Poland Day Ten: Back To Exploring Krakow, And It’s Churches, History And Food

It was a 10 minute taxi ride  from the train station to  the beautiful  Sheraton Hotel in Krakow, which is  located near Wawel Castle just outside of old town. I arrived  around one p.m.  After checking in the hotel and settling in my room I  immediately sent my cloths for some much needed   laundering. 

 I looked out my window at the scenic Vistula River and noticed the sun had broke through the clouds. I decided to take a walk and join the many residents of Krakow, who were on holiday, and walk along the river in the April sunshine. 

A lot of folks and families were feeding the swans and ducks living on the river. It was a pleasant afternoon for a walk. Here are some more photographs from my short stroll along the Vistula.https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/poland-photographs-april-2017/nggallery/poland-april-2017/Poland-Day-Ten-Krakow-Vistula-River-hike.- 

I received a message from my sister and niece and learned they would be arriving around 3 p.m. so I decided to again walk the ancient streets of old town Krakow for a couple of hours. 

I walked past the impressive walls of Wawel Castle and crossed the planty into the now familiar streets of the old time and it’s many old buildings. 

I walked to  the “Royal Route” taken by coronation processions, parades and other important state celebrations since the middle ages. It  followed historic Grodzka Street which I soon entered and I again came to the impressive  churches of St. Andrew’s

and St Peter’s And Paul’s.

This time I found St Andrew’s to be open  and entered this church that dates back to the 11th century. 

The old stones walls sheltered families from sure death during a Mongol attack in 1241 when  churches served a dual purpose as a house of worship and a fortress. 

A nun allowed me to enter the altar and take photographs of the many icons, relics and holy images that have adorned the walls of this church for  centuries. . Here is a link to some more photographs of the  St. Andrew’s Church. https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/poland-photographs-april-2017/nggallery/poland-april-2017/Krakow-churches-St-Andrew-

I left the peace and quiet of this church and walked a few yards to  it’s neighbor, the splendid church built in the Baroque style, Saints Peter and Paul. 

I entered this majestic church,  the construction of which began in the 16th century, and again was awed by it’s beauty. 

I  visited it’s many side chapels and again the numerous religious icons, paintings and sculptures.  Here is a link to some more photos of this splendid church  and it’s interior. https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/poland-photographs-april-2017/nggallery/poland-april-2017/Saints-Peter-and-Paul-Krakow-

I continued my walk on  busy Grodska street and joined the many tourists, residents and others enjoying the  April sunshine.

I made my way to another church, the impressive Church of Saint Francis. Again I left the bright April sunshine and entered the dim light of this beautiful church. It’s construction was started in the 13th century although there were many alterations over the years. 

The altar was both impressive and beautiful. 

And there were many side chapels, again adorned with many precious and beautiful religious sculptures, paintings, and icons. I could spend hours in the old churches exploring and just taking in their beauty.  Here is a link to some more photographs of St Francis church. https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/poland-photographs-april-2017/nggallery/poland-april-2017/Poland-day-Ten-Krakow-St.-Francis-April-17-2017

It was now near 3 p.m so I decided to return to the hotel to meet my sister and niece taking a different route outside of the old town. I crossed the wooded trails of the planty and onto the busy streets of down town Krakow. 

 I walked through the traffic of the businesses districts just outside the tree lined boundary  of old town and returned to my hotel. Here is a link to some more photographs from my afternoon walk. https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/poland-photographs-april-2017/nggallery/poland-april-2017/Poland-Day-Ten-Krakow-afternoon-walk-churches-April-17-2017-

I was excited to see my sister Linda and niece Kelly  in Poland and after they got settled in, and we had   a cup of coffee or two, all three of us were off again exploring the streets of Krakow. 

I served  as a somewhat limited guide, taking them to what I thought were some of the cities highlights, and, of course the first was nearby Wawel Castle.

We visited the dragon  below the castle and climbed the stairs to the castle grounds and the many overlooks of the Vistula River.

We walked through the grounds of the castle. and then made our way  back down  and to  the “Royal Route” or Grodska Street taking in the many famous churches and buildings which I have come to know and love. 

We slowly walked the busy street filled with tourists and local residents shopping or having dinner at one of the many outdoor cafes. We walked onto the Main Market Square. and my sister and niece  enjoyed this remarkable place for the first time. 

We quickly peeked in a few churches, knowing it was getting late and we had planned a walking tour of the city for the next day. So we continued on the “Royal Route” now walking past the two towers of St. Mary’s and onto Florianska Street and it’s many shops and cafes. 

We stopped in and checked  out a piano bar, since my niece is a talented pianist. 

We walked up to the Florian gate where we were entertained by a woman with a most beautiful voice singing in to the passing crowds. 

It was now getting late and we were hungry so we found a nearby restaurant Pod Ziota Pipa where we had dinner. The found took some time to prepare but it was very good when it arrived. Of, course we tried the pierogi  and I  had a very good fish dish as my main course. 

We left the restaurant in the April twilight and made our way back through the emptying streets of old town Krakow. It was a long day for all of us  and we looked forward to getting some sleep, and seeing more of this truly wonderful city in the morning. Here is a link to some more photographs of our evening walk. https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/poland-photographs-april-2017/nggallery/poland-april-2017/Poland-Day-Ten-Krakow-evening-walk-April-17-2017-

“But that’s the wonderful thing about foreign travel, suddenly you are five years old again. You can’t read anything, you have only the most basic sense of how things work, you can’t even reliably cross the street without endangering your life. Your whole existence becomes a series of interesting guesses.”
― Bill Bryan