We’d heard wonderful things about Krakow, Poland – and all of them were true! It is probably the best place for the nesting lifestyle that we’ve found so far.

What we loved about Krakow

So much to see and do! Krakow is a beautiful, gracious city teeming with history and culture. In a city with over 80 museums, you’ll never run out of places to visit. This doesn’t even include classical music venues, palaces, castles and fortresses to visit. We kept finding more and more things to do the longer we stayed. It’s incredible how rich the culture is here.

The cost. Krakow is extremely inexpensive. While it’s quite possible to spend money in the tourist areas, it was easy for us to find a great meal for under $10 – for both of us! Museum entry was very, very reasonable, and even the shopping was very affordable. Krakow is a place you’ll want to bring an extra empty suitcase!

The accessibility. We were a little worried about language barriers in Krakow. We didn’t have to be. English is required in all the schools and you’ll find it everywhere. You’ll actually be hard-pressed to find a menu in Krakow that isn’t translated. Nearly everyone speaks English, especially younger people, and if you speak German, try that on the older folks – German is often their second language. It’s also a very walkable city, with great public transportation. You’ll have no problems getting around.

The safety and cleanliness. One of the things that struck us right away was how clean the city is. What little trash there is on the streets is immediately cleaned up, and you don’t have to be concerned about walking around, even late at night. You may run into some partying students, but you won’t have to worry for your safety.

The food. Not only are Krakow restaurants inexpensive, they are delicious. Homemade Polish food is wonderful, but when you tire of that, there are restaurants that are innovative and interesting and elevate cooking to an art. Krakow is a foodie town! The wonderful thing is that you can eat like royalty here and afford it.

The beauty. Krakow is stunning. From the breathtaking town square to the walks along the river to the beautiful green spaces all around the city, you’ll never tire of just looking at this city.

It’s not crowded. Yes, there were tourists, especially in the main square and in the castle, and there are countless people who ask you to take city tours with them. But overall, this is not a city teeming with tourists (like Florence), especially American tourists.  We had the feeling that we had discovered a hidden gem. Especially as the summer ended and we slid into fall, we felt as though we had this magical city nearly to ourselves.

What we didn’t like about Krakow

I had to think hard on this one, because I truly fell in love with this city. But if I had to complain about anything, it would be the weather. There are a lot of grey days. Don’t forget your umbrella and rain jacket.