Today’s tour began at 9:20 am, and after a slight delay, we were off on an electric buggy around Krakow. At 195 PLN for 3 people, the price works out to around £11.50 per person. I highly recommend this tour as it provides a detailed look into Krakow’s history, including the Jewish ghetto, as well as the many churches and Wawel castle.
The drive was comfortable and relaxing. At every sight, the guide would stop and play an audio recording (available in 26 different languages) with all the historical information. We were also able to snap photos of the picturesque buildings and, if we wanted, the guide would wait for us while we went inside some of the churches.
The tour continued into Kazimierz, a historical district which used to be its own independent city. This where the ghetto was created. Along with a memorial garden, there are three synagogues leading off the main square which can also be explored on foot. On the corner is the pharmacy which became the communication hub in the ghetto. Ran by people who lived outside the walls, it was the Jews’ only contact with the rest of the world.
Our guide dropped us off outside Schindler’s Factory, arranging a meeting place for an
hour’s time. It was a slight rush to view all the museum exhibitions, which detail the life of the Jews in Krakow in years 1939 – 45, including main events such as Schindler’s List and the Warsaw Uprising. There are plenty of interactive exhibits with documents, photos, and recordings from witnesses, as the trail leads you through Krakow’s past.
Tickets cost 21 PLN, about £4, but it was also possible to buy a double ticket for the Art Museum next door, or a 7-day ticket for the ‘Memory Trail’ which included the Pharmacy Museum, as mentioned earlier, the Art Museum, and Schindler’s Factory. If we were staying longer in Poland, we definitely would have gone for the last option.
Once the tour was over, the guide dropped us off in the Main Market Square. We enjoyed a quiet lunch, browsed through some crafts shops, and spent a relaxing afternoon in Krakow. For dinner, we returned to Pierogowy Raj, the restaurant from the first day, as it is the best value for money. We can’t find another place that even match their prices.
It’s sad to be ending our last full day in Poland. While our flight is late tomorrow evening, we’ll be checking out at noon and the day will be spent hopping from coffee shop to coffee shop, with some scoops of ice cream in between.
