Krakow - The Market Square

If ever you have the pleasure of visiting the beautiful city of Krakow, Poland’s former capital, the chances are you’ll come across the Market Square (‘Rynek Glowny’, in Polish) at some point. In fact, it is one of the largest squares in Europe and is the city’s main attraction, so you can’t really miss it. Within, you’ll find countless shops, restaurants, bars and clubs, and all the culture and history you could possibly hope to soak up.

The Market Square was initially constructed long ago in 1257, after the Mongol hordes swept through the city. At 200m squared, it immediately became the largest market place in Europe at the time. Yet the beauty of the square is that as one is taking a peaceful stroll through, it never seems too big, with the also famous Cloth Hall running through the centre and providing a perfect feeling of balance. Many important events of Polish history were realized here and the square remains one of the most energetic, vibrant and inspiring places in the country. It really is a must see for anyone visiting Poland.

At the beginning, the square was the life and soul of Krakow, providing the social and commercial heart of the city. It became an emporium of the Black Sea trade and from here a springboard to Poland’s connections with the Western World. In modern times, the square provides the perfect meeting point for Cracovians of all ages. One of the most attractive aspects of the square is that it never sleeps. There always seems to be people milling around within it no matter what the time. The phrase “Pod Adamem” (“By Adam”, in English) refers to the famous statue in the middle of the square and is often used to mean “we´ll meet by the statue”).

 
Anyone that has been here will agree that the square has a certain sense of majesty and magnificence about it. There are many grand buildings within it (the old aristocracy built their palaces here) which one can use as vantage points to view the square. And probably the best time of year to visit, as you can imagine, is during the summer months. This is when the bars and cafés dotted about the square begin setting out tables and chairs, which provides a fantastic place to relax and take in the beauties of the square- all you need to do is sit back and watch the buskers, flower sellers and horse drawn carts flow by.

Its location is also a massive plus point. Just a short walk away is the ancient Wawel Castle and Wisla River, which you can reach through the many charming, narrow streets that branch off the square itself.

A unique city

Right throughout the country, England is brimming with many wonderful towns, cities and buildings, all beautiful in their own individual way: Historic York, the peaceful regatta town of Henley, university-dominated Cambridge and the famous horse-racing Cheltenham. These are just a few examples of the gems one can find in England, yet the country is littered with many more. Though I must say that from personal experience, having travelled a fair bit around the country, no other place has been so stunningly striking than the very unique City of Bath, better described as a spa-town, where I have studied for the past 4 years.

Few other towns can yield such elegance, such charm and such fantastic architectural riches. It really cannot be compared to any other town in the country, or at least I have seen none other like it. Bath´s original construction somewhat ran in the family. John Wood (there were two, the elder and the younger), both of them, were responsible for much of the city´s impressive architecture, constructing the famous Circus and the Royal Crescent. Many beleive the two combine to form a huge question mark symbol, visible from a bird´s eye view.

Upon arrival in the town you´ll also immediately notice the obvious architectural harmony, continuous throughout the city. Particularly after Bath was pronounced a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, strict construction regulations have meant that every building must be in keeping with its surroundings. For this reason, the heritage of the city has been meticulously preserved right up to this day. There really is nowhere else like it.

Yet not only is the city bursting with architectural beauty, it is full of many other treats. The famous Roman Baths (open to visitors) are a main attraction and there are endless cute little restaurants, bars, cafés and shops to keep you busy all day. Merely taking a stroll through this peaceful, historical town will take your breath away.It really is a must-see.

Try tapas in Seville

Seville is well known for two things: The flamenco and tapas. Along with some of the nicest monuments, palaces, cathedrals and Gardens in the whole of Spain. In some areas of Spain the tapas can be very similar, for example in every cafe/restaurant it can be hard to find something different. But in Seville after passing one tapas bar after another you realise that the offer is extremely varied compared with the major cities of Barcelona and Madrid where although you can find excellent tapas it’s often at a high price. Many of the Seville tapas bars serve it free when you order a drink such as the Spanish Cruzcampo beer.

The cities beautiful architecture combined with the excellent cooking provides a stunning setting to sample the Tapas. 
One of the most popular dishes is the squid friend on a skewer along with fresh prawns and coconut.