Last time I went to Krakow was 8 years ago and even though I liked it and I enjoyed my time there, I must recognise that this time I have come back completely in love! I found that the city has changed quite a bit and it is much more cosmopolitan nowadays, it is incredibly clean and the people are lovely.
When to go: I have only been in Poland during the summer as I prefer to do tourism with warmer weather. I would say that the best months to go are May to October. However, Poland also has a reputation for having very nice Christmas markets so that can also be an option if you want to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere.
Where to stay: the recommended area to stay is the old town. There are many apartment options in Krakow and usually for a very good price, I would recommend “Apartament Avanti Milano” but there are many others that look super good as well. If you prefer stay in hotels, “Hotel Wawel Queen” is a very good option in a great location very close to the Main Square but also the Jewish Quarter.
Day 1: City Centre and Salt Mine
Start the day exploring the city centre:
Rynek Główny (Main Square) - dates back to the 13th century and it is the largest medieval town square in Europe. The main square is surrounded by historic townhouses and churches. The center of the square is dominated by the Cloth Hall, which was rebuilt in 1555 in the Renaissance style. One side of the cloth hall is the Town Hall Tower, on the other the 11th century Church of St. Adalbert and 1898 Adam Mickiewicz Monument. Rising above the square are the Gothic towers of St. Mary's Basilica.
Cloth Hall - It was once a major centre of international trade. Travelling merchants met there to discuss business and to barter. During its golden age in the 15th century, the hall was the source of a variety of exotic imports from the east – spices, silk, leather and wax – while Kraków itself exported textiles, lead, and salt from the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
St. Mary's Basilica - a Gothic church built in the 14th century, its foundations date back to the early 13th century and serve as one of the best examples of Polish Gothic architecture.
Wawel Castle - Built at the behest of King Casimir III the Great, it consists of a number of structures from different periods situated around the Italian-styled main courtyard. The castle represents nearly all European architectural styles of medieval, renaissance and baroque periods.
Wawel Cathedral - a Roman Catholic cathedral part of the Wawel Castle Complex and is a national sanctuary which served as the coronation site of Polish monarchs. The current Gothic cathedral is the third edifice on this site; the first was constructed and destroyed in the 11th century and the second one, constructed in the 12th century, was destroyed by a fire in 1305. The construction of the existing church began in the 14th century on the orders of Bishop Nanker. Over time, the building was expanded by successive rulers resulting in its versatile and eclectic architectural composition.
After all this walking a couple of nice stops for lunch are: “Meat & Go” for sandwiches, “Hala Forum” which is a food court offering multiple options or “Ramen People” if you fancy something more international.
Wieliczka Salt Mine: this is without a doubt the highlight of the weekend…! In terms of logistics there are some things that you should know:
The salt mines are not in Krakow city centre but can be reach easily by car.
You can either book a private transfer or you can take an uber, distance wise it will take you 20 to 25 minutes to get there and the cost of an uber is around £8.
Book the tickets online and if possible at least 2 weeks in advance as it is a very popular attraction and has a limited capacity.
The ticket includes a guide that you will be following at all times as the mines are huge and you can get lost if you are not on a tour.
The visit takes between 2 to 2.5 hours.
The ticket cost is approx. £21
Take a jacket with you! It is chilly in the mines, and wear very comfortable shoes!
Now some very brief information about the salt mines: The Wieliczka salt mine was excavated from the 13th century and produced table salt continuously until 2007. It is one of the world's oldest operating salt mines however, due to falling salt prices and mine flooding, commercial salt mining was discontinued in 1996. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its attractions include the shafts and labyrinthine passageways, displays of historic salt-mining technology, an underground lake, four chapels and numerous statues carved by miners out of the rock salt, and more recent sculptures by contemporary artists.
After the Salt Mine, I would recommend to go for dinner to “Morskie Oko”, which is a very nice traditional Polish restaurant with a very cosy décor, live music and super tasty menu. Obviously do not miss the pierogi!
If you want to have a drink after dinner, the Jewish quarter is the place to be. “Alchemia” and “Eszeweria” are very trendy places to go to for a drink or two.
Day 2: Jewish Quarter Kazimierz
The Jewish Quarter is worth visiting at night and during the day. It has a very hipster vibe apart from a lot of history.
In the Jewish quarter you can visit the Old synagogue and the Ghetto Heroes Square but my favourite thing to do is to get lost on the streets of the neighbourhood and go into the independent shops that are all around.
You can go for brunch to “Poranki - Breakfast, coffee & cake”, there is usually a queue to get in but it goes quite quickly specially if you are a small group.
To provide a bit of context, for many centuries, Kazimierz was a place where ethnic Polish and Jewish cultures coexisted and intermingled. The northeastern part of the district was historically Jewish. In 1941, the Jews of Kraków were relocated by the German occupying forces into the Krakow ghetto just across the river in Podgórze, and most did not survive the war.
The Ghetto Heroes Square is one of the most significant places in the history of Krakow and Jewish communities. It was at this very square where Nazi occupants gathered Jewish people before deporting them to nearby Auschwitz and Plaszow concentration camps. In 2005, a living monument of 70 larger-than-life chairs was set up on the square to commemorate all the people of Krakow Ghetto whose fate was sealed here. The chairs are a reference to the description of the events by Polish pharmacist Tadeusz Pankiewicz, who ran a pharmacy in Krakow Ghetto.
The Old Synagogue was an Orthodox Jewish synagogue and the oldest synagogue building still standing in Poland. It is one of the most precious landmarks of Jewish architecture in Europe.
Another good restaurant for dinner if you have one more night in the city is “Kogel Mogel Restauran”.
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