4.5 out of 5 stars 28. Nearby, the imposing St. Mary's Church — with its soaring lookout tower — has long been an icon of the city. Then the inmates piled into the "shower room." And Warsaw, decades after it was systematically destroyed during World War II, is a lively, thriving capital once again. Take me as example, I'm 65 years old and I'm still fresh, still young. Each midday, crowds gather for a medieval moment as a nun swings open the church's much-adored altarpiece. Rick Steves Snapshot: Kraków, Warsaw & Gdańsk contains all the complete chapters on Poland, excerpted from Rick's full-length Eastern Europe guidebook — and leaves out the chapters on other Eastern European destinations. Enjoying the highlights of Poland, we'll visit its grand cultural center, Kraków, make a pilgrimage to Poland's holiest site, remember the horrors of Auschwitz, descend into a magical salt mine, feel the jazzy beat, be inspired by WWII heroics, slam down a Polish tradition…. Error: please try again. Travel with Rick on this video guide to Prague, Czech Republic and find out what to do on your next trip. 21 $25.00 $25.00. With Rick Steves, Andreas Clemens, Georg Reichlmayr, Holger Zimmer. If you don’t trust me you can taste it. Are you ready? It's vast: nine levels…1000 feet deep…over a hundred miles of tunnels. The castle long served as a royal palace. FREE Shipping by Amazon . CATALOG NUMBER 310.3. That's why I like it. The Germans bombed the sprawling gassing and cremation facilities as they retreated. The notorious gate welcomed inmates with a cruel lie: Arbeit Macht Frei…"work will set you free.". Everything here, including the ornate altar and the grand chandelier, is hewn from this underworld of salt. Deep beneath the ground, the mine is filled with sculptures that miners have lovingly carved out of the salt. Crowds got you down? Before posting, please read our Community Guidelines. The Nazis didn't like this inefficiency, so they built a far bigger camp two miles away. Today, while note quite as slick and polished as Prague's Jewish Quarter, Kazimierz's assortment of synagogues, cemeteries, and museums helps visitors appreciate the neighborhood's rich history. Rick Steves' Europe. Headstones — broken under tank treads — now create a moving mosaic wall and Holocaust monument. Its outskirts sprawl with Communist-built apartment blocks. It provided extra protection at the town's main gate. Since liberation day in 1945, millions have visited this place. Resilient Krakovians took this opportunity to rebuild their city with a near-perfect grid plan — a striking contrast to the narrow, mazelike lanes of most medieval towns. Every country's had its ups and downs. I mean it's just like…wow! You can look down the sides to see how the Main Market Square has risen about seven feet over the centuries (church open daily in the afternoon). Warsaw's Royal Way — a mostly buses- and taxis-only shopping boulevard — is a local favorite for strolling, and browsing, and ultimately leads you to Warsaw's historic Old Town. Local merchants then resold their wares at a profit…and the city thrived. Video: Watch Prague, an episode of the Rick Steves' Europe TV show. As we ramble through the heart of Rome, we'll admire breathtaking Bernini statues and ponder sunbeams inside St. Peter's Basilica. In the Middle Ages, this was where the cloth sellers had their market stalls. We spent two weeks in Poland last summer and enjoyed it immensely. Terms of Service | Privacy, Kraków, Poland: Countryside and the Wieliczka Salt Mine, Kraków, Poland: Rich History, Vibrant Culture, Warsaw, Poland: Heroes, Memorials, and Restoration, Poland Rediscovered: Kraków, Auschwitz, and Warsaw. So if all you want is the best of Poland, this compact Snapshot guide delivers everything you'll need to know — for about half the price and half the bulk. People were told they'd be starting new lives and to bring luggage — clearly labeled with their names. Back then you couldn't just sell things anywhere. Poland. $1.99. With the expectation of help from Soviet tanks which were gathering just across the river, it seemed like the right time to attack. Nearby, a visit to Auschwitz teaches a timeless, soul-searching lesson. All the full length Rick Steves Europe PBS Episodes that I could find. Train tracks lead efficiently past the main building, into the camp, and to the dividing platform. After descending 200 feet below the surface, you follow your guide on a mile-long downhill stroll, getting a memorable peek at life in the mine. Compared to the rest of Europe, Polish churches are alive with people practicing their faith. Then, about a year later, the entire city rose up against the Nazis in the Warsaw Uprising. After they were killed, everything of value was sorted and warehoused. A church has stood on this spot for 800 years. Jump to bottom. This is the oldest chapel in this part of the salt mine, Saint Anthony chapel from 17th century. If you're going to remember one Polish king, remember Kazimierz the Great, who ruled Poland from Kraków in the 14th century. Several restaurants offer Jewish music from 19th-century Poland with their traditional cuisine. Episode 312: Lisbon and the Algarve. Fixed iFrame Width: in pixels px Height: in pixels px. The charm of today's Kraków lies in its medieval roots. I can't imagine how cold they must have been…wet, hungry, and dressed in rags. Crutches and prosthetic limbs remind us that the first people exterminated were mentally and physically ill German citizens; children's clothing — the Nazis spared no one — and a seemingly endless mountain of shoes…it's hard to comprehend the numbers. Today it’s busy not with miners, but with tourists. The memorial reads, "a cry of despair and a warning to humanity." A quarter of a million Poles were killed. Chopin sits under a wind-blown willow tree. And salt preserves everything. Rate. And learning from this country's recent past, I'm reminded we have much to be thankful for and much to be vigilant against. The population of the ghetto was down to about 60,000 when those who remained realized that they would die even if they did nothing. Thankfully, these are good times for Poland. Kaisa: Do you know how to drink vodka? The remarkable Wieliczka Salt Mine — just outside of Kraków — has been producing salt for eight centuries. Several sights in Warsaw commemorate those who were murdered, and those who fought back. The resilience of Poland's culture and the warmth of its people inspire me. This exquisite Gothic polyptych — an altarpiece with pivoting panels — was carved in the late 1400s by Veit Stoss. 9 Oct. 2004 Highlights of Paris. Poland's two must-see cities are Warsaw and Kraków. 0:55:02. Because of the ferocity of Nazi hatred, nothing remains of the ghetto except the street plan and the heroic spirit of the people who once lived here. Watch Rick Steves' Europe - Season 4, Episode 10 - Salzburg and Surroundings: Rick visits the birthplace of Mozart and explores the delightful romantic town of Hallstatt. Hunger and Hope: Lessons from Ethiopia and Guatemala. Tour Account › Travel Forum › Home / Travel Forum / Poland; Please sign in to post. The highlight of the entire castle complex is the cathedral. Rate. I'm Rick Steves. Rate. Start a New Topic. Birkenau is on a much bigger scale and mostly outdoors, with the infamous guard tower, a vast field with ruins of barracks, a few tourable rough barracks, the notorious "dividing platform," a giant monument flanked by remains of destroyed crematoria, and a prisoner processing facility called "the Sauna.". Most of all, Kazimierz was remembered for being a tolerant and progressive king. Each inmate had an ID number, a barrack number, and a bed number. Auschwitz was the biggest and most notorious concentration camp in the Nazi system. Rick Steves' Europe. Contact Info. 2. 9. 4. Get it as soon as Wed, Jul 8. When built, in the 13th century, this was the biggest square in medieval Europe. Rate. But the Nazis regrouped, and brutally put down the Warsaw Uprising. Glasgow: Gritty Industry and Feisty Scottish Culture, Neuschwanstein: “Mad” King Ludwig’s Castle in Bavaria. Today Wawel is the most-visited sight in all Poland. It was essential to survive this harsh climate. As the smoke cleared and the Nazis retreated, the Red Army marched in and claimed the pile of rubble that was once Warsaw. During the partition in the 19th century, we didn't even show on the map but we survived — thanks to being Polish, and thanks to being Catholics. Rick Steves' Europe. By 1944, as the Soviet Army drew near, it was becoming clear the Nazis' days in Warsaw were numbered. In the 1930s, a quarter of Kraków's population was Jewish. And the city's legendary mermaid welcomes friends while keeping out foes. 1. When the tour’s over a small but industrial-strength lift beams you up. It was rifles, knives, and Molotov cocktails against air force, tanks, and artillery as they battled courageously for 63 days. Poland Rediscovered: Krakow, Auschwitz and Warsaw | KCET. Smaller text Larger text. Also: a romantic forest; sampling chocolate-cherry cake. Posted by apyfiz19 (India) on 03/22/17 04:57 PM. Eyeglasses evoke how individuality was trashed. The Nazis began moving people out at the rate of 5,000 a day to nearby death camps like Auschwitz. Please suggest what else can we do/see in other 2 days? Because the Nazis leveled the ghetto, there is literally nothing left except the street plan, some monuments, and the heroic spirit of its former residents. 7. My friend and fellow tour guide, Kasia Derlicka, is joining us to be sure we get things just right. In 1555, it burned down, and was replaced by the current building. The small houses are traditionally used by three generations at the same time. Rick Steves’ Europe Seasons . Travel engages me with our world, and helps me feel fully alive. Through all this, the Soviets sat here, across the river. In the 13th century the Tartars — a.k.a. While few Jews actually still live here, the spirit of the Jewish tradition survives. But the most powerful Holocaust memorial — I think in all of Europe — is the concentration camp here at Auschwitz, an hour's drive from Kraków. Kraków grew wealthy from trade in the 12th century. They decided to stage a courageous uprising. Back in Kraków, cap your day in one of the town's many jazz clubs. RICK STEVES EGYPT: YESTERDAY & TODAY sails beyond Europe, exploring the historic and cultural wonders of Egypt. Pope John Paul II was a hometown boy and served right here as archbishop of Kraków before being called to Rome. Home / Blog: Cameron's Travels; Posted on December 28, 2018 December 19, 2019 by Cameron Hewitt. P.S. Rick Steves' Europe is public television's most-watched, longest-running travel series. Season 10 Episode 1006 | 25m 2s | Video has closed captioning. The neighborhood of Kazimierz, 20 minutes by foot southeast of Kraków's Old Town, is the historic heart of Kraków's once-thriving Jewish community. Industrialization Rick: It hurt only once, that's for sure. This hill is where Kazimierz the Great turned a small fortress into a mighty Gothic castle in the 14th century (only bits of its foundation remain, as the original fortress burned to the ground in 1499). Everything had to be sold here on the market square. The Palace of Culture and Science — Poland's tallest building, at over 700 feet — is a Warsaw landmark. The Old Town's many restaurants provide a good introduction to Polish cuisine…and central to that is vodka. Back in the 1950s, Janusz Muniak was one of the original Polish hepcats. Stop the car…get out…enjoy an intimate look at Poland's welcoming country life. "Auschwitz" actually refers to a series of several camps in Poland — most importantly Auschwitz I, in the village of Oświęcim (50 miles west of Kraków), and Auschwitz II, a.k.a. In the northeast corner of Europe, Poland is one of the largest countries on the Continent. Read more. Barcelona and Catalunya. Even though Poland's political capital moved from here to Warsaw 400 years ago, Kraków remains the country's cultural and intellectual center. Chat about your favorite shows. Na zdrowie. Collapse. Rick: Oh my! Rick: I'm ready. Nineteenth-century houses — the few that survive — often sport colorful stripes. For more information, contact Lisa Werner at lisaw@ricksteves.com or Hope Reed at 520-622-1393. Kaisa: Okay, let's do it. Season 10 of Rick Steves' Europe debuted across the US on public television in the fall of 2018. The city's history is rich, its sights are fascinating, and the prices are some of Europe's lowest. Ghetto Heroes Square — now surrounded by bland Soviet-style apartment blocks — marks the heart of what was the Jewish ghetto. Season 9 Episode 5. My Account . If you don't trust me you can taste it. You'll explore this unique gallery — learning both about the art and about medieval mining techniques — on a required tour. It's also the city's edgy, hipster culture center — jammed with colorful bars, creative eateries, and designer boutiques. Rate. To Poles, this church is the national mausoleum. Please try again. We are planning to have 2 nights at Krakow and 1 day trip to Auschwitz. Rate. While Warsaw was in the sphere of Moscow and therefore more Eastern and conservative, Kraków has long been more Western and liberal. Driving through the countryside back to Kraków refreshes travelers with a look at today's peaceful rural Poland. 8.2 (11) 0. Guide: Visitors expect salt white, but it's black, but it's salt. Rate. A visit to Germany's Black Forest and Cologne includes stops at a mineral spa and a casino. It's bottoms up! It was here that families from all over Europe were torn apart forever. The Nazis arrived in 1939. Rick Steves TV Episodes. The bricks are worn smooth by countless inmates who sat here to catch a little warmth in the middle of a bitter Polish winter. This is a country where the most expensive café on the most expensive perch serves drinks for a fraction of what you'd expect. 75% of its nearly 40 million people are practicing Catholics. This time we're in Poland with such a rich history and a promising future. If he pointed to the right, the prisoner marched — unknowingly — directly to the gas chamber. Kraków emerged from World War II virtually unscathed — it slumbered under communism until Poland won its freedom in 1989. Wawel Cathedral is Poland's national church — its "Westminster Abbey." 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