(This article first appeared online on 6th December 2023 on Live Mint, India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/discover/christmas-winter-food-drink-poland-111701796198786.html)
Showing posts with label KRAKOW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KRAKOW. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Monday, April 10, 2017
Picture Perfect Poland!
With everything from cities made of salt and mysterious
Neolithic tunnels carved out of flint, to a relaxing soak in a thermal bath and
a cuisine—that’s a comfort food lover’s dream come true—Poland has a lot to
offer the adventurous traveller.
By Raul Dias
A truly multi-faceted country like no other, Poland is
a dream destination for those who seek a holiday with a difference. With 13
UNESCO sites—some of which are whole city complexes—like the old towns of
Warsaw and Kraków, Poland is filled with some truly fabulous experiences and
wondrous sights. These take the form of beautiful town squares, castles, and fascinating
museums. Due to its turbulent history, each Polish city is different in its culture,
style, and history. Poland is also a paradise for nature lovers. It is one of the
few countries in Europe that is lucky to have a great variety of landscapes: a
long Baltic Sea coastline with beautiful sandy beaches and rolling sand dunes,
lake provinces with more than 10,000 lakes, lowlands, hilly regions and diverse
mountain ranges, including the magnificent Tatra Mountains.
Here are a few top travel experiences for you to savour on your next trip to this beautiful northern European country:
Here are a few top travel experiences for you to savour on your next trip to this beautiful northern European country:
Marvel
at the ‘City of Salt’!
Lying within the Kraków metropolitan area, and a tourist attraction since the 15th century, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of Poland’s premiere must-visit places. The historic underground ‘city’ forms an impressive maze composed of 2,391 chambers and 245 km of galleries, excavated on nine levels at the depth of between 64 m and 327 m underground where one can visit unique places, chambers cut out in solid rock, amazing underground lakes, majestic timber constructions, genuine salt figures, and see the marvelous machines and tools once used by ancient miners.
Lying within the Kraków metropolitan area, and a tourist attraction since the 15th century, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of Poland’s premiere must-visit places. The historic underground ‘city’ forms an impressive maze composed of 2,391 chambers and 245 km of galleries, excavated on nine levels at the depth of between 64 m and 327 m underground where one can visit unique places, chambers cut out in solid rock, amazing underground lakes, majestic timber constructions, genuine salt figures, and see the marvelous machines and tools once used by ancient miners.
Enjoy
Chopin’s living legacy
Undoubtedly the most famous resident of Warsaw, Frédéric François Chopin spent the first 20 years of his life in the city. Here, he studied music, learned the manners of society and gave his first concerts. Walking the streets of Warsaw, you will pass buildings where he stayed or which he visited. There are many places which are a homage paid to his talent and Warsaw even boasts the world’s largest Chopin memorabilia collection. Make sure to visit the Royal Lazienki Museum’s gardens that has as its number one attraction a rather odd-looking statue of Chopin who seems to be being ‘devoured’ by a vulture or something there like! It is only on closer inspection of the monument that you will notice that the ‘vulture’ is actually a gnarly branch of a tree, that is said to be symbolic of lending protection to Chopin.
Undoubtedly the most famous resident of Warsaw, Frédéric François Chopin spent the first 20 years of his life in the city. Here, he studied music, learned the manners of society and gave his first concerts. Walking the streets of Warsaw, you will pass buildings where he stayed or which he visited. There are many places which are a homage paid to his talent and Warsaw even boasts the world’s largest Chopin memorabilia collection. Make sure to visit the Royal Lazienki Museum’s gardens that has as its number one attraction a rather odd-looking statue of Chopin who seems to be being ‘devoured’ by a vulture or something there like! It is only on closer inspection of the monument that you will notice that the ‘vulture’ is actually a gnarly branch of a tree, that is said to be symbolic of lending protection to Chopin.
Pay
homage to Poland’s ghastly past
The very well-appointed Schindler’s Factory Museum located in the old Jewish district of Kazimierz in Kraków is a sad reminder of the city’s five-year Nazi occupation during World War II. In fact, the Academy Award-winning movie Schindler’s List was even partially filmed in this original factory building. Today, a multi-level museum packed with remnants of the past, including Oskar Schindler’s original writing desk, this place was once the location of Schindler’s factory of enameled vessels ‘Emalia’. Today, ingenious exhibitions combine period artifacts, photos and documents with multimedia and set-piece arrangements in an attempt to create a full-immersion experience.
The very well-appointed Schindler’s Factory Museum located in the old Jewish district of Kazimierz in Kraków is a sad reminder of the city’s five-year Nazi occupation during World War II. In fact, the Academy Award-winning movie Schindler’s List was even partially filmed in this original factory building. Today, a multi-level museum packed with remnants of the past, including Oskar Schindler’s original writing desk, this place was once the location of Schindler’s factory of enameled vessels ‘Emalia’. Today, ingenious exhibitions combine period artifacts, photos and documents with multimedia and set-piece arrangements in an attempt to create a full-immersion experience.
Visit
the Opatowskie Flint Mine
The underground Neolithic Krzemionki Opatowskie Flint Mine is located eight kilometers north-east of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski in central Poland. The popular Tourist Route that is 465m long, descending 11.5m at the deepest point, takes you through the Neolithic pillar-chamber mining pits, with connecting sections excavated in limestone rock that pass inside the natural striped flint-bearing bank. All this seen through special inspection windows.
The underground Neolithic Krzemionki Opatowskie Flint Mine is located eight kilometers north-east of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski in central Poland. The popular Tourist Route that is 465m long, descending 11.5m at the deepest point, takes you through the Neolithic pillar-chamber mining pits, with connecting sections excavated in limestone rock that pass inside the natural striped flint-bearing bank. All this seen through special inspection windows.
Partake
in a Polish feast!
At first, Polish food may seem like a close cousin of Russian cuisine thanks to the ubiquitous blood red beetroot borscht and potato blinis pancakes anointed with lashings of thick sour cream and chives, but to discount the unique dishes of Poland would be sacrilegious. Make sure to tuck into a bowl of the lighter than air chicken vegetable and noodle soup called rosol and a plate of pierogi which are semicircular stuffed dumplings that are boiled and then pan fried, holding within their plump bellies various fillings like cheese and cabbage, meat and cabbage and mushroom and cabbage. The local yummy smoked goat cheese called oscypek is sold in fat cylinder and spindle shapes in markets across the country and should not be missed, particularly in its grilled form, topped with sweet raspberry jam and best had with a warm bagel that was invented in Poland.
At first, Polish food may seem like a close cousin of Russian cuisine thanks to the ubiquitous blood red beetroot borscht and potato blinis pancakes anointed with lashings of thick sour cream and chives, but to discount the unique dishes of Poland would be sacrilegious. Make sure to tuck into a bowl of the lighter than air chicken vegetable and noodle soup called rosol and a plate of pierogi which are semicircular stuffed dumplings that are boiled and then pan fried, holding within their plump bellies various fillings like cheese and cabbage, meat and cabbage and mushroom and cabbage. The local yummy smoked goat cheese called oscypek is sold in fat cylinder and spindle shapes in markets across the country and should not be missed, particularly in its grilled form, topped with sweet raspberry jam and best had with a warm bagel that was invented in Poland.
Burrow
your way down to the Museum Rynek in Kraków
The Museum Rynek is probably the most unusual museum you’ll ever encounter. It lies ‘buried’ 4m below the Main Square and is the actual location of the ancient Kraków city center. The main exhibit called “In the footsteps of Kraków’s European identity”, makes use of holograms constructed by using projectors alongside fog machines and several dozen screens to recreate the atmosphere of Kraków 700 years ago.
The Museum Rynek is probably the most unusual museum you’ll ever encounter. It lies ‘buried’ 4m below the Main Square and is the actual location of the ancient Kraków city center. The main exhibit called “In the footsteps of Kraków’s European identity”, makes use of holograms constructed by using projectors alongside fog machines and several dozen screens to recreate the atmosphere of Kraków 700 years ago.
Rest
and Relax…
Make sure to end your Polish holiday with a rejuvenating dip only a thermal bath can provide. As the largest thermal complex in the region, the Chocholowski Termy thermal bath is located in the town of Podhale, a few hours’ drive from Kraków en route to the scenic Tatra Mountains. Opened in June 2016, the pools in this complex are filled with curative water extracted from the depth of nearly 3,600 meters. Additionally, besides a spa, the Chocholowski Termy also has 30 pools and barrels of different size and specificity, including Poland’s first outside swimming pool filled with thermal water.
Make sure to end your Polish holiday with a rejuvenating dip only a thermal bath can provide. As the largest thermal complex in the region, the Chocholowski Termy thermal bath is located in the town of Podhale, a few hours’ drive from Kraków en route to the scenic Tatra Mountains. Opened in June 2016, the pools in this complex are filled with curative water extracted from the depth of nearly 3,600 meters. Additionally, besides a spa, the Chocholowski Termy also has 30 pools and barrels of different size and specificity, including Poland’s first outside swimming pool filled with thermal water.
(A shorter, edited version of this piece was first published in the April, 2017 issue of The Week's Smart Life magazine)
Friday, February 10, 2017
Krakow Calling!
The magical city of Krakow is one of Poland’s oldest
and largest cultural strongholds that abounds with everything from history and
food to some stellar museums and basilicas, discovers Raul Dias on a winter trip in and around the city that sits on the
banks of the Vistula River
Pics courtesy: Polish Tourist Organisation, Wieliczka Salt Mine Archives, Chocholowski Termy and Raul Dias
As much as I pride myself on being well-travelled,
having experienced almost every sort of climatic condition the earth keeps
throwing at me, I’d never been privy to that magical phenomenon of the season’s
first snowfall. The kind where snowflakes softer than cotton blossoms caress
your cheek, transporting you straight into the pages of Dostoyevskian winter
classics like White Nights…
So, imagine my sheer delight when almost as soon as I stepped outside Krakow’s John Paul II International Airport, a solitary snowflake came gliding down, and settled on my left cheek. “It’s the season’s first!” my friend and host Emilia Kubik let a by-now-delighted me know. With a welcome like that, how could my next two days in Krakow be anything but magical?
So, imagine my sheer delight when almost as soon as I stepped outside Krakow’s John Paul II International Airport, a solitary snowflake came gliding down, and settled on my left cheek. “It’s the season’s first!” my friend and host Emilia Kubik let a by-now-delighted me know. With a welcome like that, how could my next two days in Krakow be anything but magical?
The
Heart of It
As the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland, situated on the banks of the placid Vistula River, Krakow as a city dates back to the 7th century. And since then it has traditionally been one of the leading centers of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life. And at the very heart of it all is the magnificent Main Square in the old city, the largest in all of Europe.
The whole district of the old city is divided into two sections by the Royal Road, the coronation route traversed by the erstwhile Kings of Poland. The route begins at St. Florian’s Church outside the northern flank of the old city walls in the medieval suburb of Kleparz; passes the Barbican of Krakow built in 1499, and enters Stare Miasto through the Florian Gate. It leads down Floriańska Street through the Main Square, and up Grodzka to Wawel, the former seat of Polish royalty, overlooking the Vistula River.
Along the route, making stops at the St Mary’s Basilica and the Museum Rynek Undergrounds are imperative to get a feel of the ancient city. The former is a Gothic edifice from where the hejnal mariacki—the city’s famous bugle call—is played every hour on the hour. One of the city’s most enduring traditions, the tune deliberately breaks off mid-melody in honour of the mythical trumpeter who was shot in the neck while warning the city of Mongol invaders.
The Museum Rynek is a rather unusual museum, I was soon to discover, in that it lies ‘buried’ below the Main Square and is the actual location of the ancient Krakow city center. The main exhibit called “In the footsteps of Krakow’s European identity”, makes use of holograms constructed by using projectors alongside fog machines and several dozen screens to recreate the atmosphere of Krakow 700 years ago.
As the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland, situated on the banks of the placid Vistula River, Krakow as a city dates back to the 7th century. And since then it has traditionally been one of the leading centers of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life. And at the very heart of it all is the magnificent Main Square in the old city, the largest in all of Europe.
The whole district of the old city is divided into two sections by the Royal Road, the coronation route traversed by the erstwhile Kings of Poland. The route begins at St. Florian’s Church outside the northern flank of the old city walls in the medieval suburb of Kleparz; passes the Barbican of Krakow built in 1499, and enters Stare Miasto through the Florian Gate. It leads down Floriańska Street through the Main Square, and up Grodzka to Wawel, the former seat of Polish royalty, overlooking the Vistula River.
Along the route, making stops at the St Mary’s Basilica and the Museum Rynek Undergrounds are imperative to get a feel of the ancient city. The former is a Gothic edifice from where the hejnal mariacki—the city’s famous bugle call—is played every hour on the hour. One of the city’s most enduring traditions, the tune deliberately breaks off mid-melody in honour of the mythical trumpeter who was shot in the neck while warning the city of Mongol invaders.
The Museum Rynek is a rather unusual museum, I was soon to discover, in that it lies ‘buried’ below the Main Square and is the actual location of the ancient Krakow city center. The main exhibit called “In the footsteps of Krakow’s European identity”, makes use of holograms constructed by using projectors alongside fog machines and several dozen screens to recreate the atmosphere of Krakow 700 years ago.
And just like an onion, there are many myriad layers that make up the ‘Krakow experience’, a few of which lie outside the city limits waiting for the intrepid traveller to peel them back and discover the wonders that they hold within…
With
a Pinch of Salt
A tourist attraction since the 15th century, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of Poland’s top must-visit places and one of the 12 sites entered onto the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1978. Lying within the Krakow metropolitan area and opened in the 13th century, the mine produced table salt continuously until 2007, as one of the world’s oldest salt mines in operation.
In earlier times, touring the salt-bearing realm used to be reserved to the elite. To be granted admission, you needed the consent of the king, which was only granted to a fortunate few. Fortunately for me, all I needed was a ticket and off I went discovering the wonders of the sub-terrain wonderland. The historic underground forms an impressive maze composed of 2,391 chambers and 245 km of galleries, excavated on nine levels at the depth of between 64 m and 327 m underground. The area open to the public constitutes only two percent of the entire mine.
One of the most popular sites in the mine is the miraculous Chapel of St. Kinga and to see it one must travel along the popular Tourist Route. Even our very own superstar couple Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan have done the trail!
A most extraordinary journey through the labyrinth of saline corridors, the route is a fantastic opportunity to see the most brilliant landscapes of underground chambers and discover the history and traditions of the Wieliczka mine. Going down deeper and deeper into the mine, one can visit unique places, chambers cut out in solid rock, amazing underground lakes, majestic timber constructions, genuine salt figures, and see the marvellous machines and tools once used by ancient miners. Three kilometres of meandering corridors, 800 steps descending into the mine leading 135 m underground, and at the end, you get to travel back to the surface in an authentic miners’ lift.
A tourist attraction since the 15th century, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of Poland’s top must-visit places and one of the 12 sites entered onto the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1978. Lying within the Krakow metropolitan area and opened in the 13th century, the mine produced table salt continuously until 2007, as one of the world’s oldest salt mines in operation.
In earlier times, touring the salt-bearing realm used to be reserved to the elite. To be granted admission, you needed the consent of the king, which was only granted to a fortunate few. Fortunately for me, all I needed was a ticket and off I went discovering the wonders of the sub-terrain wonderland. The historic underground forms an impressive maze composed of 2,391 chambers and 245 km of galleries, excavated on nine levels at the depth of between 64 m and 327 m underground. The area open to the public constitutes only two percent of the entire mine.
One of the most popular sites in the mine is the miraculous Chapel of St. Kinga and to see it one must travel along the popular Tourist Route. Even our very own superstar couple Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan have done the trail!
A most extraordinary journey through the labyrinth of saline corridors, the route is a fantastic opportunity to see the most brilliant landscapes of underground chambers and discover the history and traditions of the Wieliczka mine. Going down deeper and deeper into the mine, one can visit unique places, chambers cut out in solid rock, amazing underground lakes, majestic timber constructions, genuine salt figures, and see the marvellous machines and tools once used by ancient miners. Three kilometres of meandering corridors, 800 steps descending into the mine leading 135 m underground, and at the end, you get to travel back to the surface in an authentic miners’ lift.
Thermal
Indulgence!
Escape from the bustling city life of Krakow for a day, just like I did, and submit your every sore, tense muscle to the gentle, loving care that only a dip in a thermal bath can provide. As the largest thermal complex in the region, the Chocholowski Termy thermal bath is located in the town of Podhale, a few hours’ drive from Krakow en route to the scenic Tatra Mountains. Opened in June 2016, the pools in this complex are filled with curative water extracted from the depth of nearly 3,600 meters. Special attention should be paid to the healing zone, where barrels of raw, sulphurous thermal water and a thermal pool with brine iodinated water can be found. While sulphur water has positive effects on skin and circulatory system, it also aids in the treatment of rheumatic diseases and I was told that salt baths are specially recommended to people, who suffer from neurosis, insomnia and arthritis. Additionally, besides a spa, the Chocholowski Termy also has 30 pools and barrels of different size and specificity, including Poland’s first outside swimming pool filled with thermal water.
Escape from the bustling city life of Krakow for a day, just like I did, and submit your every sore, tense muscle to the gentle, loving care that only a dip in a thermal bath can provide. As the largest thermal complex in the region, the Chocholowski Termy thermal bath is located in the town of Podhale, a few hours’ drive from Krakow en route to the scenic Tatra Mountains. Opened in June 2016, the pools in this complex are filled with curative water extracted from the depth of nearly 3,600 meters. Special attention should be paid to the healing zone, where barrels of raw, sulphurous thermal water and a thermal pool with brine iodinated water can be found. While sulphur water has positive effects on skin and circulatory system, it also aids in the treatment of rheumatic diseases and I was told that salt baths are specially recommended to people, who suffer from neurosis, insomnia and arthritis. Additionally, besides a spa, the Chocholowski Termy also has 30 pools and barrels of different size and specificity, including Poland’s first outside swimming pool filled with thermal water.
Schindler’s
List?
Back in Krakow, make sure to end your sojourn (again, just like I did!), by paying homage to Poland’s ghastly past at the very well-appointed Schindler’s Factory Museum located in the old Jewish district of Kazimierz. In fact, the Academy Award-winning movie Schindler’s List was even partially filmed in this original factory building. Today, a multi-level museum packed with remnants of the past, including Oskar Schindler’s original writing desk, this place was once the location of Schindler’s factory of enameled vessels ‘Emalia’. It has been transformed into a modern museum devoted to the wartime experiences in Krakow under the five-year Nazi occupation during World War II. Here, ingenious exhibitions combine period artifacts, photos and documents with multimedia and set-piece arrangements in an attempt to create a full-immersion experience.
And that’s exactly how I would sum up my entire Krakow experience—immersive. To such an extent, that, today as I write this, I can still feel that first snowflake of winter settling on my cheek…
Back in Krakow, make sure to end your sojourn (again, just like I did!), by paying homage to Poland’s ghastly past at the very well-appointed Schindler’s Factory Museum located in the old Jewish district of Kazimierz. In fact, the Academy Award-winning movie Schindler’s List was even partially filmed in this original factory building. Today, a multi-level museum packed with remnants of the past, including Oskar Schindler’s original writing desk, this place was once the location of Schindler’s factory of enameled vessels ‘Emalia’. It has been transformed into a modern museum devoted to the wartime experiences in Krakow under the five-year Nazi occupation during World War II. Here, ingenious exhibitions combine period artifacts, photos and documents with multimedia and set-piece arrangements in an attempt to create a full-immersion experience.
And that’s exactly how I would sum up my entire Krakow experience—immersive. To such an extent, that, today as I write this, I can still feel that first snowflake of winter settling on my cheek…
FACT
FILE
Getting There
While there are no direct flights from India to Krakow, the best way to get there is via Munich and Frankfurt. From there, there are a number of daily flights to Krakow on airlines like LOT and Lufthansa. The super-efficient integrated tram and bus network make travelling within Krakow a piece of cake. Indian passport holders need a Schengen visa to visit Poland and the same can be obtained at the Polish Embassy/Consulate in New Delhi/Mumbai.
Getting There
While there are no direct flights from India to Krakow, the best way to get there is via Munich and Frankfurt. From there, there are a number of daily flights to Krakow on airlines like LOT and Lufthansa. The super-efficient integrated tram and bus network make travelling within Krakow a piece of cake. Indian passport holders need a Schengen visa to visit Poland and the same can be obtained at the Polish Embassy/Consulate in New Delhi/Mumbai.
When
To Visit
Though spring and summer are the best times to visit Krakow, with the months from March to September seeing plenty of free music concerts held in parks and other public places, the month of December is especially magical with all things Christmas-y including the beautiful Christmas Market and the giant lit up tree in the historic Main Square.
Though spring and summer are the best times to visit Krakow, with the months from March to September seeing plenty of free music concerts held in parks and other public places, the month of December is especially magical with all things Christmas-y including the beautiful Christmas Market and the giant lit up tree in the historic Main Square.
Accommodation
Krakow has an excellent selection of luxury hotels to choose from and some of the best are:
* Hotel Pod Róza (www.podroza.hotel.com.pl)
Krakow has an excellent selection of luxury hotels to choose from and some of the best are:
* Hotel Pod Róza (www.podroza.hotel.com.pl)
For
More Information Visit:
www.ckdezerter.pl
www.wieliczka-saltmine.com
www.chocholowskietermy.pl
www.oskarschindlerfactory.com
www.poland.travel
www.ckdezerter.pl
www.wieliczka-saltmine.com
www.chocholowskietermy.pl
www.oskarschindlerfactory.com
www.poland.travel
(A shorter, edited version of this article first appeared in the February 2017 issue of Hi!Blitz Magazine, India)
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