Krakow Exploring

It was blisteringly cold today in Krakow, and given the busy travel day I had yesterday, as well as the late arrival to the hostel, I took it easy in the morning. However, being in a hostel didn't provide the most comfortable circumstances to relax, so it wasn't too long before I started to explore the old town of Krakow. There was plenty to see, and the beautiful city of Krakow did not disappoint in old buildings, amazing architecture, beautiful streets, a lively atmosphere, and interesting monuments all around. I started the day by taking the long route toward the world famous Krakow city centre. Not only is it the largest in the world with an enourmas plaza, encapsulating a cute little street market, but also has many cathedrals, monuments, and historical buildings. I spent a bit of time wandering the Plaza before picking a direction and walking off. I headed East to what ended up being the original city gates. Although many once existed, this is the only remaining gate from the original castle town that Krakow once was. Interestingly, the old town is now surrounded by a beautiful park that is situated where the city moat once stood. Once I walked through the gate, I explored the garden before re-entering in the north and continuing my aimless wander. I entered a few basilicas and cathedrals before eventually turning my attention to the main attraction of Krakow, the castle. Stood atop the hill in the West, it overlooks the beautiful city and the river Vistula, creating some amazing views. The outside of the cathedral reflected the different time periods that the cathedral had been built. It stood as an interesting compilation of different architectural designs, added on top of one another. As I got my audio guide and headed inside, I learnt that this is more or less correct. Different Saints and historical figures from Krakows history would have different chapels added to the inside of the cathedral over time, and the outside would be built in whatever style that period reflected. The cathedral was beautiful inside, but unfortunately, it didn't allow for photos in the more extravagant sections. It was a shame but a typical theme in some of these tourist attractions. After the cathedral, I headed to the museum, which was kind of interesting, but I didn't spend overly long there. I preferred to wander around the outside of the church, in the courtyard, see the old ruins, the old palace, and so on so forth. Eventually, though, the sun was setting, and I had to begin my trek home. It was hard to get anywhere in the city without stumbling across some beautiful buildings and completing some exploring. As such, I wandered into a few more cathedrals on my way home before stopping for some dinner. I would be up early tomorrow to complete an Auschwitz-Birkenau tour, so I wanted a reasonable night after a bit of travel planning and journalling.Read more