SS intended to remove the
signs of their enormous crime by dismantling
the gas chambers, crematoria and by
destroying documents. The liberation of the
camp by the Red Army took place on January
27, 1945. The site was converted into a
museum in 1947.
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and
Museum was added to the UNESCO World
Heritage List in 1979.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
The 750-year old mining plant, which was
included in UNESCO’s first World Heritage
List in 1978, is a unique attraction. The
historic Salt Mine lies on nine levels. Its
longitudinals, traverses, chambers, lakes, as
well as lesser and major shafts stretch for the
total of 300 kilometers reaching the depth of
327 meters. There are some magnificent salt
sculptures that show the methods of mining.
The specific microclimate of the underground
excavation is still used as a treatment for the
diseases of respiratory tracks.
Wadowice
restaurants). Picturesque views and the
charming culture of Polish highlanders are
long and pleasantly remembered.
Tyniec
The home city of Karol Wojty³a: the Pope
John Paul II, Wadowice is an attraction for
tourists and pilgrims alike. The city abounds
both with places related to the life of Karol
Wojty³a and with references to the Great
Pole: names of streets and squares, and
specific initiatives resulting from the teaching
of the Pope.
Benedictine Abbey overlooking the Vistula
River from its rocky promontory. Soon after
the Benedictine monks arrived in Poland
(ca. 1044), a Romanesque basilica-type
church was built here (only relics have
survived). The new church and monastery
were built in the 15th century.
Czestochowa
Niepolomice Primeval Forest
The Monastery of the Pauline Fathers at
Bright Hill (Jasna Gora) is a world widely
known pilgrimage center. It is due to the
presence of the Holy Virgin Mary embodied
in the icon of the Black Madonna. According
to specialists the icon dates between the 6th
and 9th centuries. The most known event in
the history of Jasna Gora is a heroic defend of
the monastery from the Swedish invaders
thanks to the decision of its Prior Augustine
Kordecki in 1655. It is believed that the
Mother of God herself helped to protect this
holy place. After the Jasna Gora victory,
the whole country rose up against the
Swedish army.
This monastery is visited by 4-5 million
pilgrims every year, about 200,000 of them
come to Czestochowa participating in so
called on-foot pilgrimages. They start in
different cities of Poland and the longest
route measures 600km. The pilgrims gather
on August 26, to celebrate the day of The
Holy Mother of Czestochowa.
Zakopane
The favourite hunting grounds of Polish
kings; today a vast stretch of protected
landscape with bison reserve near Proszow.
Rich flora and fauna, invigorating air, and the
climate of a truly primeval forest help to relax.
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
Registered by UNESCO World Heritage
Cultural Landscape Site (in 1999), Kalwaria
houses Poland’s second most important
sanctuary, and one of the most important
Polish heritage sites. The Sanctuary consists
of the Church of Our Lady of the Angels, the
Bernardine Monastery, and more than
40 chapels composed into the picturesque
landscape, situated along the so-called
“paths of Calvary”.
Ojcow
A beautifully situated spa town with mineral
springs; the hub of Ojcowski National Park.
Preserved of the castle erected by Casimir the
Great (Kazimierz Wielki) are the tower,
remnants of the gate, chapel, walls, and
bridge. A charming chapel was built over the
waters of the Pradnik Stream.
Zakopane, Poland’s largest mountain city and
a winter capital, within a walking distance to
any place in the Tatra Mountains, offers
plenty marked tourist trails and superb tourist
infrastructure (accommodation, cafes and
Polish your Polish
Polish is the official language of Poland. It has
the second largest number of speakers
among Slavic languages after Russian. Polish
is the main representative of the Lechitic
branch of the West Slavic languages.
It originated in the areas of present-day
Poland from several local Western Slavic
dialects, most notably those spoken in
Greater Poland and Lesser Poland. It shares
some vocabulary with the languages of the
neighboring Slavic nations, most notably with
Slovak, Czech, Ukrainian, and Belarusian.
Polish language was once known as a lingua
franca in various regions of Central and
Eastern Europe, mostly due to the political,
Polish letter/combination of letters
“¹”
“ê”
“ó”
“c”
“j”
“w”
“³”
“ñ”
“cz”, “æ”
“dz”
“rz”, “¿”
“sz”, “œ”
“drz”
English
Good day/Good morning/Good afternoon
Good evening
Good night
Hi/bye
Yes
No
Please/You’re welcome
Cheers!
Thank you
Excuse me/Sorry
See you
cultural, scientific, and military influence of
the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Today, Polish is spoken by over 38.5 million
native speakers in Poland and it is spoken as
a second language in western parts of the
Belarus, Lithuania, and Ukraine. Because of
the emigration from Poland during various
time periods, millions of Polish speakers can
be found in countries including Australia,
Brazil, Canada, United Kingdom, United
States, and so on. There are over 46 million
Polish language speakers around the world.
native speakers are generally unable to
distinguish among them easily. The
differences are slight compared to different
dialects of English, for example. The regional
differences correspond mainly to old tribal
divisions from around a thousand years ago;
the most significant of these in terms of
numbers of speakers are Great Polish (spoken
in the west), Lesser Polish (spoken in the
south and southeast), Mazovian (Mazur)
spoken throughout the central and eastern
parts of the country, and Silesian spoken in
the southwest. Mazovian shares some
features with the Kashubian language.
Polish language is awfully difficult to master,
however, learning a few key phrases will
definitely smooth your time in Krakow.
Crucial to achieve this will be learning how to
pronounce each letter or combination of
letters, especiall those which don’t exist in
your alphabet. Many letters represent the
same sounds as they do in English. Listed
below are those particular to Polish.
“Standard” Polish is still spoken somewhat
differently in different regions of the country,
although the differences between these
broad “dialects” are slight. There is never any
difficulty in mutual understanding, and nonPronounciation similar to
“on” in the French “bon”
“en” in the French “bien”
“oo” in “boot”
“ts” in “bits”
“y” in “yeah”
the English “v”
“w” in “win”
“ny” in “canyon”
“ch” in “beach”
“ds” in “beds”
“su” in “treasure”
“sh” in “ship”
“g” in “George”
Polish
Dzieñ dobry
Dobry wieczór
Dobranoc
Czeœæ
Tak
Nie
Proszê
Na zdrowie
Dziêkujê
Przepraszam
Na razie
(pronounciation)
(jen do-bri)
(do-bri vyeh-choor)
(do-bra-nots)
(cheshch)
(tahk)
(nyeh)
(prosheh)
(nah zdrove-yeh)
(jen-koo-ye)
(pshe-prasham)
(nah rah-zse)

Info Krakow

Transcription

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