Your future holidays in Europe

The city of Kraków is the capital city of the Malopolskie (Lesser Poland or Little Poland) province in the southern region of Poland. It covers both banks of the Wisla river (or Vistula) river. Uplands region at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains. It is Poland's third largest city, with a population of 756,000 in 2007 (1.4 million after including surrounding communities).

Districts

These are the most popular tourist destinations, and if your time is limited, you would be best sticking to these:

• Stare Miasto — (Literally "Old Town") The historical center of Kraków is just a ten minute walk from the train station and is home to the Wawel Castle, numerous churches, the Rynek Główny (Main Square), Sukiennice (Cloth Hall), and many, many restaurants, bars, and top-end shops.
• Kazimierz - The former Jewish town

Other major districts within the city are

• Kleparz and Wesola
• Stradom
• Piasek and Nowy Swiat
• Srodmiescie Krakowskie

Suburbs

Some of the communities around the edge of Kraków can show you real Polish life away from the tourist-focused economy of the centre. These are mostly day trips, though, as they require transport to get there.

• Nowa Huta — "New Steelworks" area built by the Communists (can be reached by streetcar).
• Zwierzyniec – The greenest area of Krakow, located to the West; includes the Las Wolski forest and Kopiec Kościuszki (the Kosciuszko Mound).
• Debniki – Green area to the South West of Krakow, which includes the Tyniec Monastery.
• Bronowice – The area to the north west of Krakow.
• Podgórze — The area of the Jewish ghetto, which includes Kopiec Krakusa (the Krakus Mound)

Understand

History

Kraków is one of the oldest cities in Poland, with evidence showing settlements there since 20,000 BC. Legend has it that it was built on the cave of a dragon whom the mythical King Krak had slain. However, the first official mention of the name was in 966 by a Jewish merchant from Spain, who described it as an important centre of trade in Slavonic Europe.

Through trade with the various rulers of Europe, it grew from a small settlement in 1000AD to a large wealthy city, belonging to the Vistulans. However, through the 9th and 10th centuries, it fell under the influence of the Great Moravians, then the Bohemians, before being captured by the Piast Dynasty of Poland. In 1038, Kazimierz the Restorer made Krakow the capital of Poland.

In 1241, the city was almost entirely destroyed by Tatars. It was rebuilt to a design that remains largely unchanged to the present day. However, after more successful attacks by the Mongols in the late 13th century, Kazimierz the Great set about defending the city. Walls, fortifications, and the original Wawel Castle were added. The University was also established. King Kazimierz established the district of Kazimierz for Jews to live in free from persecution. This area remained mainly Jewish for centuries until the Nazi occupation.

The 16th century was Krakow's golden age. Under the influence of the joint Polish-Lithuanian Jagiellonian dynasty, Krakow became a centre of science and the arts. In 1569, Poland was officially united with Lithuania and as a result government activity started to move to Warsaw. King Zygmunt III officially moved the capital in 1609.

However, the 17th century was a return to troubled times for Krakow and Poland. After being invaded by Russians, Prussians, Austrians, Transylvanians, Swedes, and the French, it went through a phase of various forms of political control. These included being part of the Duchy of Warsaw, established by Napoleon, and becoming an "independent city". However, it mostly fell under the sphere of influence of the Austrian Habsburg Empire, in the province of Galicia.

In the First World War, Józef Pilsudski set out to liberate Poland and the Treaty of Versailles (1919) established an independent sovereign Polish state for the first time in more than 100 years. This lasted until the Second World War, when Germany and the USSR partitioned the country, with German forces entering Krakow in September 1939. Many academics were killed and historic relics and monuments were destroyed or looted. Concentration camps were established near Krakow, including Plaszow and Auschwitz. After German withdrawal, the city escaped complete destruction and many buildings were saved.

In the Communist period, a large steel works was established in the suburb of Nowa Huta. This was seen as an attempt to lessen the influence of the anti-Communist intellegentsia and religious communities in Krakow. In 1978, UNESCO placed Krakow on the World Heritage Sites list. In the same year, the Archbishop of Krakow, Karol Wojtyla, was made Pope John Paul II.

The Communist Government collapsed in 1989 and Krakow is now undergoing another period of regeneration, with historic buildings being restored.

Economy

Krakow is the most popular tourist destination in Poland and this supports much of the local economy. However, the University and numerous local colleges mean education is an important employer as well.

The service and technology industry is strong, with many banks and internet companies, such as Google, being located here. There is a large manufacturing sector as well, especially in steel (owned by Mittal), pharmaceuticals and tobacco, mainly as a legacy of the Communist era.

Unemployment is lower than average (5%) for the rest of the country (9%) and it is considered an attractive investment opportunity, especially for those buying real estate. A new financial and business district is planned along with a new sporting complex in the nowa Huta Borough on the Vistula river. This is for the regeneration of the Nowa Huta area, the most deprived district of Krakow.

[edit] Climate

There are four definite seasons to Krakow — Summer being hot and humid (around 30-35 degrees Celsius). Winter always sees Krakow under a blanket of snow with bitingly cold days (-5 to -20 degrees C). September can be very wet.

Get in

By plane

Balice Airport[1] (KRK) is the main airport, about 12km to the west of the centre. It is the second biggest airport in Poland, with frequent domestic and international charter and scheduled flights. There are several direct arrivals every day from all over Europe, including London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Belfast, Milan, Cologne, Berlin, Dublin, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Rome, Vienna, and Zürich. Services also fly from Chicago and New York in the USA and there are summer flights to more destinations, including Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey. The main flight companies operating in the airport include Aer Lingus, British Airways, LOT (the Polish national airline), Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, and Lufthansa. There are also lots of budget airlines operating here, including Central Wings, easyJet, German Wings, Jet 2, Ryanair, Sterling, and SkyEurope. Alternatively, you can fly to Warsaw for a connecting flight.

Trains run from the airport to 'Dworzec Glowny PKP' (the central station) approximately every 30 minutes, starting from 4:24AM, until 12:15AM (for more details see the airport's webpage [2]. Ticket costs 6PLN (ISIC Holders 3.8PLN) and the journey takes about 20 minutes. You can walk to the station, as it is only 250m, or take a free shuttle-bus service runs from the front of the airport. Given the price and speed of the train, this is the best choice.

• Warning!!! Trains that go from the main railway station to the airport are sometimes canceled without any reason and without prior announcement. So, NEVER calculate your trip to the airport with the last possible train as you may end up missing your flight!

If you do not want to worry about a thing please contact a company [3] and a book a transfer with them. There is also a number 192 bus that runs from the airport to the city centre about once an hour (timetable here [4]) and a 208 bus that goes to the suburbs (Bronowice Male) from which you can take ANY tram to get to the centre (buy another ticket). Single-ride tickets cost 2.60PLN (or 1.45 for ISIC/EURO 26 Holder). It's a so-called agglomeration ticket and ride takes approximately 40 minutes. Buy the ticket inside the airport from one of the newsagents or from a ticket machine at the bus stop (3.10PLN when bought on board).

During the night, you can catch night line 902 which goes from the airport to the city centre at 11:40PM, 12:30AM, and 1:30AM. Tickets cost 6PLN.

You can get a taxi at any time from the front of the airport. Radio Taxi 9191 accepts credit cards. The journey to the centre should cost no more than 70PLN during the day. Check that the meter is on with the appropriate tariff. Note that the airport is outside the city, so you will be subject to the 'outside' tariff until you pass a certain point, at which it changes.

You can try hitchhiking, but it is difficult from the airport. If you want to give it a go, walk to the main road, and remember to hold out your whole hand.

[edit] By train

Dworzec Glowny PKP (see schedules in English)[5] is the central station in Krakow, and is located just outside of the Old Town. It is connected to other cities in Poland and the rest of Europe. Every hour between 6 AM and 8 PM there is either Express (EX) or Intercity (IC) train between Krakow and Warsaw that do not stop on the way and journey takes less than 3 hours. It is by far the most convenient way of traveling between Warsaw and Krakow. Prices as following:

IC trains cost 89-95 PLN per adult, 65-72 for person under 26 years (age is enough to get a discount). First class tickets are about 25% extra to this, and offer greater leg room.

EX trains cost 77 PLN per adult, with a 25 PLN compulsory reservation, i.e. 102 PLN in total (as of September 2008).

If you are desperate budget traveller you can also take a regular 'pospieszny' train that goes over 5 hours and costs 44PLN.

International trains arrive daily from Hamburg, Berlin, Leipzig, Prague, Budapest, Bucharest, Bratislava, Kosice, Lviv, Kiev and Odessa with connections to the rest of Europe.

The station has a left-luggage service, waiting room, small cafes and shops. However, the food is not the best, and you would be better advised going out of the station to buy from the shops nearby (There is a large shopping centre with a direct link to the platform subway - with restaurants and the usual American chain suspects!).

Be warned, the station staff are not always the most helpful to foreigners who don't speak Polish as they often speak no English and you can spend an awful long time queueing only to be told to join another large queue. If you get confused, try asking someone young to help you as most young Polish people speak communicative English and are very helpful. Staff at the international ticket counter speak English.

PolRail is a particularly good agent for arranging Polish tickets as well as international tickets from Krakow (eg Lviv).

For more advice about travelling by train in Poland, see the main article on Poland.

By car

The Polish government has completed the Autostrada A4[6] from the German border (Where it meets with the Autobahn A4) to Kraków. This makes travel from the west fairly easy. The speed limit is generally 130 km/h, and there is a 6.50 PLN toll each way between Katowice and Kraków. Driving to or from Warsaw (300 km) is more difficult as the A1[7] has not yet been completed. The easiest route is the S7 express road[8](PL only), which should take about five hours. For more tips about driving in Poland, see the main article on Poland. If you need any transfers in Poland or Krakow to Warsaw transfer go to [9]

By bus

There are Europe-wide coach services operating into Krakow. However, it is cheaper and much quicker to fly, providing you book at least six weeks in advance. The journey time by coach from London, for example, is around 24 hours. It's pretty uncomfortable, and not recommended for anybody other than the desperate or enviornmentally conscious.

Within Poland, coach travel is not that much cheaper than going by train. However, it is much more awkward, and not recommended for traveling between cities. During the Summer, there are often services without air conditioning. Take plenty of water.

Rail connections from the Baltic countries into Poland are non-existent, making bus travel a more serious alternative for travelers arriving from the north.

Get around

The first thing to do is get a map showing the roads and bus/tram routes. The staff at your accommodation may give you maps for free and mark on any places of interest you might want to get to. Alternatively, buy one from any bookshops, kiosks, or newsagents, which will cost 6-10PLN.

By foot

Depending on your level of fitness, you can see the whole of the city centre without needing any transport. There are some beautiful walking routes, especially through the Planty. For walking, try the Royal Way or the garden that surrounds the city all the way to Florian's Gate. It is very relaxing. There is also a well cared for garden around the castle just to stroll around.

Walking Tours [10] in many languages (English, Polish, Italian, German, etc.) Probably the best walking guides in Krakow.

Public transportation

During the day, there is an excellent system of public transport in Krakow, covered by trams and buses (but remember, you can spend a lot of time in traffic jams!). The rush hours are mostly between 7AM-9AM and 3PM-5PM.

Buy tickets before you get on board. Ticket inspectors are fairly common and though the fines are not steep, they are not worth the hassle. Single, one-hour, daily, weekly, and monthly tickets are available and can be bought from news agents and kiosks. For single tickets, as soon as you get on, punch the ticket in the machine. A ticket must be punched or it is not valid. Daily tickets and one-hour tickets need to be punched the first time you get on, but do not do it again after that. Do not punch weekly and monthly tickets.

Ticket prices: single 2.50PLN, one-hour 3.10PLN, 24-hour 10.40PLN, 48-hour 18.80PLN, 72-hour 25PLN, 7-day 39PLN, family ticket (Sat-Sun only, unlimited daytime travelling) 10.40PLN, monthly pass 94PLN.

ISIC and Euro26 student holders that study outside Poland can use discount tickets, but not the full, 50% discount student tickets. They can use "gminny" fare, which means: single 1.35PLN, one-hour 1.65PLN, 24-hour 5.70PLN, 48-hour 11.50PLN, 72-hour 15.60PLN, 7-day 23.60PLN, monthly pass 41.70PLN.

When travelling to neighboring villages and to the airport you need an agglomeration ticket, that is just 0.10PLN more expensive. Keep in mind you need it even if you have any sort of valid time pass mentioned above (as they cover just the city area).

Single ticket prices are doubled during the night. Tram and bus stops show routes and most kiosks will be able to advise you on route numbers.

By car

Don't bother driving in the city centre. There's often a lot of traffic, parking spaces are scarce and can be expensive, and Polish driving takes a lot of getting used to. There are also rules around local 'driving zones' that confuse even long time residents. The taxis are cheap and it makes more sense to use them.

Taxis are always plentiful and a journey in the middle of the night from one end of the city to the other should cost no more than 70PLN. During the day, most fares will be around 20PLN. All taxis should have a 'Taxi' sign on the roof and a sticker on the rear passenger window with prices. There is an initial charge of about 5-7PLN, plus 2-3PLN per kilometre. Price list should be shown on the passenger side door.

There are instances where drivers will overcharge tourists, especially those who don't speak Polish. Check on a map in advance how much it should be and if it goes much above that, debate the price.

By bicycle

Another option is to hire a bicycle. It is easy to get around the centre on two wheels, as there are special bike lanes everywhere, including through the 'Planty' that surrounds the Old Town. One cheap place to rent from is in Kazimierz by the Old Synagogue. It costs around 20PLN per day, with a small deposit — much cheaper than those in the centre. For those who are prepared to spend more, you can do a downtown Krakow tour using a rented Segway.

In 2008, Kraków introduced BikeOne - a reasonably priced system of public municipal bikes. You need to register and pay at [11] and you will be supplied with a personal PIN code that allows to grab a bike from self-service rental stations. Currently, there is about 15 such stations (mostly around Kraków's center) but the network will grow. The nice thing about this system is that you don't need to return the bike to the same station you rented from - just grab a bike for a few minutes to transfer from one point to another and drop the bike at any station you want. Bikes are not available during winter.

See

Landmarks

• The Old City (Stare Miasto).
• The Rynek Glowny (Main Marketplace) — One of the biggest medieval squares in the world is at the heart of the Old City, currently being repaved and beautified, full of churches, restaurants, and bars.
• Wawel Castle, [12] — Ancient seat of the Polish kings and now a major museum. They have a very odd pricing structure, requiring you to pay to get in to different bits of the castle at particular times of day, but during other times these appear to be free.
• Kazimierz — The former Jewish district south of Wawel. More than 40,000 Jewish residents of Krakow and surrounding areas died in the Holocaust. Now there are very few Jewish residents of Krakow, but synagogues and other signs of Jewish culture remain in Kazimierz, which was the scene of many of the events in Schindler's List.

[edit] Museums and Galleries

Many of Krakow's state museums have free admission on Sunday and are closed on Monday.

• Czartoryski Museum [13] is a former townhouse of one of Poland's great families and proud owner of the famous da Vinci portrait, Lady with an Ermine.
• Bunker of Modern Art (Bunkier Sztuki Wspolczesnej), [14] — Gallery of contemporary art very near city center. There is also a book shop and nice cafe in the "bunker".
• Centre of Japanese Art & Technology (Manggha-Centrum Sztuki I Techniki Japonskiej), [15] — Houses the National Museum's Japanese artifacts, consisting mostly of the fabulous 6,500-item collection of local legend Feliks Jasienski (1861-1929) who adored Japan. It is located across the river from Wawel castle.
• Archaeological Museum.
• Armia Krajowa Museum.

All over Old Town you can find campus parts of the second oldest university in this part of Europe: Jagiellonian University. You are free to enter (and leave) all buildings at your leisure (mind the students milling around every day of the week).

• Theater — The main building housed the Teatr Wielki from 1833-1834, the Rozmaitości Theatre from 1836 to 1924 then the National Theatre, the Reduta Theatre from 1919 to 1924, and from 1928 to 1939 the Nowy Theatre, which staged productions of contemporary poetical drama, including those directed by Leon Schiller.

• Galicja Jewish Museum [16] — The Galicja Museum in Kazimierz houses an exhibition of photographs with explanations in Polish and English. These are recent photographs of locations around Poland associated with the Holocaust. Some are places where massacres occurred; most show old synagogues and Jewish cemeteries with comments about how respectfully (or not) these places are now preserved. The museum also has a bookstore and coffee shop and arranges coach trips to Auschwitz.

• Gallery of 19th Century Art (one of several national museums/Muzeum Narodowe in Krakow) [17] — This is one of the best collections of 19th century paintings in Poland. The collection's usual home upstairs in the Sukiennice is undergoing refurbishment until 2009. Until then, the collection is on display in the castle in the town of Niepolomice about 20km away. Minibuses go from the stop on ul. Starowislna opposite the main post office.

Do

Krakow, the old royal capital, is acclaimed for its many precious architectural monuments and a unique friendly atmosphere. There are many things to do:

• Walk the entire Royal Way, from St. Florian's Gate, down Florianska, across the Rynek Glowny, down Grodzka to the Wawel castle.
• Listen to the Hejnal Mariacki (Trumpet Signal) while sipping a coffee in the Rynek Glowny. The signal is played live every full hour and is cut suddenly in memory of a trumpeter shot and killed by a Tatar arrow in 1241.
• Walk around the Planty, a large park that surrounds the entire Old Town.
• At Wawel Castle, lounge and take in the sun on the banks of the Vistula river, or take a cruise down the river. See the Dragon's Lair and see the dragon breathe fire.
• Early on Sunday, go shopping at the open air flea markets at Plac Nowy and Hala Targowa.
• Foreign visitors can find locals eager to practice speaking English and other languages at the English Language Club on the second floor at ul. Sienna 5 (i.e. two floors above the ground floor at 5 Sienna Street, less than 100 metres from the main market square) on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 8 pm.

Learn

Older Polish people are strongly religious while younger thirty-somethings tend to be medium religious (attending church on major catholic holidays) or not at all religious. The so-called 'Generation JP2' (JP2 is short for John Paul II), people between the age of 16 and roughly 25, tend to establish a neo-conservative look on religion in Poland, just like Americans did in the '80. Some of the youngest are extremely religious, if not fundamentalists. Others try to split from the Vatican in some intellectual reformatory way like the neo-catholics or neo-christians, but they still are very religious. The vast majority of youngsters remain officially catholic and occasionally go to church, but in fact do not give much attention to religion. During Easter, the churches have a lot of ceremonies and are very well visited by the locals. Saturday evening is for candlelight ceremonies outside the churches. On Rynek Glowny, there is outdoor theater and music in the evening. Regular stores are closed during main religious holidays (25th & 26th of December, Easter Sunday, and Monday), other holidays may mean shorter working hours.

If you have time to visit a cemetery on Sunday you will see a fantastic scene of candles and flowers on the graves. (Cm. Na. Salwatorze in the Zwierzyniec hill. The trams 1, 2 and 6 have Salwator as end station!)

• Jagellonian University (Polish: Uniwersytet Jagielloński), [18].
• University of Economics in Kraków, [19].
• AGH University of Science and Technology, aka The Academy of Mining and Metallurgy, Polish: Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza [20].
• Cracow University of Technology, Polish: Politechnika Krakowska [21].

Buy

City Shopping

The Old Town district offers excellent shopping, especially for clothes, jewelry, and art. You can wander all around the Old Town and Kazimierz, where antique stores abound. The center of this all is the Rynek Glowny ("Rynek" also means "market"), where you will find some of the city's top stores.

In the middle of the Rynek Glowny stands the Sukiennice (Cloth Hall), a center of trade in Krakow for hundreds of years. The entire ground floor is a market, where local artists sell their wares. Look for amber jewelry and sheep skin rugs. A great place to check out if you want to bring an authentic piece of Krakow back home.

If you're addicted to shopping, be sure to check out the Royal Way (Florianska - Rynek Glowny - Grodzka) and the streets surrounding Plac Nowy in the Kazimierz district.

Shopping Malls

Until recently, Krakow had avoided the invasion of shopping centers/malls. That time has passed and most national supermarkets and chain stores have opened up shop in Krakow. There are a few malls on Wadowicka and Zakopiańska, anchored by large supermarkets.

Summer 2006 saw the opening of a gigantic new 270-store shopping mall, Galeria Krakowska [22], immediately next to the main train station, and a 5-minute walk from the main town square. This makes available even more international products not previously available in Krakow. There is a reasonable-sized branch of the supermarket chain Carrefour in the mall.

The next largest shopping mall in Krakow is probably Galeria Kazimierz [23] (Podgorska 34). Located at the southern tip of Kazimierz, on the Vistula River, it offers 36,000m² of stores, boutiques, and eateries, as well as a movie theater. Galeria Kazimierz also offers an Alma supermarket.

Other large malls include M1 (Al.Pokoju 67), anchored by electronics superstore Media Markt, and Krakow Plaza [24] (Al.Pokoju 44), which includes a vast array of clothes shopping.

Local brands of note:

• Reserved [25] is a Polish clothing brand with several stores in the city center. It exports its casual wear only to Europe, so if you want some original stuff, be sure to visit it.
• W. Kruk [26] is Poland's best known jeweler.
• Dagny [27] on 17 Starowislna Street is a shop with famous Ewa Dunikowska designer dresses.

Eat

Kraków's cuisine has been influenced by the cultures that have inhabited central Europe, as well as the Austro-Hungarian empire.

For some genuine Polish food that might be served by your Babcia (grandmother in Polish) which is cheap and delicious, go to Babci Maliny and enjoy the atmosphere, where you sit at benches with complete strangers and wait for your number to be called to enjoy some delicious food. Consider bringing a Polish speaker with you on your first visit as the menu is in Polish. Alternatively, take a dictionary.

If you want to try Polish cuisine for outstandingly good-value prices (a big lunch for one person for about 8PLN) then find a 'Bar Mleczny' (a milk bar - a kind of cafeteria very prevalent in Communist times so called because it serves no alcohol). They are fast disappearing from the city, but you can find one on the right side of Ul. Grodzka (if you are going from Rynek Glowny). They offer classic Polish food such as 'kroketka'. An English-Polish dictionary is recommended when ordering.

Zurek is a soup based on fermented rye - it's sour and creamy and often has slices of kielbasa sausage or a hard-boiled egg added. Barszcz is a soup made with beetroot -- very savory. Pierogi are dumplings that are most often filled with "ruskie" ("ruskie" meaning "Russian" - with curd cheese and potato), meat, cabbage, mushroom, bilberries, apples, and strawberries. The fruit Pierogis are usually served with cream and sugar.

You won't see this in most guides, but one of the true joys of a trip to Krakow is a visit to the kielbasa van. Basically, it's these two gruff Polish men who, every night from 8PM-3AM, set up a fire grill outside of their van (parked in front of the market east of the old town near the train bridge) and grill kielbasa. For a few zloty, get your sausage and a squirt of mustard and stand at the perch nearby and chow down with the locals in-the-know. It is delicious, especially after a night of exploring Krakows bars. A fun experience free of the usual tourist crush and off the main path (ul. Grzegorzecka, opposite ul. Blich)

There's a place in Kazimierz called "Pierozki U Vincenta" that supposedly specializes in pierogies. Some reports have said it isn't very good.

A genuine vegetarian restaurant is the 'Vega' Vegetarian Bar at 7 Sw. Gertrudy Str, near Hotel Monopol. Good food, reasonable prices, no beer. Another location of 'Vega' is on the other side of the Old Town (Stare Miasto) on ul. Krupnicza. Inside the Old Town is the vegetarian restaurant Greenway on ul. Mikołajska, just east of the little market square (Mały Rynek) just east of the northeast corner of the main market square (Rynek Główny).

In Krakow, like other Polish cities, there are a fair amount of "Chinese-Vietnamese" restaurants. Many have Polish employees who have never heard of Pho, none SERVE Pho, and ALMOST none serve even remotely decent Chinese and/or Vietnamese food. I know it's tempting, but you'd do far better to look for decent Polish food.

• Wentzl, [28] Rynek Główny 19, 31-008 Kraków, tel.(+ 48 12) 431-92-20.

• Restauracja Monarchia, Krakow-Kazimierz, Jozefa 6, tel. +48 12 430-60-13.

• Sheraton — If you are looking for a high quality Sunday lunch at a fair price - check Hotel Sheraton on Powsle street in front of the river. Sometimes they offer a lunch (13 EUR) for a full buffet table including wine! This is a good choice for the gourmet!

• KoKo (Golebia 8). Nothing but traditional Polish dishes prepared by charming polish housekeepers, including hand made dumplings (6,50PLN). See hilarious comic art on the walls. However this establishment has been known to give people food poisoning!

Drink

Bars, pubs, and cafes in Krakow are one of its biggest attractions. Not just their number or quality, but close proximity. It has been said that there are more than 300 eating and drinking establishments in the Old Town alone.

Local drinks

• A tatanka is a unique (and delicious) Polish beverage made with apple juice and a special kind of vodka called zubrowka, which is flavored with bison grass. It is also often referred to as a Szarlotka, or apple cake. Tatanka is a Native American term for bison.
• Wódka miodowa is a honey vodka, often served chilled in shots. Some of the better Polish-themed restaurants will have house brands.
• Śliwowica, a plum brandy, is worth watching out for. There are two main variants: an 80-proof (40%) yellow tinged one and a 140-proof (70%) clear variety. While the 80-proof variety is often smooth and flavorful, some have compared the 140-proof to drinking gasoline. A good way to drink it is to deal with it like with an absynth. Take a small spoon with sugar, put some Sliwowica on it and fire it. Let the sugar melt down for a while (10-30 seconds). Then, mix the flaming sugar with the rest of the drink. Let it burn for 5-10 seconds, then blow it and drink it. Watch out and don't burn your lips! You can also let it burn longer, but then use a pipe to drink it to avoid burning your fingers or lips.
• Polish Vodka Tasting Party — If you would like to taste the most popular vodkas in Poland and learn a bit about history of vodka you should join the polish vodka tasting party. It is a regular event organized by KrakowAdventure [29].

• Don't miss out on the grzaniec, a sort of heated wine with cloves and other spices, very popular around Christmas.

Bars

Thanks to their proximity to each other, Krakow's watering holes are ideal for bar hopping. Many locals and tourists have spent nights partying from the Old Town all the way to Vistula River at the end of Kazimierz. Most bars fall in the Old Town and Kazimierz districts.

In the warmer months, Kraków's nightlife moves outdoors into hundreds of sidewalk cafes and beer gardens. When winter comes around, it moves underground into cellars all around the city.

Many tourists, both from Poland and abroad, never leave the Old Town Square at night. If you want to party with tourists, that's a great spot. Meanwhile, many of the locals have moved the party to Kazimierz and new bars are popping up there every month. Walk down Szeroka or head over to Plac Nowy, it's wall-to-wall bars.

A few recommendations in Kazimierz:

• Propaganda, ul. Miodowa 20). A tongue-in-cheek preservation of Warsaw Pact-era ambiance, posters , and drinks.
• Singer, a former sewing factory featuring actual sewing machine tables.
• Le Scandale, Plac Nowy. A huge selection of drinks with a great atmosphere.
• Alchemia, Plac Nowy. Very popular, and the original Plac Nowy spot.
• Eszeweria, Jozefa. Great music, decor, and Pilsner in a bottle for just 5PLN!

A couple of recommendations near the Old Town:

• Cafe Art, Rynek Główny 23. Decorated with bits of old church organ, they specialize in cocktails. Try the Kamikaze or Mad Dog - a shooter containing vodka, raspberry liqueur, and Tabasco sauce.
• Nowy Kuzyn, Maly Rynek. Typical underground Polish bar with good darts machine and nice people.
• Pauza, Florianska 18/3 - Pauza.pl. A long-time trendy bar in the centre of Krakow, popular with students!
• Paparazzi Mikołajska 9 +48 12 429 45 97 — Best cocktails in town. A cozy place with a lot of pictures of known people and great atmosphere. Every Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m a special menu with each order made double!
• Harris Piano Jazz Bar — A packed underground jazz bar with great music - 6,50PLN for Zywiec, get there early to get seats.
• Razzy Dazzy Jazz Club, Tomasza 11A. Club with live jazz music.
• Still, Golebia 8. Club with lots of locals always willing to chat and drink. Wide selection of Polish vodkas.

Cafes

Krakow is not only full of cozy cafes, but is also said to be the place of the first cafe founded in Europe. Most cafes offer good espresso and something to nibble at a very reasonable price. As a rule, international-looking places are much more expensive.

• Alter Ego Café [30] on Floriańska street just few steps from St.Mary's Church on the Market Square with Polish food and beer.
• Café Malaga is a cozy, small café in one of the alleys off the main square where you can enjoy a Krakowian iced coffee, huge Polish cheesecake and a variation of hot and cold drinks. It specializes on wines from the Spanic Malaga district, but offers a large variation of Polish beverages and cakes. Even though it might be tricky to find, it's worth checking out for the atmoshphere alone!
• Cafe Lody u Jacka i Moniki, in the Slawkowska street, is one of the first café's in Krakow. They have the best ice cream in Krakow in the summer and the best coffee in the city in the autumn and winter time! They offer very good cakes, especially the traditional 'kremowka' - a vanilla flavored cream cake or a warm apple pie with whipped cream. Try out their hot chocolate and fruit cocktails, all this for very good prices.
• Loch Camelot — Naive art pictures and good szarlotka.
• Lokator, [31] is a cafe, gallery and pub - all in one. Cafe and pub are separated, the cafe part hosts cultural events (concerts, etc.)
• Jama Michalika is a cafe frequented and decorated by artists of the Young Poland movement. Plenty of art nouveau style and original paintings.

If you're looking for a more American coffee experience, check out Coffeeheaven (Karmelicka 5 and Galeria Kazimierz) or Tribeca Coffee (Rynek Glowny 27).

Sleep

Kraków is experiencing a tourist boom at the moment, with 60% more visitors in 2005 than in 2003, the hotel industry is playing catchup so be prepared to pay more than someone who visited in previous years.

Don't try too hard to save money on accommodation when you're in Krakow. If you don't want Kraków to become your worst experience, try to avoid hotels and hostels located in the Nowa Huta district; most of them are former shelters for part-time industry workers and the district is quite distant from the city center.

There are plenty of decent clean backpacker hostels within a stone's throw of the old city. Expect to pay 40-60PLN for a dorm bed, including breakfast (bread, jam, and cheese), laundry, sheets, lockers, and internet.

A good way to stay in Krakow is to rent private accommodation. There are several websites that assist in this. One we would suggest is europapart : holidays rentals in Krakow.You can usually get a centrally located one bedroom apartment for about 60-90 Euro a night, so it may not be worth hassling with a hotel. It's usually the same price as an overcrowded hostel, but nicer. There are two agencies opposite the main railway station offering rooms. If you hang around the street outside the agencies for a while, some landlords will approach you and make an offer. Saves you the commission, but may be a bit unsafe.

You can check on-line, for free The City of Krakow's Official Accommodation Booking System [32] too. It is a joint project of The Municipal Office of Krakow [33] and the Reception.pl company. The system includes only these Krakow accommodation facilities that are managed legally. The accommodation prices offered within the System are not higher than the rates paid directly to the accommodation facilities and often are even lower than the prices provided in the reception. The multilingual customer service team and call centre provide dedicated assistance to all customers.

Budget

• Tulip Hostel, +48 12 430 18 26, info@tuliphostel.pl, [34]. One of the best situated hostels in Krakow - 2 minutes by foot from the Main Market Square. Tulip has its own polish restaurant, and climatic pub in the cellars. Speep, eat, and have a drink in one place.

• Greg and Tom Hostel, +48 12 422 41 00, info@gregtomhostel.com, [35]. Clean and friendly hotel - great value for the money.

• Atlantis Hostel, +48 12 421 08 61, atlantis@hostel.pl, [36]. We ain't Hilton, but sure we're fun! Cheap, clean, nice and friendly!

• Mundo Hostel, tel. (+48)124226113 Email: office@mundohostel.eu, [37]. Located just between Old Town and the Jewish City. Spacious, themed rooms (mainly double ones). Clean and modern.

• Blue Hostel, [38] +48 12 429 59 34 biuro@bluehostel.pl. Just a four minute walk from the Main Market Square and six minute walk from the railway station. Cozy and homely atmosphere.

• Dizzy Daisy, [39]. The best Polish hostel network. Few locations in Krakow (some summer only). 2-10 person per room. 40-80PLN/person.

• Hostel Premium [40], tel: 0048 12 292 22 11, email: premium@premiumhostel.pl. Hotel quality for hostel price (as low as 30pl pppn). Rooms for 2-4 and dorms for up to 8 people. All with ensuite facilities, all with TV, SAT, and internet connection (cable or wi-fi). 15 min straight-line walk to Main Square and directly on the main City Tram routes to the Old Town and station.

• Hostel Rynek7 [41], tel. (+48) 12 4311698 email: hostel@hostelrynek7.pl. The best location in Krakow - the Main Square. View on the market square from every window!

• Dodo Hostel Krakow, [42], tel. (+48)12 6337523 email: book@dodohostel.com. Dodo Hostel - Krakow hostel made by Krakow students.

• Flamingo Hostel, [43], tel. (+48)124220000 Email: office@flamingo-hostel.com. Flamingo Hostel in Kraków with the best location in town, only 20 m away from the famous Main Square, the largest open square in Europe.

• Bling-Bling, +48 12 634 05 32, info@blingbling.pl, [44]. Multi-person rooms, tourist kitchen.

• Cybulskiego Guest Rooms, ul. Cybulskiego 6 Tel: +48 (12) 423 05 32 Email: psamolot@hotmail.com, [45]. Near downtown, nice place.

• Mama's Hostel, [46], Rooms 6, 8, and 10 person/room. There's a lot of choice in Krakow but this one really signs out as being the best from travellers. 2 mins from main square, free breakfast, www, etc. Great place!

• Sky Hostel, [47], excellent location — only 2 minute walk from the Old Town.

• Nathan's Villa [48]. Brilliant hostel — great location, bar, internet, laundry, pool, films, BBQ. This is the best accommodation you'll find in Krakow!

• Family Hostel [49], perfect location, each room has a bathroom and mini-kitchen include, rooms for 1,2,3,4 people.

• Travellers Inn Hostel and Private Rooms in Krakow, tel. +48 12 4294723 info@travellelrsinn.pl, [50]. Offers an affordable accommodation for backpackers in the center of Krakow.

• Travellers Inn Hostel Krakow [51], tel. +48 12 4294723 info@travellelrsinnhostel.pl. Small and cozy hostel Krakow, budget accommodation in Krakow.

• DJ Hostel, [52] ul. Rakowicka 12, tel. +48 12 430 34 79. Rooms with 2-8 beds, very good price, near the main train station (dworzec głowny). Very nice and helpful owner.

• Backpackers Hostel Bursa Jagiellonska, [53] tel +48 12 6561266 info@bursa.krakow.pl Budget accommodation for individual tourists, school, and pilgrim groups. Check our group offer!

• International Youth Hostel

• Oleandry, ul.Oleandry 4, 30-060 Krakow, tel.(12)6338822; 6338920 fax.(12)6338920 schronisko@smkrakow.pl, [54].

• Na Grochowej, ul.Grochowa 21, 30-731 Krakow, tel.(12)6532432 fax.(12)6532432 krakov@ssm.com.pl, [55].

• Hostel.pl, [56] — An internet portal that hosts a collection of offers from Polish hostels. Offer for Krakow includes four hostels and an apartment — from places for demanding tourists to those offering accommodation for every budget. The offers range from hostels ideal for youth groups to buildings of hotel standards with washrooms, internet, and TV's in the private rooms."

• Hotel System POP Hotel System POP, ul. J. Conrada 35, 31-357 Krakow, Poland Tel: +48 12 290 80 00 [57]

• Tuttie-Frutti Hostel Some people rave about this place, but it isn't all it makes out to be. If you get a lower dorm, expect A LOT of noise until gone midnight as reception is directly outside the door of your dorm, as are the bathrooms! Perfect location on Florianska, but expensive for what you actually get and popular with late-night revellers. Definately not for "early-night" travellers.

• Jagiellonian University Youth Accommodation Centre [58] tel +48 12 6561266 info@bursa.krakow.pl. Website for pilgrim groups travelling to the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Lagiewniki, Krakow. Information about sanctuaries and other churches in Krakow, Poland and Europe. Complete accommodation offer and other services for pilgrims.

• Krakow apartments, +48 504 941 759, [59], [60]. Best accomodation in Krakow, cheap prices, best location: Main Market Square. Contact Claudio, your english speaking customer carer, for a free estimate. We also organize tours to Auschwitz concentration camp,to the amazing salt mines and to the sanctuary of the black Madonna in Czestochowa. www.krakow-apartments.co.uk coming soon. Visit our blog in english at the link [61].

Mid-range

Krakow provides a wide range of accommodation. However, it is highly recommended to stay in self-catering tourist apartments run by hospitable owners.

Krakow offers a large number of two and three star hotels, priced at €25-40 per night. Be sure to look out for hotels that are located in centrum (city center) or przy centrum (near the city center). The most expensive of these hotels are actually in the Old Town proper.

• Hotel Batory [62] — Three star hotel located downtown Krakow, just minutes from the Old Town, train, and railway stations, as well as, main shopping centers. Batory is known for its ambiance and family atmosphere.

• Hotel Florian [63] — Three star hotel located downtown Krakow. Hotel is famous for its services, atmosphere, and hospitality. Ul Czerwonego Prądnika 19 tel. +48 12 413 62 62 tel +48 12 413 37 37.

• Hotel Logos [64] — Is a cozy and elegant hotel of three star category with location in the center of the Krakow - Old Town recommended by the Polish Hotel Association. Logos is known for its excellent food and wide range of extra services.

• Tango House Bed & Breakfast [65]. Mid-range priced, but elegant bed and breakfast with tango theme located just around from the Main Market Square on Szpitalna Street. Very friendly staff and modern bathrooms, free wi-fi.

Another great solution is to rent an apartment. Many companies offer high quality apartments in various locations around Kraków. These are great for families, as a four person apartment will run you 150-250PLN (€35-55) — it may be cheaper than a hostel and is a lot cozier. Be sure to check the map when reserving an apartment, some of them are not in the city center.

• Apartments u Zeweckiego [66], street Szlak, Radziwillowska, Arianska. tel +48 12 429 55 96, +48 602 819 644. Apartments in the near the centre of Krakow, about 5-14 min walk from the Main Market Square. Price for 2 person €30-45.

• Accession Bed&Breakfast [67], Ul Garncarska 8. tel +4812 37 93 557. Located on the first floor of a turn-of-the-century Krakow townhouse within between 10 minutes walking distance of Krakow's main tourist attractions.

• AAA Krakow Apartments [68], Ul Cybulskiego 2. tel +48 12 426 5121, +48 (0) 506 595 990, +44 (0) 207 5588 984, office@aaakrakow.com. Quality city centre apartments for short term rental and holiday lets.

• Krakow Holiday Apartments [69] tel. (+44) (0)7936 999 766 or (+44) (0) 208 650 4496, reservations@krakowholidayapartments.com are a UK based company offering a wide selection of newly refurbished and beautifully furnished self catering rental holiday apartments situated in Krakow's most attractive locations.

• Witek Hotel & Conference Centre [70] tel. (+48) 66 23 500, recepcja@hotelwitek.com.pl you can find this hotel on the outskirts of the city of Krakow, in the picturesque surroundings of the Krakow-Czestochowa Jurassic Upland. That provides comfort and enjoyable atmosphere for all guests : individual and business companies, as well as traveling groups. Hotel is only 6 kilometres away from the Krakow`s Airport and just 8 kilometres from the heart of the Old Town.

Splurge

• Hotel Copernicus, Kanonicza 16, [71]. Tucked away on one of Krakow's most beautiful streets, Kanonicza. If you're looking for an authentic European feel, while maintaining a five star experience, this is the place.

• Ostoya Palace Hotel, Pilsudskiego 24, [72]. A newly opened four star in a 19th century mansion about 5-10 minutes walk from Rynek Główny. The rooms are beautifully furnished in pastel colors with custom-made furniture. If possible get a ground or first floor room; the second floor rooms (while still very nicely apportioned) have skylights rather than windows. Staff are very friendly and helpful; the buffet breakfast is also good, with tasty pastries, cheese and ham, and proper coffee.

• Radisson SAS, Straszewskiego 17, [73]. An excellent location, literally three minutes away from Rynek Główny.

• The Sheraton Krakow, owiśle 7, [74]. A five star hotel located right on the Vistula river with a great view of the Wawel castle.

• Hotel Wentzl, Rynek Główny 19, [75]. Is one of the best known high class hotels in Krakow and the only one located right on Rynek Główny. Set in a 15th century house, John Wentzl opened the Wentzl restaurant in this building in 1792.

Cope

Consulates

• Austria, ul. Cebulskiego 9, 012/4249940.
• Denmark, ul. sw. Anny 5, 012/4217120.
• France, ul. Stolarska 15, 012/4245300.
• Germany, ul. Stolarska 7, 012/4243000.
• Hungary, ul. sw. Marka 7/9, 012/4225657.
• Italy, ul. Wenecja 3, 012/4292921.
• Lithuania, ul. Chlopieckiego 10, 012/4136518.
• Norway, ul. Mazowiecka 2, 012/6330376.
• Russia, ul. Biskupia 7, 012/4222647.
• Slovakia, ul. sw. Tomasza 34, 012/4254970.
• Ukraine, ul. Krakowska 41, 012/4296066.
• USA, ul. Stolarska 9, 012/4245100.
• UK, ul. sw. Anny 9, 012/4217030.

Maps

Getting around Krakow is much easier if you have a map. Maps can be purchased at most bookstores and gas stations. Smaller, free maps of the Old Town and Kazimierz can be found in any tourist information point and at some hotels.

Get out

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Former German Nazi camp 2km outside city of Oświęcim, 65 km from Krakow. Leave a whole day for this if you want to go. The Auschwitz camp and the much bigger Birkenau camp are a few kilometres apart. Frequent and inexpensive buses from the main bus station, or trains approximately every two hours from the adjacent railway station . Many hotels and travel agents in Krakow, as well as the Galicja Museum in Kazimierz can direct you to hassle-free coach tours to the former camp for about 100PLN per head. I can recomend High value Private tours to Auschwitz etc. [76]<- worth checking. Entrance to the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum [77] is free of charge, but groups must take a guide.
• Wieliczka [78] is a town known for its ancient salt mines, now a museum. 10 km from Kraków. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and a definite must see. Private tours [79]LUX-BUS minibuses from Krakow Main Railway Station (Dworzec Główny), or the top of ul. Starowiślna, take approx 30 minutes and will drop you 100m from the mine entrance. Entrance to the mines (60PLN) is rather expensive compared to other tourist attractions in Poland.
• Krakow/Nowa Huta — Model Stalinist city with neo-Renaissance / Socialist Realist architecture, by streetcar from central Krakow or with a tour [80].
• Bochnia — Historic salt mine, older than Wieliczka's one. 40km from Kraków. Must see. SK-BUS minibuses from Krakow Main Railway Station (Dworzec Główny), or train (way: Tarnów, or Nowy Sącz/Krynica).
• Tarnow — The second largest city in region with a beautiful main market.
• Nowy Sacz — Beautiful old city with a fine main market square.
• Zakopane — 100km south in the Tatra Mountains is considered to be the Polish winter sport capital. Other winter sport centers near Krakow in the Beskids are Szczyrk, Zywiec, Zawoja, Korbielow, Bukowina Tatrzanska, Bialka Tatrzanska, Rabka, Szczawnica, Wisla, Koniakow and Ustron. This company organises skiing and snowboarding tours [81]
• Czestochowa - 80km north is the most important pilgrim's place in Central Europe.
• Wadowice - 40km south-west is the birthplace of Karol Wojtyla, John Paul II.
• Beautiful Renaissance Castles in Pieskowa Skala, Nowy Wisnicz, Niepolomice, Sucha Beskidzka and Niedzica.
• The "Eagle Nest Castle Ruins" in the Jura in Ogrodzeniec, Olsztyn, Rudno, Mirow and Ojcow.
• Monasteries near Krakow are in Tyniec and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska.
• Spas near Krakow are in Krynica, Muszyna, Busko Zdroj, and Piwniczna.

Sources from Wikitravel. Based on work by Albert Lingelbach, Wikitravel user(s) LtPowers and I remember Black Star North, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

Print this post Labels: Poland