After a panicked sprint, I use the term loosely, through the airport, my fear of missing the flight was allayed by the sight of a full queue waiting at the gate to board the plane headed for Krakow. I was returning to Poland’s second city some 12 years after first visiting for a stag do. This time I was hoping to have a slightly more cultural and rested experience after a heavy weekend in Belgium.
Divine intervention
The 2 hour flight was nicely passing by until the final descent, the seatbelt light was on and the staff were strapped in ready for landing. I, on the other hand was starting to feel nauseous so made a dash for the bathroom only to be told in not so many words ‘Sit the fuck down’ by the previously delightful air hostess. The next 10 minutes hovering over an insufficient sick bag were about as grim as it gets. Approaching Pope John Paul II Airport, I was hoping for some divine intervention from the great man who ended Italy’s 455 year streak at the top of the Catholic Church. Thankfully my prayers were answered and the body held up. There is a God after all.
Leaving the airport in slightly better shape I jumped on the 25 minute bus to the centre. That lasted all of one stop before the same feelings returned and I was forced to jump off before any further embarrassment ensued. One thing I was looking forward to this week was long river walks enjoying the fresh air and freedom, however I hadn’t envisaged starting so soon with a 3 hour walk from the airport but hey, why not, an unexpected opportunity to see the less touristy areas of Krakow.
Incredible sight
Day 2 began feeling slightly fresher, I’d love to say two day hangovers aren’t a thing but who am I kidding. A light stroll around the Old Town was just what I needed and ‘Wow’, what an incredible city. Having been before I wasn’t expecting to be overwhelmed but the Old Town was something to behold and my hazy twelve year old memories were put to shame. Stunning architecture and history around every corner with the oldest medieval square (Rynek Główny) in Europe as the centrepiece, no surprise that it was one of the first landmarks to be added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites back in 1978. Full of life and energy, this place was buzzing with activity and people of all ages and walks of life enjoying the ambience. Such an incredible place with so much history it was time to find out a little more.
HISTORY
Evidence of settlements at Wawel Hill, on the banks of the Vistula River (Wisła) date back thousands of years but the existence of Krakow itself began in the 7th Century. Legend has it that a young man named Krak slayed the local dragon (Smok Wawelski) who had been plaguing the city, he then became King and ruled over the Vestulan tribe and by the end of the 10th Century Krakow was incorporated into Poland.
In 1038 Krakow became capital of the relatively new country and retained that position until the late 16th century when it moved to Warsaw. During the first 900 years of Poland’s existence they have had wars and invasions from The Mongols, Swedes, Russians, Ottomans, and even 123 years of Austrian rule which lead them up to their eventual independence in 1918 at the end of WWI as part of the Treaty of Versailles.
Tragically just over 20 years on, Krakow was one of the first places to be invaded by Nazi Germany. Here the Nazi’s set up their General Government and occupied the country for the duration of the war and sent millions of Jews to their death. At the end of WWII Poland were under communist rule where they remained for the next 45 years until the fall of Iron Curtain in 1991 in which the Poles themselves played a crucial part, and finally, freedom.
Fixture planning
Selecting matches is always a fun part of the adventure and this time after booking my trip to Belgium, it was a case of seeing where there was a set of midweek fixtures and whether it was affordable to get to. Thankfully Krakow ticked both those boxes and Wisła Kraków vs GKS Katowice jumped straight out. I had to wait until a few weeks before the game before tickets were available to buy and to my shock the Ekstraklasa fixtures were nowhere to be seen. After a brief panic it appears both of these well-known teams were now plying their trade in Poland’s second tier but at least the game was on.
A couple of days before my trip I was searching for information about Wisła and spotted that they were one of the clubs available on Homefans.net. A site I had been meaning to try for years where you basically have a host who tries to give you the full home fan experience as the name suggests. For only £45 I bit the bullet and was almost instantly in contact with my host and avid Wisła fan, Filip. On the day of the game we met a few hours before kick-off in town and walked the 30 minutes to the ground where I asked him a whole host of questions about Wisła and their current form and as always it was great to learn about the history of a new club.
History of Wisła
Wisła Krakow were formed in 1906 in the same year as their great local rivals Cracovia, both were founder members of the Polish Championship. They went on to win the inaugural title in 1926 and quickly followed up with a second the year after. Wisła failed to continue the early domination and barring a couple of successes in the 50’s it was quiet until the 1978 title. The following year they reached their best European finish of a Quarter Final before falling to eventual winners Malmo.
The saviour
As the 20th century was coming to a close they were struggling at the foot of the Ekstraklasa when the clubs course was about to change dramatically. The first big money take over in Polish football by one of the country’s richest men catapulted Wisła back to the upper echelons of the table. Within half a season they were beating reigning champions Wizdew Łódź 6-0 and by 1999 they once again reached the pinnacle of Polish football and this time there was no budging them.
Wisła proceeded to dominate the league, winning the 8 of the next 13 titles. If ever you’re partaking in a quiz and the following question comes up “To whom did Pep Guardiola suffer his first professional managerial defeat?” The answer as I’m sure we all knew is Wisła Krakow.
“To whom did Pep Guardiola suffer his first professional managerial defeat?”
The dream is over
Since their final title in 2011 it has sadly been a steady decline, results on the pitch began to suffer and by 2016 the affluent owners decided they’d had their fun and departed, leaving Wisła in a terrible state. Back in debt and in the hands of the fans, this exposure left them vulnerable and their famous right wing ultra group, The Sharks, managed to infiltrate the club thus accelerated the clubs downfall with continued criminal activity.
By 2018 the club was on its knees with fans just praying for the club to survive. The saviour ended up being former Dortmund star Jakub Błaszczykowski. As well as turning out on the field, he also combined with others off the field to put together a package to rescue the club. Despite being able to save them from extinction, he was unable to stop the drop to I Liga after 26 years at the top level. I’ve only touched on the full drama of this clubs history but for a truly wonderful article and in-depth review then look no further than here.
Match day
Back to the match day and with no bars in the locality of the stadium, it was some cans of beer and supplementary Vodka from the local shop before gathering in the car park opposite the stadium. Filip understandably emphasized how a 6 O’Clock Tuesday kick off wasn’t going to give me the full pre match experience but as the fans assembled and the Vodka flowed, the atmosphere was building nicely.
As time ticked along we headed across to the Stadion Miejski im. Henryka Reymana, their 33,000 capacity stadium which has been home since 1953. Named after one of the clubs greatest heroes, top scorer in their first two league titles and still to this day the record holder for the most goals in one Ekstraklasa season with 37. A man whose influence on the club is still felt with the following quote displayed in the Wisła dressing room.
“No one requires you to win everything. You might lose at times. But everyone has the right to require you to fight unrelentingly and ambitiously. Do not let people consider you unworthy of… shaking your hand”
Henryka Reymana
Into the Cauldron
Suitably well-oiled I was now well in the mood for a lively experience. We entered the fortress where Wisła once went 5 years without defeat and took our place in the terrace. I say took our place rather than seat as not one fan behind the goal sat down for the next 90 minutes. A huge Tifo covered the stand as the game kicked off and underneath, the Ultra’s quickly changed clothes and put on masks and gloves. It was certainly an environment with an edge where photos and videos weren’t necessarily welcome and I certainly felt more comfortable being with a group of locals rather than a lone tourist. Although now dated, here is a taste of what Wisła means to their fans.
6 minutes into the game the Tifo was finally removed and to our disappointment Wisła were already 1-0 down. This did nothing to stop the chanting, dictated throughout from the podium by the Capo, megaphone in hand. With the joy of Youtube i can now look back at the pyro display and the surreal footage of the Katowice goal.
The home team had started the season with 10 points from 12, desperate for a return to the top flight, it was crucial they pulled this back to continue the early season momentum. Admittedly the singing of the fans was more captivating than the football itself. Wisła were the better team and dominated possession but it wasn’t until late in the second half when the game turned. The Spaniard Luis Fernandez entered the fray on 57 minutes, and within 20 minutes he had turned the game on its head with a brace, jubilation followed with one of our friends even losing consciousness caused by a flailing elbow amidst the celebrations.
On the march
Wisła held on comfortably for a 4th victory of the season and the players came over to share the moment with the fans. If they can continue in this vain then who is to say they won’t soon be reconvening two of the most famous rivalries in Europe, The Holy War with Cracovia and the historical duel for supremacy with Legia Warsaw, Poland two largest cities, North vs South, capital vs former capital and the country’s two most successful teams of recent years.
As the fans went their separate ways a few of us headed back into the centre, but only for a nightcap with it being a week night. But there’s always one, always one who fancies another beer. And who was I to say no. With the 700 year old Jagiellonian University, the 13th oldest in the world, placed in the heart of the city, there was still a vibrancy about the place that students bring.
Gimme, gimme, gimme
Before I knew it, we were in a beautiful stone clad underground bar, a staple of Krakow nightlife. This one had the joys of Karaoke and ‘Gimme, Gimme, Gimme’ was entertaining the clientele but the real drama came when I had to prevent a fight after one young girl seemingly offended by another getting in on her karaoke song. God knows what happened but after she walked over and clocked her across the face it was time to step in.
Unsurprisingly that bought an end to the revelry and it was off home to get some rest before the next day’s tourism.
Over the next two days I took the opportunity to appreciate the things to do and see in Krakow and discover what attracts the 10 million tourists here each year. First up was another Unesco World Heritage site in the Wielikzca salt mines, still no idea how to pronounce it. A unique site which delves into the history of one of the cornerstones of Krakow’s commercial history, salt has been extracted from the site since the 13th century and houses some breath taking rooms and displays. Despite this I must say my highlight is that you can taste the salty walls.
Auschwitz
The most well-known experience in Krakow is a visit to Auschwitz concentration camp, to put this place into words is well beyond my level of writing. To see at such close quarters the conditions that people lived in, and hear the stories of how they were treated is beyond harrowing. Having been to several WW2 museums in various countries over the years, Auschwitz brings a deeper understanding and feeling to the events that occurred and is certainly worth a visit to pay respects.
Back in the heart of the city as mentioned before, the main square is a wonderful location to while away the hours, grab some food and drink while enjoying the live music. Horse drawn carriages and street performers add a lovely ambience to the square whilst you listen out for the bells of St Mary’s Basilica. The Jewish district of Kazimierz is well worth the short walk, an alternative but bustling area full of cafes, bars and restaurants provides a slightly more relaxed and authentic vibe to the in comparison to the tourism heavy main square. Wawel Castle and Cathedral are also beautiful buildings steeped in history and legend that provide a beautiful welcome to the city. Add to that over 6000 monuments of cultural and historical significance and you won’t be short of things to see in Krakow.
Another enjoyable and eventful trip, watching football in another country ticked off the list and my time in Krakow was done, this time opting for the more conventional bus option back to the airport.
Is Wisla Krakow worth a visit as a Footy Trip?
Team Ability – Unfortunately even the top division in Poland is not in the top 35 leagues in the world so quality on the pitch is certainly lacking here. 3/10
Atmosphere – Although it was an early Tuesday evening kick off, the atmosphere was brilliant, however a lack of away fans and full stadium took it away from the top marks with the party restricted to the ultras only – 7.5/10
Stadium Quality – Pretty nice stadium inside if not the most aesthetically pleasing from the outside but generally in good nick – 6/10
Beer/Food at stadium –Nice snacks and cheap beer which didn’t require a Fan card and could be consumed from the stands – 7/10
Tourism in the city – One of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe with incredible beauty and history – 9/10
Accessibility – Very reasonable flights and cheap as chips on arrival – 9/10
People – Apart from the scrap in the Karaoke Bar, all interactions were very pleasant. Eastern Europeans have their own hardened style but still very nice people – 7/10
Stadium Surroundings – Not too much to do or see around the stadium but only a 30 minute walk from the centre – 4/10
Club History – Over 100 years old and one of the biggest teams in the country, but without too much reputation outside of Poland – 5/10
Ease/Cost of ticket pricing – Very simple, passport required but tickets available on the day and also a great option through Homefans so no planning required here – 9.5/10
Total – 68/100
Accomplishments
Countries in the world watched football 16/196 (8%)
Countries in Europe watched Football 11/55 (18%)
Another country ticked off the list and a nice milestone of 20% of Europe covered