18 | 72 HOURS IN KRAKOW
www.nitravelnews.com A ‘KRAK’ING TIME From Krakow’s
Old Town Square to Nowa Huta and the Wieliczka Salt Mines, spend 72 hours in Krakow with Emma and Erin...
The museum showcases the polish history
of the Potocki family with decorative elements dating from 19 th century, along with the modern illusion’s exhibition. We were able to walk around and interact with the illusions, staff were very accommodating in taking pictures and explaining the illusions. Themuseum of Illusion is priced at – 55 Zloty which is £10.55 pounds sterling. Again, another good value attraction. One of our favourite attractions was the the “Wieliczka
Salt
Mine”. The Salt mine is a short 20- minute drive from the centre of Krakow and is accessible by public transport. Not for the faint hearted or claustrophobic tourist, we were led down 364 steps to 100 meters underground by our wonderful tour guide, Mark On the descent into the salt mines, we were greeted with a salt statue of Nicolaus Copernicus who was well known as an astronomer, doctor, and military commander. The mines are a labyrinth of around 20 chambers displaying a variety of impressive exhibits including statues, chandeliers and art. The story of the mines can be traced back
BY EMMA MCALLISTER
emma@nitravelnews.com
ON the 24th June 2023 Emma McAllister and Erin English from the NI Travel News team were invited by the Polish Tourism Organision on a press trip to Krakow, Poland. After an early start flying
from Belfast International Airport, we landed in Krakow early afternoon and headed straight to our hotel, the 1891 Garni Hotel. The 1891 Garni Hotel is located in the heart of the Jewish Quarter, where there are hints of Polish culture that hide historical secrets and showstopper attractions. The hotel combines tradition with contemporary design celebrating the rich history of the hotel itself and the local area. Located a short 17-minute walk from the main square of Krakow, it was a greatlocation
for visiting key tourist attractions. After we dropped our bags off, we were greeted by Jerzy (George) who was going to be our guide to Krakow for our stay. Jerzy started us off with a guided walking
tour. One of our first stops was the “Be Happy Museum Krakow”. The Be Happy Museum is a place for everyone that enjoys taking pictures and selfies lounging in the marshmallow pool and next to the giant foam ice cream and donut sculptures. Erin and I took lots of selfies. The Be Happy Museum is great value for money if you are on a budget with
a ticket price of just 50 Zloty which is £9.59 pounds sterling. If you also have time, you can also stop off at their in
house Sweet Café where they serve delicious coffee and sweet treats. Our second stop was at the the Museum
of Illusions, which is located in the historical manor that was once belonged to the Potocki family. The Potocki family were a well-known Polish noble family in Poland and were once one of the wealthiest and powerful aristocratic families in Poland.
KRAKOW CRAVINGS Krakow is known for it’s quirky cafe EMMA’S DINING PICK
culture and the outdoor eateries. Emma and Erin choose their favourite restaurant of the trip...
“MY restaurant recommendation that is a must when in Krakow is The Spaghetti. The Spaghetti Restaurant is located in the heart of Krakow’s main square and serves genuine Italian cuisine. The atmosphere is amazing, with warm lighting and a fabulous view of Krakow’s Cloth Hall and St Mary’s Basilica. I opted for a mouthwatering pepperoni pizza – which I would highly recommend.”
ERINS DINING PICK
“TIK-TOK is my first place to look when looking for restaurant and cafe recommendations when going on a trip. Mr Pancake was a cafe that kept propping up.
Having heard all good reviews about the sweet-treats on offer, we headed down one afternoon for a spot of brunch. At Mr Pancake, I opted for the Milky Star Pancakes and a caramel latte. Emma also opted for the Milky Star Pancakes with a cherry coke. For somebody with a sweet tooth - I throughly recommend Mr Pancake.”
to the legend of Saint Kinga. Saint Kinga became the patron saint of salt miners. Saint Kinga was a Hungarian princess who when she was due to marry the Polish Duke of Krakow in the 13th Century asked her father to give her a dowry of salt as this was what shethought her subjects needed. Her father gifted her one gifted her one of the richest salt mines in Maramures but this was in Transylvania. The story goes that she threw her engagement ring into the mine and when miners in Krakow started to dig the salt mines her ring and the rich salt was found. This was the start of the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Today there is around 245km of tunnels
over 9 levels and more than 2,000 chambers in the mine with a maximum depth of 327 meters, with the public only seeing 2% of the whole mine. Our guide, Mark led us deep into the mines passing through the largest underground temple which is known as St
September/October 2023
Kinga Chapel which is located 101 meters below the surface along with St Kinga Shaft, Pieskowa Skala Chamber and many more. Its definitely a must see if you are visiting Krakow.
The tour ends in a museum and shop area which you are transported to by lift. I would highly recommend a bath bomb from the gift shop. A standard ticket for the salt mine is 126 Polish Zloty which is £24.41
pounds
sterling. To finish off our
day in Krakow we took a trip to Cosmic Games. Cosmic Games
is a pub in the centre of Krakow that has a UFO theme. There are over 10 different games to choose
from such as beer pong, table shuffleboard, air hockey and so much more. The main attraction
of the evening was the delicious cocktails. One of our particular favourites was the Farout Cocktail made with pineapple and coconut, and a cherry on top. I would highly recommend cosmic games if you were looking for a fun atmosphere with friends in Krakow.
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