Warsaw and Krakow, Poland
Poland is a country that has gone through many struggles throughout its history. Its been ruled by many different nations and has been invaded many times over the years. It was occupied and greatly affected by the Nazis during WWII. The capital city was nearly destroyed and millions of lives were lost at Nazi Concentration camps during the Holocaust. The Soviet Union liberated Poland but then ruled the nation until the fall of communism in Russia in 1989. Despite the hardship the Polish people have endured they now have a modern, flourishing nation. Warsaw has been rebuilt including the old town area. Krakow was spared destruction and its historic areas and Unesco World Heritage sites are available to tour. Poland is home to famous people in history such as Nicolaus Copernicus, Fredrick Chopin and Pope John Paul II to name a couple. The food is also unique as is the Vodka and Beer. We spent 5 days in Poland in March of 2019 and visited Warsaw, Krakow and Oswiecim (Auschwitz). We saw memorials, museums and sites and dug into the Polish Culture.
Getting to Poland and Transportation
Getting to Poland is no different than many other countries. Warsaw and Krakow both have international airports that offer quite a few flights. Warsaw Fredrick Chopin Airport is were we flew into after a connection in London. LOT Polish Airlines offers flights from the US direct to Warsaw. The Warsaw airport is easy to navigate through and has train service to the Warsaw Central Station in Downtown. The airport is about 9 km from the city center. In Krakow the John Paul II Krakow-Balice international airport is around 18 km from the city center so a taxi or bus is the best option in this case. Poland is in Eastern Europe so flights from places like London are around 1.5 to 2 hours long to Warsaw. You can also go by train once in mainland Europe. You can take Polish rail to get between Warsaw and Krakow (3 hour train ride) or fly short LOT Polish express flight (30 minutes) for around $40 one way. Within Warsaw it is east to get around. You can take a subway or a tram (light rail). Taxis are also fairly inexpensive in Warsaw. In Krakow there is no subway system but they have a great system of trams (light rail) that are cheap to get an all day pass (around 15 Zloty). We used the Krakow tram system a lot to get around. To get from the airport to our hotel we book private car transfers for around $20 each way.
Other Country Information
The national language of Poland is Polish but nearly everyone we encountered knew enough English for us to be able to speak to everyone. We did learn a few key phrases like Dzien dobry (Good morning/day). Poland is a part of the European Union and is a Schengen agreement country so it is currently Visa free travel for US Citizens. The currency of Poland is the Polish Zloty. It is a very favorable exchange rate when compared to the US dollar. At the time of this writing the 1 Polish Zloty is worth $0.26. Credit cards are accepted most everywhere. We found most everything was very affordable in Poland. One of the most affordable locations we have been to in Europe. Admission to some museums was only $2.50! Food at fine dining restaurants on the main square for multiple courses for 2 people could cost as little as $40. Poland is quite far North so the Spring and summer are relatively mild and the winter can be very cold. We went to Poland at the end of March and had temperatures from in the 50s to the 30s and we dealt with a little rain, sleet and a heavy snow storm while we were there so plan ahead depending on when you go. We found Poland very safe and had no issues walking through downtown areas at night.
Warsaw
The first city we visited was the capital of Poland. Its also the largest city in Poland at around 1.7 million people. We took a hop-on hop-off bus around the city so we could see most of the sites. We spent a day and a half in Warsaw. While we were there we had the chance to try the local food, catch a Fredrick Chopin concert, go to several museums, go to the top of the Palace of Culture and Science and see sites such as the Old Town and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We stayed one night at a Hampton Inn in the city center and another night near the airport. Its very affordable to stay at either location and it is not hard to get from the airport Hampton Inn to the city center via a train from the airport to the Warsaw Central Station.
The Warsaw Uprising Museum
Our first stop in Warsaw was the very well done Warsaw Uprising Museum. In 1944 the people of Warsaw rose up and fought against the Nazi troop occupying the city. The Polish troops (many unarmed) fought courageously against the Nazis and took much of the center of the city but due to a lack of support from Soviet and other allies (the British did drop supplies to the Polish resistance and the Soviets dropped some supplies without parachutes) the Nazis eventually crushed the Polish soldiers and killed nearly 250,000 soldiers and civilians and destroyed most of the city of Warsaw. This museum memorializes the fighters, explains what happened in the nearly 2 months of fighting and has a replica B-24 bomber, replica of the sewer the resistance fighters used that you can walk through, interactive exhibits and movies you can watch about this battle in WWII. Outside you can see a Nazi bunker used in Warsaw during WWII. This is a great museum for those interested in Polish and WWII history.
Old Town Warsaw
We spent time walking through the Old Town Warsaw area on our final day in Poland. The Old Town Warsaw area was mostly destroyed during WWII but the Polish people rebuilt the Old Town to its original beauty. There are many beautiful buildings and statues and plenty of shops and restaurants to see. You can also walk along the old town walls as you walk through Old Town. It had just finished a heavy snow as we walked through Old Town so it was extra nice looking and we had the area relatively to ourselves. We bought some matryoshka dolls (Russian style dolls) at some of the shops and stopped for some Polish food before we left the area. Its free to walk around the Old Town and something you should do while in Warsaw!
National Museum of Poland
We took some time to stop at the National Museum of Poland near the city center of Warsaw. The museum holds artwork and artifacts from Polish history. The museum starts in the ancient days and goes all the way to the modern age. You can even see an airplane in the museum. It gives you a chance to learn a little more about Poland’s long history. It costs a few dollars to get in and took us around an hour to walk through (we did not read everything there was to read since we were trying to see as much as possible).
Museum of the Polish Army
Located next door to the National Museum of Poland is the Museum of the Polish Army. It goes over the military of Poland during the medieval days all the way to the present. You get the chance to see many Soviet style tanks and airplanes that you do not usually get to see in the West. It goes over many thing I did not know about like the Polish Navy, Polish WWI and WWII history and many battles in between. It took us around an hour to go through the museum and it did not cost very much to go inside. The tanks and airplanes outside are free to visit.
Palace of Culture and Science
The tallest building in Poland and one of the tallest in the European Union is the Palace of Culture and Science. It was built in the 1950s as a gift to the Polish people from the Soviet Union and due to that fact it is a controversial building since to some it represents Soviet control over Poland. The building is a large complex that has office space, a cinema, a theater, museum, tourism office and an observation deck. On our last day we paid the few dollars to go to the observation deck to get a view of Warsaw. When we were at the top the winter storm was rolling in so in the distance we could see the snow falling in the city. Its an open air observation deck with a cafe up at the top. It gives you great views of the city and is worth the trip up to the top.
Other Sites in Warsaw
On the hop on hop off bus we had the chance to see some of the other sites in Warsaw. Warsaw is the capital so we saw the Parliament building, Presidential Palace and the Supreme Court of Poland. We also got to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the guards guarding the grave. We also saw the many statues and much of the city of Warsaw. We did not get a chance to see it but there is a large statue to the great composer Fredrick Chopin in a park nearby. We also went to a very affordable 1 hour Fredrick Chopin concert concert in a building in old town where Chopin played when he was young. It was only around $15 and included a glass of Polish Mead to drink. Warsaw is a great city to visit that has so much to see and do. Its a very modern city that you can see the scars of wars and Soviet control but has recovered very nicely from it all.
Krakow (Cracow), Poland
The second city in Poland we visited in Poland was Krakow. Its the second largest city at around 750,000 people. Krakow was the capital of Poland for years up until it was moved to Warsaw in the 1500s. Old Town Krakow is a Unseco World Heritage site, as is the Wieliczka Salt Mine that contains beautiful salt carved chapels and statues. The city was spared destruction in WWII unlike Warsaw. Krakow has a beautiful main square and has many shops and restaurants. Krakow is also home to one of the worlds most highly rated aviation museums. The Polish Aviation Museum gives you the chance to see Soviet aircraft such as the Mig fighter that you do not see in most Western Nations. The city is also home to Schindler’s factory and about an hours drive one of the most tragic sites in human history the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Krakow is also the former home of Pope John Paul II.
Wawel Castle
Located on the Vistual river is the huge castle complex of Wawel Castle. It is an important site to the Polish people since it is a former royal palace where the Polish Kings lived. It also the location of the Wawel Cathedral where Pope John Paul II was a Bishop before his elevation to Pope. Also many important Kings and individuals in Polish history at the Cathedral in tombs. One King you can see there is Casimir The Great. You can find his picture on the 50 Zloty note in Polish currency. At the castle grounds you can buy ticket (note some days like the Sunday we went admission is free) to visit the Royal offices, the ancient ruins of the first Wawel, towers and other sites. They limit the number of visitors to the sites so its important to get there early. Since we were there in March (the end of Winter) some areas such as the towers were closed. We toured the elegant and historical Royal Apartments and the “Lost Wawel” Archaeological site. You can also walk along the castle walls, visit the visitors center and gift shop, and stop at the cafes at the castle. We also spent time after mass was over visiting the cathedral. We spent several hours at the site so plan for at least half a day at the site.
Old Town Krakow
As you leave Wawel Castel you immediately enter the Unseco World Heritage site Old Town Krakow. You can see many historic buildings as you walk towards the main square. There are plenty of shops and restaurants serving many different kinds of foods (we ate Polish and Italian in Old Town Krakow). In the main square you can also find many restaurants and shops but its dominated by Cloth Hall and the Town Hall Tower. Cloth Hall has a tunnel full of vendors selling crafts and other things on the bottom floor. You can also see paintings lining the walls. On the top floor is a part of the National Museum (an art museum). You can also see the impressive and beautiful St. Mary’s Basilica on the main square. We spent several hours walking through the Old Town and did some shopping and eating. Its a must see while in Krakow.
The Polish Aviation Museum
Located in a residential area a little outside of Krakow is the Polish Aviation Museum. Its easily accessible by tram (light rail) and a short walk. Its in a large park that is a former Polish Air Force Base. The walking trails are former taxi ways and you can see the runway. The museum has many rare aircraft from WWI to the current age. You can see many variants of Mig aircraft (from the Mig-15 all the way to the Mig-29). They also have Russian built airliners, a helicopter used by Pope John Paul II, an exhibit showing both sides of the Cold War, and a great aircraft engine exhibit. There are videos and dioramas you can see as well. Some planes are one of a kind and are from the very early days of aviation. Admission when we went was only $5 for both of us combined! We spent a couple hours at the museum and it was well worth it!
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum
One of the saddest and most moving place we have ever been is the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Oswiecim. We visited the sobering memorial as part of a tour that took us to Auschwitz and the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Booking a tour is the way to go as tickets to get into the sites can be difficult to get and in Auschwitz you must take a guided tour. The tour began at the smaller Auschwitz I camp. It was a former military base. We walked through the entrance gate with the cruel lie “Arbeit Macht Frei” (Work will set you free). Our tour guide walked us through the camp telling us stories of those who were there and about the different areas. We visited a museum in the buildings that showed the conditions and the Nazi processes at the camp. One of the saddest things we saw was rooms full of shoes, bags, glasses, hair and other personal items from the victims. It was difficult seeing those items knowing there is a person that owned them and who life was tragically cut short due to hate. We visited a starvation unit and then walked through the first gas chamber and crematorium at the complex. After finishing at Auschwitz I we drove over to Auschwitz II-Birkenau. It is the much larger camp that was shocking to see the sheer size and the terrible conditions in the living quarters. Our guide walked us pass a train car and the unloading platform and two of the gas chambers at the facilities. The Nazis destroyed the chambers hoping to hide their crimes at the end of the war but you can see much of the ruins. The said over 1 million people were killed at that camp. The visit made me reflect on some other places we had been such as the Anne Frank house as Anne was at Auschwitz and the Ten Boom family from the Hiding Place. While it was difficult seeing the horrors people went through at Auschwitz its important to see and for all of us to remember what happened there in memory of the victims and to make sure we never let it happen again. I write about this and share these pictures so you can see from our eyes what it looks like at the terrible camp and to remember what happened there. We need to fight hate and misunderstanding everywhere we can.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
After the sobering stop at Auschwitz we continued onto the Unseco World Heritage site Wieliczka Salt Mine. The salt mine has been in use for centuries (major use starting in the medieval days but some use of the salt even further back than that). It is over 1,000 feet deep and has hundreds of miles of tunnels. We visited a very small fraction of the mine. We started our tour walking down hundreds of steps to the long corridors of the mine. The ceilings of many of the chambers are held up by huge logs that have become petrified from the salt. We saw displays of how they removed the salt over the many years the mine was in use. We passed statues carved from rock salt of famous people who had visited the mine like Nicolas Copernicus. As we continued to descend we came to a huge carved out of salt chapel that included a rock salt nativity scene, alter, statue of Pope John Paul II, chandeliers, and polish floors. It was carved by amateurs that wanted a place to worship in the mine. It is an amazing place. We continued to a huge lake and more large carved out rooms. We ended at our deepest point at 135 meters (443 feet) below the surface. We took a very small mine elevator back to the surface and we ended a very memorable tour.
Other sites in Krakow
There are quite a few other things to see and do in Krakow. On the day we left to go back to Warsaw we visited the Jewish quarter of Krakow. We stopped by the the center of the old ghetto that is now Ghetto Heroes Square. There are many empty chairs in the square in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. You can visit the Eagle Pharmacy museum there that was a non-Jewish pharmacy that stayed open and help those in the Ghetto. A short walk you can visit the Schindler’s Factory Museum whose story was told in the movie Schindler’s List. We were only able to see these sites from the outside since it was early. There are quite a few other museums within the city to explore but we ran out of time and headed back to finish up our tour of Warsaw. If you enjoy aviation at the Krakow airport there is a observation deck at the airport that cost a few Zloty that lets you view the operations at the airport as you wait.
Polish Food
While we were in Poland we tried many different types of local food. One traditional dish we had is called Pierogies. They are dumplings filled with meats, cheese or potatoes. We tried all of those varieties and actually liked the cheese filled the best. With our first Pierogi meal we also got a pork chop and spicy onion relish with bread. The fancy restaurant (but affordable) gave us free homemade liquor shots that is a tradition in Poland. We also tried a Polish Quail Egg soup that was served in a bowl made of bread. The soup contained a small hard boiled quail egg inside. We had a dish similar to a chicken fried steak without the gravy as well. Being in Poland we had to get Polish sausage. We got a half meter (a lot of sausage!) for around $10. We did stop at an Italian restaurant that was very good and even a McDonald’s. The McDonald’s menu was slightly different and had spicy but sauce less wings as a combo meal. The food was very good and affordable in Poland!
Tips for Poland
Poland is one of the more affordable countries in Europe to visit so while you are there I recommend eating fancier than you usually would and try different things. Krakow has the most items to see out of Warsaw and Krakow so give it a good amount of time and then use the train or fly to Warsaw. Warsaw has more flight options so it is a good starting point. Warsaw does have quite a few museums and attractions as well so give it at least 2 days to see many of the sites. I would give Krakow at least 3 days and you will probably still not get them all. Take advantage of Public transportation even though other options are affordable as well. Like any international trip I recommend getting some of the local currency before you leave at you local bank so you do not have to search for an exchange and pay high commission.