Krakow
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Logistics
Getting There
Krakow’s main airport (KRK) is not far from the center and is the easiest way to arrive in the city. There is a train running from the airport to the main train station (Krakow Glowny), which takes about 20 minutes and departs every 30 minutes. It is cheap and it is very easy to use. Alternatively, take a taxi from the airport straight to your accommodations.
Getting Around
Krakow is a very walkable city making it easy to get around and explore. Taxis are easy to get and relatively cheap for longer trips or if you are not up for walking.
Accommodations
Try to stay near the main square (Rynek Glowney) to establish a prime location and enable easy access to explore the city. The accommodations are very affordable overall.
Things to do and see
Old Town
Explore the Old Town are with shops, cafes and restaurants providing a nice area to walk around
Rynek Glowney
Main market square in the city
Planty
Scenic park that encircles the main part of the city
Town Hall Tower
One of the main points in Ryenk Glowney
Cloth Hall
Building at the center of Rynek Glowney with shopping and is known for being one of the oldest shopping “malls”
Mary’s Church
A church in the market square with a beautiful interior. You must pay a small entrance fee to go inside.
Barbican and City Walls
Fortified outpost on the North side of the city
Florianska Street
Famous promenade in Krakow
Wawel Castle and Castle Grounds
Free to walk the castle grounds, but then there are different tickets for each area of the castle and various museums.
Kazimierz
The Jewish Quarter of Krakow. This area is more run down than the Old Town.
Ghetto’s Square – Square with 33 empty chairs to honor the Jews lost in World War II
Schindler’s Factory Museum – Museum for Oskar Schindler who saved the life of many Jews during WWII
Pharmacy under the Eagle – A non-Jew worked here during the war and helped get messages in and out of the Jewish Quarter for Jews
Old Synagogue – Jewish Synagogue in Kazimierz
Auschwitz and Birkenau Day Trip
Take a half or full-day trip to Auschwitz and Birkenau. There are a variety of tour companies offering different experiences depending on the size and depth of tour you are interested in. Cracow Tours provided two large buses carrying visitors to the camps and then split the attendees into three small groups, each with a local tour guide. The tour in Auschwitz lasted 2.5 hours and then the group was taken to Birkenau where the tour lasted about 1 hour. It is a very informative and moving experience.
Food and Drinks
Mio Malina
Dinner
Polish restaurant serving an assortment of traditional Polish dishes
Other Notes
Duration
Krakow can easily be visited in a weekend. The city itself is fairly small, which enables you to easily explore one day and then take a day-trip on the other day.
Currency
Poland is on the Polish zloty. Overall, Poland is very affordable and one of the cheaper cities to visit like some of the other Eastern European countries.
Chimney Cakes
Dessert often found in many Eastern European countries. It is made up of a spiral roll of dough, which is hollow and heated to cook. It is often served with toppings on the outside including cinnamon, coconut, sprinkles, almonds, etc and a sauce on the inside like peanut butter or Nutella.