Snapshots
KRAKOW
Nativity Scene (Szopka) Competition
3-24 December
In a tradition dating back to the 1700s, Krakow’s szopka, or Nativity scene, replace the Bethlehem stable with ornate structures inspired by the city’s architectural marvels. The szopkas range from a few centimetres to mammoth efforts stretching over two metres long. Artisans from across Poland gather around the Adam Mickiewicz monument in central Krakow on 3 December to unveil their creations for competition. After the judging, the nativity scenes are moved to the Krzysztofory Palace (History Museum) on Rynek Glowny where they can be admired for the rest of the holiday season. The winning entries are added to the permanent collection in the History Museum for year-round viewing. Many szopkas are available for purchase throughout the holiday season, but you have to be quick because the best ones are snapped up quickly. You’ll be amazed by the intricacy and scale of these Christmas masterpieces.
Words by Andrzej Olszewski
Snapshot writers highlight the best from the hub cities. For more travel inspirations at Wizz Air destinations, visit www.joobili.com
GDANSK
Gdansk Shipyard
Beyond the bustle of the Old Town lie the rusting cranes of the Gdansk Shipyard. If you didn’t know any better you’d think it was just another industrial district awaiting urban renewal. But this is hallowed ground for those of us who lived in Poland in the 1980s. It was here, in what was then called the Lenin Shipyard, that the Solidarity movement led by Lech Walesa made its stand against communism. What began as a protest against food prices escalated into a trade union of 10 million strong and a political force. Although my family did not live in Gdansk at the time, my father told me how people in the countryside were not sure what to believe. As more news leaked out, the shipyard provided a spark of encouragement to other anti-communist movements in Eastern Europe. Today, at the shipyard gate, there are plaques honouring these historic events and a monument to those who lost their lives in the struggle. You can reach Solidarity Square by taking tram number 8 or 10 from the railway station.
Words by Ma3gorzata Kurzeja
SOFIA
Iliantzi Market
Have you ever found that out-of-town visitors can get really excited about something that seemed to you quite mundane? This was my experience a few months ago when I took some friends to the Iliantzi Market in Sofia. It’s a huge street market in the Iliantzi neighbourhood filled with a hodgepodge of Chinese plastic toys, fake Rolex watches, quality leather boots, Bulgarian ceramics and anything else you can imagine. My friend picked up an old Soviet watch that he is still raving about. You’ll not find better prices anywhere in the city, but be prepared to bargain. The market also has a reputation for pickpockets so consider yourself warned. Saturday morning is when the market is at its liveliest, but you’ll find vendors selling their wares throughout the week.
Words Alexander Krutilin
BUDAPEST
Christmas Market
20 November – 29 December
The smell of mulled wine, grilled sausage and buttered lángos (deep-fried flatbread) permeates the spacious Vörösmarty Square. Of course, many European cities have Christmas markets, but Budapest enforces a strict handcraft-only policy, which means you will be buying directly from a selection of Hungary’s best artisans. You can get lost among over 100 wooden stands offering hand-made porcelain, wooden boxes and toys, jewellery and traditional weaving. Keep a special eye out for the Transylvanian tapestries. This is a great place to find a unique gift for the person that has everything, and when you need a break from shopping you can relax to the sounds of folk musicians and dancers performing on the main stage. If you want to avoid the crowds, visit on a weekday in daylight hours.
Words Zoltan Tarpai
CLUJ-NAPOCA
Baisoara Ski Resort
It’s not exactly fair comparing skiing in Romania with skiing in the Alps, but if you are a winter sports purist then have a look at Baisoara, 50km south-west of Cluj-Napoca. The last time I visited an Austrian resort, I felt as if it were more about the luxury lodge, fine dining and spa treatments than the snow itself. Not so in Baisoara. Here you have one hotel, one ski lift and one-third the price of Western resorts. The slopes are a mere one-hour drive from Cluj-Napoca should you need some nightlife, but for me Baisoara is more about the solitude and the snow (and, okay, the price). The runs open in early December and continue until early April. www.baisoara.ro
Words Izabella Kajtar
