Krakow, Poland

It seems we somehow carried the rain from Ukraine into Poland as it was damp when the bus arrived at Krakow. This city was the former royal capital of Poland and is its most beautiful city architecturally.

The first thing I noticed when I arrived in Poland is the use of the Latin alphabet! More conspicuous around the city are its Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture as this area was ruled by the Polish and Austrian-Hungarian empires. There were so many churches that it was hard to keep track (and so many weddings on the particular Saturday I was there). My favorite was St Severus Church, with its fountain of mineral-rich water and sculptures of bishops in its surrounding park. Moreover, many of the buildings are named “John Paul II”, after the pope who used to live in the Krakow area.

My favorite building though, has to be the Collegium Maius, founded in 1400 as part of Jagiellonska University, Central Europe’s second oldest. The Gothic courtyard with its old library was especially aesthetically pleasing.

Krakow also contains Wawel hill, the seat of royal power, overlooking Krakow. On top of the hill are Wawel Cathedral and Castle. The cathedral has a distinct architecture, composed of red bricks, gray stones, green spires and a golden dome. The castle has a three-storey Renaissance courtyard with some frescoes remaining.

And perhaps not surprisingly, Krakow has a Jewish quarter, Kazimierz. The city is also near two concentration campus, Auschwitz and Birkenau (which I did not have time to visit but will go next time). Kazimierz, similar to the Jewish quarter in Prague, has its fair share of synagogues and a cemetery. It is now a tourist neighborhood filled with restaurants, bars and cafes.

Florence and Tuscany, Italy

Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance and as such, half of the city were tourists. Most of these tourists were from the U.S. I have never seen so many American tourists outside of the U.S.! I guess they all head to Italy since some of them perceive the French as being unwelcoming.

While it was nice to be surrounded by Medieval and Renaissance buildings, at times it was overwhelming to be swarmed with tourists. Highlights include Pont Vecchio, the only Renaissance-style bridge remaining; the Duomo, the green, pink and white marbled structure with frescoes; Palazzo Vecchio, with its replica of Michaelangelo’s David and tall tower and the Uffizi Gallery, with its vast collection of art throughout the centuries.

I also visited the Tuscan hill towns of Siena and San Gimignano and understand why so many Americans are in Italy. Italian food and the Tuscan landscape are promoted and idealized in the U.S. The hills and vineyards of the region were indeed stunning. Add city walls, churches, Medieval buildings and you’ve got a fairytale setting!

One food that I discovered and now love is focaccia. This crunchy bread, sprinkled with salt

and topped with olive oil, is simply the best! Just like I had to have my daily baguette and pain au chocolat in France, I have to have a focaccia and gelato everyday in Italy.