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Maczanka Po Krakowsku

 


To start - a short tidbit about Bielsko-Biała, the town where we were staying with my aunt and uncle. I may have gotten so relaxed here that I forgot to write about this place. The cities of Bielsko and Biała merged in 1951 to form one city. Biała was actually under Austrian rule until 1918, and the town has now taken on the nickname of “Little Vienna” as its architecture is said to be similar to that of Vienna. 

Main market square Bielsko-Biała

Frog statue!

A street that used to be known as “Vienna Street”

To get a view of Bielsko-Biała from above, you can take a cable car to the top of Szyndzielnia Mountain. The city is surrounded by beautiful mountains and greenery, lots of options to get into nature. 

Taking the cable-car up

View of the city from above 

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Today we arrived in Kraków! We’ve got two nights in this wonderful city before we take a detour from Poland to explore some other countries.

As is the Polish way, we had to fill our stomachs before exploring the city. Our first taste of Kraków was, of course, a delicious sandwich called a Maczanka. This is a crispy bun, traditionally filled with pulled pork and pickles, but which can be modified to other fun combinations. 

Liam’s pulled pork and horseradish Maczanka 

My Maczanka was filled with a potato pancake, smoked cheese, pickles, and a delicious cranberry-horseradish sauce! It was so good I think I’ll have to go back for seconds before we leave. 

Enjoying my Maczanka

With full stomachs, we began to wander the Jewish Quarter of the city, Kazimierz. This area is full of history and now houses many cute shops and bars. There is a synagogue on every corner, but only one or two are still active. The rest are converted, for example, into bars like the one where we stopped for tea. 

Ornate decorations in Kazimierz

Café in an old synagogue 

We continued walking down the main pedestrian street, where synagogues turned to ornate churches present around every corner. We walked down to the main square where the famed Sukiennice market stalls are. 

Beautiful old church

Entering the main square

The Sukiennice Market stalls

Around the next corner, there was another lovely square which was hosting a gathering of Maluch cars. These are tiny Fiats which used to be very popular in Poland in the 1980s. 

Another lovely square

Maluch cars all lined up

Being a large city, Kraków has many interesting areas to eat and drink. Tonight we went out for a drink to the “Ministry of Magic” - a Harry Potter themed bar and eatery! It was quite fun, we were led down three flights of stairs into a darkened room with spooky art, and our drinks were eccentric. 

Outside the Ministry of Magic

Inside the bar

Liam had a vanilla cream drink which smoked while I had a passion fruit elixir.

Magical Drinks!

In the evening, we made our way back to our apartment, across the Vistula River, with the glowing sunset at our backs. 

Kraków sunset


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