june-2011

[ destinations ]
KATOWICE/KRAKOW-KIEV
Katowice/Krakow
www.cracow-life.com Złoty Wizz Air: 0703 503 0101
Getting to the centre
In Katowice we provide two point-topoint
transfers, one between airport
and city centre, the other between
airport and Krakow centre. The cost
is €7/€14 (return) to/from Katowice
city centre and €15/€30 (return) to/
from Krakow city centre.
A slice of the city
The Selector Festival (3-4 June)
will host concerts from La Roux,
the Orb and Ladytron. www.
selectorfestival.pl. The Jewish
Culture Festival is 24 June to 3 July.
www.jewishfestival.pl
Eating out
You can have a latke-like pancake
at “Granny’s Potato Pancakes” aka
Plackarnia Babuni (ul Kilinskiego
16, Katowice, +48 32 250 0103)
nearly anyway you like, but the
classic is with mushroom sauce.
Finding a perfectly cooked burger
in Krakow is no easy feat, but the
folks at Love Krove (ul Jozefa 8,
Krakow. +48 (0)12 422 1506) have
got the art down pat. Choose from
74 WIZZ MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2011
a classic sandwich to more fanciful
combinations with avocado or rucola.
City suggestions
No trip would be complete without a
visit to the world famous Wieliczka
Salt Mine in the Krakow area. Over
the years, the miners have carved
out intricate sculpture into the mine
including a church with freizes and
grand staircase. You’ll be surprised
to find your mobile phones can
work 300m underground! Since
its relatively recent opening,
Krakow’s post-industrial Fabryka
(“Factory” club) at ul Zablocie
23 (www.fabrykaklub.eu) quickly
transformed into one of Krakow’s top
party venues. Stop by club’s website
for a peek into coming events.
And finally…
If sipping a coffee at the cinema is
not enough enjoyment (at Krakow’s
Kino Ars’ Kiniarnia café/cinema),
sip a cold beer in the summer breeze
at Kijów Cinema’s (Krasinskiego 34,
Krakow) outdoor screenings.
Words Michelle Dramowicz
Kiev
www.discover-ua.info Hryvnia Wizz Air: +380 (44) 206 4888
Getting to the centre
Taxis are widely available and
haggling is strongly recommended.
A good price is 200 hryvnia (€20).
Mini-buses depart for the city centre
directly outside the main terminal.
A slice of the city
The Ukrainian capital takes on the
feel of a sweltering, sub-tropical
resort town throughout the summer
high season, with the city’s miles of
sandy downtown beaches packed out
by peroxide pensioners and teenage
nymphets alike…
Eating out
For a local flavour, head to Partisan
(11km along the Novobukhovskoe
Trasse) in Romankov village, +38
044 467 7343. Kiev locals abandon
the city in droves during the long hot
summer and head to out-of-town
resorts like this one, which is designed
as a kitsch homage to the Red
Army partisans of World War II.
Or try Cafe Champagne, Bolshaya
Zhitomirskaya, +380 44 332 02 0510.
It's French food, and you can enjoy
it on a wonderful summer terrace.
Visit http://french-cafe.com to get a
visual idea of the venue. Try the Salad
"Riviera" with scallops, shrimps and
fresh - salted salmon, or for dessert
crème brûlée with raspberries.
City suggestions
Kiev is one of the world’s greenest
and sandiest capital cities, with miles
of fine sand beaches lining the islands
which form the geographical heart of
the city. At Gydropark beaches (exit
at Gydropark metro station) facilities
are varied at best throughout the
various bars and mini-resorts on
the promenade, but you’ll get an
afternoon of kiss-me-quick fun here.
One of Kyiv’s most attractive
riverside areas is the Obolon district,
which was first developed in the
1960s as the Ukrainian capital
began its modern expansion.
Obolon promenade on Heroes of
Stalingrad Avenue, with the nearest
metro stations Obolon and Minsk,
has a suburban feel and offers a
wide range of passable bars and
restaurants close to some of Kyiv’s
most picturesque riverside views.
And finally…
Most people associate Ukraine with
cold winters but during the summer
months the country is often one of
the hottest spots in Europe.
Heatwaves regularly grip Kyiv and
back it unbearable – anyone caught
in the furnace should seek regular
relief in the city’s underground
shopping malls.
Words Peter Dickinson