As a former flight attendant, I have visited every European country except Albania and Poland. Poland is the fifth largest country in Europe. Other than Lech Walesa, Copernicus, the Pope, and a decade of Polish jokes I never understood, I knew nothing of this land. However, my interest peaked because it will soon be hot on the tourist trail and because my husband’s family from Chicago is from here. He accompanied me with a sense of delight in discovering his roots. I went to be educated and enriched by something new. We flew from Atlanta via JFK and Warsaw to Krakow for just 4 days. There is no rest for the weary with a head-spinning itinerary. I prefer to visit cities in the off-season to mingle with the locals. It provides a more authentic and intimate atmosphere.
Upon arrival at the airport we are cheerfully greeted by Pavel who will be our driver throughout. He has a “Suza Davis” welcome sign. I say, “Hi, I’m Suzy from Atlanta.” I chuckled when she replied, “Yeah, down USA.” We checked into the Hotel Amadeus, an elegant 16th-century inn in the heart of downtown. Prince Charles once slept in our room, I’m told.
We went hunting for dinner. The illuminated old town was impressive and filled with so many young people that it made me feel old. 150,000 students reside in this university town. Krakow is Europe’s biggest party scene, where they stay outside until the birds sing. This historic district is home to the highest concentration of bars and restaurants in the world. Suddenly we discovered Pierogi Garden, home of the freshest Polish dumplings. They were filled with sauerkraut, lamb, beef, berries, chocolate, and even peanut butter. There were 6 types of soups, all with beetroot which I hate. After about a dozen meatballs, I had a melted sheep’s milk cheese pancake that was beyond delicious.
Poland experienced countless invasions throughout its history. After being ravaged by the Germans and then the Russians, it finally achieved independence in 1989 with the collapse of Soviet communism. Krakow was fenced off for destruction near the end of World War II by the Germans. They planned to blow it up once the Russians took over, luckily the war ended hours before the plan was carried out.
Today it remains one of the few cities left in its original form. With a current population of 780,000, it has become an international fashion capital. Vibrant and modern, yet somehow retaining its traditional culture with majestic architecture. It is in Krakow that the spirit of the new Poland is found.
On day 2, we were greeted by Anna who was strikingly beautiful. We start in the old town’s network of cobbled streets intended for walking. It was a maze of museums, chapels, galleries, cafes and bars on the wall. Even in winter there was entertainment with street dancers, mimes, accordion players and in one corner, I saw a knight in armor breakdancing.
We enter the Market Square, the largest medieval square in Europe where little has changed since 1257. It is crowned by the Bell Tower where a bugle plays on the hour. It drives the residents crazy at night. A must-see is the Lonja de los Paños, where fishmongers, cloth merchants and bakers have sold their wares since the 14th century. It is now a fabulous gallery of craft stalls.
We walked to the well-preserved Jewish Quarter, which is now full of artistic character. Poland once had the largest concentration of Jews in Europe at 3.5 million. The kings of Poland during the Middle Ages noticed that they were being driven elsewhere and invited them to increase the economy. Here they thrived until the Holocaust and forced communism after World War II. Now only 180 remain. We saw the ghettos where the famous Spielberg movie was filmed and looked across the river to see Schindler’s factory.
Rick Steves writes that one must visit a milk bar here. Anna accompanies us to one of these government-subsidized cafes for the working class. They are a holdover from Poland’s communist past. Everything is amazingly cheap. I ordered a bowl of homemade soup and cheesecake for $2.
We then visit Wawel Castle, a 12th-century masterpiece and a defining icon of city pride. There were no queues as we walked through its halls of history. This was the residence of the kings for 500 years. Anna explains here the legend of the fire-breathing dragon called Smok who ate virgins for breakfast.
This was reinforced by the discovery of strange large bones in the 15th century. (The bones are actually whale bones, as this area of Europe was underwater eons ago.) The dragon thus became the symbol of the city and is ubiquitous in souvenir shops. Anna then pushes us into various beautiful churches, for me always as boring as paint by numbers, however they were exquisite. I ask if there are any Protestants here. She replied matter-of-factly, “Yes, one.”
The afternoon was devoted to restaurant and hotel inspections. I loved the formal greetings and it’s always educational. I learn about local gastronomy and accommodation in the best location at the best price. All hotels were full. Jews and Catholics visit year-round on religious pilgrimages or come for tours of roots.
Krakow was recently ranked in the top 10 European destinations. Now I see why. Americans continue to be enthusiastic about Prague, which I now find old fashioned with inflated prices and lower service standards. It has become as expensive as Rome. Eventually, Krakow may follow suit once Poland converts to the euro in 2012. For now one can splurge with affordable prices. Europeans flock here to save 50-70%. Germans and Danes in particular come for dental and optometry needs. Medical tourism, including plastic surgery, is booming. I met an Austrian flight attendant who travels monthly for half price spa treatments.
In the evening we ate at the Wierzynek restaurant, the oldest in the world serving princes to tourists since 1364. It was delicious (organic) peasant cuisine of wild boar, roast ribs and lots of potatoes. I ask them to teach me some Polish, a Slavic language that is as impossible as a mouthful of alphabet soup. The word toilet has 5 syllables.
On the third day we woke up to a gray, cold and wet day that gave us the appropriate environment for what we would see. Pavel drove us 60 km to Auschwitz. We were greeted by Yuri, our brilliant personal guide whose only passion was to enlighten us about the unthinkable tragedies that took place here between 1940 and 1945. I once visited Dachau, but this was the largest concentration camp. This death factory killed 1.4 million people of 27 nationalities. Most were Jews. The others were gypsies, Soviets, Poles, homosexuals, political dissidents, and more.
We walked through the door reading: “Work will set you free.” Inside was a powerful reminder as we watched the crematoria, starvation cells, pounds of hair, endless glasses, and a pond still gray from the ashes of 60 years ago. The most sobering thing for me was the children’s section. It housed a sea of little shoes, dolls and detailed German documentation of 230,000 little ones who suffered and died here.
We were taken to the sprawling Birkenau (Auschwitz II) camp, with its wooden barracks built to hold 100,000 people, but eventually held more than 200,000. Together in silence, the three of us walked half a mile to see the ruins of the gas chambers and the memorial. At the end of our tour, Yuri said goodbye to us with this profound statement: “I have guided several holocaust survivors who visited here as tourists. I was told at the end that I can’t present 1% of how bad it was.” it really was.” This was the most moving moving site my eyes have ever beheld.
In the afternoon we visit the famous Wieliczka Salt Mine. This mysterious and vast 3-mile-long underground city has been mining salt for 800 years. The World Heritage site attracts a million visitors a year and it seems they all arrived today.
Our guide Justina seemed to have an obsession with salt, but it was simply a love for her job as a guide. She said for her to follow her up 836 steps, which was better exercise than a Stairmaster. Caves bore me, but this place will stay in my mind forever. Imagine subterranean chapels, ornate sculptures, chandeliers and life-size figures carved entirely from salt or a restaurant and post office 380′ below street level. It was spectacular. For centuries, miners and horses spent their lives here. They remained healthy in this rich microclimate. Does it have to do with magnesium ions, whatever they are? Today, people flock to the healing chambers of the treatment complex to isolate themselves in the purity of natural air.
Day 4. I continually search the world for unique things or places to present to my fellow travelers. Today I found it in Zakapane. For years, a friend of mine insisted that I visit this mountain resort with a funny name that I could never remember. We drive into the fresh air of the Tatra Mountains with Eva, our expert guide that day. She said that this adventure destination of 60,000 residents increases to 200,000 most of the year. In summer they come for mineral spas and alpine hiking. In winter they come to ski. That week Zakapane hosted the International Ski Jumping Contest.
Here was a charming artists’ village and Giorake, an ethnic group of highlanders. These wandering shepherds date back to the 15th century. They love to dress up in their colorful clothes for tourists. They live on cheese or anything smoothed out in cheese. We visited a cheese market the size of Switzerland. As far as I could see, there were sheep and goat cheeses artistically sculpted into every imaginable shape. We also toured the water park with an Olympic-sized mineral hot spring pool and rode cable cars high up in the mountains for breathtaking scenery.
It was a very productive and enjoyable day trip. I found a local tour company that runs fun group activities like horse sledding through the woods, dog sledding, and the new “snow rafting” on rubber rafts that slide down the mountain toboggan style. At the huge open-air market with countless ethnic stalls, I bought a flashy leather and fur coat for $260 that was fashionably 6 times its price.
There are so many things I couldn’t see in this short visit. On my next return, I will do the new “Crazy Communism Tour”. Outside of Krakow is Nowa Huta, once a grim socialist suburb of forced industrialization. Huge steel factories took over rich farmland. The doctor and teachers were sent here to work. Kilometers of concrete housing blocks were erected to house them.
On the tour, you can discover first-hand experience of Stalin’s gift to Krakow by traveling in a classic East German Trabant car to Nowa Huta. A dinner of salty bread, pickles and vodka is included, followed by dancing in a retro 70s disco.
Under the yoke of communism, the Poles refused to give up their religion. Stalin said: “Implementing communism here is like saddling a bull.” Faced with such a determined spirit in the town, he gave up. I am in awe of all the obstacles this stoic country has overcome.
If you have been there and you have bought the London, Paris, Madrid or Athens shirt, I encourage you to visit corners of Europe to discover. Krakow is destined to become the next Prague. It’s brimming with history, friendly faces, hearty cuisine, and won’t break the bank. If you can visit the new Poland, don’t tell anyone about Zakapane, one of the world’s best kept secrets.