Kraków, Poland

I decided it was time to take another trip and, after some contemplation about where to go, Kraków won the top spot. As a neighboring country to the Czech Republic, Poland is an easy long weekend trip (Friday-Sunday). While Poland is part of the EU, it does not use the Euro. Like the Czech Republic, they use their own currency, the zloty (PLN). At the time of this post, $1 USD was equal to about 4 PLN.

For ~60 Euro ($64 USD), I was provided roundtrip transportation via the regional train company RegioJet, which took took me on a 3.5 hour journey to the border town of Ostrava, where I switched to their bus service for the remaining 2.5 hours to Kraków.

Image of a RegioJet train courtesy of RegioJet.cz

I arrived to Kraków shortly after 10pm local time Thursday evening and was eager to get some rest so I would be refreshed and ready to explore in the morning. 

I booked a tour to Auschwitz for Friday. See the following post on Auschwitz. It was an all day trip, which was a moving experience to witness the location of so many horrors against humanity. My return to Kraków in the evening was followed up with dinner and drinks with a friend who lives and works in Kraków. She also offered to be my “Tour Guide” for the weekend, a much appreciated gesture. Thank you again!!

We were unfortunately greeted on Saturday by some more unfavorable weather but it didn’t dampen our spirits as we hit the streets to explore the city. After enjoying some coffee and some pastries at a local café, we walked to the castle. Wawel Castle sits atop a hill overlooking to Visła River.

Wawel Castle

We explored the grounds of the castle and then decided to escape the rain and took a tour of the cathedral and museum. The cathedral houses many religious artifacts from prior popes, as well as countless historical royal garb. We were also able to view the crypts as well as climb the bell tower. After our tour, we made our way down to see the infamous “Dragon of Wawel Hill”. Legend has it that the dragon once terrorized the land before a prince was able to trick and kill the dragon. The sculpture stands at the base of the cave where it was though to have originally lived. The dragon sculpture that is now present breathes fire every 5 minutes to the delight of visitors.

After the display, we made our way to the Rynek Głowny (Main Square). Designated as the largest medieval square in Europe and a UNESCO heritage site, it is usually filled with street vendors and performers. We walked around before deciding to get some food and drink and went to a small restaurant/bar called Pub Pijalnia. These are soviet-era establishment that make you feel like you have stepped back in time. They are known for serving up various shots of liquor with different ingredients. I tried one with vodka, raspberry, and tabasco, so you can imagine the hit of vodka, followed by the sweetness of raspberry, then the sting of tabasco at the end.

Rynek Głowny with Cloth Hall in the background.

Satisfied, we decided to try our luck at a local pierogi shop. We sampled a few types, including meat, potato, and berry filled dumplings. After, we walked around the square over to the Collegium Maius courtyard and Florian Gate that used to be the original entrance to the city. The courtyard is part of Jagiellonian University, the second oldest university in Central Europe (behind Charles University in Prague), founded in 1364.

For dinner, I wanted to try one of the “Bar Mleczny”, or Milk Bars. These are almost like “canteen” or cafeteria style restaurants with cheap but hearty plates of food for very reasonable prices. I tried potatoes with hunters sauce, which was liken to a stew type gravy. Verdict: delicious.

Kraków is known for a vibrant nightlife and it certainly has a young feel to it. After walking around all day, we tried one of the local shot bars, then found a local place for some mulled beer. Zapiekanka (think of french bread pizza but with endless toppings) made an appearance somewhere between the bars, which, for about $2 USD, couldn’t be a better deal given the freshness and amazing taste. Eating and drinking in Kraków is very inexpensive but does not skip on taste, quality, or variety. 

Cloth Hall at dusk

Sunday greeted us with better weather. We took a long walk around the Jewish Quarter, viewing historic synagogues, and ducking into a local café for some coffee and cake. We passed over the river to see a memorial square where the Jews from the ghetto’s were deported to concentration camps. The space is marked with empty chairs, symbolizing that they packed up many things but left many homes and places empty, never to return again. Each chair represents 1000 Jews deported.

We strolled along the river up to the castle again, where the sun was shining bright and visitors were abound. Thankfully, we viewed the grounds and museum yesterday, as long queues had formed for both tickets and general entrance.

After, we went back to the Kazimierz district to get some more pierogies, and they were the best had had so far. Spinach/Chicken, Russian style with potatoes and garlic, and then dessert ones filled with plums and covered in butter and cinnamon capped off a great culinary experience in the city. We also sampled buttermilk, a popular drink to have with most meals.

Each plate was a 1/2 portion and cost about 4PLN or $1USD

After a short stop back at the hostel to retrieve my backpack, it was off to the main square to enjoy the sunshine for the few remaining hours before I departed on my joinery back to Prague. The energy in the square was clear with the noise of tourists, performers, and the open air market. 

St. Marys Basilica

After seeing the square again from some different spots, it was time to head towards the main train station, where my bus awaited to take me back to Ostrava, and then a train to Prague. It was a great weekend. I hadn’t felt such a strong sense of “not wanting to leave” in a while. I had a pit in my stomach not because I dreaded going back to Prague, but because I enjoyed Kraków so much. While short, it was filled with exploration, new experiences, and memorable times. Good food, drink, laughs, people, and memories to last a lifetime make any trip worthwhile in my opinion.

As I plan my next trip, I can only hope to have the same feeling of satisfaction.

Are there any places that have left you wanting more or where you couldn’t wait to visit again?