Krakow is the perfect cheap weekend getaway, as the accommodation, food, and drinks are all very reasonably priced. Unfortunately, our trip was cut a bit short due to an unpredicted flight change from a certain cheap airline (cough Ryaniar cough). However, because Krakow is such a relatively small city, we were able to cram a lot into such a small period of time. 

General tips: 

Public transport is basically non-existent in Krakow. The trams there are infrequent and by the time one comes, you could have already walked to your destination. Therefore, we walked A LOT! This was easy as it’s only a 20 minute walk between the two “touristy” areas in Krakow: the Main Square and Kazimierz. I put touristy in quotes because even the most touristic area of Krakow is nothing compared to any touristy area in Amsterdam.

As we only stayed two nights in one hotel, I don’t feel that I can really recommend accommodations. Although the Corner Hotel was fantastic and I have no complaints, I would say a general tip when booking a hotel in Krakow is to book close to the train station, Kraków Główny. That way you will be close to the Main Square, and transport to both the airport and Auschwitz.

Food:

Pirozki U Vicenta 

This was the best place to get pierogies in my personal opinion. Not only is this a fun place to eat, but they have every pierogie flavor imaginable, and again (because it’s Poland) its so cheap!

Zapiekanki Królewskie

Zapiekanki is essentially Polish bruschetta. There are a lot of places in Krakow that offer it, but this stand is the most popular place to find it. It is conveniently located in the Kazimierz area. While, the toppings choices are endless, the prices are very minimal. 

Bars:

Abysnt Cafe (top photo)

This cocktail bar located in Kazimierz looks like your granny’s living room, but with a whole new twist. It is specifically known for for its Absinthe fire shots. If you’re brave enough, I definitely recommend giving it a try.

Eszewieria (bottom left photo)

Another cozy bar located in Kazimierz. This bar is really relaxed and perfect for a quiet pint before venturing back out into the cold Polish weather. They also have a garden area that would be perfect on a warm day. 

Budda (middle bottom photo)

Located in the Main Square of Krakow, this bar was a nice stop to get some very reasonably priced cocktails.

Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa (bottom right photo)

Cheap shots bar located in Kazimierz. I would highly recommend the drink, Cytrynowka, which is a homemade lemon vodka shot. For 4 zloty (1 euro), you really can’t beat it. 

Sites:

Auschwitz

I understand why some people might choose not to go to Auschwitz, as it is not an easy place to be. The tour is extremely heartbreaking, but I really do think it’s important for people to go as it is an unfortunate part of our history.

Luke and I took the bus up to Oświęcim, which took about two hours and cost about 10 zloty each (one-way). There are three main camps of Auschwitz,  but Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau were the two camps that we walked around. We got there at about 8 am and were dropped outside of Auschwitz I, where the tour is supposed to begin. Instead we decided to walk over to Auschwitz II-Birkenau, as our entrance ticket wasn’t until 9:20 am. The bus between the two camps doesn’t start running until 10 am, so because we walked over, we had all of Auschwitz II-Birkenau to ourselves. It was amazing how such a disturbing place could seem so serene when silent.

Main Square (aka Rynek Glowny)

The main square is surrounded by old historic monuments and buildings, so it’s the perfect place for a stroll. They also have cute souvenir stands in the central building, although these are bit pricier than the souvenirs that can be found at the train station.

Kazimierz

Kazimierz is the old Jewish Quarter in Krakow, and is home to many unusual cafes and bars. It’s easy to get lost in this little neighborhood, even though it takes only about 10 mins to walk from one side of it to the other. 

Kladka Ojca Bernatka

Close to the Kazimierz district, this artistic bridge is well worth the 20 minute walk roundtrip.

Wawel Castle

Wawel Castle was a good way to kill a morning. I could have spent hours walking around, had the cold not prevented us. We opted out of paying for the tour which costs about 23 EUR, but the audio tour of the cathedral costs about 5 EUR. Us being the cheapskates though, we just walked around the grounds and entered the cathedral for free.

Galeria Luelue

Quaint little photo shop with some classic shots of Krakow. This is the ideal place to get some unusual prints or postcards to send to friends or family, or to just keep for yourself.

METRUM Restobistro

This cafe is located above the Krakow Music Academy, and offers one of the few rooftop views of Krakow. This spot is not to be missed; however, it can be a bit confusing to access. To get to this cafe, you need to enter the Krakow Music Academy building and take the elevator to the top floor and then climb the stairs one floor more to reach it.

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Other recommendations that were missed:

Because our trip was a bit crammed, we couldn’t get to everything we wanted to see, but here are some of the attractions recommended to me by friends and colleagues:

Bars:

Wódka Café Bar

House of Beer

Singer

Food:

HAMSA

Sites:

MOCAK- Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow

Oskar Schindler’s Factory