Museums open on Boxing Day,
short hours.
/2016-12-22/ All Krakow museums stay closed on Christmas Day,
December 25th. Yet some of them - notably the Wawel Royal Castle,
the branches of the Krakow National Museum, and most branches of the
Historical Museum - will be open on December 26th although usually
only till afternoon.
Thoma
New Year's Eve, more or less.
/2016-12-08/ The municipality of Krakow has decided to scale
down New Year’s Eve’s traditional celebrations in Rynek Glowny
central square. An open-air dance party with DJ Charlie and XXANAXX
electronica act on January 31, 2016 at 10:30 pm replaced the usual
long concert with a lineup of pop stars. Nor there will be any
firework displays. However additional alfresco celebrations are to
take place in two of the uptown areas of Krakow. Nowa Huta district
lures local merrymakers to a show that features covers of the old
pop hits by the Teatr Ludowy theater from 9 pm on. Podgorze district
hosts a kind of pop music show in Rynek Podgorski square.
Muse
A couple of Christmas markets.
/2016-12-01/ The Krakow
Christmas market goes on in Rynek Glowny central square,
officially till December 26th, 2016 but possibly somewhat longer. A
local rival event, called the Galician Advent Market, takes place in
Plac Jana Nowaka-Jezioranskiego square (in front of Galeria
Krakowska shopping mall) to December 27th.
Kasia
2017 Opera Rara festival: late January, early
February.
/2016-11-28/ Next year's edition of Krakow's festival Opera Rara stretches from January 18th to February 10th,
2017. Its program consists of fourteen concerts
and recitals of operatic music, mostly of the
Baroque period. The organizers have managed to woo
a number of top European soloists and ensembles.
Barbara
Chicago Dreamliner from July 2017.
/2016-11-21/ Polish national carrier LOT is to relaunch
regular direct flights between the Krakow
Airport and Chicago, IL in July 2017. The airlines' Boeing 787
Dreamliner will fly once a week, year-round. Everyday flights via
Warsaw stay in place.
Kasia
Open day museum attractions.
/2016-11-12/ Open day at Krakow museums
takes place on Sunday, November 20th, from 10 am to 6 pm. That day
23 museums in the city admit visitors free of charge and many of
them organize special attractions such as film screenings, lectures,
shows, concerts. etc.
Muse
Polish songs on Independence Day.
/2016-11-08/ On
November 11th, Poland's Independence Day, two alfresco
concerts take place back to back in Rynek Glowny central
square, free admission to both. At 3 pm an array of pop acts
perform Polish favorite pop songs. At 5 pm everybody sings
Polish patriotic songs.
Mark
Krakow
Royal Castle for free.
/2016-11-02/ Admission to the permanent exhibitions of
Krakow's Wawel Royal Castle is free of charge this
November.
Barbara
New Year 2017
in Krakow.
/2016-10-27/ No major television network willing to
broadcast it live nor ready to cover the cost, the town hall decided
against the time-honored New Year's Krakow extravaganza in the Rynek Glowny
central square. Instead of concert featuring an array of
prominent pop acts, culminating in a firework display,
on the evening of December 31, 2016
there will be an alfresco dance party without fireworks. Similar
events are to take place in front of Teatr Ludowy theater and in the
Rynek Podgorski square, meant for the locals of two major uptown
areas, i.e. Nowa Huta and Podgorze respectively.
Thoma
Krakow
Christmas decorations.
/2016-10-19/ The municipality decided that in 2016 the Christmas street
decorations in Krakow will be Art Deco themed. White and
silver lights are to prevail, with the addition of navy-blue,
green, and red. As usual, the ornaments will be in the shape of
stars, balls, and snowflakes. They will stay in
place till January 31, together with three alfresco
Christmas trees – two ten-meter-tall firs and one
measuring 15 meters in height. The Rynek Glowny
central square, where the
Krakow Christmas markets take place, will get the
tallest conifer, decked with some 40,000 LED lights,
as early as November 26.
Also eleven giant angels made of LED lights are to adorn
various parts of the city.
Barbara
Free jazz autumn.
/2016-10-08/ Jazz Autumn Festival in
Krakow takes place October 23rd to December 4th, 2016. Free jazz
concerts features a number of Europe's top improvising jazzmen in
Alchemia club, 5 Estery street and Manggha museum, 26 Konopnickiej
street.
Muse
City bike rentals be back soon.
/2016-10-04/
Krakow's municipality-sponsored automated bicycle rental
system restarts on Thursday, October 13th, 2016
with stands scattered around downtown. Alas, the renewed
service is available
only
via a monthly subscription .
Mark
Saint Michael market goes on.
/2016-09-26/ Saint Michael market takes place in Rynek Glowny
central square through Sunday, October 2nd. Its stalls sell the
village arts crafts from cloths to pottery to sculpture. Also
traditional foods, notably breads, cheeses, and cured meats.
Kasia
Nativity scenes on December 1st.
/2016-09-23/ The 74th Festival of the
Krakow Szopka nativity scenes starts in the Rynek Glowny central
square at noon on Thursday, December 1st, 2016.
Thoma
Medieval attraction incomplete.
/2016-09-20/
Famous Veit Stoss’s altarpiece
of the high altar in the Basilica of Saint Mary (Bazylika
Mariacka), arguably the world’s best late-Gothic sculpture, is
undergoing an extensive conservation, which requires the
temporary removal of its segments. Elements transferred
to the restoration workshop are replaced with life-size photos showing the missing parts. The
renovation is planned to
last till 2020 or longer. It will cost about three
million euro.
Mark
New philharmonic season opens in mid-September.
/2016-09-03/ The Krakow
Philharmonics start their new season on Friday,
September 16th, 2016. The inauguration concert in
Filharmonia Krakowska hall at 1 Zwierzyniecka street
features the Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir with
conductor Charles Olivieri-Munroe plus Canada’s
pianist Alain Lefevre and Poland’s tenor Andrzej
Lampert performing music by Berlioz, Gershwin, and Szymanowski.
Barbara
Tattoo fest.
/2016-09-01/ Tattoo Jam takes place in Rotunda student club,
1 Oleandry street, this weekend September 3rd and September 4th.
Shows of tattooing and piercing plus evening music concerts.
Thoma
Contemporary classics early in October.
/2016-08-17/ This year's Sacrum
Profanum Krakow festival of contemporary classical music takes
place in the first week of October, namely from Saturday, October
1st through Saturday, October 8th, 2016.
Muse
Xmas market starts in Krakow November 26.
/2016-08-16/ This year the
Krakow Christmas market takes place on Rynek Glowny central
square from November 26th to December 25th.
Kasia
The many shrines of Krakow.
/2016-08-03/ There are numerous
pilgrimage sites in Krakow.
It's a pity pilgrims seem to think that there is just one,
namely the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy.
Mark
Christian guide to Krakow.
/2016-07-23/
A brand-new guidebook to Krakow, aptly titled
“Holy
Krakow, A Pilgrimage Guide to the Heart of Christian Poland” is
available now in ebook format from Amazon. Meant
for all Christian visitors to the city.
Kasia
Krakow
pilgrimage guide
Festival of churches.
/2016-07-22/ Krakow churches and
monasteries open to the general public for Cracovia Sacra festival
on the nights of July 24th,
July 25th, July 26th, and July 27th. Special
attractions planned such as concerts, shows, etc.
Muse
Everyday free concerts.
/2016-07-21/ Everyday open-air free concerts take place on
Rynek Glowny central square from July 23rd through July
29th. Part of the World Youth Day program, open to the
general public.
Barbara
Tour de Pologne race hits Krakow.
/2016-07-14/ Tour de Pologne bicycle race finishes in Krakow
on Monday, July 18th, 2016. The start takes place in Rynek Glowny
central square at 3 pm, cyclists pedaling to Wieliczka and back.
It's scheduled to end at about 6 pm. As side effects expect traffic
restrictions, jams bigger than usual, and major alterations in
public transport.
Thoma
Two weekends full of Polish Music.
/2016-07-07/ This Friday starts the 12th
Festival of Polish Music in Krakow. Its
program consists of ten concerts of classical music by Polish
composers spread over two ensuing weekends: Friday July 8th to
Sunday July 10th and Friday July 15th to Sunday July 17th.
Muse
The August classical music.
/2016-07-03/ Program of the 41th Music
in Old Cracow Festival has been published at last. This year
Krakow's time-honored festival
of classical music
features 25 concerts in 17 days, namely from August 15th through
August 31st, 2016.
Mark
Cheap travel end of July.
/2016-07-01/ The city council has introduced an unlimited
travel pass for buses and trams in
Krakow valid July 26th through July 31st. Available
to everybody, the pass costs only 15 zlotys (PLN). It's
meant to ease transport problems during the World Youth Day
and Pope Francis visit to
Krakow.
Barbara
Our Lady of Mercy.
/2016-06-24/ "Maria Mater Misericordiae" show at the
Krakow National Museum's main hall
exhibits nearly 100 paintings by European Old Masters. Its title
translates into English as "Maria the Mother of Mercy" and the
exhibition consists of various depictions of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. The show has been put together in connection with the
World Youth Day in Krakow in
July but it is to stay open until October 9th, 2016.
Muse
Early summer festival of classical music.
/2016-06-23/ Krakow's Sinfonietta
Festival of classical music starts July 1st, 2016 to lasts till
July 5th - five days, five concerts.
Kasia
The carless Krakow.
/2016-06-01/ Looks like driving through the city will be next
to impossible during the World Youth Days in Krakow
Not only the city center is to be off limits to motorists (and,
for that matter,
cyclists as well) but the authorities also plan to divide the entire
Krakow into several zones and prohibit drivers from moving between
them without a permit. The traffic restrictions are said to be in
force from July 23rd through August 2nd,
2016.
Mark
Lajkonik pageant 2016.
/2016-05-11/ This year the Krakow
Lajkonik historic pageant takes place on Thursday, June 2nd. It
starts at St. Norbert convent, Kosciuszki street, at 1 pm to proceed
towards the Old Town. The colorful procession is expected to reach
the Rynek Glowny central square about 6.30 pm where its culmination
show may last for over an hour. In 2016 the traditional pageant is
enriched with a couple of new attractions, such as a special dance
performances.
Mark
Ojcow National Park
regains a top
attraction.
/2016-05-02/ The Pieskowa Skala castle, beautifully situated
in the Ojcow National Park just 30
kilometers northwest from central Krakow, reopened after a two-year
renovation. The Pieskowa Skala castle is a museum branch of the
Wawel Royal Castle. It exhibits European art from medieval to
modern.
Muse
New museum.
/2016-04-23/ Today the National Museum
in Krakow has opened its brand-new branch dedicated to
the life and output of artist Jozef Czapski. The Jozef
Czapski Pavilion is situated at 12 Pilsudskiego street, next
to The Hutten-Czapski Museum, another branch of the Krakow
National Museum. A single ticket, priced at 9 zlotys, is
good for both branches. The
Jozef Czapski Pavilion features temporary shows as well as
permanent exhibitions presenting the artist's paintings
alongside memorabilia, documents, and multimedia pertaining
to his biography.
Barbara
Krakow marathon in mid-May.
/2016-04-22/ The 2016 Cracovia Marathon takes place on
Sunday, May 15th. Start on Krakow's Rynek Glowny central square at 9
am. Some 7,000 runners has signed up for the race.
Thoma
Street food speeds up
/2016-04-19/ Food trucks are on a roll in
Krakow. The city can boast two new "food truck parks": one at Ciemna
street in the Kazimierz area, another at 20 Piastowska street close
to the Blonia downtown common.
Yors
Tastycles
Summer opera.
/2016-04-11/ The 2016 Krakow Opera
Summer Festival takes place from June 9th through July 1st. Its
program consists of six shows in the Krakow
Opera House, four on the courtyard of the
Wawel Royal Castle, and two at the old gasworks at 16 Gazowa
street in the Kazimierz historic area.
Muse
Up-to-date Krakow guide.
/2016-04-05/ Now the new, updated edition of
"The Marvels of
Krakow 2016" guidebook is available online from Amazon. Released
just yesterday, it's
reasonably priced and offers exceptionally good value for
money.
Muse
Pope Francis in Krakow: the visit program.
/2016-03-12/ The organizers of the 2016 World Youth Days have
published a draft program of a five-day
visit of Pope Francis to Krakow
which is to take place this year from Wdnesday, July 27 through
Sunday, July 31.
Thoma
Krakow Easter market in 2016.
/2016-03-02/ This year's Easter market in Krakow starts on
the Rynek Glowny central square on Friday, March 18. It will last
through the Easter Monday, March 28th.
Kasia
The Czartoryski Museum to stay closed.
/2016-02-24/ Sadly, it's practically certain the
Czartoryski Museum in Krakow will not
reopen before 2018. One of Poland's top museums has been closed for
renovation since 2010. It's best-known exhibit, Leonardo
da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine, will probably
stay on the show in the Krakow Royal Castle of
Wawel.
Muse
All-walkers days.
/2016-02-20/ As planning for the
World Youth Days in Krakow
unfolds it has become clear that the city's public transport will be
crippled in the time of the event, namely July 26th thru July 31st,
2016. It's said that probably only 40 percent of people, visitors as
well as the locals, will be able to make their journeys by means of
public transport and the remaining 60 percent will need to travel on
foot. Especially that some of the main traffic arteries of Krakow
will be off limits to motorists, coaches, bikers, and cyclist - any
unauthorized vehicles.
Mark
Pinball den.
/2016-02-01/ Pinball "museum" has opened in Krakow at 15
Stradomska street. A vast cellar contains over 40 fully operational
pinball machines from the past century. A ticket costing 40 zlotys
allows the visitor to play all of them at length.
Kasia
More visitors to Malopolska.
/2016-01-21/ Almost 14 million tourists, in that number
nearly three million foreigners from 53 countries, visited
Malopolska province with Krakow in 2015
and they spent here over some three billion euro.
Thoma
Folk Art Fair this August.
/2016-01-19/ This summer the 40th Cepelia
Folk Art Fair
in Krakow
takes place on Rynek Glowny central square August 11th through August
28th, 2016. Expect, as usual,
rows of
stalls
selling traditional village crafts and arts plus special attractions
such as gigs by acts performing traditional village tunes and songs.
Kasia
Volleyball world's final in Krakow this July.
/2016-01-18/
Final Six tournament of the
2016 FIVB Volleyball World League will take place in Krakow July
13th to July 17th. The Krakow event is to crown a series of 27
tournaments played on six continents by 36 national teams divided
into three groups. The best five squads plus Poland as the host will
qualify for the World League Final Six in Krakow. The tournament
venue is Tauron Arena which may seat over 15,000 spectators at
volleyball matches.
Mark
Handball Euro 2016 in Krakow.
/2016-01-15/ EURO 2016 European Handball Championship has
started today,
January 15th
to last till January 31st: in the
Krakow Arena at Lema street. A fan zone is on Maly Rynek
square at the heart of the Old Town center.
Thoma
Easter music festival.
/2016-01-02/ Misteria Paschalia Easter
festival of classical music takes place in Krakow
throughout Holy Week, from Monday March 21st to Sunday March
27th, 2016. The festival's seven concerts feature Europe's
top early music ensembles and soloists.
Barbara
