Sometimes we feel like all too often people think of Europe just in terms of London, Paris, and Rome. Oh sure, maybe Barcelona, Amsterdam, or Venice might sneak into the thoughts of some more experienced travelers, but as we have spent more and more time gallivanting across the continent we have discovered that there are so many other incredible cities to explore.
Quite a few come to mind, but even with all of our explorations there are still a whole bunch of hidden gems in Europe that we have yet to discover. Lately, one of those gems, Kraków, Poland, has been moving up on our list of places we want to visit.
Why, you ask? Because there is so much to see, learn, and do in this beautiful and historic city, which is one of the oldest in all of Poland. Founded over a thousand years ago on the site of a cave where, according to legend, King Krak slayed a dragon, a visit to Kraków can be like a visit to a long lost place and time.
We usually choose to begin our explorations of any new destination by wandering the streets in the historic center, and since the Old Town in Kraków is one of UNESCO’s very first World Heritage Sites, this seems perfect.
Highlights of the town include the beautiful Wawel Castle. Historically it served as home to the kings of Poland, and as an iconic symbol of the country, but these days the Castle is one of the country’s premier art museums.
The Town Hall Tower is also a must see as a wonderful representation of 13th-Century Gothic-Renaissance architecture. There is an amazing view of the city from the top floor for those of us who are willing to climb some stairs.
But we are most interested in taking the Schindler Factory Tour, which is often recognized as Kraków’s most outstanding historical museum. We are, of course, familiar with the story from the movie Schindler’s List, so we are eager to learn more and hope to gain a better understanding of what life was actually like in the ghetto. This tour does just that by delving into the details of day to day life in Kraków under the Nazi occupation from 1939 to 1945.
A knowledgeable local guide leads the group through the Enamel Factory that was made famous in the movie, and gives an in depth look into the compelling story of Oskar Schindler and how he saved hundreds, if not thousands, of Jews from extermination.
After such an emotional experience, we’d say a short break is in order. How about stopping off for an obwarzanek, better known to most of us a a bagel. Kraków is considered to be the place where these tasty bread rings were first served.
Bagels were first mentioned in print way back in 1610 when the Polish word bajgiel, which comes from the Yiddish word bagel, appeared in the “Community Regulations” of the city of Kraków. Their popularity spread and by the seventeen-hundreds bagels had become a staple of Polish cuisine.
Thinking about these salty treats got us wondering, where did the salt come from to make all of those bagels? With a little investigating we found out that one of the oldest salt mines in the world is right nearby. That’s when we knew that we should definitely make our way to the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
The mine is another UNESCO World Heritage site and can be crowded sometimes, so we certainly feel that a tour with a good guide and a “skip the line” option is a great idea. In our opinion, Salt Mines KrakowTickets is the best way to make the best use of our time.
Though it is not operational now, and is only open for tours and special events, the mine continued as an important source for salt for over eight hundred years, up until 1998. Through those centuries Wieliczka was one of the most productive mines in the world, but it also became a popular tourist attraction as far back as several hundred years ago.
Venturing over three hundred meters underground, the modern tour includes an underground lake, the Chapel of St. Kinga, as well as several salt monuments and sculptures. In addition to these sensational subterranean sights, the guide also covers the long history of the mine going back nearly one thousand years, along with details about the salt extraction techniques over the centuries. The tour is an impressive reminder of just how important salt was throughout history.
As far as we know the Wieliczka Mine had nothing to do with the old saying referring to the grind of going back to your job as “going back to the salt mine,” but we will certainly have a better understanding of it after this.
Although if visiting it, and all of Kraków, was hard work, we say bring it on.
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com
You are wonderful. Thanks!
Your perspective is always so refreshing and unique.