Touring the Old Town on Wheels.
Krakow’s landmarks are situated mostly within easy
walking
distance from one another and the bulk of
the city’s
historical area
has been turned into a pedestrian precinct (click to see
map). But you can roam the Old Town district
driven in a carriage, an electric cart or a cycle rickshaw. And some opt for freedom a rented
bicycle in Krakow
allows.
Museums
on Wheels.
An
old streetcar, turned into a mobile cafe,
cruises Krakow's historic city center. Other vintage trams run round the Old Town
historical district and
alongside Blonia common in July and August.
Also, there are organized rail journeys
in period trains pulled by a steam engine between Krakow and
the Railroad Museum Park in Chabowka, some sixty km
south.
Sailing
through Krakow.
Wisla
(Vistula) river is Krakow’s sole waterway. Spring through
autumn pleasure boats navigate it upstream through
picturesque landscape to Bielany and
Tyniec. Other affordable
option is a river bus ('tramwaj wodny") that takes just several
passengers.
Horse
Cabs.
Day
and evening, open carriages await passengers at Krakow’s
central Rynek Glowny grand
square, practically all the year
round. They queue alongside the square’s northern edge. The
fare is around an equivalent of euro 30-40 per hour (half the
amount for a half hour) and you may bargain. Customer
determines the route.
Electric
carts.
Electric
carts are available early spring through late autumn. They are
parked on the corner of Plac Mariacki and Florianska street by
the basilica of the Virgin
Mary (Kosciol Mariacki) at Krakow’s central Rynek Glowny
grand square as well as other
places in the Old Town. Taped guided tours are most popular with
customers but you may also hire a cart and ask the driver to
follow your own route. One may circle the Rynek Glowny square
for an equivalent of roughly two euro. A half-hour ride costs an
equivalent of some ten euro, while an hour’s one is 15
euro or so.
Pleasure
Boat.
May
through September small double-deck pleasure boats leave
from landings on the Wisla river bank near the Wawel Royal
Castle. Between 9:30 a.m. and
5:30 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on
weekends, the vessels take passengers for an hour-long
excursion upstream by the St. Norbert’s Convent towards the
Tyniec Abbey and the Bielany Monastery atop hills on opposite
banks of the Wisla river. And occasionally a jazz band may
entertain those onboard with New Orleans’ standards.
River
bus
In
summer river buses (called 'tramwaj wodny') navigate on
Wisla river between Dabie and Tyniec Abbey with stops at
Zablocie, Galeria Kazimierz shopping
mall, Wawel, and Tor Kajakarswa kayaking course.
The entire ten-kilometer or so voyage upstream takes some
ninety minutes, the same the way back downstream, but
passengers may get off at any stop. River bus leaves from the
Dabie landing at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 5 p.m. It sails back
from the Tyniec stop at noon, 3:30 p.m., and 7
p.m.
Krakow
Afoot
Travel
to Krakow
Over four million visitors show up
in Krakow every year. Many arrive by air, but
most take advantage of the fact that Krakow lies
at a major European road and rail junction.
Driving
Car in Krakow
Parking zones and parking lots in
the city center.
|
