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When you announce that you are traveling to Poland for vacation, the first question that comes out of peoples’ mouths is “Are you Polish?” While it’s true that Poland doesn’t top the list of destinations in Europe, it’s truly a once in a lifetime vacation experience and a little more friendly to your pocketbook than the Western European nations. The Polish city of Krakow escaped virtually unscathed from the destruction of WWII whereas its sister city of Warsaw didn’t fare as well. Krakow is more than a 1,000 years old and has been named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Rynek Glowny is situated in the center of the city and is the largest marketplace in Europe and overflows with sidewalk cafes and portable stalls selling souvenirs, Unfortunately, and quite similar to historic districts in the US, the European fashion chains like Zara and H & M have overrun and replaced the number of specialty and locally owned shops. However, these often present good deals to foreign tourists for tax-free shopping. Speaking of souvenirs, more than 90% of the world’s amber is mined in Poland and is an especially good buy. The Wawel Royal Castle is a not to be missed attraction. Built in the early 16th century and situated on a hilltop overlooking the city, visitors can tour the Royal Chambers, the Royal Private Apartments where the royalty lived, and the Crown Treasury and Armory where the regalia and weapons were stored. Another life changing experience is just a 45-minute train ride away, and that’s a tour of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Admission is free and Guide services are available for a small fee. The standard tour is about 3.5 hours and covers the Germany administration’s offices, spots were mass executions occurred, the gas chambers, and most disturbing of all the personal effects of the victims. Regardless of your ethnicity or religion, a visit here will profoundly affect you and will put the petty problems of modern living into perspective. Krakow is less than a day’s journey from Prague and Budapest so consider tacking on a few days to your trip to explore Krakow.