any one who has been to Poland/ lives in Poland?

Before one of the regular contributors provides his regular response, you might want to look at some Web pages meanwhile:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krakow

http://www.krakow-poland.com/

http://wikitravel.org/en/Krak%C3%B3w

Kraków is a great place to visit, full of great architecture, beautiful churches, great restaurants, great museums, lots of friendly people.

Costs are about 1/2 what they are in places like France and Spain on the Euro.

Most things are a short walk from the old market square, so stay near there if you can. As such, the old town it is full of old churches, gorgeous buildings, and a very large and vibrant town square lined with cafés. There are lots of classical music concerts. Visit St. Marys Cathedral and the other great churches in the old town. Walk up to Wawel hill and visit the Royal Cathedral and Palace. Take day trips to Oświęcim (Auschwitz) and to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, and perhaps to the Eagle-nest Castles in the mountains. Visit the Museums.

The most striking thing I remember from Kraków is the Kraków Hourly Trumpet Signal

Every hour a golden trumpet shows above Kraków's central Grand Square in the west window just below the spire of the higher, municipal tower of the St. Mary's Basilica. Then a characteristic trumpet signal, known and dear to every Pole, played by a live trumpet player, resounds all over the city's Old Town historical district. All of a sudden the melody comes to an abrupt end. The Kraków signal, or Hejnal Mariacki, dates back to the Middle Ages when it announced the opening and the closing of the city gates. The bugler also played it to alarm his fellow citizens whenever he saw a fire or enemy forces. And the melody's abrupt ending is said to commemorate a bugler shot through his throat by a Tatar archer in 1241.

Drink lots of Zywiec.

Warsaw is a 4 hour train trip away and is worth a few visits, for all of the WWII monuments, memorials, and memories, Getto museums and memories, plus the old town. It's a 4 hour train from Kraków.

Wroclaw is also a short train ride away. Ppicturesquely situated on 12 islands connected by 112 bridges, it is often referred to as "Lower Silesian Venice." While in Wrocław, one has to see the Market Square with its brilliantly painted buildings around and the eye-catching Gothic Town Hall. The other tourist attraction not to be missed is the impressive complex of religious architecture on Cathedral Island.

Get the Rick Steves DVD on Eastern Europe, which covers these cities, plus others.

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