Every great journey starts with a single rondo. Oh! Rondo Grzegórzeckie, let me count the ways I…read morelove thee. So, much more than a convergence of roads and tramlines, crossing each others' paths in perfect harmony. You eschew the oh-so-popular rounded roundabout shape that inferior production line roundabouts tend to favour. "Rondo Grzegórzeckie jest miejscem, które leży w samym środku wszechświata" This is how Olga Tokarczuk would probably describe its geographical location (Rondo Grzegórzeckie is a place that lies at the very centre of the universe). Quite possibly at the geographical centre of Kraków too. Apart from the obvious transport connections, almost too numerous to count, including tram stops conveniently placed north, east, south and west there are other delights to be explored too. Pretzel (obwarzanka) sellers try to shelter from the elements and pollution in tiny tented cabins. For those addicted to Lotto you can have a flutter, although you are much more likely to get a ticket for crossing a red light than you are of winning any worthwhile prize. Crossing the lights requires a certain amount of vigilance and speed. Crossing the southward carriageways you will find that if you run fast enough you can cross completely from one side to the other without having to stop in the middle. It's not easy though. A variety of small shops are scattered on Rondo's perimeter, Fresh Market, Akwiteks and many more. For those of you have worked up an appetite I can recommend a visit to Rondo Cafe at Grzegorzecka 63.

It's the medieval archway at the beginning of Floriańska Street. The one with the emblem of St…read more Florian who protects the city from fires and all harm. It was built into the defensive walls of the city. There was once a covered passageway leading to this gate from the outpost, or Barbican. It's where royalty and visiting leaders would meet before heading to the castle. It's probably where the young Habsburg prince entered the kingdom on his way to visit his intended bride-to-be, Jadwiga of Poland. He could have also been kicked out of Kraków from here. This gate has certainly seen a lot of historical moments. All of it is still there. It was more Gothic in nature until the Baroque period. That's when they added more architectural features to adorn it. There is also an altar in the middle of the archway. You'll see it as you're walking under the tower. It was a great meeting point for our Walkative tour of Old Town & Wawel Castle. I can't think of a better place to start than at the entrance to this beautiful city. There are musicians playing songs, and even art for sale along the the wall near the gate. It's a nicely preserved part of history that deserves a visit.

This is a basic must-see on any trip to Kraków; especially since it is free. Be sure to check out…read morethe high-quality artists displaying their paintings along the wall. You can sometimes get some phenomenal artwork at a very good price.

Yelp Review 2023 #280:…read more A square in Podgorze with 30 plus chairs right next to Eagle Pharmacy. People taking pictures (so was I), children running around and trying to sit on every single one, influencers influencing I don't know what and how. I tried to count all the chairs but there was too much chaos. Plac Bohaterow Getta (Ghetto Heroes Square) used to be a bustling market called Zgody Square. Then, the Nxxis came and changed all that. It became a square for publicly dehumanizing and taking lives of Jewish people or be sent on a train to one of 3 concentration camps in Poland - depending if you're fit enough to work or not. Until the streets were empty. Those that tried to hide were caught and were not spared. So what are these chairs doing in this square? Why not use something easier to understand to symbolize what happened here? Each chair is supposed to represent thousands of lives that were lost during the Holocaust. Like things that were of no value to Nxxis: furniture, clothes, pictures, anything that's not a precious metal or stone - thrown away. Certain people and their lives were devalued and discarded - no care for humanity at all. Empty.

We all know of the horrors that began in these Ghettos and Krakow's Ghetto was no exception…read more There's not a lot left of the Ghetto today, from what I could tell there are no markers as to where the boundaries were or anything but it's clear there wasn't a lot of space. You can also visit Schindler's Factory and read all about the war and how it affects Krakow. Getta Square is also a good place to visit to see the memorial. Getta Square is a very important place to visit when you're walking about Krakow's Ghetto. There is a simple yet effective memorial in the square - a collection of chairs marking those who were walled in and who died during the horrific event that was WWII. I would definitely recommend checking it out, but read up on the significance of the square before you go as there isn't a lot of information around to explain the significance of the chairs etc.

The equestrian statues always impress me the most. They just look more regal in my eyes. This one…read morecommemorates the 500th anniversary of the 1410 Battle of Grunwald. Unfortunately, the original statue of 1910 was destroyed during the invasion of Poland. There are still pieces of the original statue in the Museum of Kraków. I saw what appeared to be the a head from the statue at the Oskar Schindler museum, although I'm not sure if it's replicated or the original. It's placed in the perfect place. It's just outside the Barbican near the start of the Royal Route that leads to the castle. It's certainly difficult to miss seeing it when walking towards the Academy of Fine Arts. It's right there on Matejko Square. There is a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of it. It's a place of victory and remembrance. This is also where you can get a beautiful picture of the Barbican towers. It was a memorable visit.

Because there are so many beautiful monuments in this neighborhood, you might actually miss it…read moreamongst the city life. Don't let it fall into your background. Appreciate it!

My second favourite bridge in Kraków (Kładka Bernadska gets that prize). It is a surprisingly…read morephotogenic bridge with interesting curves and angles. The designers of it certainly deserve a prize. Due to the traffic it can get a little bit noisy here, so it's definitely not a place you want to linger on for too long.