Krakow is a charming European city, a mix of old and new. The city survived World War II, remaining intact and at the same time there are new modern buildings as well.

We visited Krakow over a weekend in the summer with a tour and then we stayed on an extra day after. The Vestula River runs through Krakow with the Wawel Castle rising up behind it. The area of the Wawel is teeming with tourists and people displaying souvenirs for sale giving it a “touristy” feel.

The Kazimierz, the historic Jewish Quarter has a few synagogues open to the public. Some have museum displays and the Rama Shul, adjacent to the cemetery, is still in use.

The square in the Kazimierz neighborhood is teeming with people. There are electric cars with rows of seats (mini bus style) and open sides that offer guided tours throughout the Kazimierz.

When we were there, we ate dinner at Zelig’s Kosher restaurant and bought groceries at the Chabad store. Minyan there is run by Chabad and minyan can sometimes be found at the Rema Shul as well.

Krakow is an hour away from Auschwitz-Birkenau and is the closest big city making it the station for people who want to visit that terrible place.

Posted: December 23, 2018

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