Wawel (pronounced Vah-vell) Castle reminded me of Washington in late-May/early-June: absolutely ruined by schoolchildren and teenagers by the busload. Aside for an ill-fated detour into the Wawel Cathedral (which was so packed full of children and the dreaded 30+ person tour groups, Severin and I basically had to steamroll people to escape), we stuck to admiring the castle from outdoors. No matter– as you can see, it was a spectacular day– perfect temperature, bright blue skies, lovely castle grounds. No complaints from these quarters.
Wawel has a beautiful residence. If it looks positively Italian, that’s because it is– Wawel’s royal residents brought in Florentine architects to desire their living quarters. True story: One of the world’s seven chakras is said to be located in the corner of this Florentine courtyard, if you believe that sort of thing.
Packed to the gills with people inside, I believe this is actually one of the best views of the Wawel Cathedral. It’s a funny amalgam of building styles, but somehow they all work together…