Arriving in Krakow: Warmth, Wander & Easter Traditions

The sun was shining in a cloud-free sky, blinding me through my sunglasses. Still, it was a cosy embrace of nature. My nostrils were inundated with the scent of fresh grass, the perfume of flowers just blossomed…and the smell of just off-the-oven bread. This was Spring’s own perfume. A touch of a newborn cycle, with a twinge of comfort. I had just got off the train and was walking towards my hotel in the Old Town of Krakow. 

It was my first time in Poland – for so many years I kept delaying my visit to this country, who knows why. Perhaps the universe wanted me to see it like this – in Spring, with the temperatures just over 20 degrees Celsius. And choosing the long Easter weekend to visit the city ended up being a blessing in disguise – whilst it was of course busier with tourists, and some attractions ended up fully closing, I felt privileged to observe the way they do Easter over there. I had no idea Easter was a second Christmas for the Polish – not only the country mostly closes for it, the traditions are simply endearing.

With Krakow blossoming, the sun shining, the Easter holidays starting, there was an incredible energy in the old streets of Krakow. The innate charm of the city – its incredible architecture, the structure of a medieval town preserved throughout the centuries, tons of shops curating collections of handmade crafts, whose artistry has been handed down generation by generation…combined with legends of dragons and magical pigeons… and you got me. This is the spell that immediately catches my breath, and enchants me completely.

In such a spell, one can easily forget that these cobbled streets and pastel coloured walls have witnessed so much darkness. During the II World War, Krakow was spared of destruction, true. But not from death. Not from what can be only described as one of the darkest, most horrendous, and hard to grasp acts of human nature. That of the Holocaust. 

There is quite a lot to unpack from my trip in Krakow. Only four nights in the city, but so much reflection and so much learning. I learned a little more about the history of Poland, its medieval times, and how it struggled when other European countries were coming off the dark ages and embracing the Enlightenment. How different powers kept fighting for a piece of this land. How the Polish have survived through it all, conserving their national identity, closely connected to the Catholic Church, with resilience and perseverance. Perhaps with some naivety as well. 

Yet, the fear is alive. Russia is a threat – one of the guides on a walking tour mentioned how his wife doesn’t want to have a third kid due to this uncertainty. Additionally, he has friends who want to invest and start their own business, but are too afraid. Poland is now the home of just under 1M Ukrainian refugees. But there is an internal threat as well… the rise of right winged powers and upcoming elections – some utilising the foul tactics of misinformation against the refugees. It is a tale as old as time that is sadly repeating itself across Europe.

The same guide also talked about hope. Mostly towards a better country, with a better economy, better living conditions and, even more, with a younger generation, more progressive, to counterbalance the conservatism that is endemic in the country, especially in the countryside, outside of the big cities. In his words, “it’s not looking so bad here”.

As I looked around, I was happy to hear a local confirm some of my feelings. Indeed, it didn’t look so bad. The city was stunning, incredibly clean, and well kept. The streets were full of tourists, but also of many locals, sitting in the cafes, in the restaurants, chatting joyfully, laughing, eating, enjoying drinks in the sun. The mood was uplifting and contagious. But what do I know? A mere tourist, passing by, of course it all looks bright and joyful. “I could even live here”, I thought. The kind of thought I always think with some fear and uncertainty, because we often, as tourists, see things in a colourful lens. Hearing the guide stating that things aren’t looking so bad – even with the Russian threat – was something that I deeply felt. 

Kazimierz might be where the youthfulness of the city expresses itself most freely. This is another historical neighbourhood of Krakow, often known as the Jewish Quarter, even though the Jewish community occupied just a corner of it. Today it is a hub for artistic expression, with small galleries, vintage shops, a choice of bars, cafes and restaurants that made me dizzy with choice. It feels bohemian, but not inauthentic. 

And tradition, something that is so necessary to keep an identity alive, was something I witnessed this Easter. On Saturday before Easter – Holy Saturday – I was observing locals carrying small baskets, covered with beautiful, delicate – often embroidered – white cloths. I learned this is one of their Easter traditions. They prepare a basket with some items – eggs, sausage, salt, cake, bread – representing the arrival of spring. Some are beautifully decorated with Easter symbols. Both adults and children were carrying the baskets, wearing more formal clothing, reminding me of the times when we had a Sunday outfit. They take the baskets to the church, to be blessed. And then, on Easter Sunday, the Great Breakfast takes place – the food is shared with family.

I also had a chance to visit the Easter Market that was happening in the main square, by the Clock tower. I envied the colourful eggs, but didn’t get one for myself… I wouldn’t know what to do with it, but I can tell locals were buying it to put in their baskets. There were quite a lot of different cakes and biscuits as well, mostly made of ginger from what I could tell, and beautifully decorated with sugar paste. There were of course stalls selling souvenirs as well – I got my magnet here – traditional ceramics and other crafts.

The food stalls were many, many selling heavy dishes of grilled meat and potatoes. I simply tried out grilled sheep cheese with cranberry sauce. The first bite was delicious, but soon I realised how salty it was, and had to drink quite a bit of water to rehydrate! Not sure if this is how it’s supposed to be, or if I just got a particularly salty bite. 

I left on Easter Sunday, back to London, but came with a new knowledge and reflections, and I always know it was a good trip when this is the case. I will be sharing a lot more details about the things I got up to – from my visit to Auschwitz, Oskar’s Schindler’s Factory, and a bit of the history of the old town of Krakow.

Love, 

Nic