My weekend in Krakow
It's a great city for a weekend break - a short 2-hour flight from the UK with plenty to keep you busy and excellent value when you’re there. I would recommend staying even longer if you could as there is so much to see and do.
We arrived mid afternoon on Friday and after checking in to our lovely Bed & Breakfast Apartment Style Hotel just off the Main Market Square in Stare Miasto, we dumped our bags and went to check out our new surroundings!
I would highly recommend staying in this location, near to the Main Square, as your close to the many shops, bars, and restaurants. Architecturally, it is very impressive everywhere you look and includes St Mary's Basilica and the Renaissance Cloth Hall – an indoor market where you can pick up some souvenirs to take home. Around the Square, there is an abundance of hotels, shops, restaurants, bars and clubs and it is certainly busy in the evening. It’s lovely in the daytime, but it is even more stunning in the evening, as its all lit up by the night market, it has food stalls in the middle, along with horse-drawn carriages all lined up waiting for customers. Such a vibrant buzz! It is a bit more expensive to eat in the square then when you are off the beaten track, but still excellent value and great to people watch.
Away from the Main Square, is the Old Jewish Quarter which is also popular. It is more relaxed here, and a bit more peaceful. There are a few Vodka Bars dotted around and these are excellent, with a menu of shots of various vodkas, spices, and other ingredients and cheap too. Our favourite one was the ‘Wodka Bar’ just off the Main square. It was so tiny with a handful of stools – a very cosy ambience and a real experience, and of course I felt like I had to try the various flavours on offer!
We’d had a recommendation to visit ‘Moo Moo Steak & Burger Club,’ a fantastic Steakhouse restaurant which we went to on Friday evening. If you love a good Steak, it doesn’t disappoint!
On the Saturday, we’d pre-booked tickets to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, the site of the former German Nazi concentration camp. It’s a full day’s trip as it takes about an hour each way to the memorial. We were picked up straight after breakfast outside of our hotel and taken in a minibus by an English-speaking guide. The weekends are very busy, so I recommend booking this in advance to avoid disappointment. It is possible to book locally through local agents, but they all offer different times, some will have availability, and some won’t, and the prices do vary quite a bit, so it is definitely something to arrange prior to going. Although the trip to the memorial was heart-breaking to see, it was the absolute highlight of my trip to Krakow and a place where everyone should visit once in their lives. We arrived back at the hotel about 4ish where we freshened up and changed before heading back out for our final evening in Krakow – more vodka bars, and a lovely meal at Novo Resto in the Jewish Quarter, another lovely restaurant I would recommend. Think chic, contemporary, atmospheric, and scrumptious food! The Jewish Quarter is filled with great restaurants and bars.
Our last day before we flew back Sunday evening, we planned to do a bit more sightseeing on foot and hire one the electric buggy cars (golf cart). A great thing to do on your last day of a short weekend as its easy to fit in a lot of sights in such a short space of time. We had a friendly guide who drove us round for a whistle stop tour in 90 minutes to see some culture including the Ghetto where the symbolic empty chairs are scattered.
The golf buggies have shelter if it rains and are heated too for the winter months! We arranged ours on the main square, you will see the staff in red t-shirts and a clipboard who can book them for you. We didn’t have time to visit the Salt Mines and Schindler’s Factory but our guide took us the door so we could at least see the building. Another reason to return! My top tip for travel in Krakow? Watch your step! The streets are shared by cars, trams and buses so stay alert!
Krakow is an easy city to love. With its rich history, bustling nightlife, the many museums and sights, outdoor adventure, and all in the same place.
If you do fancy spending a weekend or more in Krakow, get in touch for more advice and guidance. I would love to help you plan your next City break to this unique place.
