"WELCOME TO KRAKOW" a Krakow Travel Page by Pawtuxet

UPDATE 2009: I've added oodles of new photos and tips to this page. Hope you'll enjoy all of them. Please don't miss all the Corpus Christi Celebration photos. Many new restaurants...lodging, churches, museum... so - so much to see in Krakow. Will I ever finish?

Much of the history of Poland is contained and cherished here in this old city...brimming with graciousness. Fortunate to have avoided the bombs of war, you will find authentic Polish architecture, history, and Jewish quarter here. Other travellers will recite the history, statistics, credentials....I will try to convey the feel of the city. Bring your good wallking shoes, load your camera, prepare to stay a while....
There are so many photos you could take of Krakow that you will want to take hundreds. The architecture, cafes, shopping, Cloth Market, Wawel Castle...never enough time or film. Enjoy Krakow. Taste it, drink it in, and walk on streets that don't allow cars. Be joyous!! You will be greeted warmly.

CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION A HIGHLIGHT ON THE SQUARE
You MUST see St. Mary's church and hear the legend of the trumpeter, shop at Cloth Market, and explore Wawel Castle. These are the obvious and most elaborate examples of architecture and Polish history. It is incredible to me that we can walk back to the 16th, 15th, or 14th. centuries here.
Poland is filled with miracles, madonnas, shrines and amazing cathedrals. This is a very devout population. I still have a vision of walking into St. Mary's to see the architecture of the wonderful church in Krakow's Cloth Market Square...and seeing people fall on their knees on the stone floor to pray...whether in the middle of an aisle or in a pew. Unabashed devotion.

Kazimierz is the Jewish District of Krakow. During the second world war it was emptied and remained abandoned or used for warehouse storage until Poland regained its independance again.
Now that the buildings in the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz are being returned to private ownership (altho fraught with discussion, arguement, and legal banter) .... we see a revival happening here. It's significantly more lively than when I was here two years prior. I find the restoration work to be commencing briskly. It's not an easy thing to do...so expensive.
There is a prescribed route to take in order to see all the shops, open market, synogogues, restaurants, and museums. It has become so charming and interesting that we spent most of 3 afternoons exploring as many sites as we could manage. Keep checking on it. This will soon be a very popular tour when visiting Krakow.
UPDATE: MOST RECENT VISIT PROVED THE POINT. TOURIST CARRIAGES AWAIT YOU AND THERE ARE MANY MORE RESTORED BUILDINGS. KAZIMIERZ IS DEVELOPING AS A VITAL AREA WITHIN THE CITY OF KRAKOW.