Unforgettable Krakow

Cloth Hall is the centerpiece of Rynek Glowny, Krakow's main square.

This post is full of pictures — about twice as many as usual — thanks to the glorious spring weather my sister and I were graced with on our recent trip to Krakow. (I take much better photos when the sky is blue.) We recently spent three days exploring this beautiful city in southern Poland. Krakow was spared the destruction many European cities received in World War II because of its quick surrender to the Nazis, thus, many splendid old buildings are intact. The city boasts a huge central square, great museums, churches, a massive palace, and hearty delicious cuisine. I'll write about the most impactful part of our visit — a tour of Auschwitz and Birkenau — at the end of this post. 

The trees are blooming during our early spring visit to Krakow.

Our flight from Paris arrives early, and it's an easy train trip into the city where we have several hours to explore before we can check in to our apartment. We head to Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter. The neighborhood is known these days for its trendy boutiques, galleries, and bars, as well as its lively nightlife. 

But we're here at noon, so our minds are on lunch. We could not have found a more kitchy place than the colorful restaurant offering an array of pierogi. We nearly pass on it, but I'm charmed by the waitresses in their traditional Polish costumes. The little dumplings are delicious and extremely filling. 

Kazimierz is also where you'll find Poland's oldest synagogue, the Jewish Museum, the Galicia Jewish Museum, the Remuh and New Jewish cemeteries, and several notable churches.     

We pick this colorful place for lunch on our first day in Krakow.

Usually filled with potatoes and cheese, the pierogi in
Krakow are offered with an array of fillings. 

Since our backpacks are getting heavy, we head back towards our apartment, stopping for a coffee in the city's main square. Krakow's Rynek Glowny is the 40,000-square-foot centerpiece of the city's medieval Old Town. Sukiennice Cloth Hall stands in the center. Once a hub of commerce and trade, the long hall contains dozens of souvenir and craft shops. Ringing the plaza are restaurants and bars. St. Mary's Basilica is situated on the west side of the plaza, and Town Hall Tower stands at the southern end.  

Town Hall Tower is the only remaining section of
Krakow's 13th century town hall.

'The Head' is a controversial art piece located in Krakow's Main Square.

Underneath Cloth Hall, a new museum has been created from the archaeological excavation of the plaza that began in 2005. Foundations of market stalls, workshops, and a cemetery were unearthed, along with valuable objects from the 13th-14th centuries. Instead of relocating these discoveries to a museum, the city built a museum on top of the excavation site that visitors can access via Cloth Hall. Rynek Underground Museum is fascinating, but rather confusing. 

A hologram of a medieval craftsman is tucked in a corner
at Rynek Underground in Krakow.

We would have been well served getting an audio guide or reading up a bit before going. We spend a lot of time looking at rocks and soil layers before we get to the good stuff. It's dark in here and the signage and exhibition layout map are nearly impossible to read, although there are dozens of touchscreens that provide detailed information. Towards the end of our visit, we find a series of rooms showing films that depict the history of Krakow. I would have rather viewed these films at the start of our visit. 

Remains of 14-th century traders' stalls are
featured at Rynek Underground in Krakow.

Films depicting life in Krakow through the centuries are shown in
what were once the cellars of the Rich Stalls at Rynek Underground. 

We've scheduled a morning visit to Wawel Castle. Our stroll there takes us past several notable sites including the former home of Pope John Paul II, a beloved figure in Krakow. 

This mosaic of Pope John Paul II is located at the
Episcopal Palace, where he lived when he was
Archbishop of Krakow. 

Twelve apostles stand in front of Saints Peter and Paul Church
in Krakow. It may be Poland's oldest Baroque-style building. 

We see Sandomierska Tower on our way up Wawel Hill in Krakow.

Wawel Hill is considered to be Poland's most important historic and cultural site. Wawel Castle, a cathedral, several exhibitions, a tower, and even a dragon's den are found here, all of which can be visited separately. The castle was home to Polish kings for centuries, and today it is one of the country's premier art museums.

It's a beautiful spring morning on Wawel Hill in Krakow.

We've booked access to the castle's first and second floors and are given an audio guide upon our arrival. The guide has been extremely well designed. Highlights in each room are explained, and we are invited to take our time before moving on to the next room. Since our "guide" can sense where we are, it's almost as if we're on a personal tour with an actual human. I'm kind of wistful when our tour is over and we have to say goodbye. 

Tapestries from the Sigismund II Augustus collection are
displayed at Wawel Castle in Krakow. 

We admire the detail of a decorative heater at Wawel Castle in Krakow.

Krakow is relatively flat, but I find a good city view from a
window at Wawel Castle.

This gold ceiling is located in the Royal Apartments at Wawel
Castle in Krakow. 

Senators Hall, also known as Dancing Hall, is the largest room
in Wawel Castle in Krakow.

The Vistula River and beyond are seen from Wawel Hill in Krakow.

So much sightseeing means we need to power up from time to time. Polish cuisine is very hearty, but there are many options for vegetarians in Krakow too. Our apartment is a block away from Stary Kleparz market hall where we find an array of products we wish we had room in our luggage to take home. My sister does manage to fit some cottage cheese in her back pack. 

Cottage cheese, incidentally, is the preferred topping for bagels here. Although bagels were invented in Krakow, they aren't as popular as obwarzanek krawkowski, a braided ring of dough much like a bagel (but not as good, in my opinion). My sister and I decide to take a class in making these decidedly local snacks at the Zywe Muzeum Obwarzanka, or Krakow Bagel Museum. 

Another hearty meal in Krakow is this huge potato pancake
smothered with goulash. 

Stary Kleparz is a Krakow market hall filled with tempting foods.

We show off the obwarzanek krawkowski that we made at the
Krakow Bagel Museum. This popular local snack is sold on 
nearly every street corner.

The Barbican in Krakow is a premier example of medieval military
architecture in Europe. 

Old Town Krakow is ringed by Planty Park, a welcoming place to take a break.

We've booked a tour of Auschwitz and Birkenau through KrakowTrip.com. The driver picks us up at our apartment just before 8 a.m., and we're joined in the van by three other couples. The drive to Auschwitz takes about an hour and a half. The parking lot is packed with tour busses and cars. We're told that around 10,000 visitors will be visiting today. It's gratifying to see so many people, the school groups in particular, who have come here to bear witness. 

We're merged with some other groups so there's around 30 of us, and we have a dedicated guide. We spend several hours winding our way through the buildings and grounds of the largest of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camps. Great care has been taken with preserving and displaying the camp. Unfortunately, it would be very challenging for those with limited mobility to take this tour, as there are a lot of stairs. We continue on to Auschwitz II-Birkenau, where around 90% of the Auschwitz prisoners were killed. 

I do not take any photos during our visit. I won't need them to remind me of what I see here. This is a pilgrimage that everyone should make, and it should be a mandatory prerequisite for all world leaders. 

For more information, visit the Auschwitz Museum and Memorial website, Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Late winter in Provence is all about pink, not lavender

Thousands of Flamants roses hang out in the Camargue region of France.

After five mostly damp days along the Costa Brava, we head back to France to spend a few days in Provence. Too early in the year for lavender, we opt instead to visit ancient Roman sites and are thrilled by close encounters with pink flamingos. 

Surrounded by Corinthian column capitals, Maison Carrée
in Nîmes is considered an architectural masterpiece 

We've decided to spend our first day in Nîmes. Tucked between the Cévennes mountains and the  Mediterranean, this splendid city dates back to the 6th century B.C. Striking remains of its Roman heritage can still be explored. We buy the three-site ticket that gives us entry to Maison Carrée, a pristine Roman temples; Les Arènes, considered to be the world's best-conserved Roman amphitheater; and Tour Magne, or Big Tower, which stands above a Roman sanctuary and was part of the Augustan walls. Clearly, we have a lot of walking ahead of us today. 

Built at the end of the 1st century, Les Arènes in Nîmes could hold
more than 24,000 spectators of gladiator fights and other events. 

The Roman amphitheater Les Arènes in Nîmes is still used
for bullfights, concerts and sporting events.   

The Quay de la Fontaine leads to the famed gardens in Nîmes.

After a breathless exploration of the amphitheater, we set out for the Jardins de la Fontaine. Built around Roman sanctuaries and fountains, the gardens were transformed in the 18th and 19th centuries, and are said to be among the first public gardens in Europe. After admiring various sculptures, the Temple of Diana, and the grand stairways around a spring, we begin the steep walk to the Tour Magne.

This smiley statue is located in Jardins de la Fontaine in Nîmes.

No one know the backstory behind the Temple of Diana in Nîmes.

Tour Magne in Nîmes was built over an Celtic tower
as part of the city's Augustan walls.   

The views from the top of Tour Magne in Nîmes are, of course, spectacular.

Full up on antiquity, we head to lunch before knocking about Nîmes for the afternoon. I'm really delighted with this very walkable city, and I add it to my list of France favorites.

The Romans won a victory over Egypt in 31 B.C. and created a coin
to celebrate. That coin, minted in Nîmes, had a crocodile on it.
Yada yada yada, the crocodile is the symbol of Nîmes. 

We're now off to Arles. The centerpiece of this thousand-year-old city on the Rhone River, is yet another Roman site: a two-level amphitheater that hosts shows, concerts, and bullfights — both the kind where no bull is hurt (the tauromachie) and the traditional (barbaric) kind. 

This Roman amphitheater in Arles was plundered as a quarry
over the centuries, but what remains is an impressive site.

Beyond the Roman sites, Arles is known for being home for a number of years to Vincent Van Gogh, and visitors can retrace his steps to see where he painted some of his best known masterpieces. He painted 300 pieces while he lived here, but none are housed in the city's museums.

Primatial Basilica of Saint Trophimes in Arles was once a cathedral.

The Romanesque-Gothic church of Notre Dame de la Major
in Arles was built in the 12th century.

After a morning of walking around Arles, we head south to the Camargue. This sprawling wetlands park attracts those wanting to ride horses, cycle, hike, or just chill on a remote beach. Visitors keep their eyes open to spot wild white horses or bulls. But for me, I've come in search of les flamants roses: pink flamingos.

I'm fascinated watching the pink flamingos in the Camargue.

I wouldn't call myself a bird enthusiast, but I've heard a lot about these flamboyant pink birds, and I can't recall seeing them except in a zoo. At the Parc Ornithologique Pont du Gau we are handed a trail map and pointed in the right direction. After admiring some egrets, ducks, and herons, we turn a corner and suddenly come upon hundreds of flamingos. Following the path which takes us at times to the water's edge, we'll see thousands of these beautiful birds. No exaggeration: An estimated 10,000 flamingos come here each year to breed. 

Flamingos' pink color comes from the algae and shellfish they eat.

Flamingos are drawn to the open, salty marshes and ponds of the Camargue. 

In addition to pink flamingos, the Camargue is home to hundreds
of species of birds, like this gray heron.

And onto another city packed with history: Avignon.

The huge Palais des Papes dominates the skyline of Avignon.

It's the final day of our visit to Provence, and the weather has turned wicked. Our guide on a walking tour of Avignon claims it's the coldest day of the winter. This city is best known for its sprawling Papal Palace. In the 14th century, Avignon was the seat of the Christian world. Nine successive popes lived in this massive Gothic palace. These days, visitors are given tablets that provide a virtual tour of the 25 rooms that are open to the public.  

Nine popes lived in the Papal Palace in Avignon in the 14th century.

Rather than committing to a few hours (and hefty admission price) to the Papal Palace, we check out a couple of Avignon's free museums. The Petit Palais Museum houses a lot of Italian religious art, much of it part of the Louvre collection. More to my taste is the Palais du Roure, a 15th century manor that was once the cultural hotspot for Provençal culture.  

Avignon's Petit Palais Museum houses religious art and artifacts.

Palais du Roure invites visitors to admire the art and furnishings
inside a stately mansion in Avignon.

Avignon's Grand Opera has been hosting performances for 200 years.

Sur le pont d'Avignon, a song I memorized as a child, claims that people used to dance here. Alas, that's probably only a tale as the bridge is very narrow. Once nearly a kilometer long and featuring 20 arches, the Pont d'Avignon fell victim to the Rhone's many floods. Today just a small bit of the bridge remains, which one can visit, but not actually dance upon. 

This trompe l'œil shows Picasso gazing out a window.
He was living in Avignon when World War I began.

A gilded statue of the Virgin Mary sits atop Avignon's cathedral.

For more information:

Nîmes Jardins de la Fontaine
Parc Ornithologique Pont du Gau

Costa Brava gives us lessons in history, culture, and fish

Our visit to MAC Empúries is a highlights of our Costa Brava vacation.

Although many people travel to the Costa Brava for its sunny beaches, we're dodging raindrops on our March trip to this northeastern corner of Spain in the Catalonia region. Soggy times call for creative measures, and we end up bringing home memories and knowledge that we might have otherwise missed had the weather cooperated. 

Certainly this rain won't continue all day, so we head to Palamós, one of the main seaports in the province of Girona. Parking is free at the port on weekdays this time of year, and we easily find the tourism office across the street. Given the rain, the tourism worker suggests we check out Museu de la Pesca, the Fishing Museum, and if we're still here in the afternoon, we can go to the fish auction. Now, I can't say I've always wanted to know more about fishing, but surprisingly, this museum turns out to be a real gem. 

This fishing boat is the centerpiece of Museu de la Pesca in Palamós,

Our visit starts with a short film and then we're free to wander around the various fishing-related exhibits with placards in English. The museum also houses a documentation center relating to fishing and the sea, and is the headquarters of the Chair of Maritime Studies of the University of Girona. There's a strong emphasis on sustainable fishing that is presented in a relatable and easily understandable way.  

The Fishing Museum in Palamós is a great place to visit when
the weather isn't ideal.

After an hour of exploring the museum, we decide to forego the fish auction and to continue onto our next destination, the charming medieval village of Pals. 

The lovely medieval village of Pals is quiet today
but comes alive at night.  

I've been to dozens of tourism offices — it's usually my first stop — and I have to say, the worker here is one of the finest. She spends some time talking to us about the history of Pals and gives us a well-designed little map. (Trust me, tourism specialists should consider that tourists want a map that can fit in one hand rather than an oversized flimsy map that is awkward to handle.) She tells us to not be fooled by how empty and quiet the streets are because most people are at work. At night, she says, the bars and restaurants will be lively. 

The views from Palos are quite stunning.

Our stroll is a pleasant one along narrow cobbled streets and through arches to a viewpoint at the top of the town. Tall trees and shrubs nearly obstruct the celebrated views of the Montgr Massif and the Medes Islands; maybe they're trimmed in the high season. 

Pertadalla is one of Catalonia's best conserved medieval villages.

We make a brief stop in Peratallada, where we never do find the tourism office, before heading back to our cozy studio in Llambilles. A word about Llambilles: This suburban community near Girona is not a cultural hub, but it's very conveninent for our explorations. Best of all, the local cafeteria is open all day and serves up snacks, small meals and drinks. We become regulars there, popping in for breakfast bocadillos in the morning and croquettes and spritzers in the evening. There's no way we'd be able to stay up late enough to eat dinner in a restaurant in Spain. 

Bike sculptures provide a touch of whimsy in Llambilles.

Colorful houses sit along the Onyar River in Girona.

We spend the next two days in Girona. We've been here before, but only for a few hours, so this time we do it right. At 10:50 we meet our guide at Plaça de la Independència for a walking tour of this beautiful city. Although many of the sites we visit on the tour are associated with "Game of Thrones," which no one in our group had watched, our guide tells us the rich history of Girona's Jewish population. 

This sculpture at the Jewish History Museum in Girona,
was created by Frank Meisler (1925-2018), a Holocaust survivor.  

The Jewish population here was a key influence on Girona's social, political, economic, cultural, and religious life in the 12th through 14th centuries. The city's Jewish Quarter is one of the most important and best preserved such neighborhoods on the Iberian Peninsula. Today we see the site of the oldest synagogue. Tomorrow we'll return and visit the fascinating Jewish History Museum. Our visit is capped with a traditional Catalonian lunch at Casa Marieta. 

Flies hold an unusual place of honor in Girona's history.

Although not of Arab origin, Girona's Arab Baths date back to
the 14th century. 

On our final day on the Costa Brava, we visit Empúries, one of Catalonia's most iconic archaeological sites. Here we find the remains of the only Greek city to be excavated on the Iberian Peninsula, alongside ruins of a Roman city, one of the first built in this area. Armed with a map and audio guide we make our way through the ancient streets of this Greek city that founded in 575 B.C. by a group of Phocaean Greeks as a port to handle trade with the Phonecians and Indigetes (one of the Iberian peoples living in Catalonia). Its original name, Emporion, comes from the Greek word for trading port. 

The Greek settlement at Empúries was established as a strategic trading port. 

The city thrived in the 5th and 4th centuries B.C., but eventually help was needed from the Romans. What was initially a military fort, grew into a Roman city. After a couple hundred years existing as friendly neighbors, the two cities merged under Roman control until it was eventually abandoned. A part of Roman Empúries was somewhat revived in the 9th-11th centuries as the capital of Ampurias County. 

Visitors to the Greek and Roman ruins at Empúries can also visit
a museum containing artifacts unearth by archaeologists.

Our day at Empúries has provided us with another history lesson that we unexpectedly — yet happily — found along the Costa Brava.

For more information:

Museu de la Pesca (Palamós Fishing Museum) 

Pals Tourism Office 

Girona's Jewish Quarter

Mac Empúries