TRAV E L – KRAKOW IN POLAND


They stopped at Wawel Castle. This beautiful Renaissance building is located on the top of Wawel Hill, with panoramic views of the Vistula River. The castle is now a museum featuring different sections such as the Cathedral, State Rooms, Royal Private Apartments and the Crown Treasury & Armoury (home to the Polish equivalent of the Crown Jewels). Each requires a separate entry ticket.


After wandering around the castle complex, Mr Jones spotted the fire-breathing Wawel Dragon down on the riverbank. Legend has it that a resident, evil dragon was slain by a poor shoemaker whose reward was to marry a princess. Nowadays, a friendlier, bronze version breathes real flames to entertain visitors.


After their snowy visit to the castle, Mrs Jones was pleased to sit down with a mug of hot chocolate and cherry strudel to get cosy and watch the world go by in one of the outdoor, heated, covered cafes in the market square.


Mrs Jones favourite shopping experience was at the historic, Cloth Hall in the centre of the market square. This covered market is one of the oldest shopping malls in the world. Merchants line each side of the beautifully decorated hall, mainly selling lace, woodwork, textiles and amber (the famous gemstone of Poland).


Above the Cloth Hall sits the 19th Century Polish Art Gallery and Café Szal offering lovely views over the market square. Beneath the square is contemporary Rynek Underground Museum allowing visitors to see excavated medieval merchants’ stalls. The Joneses were


disappointed to miss out on this museum, as they hadn’t booked tickets in advance.


Another museum they missed out on was Schindler’s Factory Museum, across the Vistula River. If you’ve heard of the film Schindler’s List (filmed in Krakow), the museum recreates the story. It also explains what it was like to live in the city during occupation, the fate of the Jews and the underground resistance movement. Tickets need to be booked in advance.


To make up for missing Schindler’s Museum, the Joneses walked down to the Kazimierz district (just south of the Old Town). This was the centre of Jewish life in Krakow for over 500 years, before being destroyed in the


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