KRAKOW TRAVEL GUIDE-2
In the first part of Krakow Travel Guide, we visited Stare Miasto (Old Town) and started our tour with a boat on the Vistula River. we finished with the tour. In the second part, we will visit Krakow’s Old Jewish Quarter Kazimierz, the streets where the movie Schindler’s List was filmed, the Schindler Enamel Factory, the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum, and then the Wieliczka Salt Mine, which is on the Unesco World Heritage list and you should definitely add it to your itinerary.. Then let’s continue our tour of places to visit in Krakow!
Kazimierz – Old Jewish Quarter
11. Since the 19th century, Europe, and especially Poland, has been the home of the Jewish community.. II. Although the Jewish population dispersed to different countries of the world after World War II, there is still a small community in Poland today and they continue to keep their culture alive.. Krakow Kazimierz neighborhood is the place where you can feel and see European Jewish culture in its most intense form.. Located in the south of Krakow, you can reach the neighborhood by tram, bus or faster taxi or Uber from other parts of the city.
There are approximately 10 synagogues in the Kazimierz district.. Most visited Old Synagogue (Stara Synagoga) and Remuh Synagogue (Synagoga Remuh) in Jewish Square (Dzielnica Żydowska). If you are interested, you can visit some of the synagogues for a small donation.
After seeing the Remuh Synagogue, do not forget to see the shops belonging to the former Jewish settlers on the same street, Szeroka Street.. Today, they serve as cafes and different businesses, but they still continue to live on the same street with their renewed signs.. Even the names of some dishes will not sound foreign to you.. You can take a break from your neighborhood tour at a nice restaurant.. If Jewish culture, history and. If you are interested in World War II, you can find valuable resources in the bookstore located in the square.
Schindler’s List Passage
Steven Spielberg’ one of the most famous films of the day, Schindler’s List was shot in Krakow. Schindler’s List Passage in Kazimierz, which was used as part of the movie set, is among the most visited places. There is an entrance from Pasaja Beera Meiselsa and Józefa streets.
After your Kazimierz tour, you can go to the other side of the city.. If you like to walk, we invite you to walk over Father Bernatek’s Bridge (Kładka Ojca Bernatka) or you can choose other pedestrian bridges if you want.
Schindler’s Enamel Factory
Schindler’ in Enamel Factory is located on the other side of the river. We recommend that you buy your ticket online from the museum’s website before you go.. It is very difficult to find tickets at the door, as it is one of the most popular venues in Krakow.. The house of Oscar Schinler, located right next to the Factory, is unfortunately neglected and not open to visitors.
Jewish Ghetto Memorial – Plac Bohaterów Getta
The other side of the river II. It was designated as a Jewish settlement during World War II and Plac Bohaterów Getta, which is now a memorial square, was the center of the ghetto.. When you get to this side of the city, you can visit the square and see the monument.. The monument, which was created in reference to the belongings of Jews left in the square after they were taken to concentration camps in 1943, consists of large, metal chairs.
Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum
Used as a concentration camp in World War I. and Auschwitz, as it is best known, is located in the town of Oświęcim, approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes from Krakow.. In the region, which is open to visitors as a monument and a museum, there are two separate settlements, Auschwitz and Birkenau.. We recommend you to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum in the spring and summer, although it is the busiest period.. Auschwitz is a complex of covered buildings, but Birkenau is a large open-air museum with shelters.. For this reason, it may not be a good choice to visit on rainy and cold days.
You can get your ticket from the museum’s website before going to the museum, otherwise there will be a 3-hour queue waiting for you.. If you are going to visit individually, you can travel by train or bus.. There are bus services from Krakow bus station to Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum.. If you buy your ticket one day in advance, you have the chance to sit down.. It’s okay if you can’t get a ticket, you can find a place, but you have a high chance of standing.. Apart from these, if you wish, you can join the tours planned by the tour companies.
Guided tours take approximately 3.5 hours, even longer ones are available for educational purposes.. The Auschwitz-Birkenau tour will take up most of the day, including round trip and rest times, so we recommend taking a day off for the museum tour. You can take photos in both settlements, but in some places in Auschwitz it is forbidden to take photos or take pictures.. Your guide will inform you about this.
There is an unguided entrance to Auschwitz at certain times, but you may miss out on many things the guide explains.. Birkenau, on the other hand, is open layout and open to unguided entry.. Your guide will also accompany you to Birkenau.
Wieliczka Salt Mine – Kopalnia Soli Wieliczka
The city to Wieliczka Salt Mine, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list You can easily reach it by domestic buses or transportation vehicles such as taxis.. We recommend that you buy your ticket online before going to the mine, which is one of the most popular tourist spots in Krakow.. As in the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, you can also take a guided tour in Wieliczka.
You should definitely add the Wieliczka Salt Mine tour to your list, unlike any museum tour you have attended so far.. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is the second mining facility in the world and one of the oldest rock salt mines in the world, operating uninterruptedly from the Middle Ages to the present.. Thanks to its rich history and almost 700 years of activity, the mine is a valuable heritage and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1978.
The tourist route is approximately 3 km long and has 20 beautiful rooms and even chapels.. During the tour, which lasts about 3 hours, you will go 135 meters below the ground and you will see the unique salt lakes underground, all the tools used by the miners and the beautiful salt sculptures.. The mine, where almost everything is carved from salt, is open to visitors in all seasons of the year.. The temperature of the mine is around 18-19 degrees, so it is useful to have a cardigan or jacket with you.. Welcoming almost 1 million visitors a year, you can also experience a completely different accommodation experience by evaluating the overnight accommodation options in Wieliczka Salt Mine.
CLICK HERE FOR KRAKOW TRAVEL GUIDE-1
FOOD AND DRINK IN POLAND
Although the homeland of beer is Czechia, Polish beers are just as delicious and diverse as Czech beers.. If you drink alcohol, you may find it difficult to choose between delicious beers with your meals.. You can also find hundreds of types of beers at more affordable prices in supermarkets.
The most popular among Polish dishes is Pierogi, which is undoubtedly a type of ravioli.. Piegori, which is served as fried or boiled, has many varieties with meat or vegetables.. You can try Pierogi in many restaurants in Krakow.. You can also choose Polish soups before the main course or just as the main course: Rosół, Barszcz czerwony or Żurek. If you are looking for something faster, fast food style, then we recommend Zapiekanka, a Polish pizza.. For those who are open to different tastes, we recommend Tatar, a very different dish made with raw meat.. Apart from these, you will find many patisseries and bakeries almost everywhere in Poland.. You should definitely try the beautiful and delicious pastries.
Our Krakow Travel Guide ends here.. As Gezikent, we will continue to travel our country and the world.. Before planning your tour, don’t forget to read Gezikent articles and follow us.
You can share your observations, knowledge and experiences about Krakow Travel Guide by commenting on our article.
Guest Writer
Tuğçe Çevikol
www.tugcecevikol.com
comments