Kraków No.104

Wait, whatever happened to ‘Winter Wonderland?’ you might be wondering… Well, that was last issue, sorry. To their credit, however, the Poles did stretch the holidays out over an entire two months before the pine needles finally dropped and the smog and slush won their war with the tinsel and twinkling lights. Though the city may now be hunkering down for the last two inglorious months of winter, don’t think for a minute that it’s gone into hibernation – it hasn’t, and neither should you. Kraków still boasts two of the most magical historical districts in Europe (UNESCO says so) in the Old Town and Kazimierz, plus you simply can’t take the shine off of Wawel Castle. This city’s beauty is intoxicating any time of year, but having the world’s highest density of bars and clubs certainly helps. Don’t fail to familiarise yourself with the wonderful world of Polish vodka, or try the local innovation of hot mulled beer while in town. There’s a whole calendar of events taking place, and you can even still capture some of that uniquely Cracovian Christmas magic by visiting the kooky Christmas Cribs Exhibition on the market square before February 26th.

MAIN FEATURE: Wieliczka

As for us, we’ve been escaping the smog and freezing temps by exploring neighbouring Wieliczka, whose famous salt mine boasts a saline microclimate celebrated for its health benefits, and the steady 15 degrees Centigrade feels absolutely cosy. Not only have we been knocking around underground in mining gear and garb, but we’ve also taken a closer look at the town itself above the soil line; check out this issue’s feature.