This is a guest post by Nazeli K. Kyuregyan.
Do you know which is Poland’s royal capital? Warsaw? No! It’s the beautiful “Royal Capital City of Krakow” – proudly standing on the shores of the Vistula River at the foot of the Carpatian Mountains. An often-disputed bridge between the Slavic East and the Germanic West, Krakow has managed to keep its refined and intellectual character regardless of the invasive neighbours and world wars. Fortunately, the long communist regime has not scared away the spirits of the medieval Polish kings who will be your best guides in town!
Following the royal footsteps
Throughout the centuries, the coronation processions of the Polish rulers had walked down the Royal Road or Droga Królewska. Crossing the entire Old Town – the fairy-tale heart of the city fortified by brick walls and towers, it reaches the royal residence at Wawel Hill.
Start just outside the city walls, at St Florian Church, which keeps the relics of Poland’s patron, and enter the Old Town through the Gothic Barbican – a fortified passageway, and the Florianska Gate with its red-granite tower. Walk down the elegant Florianska Street – an important shopping venue displaying stunning Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance houses, museums and galleries. At its end you’ll meet the two-towered St Mary’s Basilica, greeting you with a trumpet signal at every hour. You will next find yourselves at the Grand Square, with its breathtaking dimensions and beautiful row houses it is the biggest medieval market square in Europe. The Renaissance Sukiennice in its centre is the old textile market now a colourful bazaar. This is where spice and silk merchants would meet, and princes and ambassadors would dance at the royal balls.
You will then flow into Grodska Street where you can admire Baroque and Renaissance churches and monasteries and Kanonicza Street where Pope John Paul II once lived. At its end you’ll spot your stunning final destination – the Wawel Hill.
The picturesque hill shelters two of Poland’s biggest treasures: the Gothic Royal Castle and the Cathedral. Walk through the chambers of three generations of Polish kings, see their art collections, the Royal treasure and armory and the Szczerbiec – the coronation ceremony silver sword. Refresh at its Florentine courtyard then move to the majestic cathedral. Admire the basilica’s 19 chapels, the altar where the Polish kings were coronated and the golden dome of Sigismund’s chapel. But most of all, visit the royal necropolis, and end your Cracovian pilgrimage by paying homage to the Polish kings.
Relax like a king
After the long royal tour, find an invigorating refugee at Krakow’s beach and enjoy some authentic Polish cuisine in the company of the Vistula River. A traditional Polish meal starts with a soup, a rosol (meat broth) or a barszc (beet borscht) followed by a herring appetizer. Take the challenge of a serious main course such as the kotlet schabowy or pork cutlet with a lot of fresh vegetables on the side. Finish with a big slice of sernik – a traditional fresh twarog cheese cake. Accompany your lunch with a glass of kompot (a sweet boiled fruit juice) or mead. Leave the vodka tasting for the evening!
Krakow’s nightlife offers lavish alternatives. For some royal entertainment, head to the futuristic Opera House and the Krakow Philharmonic. For some less elegant activities go at a Rambo-style Kalashnikov shooting with original Soviet Army rifles. The various street festivals and parades offer jazz, theatre, folk and classical music, Jewish art and more. After sunset, see the other face of the historic buildings you visited during the day – their cellars are often live-music pubs with intimate atmosphere and a variety of Polish vodkas and wines. You can even get a guided pub tour!
Krakow is so easy to reach nowadays with no Iron Curtain to stop you. So get some advice on everything about Krakow, from nightlife to the best places to stay mydestination.com/Krakow, and live like a king for a week!
About the Author:
Nazeli K. Kyuregyan is currently studying Publishing and Journalism at the University of Verona in Italy. Her multicultural background and passion for travelling have convinced her that the discovery of new cultures is an essential key to understanding ourselves.
