Krakow is one of the oldest cities of Poland and from 1038 since 1569 it was the capital of the country. The city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Krakow Old Town is like a fairytale town. Cobbled streets, carriages, majectic buildings with elegant architecture and Gothic touches. Near the city walls, the beautiful Wawel Castle dominates at the top of the hill.
It’s a really affordable destination to visit abroad, due to exchange rate ( 1€ = 4.27 zl approximately). I visited Krakow during October and the weather was cool, without freezing. Of course this doesn’t apply when the sun goes down, while the temperature goes below zero.
How to go to Krakow
There are direct flights from Athens and Thessaloniki to Krakow. Our flight was with Ryanair and the ticket price was about 75€ for both of flights.
Where to stay in Krakow
WAWELOFTS Apartments
We stayed near the Old City’s walls at a modern apartment with a park view. Old Town was about five minutes walk and we didn’t need to use public transportation.
The apartment had whatever we needed. The kitchen was fully equipped. It has many kitchenwares to cook breakfast, coffee and more. The majority of our mornings there, we didn’t go out for breakfast. We bought supplies from the supermarket next to us and we cooked whatever we wanted.
Where to eat
Cupcake Corner Bakery
(Bracka 4, Krakow)
If you want to try the most fresh and tasty cupcakes, then you should visit Cupcake Corner Bakery. It has so many different types of cupcakes to choose.
Charlotte Krakow
(Plac Szczepański 2, Krakow)
The second day we went for breakfast to Charlotte. Everyday was almost full, especially in the morning. You should visit it early, around 9-10 am. When we arrived we sat outside because it hadn’t available tables inside.
With just 5€ we bought a whole brunch for two people, which included coffee, fresh orange juice, two butter croissants, a heart-shape bagel, 5-6 bread slices, white and milk chocolate merenda. Chocolate came into two big jars.
Cafe Camelot
(Świętego Tomasza 170)
A romantic cafe, with medieval architecture and vintage details. Except for the area, they have also tasty sweets. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy your brunch.
Pizzatopia
(Szewska 22, Krakow)
One of the best pizza restaurants I have ever visit in my life! First of all they make the dough in front of you and then you choose the ingredients you want. They put the pizza in the oven and in five minutes you have the most tasty pizza for you! (Pizza costs around 3-6€, it depends on how much ingredients you will add).
Bunkier Cafe
(Plac Szczepański 3a, Krakow)
Enjoy your breakfast at Bunkier Cafe. With your coffee/juice don’t choose croissant (or something similar). Instead of these, try their stuffed bagels. We chose one with cheese and salami, which was spicy enough and one with chicken and cheese. They are served with a dip and they’re quite hearty.
Tradycynje Polska Somali
(Świętego Tomasza 5, Kraków)
If you want to try the traditional kitchen of Poland, then you should definitely eat at Tradycynje Polska Somali. It’s a traditional tavern with homemade food. Women who work there, cook every morning fresh meals and they are very affordable.
We tried turkey fillet with mushroom sauce, chicken and their famous goulash soup .
Makarun Kraków
(Świętego Tomasza 10)
Our last night in Krakow we stopped at Makarun and we bought two pasta to eat them at the hotel. One carbonara and one pasta with chicken and curry cost 4.50€ in total. I recommend this place, if you are looking for something cheap.
Pastas were delicious, but they had too much herbs inside and pepper -like the most of the plates we tried in Poland-.
Liza Restaurant & Drink Bar
(Rynek Główny 41, Krakow)
Enjoy your coffee at the central square go the Krakow Old Town. In case you want to sit outside, they offer will offer you a blanket. Of course there are also stoves to heat.
I chose hot chocolate instead of coffee, but many people prefer some of their vodkas. One of the most popular was the cherry vodka and it costs just 1€ per glass!
What to see in Krakow
Central Square
When you will go at central square of Krakow, you will feel like you’re playing in a movie. Beautiful paths, carriages with horses and majestic buildings.
At the square there is the town hall, the Kościół Mariacki and countless souvenir shops.
Kościół Mariacki
At the central square of the Krakow Old Town there is the beautiful Kościół Mariacki. An incredible Catholic Church which grips the audience, before even get inside. The entrance ticket costs around 3€
St. Florian’s Gate
At the Old City’s walls you will meet the round fortress in front of the St. Florian’s Gate. They used it as an observatory. It has gothic details and it’s one of the few defensive buildings of this type left in Europe.
I recommend you to visit it. It’s located in a beautiful park and the view is amazing.
St. Florian’s Gate is one of the most famous gothic towers of Poland and it’s a trademark for Krakow’s city.
Krakow’s Park
The “walls” that surround the Krakow Old Town are now beautiful parks and you can go for a walk and explore them, enjoying the nature. If you are lucky, you will meet little adorable squirrels
Tip: Rend a bike to explore easily the place.
Wawel Castle – Cathedral Of Krakow
Every fairytale town has its own castle. Built in the 14th century, with many later decorative elements, the castle invites you to explore it.
It’s impressive with amazing view and the access is free at the most of its parts. On Sunday the entrance is free everywhere but you have to be patient, because the lines are too long. You definitely has to see the dragon’s cave.
In the castle there is the Cathedral of Krakow and it’s one of the most beautiful places to enjoy the view of the city and the river, which crossing the city. In this place there are crypts with king tombs and you have to get an extra ticket to visit them.
Kazimierz
At this side of the city you will learn many informations about the history of the Jewish people. A beautiful location with interesting stories. In the Jewish Square there are several remarkable cafes, next to the Old Synagogue.
The moment you get there, you are transported to the old times. This place is a must, if you ever visit Krakow.
Father Bernatek’s Bridge
The most impressive bridge in Krakow filled with padlocks on the railings. The design is unusual, decorated with acrobatic figures. On one side there is a pedestrian street and on the other side there is a bicycle path. It’s worth visiting during the sunset.
Galeria Krakowska
(Pawia 5, Krakow)
If you want to shop, you must visit Galeria Krakowska. You can find everything in this huge mall, but you will need to walk a lot. It is located in the city center and it has many shops with good prices. It’s also a good place to make foreign exchange since they don’t keep big commission.
At the last floor, there are plenty of restaurants with different cuisines. You have the chance too try whatever you like, from chinese to tapas. We chose an Italian restaurant and we ate pizza and pasta.
Although we walked to reach the mall, access is very easy with the local transportation, as it’s located above the train station..
What you need to know before visit Krakow:
- The currency of Poland is zloty. 1 euro = about 4.27 zlotys.
- Greece is one hour forward from Poland.
- Your mobile data works in Poland. Be careful: The purchased ones are valid and not from offer packages (They are only valid in Greece). I didn’t know it and I lost 10€ from my account when I arrived and turned on my mobile data.
- The weather, as in most Northern European countries, isn’t like Greece. I suggest you to take a sweatshirt with you.
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