David Shoulder - Isle of Wight: #Krakow a weekend visit

I have just got back from my first visit to Poland - to Krakow - Poland's 3rd largest city. It is the weekend of the Krakow Half Marathon - an international event with 15000 runners. I am with my son James who ran in the event and with a large group of his fellow Isle of Wight Road Runners. The run is the centre piece but typical of the Road Runners socialising is as important as is sightseeing in and around Krakow. It made up a full short break.

As usual when I travel I like to do a bit of research and I jot it down here to remind me :

First of all Poland (in no particular order) :

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, and borders Lithuania and Russia to the northeast; Belarus and Ukraine to the east; Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south; and Germany to the west. Therefore it has borders with 7 different countries.

Poland is about 120000 square miles in area and has a population of about 38 million people. The UK is 94000 square miles and our population is just over 68 million. A further comparison England is 50000 square miles and our population is about 56 million. England is therefore much more densely populated than Poland.

It has a 480 mile coastline entirely facing the Baltic Sea.

Poland has one of the largest densities of lakes in the world - over 10000.

Poland is characterised with warm summers (when it has most rain) and moderately cold winters when it averages -1 degree C in December.

Forest covers 31% of Poland.

Poland fought with the Allies in WW2. They were dismayed when the west conceded control of Poland to Stalin and communism after the war.

I do not have the time to write about it now but read the story of Lech Walesa and Solidarity. He broke the back of communism in Poland and set it on the course it is benefitting from today. Among many awards he received The Nobel Peace Prize.

It is a member of the EU and Nato but as yet has not joined the Euro.

Economically Poland has come a long way from its position following the fall of communism in 1989. Extract from Wiki :

Poland is now the 19th largest exporter of goods and services in the world. Exports of goods and services are valued at approximately 58% of GDP, as of 2023. Poland's largest trade partners are Germany, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States. Among its lead exports are motor cars, buses, and vehicle-related accessories, machinery, electronics, electric batteries, home appliances, furniture, cosmetics, military equipment, and tobacco as well as materials such as silver, copper, steel, coal, zinc, tar, and coke. In 2023, the country produced 1300 tonnes of silver and was the 5th largest silver producer globally. As of 2025, Poland holds the world's 12th largest gold reserve, estimated at 509 tonnes.

As a consequence many of the Poles that sought work abroad - many in the UK - are now returning to Poland to take advantage of and help what has become an economic power house.

Poland takes a hard line on economic migrants and asylum seekers and has a physical border with Belarus ( because Poland suspects Russia is behind sending pro Russian Belarussians in order to try and destabilase Poland ). On the other hand Poland has taken in nearly one million Ukrainians and offered them work etc.

Anyway enough of this stuff. Personal impressions of Krakow.

Krakow is Poland's 2nd or 3rd biggest city - 800000 of which 200000 are students attending Krakow's 5 universities.

Well first of all I was not there very long and spent most of my time in the "Old Town" which is no doubt not truly representative of wider Krakow and certainly Poland. The Old Town is a well preserved and up together tourist centre. It is safe, economically buoyant and prides itself on its architecture and many churches and museums. Unlike most of Poland Krakow was not destroyed by the 2nd World War.

Krakow is not a give away but prices are very reasonable. (a quick tip on money. Cards are fully useable. Pay in the local currency. If you want cash you get much better rates at the cash exchanges in the Old Town. They want Euros or even GBP - but they want actual cash - not cards.) It is easy to get to from the airport. I would undoubtably recommended it as a place to visit for a long weekend. However having said that I personally did not find it an inspiring place. Everything is a bit grey including the cuisine. Not easy to get excited by dumplings and Goulash. The buildings in the Old Town are well preserved and attractive. There are large squares and weather permitting a cafe culture. Krakow sits on the banks of the River Vistula - Poland's largest river. (Last year the IOWRR ran in the Budapest Half Marathon - on the R Danube. Without being disrespectful to Krakow - Budapest is a much more engaging city in my opinion.)

Many tourists come to Krakow to visit Auschwitz (which is possible to visit in a day trip) and guided tours around Krakow that take in the Jewish Quarter - the Oscar Schindler Factory and the area which was the Jewish ghetto. With all this terrible information from a period not really that long ago it is not surprising that at times things feel a touch somber. At this point I will mention that the Krakow Jewish Quarter which was once massive no longer really exist as a place were Jews live. There are now only 150 Jews living in Krakow. Any Jews you identify are likely to be visitors interested in the past.

The way the holocaust played out in Poland is not for here. However I will just write this. As in other places the Nazis decided they wanted to get rid of the Jews. They did so by raiding the Jewish Quarter. I visited "Selection Square" an area now marked by 70 sculpted chairs signifying it was a sit or go arbitrary decision. If you were judged fit you were sent off to forced labour for the conditions and food to kill you. Children, the infirmed and the old were placed in the ghetto to suffer and die in dreadful conditions. When this process was not working quickly or effectively enough the Nazis came up with the Concentration Camp solution of which Auschwitz was one of the most notorious.

We came for the Krakow Half Marathon. Everyone that did it enjoyed it and it is a good one for spectators too. It is a very big event embraced by the city. The route takes runners through the Old Town and for a time, along the R Vistula. It finishes inside the covered Tauron Arena to a lightshow and upbeat music. A special touch.

All in all a fun weekend and great credit to the IOW Road Runners who certainly run hard and play hard. Thank you Krakow too.

Here are some mob pics in all over the place order :