Krakow is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and will be seen by me at least a hundred important where I stepped.
It has been for centuries the capital of Poland and today it is the cultural capital of the country. Of course it is the city of Pope John Paul II meets all over the world, with its statues in churches and parks.
The city about 600,000 inhabitants, has a historical center surrounded by a circular park very nice and pedestrian. The
Krakow cross it on foot to reach the various parts of the city because of the magnificent central square, the Rynek or market square, streets radiate in all directions, many pedestrian only end up going all in the park.
At the edge of the circular park, there are wide roads where they pass tram, bus and there are theaters, train station and bus .... which can be reached on foot along the park.
I said the central square which is the largest in Europe, about twice the Piazza Duomo in Milan and surrounded by buildings with classical facades very beautiful, the palace at the heart tissue and Mariacka, the church with two bell towers on the northwest side and that is beautiful inside. All around outdoor bars and restaurants and elegant carriages with the harnessed horses and drivers in traditional dress. Radiate out from the square several streets, some walking with shops and boutiques, some with clubs, pubs and cinemas.
Nearby is a square, recently restored, Scepanska Plaza with the fountain where they are playing children and spouses who are totally wet kissing and hugging while a photographer shoots them. It seems to bring good luck. In that square there is a restaurant, Morski where I ate my first words pierogi ravioli stuffed with vegetables or meat, a specialty of the Polish and Russian (the latter are more spicy).
You can eat good soup with vegetables and meat, french fries, fried vegetables and how many natural or white cabbage, red or yellow and then carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers topped with yogurt acid. The beers are excellent and are competing for customers by sponsoring film festivals, theater, music which are found in all the squares of major cities. I liked especially the Okocim, the tisk and Zywiec.
Excellent Wyborowa vodka that is drunk cold in small glasses.
I once again had the impression that we Italians are behind these new Europeans traveling at a rate of improvement that we had in the '50s and '60s and now we are passing rebuild the country after the fall of communism 1989.
In 20 years they have rebuilt almost everything and now have the most beautiful cities, clean, organized and served from our group left the post for all these years and they put so much time and money for small jobs here and make big changes, quickly and without spending a lot.
Even culturally seem to have one more step, especially young people who all speak English with perfect pronunciation current, very well dressed and very polite.
Not seen around homeless people, or immigrants, Poles only elegant, educated and polite. Sooner or later, the invasion will come for them too, but for now we are enjoying a beautiful country.
The main attraction of Cracow and the central square and its many churches that meet virtually every street and are very popular because the Poles are very Catholic and practice the religion much more than the Italians.
The second is the jewel that is the Wawel castle, which is within walking distance to a pedestrian street from the main square. This large complex on a hillside close to the center, including the royal palace of the Polish monarchy, the cathedral and other buildings used as museums and exhibitions.
It is a row of an hour for the various accapparrarsi tickets and spend € 12 for six visits: the royal palace with rooms full of large and luxurious furniture, paintings and above all huge and splendid tapestries, then a visit to the treasure of Poland, jewelry gifts, crowns, scepters, that of arms with a magnificent collection of swords, muskets, pistols, rifles and armor decorated with various ages.
The shows that I liked most is the art of oriental porcelain, carpets, paintings and furniture from China and Japan.
The cathedral is very beautiful, lavishly decorated in a style never seen and I find it difficult to describe. Suffice to say that I do not like the baroque churches, gothic nor Polish but these are a mixture of these two styles and use a lot of dark wood and inlaid, beautiful religious paintings, often with colorful glass designs of great taste and impact. Very beautiful compositions with flowers and several statues never heavy. In short, an environment in which you are comfortable, cool and neither dark nor too light, without too many frills but well executed.
Below the castle passed the Vistula River, which performs various local loops into the city and along which there are parks, pedestrian walks, boat excursions and others to serve as restaurants, bars and pubs.
I never had the feeling of chaos, noisy traffic, pollution, in short all the usual things, unfortunately, of our city.
Here you have limited income and a lot of running a few cars, almost exclusively those of the inhabitants of the center, plus the loading and unloading goods.
I use all public transport in
Krakow, and even many bicycle. In fact, there are great bike paths in almost every way, and also an abundance of parks, gardens, in short, the green that makes the city cool and relaxing.
There is a neighborhood south of
Krakow, KAZIMIERS, who was the ward of the Jews before they were deported by the Nazi regime. However, it is left jew because there are several synagogues and especially restaurants, bars and food stalls run by Jews, with their kosher specialties and bread cut in half hot jew (baguette wide and long) and covered with your choice of cheese, salami, meat and sauces or vegetables in short, the things we put up the pizzas.
Of course, you eat too many pizzas and then especially the kebab sandwiches that are found everywhere and that the Poles used to eat with the help of a plastic fork.
Kazimiers neighborhood is also young people, alternative artists, bohemmiens.
There are many boutiques, small restaurants, pubs, showrooms and in the evening come from all over the city to enjoy the fresh air, drink beer, listen to music and chatting outside.
I went there every night preferondo this area to that of the old lacquer and more bourgeois.
I spent a wonderful evening in a pub on STANTYA, decorated with antique furniture and pictures 30s full of young people who danced wild dances very well in Latin America.
A 'last night in Nova Platz sat drinking beer and chatting with some young people at the tables with the Singer sewing machine!
Another time I ate in the square baguette in the company of a Jewish family of Neapolitan nice that they were going in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine because his father was a historian who was to meet old colleagues in those countries.
He told me that even in the 70s in
Krakow is almost suffered from hunger and the peasants who came to give the improvised banquet population.
In short, has come a long way since then Poland!