Travel to Krakow

We decided to travel to Krakow over Easter in 2016, and had a very enjoyable few days there. Since it was Easter, some places were closed and we did not manage to go to any museums. However, we walked a lot around the Old Town, Kazimierz and Stare Podgórze. There was a lot to see and we were able to experience the Easter holiday festivities, including a concert in the Saints Peter and Paul Church.

In addition, we took trips to Auschwitz and Birkenau, and to the Wieliczka Salt Mine by car. These are all historical and fascinating places, though of course also very sad. In fact, some friends asked why we would want to spend holidays going to former concentration camps. For me, it was to learn more about the history, and remember those who lost their lives there. I will write more in separate posts about each visit.

This short guide for travel to Krakow is meant to help with planning a visit, and I hope you will have time to explore some more. I would like to go back and see more of the city.

Bridge leading to Zablocie side of the river

Highlights

Old Town Centre and main square
St. Mary’s Basilica
Wawel Royal Castle and Cathedral
Saints Peter and Paul Church – we saw a wonderful concert here for Easter
Rynek Underground Museum
Old Synagogue
Remuh Synagogue
Tempel Synagogue
Kraków Barbican
Kotlarski bridge
Jewish Ghetto Memorial in Plac Bohaterów Getta
Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory, across the river. Historic factory which was the subject of the film Schindler’s List
Apteka pod Orłem- Old Pharmacy museum
National Museum in Krakow

Before you go

Krakow is a good place to stay if you want to see Auschwitz and Birkenau, or the Wieliczka Salt Mine
Krakow in Polish is spelled Kraków and pronounced krakuf
The Old town is a UNESCO world heritage site
Many places accept credit cards but smaller places may only accept cash. Also tips are better in cash
Tipping is optional but appreciated, usually around 10-15% for good to great service
Check the public holidays, as some tourist sites and shops will be closed, such as on Easter
VisitKrakow.com is a useful site for information
You will need to book in advance for some places like Schindler’s Factory

Concert at church of Saint Peter and Paul

Transport

John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice is located to the west of the city
The train is convenient and cheap and more information is available on the airport website. However, after midnight you will need to either take the bus or a taxi
Walking around the city centre is easy
For getting to the areas further outside of the centre, there are buses and trams. Routes can be found on the Jakdojade transport website

Accommodation

We stayed at Hotel Kazimierz I in the Kazimierz area. It was very comfortable and central for visiting the tourist highlights
The breakfast buffet was amazing with a variety of sweet and savoury dishes
In March, 2016 the prices were very reasonable even over the Easter holiday

Schindler's Factory — Schindler’s Factory

Steak and potatoes for dinner at Sasiedzi

Food

Restaurants

We found Restauracja Sąsiedzi close to our hotel. The menu sounded good and traditional, and we were not disappointed. Pierogi and steak with potatoes was a very filling meal.

Ariel Jewish restaurant is in a very cute square within the Dzielnica Żydowska (Jewish Quarter). We tried some very traditional foods including Gefilte fish. The ambience was cosy and cute.

Restauracja Wierzynek is a beautiful, historic restaurant in the centre of Krakow. We looked inside but did not get a chance to sample this elegant menu. I would like to try it next time.

Snacks

In the area near our hotel, we tried the Polish-style pizza from Zapiekanki Królewskie. It reminded me a lot of the “French bread pizza” found in the USA. There were many different toppings including meat, cheese and even tuna. They are great for a quick snack! Also, they are usually open late.

Słodki Wawel bakery was just one of the dessert places we tried during the trip. They had so many beautiful cakes, chocolates and macarons that it was difficult to choose. The decor is traditional and elegant, and we enjoyed sipping tea with our cakes.

Easter foods

Over Easter, we saw a lot of foods at the market in the central square. Of course, there were plenty of chocolate eggs, Easter cakes and kiełbasa sausage. The Oscypek smoked cheese also seemed to be very popular, cold or grilled.