Beyond Wawel in Krakow

As the single most important tourist destination in Poland, Krakow attracts millions of visitors annually and as such may hardly count as a well-kept secret. Yet tourism to Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), which is the area in Southern Poland around Krakow, tends to follow set patterns with visitors covering the castle area of Wawel, the Old Town (Stare Miasto) around Rynek Glowny (the Cloth Hall) and the Jewish Quarter of Kazimiersz in Krakow itself as well as the famous saltmines in nearby Wieliczka and of course the memorial site of the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp. Very few visitors venture beyond those boundaries, yet it is precisely the many hidden treasures beyond those highlights that allow Krakow lovers to savor true local culture & appreciate the city from an emic, local perspective.

Local Krakow also centers around Stare Miasto and Rynek Glowny, but moreover includes adjacent newer neighborhoods with locals bypassing the tourist attractions such as the Cloth Hall and St. Mary's church with the famous hourly HEYNAL trumpet call and rush to and from offices and institutions near the Wistula river and the commercial and local transport facilities near Krakow Glowny train station. Here we find an array of modern local attractions such as the spacious Galeria Krakowska Shopping Mall conveniently linked to both the train and bus terminals. Apart from infinite shopping facilities, the venue also has both excellent and inexpensive restaurant choices catering to a variety of tastes from Mexican to Sushi. In winter time, the Galeria Krakowska also allows locals and visitors alike to seek refuge from the harsh cold climate outside.

At the opposite end of Stare Miasto, where we walk the pedestrian zone towards the castle area of Wawel, we find a belt of park area surrounding the Old Town. This is where the former city fortification used to be located, of which nowadays only a few gates remain and beyond which more local Krakow beckons - particularly along the banks of the Vistula river. When the weather is favorable both locals and visitors flock to the embankment promenade to stroll along the Vistula past the famous Wawel DRAGON intermittently spitting out fire as an extra attraction. Another recent addition to the river walk experience is a hot air balloon stationed on the opposite side of the Vistula. With the inscription "Kocham Krakow" (I love Krakow) it offers visitors a special aerial view of Wawel and Old town from the balloon itself.

Heading towards Kazimiersz along this scenic river route takes about twenty minutes and culminates in yet another local commercial playground, the Galeria Kazimiersz. Considerably more quiet and relaxed than its larger mall sibling downtown, it is an ideal venue for a relaxing coffee or meal break and for people watching. Experiencing Krakow in such local ways offers guests an insight into the high quality of life the city offers to its local population nowadays unprecedented to this extent even a mere five or ten years ago. And as I leave Krakow and see the "Kocham Krakow" balloon rise above the Wistula, I too declare "I love Krakow" and vow to return as soon as possible.