April 30, 2014
We went to Auschwitz and Birkenau, this is a UNESCO world heritage site. We saw the same teens from Israel that had walked there from Krakow that we saw at the hotel in Warsaw. Very touching to see them honor their fallen ancestors. They are all wearing the Israel flag around their shoulders.
May 1, 2014
10-2 We walked around Krakow in the morning. In the afternoon we went to the famous Salt Mines. Don’t miss it, fantastic.
May 2, 2014
Took a taxi to the Frania Cafe and Laundry to wash all our clothes. This place in the basement lives up to its reputation online. The gal who helped us was so kind and helpful we gave her a huge tip. She even helped me carry my heavy suitcase back up the stairs!! We walked to the Kazimierz Hotel dragging behind our heavy suitcases. Spent the afternoon eating and going to a flea market. Supper at the Kuchnia Restaurant across the street. Very nice area to stay in as everything is very close.
May 3, 2014
Woke up and had a nice breakfast at the hotel. Took a taxi to the Jagiellonian University. Bought 2 T-shirts, one for me and one for my daughter. Took the 30 minute tour of Copernicus old school. Afterwards, took a taxi to Rakowice Cemetery to find Jan Matejko’s grave. In Poland they sell candles and holders at the cemetery entrance to place on your family gravesites. I think this is a beautiful custom.
May 4, 2014
Our last day in Krakow. Tomorrow we head east to Podgrodzie and Sieklowka with Zenon Znamirowski to do some family research and meet up with the family! Today we did the last of the sightseeing. We went to Isaacs Synagogue, Schindlers Factory, Museum of 19th century art and visited Jan Matejko’s house on Florianska Street. For the hell of it, we went to McDonalds for lunch.
We spent 3 days in Krakow at the Hotel Kazimierz. The hotel has lots of ambience and the breakfast is very good. We took taxis everywhere, it is the quickest way to get around and affordable.
Do not miss the short English tour about Copernicus at the Jagiellonian University. He was a student there and it is just fascinating.
My top 5 things to do in Krakow:
Main Market Square & The Cloth Hall
Jan Matejko House (free on Sunday)
Museum of 19th Century Polish Art, above the Cloth Hall (free on Sunday)
Flea Market in the Kazimierz District
Wawel Cathedral. The courtyard is one of the 7 Chakra’s of the world. I did feel some amazing energy there. 🙂
Carol what a wonderful trip.
Carol~ I am enjoying reading your blog posts and looking at the pictures. I had to laugh because I took the exact same photo of the Camelot Restaurant on my first day in Krakow in October 2009. Nice to see it is still there.
I love reading all of the blogs – I discovered Shellie’s blog just before I left for Poland and it was so inspiring since I was going to try to find relatives within 25 miles of where she found hers in Odrowaz…and I did meet living relatives as well!!! ~PolishLibrarian
Polish Librarian: I am a retired Librarian, so we have much in common! The Camelot Restaurant has so much ambience, I had to go see it. 🙂