Walk around Krakow. September 2024. Part 1

It feels like it was so long ago. HiveFest, Split, and then Krakow. Beautiful memories of a parallel reality, even though it was just three months ago. And yet, I smile when I think about those few days spent in the charming royal city. What stands out the most? Peace, tranquility. That sense of safety when you fall asleep and wake up. When you don’t have to stay constantly alert or ready for something. I hope next year we can afford this again for our little group.

Can I tell you something new about Krakow? Probably not. But I can share what I saw, show you my perspective. Besides, after this morning, I just want to immerse myself in that carefree atmosphere.

The Krakow Barbican

Once, it was a defensive structure with a moat and drawbridges. Now, it's a tourist attraction on the Royal Route.

The Florian Gate and Florianska Street

Stretching through the Old Town from north to south. It’s always bustling with tourists here. If you follow it you’ll quickly reach The Main Square (Polish: Rynek Główny), the largest square in Europe. It’s a tourist mecca and the heart of the old city, where all its streets converge like the center of a spider's web. Churches, museums, horse-drawn carriages dressed as if they’re truly awaiting a king, countless souvenir shops, cafes with ice cream and sweets, restaurants for every taste. And, of course, plenty of pigeons and tourists.

Town Hall Tower

It stands 70 meters tall. It’s not easy to fit such a structure into a single frame, which is why this time, I don’t have any photos of it—but I do have photos taken from it. Once, it housed a prison with a torture chamber, but now it’s completely safe. And beautiful. Highly recommended.

You’ll climb narrow stone stairs, moving from one level to the next. Before your eyes, one gothic hall after another will appear, in solemn silence.

Then, up the stairs again, until you reach the top floor, where the mechanism of the huge clock is located. And a balcony with an incredible view, always closed for safety reasons. These photos are taken with my phone.

The Vistula River

It curves around the Old Town from the south, flowing beneath Wawel Castle, which stands atop the hill of the same name. In September, many European countries faced an unprecedented flood, and I was a bit concerned about the water level in the Vistula. In the photos, you can see debris and some remnants floating down the river, but overall, the scene looked fine.