dmjapril

I will be spending 4 nights in Krakow in April and was just wondering what sights/tours I shouldn't miss! I'm hoping to vist the salt mines, wawel castle and Auschwitz Concentration Camp but are there other must sees? Has anybody done the Dunajec river rafting?

dmjapril

topping!

JudyC

One of the most beautiful sights in Krakow is the Art Nouveau stained-glass windows in Franciscan Church (5 minutes walk from Market Square). If you happen to be there when the sun shines through, it is most fascinating. I visited the church 4 times during my stay.

Collegium Maius is the university museum shalln't be missied, many interesting exhibitions and rooms. You will have to book ahead at the ticket office.

Perhaps you konw the stop of private mini bus to salt mines has been swiched to the crubside across the post office on UL Starowislna near Planty.

dmjapril

Hi JudyC - is the privtae mini bus the best way to go to the salt mines? Can you remember the name of the service? Is it signposted? Sorry for all the questions!

JudyC

There isn't any name on the minibus to salt mines, only with " Wieliczka" sign displayed on the windshild of bus. The
service is very frequent, even in last month off season, once every few minutes.
You pay 2.5zl to the bus driver. The bus drops you off about 50 yards from the entrance to salt mines.

From Market Square walk along ul Sienna
takes less than 5 minutes to the busstop.

I am not sure this is best way, but it is cheap, easy and time flexible.

If you like music, there are many concerts around, good and very reasonably priced. If not, one evening Klezmer music in kazimierz(old Jewish quarter)is still very enjoyable. It is not necessary to book a tour, as the area only 2 tram stop from Planty, it's easy to call,and book a seat.

I enjoyed one week staying in Krakow last month, I am sure you will have great time also, glad to be of any help.

Caroline1

I've done the Dunajec River Gorge rafting trip many times. I love it. The scenery is beautiful (especially in the fall when the leaves turn gorgeous colors.) Remember that this is not a white-water rafting experience. You just sit back and relax in traditional wooden rafts while experienced rafters do all the work. But this gives you time to admire the nature.
I would recommend bringing a wind-breaker as this will be April and might be still chilly. Also, don't leave for the trip too early. Mornings will be colder and might be still foggy and you won't see the tops of the cliffs.
Also, buy your raft tickets to Szczawnica only. You can go all the way to Kroscienko but the nicest portion of the trip (through Pieniny Mountains National Park) ends in Szczawnica. Szczawnica itself is a picturesque Pieniny Mountains spa town. You probably won't have time to go all the way up to the spa area of Szczawnica. However, I would recommend stopping for a meal at Koci Zamek restaurant. You'll probably be hungry anyway after being on the water for a couple of hours. The restaurant is located in a miniature castle (Koci Zamek means Cat's Castle) and is connected with an interesting legend similar to that of Robin Hood.
http://www.kocizamek.pl/index.php?id...ja&lang=en

Raft trip:
http://www.flisacy.com.pl/

And here's a nice walking tour of Krakow:
http://www.thevisitor.pl/zabytkicentrummiasta.php

dmjapril

Thanks JudyC & Caroline1 for your replies.

Caroline1 - thanks also for your links. Do you know if there is public transport that runs from Krakow to Sromowce-K¹ty for the rafting trip? Also is the rafting trip a return journey? If not I presume there is an alternative means of getting back to the starting point. Thanks

Caroline1

You can do everything on your own, including travel from Krakow to Sromowce-Katy and then back from Szczawnica to Krakow (this is a one-way rafting trip, only down the stream.

Here’s the map of the Rafting trip:
http://www.flisacy.com.pl/img/mapa_big.jpg

There will be plenty connections to Sromowce Wyzne from Krakow RDA bus station (main bus station.) Just purchase your tickets a day before.

Here's how to get back to Krakow from Szczawnica. You'll have to catch a bus from Szczawnica back to Krakow.
Here's a map of Szczawnica (in Polish but I'll explain):
http://www.szczawnica.nrs.pl/mapa/index.html


Your rafting trip would end at Przystan Flisacka (marked in red under # 49).
When you get off the boat climb a flight of stairs to get on the “main” road and turn left (left if you are facing away from the Dunajec River; basically you have to walk in the direction of the bridge and with the flow of the river). Cross the bridge (you'll see a large parking lot down below on your right), continue walking until a T-intersection and turn right onto ulica Glowna (Main Street). Continue walking up (literally the road leads up a slight grade). At some point you’ll see Koci Zamek Restaurant on your left (at ulica Glowna # 106; that’s the restaurant I recommended for a meal in Szczawnica; make sure to explore all of their terraces and the tunnel like underground interior).
Continue walking up ulica Glowna (many houses on this street are old and you’ll see interesting picture plaques on many of them that used to serve as street addresses; instead of let’s say saying “I live at Glowna “132” people would say “I live under the bear or something” and you’ll see a picture of a bear on a little wooden plaque above the door.) Anyway, DW PKS (Dworzec PKS, or bus station) will be on your right (you can see DW PKS marked in black on the map between numbers 9 & 43 and right across from Park Dolny or Lower Park – some beautiful ancient trees in that park, many of them marked with sort of “National Nature Monument” plaques; btw. Szczawnica spa center is in Park Gorny – Upper Park, next to # 36 on the map).

Here’s the bus schedule:

http://www.szczawnica.pl/?id=2892&lo...on=f&msg=1



1st column: destination (the little “p” stands for “przez” meaning through; for example the bus to Warsaw also connects through Krakow so you can buy tickets for that bus as well.)
2nd column: departure times



Optional idea is to book with a company such as Compass. This would be a little bit different. You would actually have to navigate a pontoon yourself. However, I noticed that they stop at Niedzica Castle for a short tour. Niedzica Castle is very picturesque:
http://www.pieniny.sk/ciele/niedzica/en.html

http://www.zzw-niedzica.com.pl/zamkia.htm



http://www.zakopane-life.com/poland/niedzica-castle

http://www.ga.com.pl/niedzica.htm

Here's Compass page:

http://www.compass-poland.com/index....er,rafting.htm

joegri

dmjapril: If you put dunijec river in the search window above and click search you will find the information from caroline1 that I would have given you. It is a very enjoyable raft trip.

wiself

While in Krakow I took a side trip by bus to Zakopane. It is a beautiful village in the mountains and is not far. It was a finalist for the winter olympics but didn't get it.

samuell

bm