Currency

The currency in Poland is the zloty (pronounced “SWOT-ie”). At the time of our nesting, it hovered around 3.5 zloty to the dollar.  Here’s the current exchange rate.

When to Go

No getting around it – Poland can be cold and wet in the winter. We went in the fall, arriving August 15 and staying until November 9, and by the time we left, it was blustery, and we even had sleet the last week. The fall was lovely, with vibrant leaves. Once August ended, the amount of tourists dropped off pretty dramatically, making it easy to get around – although there were then many school groups at some sights. Some tours and sights even close the end of October.

There are some festivals in June that might make you consider a spring trip. But whenever you go, skew the time towards the warmer weather. It can be pretty dang cold there.

How to Get There

John Paul II Airport is about 28 kilometers out of downtown Krakow. It’s a very accessible airport that is easy to navigate. There are taxis and (even better and about half the price) Uber drivers that service the airport, as well as a local bus.  Directly across the street from the airport is a very nice Hilton Hotel that became useful for the very early morning flights out of Krakow that seem to be the norm.

Grocery Shopping

There are quite a few “express shops” dotted around the city, but they mostly carry snacks, with a few staples. You’ll also find some Carrefour, Aldi and Biedronka brand grocery stores. Biedronka, a Polish chain, is the cheapest, and you can get a discount card there as well.

However, Poland is a country of food shops – butcher shops, bakeries, pierogie shops and fruit and vegetable markets. While it might be a little less expensive at the Biedronka for some things, you’ll get excellent quality if you frequent the shops and markets. Our favorite market was southeast of the city just north of Kashimir Gallery, at Grzegórzecka 3.  Along with the fruit and vegetable vendors, there were bakeries, butcher shops and pierogie shops right there. Also, there was a large grocery store right next door, in case you needed something that wasn’t at the market.  You’ll find two other outdoor fruit and vegetable markets north of the city, one just to the west of the train station.

The only thing I had trouble finding at all was, oddly enough, hair conditioner. It’s not impossible and certainly don’t bring a three month supply! But unlike in the States, it’s not sold wherever you find shampoo. You’ll have to find a larger grocery store (like the Carrefour in the Galleria by the train station) or a specialty health and beauty shop.

Other Shopping

So much to buy here! It’s kind of dangerous…

The classic thing for tourists and visitors to buy in Poland is their famous pottery. You’ll find stores all over the downtown area, but not much outside the tourist areas. That’s because in general, Polish people don’t use Polish pottery in their own homes. Go figure. They see it as being old fashioned and “folksy.”  But I love it. It’s dishwasher, microwave and oven-safe, the casseroles bake very evenly and don’t stick. It’s much, much cheaper in Poland than in the States, but there is still a wide range of cost for it.  The simple peacock designs – the classic blue dots – are the cheapest, but there are really beautiful, handpainted designs here that are just a little more. My favorite shop for Polish pottery, with a great selection and very good prices, is Kopalnia Ceramiki, which is not far from the vegetable market I frequented.  I found the same piece there for half the price that I had seen in a shop by the castle.

Over two thousand years ago, people in the Krakow area traded amber – and they still do. You will find amber shops all over town. The best pieces are a caramel color that emit a warm, golden glow. (The red pieces are dyed, and the butter-colored pieces generally are not translucent.) While you can find beautiful pieces in the shops, you also can find lovely antique pieces in the flea markets. There is a huge flea market every Sunday at the produce market at Grzegórzecka 3, and also a smaller one every Friday and Saturday at Nowy Plac in Kashimierz (which has a clothing market on Sundays.)

Other things you will find are folk art carvings, felted bags and embroidered table linens and blouses. Leather goods are good buys here, especially purses and shoes. There is a large handcraft festival the middle to the end of August in the main square, and the prices there are actually competitive with the shops, and for some items, even better. And of course, there’s always the Cloth Hall, downtown in the main square. Prices are higher, but not crazy, and you can find everything pretty much in one place.

Connecting with the Local Community

Each time we nest somewhere, it has worked out that we’ve connected with locals differently. This time, we connected through our university’s alumni association. We were able to connect with graduates who were working for US companies in the area – and made some wonderful friends!

Favorite Restaurants

There are so many restaurants and so many of them are really good that this could be a very long page! However, I’ll stick to our very favorites. We lived in Kamimerz, so most of our restaurant experiences were there.

Kuchnia u Doroty – Not only was this our very favorite, but whenever we told a Polish person where we lived they immediately said that we lived right near their favorite restaurant.

While it’s been discovered by tourists, it’s also always full of Poles, too, which is a great sign! Their portions are HUGE and their prices are tiny, too. Specialty is potato pancakes with beef goulash. Get the half portion unless you’re a professional athlete or a fifteen year old boy. Half portion (pictured here) is just 9.80 zl – about $2.70! Everything else is delicious as well. You can’t go wrong here. Best zurek soup I found.  We went here many, many times, so we can attest to their consistent good food.

Warsztat – There are actually three Warsztat restaurants in Kamimerz, all under the same management, but with different menus. While I suspect they are all good, we loved Warsztat Po Polska. Homestyle Polish food, good prices, large portions, friendly service and tasty food. Really enjoyed their salmon with dill sauce, and their goulash over dumplings. Their dumpling dessert… probably our favorite restaurant dessert in Poland.  Also went here many, many times.

Qrudo – More upscale than the first two, this place is beautiful and innovative. You’ll find unusual dishes prepared with flair, all delicious. When I mentioned that Krakow is a ‘foodie’ town, this is the type of place I was thinking about.

Starka – Sometimes this is listed as the best restaurant in Krakow. I don’t know – there are hundreds to choose from, but it made my list of favorites, for sure. Reservations are a must, as it’s intimate and cozy. Absolutely try the duck in cherry sauce – perhaps the best meal I had in Krakow, and that’s saying a lot.

Milk bars – This is a Polish must-do. (Actually, to be authentic, the sign must say bar mleczny – there is a chain called “Milk Bar” in English that is not the real thing.) A milk bar is a hangover from the communist era when the majority of restaurants were state-subsidized canteens by people’s places of work. While most of them closed at the fall of communism, some still survive, mostly feeding poor people, students and the elderly. However, the food is really good and very, very inexpensive. It’s a window into the world that used to be communist Poland, and a good chance to get a cheap lunch, too. (However, be prepared to move fast and be decisive when you get to the front of the line – milk bar ladies are not known for their patience.) Map of milk bars in Krakow. 

The Novotel Hotel, just north of the curve in the river above the castle, has a nice little restaurant on the top that has the best view around of the castle.  A great place for lunch or a coffee.

If you go through the entrance for the art museum in the Cloth Hall in the middle of the main square and up the staircase, you can have coffee and a snack on the terrace. It’s a beautiful view!

When you’re looking for places to eat, don’t discount the little signs that point down. There are some great restaurants in Krakow hidden in the medieval basements. The ambiance is usually great, too!

Festivals/Events

While there aren’t that many holidays in the autumn, the main square and the square at Plac Wolnica in Kazimeirz often had events. Usually they were booths selling foods or crafts, but they usually had a stage with costumed performers badly but enthusiastically singing Polish folk songs. I rather enjoyed it, as did the many locals who came out to sing and dance with them.

November 1 is All Saints Day. Everything is closed and everyone goes to the cemeteries to lay flowers, light candles, and honor their family members who have passed on.  It’s quite touching and powerful to watch the dedication of the families, and the cemeteries are beautiful, lit with candles and overflowing with flowers.

Krakow’s best known festival, the Lajkonik parade, is held each June, the first Thursday after Corpus Christi Feast Day.  Dressed with a hobby horse around his middle, the Lajkonik parades into the main square, dispensing good luck with his mace. Later in the week, the Bractwo Kurkowe, an ancient marksman group, holds a shooting competition in full costume in the town square.

Weather

Krakow can be quite rainy, especially in the summertime. Actually, shoulder seasons are the driest, which makes it a good choice for spring and fall nesting. Winters are cold, come fairly early and stay fairly late, so plan to arrive a little later in the spring or a little earlier in the fall than you might usually travel. Absolutely bring rain gear. For more details, check here.

Transportation

Krakow has excellent public transportation, with a national system of railroads, and buses and trams within the city. They are clean, reliable and inexpensive.  There are also boats that run on the river, but they are a lot more expensive, and rarely used by residents. I highly recommend downloading Krakow’s public transportation app Jakdojade, or use their public transportation website – it will give you the best routes to get somewhere, tell you when the next buses or trams are arriving, and track your progress to your stop once you’re on the bus or tram.

There are ticket kiosks at some stops where you can use bills or your bank card, but you can also buy tickets on most trams with coins. As soon as you enter, stamp your ticket. There are plain clothes inspectors who check tickets and hand out stiff fines if you have not complied. They won’t care if you’re a tourist.

If you don’t want to use public transportation, Uber is a great alternative in Krakow. It is much cheaper than a taxi, and every Uber driver we used was fluent in English. It’s a really good way to get back and forth to the Wielickza Salt Mines – much better and cheaper than booking a tour.

If you think you will want to rent a car in Poland, it is essential that you get an international drivers license before you leave the States. You won’t be able to rent a car without it, and there are many picturesque small towns, palaces and castles outside the city that you might want to visit by car. Be aware that you will not be able to drive into Ukraine, even with an international driver’s license. It is not allowed to drive a car across the border unless you are the registered owner. To enter the Ukraine, you will have to take a bus or the train.

The only discount card that Krakow offers is a great deal for a short term tourist, but not so much if you’re nesting. It’s called KrakowCard, and offers free entry to over 40 museums, free public transportation in the city, and free public transportation to the airport. It only costs 32 zl (about $8.75) but it is only good for three days.

When you Pack, make sure you bring…

Rain gear and warm clothing

International driver’s license

International outlet adaptors