The bumps (England and Ireland)

If you happen to celebrate your birthday in the company of some English and Irish friends, don’t get surprised when the moment comes for them to take you by the hands and legs and “bump” you up into the air and back to the floor – and then again, and again until the number of “bumps” reaches the age you are turning.

Beating with belts (Poland)

Turning 18 is a big thing in Europe – you suddenly find yourself with a lot of exciting new opportunities, you don’t need mom and dad’s permission to do anything and you are no longer a child. And to welcome you to adulthood, Poles will slap you 18 times on the ass with a belt in front of all your guests in the middle of your birthday party. I am not quite sure how to comment on this, so let’s just leave it here and move a bit north to…

Decapitating the cake (Denmark)

…where the roles swap.  The birthday person is no longer being tortured but rather turns into the torturer – over their birthday cake. In Denmark it is common for the birthday cake (called Kagemand) to be shaped and decorated to look like a man (if it’s a boy’s birthday) or woman (if it’s a girl’s birthday). After the kid has finished blowing out the candles, they cut off the head of the cake-person while all the other kids around are screaming their own heads off.

A cute one to restore your faith in humanity (Ukraine)

We are finishing the list of bizarre birthday customs in Ukraine, with one that (thankfully) doesn’t hurt anyone. Ukrainians draw a circle on a piece of paper, which they cut into eight slices like pizza. On each of them they write something bad that happened in the last year and then burn that “slice”. When the bad things are all burned and buried in the past, the same “pizza” is made – this time with the positive changes in the past year of one’s life.

Ear pulling (Hungary, Italy, Brazil, Argentina…)

The idea of showing the birthday person that you are happy they were born and you wish them a happy and long life by actually causing them physical discomfort is not foreign to Hungarians or Italians either – they will pull your earlobes, once again the same number of times as the age you are turning. This practice is also common in Brazil and Argentina.

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Here are mine:

Krakow is full of history

The city dates back to 7^th century and was the capital of Poland during the country’s greatest era. Even if you come here knowing nothing about Polish history, you can get a pretty good understanding of it after visiting the must-sees, like Wawel Castle, St. Mary’s Basilica and Rynek Underground.

Centuries went by after those glorious times, and nearly 80 years ago Krakow met its worst moments in the face of the five-year Nazi occupation. It was in those dark days when the well-known heroics of Oscar Schindler came to the fore. The German industrialist managed to save thousands of Jews from Krakow by employing them in his enamel factory, which has been turned into museum and is now open to visitors. Schindler’s story inspired the 1982 prize-winning novel Schindler’s Ark, on which the highly successful movie Schindler’s List was later based.

You can literally spend an entire day (and night) jumping from one café to another without getting bored

… because they are all trendy, vibrant and full of everything you could want from a café. A morning apple pie and a cup of tea on an old school desk looking out over a small cobbled street in Nowa Provincja café makes for a nice start to the day.

I have to open brackets here to explain why you should drink tea instead of coffee. It’s because this is how most Poles choose to start their day and, of course, you want your Krakow experience to be as local as possible. Seriously, they drink a lot of tea – in the morning, before meals, after meals, before beer, after beer and pretty much all day round, or at least until it is acceptable to drink the country’s other best-loved drink: wodka.

If you want to get stuck into the wodka, Krakow offers you a lot of options to choose from – Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa, Tram Bar and Forum Przestrzenie, just to name a few. And just because you need to put some food in your body, as well, you might want to stop by Dynia Resto Bar, whose name translates as “Pumpkin”. When you visit this pumpkin-themed restaurant, prepare to be blown away by the number of meals that can be made from the starchy orange vegetable and how delicious they can actually be. As a bonus, you’ll enjoy the cool setting and the chill atmosphere, especially in the summer garden. (No, it is not the garden they grow the pumpkins in, if you are wondering).

Perhaps you’d prefer some street food from Judah Square Food Truck Park. Don’t let the label “street food” fool you – a great variety of food can be found here and you can actually spend about half an hour making the agonizing decision between your love of sushi and your lust for burgers. (Pro tip: Life is short, get them both).

Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa

It is a city of youth with a great night life

… or “The Fountain of Youth” as I overheard one visibly 50-something lady in the aforementioned café name it, because all the 20-something backpackers, as well as local college students, made her remember her younger days and inspired her to bring more energy to her life now. Shout-out to you, unknown German lady, for not complaining about the loud, drunk crowds filling the streets of Krakow after dark, because the city’s nightlife can get pretty wild even for a 20-year-old. Fortunately, those same young people fill the daytime streets as well – this time acceptably sober – and create the energetic, youthful vibe of the city.

You can see a murder weapon hanging from the ceiling of a historic building in the center of the city

In the center of the Cloth Hall you can see an iron knife hanging from the ceiling. To explain what it’s doing there I have to first tell you the legend of how St Mary’s Church was built. In 13^th century, two brothers were hired to build the two towers of the church. The younger one saw that his brother was doing better and his tower was getting taller. (You can notice nowadays that one of the towers is taller than the other). Envy took over him – he killed his brother, and later killed himself, with the same knife that now dangles on a chain over the thousands of tourists who visit the hall every day. 

It can be the starting point for a lot of amazing day trips

• Some 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Krakow is the most famous Nazi death camp: Auschwitz. Though “an amazing day trip” is surely the last thing you will want to call the experience of walking through the camp, it is one of those places that everyone should visit once, so that humanity might remember never to make the same mistakes again.
• About 14 kilometers (8 miles) southeast of Krakow you’ll find the salty underground world of Wieliczka Salt Mine, where you’ll be happy to trade the light of the surface world for some time in an amazing realm some 300 meters underground. The mine’s salt has some health-giving properties, while the cavern’s beauty is out of this world, with rock-salt chapels, sculptures and chandeliers that are truly spectacular to behold. You might be surprised to know that, over the years, bungee jumpers, windsurfers and dancers have performed their craft in Wieliczka Salt Mine.

Fun fact: the was one of the first 12 sites to be added to UNESCO’s World Cultural and Natural Heritage Lists in 1978.

• Zakopane – Poland’s winter capital – which also happens to be great during summer – is 84 kilometers (52 miles) away from Krakow in the Tatra Mountains. During the summer months, skiing and snowboarding can be substituted for cycling and quad-bike-riding, hiking and horse-riding. Those with a taste for architecture will appreciate the city’s distinct aesthetic, known as Zakopane or Witkiewicz style.

Pin it for later and remind yourself why you should plan your next trip to Krakow:

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The museum

History museums might not always be among the most exciting attractions you’re looking forward to visiting in a new place, but the Warsaw Uprising Museum is definitely a must if you want to get a better understanding of the city.

Historical note: The Warsaw Uprising was a major operation in 1944 by the Polish Home Army with the aim of liberating Warsaw from Nazi occupation. Its failure led to the death of 150,000–200,000 civilians. The uprising was the biggest single military effort taken by any European resistance movement during WWII.

The museum guides you through the events from the very first till the very last day of the uprising, including the process of organizing the uprising, its consequences and a snapshot of what everyday life was like under Nazi occupation. All this is presented in an interactive and engaging way, with over 800 exhibits, 1800 photographs, personal diaries, interviews, movies and sound recordings.

The most moving part of the museum (where the tears came).

Right after the entrance there is a small space dedicated to the lives of the youngest ones in war-time Warsaw. And though it is really small in the context of the whole museum, it provokes enough life and war questions to keep your mind busy long after leaving it. The lives of those children during the occupation were nothing like what a kid’s life should be – their toys were used as spy tools, their games duplicated the life the grown-ups had to lead in that time, and after turning 12 they were thought to be old enough to become soldiers and actively take part in the war.

You can listen to the voice of a 10-year-old boy reading the diary of a similarly aged boy who saw the war face-to-face in the ’40s. As you listen to this eerie tale, you’ll see kids who are visiting the museum playing, drawing and having fun by the table in the corner. I’m not sure whether this striking contrast was aimed to stir up the emotions, but it sure happens to be a quite moving moment.

Some other highlights

• Life-size replica of a Liberator B-24J bomber.
• 3D aerial movie called “City of Ruins”, which takes you on a virtual flight over destroyed Warsaw.
• Inter-war style café – this can be good for taking a short break since the museum is quite big and contains a lot of information to take in at once.
• The observation tower offering views over Warsaw – another great spot to take a break .
• The heart of the museum – a wall from which battle sounds and a hearтbeat can be heard – a symbol of what life was like in Warsaw in 1944.
• The freedom park, which displays street art pieces inspired by the uprising and a memorial wall with the names of around 10,000 soldiers who died in the battles – because every single one needs to be honored.

Info spot:

Address: ul. Grzybowska 79

Can be reached by: buses: 102, 105, 109; trams: 1, 22, 24, 8

The name of the bus and tram stop you should get off at is Museum Powstania Warszawskiego.

Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.,
Thursday 10.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.,
Saturday and Sunday 10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.,
Tuesday – closed.

Admissions:

• single ticket – 20 PLN per person
• discount ticket – 16 PLN per person
• groups – 12 PLN per person (only for group with guide and online reservations)
• admission on Sundays is free – but keep in mind that this often leads to larger crowds than on other days.
• museum lesson – 100 PLN
• audio guide rental – 10 PLN per person.

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The Central Square (Rynek Glowny) – This is one of the largest medieval squares in Europe and the starting point of 12 roads. The city’s rhythm is best felt here – hurried crowds, hundreds of pigeons, street musicians, cute little cafes, restaurants, gardens, flower shops. The square is also a favorite meeting point for the locals. Besides, you can find a long line of carriages – pick one and enjoy a romantic tour of the city. The square is surrounded by St. Mary s Basilica, Sukiennice Museum, and poet Adam Mickiewicz s monument.

St. Mary s Basilica (Bazylika Mariacka) – This is the largest cathedral in Krakow. Its design is Gothic, with an altar decorated by 200 figurines, representing scenes from Virgin Mary’s life. The church has two differently shaped towers. According to the legends, two brother were hired to build the church. They decided to construct a tower for each, but one of them killed the other and made his own tower taller. Every hour on the hour, the pipe notes jolt trough the tower. The legend says that when the Tatars ambushed Krakow, the guard on the church’s tower signaled with his pipe, but an arrow hit him in the throat. The basilica is situated at the Central Square.

Wawel Castle (Zamek Królewski na Wawelu) – Take a walk down the halls of what once was the main residence of Poland’s rulers, and see how they lived. The design of the castle is primarily in Renaissance fashion, with some Gothic elements. In its luxurious rooms, you will find Dutch and German Renaissance paintings, Baroque tapestry and furniture. The king’s chambers will surprise you with gilded and silver cutlery, dining sets, frames, and hand-tailored clothing. The castle’s armory keeps original shields, weapons, war trophies, and flags captured in battle. Wawel rises on a hill, above the Vistula River, and is a wonderful viewing platform of Krakow.

Wawel Castle, Krakow

The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) – Translated from Polish, the word “sukiennice” literally means “the shops”. For the time of its construction, in the 14th century, this was an enormous market for fabrics and clothing. The building has not kept its original Renaissance façade, since it has been reconstructed several times. Today, the ground floor of Sukiennice is the Museum of Polish Fine Art and Wood Carving, and has many souvenir shops as well. Sukiennice is located at the Central Square.

Square Underground (Podziemia Rynku) – As the name suggests, this landmark is located right underneath the Central Square. You will see 6000 sq. km of glass-encased displays with medieval artifacts, remains of buildings from the 13th century, coins and jewels. You can also take a walk down the streets of ancient Krakow, thanks to the museum’s multimedia projectors and holograms. The exhibitions are displayed in three long corridors. There is entertainment for children as well, in the form of educational games and animated movies, related to the city’s history.

Town Hall Tower (Wieza Ratuszowa) – During the 14th century, this was the location of the city council. In 1820, that building was demolished, leaving behind only the tower, with its clock and figurines. After a large fire, the tower was completely destroyed and had to be rebuilt. Today, it is 70 meters of Gothic design, and houses a theater, a café, and a tourist information point. It rises above the Central Square in Krakow.

A view of Krakow

Historical Museum of Krakow (Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Krakowa/ Krzysztofory) – It includes numerous landmarks and museums around the city. The central building contains an exhibition of items and documents, relevant to Krakow s history: maps, photographs, a collection of clocks from the 16th-19th centuries, weapons from different eras, artwork, traditional household items. The museum’s halls are often the ground for concerts, conferences, and public lectures. It is located on the Central Square, across from St. Mary’s Basilica.

Krakow Barbican (Barbakan Krakowski) – It was part of medieval Krakow’s stronghold. It was built according to Gothic aesthetics, in 1498, for the purpose of guarding St. Florian s Gate. The Barbican s façade is round, with a diameter of 24 meters, and a narrow roofed passage, between the outer wall and the yard – used by the guard to move around the fortress. Today, the Barbican often hosts exhibitions, dance performances and sports events.

St. Florian s Gate (Brama Florianska) – One of the 7 medieval gates of Krakow, and the only one still remaining. It was the main entrance into the city and was built in 1307. This is where Florian street (Florianski ulica) begins, favored by street painters, it leads to the Central Square. The gate is located right behind the Barbican.

Czartoryski Museum – This is Krakow’s fine art gallery. Created in 1796, by Princess Izabela Czartoryska. Here you will find paintings, depicting the victory of Polish king Jan III Sobieski, over the Turks, near Vienna; masterpieces by Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, Magnasco, Pieter Brueghel the Younger, and many more. The museum also has a collection of jewelry, cutlery and other fine items, donated by Polish noble families, as well as a chair that belonged to Shakespeare, dirt from the burial grounds of Romeo and Juliet, a rich collection of literary works.

Jagiellonian University (Uniwersytet Jagielloński) – Welcome to the university where Nicolaus Copernicus received his education. This is the oldest higher education establishment in Poland, built in 1400, by Władysław II Jagiełło. You can take a tour of the library, the dining area, the professors chambers and the lecture halls. Within the university is also the museum Collegium Maius, where you will find statues and portraits of lecturers, furnishing from various eras, as well as the room, which Polish scientist Nicolaus Copernicus used to occupy. In his chambers you’ll be able to examine astronomical tools from the 15th century, as well as one of the oldest globes, from the beginning of the 15th century. On it, for the first time in world cartography, America was included.

Jewish District of Kazimierz – During World War II, the Jewish residents of this neighborhood were rounded up, forced into the Auschwitz concentration camp and murdered. Today, Kazmierz is the epicenter of the cultural scene in Krakow. Here you will find plenty of bookstores, art galleries, antique shops, restaurants serving traditional Jewish dishes, and bars with live music. Many synagogues also remain in the district.

Old Synagogue Zamośc – This is the oldest synagogue in the whole of Poland. Built in the 15th century, it was robbed and devastated by the Germans, during World War II. In 1956 Zamość was restored. Today, it houses a large exhibition, in honor of the lives and work of the Polish Jewish Population. You’ll learn about the rituals they use in marriage, birth, and death. Additionally, the district surrounding the synagogue was used as a setting in the movie “Schindler’s List”. It is located in the Jewish district of Krakow.

Krakow, Poland

Auschwitz – This is the largest Nazi concentration camp, the place where over 1 million people were murdered. The silence of this place says a lot. In the museum, you will see the abandoned suitcases of some of the victims, with their names still on them, as well as photographs and personal belongings. Buildings, huts, watchtowers, gas chambers, and cells have been preserved, to tell the terrifying story of the past and to inspire reflection. The concentration camp is located 50 km west of Krakow. Here you can find more information about Auschwitz.

Rakowicki Cemetery (Cmentarz Rakowicki) – Apart from being the largest cemetery in Krakow, Rakowicki is a national historical monument with artistic value. The cemetery was first created during the 19th century, and ever since has been the burial ground for noble families, writers, politicians and war veterans. It is also where the parents of Pope John II were buried. The tombs and headstones in the park have been created by the best architects and sculptors in Poland. Every year, on All Saint’s Day, the cemetery is illuminated by thousands of candles. During the night it is a magical experience, as the light from the candles can be seen from far away. The cemetery is located in central Krakow.

Wieliczka Salt Mine (Kopalnia Soli Wieliczka) – Everything here has been made out of salt – the floor, the walls, and the ceiling, with its chandeliers composed of salt crystals. The mine was first opened in the 13th century and has 3 underground salt lakes. Some of the mine;s most important guests were Copernicus, Goethe, Pope John Paul II. Its unique atmosphere attracts concerts, conferences, and festivities. Another part of the mine is the medical center, where you can stay in rooms made out of salt, and benefit from the ions are healing for the lungs. The mine is located 14 km away from Krakow.

Museum of Pharmacy (Muzeum Farmacji) – Here you ll have the opportunity to see some of the original containers, used in medieval times, to prepare medicines, as well as medieval pharmacy furnishing, and a collection of apothecary scales. In the 17th century pharmacists uses to produce candles as well which is why the museum displays wax creations from that time. You will also learn about the manufacturing process. The museum is located on Florian street, in central Krakow.

Restaurants in Krakow – No journey can ever be complete without a detailed exploration of the local cuisine. We’d like to recommend two delicious dishes. First is bigos – a traditional Polish recipe, which should definitely be sampled in Krakow. It is made out of a few types of meat, mushrooms, smoked meats, and pickled cabbage. You can try it in one of the so-called “milkbar” establishments, where traditional Polish dishes are served. As dessert time rolls around, have mazurek – a delicious sponge-like cake, whose uttermost layer resembles a pie and is filled with almond crème, dried fruits, jams, nuts, and whatever else you want. Traditionally, it is prepared around Easter, but can now be found year round, so go ahead and sample it as soon as you can.

Sunday Markets in Krakow – The Sunday markets in Krakow are where you will find fresh produce, spices, antiques, jewelry, clothing, shoes, and all kinds of goods.

Nightlife in Krakow – The Old Town district is the hottest nighttime spot. The narrow streets, surrounding the main square, hold cafes, beerhouses, restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs. The Jewish district has a variety of establishments as well. You can choose between jazz clubs with live music, rock bars, dance clubs, and restaurants with Polish traditional cuisine.

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Dwarfs are “in stories for children, creatures like little men with magical powers” (Cambridge Dictionary). But what are over 300 of these mystical creatures doing in the Polish city of Wroclaw?

History note

To better understand what these gnomes actually represent, we should go about 30 years back in history.

After WWII, an authoritarian regime was established in Poland under the stern eye of Soviet communists. In the 1980s, an opposition movement called Solidarity began to gather momentum. Part of this resistance was the so-called Orange Alternative, an underground movement that found a way to protest peacefully against the regime. They managed to do that with their intelligent humor and absurdity; they organized street gatherings and painted graffiti gnomes on the spots where other anti-government slogans had been painted over. The dwarf with the orange hat holding a flower became a symbol of the movement.

The last remaining Orange Alternative Dwarf in Warsaw/ Wikipedia

The commemoration

In 2001, to commemorate the Orange Alternative movement, a gnome statue was built to mark the place where the rebels used to meet. This figure, now known as Papa Dwarf, marked the beginning of what would become the most distinctive emblem of the city.

Papa Dwarf, or Papa Krasnal, standing on a toe in the city centre/ Wikipedia

The dwarfs today

Since then, more and more of these statues have started to appear in the city. Now they number more than 300 and are probably the most distinctive tourist attraction in Wroclaw. Some are used to advertise restaurants and hotels, others symbolize social or political statements, and others still are made by famous (or infamous) artists. They form a kind of mini-society: there are the builders, the prisoners, the scholars, the tourists, the chimney sweeps and many more.

How to find them

There is actually no need to search for these dwarfs, since they reveal themselves behind every corner. If, however, you want to go on a proper dwarf-hunt, you can get a dwarf map from the tourist information center or any souvenir shop in the city, you can download an app that helps you find them, or you can navigate through the following map:

Pin it just in case you ever want to explore a whole mini-society in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities:

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One of these places is the Auschwitz concentration camp, also known as Oświęcim. Yes, this is a death camp and not the most preferred tourist destination in the world. Many people even avoid it to not get burdened by the depressing subject. That is also how people in the villages surrounding Auschwitz lived, too – not wanting to get informed about what was hiding behind the wire fences. But we will tell you about it, because we believe you need to know, and we are willing to risk disturbing your comfort with a walk of death.

Work will set you free!

…this is the sign that welcomes you into the largest death camp, a few kilometers from the Polish city of Krakow.

Built on old barracks, the camp spans kilometers in every direction and seems endless. It was divided into Auschwitz 1 and 2 for practical reasons, with people being assigned to one of the two neighboring camps.

Auschwitz 1

In different rooms and buildings in the camp you can see what actually happened there. In enormous rooms are gathered huge piles of leftover belongings of the people who lived in the camps – the luggage they were arriving with, inscribed with their names, the prosthetic, canes and crutches of the people with disabilities, eyeglasses, tons of hair, shoes… Without having to read history that over one million Jews, Romani, Poles, homosexuals and people with disabilities perished there, you get a notion from the traces they left.

If you head toward the edge of one of the camps, you will arrive in the two gas chambers, in immediate proximity of which are also the two crematoriums. Even though the camps are visited by a large number of tourists, few dare to venture into those two sites, and most visitors also leave them in a rapid manner. The smell of death is still present there, penetrating not only through the nostrils, but through the skin and all your senses. It is as if you become part of the atrocities that took place there. It is as if, once you see the ovens, you are finally able to accept the stories you saw in documentary films as true, and not just a story that took place somewhere far away.

Auschwitz 2

Also known as Birkenau – is located a few minutes away… by train. Railroad tracks connected all death camps in Europe, so people could be transported quickly and easily from one end of the continent to the other. Contrary to Auschwitz 1, which is filled with buildings and resembles something of a large-scale prison, in Birkenau you can see an enormous train station, part of which directs the train carriages directly to the cremation ovens. At the busiest times, people stayed in the trains for weeks until their turn to be burned came, and the ovens were working around the clock. Still remaining there now are part of the ovens, the rails and the separate tracks of the small final station of death. The very carriages that transported people as a mere load to be destroyed, also remain.

And there somewhere, kilometers away, you can see a monument, reminding of what happened in all languages you can expect. A large infographic on one of the walls details the number of people sent to this camp.

It’s weird, but when I was there, the day was rainy and cloudy, as if to help us feel the atmosphere of the place. A place that everyone should visit, especially at the height of all the made-up conflicts based on beliefs, ethnicity, race, sex and so on, because the only thing that can save us from going down the wrong track is knowing and remembering our past.

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