2022 Winter
Olympics in Krakow, maybe.
/2013-12-30/ Krakow carries on with its bid to host the
Winter Olympic Games in 2022. Polish government estimates that
organization of the Krakow Olympics may cost taxpayers at least 4
billion euro but it fully backs the idea.
Kasia
2014, the year of the Krakow University.
/2013-12-23/ Senate of the Republic of Poland has proclaimed
2014 The Year of the Great Jubilee of the Jagiellonian University.
Poland's King Kazimierz (Casimir) the Great established the Krakow
University on May 12, 1364. Thus next year it celebrates its 650th
anniversary.
Mark
Christmas events.
/2013-12-16/ Alfresco
productions of nativity play take place in front of St. Francis
basilica, 4 Franciszkanska street, on December 24th at 10 pm,
December 25th at 2 pm, and December 26th at 2 pm and at 3 pm. Also
caroling the same place at 4 pm and 8:30 pm on Christmas Day and at
4:30 pm and 6:30 pm on Boxing Day. Free
admission.
Barbara
One city, two Christmas markets.
/2013-12-02/ Actually, there are
two rival Christmas markets in Krakow now. A central one on Rynek
Glowny main square, and another called Galicyjski Kiermasz
Adwentowy and situated conveniently next
to the Krakow Glowny central train station and Galeria Krakowska
shopping mall. The former lasts through December 26th, the
latter ends December 24th. Open daily between 10 am and 9 pm.
Kasia
New Year's update.
/2013-11-28/ The upcoming New Year's massive open-air party
on Rynek Glowny central square is scheduled from 7 p.m. on December
31st to 1:30 a.m. on January 1st, with a concert featuring some
Poland's top pop acts and rock bands as the main attraction. Its
lineup includes such national star performers as Perfect, Lady Pank,
Andrzej Piaseczny, Brodka, Wilki, and Feel.
Admission is free but expect all glass containers to be confiscated
at entry so better transfer your bubbles to a plastic bottle.
Mark
Christmas market till December 26th.
/2013-11-27/ This year
Krakow Christmas market starts on
November 29th and will end on December 26th, according to plan,
Venue as usual: Rynek Glowny central square.
Barbara
No solid-burn zone.
/2013-11-25/ The Malopolska
provincial government - namely its legislative body, Sejmik - has
prohibited the use of solid fuels such as coal and wood in heating
in entire Krakow. The move, meant to
improve air quality in the city,
applies to private properties and businesses save heating plants. A
last-minute concession excluded wood-burning fireplaces from the ban.
Kasia
Every museum for free, one Sunday.
/2013-11-14/ On Sunday, November 17th all Krakow museums welcome
visitors free of charge. Also, most prepared some little special
attractions courtesy of this Krakow Museums Open Door Day.
Muse Goer
Unprecedented.
/2013-11-04/ Israel's parliament,
the Knesset, plans to organize its overseas session at the
Auschwitz Museum in the city of Oswiecim,
some 70 kilometers west of Krakow, on January 27th, 2014. The date
marks the 69th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz nazi
concentration camp. There is no known precedent for any parliament
convening on the territory of a foreign country.
Mark
Czartoryski Museum stay closed next year.
/2013-10-26/ Most probably the
Czartoryski Museum will not reopen before
2015. And its crown jewel, Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine,
is to remain exhibited at the Wawel Royal Castle throughout 2014.
Barbara
Royal Castle for free again.
/2013-10-24/ There is at last the official confirmation that this
year as yesteryear November is a month of free admission to the
Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, courtesy the
Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Every visitor is
entitled to complimentary tickets for any exhibition, permanent or
temporary, first come first served.
Muse Goer
Krakow - City of Literature no. 7
/2013-10-21/ Today UNESCO has
designated Krakow, Poland as a member of the UNESCO's Creative City
Network in the category of Literature. Thus it has become the
world's seventh City of Literature alongside Edinburgh in Scotland,
Melbourne in Australia, Iowa City in the USA, Dublin in Ireland,
Reykjavik in Iceland, and Norwich in England.
Mark
Soulful jazz.
/2013-10-14/ 58th
All Souls Jazz Festival (Krakowskie
Zaduszki Jazzowe) takes place from Saturday, November 2nd through
Saturday, November 9th with daily concerts in Krakow but some also
in its satellite towns.
Kasia
Book fairyland.
/2013-10-08/ The 17th Krakow Book
Fair is planned for four days, October 24th through October 27th,
2013 at 41 Centralna street in Nowa Huta district. The fair has
attracted 562 publishers and other sellers. Opening hours are 10 am
to 5 pm and a regular ticket costs seven zloty per day.
Barbara
Art market.
/2013-10-02/ This weekend, October 5th and October 6th, the
city's 2nd Art Fair takes place at Trade Fairs in Krakow, 41a
Centralna street. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission fee is ten
zloty. The Sunday auction of over 100 works by Poland's accomplished
artists starts at noon.
Muse Goer
Old Town at 100+.
/2013-09-24/ Official data reveal
that 42 people aged one hundred years or more live in the Krakow's
central Old Town district (Dzielnica I). Most of them are still
pretty agile for a centenarian according to social workers who
provide care to the elderly in the area.
Mark
Festival of cinematic music.
/2013-09-23/ 6th Film Music
Festival starts this Thursday, September 26th. Concerts of the
world's acclaimed cinematic scores take place every day. See details
at our online calendar of culture events in
Krakow.
Kasia
Contemporary opera treat.
/2013-09-14/ Opera aficionados
rejoice at the rare occasion to enjoy live three instances of
operatic tour de force by Krzysztof Penderecki in a week. Production
of 'The Devils of Loudun' takes place on September 27 and again on
September 29th, followed by 'Ubu Rex' on October 3rd and 'Paradise
Lost' on October 5th. The same venue: Krakow
Opera House at 48 Lubicz street.
Barbara
Mounted.
/2013-09-10/ Amateur cavalrymen
camp on Krakow Blonia common till Sunday,
September 22 when they will stage a military review with some 200
horsemen parading on the common itself and on the Rynek Glowny
central square. For the meantime the participant educate the locals
and tourists about the long and glorious history of cavalry in
Poland.
Mark
Guide to the best of Krakow.
/2013-08-26/ "The Best of Krakow"
guidebooks are tailored to the needs of visitors planning a city
break in Krakow. This year's edition now available also at
Amazon.com as an
e-book guide.
Kasia
New old art museum.
/2013-08-23/ A brand-new museum opens in Krakow on September 13th,
2013. Europeum, a branch of the National
Museum in Krakow, is located in a converted granary of the 17th
century at Plac Sikorskiego street, a couple of blocks west from the
Rynek Glowny central square. It will exhibit over one hundred
paintings and sculptures from the National Museum's collection of
western European art, from medieval through Baroque, formerly shown
at the Czartoryski Museum.
Muse Goer
Classical and August.
/2013-08-14/ The second half of
August has traditionally belonged to classical music in Krakow. Also
this year the Music in Old Cracow festival
fills the city's old churches and other historic monuments with
orchestral and vocal masterpieces every day from August 15th through
August 31st.
Barbara
Village at the heart of Krakow.
/2013-08-09/ The 37th Folk Art
Fair starts on Rynek Glowny central square on Wednesday, August 14th
and lasts through Sunday, August 25th. An occasion to purchase
village handicrafts in the first place, the fair also offers other
attractions from traditional foods to live performances.
Kasia
2016: the Holy Father meets the youth
in Krakow.
/2013-07-29/ The locals and the
rest of Poles rejoice at the news that the next
World Youth Day will
take place in
Krakow in
2016. The city looks forward to Pope
Francis visit and brace itself for arrival of millions of young
Catholics from all over the world. At the same time the municipality
expects to get lots of free publicity and hopefully some nice
windfall as well.
Mark
Heat hit.
/2013-07-20/ Forecasters foretell
a heat wave to engulf Krakow in the last week of July, with day
highs hovering up to 34 degrees Celsius which translates into 95
degrees Fahrenheit. Pretty usual for midsummer but take care anyway.
Weatherman
Giro/Tour de Pologne.
/2013-07-16/ This year's 70th
Tour de Pologne pro cycling race starts - surprise, surprise - in
Italy with two initial stages: from Rovereto to Madonna di
Campiglio and from Marilleva Val di Sole to Passo Pordoi
respectively. The third stage begins in
Krakow on July 30th and the whole race ends also in Krakow on August
3rd with competitors finishing one by one on the city's Rynek Glowny
central square.
Mark
September music festival, the lineup.
/2013-07-15/ In 2013 the
Krakow Sacrum Profanum festival of
contemporary music starts on Sunday, September 15th and consists
of eight concerts in as many days. The organizers try to fuse
contemporary classical music and today's ambitious pop. For
starters,
they
succeeded in signing top performers.
Again.
Barbara
Escape to the continent, be on the
show.
/2013-07-10/
Do you dream of a new life in Continental Europe? Let us help you!
The UK's longest running relocation show, BBC's 'Escape to the
Country' is expanding and we're looking for people currently living
in the UK who are thinking of embarking on an adventure in Poland!
If you are interested in taking part in the show, please email your
name, telephone number and a little bit about your move to our team
at:
escapetoeurope@boundlessproductions.tv
We look forward to hearing from you.
The Escape to the Continent team
Canonization of John Paul II in
autumn.
/2013-07-05/ The Vatican experts
expect Pope John Paul will be canonized on October 20 this year or
in December at the latest. Obviously, Krakow is eagerly awaiting its
most famous son to become officially a saint.
Mark
Jazz up the night.
/2013-07-01/ The Jazz NIght on
July 20th, part of the Krakow Summer Jazz Festival, consists of an
open-air concert with an international lineup on Maly Rynek square
starting at 6 p.m. plus late-night concerts in Krakow's jazz clubs.
Barbara
Salt heritage doubled.
/2013-06-24/ Bochnia Salt Mine
has joined the Wieliczka one on the UNESCO
list of the World Heritage Sites. Bochnia is situated 50 kilometers
east of Krakow. The town's salt mine dates back to the 13th century
and now is a tourist attraction in the first place. The mine's
historic nine underground levels resemble its better known twin in
Wieliczka. Since June 23rd, 2013 the two salt mines near Krakow have
been listed by UNESCO together as The Royal Salt Mines of Wieliczka
and Bochnia.
Mark
July jazz festival.
/2013-06-21/
Krakow Summer Jazz Festival starts on Sunday, June 30th to end
July 28th. Daily concerts take place in Piwnica Pod Baranami club,
27 Rynek Glowny (central square), July 1st through July 27th, at 9
p.m. The festival highlights are concerts featuring USA’s
saxophonist Branford Marsalis in Kijow.Centrum playhouse on July
16th and Al Jarreau's gig in the Krakow Opera House on July 26th.
Barbara
Newly coined.
/2013-05-29/ Krakow National Museum's fine collection of coins goes
public at last! Some 2,500 of its numismatic treasures will grace
the permanent exhibition at the brand-new European Center of Polish
Numismatics in a freshly refurbished palace at Pilsudskiego street,
a stone's throw from the Old Town proper. Opening June 27th, 2013.
Muse Goer
Traditional June pageants, an update.
/2013-05-27/ This year Krakow's
traditional colorful Lajkonik parade takes place earlier than usual,
namely on the first Thursday of June. On Saturday, June 1st, there is
another yearly historical pageant, Enthronement of the Cock King, on Rynek Glowny central square at noon.
Kasia
Auto-Armageddon is coming.
/2013-05-17/ Mayor of Krakow is
adamant that controversial changes to traffic in the city center
will take effect this summer. They are meant to dissuade motorists
from driving near the Old Town and are certain to drastically reduce
accessibility by car to any place in downtown Krakow. At the same
time proponents expect the resultant increase in traffic jams on
central thoroughfares will not exceed 30 percent while opponents
predict total paralysis during rush hours.
Mark
2013 midsummer Garlands festival.
/2013-05-08/ This year Krakow's traditional
Wianki (Garlands) midsummer festival is extended from one to three
days, namely Friday June 21st, Saturday June 22nd, and Sunday June
23rd. Apart from a firework display it consists of six open-air
concerts - classical music to jazz to pop - on Wisla river bank
opposite the Wawel Hill. Free admission.
Barbara
Night at the Museum for free, almost.
/2013-05-02/ This year the Krakow Museum Night starts at 7 p.m. on
May 17th and lasts till 2 a.m. on May 18th, usually. It boils down
to
a token charge for
admission to 26 museums in the city and crowds of enthused visitors.
Plus special attractions at some places.
Muse Goer
Juwenalia festival this year.
/2013-04-23/ Krakow's traditional
Juwenalia student festival takes place in the week Monday, May 6th
through Sunday, May 12th, 2013. Its climax, a student parade with
the finish on the Rynek Glowny central square, is planned for
Friday, May 10th at noon.
Barbara
Airport revamp.
/2013-04-11/
Krakow Airport undergoes major overhaul,
modernization, and expansion which will double its capacity by 2016.
Till then brace yourself for various surprises when flying to
Krakow.
Mark
Ebook guide to Krakow.
/2013-04-06/ The bestselling
guide to Krakow is now available as a reasonably priced e-book from
Amazon.com. Look for
The Marvels of Krakow 2013.
Kasia
No Auschwitz sightseeing this Monday.
/2013-04-05/ The site of
Auschwitz death camp is to be off-limits
to tourists next Monday, April 8th, because of the March of the
Living, a major commemorative event scheduled for that day.
Mark
Easter at leisure.
/2013-03-23/ The city's tourist
attractions stay closed on Easter Sunday but nevertheless there is a
number of entertainment events available on that day so Krakow
visitors may opt for other amusements beside strolls and dining out.
Please see details at
www.krakow-info/events.htm
Barbara
Michelin guide steady on
Krakow restaurants.
/2013-03-14/
Michelin's ‘Main Cities of Europe’ yearly edition for 2013
features
the same list of
restaurants in Krakow as the yesteryear's
one except one eatery has been dropped. And again not a single Krakow place
has been honored with a Michelin star. This year a triple
pair of cutlery are printed next to three
Krakow restaurants, namely Copernicus, Trzy Rybki, and Wentzl. Two
spoons and two forks distinguish the following nine establishments: Ancora, Jarema, Pod Baranem, Resto Illuminati,
Studio Qulinarne, Szara, Szara Kazimierz, and Unicus. The remaining seven Krakow restaurants mentioned
in this year’s Michelin guide are Del Papa, Farina, Kawaleria, La
Campana, Miod Malina, Trufla, and Wesele.
Yors Tastycles
Krakow
Easter market.
/2013-03-06/ This year the Easter
market in Krakow takes place on Rynek Glowny central square from
March 22nd to March 31st. Its beginning coincides with the Malopolska
Easter Taste, a food festival on the same square on Friday, March
22nd and throughout the ensuing weekend.
Barbara
Jewish festival this year.
/2013-03-02/
The 2013 Jewish Culture Festival in Krakow
is planned for ten days, from Friday, June 28th through Sunday, July
7th.
Kasia
Nudity pays.
/2013-02-21/ Two visitors to
Krakow - one Englishman, the other an American, both in their
twenties - have been fined 500 zloties, an equivalent of about 120
euro, for running on the central square of Krakow last night. They
raced stark naked despite subzero temperature which got the
attention of a police patrol. Stags, you have been warned.
Mark
Hit a tank!
/2013-02-15/ From now on visitors can shoot Soviet and Nazi tanks
with a period armor-piercing rifle at the
Home Army Museum, 12 Wita Stwosza
street. Tanks are virtual avatars of T-28 and Panzerkampfwagen II
respectively, the firearm a lifelike copy of Ur-35 gun, and the
experience as realistic as possible.
Muse Goer
Train of change.
/2013-02-09/ Energetic
modernization of Poland's railway system plays havoc with Krakow
train connections. Expect some trains cancelled for some time, other
to be detoured and delayed, timetables frequently changed.
Mark
Sweet and fat.
/2013-02-05/ Tomorrow is Fat
Thursday, Tlusty Czwartek in Polish, Poland's traditional day of
sugary overeating that marks the start of Ostatki or the last week
of carnival. Don't forget to buy paczki, the local incarnation of
donuts, a must-eat in Krakow on that date.
Barbara
Cost cutting.
/2013-02-02/ Over years of
visiting the city regularly on business I used to stay in many of
hotels in Krakow. Now I'm basically in the
same job but I've changed my status to the self-employed. So
presently I'm more cost-conscious and I've decided to switch to
cheaper lodgings. I've found hostels in Krakow
often match tourist hotels in standards while their informality may
be refreshing.
Axel N.
A late visit.
/2013-01-29/ Today I was turned
down at a popular museum in central Krakow called Rynek Underground
(situated under the Cloth Hall). They are officially open till 4 p.m.
on Tuesdays and I appeared ten to three. A very resolute lady
ordered me out explaining the entry is possible to 14.45 p.m. at the
latest. I said it's a difference of just five minutes and assured
her I needed only half an houre to see the place but she adamantly
refused to let me in.
Banister
Free Museums.
/2013-01-27/ We visited four
branches of the Krakow National Museum for free over the last two
days. It's a pity that from tomorrow on they'll charge for
admittance. Publicly funded museums in the UK are accessible free of
charge. Krakow, too, should adopt that model.
Bo
Less frequent flyer.
/2013-01-24/
Some connections to and from Krakow Airport
featured in this winter's original timetable have been cancelled to
date. Krakow Info service publishes the updated schedule of
flights from Krakow.
Mark
Taxed.
/2013-01-20/
My hotel in Krakow has billed me for a tourist tax besides the usual
items. Not much but I thought the room rate includes everything
except the contents of minibar and videos on demand.
Molto
Easter music festival.
/2013-01-14/
The 2012
Easter festival of music in Krakow called
Misteria Paschalia lasts throughout this year's Holy
Week, i.e. from Monday, March 25th through Easter Sunday, March
31st. Concerts take place every evening and they feature
European
accomplished soloist singers and ensembles from France, Italy,
Spain, and Switzerland performing Baroque music.
Kasia
Krakow online museum visits.
/2013-01-12/ Now it's possible to take quick
video tours of Krakow museums online
at will. See yourself at www.krakow-info.com/video-museums.htm
Muse Goer
Tropical jungle in winter.
/2013-01-05/ Tropical rainforest has been recreated in the Museum of
Natural History (Muzeum Przyrodnicze) at 9 Sw. Sebastiana street.
Actually just the flora as the museum's new temporary show consists
mostly of plants, representing some sixty species, brought from the Krakow Botanic Garden. Exotic
fauna is restricted to fishes swimming in a pond though taped birds
and monkeys are heard.
The exhibition will last till springtime.
Muse Goer
Eatable.
/2013-01-03/
I was afraid restaurants in Krakow would
be closed on the New Year Day. Actually I've found them all open. At
least those on my itinerary (eatinerary?).
John Giovanni
