– Modern Life in a Medieval City –

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When Mom decided to come visit us last year, Ela and I assembled a list of places that she might like to see. It’s easy to do: there are so many cool sites to tour in Poland. Central Europe is a region unfamiliar to Americans, so it’s easy to enjoy.

Geographically, the country is about the size of New Mexico so we can travel from one side to the other in a day. From the Baltic Sea on the north to the mountain ranges in the south, Poland literally has something for everyone. Since Mom didn’t have a lot of time to spend traveling from place to place, we wanted a destination packed with good fun.

From Medieval to Modern

Personally, I am intrigued with ancient times. Not caveman stuff, and not the recent past; I prefer things that surprise me with their age. Like medieval castles and Renaissance art, civil engineering before the advent of electrical power… living evidence of the Middle Ages. Europeans tend to take these things for granted, but Americans (like me) are often amazed by tangible history that is still standing.

We made a trip to Malbork Castle last year and I still replay it in my mind. When I mentioned it to Mom, she seemed excited by the idea. But it was out-of-the-way; a full day to get there, another to see it, and three days invested by the time we’d make it home. I asked Ela if there was someplace nearby with a castle and maybe a little bit more.

“Of course,” she replied. “We go to Krakow.”

Accommodations in Krakow

It was a great idea so I started looking for a place to stay. Ela and I are not real picky; as long as it’s clean and temperate, we’re pretty easy to please. Mom is no different, but I wanted someplace nice… she’s my Mom, right?

Hotel Lenart was ideally located. Literally down the block from Wieliczka Mines (more on that soon) and two blocks from a train station, it was a modern hotel at a reasonable price. Two rooms with breakfast were 1600 zloty for four nights – that translates to ~ $55.00 for each room. The dollar is strong in Poland, so its easy to find great deals on accommodation.

From the hotel, we could travel by foot or rail to more history and culture than we had time to see. There are 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Poland; 15 cultural and 2 natural. Seven of them are in/around Krakow making it an ideal destination for travelers and tourists. We selected the Wieliczka Salt Mine as our first stop on Mom’s Weekend Tour of Krakow.

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Salt was an integral part of medieval life: not only was it a necessary part of the human diet, but also essential for preserving food such as meat, seafood, and dairy products in the absence of refrigeration. The salt mines in Wieliczka have been producing the prized commodity since the 13^th century. The mines go a little more than a thousand feet deep; the tunnels and chambers stretch for almost 180 miles. But it takes only a few hours touring the natural marvel to understand why it’s on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

Deep down, the miners carved chapels and sculptures in the salt walls. I wandered around the main exhibit with my mouth hanging open in amazement. I was enjoying the same amazing art as other visitors through the centuries; tourists including Chopin, Copernicus, van Humboldt, and Pope John Paul II. Can you imagine?

Wawel Castle

The next day, we took the train to the city. We spent most of our time at Wawel Castle (which was a twenty minute walk from the Krakow Glowny station). Another World Heritage site, the castle is considered the most historically and culturally important site in Poland.

It has everything; art and architecture from Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods. A gigantic castle, cathedral, and chapel overlook the Vistula River… home to kings for centuries. Construction on Wawel Castle began in the 1300s, but archaeological remains date to the 4^th century. There are museums inside the buildings, too. It is easy to spend a day touring all that is Wawel Castle.

Old Town Krakow

As much as I like the sites, it was the Old Town that made me feel the adventure of Krakow. The energy and excitement of modern life built around one of the oldest town squares in Europe infused me with enthusiasm for the city.

The 13^th century Rynek square was a Renaissance-era marketplace. St. Mary’s Basilica is a classic example of Gothic architecture, but all around it hummed the best of modern life. High-tone clothing stores, traditional Polish restaurants, low-key pubs with craft beer bars and vodka spots. There were five jazz clubs in the area, including the famous Harris Piano Bar (one of Europe’s best). After two days of walking, I was happy to sit, eat, drink, and listen to great music.

Everyone enjoys college towns, and Krakow has been perfecting the vibe for more than 650 years. Founded by King Cassimir the Great in 1364, Jagielloneon University has attracted students from all over the world for centuries. Steeped in culture, Old Town put a smile on my face that lasted for two days.

And that is what adventure is all about… experiencing exciting and unusual things. Mom left the city amazed. She had never traveled outside the U.S.A. and couldn’t believe it was so affordable. It felt to her like a 5-star trip on a 3-star budget. Never before had she seen so many different things so interesting as to be forever remembered.

Adventure in Krakow

You don’t have to be rich to savor rich experiences. I am sure many of you will say,

“Oh, I could never afford a trip like that.”

..which is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Say you cannot do a thing and, sure enough, you’ll be right. But allow yourself to say ‘I can”. Or even “..maybe I can” and maybe you’ll surprise yourself.

Airfare is the big number; my kids are putting aside $100 a month and it will take a year to save enough for a ticket. But that’s the only real challenge; the dollar is so strong in Poland, the hotels, meals, and attraction tickets seem ridiculously affordable.

There are many places I’d like to take my friends in Poland, but there is no better bang-for-the-buck than Krakow. Everything and more is accessible by train (which, for Americans, is part of the adventure). It’s a modern city built on a foundation set in the Middle Ages. And when you get through touring for the day, it offers you some of the best food, drink, and music you can sample. If you decide to come, let us know; we’re always ready for a long weekend in Krakow.

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