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We are glad that you are interested in Krakow and we invite you to participate in journey of your lifetime. To encourage you to come we present you our brand new polished and shining reception booklet , in which you can find all the necessary information.

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Content Poland - General Information .................................................................................................4

Climate ...............................................................................................................................5 Geography ..........................................................................................................................5 History of Poland ................................................................................................................7 Famous Polish People .........................................................................................................9 Polish Politics ................................................................................................................... 13 Economy .......................................................................................................................... 15 Religion in Poland ............................................................................................................ 17 Sports ............................................................................................................................... 17 Holidays ........................................................................................................................... 19

Useful Information ............................................................................................................... 20 Fоod ................................................................................................................................. 20 Currency ........................................................................................................................... 22 Time zone ......................................................................................................................... 22 Prices ................................................................................................................................ 22 Units ................................................................................................................................. 23 Electricity ......................................................................................................................... 23 Communication ................................................................................................................ 24 Business Hours ................................................................................................................. 25 Useful phrases .................................................................................................................. 26

Krakow ................................................................................................................................ 29 How to get here? ............................................................................................................... 29 Location ........................................................................................................................... 31 Our City ........................................................................................................................... 31 History ............................................................................................................................. 33 Universities ...................................................................................................................... 36 Cultural life ...................................................................................................................... 39 Night life .......................................................................................................................... 43 Places to visit in Krakow and nearby ................................................................................ 45 Nearby Krakow ................................................................................................................ 49

Poland - General Information Poland, officially the Republic of Poland is a country in Central Europe. Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 square kilometers (120,726 sq mi), making it the 69th largest country in the world and the 9th largest in Europe.

Poland has a population of over 38 million people, which makes it the 34th most populous country in the world and

the most populous Eastern European Member State of the EU. The majority of the population live in the cities and towns with over 45% of all citizens living in one of the 42 larger cities with population exceeding 100 000 inhabitants. Poland is divided into 16 voivodships. The capital city of Warsaw is located on the Vistula River and has population of 1,600,000 people. Today, over 98% of the population is ethnic Poles, and more than 80 % are practicing Roman Catholics.

Climate The geographical location and surface features are the two most important factors determining the climate of Poland. The climate has

transitional character between the maritime and continental climates. Winters are sometimes mild and sometimes cold, similarly the summers are cool and rainy or hot and dry. Generally, summer is usually warm and the most pleasant time to visit, but the plentiful sunshine is mixed together with rain. Spring starts in March with temperatures varying from -1 to +20 °C, until about April or May. July is the hottest month, but the rest of the summer is also quite warm with temperatures from 21 to 32 °C. Initially warm September is the beginning of Poland's autumn. Thereafter, the days become more cold until December, when winter begins and the temperature drops from a few degrees below zero to sometimes - 20 °C. Winter lasts from December to March and includes shorter or longer period of snow. In the high mountains snow lies till May.

Geography Poland’s territory extends across several geographical regions. In the northwest is the Baltic seacoast, which extends from the Bay of Pomerania to the Gulf of Gdansk. This coast is marked by several spits, coastal lakes (former bays that have been cut off from the sea), and dunes. The largely straight coastline is indented by the Szczecin Lagoon, the Bay of Puck, and the Vistula Lagoon. The center and parts of the north lie within the North European Plain. Rising gently above these lowlands is a geographical region comprising the four hilly districts of moraines and moraine-dammed lakes formed during and after the Pleistocene ice age. These lake districts are the Pomeranian Lake District, the Greater Polish Lake District, the Kashubian Lake District, and the Masurian Lake District. The Masurian Lake District is the largest of the four and covers much of northeastern Poland. The lake districts form part of the Baltic Ridge, a series of moraine belts along the southern shore of the Baltic Sea. South of the Northern European Lowlands lie the regions of Silesia and Masovia, which are marked by broad ice-age river valleys. Farther south lies the Polish mountain region, including the Sudetes, the Cracow-Częstochowa Upland, the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, and the Carpathian Mountains, including the Beskids. The highest part of the Carpathians is the Tatra Mountains, along Poland’s southern border.

History of Poland Poland began to form into a recognizable unitary and territorial entity around the middle of the 10th century. Poland's first historically documented ruler, Mieszko I, was baptized in 966, adopting Catholic Christianity as the nation's new official religion, to which most of the population converted in the course of the next centuries. In the twelfth century, Poland fragmented into several smaller states and was reunited in 13 2 0 b y kin g Władysław I. His son, Kazimierz III the Great, is remembered as one of the biggest reformers, founder of many cities and the University of Krakow (later called Jagiellonian University) witch was the 2nd university in Central Europe. Poland was also a centre of migration of people and the Jewish community began to settle and

flourish in here during those times.

Under the Jagiellon dynasty Poland forged a union with its neighbour, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1410, a Polish-Lithuanian army inflicted a decisive defeat on the Teutonic Knights (both countries' main adversary), in the battle of Grunwald. After the Thirteen Years' War, the Knight's state became a Polish vassal. Polish culture and economy flourished under the Jagiellons, and the country produced such figures as astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus and poet Jan Kochanowski. Compared to other European nations, Poland was exceptional in its tolerance of religious dissent, allowing the country to avoid the religious turmoil that spread over Western Europe in that time. Seventy-five Tatar raids were recorded into Poland and Lithuania between 1474-1569.

A golden age ensued during the sixteenth century after the Union of Lublin which gave birth to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Nobles in Poland, far more numerous than in Western European countries, took pride in their freedoms and parliamentary system. During the Golden Age period, Poland expanded its borders to become the largest country in Europe.

In the mid-seventeenth century, a Swedish invasion ("The Deluge") and the Cossacks' Chmielnicki Uprising which ravaged the country marked the end of the golden age. Numerous wars against Russia coupled with government inefficiency caused by the Liberum veto, a right which had allowed any member of the parliament to dissolve it and to veto any legislation it had passed, marked the steady deterioration of the Commonwealth from a European power into a near-anarchy controlled by its neighbours. Despite the erosion of its power, the Commonwealth was able to deal a crushing defeat to the Ottoman Empire in 1683 at the Battle of Vienna.

The reforms, particularly those of the Great Sejm, which passed the Constitution of May 3, 1791, the world's second modern constitution and the first in Europe, were thwarted with the three partitions of Poland (1772, 1793, and 1795) which culminated in Poland's being erased from the map and its territories being divided between Russia, Prussia, and Austria. Poles would resent their fate and would several times rebel against the partitioners, particularly in the nineteenth century. In 1807, Napoleon I of France recreated a Polish state, the Duchy of Warsaw, but after the

Napoleonic Wars, Poland was again divided in 1815 by the victorious Allies at the Congress of Vienna. The eastern portion was ruled by the Russian Czar as a Congress Kingdom. The Czars soon reduced Polish freedoms and Russia eventually “de facto” annexed the country. Later in the nineteenth century, Austrian-ruled Galicia, particularly the Free City of Kraków, became a centre of Polish cultural life.

During World War I, all the Allies agreed on the reconstitution of Poland that United States President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed in Point 13 of his Fourteen Points. Shortly after the surrender of Germany in November 1918, Poland regained its independence as the Second Polish Republic. It reaffirmed its independence after a series of military conflicts, the most notable being the Polish–Soviet War (1919–1921) when Poland inflicted a crushing defeat on the Red Army. The 1926 May Coup of Józef Piłsudski turned the reins of the Second Polish Republic over to the Sanacja movement. The movement controlled Poland until the start of World War II in 1939, when Nazi Germany invaded on 1 September and the Soviet invasion of Poland followed on 17 September. Warsaw capitulated on 28 September 1939. As agreed in the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Poland was split into two zones, one occupied by Germany while the eastern provinces fell under the control of the Soviet Union.

Of all the countries involved in the war, Poland lost the highest percentage of its citizens: over six million perished, half of them Polish Jews. Poland made the fourth-largest troop contribution to the Allied war effort, after the Soviets, the British and the Americans. The Polish expeditionary corps played an important role in the Italian Campaign, particularly at the Battle of Monte Cassino. At the war's conclusion, Poland's borders were shifted westwards, pushing the eastern border to the Curzon Line. Meanwhile, the western border was moved to the Oder-Neisse line. The new Poland emerged 20% smaller by 77,500 square kilometres. The shift forced the migration of millions of people, most of whom were Poles, Germans, Ukrainians, and Jews. The Soviet Union instituted a new Communist government in Poland, analogous to much of the rest of the Eastern Bloc. Military alignment within the Warsaw Pact throughout the Cold War was also part of this change. The People's Republic of Poland was officially proclaimed in 1952. In 1956, the régime of Władysław Gomułka became temporarily more liberal, freeing many people from prison and expanding some personal freedoms. A similar situation repeated itself in the 1970s under Edward Gierek, but most of the time persecution of communist opposition persisted.

Labour turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" ("Solidarność"), which over time became a political force. Despite persecution and imposition of martial law in 1981, it eroded the dominance of the Communist Party and by 1989 had triumphed in parliamentary elections. Lech Wałęsa, a Solidarity candidate, eventually won the

presidency in 1990. The Solidarity movement heralded the collapse of communism across Eastern Europe. A shock therapy programme of Leszek Balcerowicz during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into a market economy. As with all other post-communist countries, Poland suffered temporary slumps in social and economic standards, but became the first

post-communist country to reach its pre-1989 GDP levels, which it achieved by 1995 due to its booming economy. Most visibly, there were numerous improvements in other human rights, such as the freedom of speech. In 1991, Poland became a member of the Visegrád Group and joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance in 1999 along with the Czech Republic and Hungary. Poles then voted to join the European Union in a referendum in June 2003, with Poland becoming a full member on 1 May 2004. In 2007 Poland joined Schengen Area.

Famous Polish People Pope John Paul II ( Polish: Jan Paweł II, born Karol Wojtyła; 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005) served as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death almost 27 years later. His was the second-longest pontificate; only Pope Pius IX served longer. He was the only Polish Pope, and was the first non-Italian Pope since Dutch Pope Adrian VI in the 1520s. John Paul II has been widely acclaimed as one of the most influential leaders of the twentieth century. It is widely agreed that he was instrumental in ending communism in his native Poland and eventually all of Central Europe, Southern Europe and Eastern

Europe, as well as significantly improving the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. While some have criticised him for his views against the ordination of women and contraception, his support for the Second Vatican Council and its reform of the Liturgy, others have praised him for his firm, orthodox Catholic stances in these areas.

He was one of the most-travelled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. He was fluent in many languages: his native Polish as well as Italian, French, German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian, Ancient Greek and Latin. As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness, he beatified 1,340 people and canonised 483 Saints, more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the last five centuries.

Lech Walesa (born September 29, 1943) is a Polish politician and a former anticommunist underground, trade union and human rights activist. He co-founded Solidarity, the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland from 1990 to 1995.

He attended primary and vocational school, before entering Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk as an electrical technician in 1970. Lech Wałęsa is a devout Roman Catholic, and has said that his faith always helped him during Solidarity's difficult moments.

On August 14, 1980, after the beginning of an occupational strike in the Lenin Shipyard of Gdańsk, Wałęsa became the leader of this strike. The strike was spontaneously followed by similar strik es, first in Gd ańsk , and then across Poland . In Sep tember of that year, the Communist government signed an agreement with the Strike Coordination Committee to allow legal organization, but not actual free trade unions. The Strike Coordination Committee

legalized itself into National Coordination Committee of Solidarność Free Trade Union, and Wałęsa was chosen as a chairman of th is Committee. Wałęsa k ep t th is p osition until December 13, 1981, when General Wojciech Jaruzelski declared a state of martial and Walesa was arrested. Wałęsa was incarcerated for 11 months in south-eastern Poland near the Soviet border.

In 1983, he applied to come back to Gdańsk Shipyard as a simple electrician. The year 1983 also saw Wałęsa being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He was unable to receive the prize himself, fearing that the government would not let him back in. His wife, Danuta Wałęsa, received the prize in his place.

From 1987 to 1990 Wałęsa organized and led, the "half-illegal" Temporary Executive Committee of Solidarity Trade Union. In 1988 Wałęsa organized an occupational strike in Gdańsk Shipyard, demanding only the re-legalisation of the Solidarity Trade Union. After eighty days the government agreed to enter into talks in September. Wałęsa was an informal leader of the "non-governmental" side during the talks. During the talks the government signed an agreement to re-establish the Solidarity Trade Union and to organize "half-free" elections to the Polish parliament. In 1989, Wałęsa organized and led the Citizenship Committee of the Chairman of Solidarity Trade Union. Formally, it was just an advisory body, but, practically, it was a kind of a political party, which won parliament elections in 1989 (the Opposition took all seats in the Sejm that were subject of free elections and all but one seats in the newly re-established senate; according to the Round Table agreements only members of the Communist Party and its allies could stand for the remaining 64% of seats in the Sejm). While technically just a Chairman of Solidarity Trade Union at the time, Wałęsa played a key role in Polish politics. At the end of 1989, he persuaded leaders from formerly Communist ally parties to form a non-communist coalition government, which was the first non-Communist government in the Soviet Bloc's sphere of influence. After that agreement the parliament chose Tadeusz Mazowiecki for prime minister of Poland. Poland, while still a Communist country in theory, started to change its economy to a market-based system. He is the only private foreign citizen to address a joint session of the United States Congress, which he did on November 15, 1989. He was also the first recipient of the Liberty Medal on July 4, 1989 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In his acceptance speech, he said, "Liberty is not only a right, but also our common responsibility and duty." On December 9, 1990, Wałęsa won the presidential election to become president of Poland for the next five years. During his presidency, he started a so-called "war at the top" which practically meant changing the government annually. His style of presidency was strongly criticized by most of the political parties, and he lost most of the initial public support by the end of 1995.

Mikolaj Kopernik (Nicolaus Copernicus, 19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was the first astronomer to formulate a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology, which displaced the Earth from the center of the universe. His epochal book, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), published in 1543 just before he died, is often regarded as the starting point of modern

astronomy and the defining epiphany that began the Scientific Revolution. His heliocentric model, with the sun at the center of the universe, demonstrated that the observed motions of celestial objects can be explained without putting the Earth at rest in the center of the universe. His work stimulated further scientific investigations, becoming a landmark in the history of modern science that is now often referred to as the Copernican Revolution. Among the great polymaths of the Renaissance, Copernicus was a mathematician, astronomer, physician, quadrilingual polyglot, classical scholar, translator, artist, Catholic cleric, jurist, governor, military leader, diplomat and economist. Among his many responsibilities, astronomy figured as little more than an avocation — yet it was in that field that he made his mark upon the world.

Fryderyk Chopin (1 March 1810[1] – 17 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He was one of the great masters of Romantic music. Chopin was born in the village of Żelazowa Wola, in the Duchy of Warsaw, to a French-expatriate father and Polish mother, and was regarded as a child-prodigy pianist. On 2 November 1830, he left for Austria. Seven days later the Polish November Uprising, and subsequent Russian victory, led to him becoming one of many expatriates of the Polish Great Emigration. In Paris, Chopin made a comfortable living as a composer and piano teacher, while giving few

public performances. From 1837 to 1847 he had a turbulent relationship with the French writer George Sand. Chopin's extant compositions were written primarily for the piano as a solo instrument. Though they are technically demanding, his style emphasises nuance and expressive depth. Chopin invented musical forms such as the instrumental ballade and was responsible for major innovations in forms such as the piano sonata, mazurka, waltz, nocturne, étude, impromptu and prélude. His works are masterpieces and mainstays of Romanticism in 19th-century classical music.

Maria Sklodowska Curie (November 7, 1867 – July 4, 1934) was a physicist and chemist of Polish upbringing and, subsequently, French citizenship. She was a pioneer in the field of radioactivity, the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes, and the first female professor at the University of Paris. Her husband Pierre Curie was a Nobel co-laureate of hers, and her daughter Irène Joliot-Curie and son-in-law Frédéric Joliot-Curie also received Nobel prizes.

Her achievements include the creation of a theory of radioactivity (a

term coined by her), techniques for isolating radioactive isotopes, and the discovery of two new elements, polonium and radium. It was also under her personal direction that the world's first studies were conducted into the treatment of neoplasms (cancers), using radioactive isotopes. While an actively loyal French citizen, she never lost her sense of Polish identity. She named the first new chemical element that she discovered (1898) polonium for her native country, and in 1932 she founded a Radium Institute (now the Maria Skłodowska–Curie Institute of Oncology) in her home town Warsaw, headed by her physician-sister Bronisława.

Henryk Sienkiewicz (May 5, 1846–November 15, 1916) was a Polish journalist and novelist. He was one of the most popular Polish writers at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905 for his "outstanding merits as an epic writer." In Russian-ruled Poland, Sienkiewicz wrote historical novels. His works

were noted for their negative portrayal of the Teutonic Order in The Teutonic Knights, which was remarkable as a significant portion of his readership lived under German rule. Many of his novels were first serialized in newspapers, and even today are still in print. In Poland, he is best known for his historical novels "With Fire and Sword", "The Deluge", and "Fire in the Steppe" (The Trilogy) set during the 17th-century Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, while internationally he is best known for Quo Vadis, set in Nero's Rome.

Sienkiewicz was meticulous in attempting to recreate the authenticity of historical language. In his Trilogy, for instance, he had his characters use the Polish language as he imagined it was spoken in the seventeenth century (in reality it was far more similar to 19th-century Polish than he imagined). In The Teutonic Knights, which relates to the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, he even had his characters speak a variety of medieval Polish which he recreated in part from archaic expressions then still common among the highlanders of Podhale.

Adam Mickiewicz (December 24, 1798 – November 26, 1855) is generally regarded as the greatest Polish Romantic poet. He ranks as one of Poland's Three Bards alongside Zygmunt Krasiński and Juliusz Słowacki. Mickiewicz is also regarded as the greatest Slavic poet, alongside Alexander Pushkin, and as one of the best authors of the Romantic school. The writings of Mickiewicz have had such a tremendous influence upon the Polish mind that they can not be underestimated. Because of the greater simplicity of his style and the directness of presentation, Mickiewicz reached

more Polish hearts than any other Polish writer and came to be regarded as the greatest interpreter of the people's hopes and ideals. His two monumental works, marking the zenith of his power, are Dziady (Forefathers' Eve) and Pan Tadeusz. The latter is universally recognized as "the only successful epic which the 19th century produced."

Jan Matejko (June 24, 1838, Free City of Kraków; - November 1, 1893, Kraków) was a Polish painter known for paintings of notable historical Polish political and military events. His most famous works include oil on canvas paintings like Battle of Grunwald, paintings of numerous other battles and court scenes,

and a gallery of Polish kings. He is counted among the most famous Polish painters.

Jozef Pilsudski (December 5, 1867 – May 12, 1935) was Chief of State (1918–22), "First Marshal" (from 1920) and (1926–35) the authoritarian ruler of the Second Polish Republic. From mid-World War I he was a major influence in Poland's politics, and an important figure on the European political scene. He is considered largely responsible for Poland regaining independence in 1918, after a hundred twenty-three years of partitions.

Early in his political career, Pilsudski became a leader of the Polish Socialist Party. Concluding, however, that Poland's independence would have to be won by force of arms, he created the Polish Legions. In 1914 he anticipated the outbreak of a European war, the Russian Empire's defeat by the Central Powers, and the Central Powers' defeat by the western powers. When World War I broke out, he and his Legions fought alongside the Austro-Hungarian and German Empires to ensure Russia's defeat. In 1917, with Russia faring badly in the war, he withdrew his support from the Central Powers. From November 1918, when Poland regained independence, until 1922, Pilsudski was Poland's Chief of State. In 1919–21 he commanded Poland's forces in the Polish-Soviet War. In 1923, with the Polish government dominated by his opponents, particularly the National Democrats, he withdrew from active politics. Three years later he returned to power in the May 1926 coup d'état, becoming de facto dictator of Poland. From then until his death in 1935, he concerned himself primarily with military and foreign affairs.

Tadeusz Kosciuszko (February 4, 1746 – October 15, 1817) was a Polish military leader. He is a national hero in Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, and the United States. He led the 1794 Kościuszko Uprising against Imperial Russia and Kingdom of Prussia as Supreme Commander of the National Armed Force. Prior to commanding the 1794 Uprising, he had fought in the American Revolutionary War as a colonel in the Continental Army. In 1783, in recognition of his dedicated service, he had been brevetted by the Continental Congress to the rank of

brigadier general and had become a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Polish Politics Republic of Poland is a democracy, with a President as a Head of State, whose current constitution dates from 1997. The government structure centres on the Council of Ministers, led by a Prime Minister. The president appoints the cabinet according to the proposals of the prime minister, typically from the majority coalition in the Sejm. The president is elected by popular vote every five years. The current president is Lech Kaczyński, the current prime minister is Donald Tusk.

Donald Tusk (born April 22, 1957, Gdańsk) is a center-right Polish politician, co-founder and chairman of the Civic Platform, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland. Tusk was officially designated as Prime Minister on November 9, 2007 and took office on November 16.

Lech Kaczyński (born 18 June 1949) is the President of the Republic of Poland, a politician of the conservative right wing party Law and Justice (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość). Kaczyński served as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005, the day before his presidential inauguration. He is the identical twin brother of the former Prime Minister of Poland, Jarosław Kaczyński.

Professor Jerzy Buzek (born 3 July 1940) is a Polish engineer, academic lecturer and politician. He was Prime Minister of Poland from 1997 to 2001 and has been a member of the European Parliament since 13 June 2004. On 14 July 2009,

he was elected as President of the European Parliament. He succeeded Hans-Gert Pöttering.

Parties In Polish Parlament

Civic Platform – Platforma Obywatelska (PO) Liberal, proeuropean, center-rightwing party focused on reforms, economy and development. Main liders of the Civic Platform are PM Donald Tusk, President of Sejm Bronislaw Komorowski, President of Warsaw Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz

and Jerzy Buzek President of European Parliament. Civic Paltform is most popular among the youth.

Law and Justice – Prawo I Sprawiedliwość (PiS) Conservative, europhobic, devotional, prosocial, rightwing party. Main leaders are Kaczynski Brothers (in fact they are identical twins): Lech and Jaroslaw, the first

one is current President of Poland and former President of Warsaw, the second is the former Prime Minister. Law and Justice is supported by many old people, and population of smaller towns.

Democratic Left Alliance – Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej (SLD) Prosocial, liberal, supporting minorities, leftwing party with postcomunist roots. In last few years this party hasn’t played any major role in polish politics.

Polish People’s Party – Polskie Stonnictwo Ludowe (PSL) Agrarian, proeuropean party. It is most popular in villages, among farmers. After last

parliamentary elections Polish People’s Party formed a coalition with Civic Platform – both parties support current government. Waldemar Pawlak, leader of Polish People’s Party is Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy in Doland Tusk Cabinet.

Economy Poland began its transition to a market economy in 1990 under exceptionally difficult macroeconomic conditions, marked by hyperinflation, a high rate of hidden unemployment, a large legacy of external public debt, a high black market foreign exchange premium, and an obsolete state enterprise sector. Polish policymakers liberalized prices, made the Polish Zloty convertible, lowered import barriers, and started privatization. Thanks to competent policy management at the macroeconomic level and thorough restructuring of enterprises, Poland became a frontrunner among European transition countries.

After five years of strong economic performance, the global financial crisis has worsened Poland’s macroeconomic and fiscal outlook, even though Poland is faring better than other countries in the region. Declining demand for Poland’s exports, a slowdown of credit activity, and lower FDI inflows are impacting the economy adversely. Poland’s economy is relatively strong after five years of solid growth (4.8 percent in 2008) and historically low unemployment rate (7.1 percent in 2008). Inflation, the current account deficit (5.5 percent of GDP), external debt (56 percent of GDP), the fiscal deficit (2.7 percent of GDP) and public debt (46 percent of GDP) in 2008 are all moderate, and the foreign-dominated financial system is relatively sound and well-capitalized. Poland’s floating exchange rate regime is helping to absorb the external shock. Polish enterprises and households have moderate exposure to foreign currency risks. Poland’s financial system seems to be well-poised to cope with the current adverse external environment.

Despite its recent progress, the country still faces significant economic challenges. A more efficient public sector is needed to support dynamic growth, investment in public infrastructure, and retreat from non-competitive sectors in which the government continues to be a big player. Institutional reform of public finance, completion of privatization, an overhaul of the judicial system, reform of the health sector, strengthening of the education sector, and achievement of nominal convergence on a sustainable basis permitting euro adoption are among key priorities. In addition, with fewer resources and in an economic environment that is evolving quickly, the Government faces the difficult challenge to reconcile three objectives: ensure fiscal consolidation over the medium-term, protect priority programs, and mitigate the social cost of the crisis. The government is also moving to support the economy and seeking to accelerate structural reforms. In late November, the government announced a 7% of GDP “Plan for Stability and Development” aimed at supporting the economy in 2009-2010. This included a doubling of the limit on state guarantees, support for lending to small and medium-size enterprises, acceleration of investments co-financed from EU structural funds, new investments in renewable energy, previously scheduled personal income tax cuts and VAT simplification, and creation of a Reserve of Social Solidarity to support people vulnerable to the projected economic slowdown. Economic policy objectives in the medium-term were set by the Government in the March 2008 Convergence Program and confirmed in the December 2008 Update of the program. These objectives are: (i) reduction of the tax burden (personal income tax reduction and simplification in 2009); (ii) increase of growth-enhancing expenditure (infrastructure, science, education, and R&D), shifting social spending towards programs supporting growth of economic activity, and changes in health and pensions aimed at enhancing efficiency; (iii) increase of labor activity; (iv) economic liberalization (elimination of obstacles to doing business, administration reform, and better functioning of judiciary); and (v) acceleration of privatization.

In the first quarter of 2009 Poland was among few European countries that had Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

Religion in Poland Most Poles, by far, adhere to the Christian faith, with in 2006 about 88% belonging to the Roman Catholic Church[ (according to the official state statistics for year 2006). Catholicism plays an important role in the lives of many Poles and the Roman Catholic Church in Poland enjoys immense social prestige and political influence. The church is widely respected by both its members and nonmembers, who see it as a symbol of Polish heritage and culture. The rest of the population consists mainly of Eastern Orthodox(about 506 000), Jehovah's Witnesses (about 220 000) and various Protestant (about 159 000, with about 76 000 in the largest Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland) religious minorities.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Poland was famous for its unique religious tolerance (see Warsaw Confederation (1573)). According to Poland's Constitution freedom of religion is ensured to everyone.It also allows for national and ethnic minorities to have the right to establish educational and cultural institutions, institutions designed to protect religious identity, as well as to participate in the resolution of matters connected with their cultural identity. Religious organizations in the Republic of Poland can register their institution with the Ministry of Interior and Administration creating a record of churches and other religious organizations who operate under separate Polish laws. This registration is not necessary; however, it is beneficial when it comes to serving the freedom of religious practice laws.

Sports Ski jumping Adam Małysz, ski jumper (born 3 December 1977 in Wisła, Poland) - Małysz won two Olympic medals (Silver, Bronze) at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. He has also won an incredible 38 World Cup competitions, second only to Finland's Matti Nykänen (46) on the all-time list. He is the first ski jumper ever to win the World Cup 3 times in a row.

Football The Polish National Football Team was the winner of the 1972 Olympic Football Tournament, as well as a runner-up in 1976 and 1992. Poland has made seven Fifa World Cup appearances (1938, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 2002, 2006) and achieved great success, finishing third at both the 1974 World Cup in Germany and the 1982 World Cup in Spain. The junior team has also achieved success on the international stage, finishing third at the 1983 FIFA U-20 World

Cup Final, fourth at the 1979 FIFA U-20 World Cup Final and fourth at the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup Final. Poland will host the UEFA Euro 2012 along with Ukraine in 2012. It will be the first time Poland has hosted an event of this size.

Strongman Mariusz Pudzianowski, a professional strongman (born February 7, 1977) - He started Kyokushin in 1988, weight training in 1990 and box in 1992. At the end of the1990s he focussed on strongman competitions. He is one of the three men that won the World's Strongest Man title (in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2007) near Jón Páll Sigmarsson and Magnus Ver Magnusson. Pudzianowski also took part in one of polish editions of Strictly Come Dancing (Taniec z Gwiazdami) and won the silver medal.

Swimming Otylia Jędrzejczak (born 13 December 1983 is the Olympic champion from Athens 2004 in the 200 metre butterfly. She finished 4th in this event in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She also swam in a third Olympiad, at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. In Athens 2004 she also silvered in 400 m freestyle and 100 m butterfly. Three times she broke the world record in the women's 200 m butterfly (once in the 25-metre pool).

Handball During 2007 World Men's Handball Championship in Germany Polish Team led by Bogdan Wenta was a revelation of the tournament, and won the silver medal, having lost the final to host Germany 25:29. Since then team have made many significant achievements.

F1 Racing Robert Kubica (born 7 December 1984 in Kraków, Poland), Robert Kubica is the first Polish Formula One driver. He made his racing deput at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix. He experienced his first podium finish at Monza, Italy at the 2006 Italian Grand Prix. During this race he finished third and stood on the podium next to Michael Schumacher (Germany) and Kimi Räikkönen (Finland). In the 2007 Formula One season he survived a horrific crash at the Canadian Grand

Prix. Kubica came out of the crash with only a sprained ankle and minor concussion. Robert Kubica scored his very first victory in Formula 1 at 2008 Canadian Grand Prix (it was also the very first win for BMW Sauber team). Robert Kubica has brought Formula One to Poland, bringing along with him many new fans. He is currently racing for the BMW Sauber Formula One Team alongside his teammate Nick Heidfeld.

Holidays Date English Name

January 1 New Year's Day

Sunday in Spring (movable) Easter Sunday

Monday following Easter Sunday Easter Monday - Also called Śmigus-dyngus.

May 1 State Holiday

May 3 National 3rd of May Holiday

7th Sunday after Easter Pentecost Sunday

9th Thursday after Easter Corpus Christi

August 15 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

November 1 All Saints' Day

November 11 Independence Day

December 25 1st day of Christmas

December 26 2nd day of Christmas

Useful Information

Fоod If you want to try traditional Polish cuisine, stop counting your calories. Typical meals are very hearty and often contain a lot of meat. Just sampling them is enough to discover that they are really delicious and worth putting on a few ounces. The most recommendable dishes are: bigos, kotlet schabowy, pierogi and gołąbki. Poles boast that their two basic products are bread and sausages.

The most typical ingredients used in Polish cuisine are sauerkraut, beetroot, cucumbers (gherkins), sour cream, kohlrabi, mushrooms, sausages and smoked sausage. A meal owes it taste to the herbs and spices used; such as marjoram, dill, caraway seeds, parsley, or pepper. The most popular desserts are cakes and pastries. A shot of vodka is an appropriate addition to festive meals and help you to digest the food. Poland's culture has always integrated elements from its neighbours, and there are also many recipes of Jewish origin. Nowadays the Polish menu is still changing, being influenced by various, sometimes exotic tastes. Apart from traditional restaurants specialising in Polish cooking, restaurants serving Italian, French and Asian foods are mushrooming in Poland's cities, as well as vegetarian bars.

Pierogi Pierogi have long been a traditional Polish food staple. They may have come from Russia in the Middle Ages, but they are as Polish as Polish food gets. Dough filled with cheese, potatoes, onions,

cabbage, mushrooms, meat (or almost any other ingredient, savory or sweet, that you can think of), pierogi are served steaming hot boiled or fried and are accompanied by sour cream. Homemade pierogi are a special treat that even the pickiest eater will beg for more.

Rosol It’s traditional Polish soup, made by chicken. It is commonly served with fine

noodles. A vegetarian version can be made, using vegetable stock cube

Golabki They are a form of cabbage rolls. They are a traditional Polish dish consisting of boiled cabbage leaves stuffed with ground beef, chopped onions and rice or barley; most often baked and refried in a spicy tomato sauce.

Bigos Savory stew of cabbage and meat, there is no

standard recipe, as recipes vary considerabl

y from region to region and

from family to family. Typical ingredients include fresh and fermented white cabbage, various cuts of meat and sausages, often whole or puréed tomatoes, honey and mushrooms. The meats may include pork (often smoked), ham, bacon, beef, veal, sausage, and, as bigos is considered a hunters' stew, venison or other game; leftover cuts find their way into the pot as well. It may be seasoned with pepper, caraway, juniper berries, bay leaf, marjoram, pimento, dried or smoked plums and other ingredients.

Schabowy This traditional breaded pork cutlet is a tasty choice anytime and anywhere in Poland.

Quite similar to Austrian Wiener Schnitzel, it is usually served with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. In some restaurants it can also be accompanied with pickled cucumbers (gherkins) or beetroot salad. Kotlet schabowy is a typical Polish main course for the Sunday dinner.

Barszcz - It is made with beetroot as a main ingredient which gives it a strong red color. Other, non-beet varieties also exist, such as the tomato paste-based

orange borscht and the green (zelioni) borscht

Pomidorowa – tomato soup

Zurek It is The sour rye soup made of soured rye flour and meat (usually boiled pork sausage or pieces of smoked sausage, bacon or ham) , specific to Poland . In Poland it is sometimes served in an edible bowl made of bread or with boiled potatoes. The recipe varies from region to region. In Silesia, the żur śląski, different from the more traditional żurek, can be found.

Szarlotka The Polish version of apple pie is known

as szarlotka

Currency The Zloty is the currency of Poland. Notes and coins of the following denominations are in circulation:

Coins: 1, 2 and 5 zloty and denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 groszy. Notes: The PLN appears in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 zloty.

Time zone Poland is one of the countries that use Central European Time (GMT + 01:00). This time zone applies to the majority of Europe, including Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and many other countries. As in many other countries, from March to October summer time is used to save daylight.

Prices Here are some basic prices of products in Poland. The prices differ in various places, but usually the cheapest products you can buy in supermarkets. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, however sometimes there is a limit (around 15-20 zł), below witch you can only pay in cash. In small shops, snack bars and museums the cards are not accepted. In big cities the network of ATM machines is well spread, so you should not have the problem with withdrawing your cash from the wall.

200zl

100zl

50zl

20zl

10zl

Units Weights:

1 gram - 1g = 0.035 ounces

1 kilogram - 1 kg = 1000 g = 35 ounces 1 kg = 2.2 pounds

Lengths 1 centimeter - 1 cm = 0.39 inch

1 decimeter - 1dm = 3.9 inch

1 meter 1 m = 100 cm = 10 dm = 39 inch = 3.3 feet =1.1 yards 1 kilometer - 1km = 1000 m= 3 300 feet= 0.6 mile

Volumes 1 milliliter - 1 ml = 0.035 fluid ounce

1 deciliter - 1 dl = 0.35 fluid ounce

1 litter - 1 l = 1000 ml = 10 dl=3.5 fluid ounce = 0.26 US gallon

Temperature temp[°C]=temp.[K]-273=5 x temp.[°F] /9 -17,8

Electricity The voltage is 220V, 50 Hz. Plugs are the same as in the rest of Continental Europe.

Communication In Poland there are 4 main mobile operators Orange, Era, Plus and Play. There is also Heyah, but it is property of Era. You should definitely buy yourself a Polish operator SIM card.

To activate polish SIM card your phone should have the simlock removed. We recommend you to remove simlock from your phone in your home country so you can start using polish sim card immediately after arrival. You should use prepaid cards. You can charge them with more money by buying special scratch cards or getting special receipt printed. Both the scratch card and the receipt have special 14 digit code you’ve got to enter to charge your phone.

In Poland there are 49 Area codes they are used in front of stationary phone numbers. If making calls from stationary number always put 0 in front of the number. To call abroad you’ve got to put + or 00 in front of country code you would like to call.

HEYAH

Charging procedure *123*CODE# *125*CODE# *111*CODE# *109*CODE# *100*CODE# How much credit left? *100# *124# *101# *108# *101#

Emergency phone numbers 999: Ambulance

998: Fire Brigade 997: Police

981: Road Assistance 986: Municipal Police

Using mobile phones: remember to dial the local code before the number, for example: 12 - 997 to call the police in Krakow. Emergency calls from phone boxes are free of charge. If you do not know the local code, dial the general emergency number for mobile phones: 112. The operator will request the appropriate emergency unit. We recommend using direct emergency numbers in the case of danger (997, 999, 998) because in some areas the general emergency number (112) still does not work properly.

These numbers may also be useful: Warsaw public transportation information (22) 94 84

Cracow public transportation information (12) 91 50 International flight departure information (22) 650 39 43

International flight arrival information (22) 650 42 20

Business Hours Most common working hours are 8:00AM -4:00PM. Most banks and public institutions are open those hours.

From Till Comments

Office Hours 8:00 AM 4:00 PM

Food Shops 7:00 AM 8:00 PM There are some 24h/7 shops as well

Shopping Malls 10:00 AM 8:00 PM Till 10:00 PM at the weekends

Pubs and Clubs 7:00 PM 2:00 PM Till 5:00 PM at the weekends

Useful phrases Polish is the official language of Poland. It has the second largest number of speakers among Slavic languages after Russian. Polish is the main representative of the Lechitic branch of the West Slavic languages. It originated in the areas of present-day Poland from several local Western Slavic dialects, most notably those spoken in Greater Poland and Lesser Poland. It shares some vocabulary with the languages of the neighboring Slavic nations, most notably with Slovak, Czech, Ukrainian, and Belarusian.

Polish language was once known as a lingua franca in various regions of Central and Eastern Europe, mostly due to the political, cultural, scientific, and military influence of the Polish- Lithuanian Commonwealth. Today, Polish is spoken by over 38.5 million native speakers in Poland and it is spoken as a second language in western parts of the Belarus, Lithuania, and Ukraine. Because of the emigration from Poland during various time periods, millions of Polish speakers can be found in countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, United Kingdom, United States, and so on. There are over 46 million Polish language speakers around the world.

English Polish

To Your Health! / Cheers! Na Zdrowie!

How are you? Jak się masz? / Co słychać?

Hi / Bye Czesc

Hello / Welcome Witam

Good Morning / Good Afternoon Dzień dobry

Good Evening Dobry wieczor

Good Night Dobranoc

Goodbye Do widzenia

How are you? Jak sie masz?

Good Dobrze

Yes Tak

No Nie

Please speak more slowly Proszę mówić wolniej

I don't understand Nie rozumiem

I don't speak Polish Nie mówię po polsku

Do you speak English? Czy mówisz po angielsku?

I am English (male) Jestem Anglikiem

I am English (female) Jestem Angielką

I'm from … Jestem z …

I live in … Mieszkam w …

Thanks Dziekuję

Please Proszę

Excuse me / I am sorry Przepraszam

Congratulations Gratuluję

Merry Christmas Wesołych Świąt

Happy New Year Szcześliwego Nowego Roku

Happy Birthday (100 years!) Sto lat

Grandmother Babcia

Grandfather Dziadek

Mother Matka

Father Ojciec

Husband Mąż

Wife Żona

Girlfriend (sweetheart) Dziewczyna

Fiance Narzeczona

Brother Brat

Sister Siostra

I like you Lubię Cię

I love you Kocham Cię

Are you married? (m to f) Jesteś zamężna?

Will you marry me? Wyjdziesz za mnie? How much is it? Ile to kosztuje? Can I have the bill, please? Rachunek, proszę I'm looking for ... Szukam ...

Rude Words and Phrases

Shut up! Zamknij się

Go away! Odejdż

Get Lost! Spadaj

Useful things to bring :

• AC adapter if needed • ISIC student card • Passport and Copy of passport • photos for IDs

• some Zlotys for the first day • phone without sim-lock • warm clothing • medicines

• insurance/European Health Card

Krakow

How to get here? By Plane

John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice is an international airport located near Kraków, in the village of Balice, 11 km westof the city centre. The airport opened for civil aviation in 1964. Kraków Airport is the second busiest

airport in the country after Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport. It is used by over 3.000.000 passengers and has nearly 35.000 plane departures each year. Most of the times we try to pick up our new trainees from the airport or train station, so there should be some AIESECer waiting for you. If there won’t be anyone available to pick you up we will inform you about this fact at least one day before your arrival. From the Airport you can get to the town center by various means of transport:

• By train You need to take the Shuttle Bus first it stops in front of each terminal and takes you 300m to the Balice Airport Railway Station . Then you have to take the train ( you can find schedule at airport’s website http://www.krakowairport.pl/en/3/176/35/en) The ticket costs 8 zl and the jurney will take 16 minutes.

• By city bus (292, 208, 902) Buses 292 and 208 are regular, but 902 is a night bus. Journey to the city centre (“Dworzec Glowny” Main Train Station bus stop) takes approximately 30-40 min. One-way normal fare is 3.00 zł Tickets may be purchased from a vending machine at the bus stop or on board (if available) or from the driver for at additional 0.50 zł. There is no fare for luggage.

• By Taxi The journey takes 20-30 min (depending on the route and traffic) and should cost about 70 zl.

Plan of the Krakow Airport

Here is the website of Krakow Airport, you can find all additional information there. http://www.krakowairport.pl/en If you are landing in another city it would probably be Katowice or Warsaw

Here is the website of Katowice Airport http://www.katowice-airport.com/en From Katowice Airport you can travel to Krakow by Bus (WiZZ AIR BUS http://www.matuszek.com.pl/transfery_en.html or by Car Polonia Bus http://www.wizz-bus.com/en/rozklad-z) the price is 40 -50 zl.

Here is the website of Warsaw Airport http://www.lotnisko-chopina.pl/?lang=en To get to Krakow you must get to Warsaw city center and get the train to Krakow (For more train information see below).

By Train Here (http://rozklad-pkp.pl/?q=en/node/143) you can check the train schedule. In the connection search engine you should put “Krakow Glowny” which means Krakow Main. When you arrive at the platform you can either take the stairs up to the roof over the platforms from where you can catch a taxi (there is also a car park on the roof), or you can go down the stairs to one of three tunnels lead to the city.

By Coach bus (PKS) - Near the Main Train Station there is also Main Coach Station. You can check the schedule here http://www.rda.krakow.pl/en/detale.php

Location Krakow lies in the southern part of Poland on the bank of Vistula River in a valley at the foot of the Carpathian Plateau, 219 meters above sea level. Approximately 300 km (190 miles) north is Warsaw, the capital of Poland, and 100 km (60 miles) south are the Tatra Mountains, forming the southern border of the country. The city covers an area of 327 sq. km, equal to 0.1% of the country's surface area.

Links : http://www.cracow-life.com/map/map.php

Our City You are entering a world filled with ghosts and phantoms, but also with people who are most definitely flesh and blood. Krakow is an extraordinary place which once visited, can never be forgotten. It is one of the few places in the world where you can feel history intermingle with the present.

And it all started, as legend tells, with Krakus, the first lord of a settlement located somewhere between the Danube and the Rhein, in a land referred to by the ancient Romans as Barbaricum. Although little is known about the founder of the city on the Vistula, one thing is beyond question: it was he who slew the terrible dragon of which legend speaks. And it is for this reason the so-called Wawel Dragon became the symbol of the city of Krakow, for centuries the seat of kings and a centre of cultural and academic life. It should surprise no-one that it was precisely here that, as the parish records show, the most renowned of all scholars, Doctor Faust, pursued his secret sciences.

Throughout its entire history the city has attracted, and continues to attract, extraordinary people. From architects, artists and scholars to honest merchants, who left behind them an exceptional legacy of historical relics and cultural and material achievements on a par with anything in the world. Today, thanks to our attachment to history and regard for our ancestors, we are able to combine our history with the demands of a modern metropolis. The development of the transport and tourist infrastructures, together with a huge number of hotels and restaurants, make Krakow as pleasant for its inhabitants as it is for visitors searching for interesting places on their map of Poland.

History Archaeological findings provide evidence that Wawel Hill was settled as far back as the early Stone Age. The Mounds of Krakus and Wanda, legendary rulers of the settlement inhabited by the Slavonic tribe of Wiślanie, probably date back to the 7th century. Krakow was mentioned for the first time in a report of Ibrahim-Ibn-Jakub, a merchant from Cordoba, in the year 985. He describes a rich city on the crossing of trade routes which was surrounded by forests. In the pre-Piast period, two dates from the city's history are known. Between 876 and 879, Świetopełk, Duke of Grand Moravia, occupied the region that was later to be named "Little Poland". After 955 Boleslaus the Cruel, the ruling Czech Duke and brother of St. Vaclav, introduced Czech rule here. In the 10th century Krakow was incorporated into the Polish state. However, it is difficult to say for sure whether it occurred during the rule of Mieszko I in 990 or Boleslaus the Brave in 999.

The Middle Ages Certain facts and dates from the city's history can only be given after the year 1000. A castle and a borough which existed at that time on Wawel Hill were fortified with a palisade and an earth wall. In the 10th and 11th centuries the first brick edifices were built (the castle and Romanesque churches), the cathedral and a basilica, as well as the St. Feliks and Adaukt Church. In the year 1000 a bishopric was established in Krakow. In 1150 a cathedral school, the best educational establishment in Poland before the foundation of the university, was set up at the castle church. The regalia (the crown and sceptre of

Boleslaw the Brave) were kept in the cathedral treasury. A rich library, which had 28 books, included classic literature along with religious works, comedies by Terence, elegies by Ovid, and historical monographs by Sallust. Certain facts and dates from the city's history can only be given as being 'after the year 1000'. A castle and a borough which existed at that time on Wawel Hill were fortified with a palisade and an earth wall. In the 10th and 11th centuries the first brick edifices were built (the castle and Romanesque churches), the cathedral and a basilica, as well as the St. Felix and Adaukt Church. In the year 1000 a bishopric was established in Krakow. In 1150 a cathedral school, the best educational establishment in Poland before the foundation of the university, was set up at the castle church.

The regalia (the crown and sceptre of Boleslaus the Brave) were kept in the cathedral treasury. It had a rich library, with 28 books, including classic literature along with religious works, comedies by Terence, elegies by Ovid, and historical monographs by Sallust. In 1142, Bishop Robert consecrated the "second" Wawel cathedral, which had been built to replace the destroyed Romanesque church. The body of St. Stanislas, after it had been moved from the church at Skałka, and the relicts of St. Florian, were solemnly laid to rest at the new cathedral. The feudal division of Poland and continuous fighting between regional dukes did not interrupt the city's rapid development.

In 1138, Krakow Castle became more important as the official home of the highest duke and, to some degree, the capital of Poland, according to the last will of Boleslaus the Wry-Mouthed. The buildings destroyed during the invasion of the Tatars in 1241 were replaced by new ones built in Gothic style. The location of the city according to the Magdeburg law in 1257 gave it a new layout with a centrally situated marketplace. In the 13th century the city was provided with a new fortification system of city walls, towers and fortified city gates. This system was gradually added to and modernised over the next few centuries. January 20, 1320 was the date of the first coronation; others followed over the next five centuries. The cathedral also became the Royal burial site. The reign of Casimir the Great (Casimir III 1310-1370), patron of the arts and sciences, proved to be of great importance for the city. The king founded two new cities, Kazimierz and Kleparz, which were closely connected with Krakow. Gothic, Franciscan and Dominican churches were built. St. Mary's Church, as well as the Corpus Christi Church and St. Catherine's Church were built in Kazimierz. Renovation of the cathedral and castle on Wawel Hill, and the Cloth Hall, Town Hall and other public buildings were continued. In 1364, Kazimierz the Great founded Krakow Academy, which was the origin of the later Jagiellonian University.

Jagiellonian epoch Sepulchral sculpture on the sarcophagus of King Kazimierz Jagiellonczyk in Wawel Cathedral - masterpiece of Veit Stoss Sepulchral sculpture on the sarcophagus of King Casimir Jagiellonczyk in Wawel Cathedral - masterpiece of Veit Stoss

Ladislaus Jagiello, Grand Duke of Lithuania, was crowned King of Poland in 1386 and started the greatest Polish dynasty, which ruled Poland for over 200 years. Krakow became the capital of a monarchy spreading over genuinely Polish territories as well as vast Lithuanian-Russian areas. The royal court played an important role in supporting artistic and cultural life. Outstanding humanists, scientists and artists came here from Italy, Germany and other countries. Famous sculptor Veit Stoss came from Nurnberg in 1477 to carve a large altar for St. Mary's Church by order of the citizens. After further rebuilding between 1499 and 1536, Wawel Castle was a pearl of Renaissance architecture, boasting the "Zygmuntowska" Chapel

- the most beautiful sepulchral chapel in Poland. The castle was decorated with a collection of Arras tapestries ordered from Flanders. It proudly played the role of the royal seat of a powerful country: well up in the fashionable world of its time.

Cathedral seal (13th century) representing the Romanesque cathedral founded by Ladislaus Herman

Cathedral seal (13th century) representing the Romanesque cathedral founded by Wladyslaw Herman At the end of the 16th century Warsaw became the capital of Poland. Krakow lost its importance although it preserved its formal role as the site for royal coronations and burials.

The 17th century The "husaria" were the famous Polish heavy cavalry from the 17th century; in 1683, these soldiers under the command of King Jan III Sobieski, participated in the relief of Vienna which was besieged by Turks. In the middle of the 17th century the Black Death decimated the city's population. The number of dead is estimated at over 20,000. Later, the Swedish army destroyed and ransacked Kazimierz and Kleparz, the suburbs and the old city. Krakow became a provincial centre of small-scale trade and skilled crafts. Only the Church remained as a patron of the arts at this time. The destroyed churches and monasteries were rebuilt in the new baroque style. The greatest architectural achievement at the time was St. Anne's Church, designed by Tylman of Gameren and stuccoed by Baldassare Fontana.

The 18th and 19th centuries In 1702, the city was seized and devastated by the Swedish army again. Wawel Castle was burnt down. The following invasions of Prussian and Russian troops completed the destruction. Due to the first partition of Poland in 1772, the southern part of Little Poland was seized by the Austrian army. On March 24, 1794 Kościuszko's Insurrection began in Krakow. Temporarily included into the Warsaw Duchy, it was given the status of a "free city" after Napoleon's downfall. Krakow then developed rapidly. The "Planty"(a green land ring) was set up in place of the city walls, which had been pulled down.

New districts developed on the outskirts of the city. After the defeat of the November Insurrection (1831), Krakow preserved its autonomy as the only intact part of Poland. In 1846, it was absorbed into the Austrian Monarchy again. Despite being under foreign control, the city enjoyed some freedom. During this time Krakow became the symbol and centre of Polish traditions and the spiritual capital for all parts of the divided Poland. Scientific and cultural establishments developed dynamically. The Scientific Association of Krakow (Towarzystwo Naukowe Krakowskie) was the origin of the Academy of Sciences. In 1818, the Academy of Fine Arts was established and in 1854 the Society of the Friends of Fine Arts.

The 20th century The approaching war against Russia prompted the growth of independence movements. Almost all political parties could act legally in Krakow, and in 1910, the paramilitary "Strzelec" (Rifleman) Association was founded. On June 6, 1914, the First Company of "Strzelcy" und er the command of Józef Piłsu d ski set off from the "Oleand ry" of Krak ow. After independence was regained in 1918, Krakow became a significant administrative and cultural centre. Industry started to develop rapidly. Although the Second World War did not destroy Krakow's historical monuments, it ravaged the city in other ways.

On November 6, 1939, professors of Jagiellonian University and the most outstanding representatives of the city's intellectual elite were arrested and transported to the concentration camp in Sachsenhausen. After the war Krakow lost its privileged position. The communist authorities wanted intellectual circles dominated by the working class. This aim was to be fulfilled by the mass of construction workers who were attracted to Krakow. Today however, it is artistic and scientific circles that create the image of the city, which now has over 800,000 inhabitants.

Universities Jagiellonian University (UJ- Uniwersytet Jagiellonski)Founded in 1364, Jagiellonian University is the oldest university in Poland, and the second oldest in Central Europe after the University of Prague. In the 15th century, the Jagiellonian

was one of most international universities in Europe with approximately 44% of the students coming from abroad. Today, the university is once again attracting a growing number of international students. Among its most prominent graduates were Nicolaus Copernicus (1491-95) and Pope John Paul II (1938-39, 1942-46).

AGH University of Science and Technology. (AGH – Akademia Gorniczo-Hutnicza )

The abbreviation AGH stands for polish historical name of the university -Academy of Mining and Metallurgy. AGH is the second

largest technical university in Poland, established in 1919. It educates students at 15 Faculties and the Interfaculty School of Energy, at 20 fields of study and over 100 specializations. The ambition of the University is to enable its students to gain knowledge at the highest level, acknowledged all over the world.

Tadeusz Kosciuszko Krakow University of Technology (Politechnika Krakowska)

The university was established in 1945 (at first as a part of the present AGH), to become an independent entity in 1954. On the national scale the university is ranked between the fifth and seventh position among over twenty universities of technology in the country. Some of the faculties are ranked on higher positions and the faculties of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering are among the best in Poland. Several interfaculty units operate at University of Technologies including the Urban Educational Centre that prepares foreign students intending to study at Polish universities with special emphasis on architectural studies.

Krakow University of Economics (UEK – Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny)

The Cracow University of Economics was established in 1925 and it was the third school of higher economic education in Poland after metropolitan Warsaw and Lviv.

It is a state-owned university, educating students at four Faculties: Faculty of Economics and International Relations, Faculty of Finance, Faculty of Management and Faculty of Commodity Science. University owns modern sports facilities and houses and health service centre. The AIESEC Krakow office is placed in the Sport Building of University of Economics.

Agricultural University in Krakow (UR – Uniwersytet Rolniczy)

The University educates students at 7 faculties and Interfaculty Study of Biotechnology in 12 major fields and 24 specialisations. It offers full time and part-time Master and Bachelor programmes as well as supplementary Master studies. The

University academic staff has been developing programmes in English to create a wide educational offer for foreign students.

University of Pope John Paul II (PAT - Papieska Akademia Teologiczna)

This university offers graduate degrees in theology, philosophy, and church history. It derives from the theology faculty of Jagiellonian University, which was established in 1397. The theology faculty was expelled from the university by Communist authorities in 1954. Remaining under the supervision of the Vatican, the faculty received the honorific title of "Pontifical" in 1974 and was established as The Pontifical Academy of Theology by Pope John Paul II in 1981. The name was changed in 2009 to University of Pope John Paul II.

Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow (ASP – Akademia Sztuk Pieknych im. Jana Matejki) The Academy of Fine Arts is the oldest artistic university in Poland. Founded in 1818, it was a subdivision of the Jagiellonian University and received the status of an independent institution in 1873. In the period of Modernism, the Faculty of Painting had the most

distinguished Polish painters as teachers. Among them were: Leon Wyczolkowski, Teodor Axentowicz, Stanislaw Wyspianski, Jacek Malczewski, Jan Stanislawski and Jozef Mehoffer, and after 1905 Jozef Pankiewicz, Ferdynand Ruszczyc and Wojciech Weiss. At that time the Academy was at the time the main centre of Polish artistic life. The Academy boasts many prominent graduates, who over the decades shaped Polish art and culture.

The Academy of Music in Krakow (Akademia Muzyczna)

The Academy of Music in Krakow has its origins in the Kraków Conservatory, founded by eminent Polish composer Wladyslaw Zelenski on

7 February 1888. The Academy is known as the alma mater of the contemporary Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki.

Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts (PWST -Panstwowa Wyzsza Szkola Teatralna im. Ludwika Solskiego)

Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts was founded in 1946 by a well-known Polish actor, Juliusz Osterwa. Close links to the leading theatres in Kraków contribute to the Academy's status. There is a direct correlation between the condition of the city's theatres and the condition of the Academy with staff composed of a fair number of Cracovian theatre personalities whose views on drama and the teaching methods cover a wide range of philosophies. At present the Academy recruits new students for the Actors' Faculties in Kraków and Wrocław, the Faculty of Play Directing in Kraków, and the Puppet Theatre Faculty in Wrocław. Since 1946 well over a thousand students have graduated from the Ludwik Solski Academy, and found employment on theatre stages in Poland and abroad.

The Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University Collage (KSW – Krakowska Szkola Wyzsza)

The University provides education at the following faculties: law, economy, administration, international relations, political science, management, architecture,

computer science, sociology, environment protection, cultural studies, English studies. It co-operates with foreign higher education institutions, organises international conferences and participates in the European programs like CEEPUS, Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci etc. It also conducts cross-cultural and combined research with the contribution of professors from various countries. The university also offers semester-long lectures in foreign languages.

Tischner European University (WSE – Wyższa Szkola Europejska)

TEU is a young, private and dynamic institution of higher education, founded in 2003. It offers BA programmes in Sociology, International Relations, Philology - Applied Linguistics and Information Technology. There is also the MA programme in International Relations in Polish, and a full time BA programme in International Relations taught in English. Apart from undergraduate programmes, the TEU Centre for Strategic Development offers a wide range of postgraduate non-degree professional studies. Most classes are taught by prominent Polish academics, who have also taught at many European and American universities. The university’s international contacts and exchange programmes provide students with considerable opportunities for studying abroad. Every year an increasing number of international students come to TEU to complete part of their studies.

The School of Banking and Management in Krakow (WSZiB – wyższa Szkola Zarządzania i Bankowosci) Founded in 1995, the school offers courses in Management, Finance & Accounting, Computer Science and Sociology. It offers also post-graduate

programmes , courses and training in accordance with the CISCO Academy and Microsoft AATP curricula. The school holds the Quality Certificate of the Krakow Chamber of Commerce and Industry and has been entered to their Book of Awards for Entrepreneurial Activities. For many years, in the school rankings of major Polish magazines the school has been ranked top places.

The Krakow School of Business and Commerce (WSH- Wyższa Szkoła Handlowa)

The School is a private academic institution, established in 1994. Graduates of the Cracow School of Business and Commerce acquire legal, economic and practical skills necessary for the management of modern commercial, service and financial establishments. They are equipped with the kind of knowledge which gives them the opportunity to commence work in public administration and European Union institutions as well as tax institutions and in financial audit.The profile of tuition at the Cracow School of Business and Commerce is based on contemporary standards of management studies in leading universities of international importance.

School of Business – National Louis University in Nowy Sacz (WSB-NLU Wyzsza Szkola Biznesu)

Established in 1991, WSB-NLU enjoys excellent reputation, confirmed by its graduates, whose knowledge

and qualifications have been recognized by top employers. The offers courses at four faculties: management, computer science, psychology and MBA. WSB-NLU cooperates with numerous universities all over the world. The cooperation mainly includes exchange of students and lecturers, organization of mutual scientific projects, participation in seminars and academic meetings, exchange of scientific publications and academic projects.

Cultural life It's impossible to mention the word "Cracow" and not say "culture" the same sentence. In this city you are absolutely immersed in all of life's finer things. Cherubs and gargoyles look down from almost every ancient palace and townhouse - guarding the endless treasure troves of everything cultural. From famous paintings, like Da Vinci's "Lady with an Ermine" to Egyptian artefacts, to catacombs which easily break the thousand-year marker, you'll find more culture and history here than in most cities on this planet. When you've satisfied your museum-hunger, move right along to Cracow's many galleries. Showcasing the best of the old as well as the brightest modern stars, you'll get more art than you can handle. And let's not forget about the city's own, unique CracowCulture. There's not many places in the world where "nie kulturalny" (uncultured) survives as a powerful cut-down. We've prepared an easy to use directory of all of the city's finer things. Perfect for balancing out that"Drink" section!

Cinemas Poland has a proud tradition in cinema, and figures such as Andrzej Wajda, Roman Polanski and Krzyszstof Kieslowski are counted amongst the most interesting directors of our day. With Cracow being something of a mecca for artists, it should come as little surprise then that the city has a passionate interest in film, boasting an annual international shorts festival, and a wide variety of cinemas to choose from.

It is likely that at any given time you will be able to find a good film being played, whether it is an old classic or a recent blockbuster. The majority of English language films are sub-titled, so there shouldn't be any problems for visitors to the city. Prices are very reasonable, and are around 15 zloty at weekends but with significant reductions at other times. One of the best bets in the Old Town is the gracious ARS complex, which is located in a former mansion just off the main market square. In the city centre, Kino Kijow is the obvious choice, whilst for a full-on blockbuster experience, MultiKino, a little further out, should do the trick. Spread across the city you will find a number of beguiling little filmhouses, (some very ropey but equally full of character!) usually with an arty cafй attached. There you'll find old classics, experimental shorts or pickings from European and World Cinema.

http://www.cracow-life.com/poland/krakow-cinemas

From the baroque sweep of its gables down to the gargoyles and Madonnas that peep out of the street corners, Cracow is a resoundingly theatrical city. And the Rynek, (the largest market square in Europe) is very much like a great open air stage in itself - a place to really savour the diversity of life. Many skilful performers (and others less abundantly so), make their living on the square, be they mime artists or buskers. This is no novelty, and street artists have entertained people here since medieval times. The historic and vibrant processions of the Roman Catholic Church, which sometimes take over whole swathes of the Old Town, are themselves exquisitely honed pieces of performance art. Theatre is in the blood!

If you want to go and see a performance, the majority will of course be in Polish. However, if you don't speak the lingo this may not be as big a problem as it sounds. Much experimental drama does not involve speaking at all, so you don't need to worry about being left out in that respect! This is also the case with the highly popular Groteska theatre which often jettisons language in favour of colour, movement and imagery. Many of their works have a direct appeal to children, exploring the worlds of myth and fantasy, and they regularly perform in the Rynek during the Summer months.If it is opera that you want to see, (which is very reasonably priced), you will probably already know the famous stories of troubled love affairs, and spicy intrigues - they tend to be performed in the original languages. These classics are staged at the magnificent Slowacki Theatre, where you can reserve the box that was used by the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife. And why not indeed!

Theatres From the baroque sweep of its gables down to the gargoyles and Madonnas that peep out of the street corners, Cracow is a resoundingly theatrical city. And the Rynek, (the largest market square in Europe) is very much like a great open air stage in itself - a place to really savour the diversity of life. Many skillful performers (and others less abundantly so), make their living on the square, be they mime artists or buskers. This is no novelty, and street artists have entertained people here since medieval times. The historic and vibrant processions of the Roman Catholic Church, which sometimes take over whole swathes of the Old Town, are themselves exquisitely honed pieces of performance art. Theatre is in the blood! If you want to go and see a performance, the majority will of course be in Polish. However, if you don't speak the lingo this may not be as big a problem as it sounds. Much experimental drama does not involve speaking at all, so you don't need to worry about being left out in that respect! This is also the case with the highly popular Groteska theatre which often jettisons language in favour of colour, movement and imagery. Many of their works have a direct appeal to children, exploring the worlds of myth and fantasy, and they regularly perform in the Rynek during the Summer months.

If it is opera that you want to see, (which is very reasonably priced), you will probably already know the famous stories of troubled love affairs, and spicy intrigues - they tend to be performed in the original languages. These classics are staged at the magnificent Slowacki Theatre, where you can reserve the box that was used by the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife. And why not indeed! http://www.cracow-life.com/poland/krakow-theatres

Annual Festivals in Krakow When some people hear the word "festival," they picture sweaty crowds of youngsters listening to music on a huge grassy field, downing brewskies as their favourite rock band plays on a massive stage several hundred metres away. But you won't find any Lollapalooza-like antics in Krakow (or even anything close to the Open'er Festival in Gdynia). Instead, you'll get a more sophisticated selection of festivities, exposing Krakow's cultural depth. But don't

worry - even if a festival is celebrating soup in Krakow, the piwo will still be a'flowing, and likely for the whole night! And as for music on massive stages - you don't have to look for a field in the middle of nowhere to catch some big acts - many of them will be playing on giant stages constructed in the middle of the Market Square or on Plac Nowy in Kazimierz throughout the spring and summer months. So check our list of festivals to see what's going on when you're here, and be sure to also check our events calendar for more specific information. http://www.cracow-life.com/poland/krakow-festivals

Museums Whether it's Egyptian mummies, Samurai warriors or the indigenous (yet no less exotic!) winged horsemen, all can be tracked down at one or another of Cracow's museums. There are also some fine collections of paintings about town, especially at the National Museum, but you can also find a few gems in the upstairs gallery of the Cloth Hall.

Generally, museums are open every day apart from Mondays, and the great majority offer free access on Sundays. One slight pain though is that throughout the week most shut up shop promptly at 3 pm, so it's worth planning ahead to avoid disappointments. The Old Town is positively choc-a-bloc with museums, ranging from the venerable Czartoryski Museum, Poland's oldest foundation of this kind, to the quaint Pharmacy museum on ulica Florianska.

Over the river from Wawel Hill, you will find the rather special Manggha Japanese Centre, which was built under the aegis of the film director, Andrzej Wajda. Here you can immerse yourself in oriental style, rounding things off with a cup of green tea and a tremendous view of the castle. Another short walk from the Old Town, yet still within the City Centre, takes you to the main branch of the National Museum. It's just around the corner from the Jagiellonian University Library, which houses many ancient relics.

Kazimierz, the former Jewish district, is also host to some important collections, particularly the Jewish History museum in the Old Synagogue. There is also a moving museum of the ghetto just over the bridge in Podgorze. If you're feeling adventurous don't miss the lovely museum of Young Poland at Rydlowka, it's a little further afield, but for Poles this is a mythic place if ever there was one.... http://www.cracow-life.com/poland/krakow-museums

Night life

Krakow is so rich in pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs that it seems almost impossible to count them all. Every old tenement house near the Square Market has at least one pub. Do not be misled by the name "pub", as in Krakow it can mean virtually anything and usually it means something between a pub, nightclub and even a live music club. They appear to be in every yard, every cellar, behind every window and now when the "underground" places are utterly adopted, there are more and more clubs in private apartments.

The Main Market Square in Cracow and its environs have one of the most developed nightlife in Europe. There are over 200 cafes, restaurants and clubs just around it. The parties goes all week long, but of course the Friday and Saturday nights are the hottest. Everyone is able to find a place for himself. There is a wide range of different types of clubs that play: jazz, rock, modern pop as well as immortal evergreens. Moreover,Kazimierz district is not worse. It develops very quickly now, and new clubs open frequently, but it still remains more peaceful. Overall, Cracow is one of the most enjoyable destinations you can travel to.

Afera Pub ul. Slawkowska 13 Blitz it up at Afera

Alchemia ul. Estery 5 One of the hippest hangouts in Kazimierz

Art Club Bledne Kolo ul. Bracka 4, 1st floor Superior club on the popular ul. Bracka

Baccarat ul. Stolarska 13 Luxurious clubbing destination

Boom Bar Rush ul. Golebia 6 Boom, Boom, Boom, let me hear you say ....

Cafe Avanti ul. Karmelicka 7 Attractive cafe on Karmelicka

Cafe Camelot ul. sw. Tomasza 17 English newspapers and fresh coffee

Cafe Golebia 3 ul. Golebia 3 Classic Cracow on a sleepy little street

Cafe Mlynek Plac Wolnica 7 Classy cafe with frequent photography exhibitions

Camera Cafe ul. Wislna 5 Chocolate delight on Wislna

Carpe Diem ul. Marka Classic Cracovian cellar joint

Carpe Diem II ul. Slawkowska 6 Take two....

Cien Klub ul. Jana 15 House music is in da house

CK Browar ul. Podwale 6-7 A beer hunter's delight

Club Clu ul. Szeroka 10 Crank it up at Clu

Club Lubu Dubu ul. Wielopole 15 Ip. Cult hangout on Wielopole

Club Pod Jaszczurami Rynek Glowny 8 Legendary student club on the Market Square

Club PRL ul. Garncarska 5 A return to rockin' communist times

Coffee Heaven ul. Karmelicka 8 Coffee galore on Karmelicka

Coffee Republic ul. Bracka 4 The finest republic in Cracow

Czekolada ul. Bracka 4 Hot chocolate, cocktails and comfy sofas

Dekafencja ul. Slawkowska 4 A cafe/pub in true Cracow style

Demmers Teehaus ul. Kanonicza 21 More than just a teahouse - like a home

Drukarnia Podgorze ul. Nadwislanska 1 A legend reborn

Dym ul. Tomasza 13 Popular, funky hangout near the Rynek

Heherbata.pl - Tea House ul. Florianska 13 A heavenly assortment of tea

English Football Club ul. Mikolajska 5 Don't miss a game!

Faust Club Rynek Glowny 6 From Cabaret to drum'n'bass - all in one place!

Filmowa Cafe al. Krasinskiego 34 Drinks by the Silver Screen

Folia Concept Club Rynek Glowny 30 Great expectations

Frantic ul. Szewska 5 Lively club with regular events

Goraczka Freak Club ul. Szewska 7 Fever pitch in Cracow's Old Town

Harris Piano Jazz Bar Rynek Glowny 28 Jazz stalwart on the market square

Indigo ul. Florianska 26 Cellar club with a distinguished pedigree

Irish Arms ul. Poselska 18 The genuine Irish article

Irish Pub ul. Jana 18 Sample the best Guinness in Poland

Jama Michalika ul. Florianska 45 Art nouveau splendour

Jazz Rock Cafe ul. Slawkowska 12 Lively student hangout on Slawkowska

Kitsch ul. Wielopole 15/4 IIp. Feeling blue? Feel pink!

La Habana Pub ul. Miodowa 22 Cuba comes to Kazimierz

Le Pianka ul. Szeroka 10 Snack Stop on Szeroka

Le Scandale Plac Nowy 9 Scandalous style on Plac Nowy

Les Couleurs ul. Estery 10 A touch of Paris in the heart of Kazimierz

Places to visit in Krakow and nearby Wawel Kanonicza, the street usually taken to access the famous Wawel Hill, is short and fairly narrow. Yet it is one of the most important and ancient streets of the city; a street whose look has hardly changed over the centuries - authentic and very much alive. Moreover, Kanonicza provides an example of favourable changes that have continued in Krakow in recent years: the complex restoration of city's heritage and preservation projects which unveil the city's true beauty layer by layer. A look at a plan of the city shows that the space contained by the walls of the castle is similar to that of the Main Market Square. In the castle's many chambers, exhibitions that simply cannot be missed await you: royal chambers and stately rooms, collections of Oriental art and military trophies, collections of Flemish tapestries of amazing beauty, as well as archaeological specimens. They are testimony to more than a millennium of Christianity in Polish Lands. It was here, in the Royal Castle, that the monumental exhibition entitled Wawel 1000-2000 was organised in the year 2000 to illustrate the development of Polish statehood. Worth visiting in the castle grounds are the Wawel Cathedral, the Royal Tombs - crypts containing royal sarcophagi, where we walk among Poland's entire history, and the massive "Sigismund" Bell, which peals only to commemorate events of the greatest importance to the country and the city. Half a day is hardly sufficient to see all these even if you hurry. Yet there is more to Wawel than just exhibitions. Even if you were to postpone visiting the castle until your next, longer visit in Krakow, spend a while in the ring of castle walls late in the afternoon. The gates are open much longer than the exhibitions, and you will have a chance to see the arcaded courtyard of rare beauty, the cathedral, and to look across to the other side of the Vistula River. Here is where the famous Manggha Centre of Japanese Art and Technology stands, housing the Japonica gathered by one of the most famous European collectors, Feliks "Manggha" Jasieński. Having descended to the banks of the river, we can see the Dragon and the entrance to his den: a favourite destination on family strolls. During St

John's Night (June), this place becomes the stage for the huge open-air event: Wianki - the Floating of the Garlands, continuing an ancient, pagan tradition.

The Main Square - Rynek Główny The Main Square (Rynek Główny) is the natural centre of Krakow: a stage for various minor and major events, a reference point, a meeting place, and the starting point or destination for countless walkers. Historically speaking, the Main Square began to operate in a shape and size similar to what we see today (a square with 200-metre-long sides) already in the earliest days of the Chartered City, i.e. after the granting of the Great Royal Charter in 1257. The centrally located Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) has survived to this day; the building was originally a commercial establishment for trading in cloth, and for over a century has been the main seat, and later one of the branches, of the National Museum. Other buildings standing to this day in the heart of the Main Market Square include the diminutive Church of St Adalbert (also known as Wojciech or Voitek) - a site of important archaeological discoveries, and the solitary tower - a remnant of the Town Hall demolished in the 19th century. In the north-eastern corner of the square stands St Mary's Church, frequently referred to as a basilica. With its two slender, spired towers reaching high above the whole city, it is one of Krakow's landmarks. The Nuremberg master, Wit Stwosz (Veit Stoss) created his magnum opus here - the monumental High Altar of St Mary's - a marvel that attracts thousands of tourists every day. Some Krakow legends and many historic events are closely linked to the city's Main Square. These include the bugle call played every full hour from one of the towers of St Mary's, the passage of the Lajkonik - the Hobby Horse of Krakow (in June), the Enthronement of the Fowler King, and the December competition for the most beautiful Krakow nativity scene (crib). Nearly all the houses and palaces surrounding the Main Square are of historical interest, with their histories reaching back centuries. They house the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow, the International Cultural Centre, numerous shops, restaurants, and pubs. Imposing facades, splendidly decorated doorways, windows, and roofs of the houses are worth your attention. It is not difficult to find perfectly preserved interiors and carefully restored architectural elements. The Main Square is a large area for people to meet during summer festivals, concerts, fairs, presentations, and Poland's largest New Year's Party. Citizens of Krakow frequently meet "pod Adasiem", that is at the foot of the Monument to Adam Mickiewicz, the poet. A longer stay is encouraged by the ring of restaurant and café gardens surrounding the square, which

can easily provide a place to rest for several thousand people. Some of them operate from early in the morning into the small hours in the night, nearly all year round, with but a short break during the fiercest frosts. In winter, patrons move to the cellars so characteristic of the centre of Krakow. In these cellars you will often find live music. Krakow has

well deserved the title of the capital city of Polish jazz. Night life and clubbing also thrive here: after all, you are in a city of nearly 130,000 students.

Those who begin visiting the city from the Main Square may employ one of Krakow's horse-drawn cabs or a melex electric car with a professional audio recording explaining the selected route in the language of your choice. A number of tourist companies offer coaches for visiting both the city and its surroundings.

St Mary's Tower, also known as the Watch Tower, Wake, Alarm or Bugle Tower, it is the only tower in the world at which a bugle has been played every hour for six hundred years for the entire world to hear. To see and to hear these wonders one must climb 239 steps, to a floor 54 m above ground level. The trumpeter takes just two and a half minutes to ascend the tower but visitors do not need to hurry. At the top they will be heartily greeted by bugle players - members of the fire service, perhaps the last magicians of Krakow...

Bugles have always been played from Krakow towers and gates to announce the beginning and the end of the day. Travellers had to stay outside the city walls if they were caught by night near Krakow and wait until the gates were opened at sunrise. What were the tunes played from the city's towers and the Royal Castle of Wawel? We will never know. It is only known that the tradition of the bugle call began in the late 14th Century, when Krakow saw the influx of Hungarians, and queen Jawiga, the future wife of king Jagiello was about to ascend the throne. It came here and stayed to resound in Krakow's skies forever. It was probably first played by Hungarians, and later, when the guards of the Wawel and St Mary's were changed, was taken over by the Poles. The higher tower of the Basilica of the Ascension of the Holy Virgin Mary has pierced the sky of Krakow for more than 600 years. It is 81 m tall, topped with a late-Gothic spire and a golden crown. A tiny room 54 m above the level of the Main Square houses literally "the Highest Post" in

Poland: the highest meaning the most important one. Indeed it is traditionally believed that all former Polish lands may be seen from here - the white peaks of the Tatras in the south, the smokestacks of Silesia to the west, the towers of Lvov churches in the east and a dark blue line in the north - yes, it is the Baltic sea! St Mary's Tower is open for visitors from 3 May until 30 August:

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 9 am-11.30 am and 1 pm-5.30 pm. Tickets available at the ticket office of St Mary's Church.

Kazimierz Over the last few years, beside the area enclosed by The Planty garden Ring, all maps of the city centre also cover Kazimierz: formerly an independent city and, today, a neighbouring district, easily accessible from Wawel Hill.

Every corner of Kazimierz is witness to a very Krakowian tale: the history of Polish Jews. It is visible in the system of narrow streets itself, in the abundance of markets, in the small tenements, synagogues, and kirkuts - Jewish cemeteries. Following the tragedy of the Second World War and the extermination of Jews by Nazi invaders, Kazimierz was deserted and, for decades, continued to fall into a desolate ruin. The changes that took place at

the turn of the 1980s triggered a change that continues to influence the fast-paced growth of this part of the city. Having regained their property, heirs of former inhabitants immediately took to renovation. Today, beautifully restored buildings stand in close vicinity of those totally devastated, whose number luckily continues to diminish. Kazimierz found its way to the silver screen thanks to Steven Spielberg, who came here to shoot Schindler's List (also known as Schindler's Ark), a multiple-Oscar winner. Since the early 1990s, the focus of the world-famous Jewish Culture Festival is the history and traditions of the people who once lived here; with workshops, lectures, and exhibitions. Today, we can safely claim that Kazimierz is experiencing a revival and acquiring a new face.

The key to the understanding of the popularity that Kazimierz enjoys today is its unbelievable and lasting tolerance: two nations and two great religions existed here for centuries in harmony. It is in Kazimierz that the massive, Gothic churches of St Catherine's and Corpus Christi sprung up alongside synagogues. Kazimierz is Krakow's centre of artistic and intellectual ferment. It is enough to mention the famous Łaźnia Theatre, which took its innovative projects to Kazimierz. The cafés, clubs, and galleries recently opened here in great numbers attract all those who find the Main Market Square and its close vicinity "too touristy". Everyone discovers their own aspect of the charmingly unique Kazimierz. Neighbours of exclusive hotels and classy restaurants include craftsmen's

workshops: leatherworkers, shoemakers, and engravers. Places of religious worship stand alongside places that have recently acquired "cult" status. To experience this, simply take a walk near Plac Nowy, along ul. Miodowa and ul. Podbrzezie, and visit ul. Szeroka, where the Closing of Jewish Culture Festival - an open-air concert lasting into the small hours of the morning - is held every year. Having crossed the Vistula River into the district of Podgórze, we enter places that, during the Second World War, witnessed the Holocaust that the Nazis brought upon the Jewish people of Krakow: Plac Bohaterów Getta, Pharmacy Under the Eagle, and the remnants of Płaszów concentration camp.

Nearby Krakow Wieliczka Salt Mine The idea of a fun trip to a salt mine may sound a little dubious. And as you head out through the suburbs you may wonder just why you are leaving the glories of the city behind. However, it is not just the antiquity of these mines that makes them worth the trip (things got fully underway here as early as the thirteenth century), they are also home to one of the wonders of Poland. This is the chapel of the Blessed Kinga, which to all intents and purposes

is a full blown church, the only difference being that it is 200 metres undergound, and carved entirely from salt, (including the chandeliers that hang from the ceiling). It is a quite astounding sight, and all the more so as it was carved not by an outsider, but by a group of gifted miners themselves. Entering the mines involves a long descent by stairwell, and it feels very much like a Jules Verne Journey to the Centre of the Earth type adventure. The chapel of the Blessed Kinga is the undoubted show-stopper, yet it is only one of

several attractions. There are a handful more smaller chapels, including the seventeenth century chapel of St. Anthony, and a huge underground salt lake. If Tolkien had seen this place he would probably have got down on his knees and kissed the salty ground. Venerable guests such as Goethe and Emperor Franz Josef were themselves suitably impressed. All tours are guided, which means that sometimes you cannot linger in the more captivating rooms for as long as you might like. However, if you have more than two nights in the Krakow, or bad weather strikes, the mines make a very worthwhile trip.

Getting to the Wieliczka Salt Mines from Krakow shouldn't prove too difficult or expensive. Regular buses run from the top of Starowislna Street opposite the Main Post Office, taking around forty minutes to get there. Be warned that buses are a little cramped and we advise you check departure details at one of Krakow's tourist information offices as these routes chop and change quite a bit. You're best asking a friendly Pole where to get off too, as this is a public bus not a tourist service. If you don't fancy taking

your chances on the public transport of fair Poland, then booking your transport with our friends at Krakow-tours.com takes all the headache away from your salt mines adventure for just a few extra zloty.

Auschwitz Concentration Camp Auschwitz was the largest of Nazi Germany's concentration camps and extermination camps, established in Nazi German occupied Poland. The camp took its German name from the nearby Polish town of Oświęcim. Birkenau, the German translation of Brzezinka (birch tree), refers to a small Polish village nearby which later was mostly destroyed by the Germans.

Following the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, Oświęcim was annexed by Nazi Germany and renamed Auschwitz, the town's German name. The camp commandant, Rudolf Höss, testified at the Nuremberg Trials that up to 3 million people had died at Auschwitz. The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum has revised this figure to 1.1 million, about 90% of whom were Jews from almost every country in Europe. Most victims were killed in Auschwitz II's gas chambers using Zyklon B; other deaths were caused by systematic starvation, forced labor, lack of disease control, individual executions, and purported "medical experiments".

In 1947, in remembrance of the victims, Poland founded a museum at the site of the first two camps. By 1994, some 22 million visitors - 700,000 annually -

had passed through the iron gate crowned with the motto "Arbeit macht frei (Work brings freedom)". The anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet troops on January 27, 1945 is celebrated on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Holocaust Memorial Day in the United Kingdom, and other similar memorial days in various countries.

Tatra Mountains Tatra National Park is a National Park located in the Tatra mountains in the Małopolska Region in southern Poland, bordering Slovakia. It was created in 1954 on an area of 215.56 km², but it is currently slightly smaller, at 211.64 km2 (81.71 sq mi). Of this, 151.91 km² is forest and the remainder mainly meadows. Strictly protected zones account for 115.14 km², of which 61.49 km² are forest ecosystems. The Park has its headquarters in the town of Zakopane. There is also a similar national park on the Slovakian side of the border, called Tatranský národný park. The first calls for protection of the Tatras came at the end of the 19th century. In 1925 the first efforts to create a national park, in cooperation with Slovakia, took place. Formally the park was created in 1937, on an area that belonged to the state forests authority. In 1947, a separate administrative unit, Tatra Park, was created. And in 1954, by decision of the Polish Government, Tatra National Park was created. In 1992, the Polish and Slovakian national parks in the Tatras were jointly designated a transboundary biosphere reserve by UNESCO under its Man and the Biosphere programme.

Ojcow National Park It may be, with its area of mere 21.5 sq. kilometers, the smallest of Poland’s twenty national parks but the Ojcow National Park (Ojcowski Park Narodowy in Polish) ranks among the most attractive recreational areas in the country, and it is just a 15 minutes’ drive – or 24 kilometers – northwest of central Krakow (road 794 via Zielonki to the town of Skala, right turn to road 773 to the Pieskowa Skala castle).

Few national parks in the world can boast so many picturesque and worthy architectural monuments as the Ojcow’s one has within its limits. This and the most scenic landscape with an abundance of many-shaped limestone rocks – some tall for fifty meters or more – such as the park’s trademark 25-m-tall ‘Hercules’ Bludgeon’, rather than wildlife bring in here roughly 400,000 visitors a year. Most of them comes between mid April and mid November. Also numerous caves, often easily accessible, prove to be a magnet for many.

In other parts of Poland:

Gdańsk is the city at the centre of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Poland.[1] It is Poland's principal seaport as well as the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is also historically the largest city of the Kashubian region. The city is close to the former boundary between West Slavic and Germanic lands and it has a complex political history with long spells of Polish rule interspersed with periods of German control and two spells as a free city. For much of its history the majority of its inhabitants were German-speakers who referred to their city as Danzig, but after World War II it again became part of Poland.

The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay (of the Baltic Sea), in a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdynia and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the Tricity, with a population of over 800,000. Gdańsk itself has a population of 458,053 (2006), making it the largest city in the Pomerania region of Northern Poland. Gdańsk is situated at the mouth of the Motława River, connected to the Leniwka, a branch in the delta of the nearby Vistula River, whose waterway system supplies 60% of the area of Poland and connects Gdańsk to the national capital in Warsaw. This gives the city a unique

advantage as the center of Poland's sea trade. Together with the nearby port of Gdynia, Gdańsk is also an important industrial center. Historically an important seaport and shipbuilding center, Gdańsk was a member of the Hanseatic League. The city was the birthplace of the Solidarity movement which, under the leadership of Gdańsk political activist Lech Wałęsa, played a major role in bringing an end to Communist rule across Central Europe. It is also the home and birthplace of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is of Kashubian origin.

Poznan Poznań is a city in west-central Poland with over 567,882 inhabitants (2006). Located on the Warta River, it is one of the oldest cities in Poland, making it an important historical centre and a vibrant centre of trade, industry, and education. Poznań is Poland's fifth largest city and fourth biggest industrial centre. It is also the

administrative capital of the Greater Poland Voivodeship.

Poznań's cathedral is the oldest in the country, containing the tombs of the first Polish rulers:Duke Mieszko I, King Boleslaus the Brave, King Mieszko II, Duke Casimir I the Restorer, Duke Przemysł I, and King Przemysł II.

Poznań was the host city for the United Nations Climate Change Conference that took place in December 2008. The conference was a key event in the creation of a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

Poznań has The Royal-Imperial Route in Poznań — a tourist walk running through the most important parts of the city showing the history, culture and identity of the city.

Wroclaw Wrocław is the chief city of the historical region of Lower Silesia in south-western Poland, situated on the Oder river. Over the centuries the city has been part of Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, and Germany. In 1945, the city became part of Poland following the Potsdam Agreement.

Since 1999 it has been the capital of Lower Silesian Voivodeship. According to official population figures for 2006, its population is 635,280, making it the fourth largest city in Poland.

Toruń Touń is a city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River, with population over 207,190 as of 2006, making it the second-largest city of Kujawy-Pomerania Province, after Bydgoszcz. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus. In 1997 it was inscribed onto UNESCO's World Heritage List as a World Heritage Site. Previously it was the capital of Toruń Voivodeship (1975-98) and Pomeranian Voivodeship (1921-45). Since 1999, Toruń has been a seat of the self-government of Kujawy-Pomerania

Province and, as such, one of its two capitals (together with Bydgoszcz). The cities and neighboring counties form the Bydgoszcz-Toruń bipolar metropolitan area. In September 2004, Bydgoszcz Medical School joined Toruń's Nicolaus Copernicus University as its Collegium Medicum.

Warsaw

Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River roughly 370 kilometers from both the Baltic Sea coast and the Carpathian Mountains. Its population as of 2007 was estimated at 1,706,624, and the Warsaw metropolitan area at approximately

2,785,000 The city area is 516.9 square kilometers (199.6 sq mi), with an agglomeration of 6,100.43 square kilometers (2,355.4 sq mi). Warsaw is the 8th largest city in the European Union.

Warszawianka (1831) is widely considered the unofficial anthem of the Capital City of Warsaw. On November 9, 1940 the City of Warsaw was awarded with the highest military decoration for courage in the face of the enemy - Order Virtuti Militari for the heroic defense in 1939.

Warsaw is also known as the "phoenix city", as it was completely destroyed during World War II, and rebuilt with the heroic effort of Polish citizens. Warsaw has given its name to the Warsaw Confederation, Warsaw Pact, Warsaw Convention, Treaty of Warsaw and the Warsaw Uprising.

Mazury lakes Masuria and the Masurian Lakeland are known in Polish as Kraina Tysiąca Jezior and in German as Land der Tausend Seen, meaning "land of a thousand lakes." These lakes were ground out of the land by glaciers during the Pleistocene ice age, when ice covered northeastern Europe. By 10,000 BC this ice started to melt. Great geological changes took place and even in the last 500 years the maps showing the lagoons and peninsulas on the Baltic Sea have greatly altered in appearance. As in other parts of northern Poland, such as from Pomerania on the Oder River to the Vistula River, this continuous stretch of lakes is

popular among tourists.

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AIESEC Executive Board Contacts:

LCP: Przemysław Kadula przemek.kadula@gmail.com LCVP ER: Wojciech Niestrój wniestroj@gmail.com LCVP Finance, ICX DT, OGX: Agnieszka Grzechnik agnieszka.grzechnik@gmail.com LCVP TM: Filip Kwiatkowski kwiatkowski.filip@gmail.com LCVP ICX MT/TT: Dawid Bychawski dawid.bychawski@gmail.com

AIESEC in Poland Local Committee Krakow Rakowicka 27 31-510 Krakow

phone: +48 12 293 53 78, +48 12 293 56 78 fax: (+48 12) 293 50 17 (attn. AIESEC)

Prepared by:

Reception Booklet

Prepared by:

Marek Koczynski LC Krakow

Tanya Otonova LC Sofia UNWE (Bulgaria)

Anna Soloid LC Odessa (Ukraine)