Poland (Zakopane-Krakow) – September 2011
Our September outing, with Monica & Brian, took us to Poland and a two centre vacation. John’s choice.
As usual we did our own thing with flights (EasyJet from Edinburgh/Krakow/Edinburgh), accommodation, car hire, etc, all booked via the net.
Flights were O.K. – early into Krakow – but the inbound return flight was 20 mins late and for whatever reason, Krakow air traffic control decided we should sit on the tarmac for another hour! Also, on arrival, not sure why buses had to be used to transit passengers all of 100mtrs to the terminal building?
The photographs are shown/numbered in the order we travelled around Poland. We picked up a hire car in Krakow Airport (Hertz gave us a Hyundai i30 diesel which was a really nice vehicle to drive) and when in Krakow we used public transport (excellent) or the hotel shuttle bus.
This year we have scored restaurants, marks out of 10, based on food, ambiance, and service – with some interesting results. Food and drink were not expensive and on average you could say 50% of U.K. prices for good quality dining.
Day 1 – was simply a transit day from Edinburgh to Zakopane, via Krakow. Our choice of hotel was ‘inspired’ and the Hotel Sabala (www.hotelsabala.com) turned out to be an ideal location on Zakopane’s main street (Ul. Krupowki). The hotel staff were very welcoming and efficient. An evening meal was enjoyed at the Stek Chalupa, with regional live Polish music – 7.5/10.
Day 2 – off early morning, via the local market, and then a funicular up to Gubalowka for a walk along to Butorowy Wierch. We then tried following a route back to Zakopane in the Sunflower guide book, but it became pretty apparent, in some areas, the path did not exist. A nice walk all the same and then the girls decided to check on the market! The local smoked cheese is excellent, but we found it did not travel very well (to Scotland). A walk around Zakopane filled the remainder of the day and some local sites. We had our evening meal in Zbojecka on Ul. G. Galicy, again with live music, and met up with some nice Polish youngsters (Martin, Doroia, Michael and Luke) at the next table to us – 7.5/10.
Day 3 – a super sunny Sunday and this was supposed to be a high level walking day with a cable car up some 2,000M. We ended up in a queue for a cable car at Kuznice and after one hour decided we were going nowhere for a long time (evidently it would have been a 3 hour wait, at least – and we don’t do queues!. The queue did not move because the system was being abused by a number of single people standing in the queue and then 20 or 30 of their pals then joining the queue at the head). We headed over the border by car into Slovakia and the town of Tatranska Lomnica, picked up a cable car to Skalnate Pleso at 1,750M and then walked down the mountain. A lot of development works on the mountainside with new ski slopes/facilities being added which made the landscape a bit ugly. Evening meal in Pizza Dominium on Ul. Krupowki was great all round – 8.5/10.
Day 4 – another super sunny day and another attempt at the cable car from Kuznice to Kasprowy Wierch; this time successfully. A mixed walk of ridges and valleys, the highlight being the ridge at Karb and the way along and down. Not for the faint hearted – although we did meet a ‘troop’ of nuns on the ridge! Meal in the Hotel Sabala – 7.75/10 (the background music was awful!).
Day 5 – departed Zakopane and headed for Krakow via the Salt Mines at Wieliczka, just south of Krakow. Interesting and worth doing but expensive and after an hour or so underground it was time to head for the surface. You can do a three hour tour, taking in a museum, but the ‘actual’ tour of the mine takes about 1.5hrs. The lift to the surface is interesting!
Checked into the Novotel Bronowice, in a suburb of Krakow (http://www.novotel.com/gb/hotel-3407-novotel-krakow-bronowice/index.shtml). The hotel was excellent and getting to and from the city was not a problem using public transport – about 50p each way.
We went into Krakow and had a look at a very nice, walkable city centre. Evening meal was at Pod Baranem (http://www.podbaranem.com/english.html), a recommendation from TripAdvisor, and it scored 8.5/10. It could have scored very high had Brian’s duck, according to him, not been the texture of a ‘dead badger’!
Day 6 – a drive to Auschwitz 1 – it takes about 1 hour from Krakow. We arrived before 10 a.m. and this allowed us to tour the facility without a guide. Entrance is free. A rather sombre visit. We started off taking photos but after visiting some of the detention blocks and viewing the contents, the camera was put away. It is the only time Margaret and Monica have cried on our 20 years of vacationing together. We did not visit Auschwitz 2 / Birkenau.
A cross country drive back to Krakow was different and then a bus into Krakow – Brian had a lesson on how to obtain a bus ticket from a nice Polish lady. We toured the Jewish Quarter of the city and then headed for the Schindler Factory; not intending to visit. However the Schindler Factory is now a museum showing how the Germans invaded Poland and life in and around Krakow during their occupation. There was not a lot relating to Oskar Schindler, other than some filmed interviews of staff who worked for him during the occupation. The museum, tucked in a somewhat rundown suburb of Krakow, is worth a visit and is easily walkable from the city centre.
Our evening meal was at The Mexican on Ul. Florianska – 6/10. The staff were friendly, the food was cooked O.K., but it wasn’t Mexican cuisine! But, then, what do you expect – we were in Poland!
Day 7 – a bus into Krakow and then we headed off along the Wisla River, west, to Tyniec and the monastery. The walk, on a good combined walking/cycle path, is supposed to be 10km but it was nearer 12km – not that this was a problem as it is all flat walking. One thing to note in Poland, Polish bikes do not have bells and the riders do not take prisoners!
The monastery is small but well maintained and there is a good cafe bar. We picked up a service bus back to Krakow and went exploring the castle and city centre – all easily walkable. Beer o’clock arrived at 5.00p.m. and a bit of people watching and listening to ‘classical buskers’ was rather a pleasant way to finish the day in Krakow. Our ‘last supper’ was in the Novotel and despite the hotel being extremely busy, the food was very good – 7.75/10.
Day 8 – A leisurely morning and we went back to Tyniec for coffee en-route to the airport. An uneventful flight home, but because of the air traffic delay we hit Edinburgh Friday early evening traffic and from exiting the plane it took 1hr 20mins to clear the Forth Road Bridge – a distance of some 10 miles!
Overall the trip to Poland was great but a temperature in the mid 20’s C and sunshine also helps. Zakopane was not what we expected, but even though it was busy there was never any rowdiness or drunken behaviour.
The mystery is public transport and how it makes money! The number of times we travelled and witnessed people just getting on and off buses without paying was amazing. Polish bus drivers working in the U.K. must wonder what is going on when passengers offer to pay to travel!
As for the Poles – the vast majority we met were friendly, with a few surly female waitresses, and most under 40 yrs old spoke English. There were never any problems in restaurants, etc.
Would we visit again – yes. Would we recommend others to visit, definitely.
Reference books to purchase: Sunflower guide to the Tatra Mountains (but be careful of some routes) and Berlitz Pocket Guide to Krakow.
Next year’s vacation (Monica’s choice) was divulged on the last night in Krakow over the ‘last supper’! Turkey (off the beaten track).
I wondered what the attraction was in Poland. Having seen some of the mountain/landscape views all is explained.
You must ask father Christmas for a light weight tripod. That stone tripod you are using must slow you down!
John, glad you liked the photos. Poland was a wee bit of a surprise package and if you do fancy a trip over there, do it off season (May or Sept). Take care, Yours, John