🇵🇱 Krakow: Food, Salt Mines & Powerful Memories

In 2019, I traveled to Krakow, Poland with my grandfather and Aase. It turned out to be a trip filled with sightseeing, unique experiences, and some very emotional moments.

Sightseeing and Food Adventures

We started by exploring the city. Our plan was to see the market, but unfortunately, they were already packing up when we got there, a bit disappointing, but that's travel sometimes.

We ate at several different cafés and restaurants. I was craving steak, but twice I ordered the wrong kind, it came as a flat piece of meat with bread, and definitely not what I expected. After a while, I figured out what to order properly.

A highlight was a restaurant recommended by my mom, a cowboy-themed place. The food was amazing, especially the steak, and the portions were enormous. Honestly, one dish could easily have been shared between two people, but it was 100% worth it!

Tips:

• Be aware that steak comes in different variations – ask the server if you're unsure.

• Portions in Krakow can be huge – share if you don't want to waste food.

• Try something new – Krakow offers both traditional Polish dishes and international food.

The Wieliczka Salt Mines – A Unique Experience

We also went on a guided tour of the Wieliczka Salt Mines, which was an incredible experience. It was cold underground, and we walked down many stairs before reaching rooms covered in salt.

There were salt sculptures, salt crystals, and walls of pure salt. You could even taste the walls if you wanted, but we passed, just the thought of how many people had done it before was enough for us 😅.

As we went deeper, we saw entire rooms carved out of salt. There were even small souvenir shops inside the mines, selling salt figurines, crystals, and stones.

Tips:

• Wear comfortable shoes – there's lots of walking and stairs.

• Bring a jacket, it's chilly underground.

• Have some cash on hand – not every souvenir shop accepts cards.

Auschwitz and Birkenau – A Powerful Visit

We also joined a guided tour of Auschwitz and Birkenau. We went there by minibus, and the guide walked us through the sites while explaining in English.

Even though we had learned a lot about the Holocaust at school, it was something else entirely to stand there in person. We saw the sleeping barracks, gas chambers, and personal belongings like clothes and shoes, including many children's items. It was heartbreaking and hard to process.

The visit was heavy, but I'm glad I went. It gave me a deeper understanding of history and the terrible events that took place there.

Tips:

• Be prepared for an emotional experience – it's not easy, but it's important.

• Wear good walking shoes – there's a lot of ground to cover.

• Bring water and a small snack – the tour takes most of the day.

Summary

Krakow is a city of contrasts, cozy cafés and amazing food, unforgettable sights like the Salt Mines, and the heavy but important history of Auschwitz and Birkenau.

A trip here will give you both joy and reflection, an experience you'll carry with you for a long time. 🇵🇱