If you are thinking about traveling to Krakow and are only interested in practical information, you can skip the first few lines and go directly to the section on what to see in Krakow. It is your choice, but hey, you would miss a most emotive letter to this Polish gem.
Dear Krakow:
I have just returned to Madrid after the trip and I already miss you. Here there are no horse-drawn carriages crossing the squares, nor medieval towers, nor underground chapels carved in salt, nor, much less, a trumpeter to remind me of the hour. It has only been four days caressing your streets, a short time but more than enough to fall for you. And I say caressing because as soon as I met you I realized that you must be treated with care. You deserve to be looked after because, although you have already licked the historical wounds of Tartars, Swedes, Austrians, Nazis, and Communists, I know the scars are still there.
It is normal that this past makes you somewhat distrustful, but I have seen that, even so, you look forward with the romanticism and imagination that characterizes you. I feel proud of you for being such a strong city capable of surviving horror and barbarism. You have known how to be reborn, to keep your culture, your religiosity, the Gothic and Renaissance legacy intact, and to remain the pretty girl of Poland. You are conservative, yes, but I felt that you want to move forward, to carve out your own future free from ties, to open up to that Europe that still doesn’t know whether to give you the euro. Don’t worry, think that with your zloty you might even be better off, look at how the rest of us are doing.
You know? Here I don’t find a castle perched on a hill and I miss the dragon that guarded it. I have an absurd nostalgia for the medieval air I breathed while with you. I feel like riding a bike again along the banks of the Vistula River and sitting with a beer on one of the terraces in the Jewish quarter.
Will you wait for me? Perhaps it will be a while before I visit you again but you must know that I will not forget you. I have decided to listen to you and I have put in my drawer of illusions Torun, Gdansk, the national parks and other places in your country that you told me about. So when I return to Poland it will be to step on new destinations, but I know that sooner or later I will return to you.
In the meantime, I’ve been thinking that the best way for you not to forget me is to send you an emissary with this letter. Therefore, I leave here practical information to help other people who want to travel to Krakow to meet you and for one of them to get these words to you.
What to see in Krakow:
Take note because here are the essential places to visit if you are going to travel to Krakow.
Historic Center (Stare Miasto)
The historic center is today surrounded by the Planty, a green belt of gardens and parks on the same spot previously occupied by the wall that protected the city. The only original gate remaining of the eight that existed is the Florianska gate, topped with a beautiful medieval tower and connecting two essential places.
On the outer side you will find the Barbican, a defensive fortress unique for its beauty. On the opposite side, at the end of the street you reach the central square, known as Rynek Glowny and full of surprises. The entire historic center is dotted with charming corners such as, for example, Collegium Maius.
Wawel Hill
Next to the historic center rises Wawel Hill, a place you cannot miss if you are going to travel to Krakow. First because the cathedral is located there, which has a beautiful exterior dotted with domes and towers.
Secondly because you can also visit the castle which has a beautiful courtyard reminiscent of Italian architecture.
Thirdly because you have unique views of the Vistula River with its swans.
And fourthly, not to go on further, because you can descend through an underground grotto that serves as a lair for a fierce dragon that spits fire from its mouth. If you go on Monday mornings, admission to many of the rooms on the hill is free.
- Check out this guided tour of Krakow in Spanish because it has very good reviews. You can choose how many areas to visit, beyond the old town, and if you want a complete experience choose the 8-hour tour so you don’t miss anything.
Kazimierz, the Jewish Quarter
You cannot leave without visiting Kazimierz the Jewish Quarter, as you would leave without knowing a very important part of the city’s history. During the Nazi occupation, the neighborhood was looted, the synagogues were used as weapons warehouses, and its inhabitants were exiled to a cruel fate or murdered.
Today, Kazimierz has reinvented itself, becoming Krakow’s trendy neighborhood, a relevant artistic, cultural, and social center. Get lost in its lively streets and end up at Nowy Square, full of cafes and bars, each more original and charming than the last. A good way to visit it and also learn about its history is by booking this free tour of the Krakow Jewish Quarter.
Podgórze
Unfortunately, if the working-class neighborhood of Podgórze is known for anything, it’s because during World War II it became a ghetto where Jews were crowded together, who are now remembered with a memorial of 70 chairs. Additionally, Schindler’s factory was located there, famous for the Steven Spielberg movie, which today is set up as an interesting museum. You can buy tickets to the museum to visit on your own or take the guided tour in Spanish of Schindler’s factory.
Next door, in total contrast, is the MOCAK, Museum of Contemporary Art.
You can reach both Kazimierz and Podgórze with tram number 3.
Salt Mines
Since you are going to travel to Krakow, don’t just stay in the center of this Polish city. By going just a little bit further, you have places as incredible as the Wieliczka salt mines.
A certainly very curious visit are the underground salt mines, declared a World Heritage Site. They are located in Wieliczka, about 14 kilometers from the center, and you can get there with bus 304, which leaves from in front of the Galeria Krakowska shopping center and costs 7.60 zlotys round trip. A labyrinthine network of galleries and rooms at a depth of 135 meters with sculptures and even a cathedral, all carved in salt that will leave you open-mouthed, although honestly it also gets a bit tedious.
[list_un]If you prefer to be taken and go with a Spanish-speaking guide, a good option is to take this excursion to the Wieliczka salt mines.[/list_un]
Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps
40 kilometers from Krakow are the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps, where it is estimated that the Nazis exterminated around 1.6 million people from 1940 to 1945, most of whom were Jews.
Not everyone decides to step foot in the camp, but if you take this tough 4-hour guided tour, you will learn firsthand about the shocking and tragic history that took place in this atrocious place. Of course, you will never come to understand how and why something so indescribably inhuman could happen.
After my visit, I left so shocked that it took me months to work up the courage to write about the place, and when I did, this text was what came from within: Auschwitz or how complicated it is to write about hell
[list_un]Book the excursion to Auschwitz-Birkenau with a guide and transport included.[/list_un]
Other places of interest near Krakow
Although there was no time to go, if I were to travel to Krakow again, I am sure I would take an excursion to Zakopane, a winter village at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, where in addition to skiing, you can enjoy a beautiful environment. I heard great things about this destination.
You can also go to the Ojców National Parkski from Krakow to walk through postcard-perfect landscapes and visit the many castles, many partially destroyed, in the area.
How to get to Krakow:
Ryanair takes you directly in just over three hours to Krakow from Madrid. If you look for flights in advance, you can find good prices; for example, €118 round trip was what it cost me in April.
To get to the city center from the airport, the best option is to take the commuter train which takes you to the Kraków Glówny central station (also known as Dworzec Glówny) in just 15-20 minutes and costs only 12 zlotys (about €3). You can buy the ticket on the train itself, either from the vending machines in the carriage or directly from the conductor. The airport train station is a simple halt, so be careful not to miss it.
You can also go from Krakow airport to the center by bus by taking one of these two lines: 208, which goes to Kraków Glówny station, and 252, to the Congress Centre. The ticket to the center costs 6 zlotys and you must choose the 60-minute one.
If you prefer, you can also book a transfer from Krakow airport to your hotel.
Getting around Krakow
Krakow is a small city, so it is very easy to get around on foot.
But the best way is also to use the tram: fast, economical, and also charming. A single ticket costs 3.40 zlotys and is more than enough for traveling around the city in zone 1 (sufficient) but only for 20 minutes. It is worth getting the 24-hour pass which for 15 zlotys (about €3.30) gives you a lot of freedom.
Not all stops, nor all carriages have ticket dispensers, so if you plan to use it, buy some extra tickets and you will avoid a fine. Cycling is a means very much used by locals and we recommend it from here.
Anyway, if you like walking, you can explore it on foot in not much time. With the buses, you can go, for example, to Wieliczka (salt mines) or to Oswiecim (Auschwitz). And if you are in a romantic mood, you might end up taking a ride in a carriage pulled by beautiful horses, although I wouldn’t do it, think about the suffering you cause the animal.
Where to stay in Krakow:
In my case, I stayed at the New Moon Hostel in the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz. This hostel was a great choice with rooms with private bathrooms and a fridge, clean and fully equipped communal kitchens, and plenty of free details like wifi, bicycles, video game consoles, or hair dryers. 5 nights in a double room were about €150; what more could you ask for? Additionally, the neighborhood is full of charming bars, restaurants of all kinds, and lots of life on the street. In 20 minutes walking, you can be at Rynek Glowny or take the tram to get there faster.
But if you don’t mind spending a bit more and want to be in Stare Miesto, in the heart of the old town, there are plenty of options for staying; take a look and choose your ideal hotel in Krakow.
What to eat in Krakow:
Polish cuisine is, above all, hearty with many meat dishes, various thick soups, and all accompanied by beer and vodka. Bigos, for example, is the typical dish par excellence and requires a complex and long preparation to cook the sauerkraut with all the different types of meat and sausages it contains. The pierogi are also very good, a kind of very tasty giant ravioli. A very cheap but highly recommended restaurant where you can try these dishes is Polakowski at Miodowa Street, 39. For about five euros, you have a first course, second course, and drink!!
If it seems expensive to you, the most economical and also fun option is to eat at street stalls. The star is the zapiekanki, a kind of Polish pizza made with half a loaf of toasted bread, mushrooms, melted cheese, and ketchup, plus the ingredients you want. It will cost you just over one euro and you will be not only full but satisfied. Everywhere you will also see pretzel stalls and oscypki, a smoked goat cheese that they make in original shapes.
[list_un]A good idea is to sign up for this gastronomic tour of Krakow.[/list_un]
Very interesting:
Free tour of Krakow, essential!
Essential, if you are going to travel to Krakow, are the free guided tours to learn not only the history of the places you visit, but you will also learn a lot of curiosities and details of the current life of the Poles. At the end, if you liked it, leave a tip whose amount you decide based on the degree of satisfaction. Ah, of course, the guide will speak Spanish.
They have several different routes. I did the classic free tour of Krakow which I loved because it is a great way to get a feel for the city and get your bearings as soon as you arrive.
But now there are also other more specific ones like the free tour of the Jewish quarter, the one of the ghetto and the Podgórze district. If you are interested in history, you can book the free tour of Nazism and Communism or the one that will take you to see Nowa Huta, the communist city that emerged after the Second World War
Krakow Currency
Although Poland belongs to the European Union, for the moment it has not adopted the euro and continues with its own currency, the zloty (PLN). I recommend bringing euros and exchanging them directly in the city center; on Florianska Street, for example, there are several places that offer a very good exchange rate. Or even better, use a card like Revolut that makes your life much easier.
Más artículos de Cracovia: -Auschwitz o cómo es de complicado escribir sobre el infierno. -Cracovia judía: Kazimierz y Podgórze
Stories from other travelers #postamigo
Practical Guide to Krakow. Poland by Viajamos Juntos
* This article includes affiliate links. If you book something through them, it will cost you the same price, but you will help me maintain this blog with the small commission generated. Thank you!
