Three days in Krakow, Poland

Here are few photos captured on my recent visit to Krakow. I am really enjoying shooting with my new Fuji XT5 as it is lightweight to carry around and compact in size. I have always religiously shot with a Canon but decided to try Fuji this year and like being able to have the camera on me all the times without feeling laden with gear.

We spent three nights in Poland and managed to tick off a lot of the main places to visit, the week before we arrived it was sub-zero temperatures and snow but our trip brought clear blue skies and some early spring sunshine.

We spent the first day in Zakopane, under the Tatra mountains, this day started cloudy so I didn't shoot much, although later on whilst swimming in the thermal pools the skies cleared and the snow capped mountains appeared in the distance, one for the memory bank!

The second day we visited Auchswitz and Birkenau. It is hard to believe the horrors that unfolded there, but a walk around the camps with the information from the tour guides really hits home - esocially seeing the belongings some of the victims.

It was an eerie day and as the day came to a close we not only got a dramatic sunset but we saw the full blood-moon rise over Birkenau. As I stood and watch the light drop over the camp I imagined how many nights the prisoners must have looked at the sky, wondering whether they would ever see freedom.

We also visited the Wieliczka Salt Mine which was a fascinating trip deep underground to the old salt mines which contained lagoons, chapels and artwork carved in salt.

The city of Krakow itself is stunning, we were treated to glrious sunshine an were able to stroll the wide, clean streets. Krakow is probably the cleanest city I have visited and if you're up and about early you will find them steaming the pavements and road. The sense of pride is reflected in the upkeep of the buildings and the presentation of the many shops and restaurants.

St Mary's basilisca in the sqaure was one of my favourite parts of the city with the incredible painted celestial ceiling, which is almost impossible to do justice to in a photo.

We tried some traditional Polish such as Herring and Vodka! (yes served together) as well as Polish tea with preserves. there are lots of bakeries dotted around the city to enjoy.

The Jewish quarter is worth a visit, espcially if you are into your photography as there are some wonderful faded facades and patinas to shoot. It is colourful and quirky with lots of little cafes and bars to stop in for a break.

We ended the trip with a quick stop off at the Zakrzówek lake on the way to the airport. Formerly a quarry, the lake is enclosed by chalky cliffs and has a wooden walkway around some man made pools. It had a relaxing atmosphere with students and families enjoying the sunshine and exercising. There is a cafe there too.

We hired a car for the trip which was a bargain and allowed us to quickly get around and cram as much into our time as possible. I would definitley recommend a visit to anyone looking for a city break.