I am so pleased you enjoyed it Pat . We did get a taxi driver to take us to the schindler factory but it was all closed up which was a shame

The driver was a young guy with excellent English, who did exactly what we wanted

Wonder if it was the same young guy we had . He chatted away to us in excllent english for the whole journey telling us about his life in Poland , his studies and his girlfriend. lovely lad .

lyn

Lyn- his name was Tomasz and he is a really tall guy! He had never been to the UK before, but his English was really excellent. I get by on a few words of Polish, but am doomed if someone speaks fast.

The Schindler factory exhibition has very little in it at the moment. You go in at the front to the left of the gates - 5zl entrance fee. This is all spanking new- nothing "original" about it in terms of the building.You can also go out the back and up the stairs which featured in the film. I watched the DVD last night to check!!) At the top of the stairs is a room with a video playing on a loop. Not tremendously exciting: I think they really missed a trick by not doing something with this place when the film came out.

It would have been hard to find if we hadn't gone by car- I didn't see any signs or anything. I had planned to walk across the river to get to get to it originally, but I am glad I didn't now- it is in a really obscure area.

it is in a really obscure area

Yes I agree Pat . We got a taxi over there and then wandered around the ghetto and made our own way back by foot . Cant remember what day we went but what was over there to see like the little pharmacy were closed on the day we went .

Cant of been the same guy from Krakow adviser as I dont remember our chap being particularly tall.

lyn

Hello, just got back from a super weekend in Kracow, traveled with Easy Jet and used them for the hotel, we stayed at Cracowdays
http://www.cracowdays.com

Booked our transfer to and from the airport with the hotel at 70 zl each way, our hotel was a 5 minute walk from the old town passing a few restaurants and bars on the way, our room was not ready when we got so we just left the bags and got of into the main square for a beer and a bite to eat, there was a big student party going on in the square with live bands and a D J and most of the students were in fancy dress, so after some lunch in a place called Yummie's we spent the next couple of hours looking round the square going into the Cloth Hall, a small church(St Adalberts) the Town Hall Tower and into a few more pubs just to have a look at the polish beer, and then back to our hotel to sort out our bags.
Later we went back to the square to see where we were going to eat that night, on the way in we spotted a nice place and after a bit of time in the main square we went back to have dinner in the Restauracja ppp and glad we did we had a very nice meal at a good price.
Next day (Sat) after breakfast we set of into town and up to the Wawel Royal Castle, this was a nice walk into the main square then up the Royal Walk passing some very nice churchs and then up a small hill to the gate way to the castle, went in the Cathedral first, could not take photos in here bit of a let down as it was just the sort of place you just want to get as many pic's as you can, did get some of its bells in its bell tower and views back into the town from one of its windows.
Then had a coffee in the cafe next to the tourist office and then on to the Palace this was a bit of a let down as most of the things were stolen by the Germans in the war and the Swedes before them, but you got the idea of what it may have been. From here we went of to the Jewish Quarter and had a look round the Stara Synagoga and the Museum of Jewish History and then had a very nice pasta lunch in a big square.
From here we made our way back to the old town for a visit to the other Cathedral (St Marys) and what a place it is a must see above all the inside is a wonder to see you have to pay an extra 6 zl's to take photos but it is more than worth it also look out for the soundind of the trumpet on the hour from one of the towers in this church. We then went up to the only part of the old town walls and the Barbican and then a walk round the Plenty, it was here that I tripped and fell into another pub and some how ended up with a beer in my hand, O well after that we went back to the hotel and then of for another night out.
Our last night was in the main square again full of life and another great meal we went back to Yummies and had there Chicken platter with wine and a vodka just to see if was as good as people say it is.
We never had time to go to the Salt Mines or Auschwitz, but perhaps next time, some of the places we eat at are below.

http://www.restauracjappp.pl

http://www.yummie.pl

Dave.

Excellent review Meerkat I also went in March & everything you've said is spot on.

The food / drink is excellent quality & the people were superb so friendly its unreal i'm not used to that in England !!!

OK. need advice... strange, but am organising a stag weekend... destination Krakow, 18 persons....

timing, end of June/early July...

Can anyone recommend accomodation? - centrally placed, stag night (weekend) friendly.. doesnt have to be too flashy, but a bit more than a hostel...

Any ideas??

ATB,J.

Hey Merseygull,

I can recommend Hotel Senacki which is about 2 mins walk if that to the centre of Krakow where all the bars are its a pretty smart hotel but not posh and from what I can remember it wasnt that expensive either.

It might be worth sending them a quick email to ask them but i'm sure they be no problems at senacki@hotelsenacki.pl

The link for the website is http://www.hotelsenacki.pl/en

Either way mate you'll enjoy it because its a brilliant city and the booze is much cheaper than here

Cheers

Legs

Thanks for that....will let you know what we do...

ATB,J.