Travel nostalgia - Krakow

When I was 19, I was lucky enough to be able to travel around Europe for a month with a friend, visiting 10 countries, mostly focusing on Eastern Europe. Of course, the experience was incredible at the time but it all went so quickly that it was difficult to really take it all in and appreciate what I was seeing and doing- we were experiencing entire capital cities within a three day time period before packing up and moving to the next place, nine times over. It's only been in the three years since that I've been able to really make sense of the amazing experiences that I had.

One of the places that has stuck with me in particular is Krakow. Despite the fact that I didn't take much notice of the city whilst on my travels, there are times in my day to day life where I get a real pang of wishing I was back there. My inter-rail trip was actually the second time I'd been to Krakow, as I had visited with my college history group when I was 17, and I'd really loved it then as we'd visited in the winter months. Visiting in the summer of 2011 just didn't quite have the same impact on me as it did first time round.

However, there really is just something about Poland, and Krakow in particular. On my first visit, my prior connotations of the country meant that I was expecting a totally grey, drab landscape and a pretty soulless atmosphere. I was visiting with the main aim of travelling to Auschwitz and going to the various other historical memorials, which probably didn't help the cheerfulness of my expectations. Upon landing, my first impressions pretty much confirmed what I'd expected- being early November, the weather was dismal and the landscape uninviting. However, once our coach arrived into Krakow itself, the atmosphere was little short of magical. The locals, even just those walking past us in the street, were so incredibly friendly and proud of their city, giving us recommendations of places to visit and wishing us an enjoyable stay. The architecture is quite intimidating, an impression enhanced by the endless expanses of graffiti, but hidden in back streets are beautiful gems of Polish charm, fantastic bars and pubs, and moving historical monuments and areas of interest. The Jewish Ghetto was easily my favourite area, not just for the beautiful memorials but for the calm, peaceful and reflective atmosphere that fills its streets. It's a feeling that's really hard to describe unless you've been there.

Rynek Glowny, or 'Grand Square', is the area of Krakow the people are most familiar with. Home to the famous Cloth Hall, gift shops, chocolatiers and restaurants, it's the hub of the city and is always bustling with people. During my winter visit, I made a beeline for the quaint market stalls and luxurious looking chocolate shops, giving my stay a decidedly festive feeling. However, when I visited in July two years later, the atmosphere of Rynek Glowny was totally different. I spent my time dipping my feet into the water fountain, watching street performers and wandering around the various green spaces just off the main stretch. However, the underlying olde-worlde atmosphere still remained, retaining the charm that I'd fallen in love with the first time around.

So really, my reason for writing this post is because I am currently experiencing a great pang of missing Krakow. Despite a somewhat less 'magical' second visit (maybe because I'd visited before), the city seems to have made a little space for itself in my heart and I absolute adore it. If you haven't been and ever get the chance to, take it- it's a real grower.