Krakow - What to see and do
The city is bursting with things to see and do, ranging from exciting days out for families to sobering visits to some of Europe’s most harrowing museums and historical sites. For families, you’ll find Energylandia, Poland’s biggest amusement park, just 50km from the city, Krakow Zoo, and Stanislaw Lem Science Garden of Experiences, a sculpture park filled with interactive experiments. You’ll also find a variety of fairytale-like castles, mountains, lakes, forests, and caves to explore. The 13th century salt mining has created a channel of subterranean spaces under the bustling city, ideal for exploring with children. You can also learn how to make Krakow style pretzels in a traditional obwarzanek workshop, a hands on experience everyone is sure to enjoy. For adults, you’ll find a variety of activities, ranging from visiting medieval churches and walking through the harrowing halls Schindler’s Factory to trying inventive variations of flavoured vodka. Of course, a trip to Krakow would not be complete without a life changing visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, an unsettling experience but worth it nonetheless. Just as difficult, is Schindler’s Factory, a museum set in the enamel factory where Oskar Schindler protected Jewish employees during Nazi occupation. On a lighter note, Karol Wojtyła spent many years in Kraków before becoming Pope John Paul II and there are traces of this time everywhere, including the Papal Window and Arka Pana, the church he consecrated. For those who want to do some shopping, make sure to visit the amber shops found all over the city, filled with beautiful items crafted from fossilised tree sap.