I came to Poland for the first time in August 2019, and started to fall Inlove with the country straight away. I hadn't really done much research into the country I just knew a lot about the history it suffered during the wars and of the concentration camps, but there is so much more to this beautiful country, it's national parks are absolutely outstanding, the food is incredible, the people are so friendly, just to name a few.
I flew to KRK from STN and it took approx 2 hour 15 minutes, so again not a long flight at all from the UK and you can pick flights up seriously cheap. Accommodation in the city is also reasonably priced, you have a wide choice from full apartments to staying in hostels.
I stayed just outside the main square approx a 10 minute walk, and it was the perfect location for me as I enjoy to have my little walks.
Whilst in Krakow I found so much to do, the weather was outstanding it only rained slightly once, and even then it was during the night & didn't last long. Then the next day it was boiling hot. During the summer months the weather is beautiful and in the winter like most of Poland and Eastern Europe it becomes drastically colder, they actually built a wall around the centre of the city many years ago to try to protect from the cold winds which used to travel up the river and into the city, there has also been times where it's been known the river freezes over. - how cold does it need to get for that to happen? Crazy right!
There is a gorgeous national park I went to visit when I was there which is just outside the main coty, but within walking distance still. It's not one many people go too which aren't locals but it well worth it, such beautiful views of the city and a massive lake however you can't go in the water because it's not allowed and incredibly dangerous.
As a history fan I couldn't fly out there and not visit some of the history from the wars and other bits as well. So I decided to visit the Jewish quarter and head down to Auschwitz - Birkenau Concentration camps, which were not for the faint hearted at all, there isn't much I can really say about these and how visiting them effected me but it was very emotionally and physically draining, still to this day birds do not fly over the camps because of the gases which were used all those years ago - that's crazy! It's a hard visit, but I highly recommend them for sure, just take water with you and tissues, you don't need the tour guide you can easily travel around yourself and understand what's going on the signs are also in English that explain what you are looking at etc.
Food! Where to even start with the food and drink, it is so cheap it's unreal, you just cannot help but eat and eat and eat even if your not hungry the price of food makes you want to just eat -- well it does me personally haha! And the food is really good, even the street food you can buy from little vendors in the sides of the roads, I highly recommend the pretzels they aren't like your typical English pretzel, I don't like English ones but these ones are like heaven.
Their currency is Polish Zloty & when you convert from the British pound you get so much more for your money, again I highly recommend always paying in the currency of the country you visit - this reduces exchange rate charges and using the Monzo card i speak so highly of you don't get changed this anyways which is even better and it's accepted in every country in the world. BONUS!
I highly recommend going on a bike ride along the river, you get a nice cool breeze and the beautiful views at the same time, you can take yourself along towards either side of the city and find yourself at lovelock bridge, which I recommend putting one on even if your on your own there just to leave a little bit of you in the city when you leave.
Disclaimer: I apologise if any of the images of Auschwitz cause any discomfort to some, however just like my NYC page I am trying to share all my travels and experiences, I believe this to be a huge part of history which everyone should know about and learn from. My thoughts go out to all those effected by this terrible event.
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