Krakow Christmas Market and Rynek Głowny

Getting to Krakow city centre from the airport was very easy. Just follow the signs to the train and purchase a ticket at the kiosk while you wait for it to arrive. It drops you off at Kraków Główny (the main train station). Once there you get to walk through a mall which is kind of funny and then 10-15 minutes to Rynek Głowny (the town square).

I booked accommodation for 1 night in Hotel Jan. It was a great hotel! They have a lift which is often a luxury in old cities. Breakfast was really good and the room was very clean and comfortable. I would stay there again on another trip.

Once I checked in and unloaded my pack, I headed out for a wander. I didn’t really have a plan so I just sort of went wherever seemed interesting. I started with a walk down the road towards the Armory and Walwel Castle.

Once on top of the hill, I saw a man and woman selling gorgeous watercolour paintings. I purchased one for the steal of the equivalent €18. They were very kind and it is something that I look at often and smile.

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I decided it would be a good time to check out the Christmas market – where I actually did most of my meals for my time in Krakow. Their market is rated one of the best in Europe. Having been to only three I agree it is quite good! I spent a lot of time wandering into the stalls and drinking mulled wine. I went probably 3 times each day I was there. There were several booths with gorgeous handmade items (a lot of lovely embroidery, felted wool and wooden utensils). My favourite thing to buy was beautifully decorated gingerbread cookies which were soft and perfect. They were the dessert of every meal ha! My first meal consisted of a magical kielbasa with cabbage and some mulled wine. (it was lunch).

Look at this cute Polish version of a fortune cookie!

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There’s just something special about a Christmas Market in a place like this. It’s a small city comparatively to the other Christmas Market contenders in Europe so it has a certain charm.  Here are some more photos of the Market from my visit.

On the edge of the square is the really beautiful St. Mary’s Basilica. Poland is something like 85% Catholic. My favourite part was hearing the trumpet calls every hour. Not a recording -an actual real live trumpeter.

On every hour, a trumpet signal—called the Hejnał mariacki—is played from the top of the taller of Saint Mary’s two towers. The plaintive tune breaks off in mid-stream, to commemorate the famous 13th century trumpeter, who was shot in the throat while sounding the alarm before the Mongol attack on the city. The noon-time hejnałis heard across Poland and abroad broadcast live by the Polish national Radio 1 Station.[1] [2]

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