Yelp Review 2023 #280:…read more A square in Podgorze with 30 plus chairs right next to Eagle Pharmacy. People taking pictures (so was I), children running around and trying to sit on every single one, influencers influencing I don't know what and how. I tried to count all the chairs but there was too much chaos. Plac Bohaterow Getta (Ghetto Heroes Square) used to be a bustling market called Zgody Square. Then, the Nxxis came and changed all that. It became a square for publicly dehumanizing and taking lives of Jewish people or be sent on a train to one of 3 concentration camps in Poland - depending if you're fit enough to work or not. Until the streets were empty. Those that tried to hide were caught and were not spared. So what are these chairs doing in this square? Why not use something easier to understand to symbolize what happened here? Each chair is supposed to represent thousands of lives that were lost during the Holocaust. Like things that were of no value to Nxxis: furniture, clothes, pictures, anything that's not a precious metal or stone - thrown away. Certain people and their lives were devalued and discarded - no care for humanity at all. Empty.

We all know of the horrors that began in these Ghettos and Krakow's Ghetto was no exception…read more There's not a lot left of the Ghetto today, from what I could tell there are no markers as to where the boundaries were or anything but it's clear there wasn't a lot of space. You can also visit Schindler's Factory and read all about the war and how it affects Krakow. Getta Square is also a good place to visit to see the memorial. Getta Square is a very important place to visit when you're walking about Krakow's Ghetto. There is a simple yet effective memorial in the square - a collection of chairs marking those who were walled in and who died during the horrific event that was WWII. I would definitely recommend checking it out, but read up on the significance of the square before you go as there isn't a lot of information around to explain the significance of the chairs etc.

The equestrian statues always impress me the most. They just look more regal in my eyes. This one…read morecommemorates the 500th anniversary of the 1410 Battle of Grunwald. Unfortunately, the original statue of 1910 was destroyed during the invasion of Poland. There are still pieces of the original statue in the Museum of Kraków. I saw what appeared to be the a head from the statue at the Oskar Schindler museum, although I'm not sure if it's replicated or the original. It's placed in the perfect place. It's just outside the Barbican near the start of the Royal Route that leads to the castle. It's certainly difficult to miss seeing it when walking towards the Academy of Fine Arts. It's right there on Matejko Square. There is a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of it. It's a place of victory and remembrance. This is also where you can get a beautiful picture of the Barbican towers. It was a memorable visit.

Because there are so many beautiful monuments in this neighborhood, you might actually miss it…read moreamongst the city life. Don't let it fall into your background. Appreciate it!

It's the medieval archway at the beginning of Floriańska Street. The one with the emblem of St…read more Florian who protects the city from fires and all harm. It was built into the defensive walls of the city. There was once a covered passageway leading to this gate from the outpost, or Barbican. It's where royalty and visiting leaders would meet before heading to the castle. It's probably where the young Habsburg prince entered the kingdom on his way to visit his intended bride-to-be, Jadwiga of Poland. He could have also been kicked out of Kraków from here. This gate has certainly seen a lot of historical moments. All of it is still there. It was more Gothic in nature until the Baroque period. That's when they added more architectural features to adorn it. There is also an altar in the middle of the archway. You'll see it as you're walking under the tower. It was a great meeting point for our Walkative tour of Old Town & Wawel Castle. I can't think of a better place to start than at the entrance to this beautiful city. There are musicians playing songs, and even art for sale along the the wall near the gate. It's a nicely preserved part of history that deserves a visit.

This is a basic must-see on any trip to Kraków; especially since it is free. Be sure to check out…read morethe high-quality artists displaying their paintings along the wall. You can sometimes get some phenomenal artwork at a very good price.

This is the open-air museum and memorial site that is formerly known as the KL Plaszow…read moreconcentration camp. It's a historical place that deserves a visit for deep reflection and remembrance of the horrific events that happened here. It's not as informative as other museums. I say this because there really isn't much left of it. The camp was burned down to destroy evidence of genocide before being liberated by the Red Army. It's now pretty much a nature preserve with some ruins, grave stones, and memorials. The only building left standing is the Grey House. Even today, it still looks ominous when viewing it from the street corner. I think they are planning to convert that building into a museum. I didn't see any such activity when we were there. There are museum boards with descriptions that include a map of where you are when reading it. What I didn't know was that this was once a Jewish cemetery. The funeral home ruins are still there near the Grey House. There is one grave left standing from that cemetery that appears to be restored. It is the grave of Sara Schenirer who founded the House of Jacob School for Jewish Girls. The original stone was destroyed when the camp was built. The funeral stones from the cemetery were used to pave the roads all around the camp. The roll-call grounds where prisoners were lined up and counted is the main grassy area lined by a gravel walkway. It's eerily silent and peaceful there. I can't explain the feeling. You just have to experience it. There's a memorial statue at the top of the hill. We didn't get to see it while at the site, but we did get a great view of it from the highway on our way back to Old Town. It's a solemn and fitting memorial to the victims of Plaszow. Check it all out when visiting Schindler's Enamel Factory building. It's not too far of a walk. You'll also pass by the ghetto wall remnants on your way there.

Yelp Review 2023 #278:…read more There are 4 bridges for vehicles (with a narrow path for pedestrians) that connect Kaziemerz to Podgorze across the Vistula River, and only one footbridge. I highly recommend crossing Kladka Ojca Bernatka ("Father Bernatek's Bridge") at least once if walking is not an issue. It is named after a founder of a hospital in Krakow...and that's all I know. People are fascinated by putting padlocks on bridges especially in Europe. They put their name and their partner's name on the padlock and attach it to the bridge. I guess to symbolize or hope for "love forever". But before go off on a tangent, let me focus on this bridge...aside from the padlocks, you'll see sculptures of acrobats. The bridge itself is shaped like a leaf. Share the bridge with cyclists so, pay attention! From a landmark in Kaziemerz (let's say a museum) to another landmark in Podgorze (Colorful Staircase) only took me 15 minutes including stopping for pictures. So, the walk across is not bad at all. If you happen to be with somebody who's not a huge fan of walking, you can walk to the middle of the bridge and enjoy the view and the calmness of the place then, continue on. There are cafes on both sides of the bridge. Right after sunset, this bridge is empty. At night, this bridge is illuminated by LED lights. It's nice either way.

One might say that Kładka Ojca Bernatka (Father Bernatek Footbridge) simply links the Kazimierz…read moredistrict with Podgórze, and that's all there is to it. But over the years since it was built back in 2010, it clearly has become a vital part of the urban landscape. A place where Cracovian couples hang their padlocks on its railings, a place where sculptures by Jerzy Kędziora hang in midair while being gently caressed by the wind, a place that illuminates at night, and gets reflected by the Wisła (Vistula) river below. For reference: it's about a 15-minute walk from Zamek Królewski na Wawelu (The Wawel Royal Castle) and a 30-minute walk from St. Mary's Basilica (Bazylika Mariacka) in Stare Miasto (Old Town).

I think it is place where you can have 360 grades view around the Krakow City and lovely panorama…read moreto admire.. It is located in Podgórze where you can visit many famous spots too. Kopiec you can see as a high hill - I think for mountain is too small- from the distance. The grass is growing on the hill and small paths are created to be able to climb on the top of it. You can see Old Town from it in panoramic and also Kamieniolom Liban on the other side. Green, windy, sunny- place to go for a walk and get some sun on your skin after winter.

Hmm... Yelp has a separate listing for the Castle and the Cathedral. The Cathedral is on the castle…read moregrounds; you can't get there without going into the castle area. So... basically just do it all. The castle grounds are within solid brick walls. The main building is heavily art work and tapestries. The cathedral has some really creative tombs. I'll attach pictures - better than words. There's also a small cave that you can go through and see a dragon statue that breathes fire periodically. The cathedral and the cave cost a small amount. We got an English speaking tour guide for the castle which really helped us understand the history. Poland's been through some tough times and came out successful.

There's no way that you can stay in Kraków and not see Wawel Castle. It's the heart and soul of the…read morecity. A national treasure! The castle grounds, cathedral, and royal residences are all very impressive. You can spend as much time as you want up there taking in the views of the city and the castle complex. There's no admission fee to walk around the castle grounds. It's a small fee to enter the cathedral to see the exhibits, royal tombs, and the bell tower. There are separate fees to enter the residences and the museum. I didn't see any combo tickets offered to see everything. However, I believe you can purchase them online if you know exactly what you want to see on the day of your visit. We just bought our tickets at the cathedral ticketing office. There wasn't much of a wait in the afternoon on a weekday. We actually visited twice during our stay since our hotel was nearby. The first time was during a walking tour of Old Town. We decided to go back a 2nd time on our own to see the cathedral & gardens. It was a beautiful sunny day.