Fairytale medieval Krakow meets cosmopolitan Warsaw on a unique trip to Poland. 2 cities with so many contrasts where one more beautiful than the other made it difficult which of the two to visit that's why we stayed in both and we recommend them to you below!!!
Basic informations
Poland belongs to the EU
Its currency is the zloty with an exchange rate of €1 > 4.7 pln
If you choose to rent a car, they drive on the right and it is quite economical to rent a car at a cost of less than €20/day
Poland has very good train connections to all its cities and to book tickets go here
You will find cheap flights all year round to Katowice or Krakow
Krakow
Fairytale Krakow is located in the south of Poland and about 3 hours by train from the capital Warsaw. Although it was occupied during the Second World War, it was spared the bombings and most of its buildings are still intact today.
It was the old capital of the country during 1038-1795 and its central square (Main Market Square Krakow) is one of the largest and most beautiful medieval squares in Europe.
Pope John Paul II was the former Archbishop of Krakow until 1978 and the first non-Italian Pope in more than 500 years. Also the Church of St. Adalbert in the central square is the oldest remaining shrine in Poland.
From the airport to...
To visit Krakow you will find a direct flight to Krakow International Airport or to its neighboring city of Katowice.
If you choose to land in Katowice then you can be transferred from the airport to Krakow by bus that costs from €13/person (information here).
If you land in Krakow to go to the center you can take the train (€2.2) or bus 208 to the center of Krakow.
Attractions
Wawel Castle, on top of the hill just a stone's throw from the old town a unique 14th century castle where you can visit it for free and ticket only for its interior and exhibitions. Also here you will find the famous dragon of the city Smok Wawelski who is accompanied by a whole legend.
Wieliczka Salt Mine, perhaps the most impressive thing we saw in our entire trip. It is a whole city of salt with a depth of up to 300m under the earth where you can visit it and see the show in the main hall. You should book tickets online to avoid the queues and find a guided tour in English. information and reservations with transfer here
Auschwitz museum, one of the most tragic pages in the History of Humanity took place here and if you have a strong stomach we suggest you visit it and take a tour of both camps in the area. We visited with the excursion that you will find here and everything was perfectly organized with a wonderful tour.
Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory, more than 1,200 Jews escaped concentration camps during the Holocaust when their employer, Oskar Schindler, insisted they were indispensable workers in his enamel factory. This site now houses a museum exploring the tumultuous history of WWII and the German occupation of Krakow, for tickets here
Kazimierz, the hip, creative Kazimierz is Krakow's historic Jewish quarter, now filled with indie galleries, specialty shops, vintage clothing boutiques and all manner of bars, from trendy underground cocktail bars to painstakingly scruffy spaces.
Krakow's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978, this attraction has been a thriving commercial center for around 1,000 years, in its lovely streets you will also find the Renaissance market arcade (The Cloth Hall) with 13th century architecture and a Polish museum 19th century art. On the eastern side of the old square, the church of St. Mary's (St. Mary's Basilica), a symbol of the city, dominates.
Food - Restaurants
In Poland one thing is certain, you will eat well and cheaply. On their menu you will find many different soups and dishes with meat and pasta. The traditional dishes that you will find in most local restaurants are ''Bigos'' Polish stew made of sauerkraut, meat and a variety of vegetables, ''Pierogi'' stuffed dumplings containing meat, vegetables, cheese, ''Silesian kluski'' potato dumplings with a hole in the middle. You will also find great street food like zapienkanki where it is a bread baguette with cheese and sauce & the ''Obwarzanki'' with grilled cheese and cranberries!!!
Restaurants that we recommend are the following:
Accommodation
We suggest that you stay near the Jewish quarter where it is one of the most beautiful neighborhoods and you will also find affordable accommodation. Ours was the David Boutique Hotel and we highly recommend it!!
Activities - Excursions
See a Chopin piano recital at the beautiful Chopin Concert Hall in Krakow and experience the wonderful sounds of the most famous Polish composer, reservations here
Explore Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains on a day trip from Krakow. Stop in Chocholow for cheese and alcohol tasting, head to Gubalówka on the cable car and relax in a thermal bath, bookς here
See the sights of Krakow from a comfortable and stylish boat. This river trip is the perfect way to discover the city's iconic landmarks, such as the Wawel Royal Castle and Dębnicki Bridge reservations here
Warsaw
A city that was completely destroyed during the Second World War and was reborn from its ashes. Although the old town dates back a few decades, it was not long before Unesco included it in the world heritage sites.
Moreover, Warsaw is a modern city with an extremely neat center and wonderful bistros and restaurants where you can enjoy the local cuisine and of course the national drink of the Poles, Vodka.
Also in Warsaw you will see a strong element of nightlife since the youth of the capital never sleeps early, we singled out the Klar Cocktail Bar with its wonderful creations which you will find along the royal road.
The most important attractions of the city are listed below:
Palace of Arts and Culture: it is one of the buildings that will remind you of the Soviet Union, a gift from Stalin in the 1950s for Russia's friendship with the Poles. It is the tallest building in the country and with an entrance fee of around €5 you can go up and admire the city from above.
Old Town: it is undoubtedly the most beautiful part of Warsaw and around it you will find the Royal Castle and the city's central cathedral. In the Royal castle there are many important exhibitions that you can visit. For information click here
Copernicus Science Center: One of the most important Polish scientists where you will enjoy a planetarium and an excellent exhibition. If you visit Warsaw with children, put it on the list!!
Łazienki Park : A wonderful park that you should definitely walk through and admire the beautiful Palace on the Island...
Wilanow Palace: Wilanow Palace is one of the most important monuments in Poland, representing what Poland was like before the 18th century. The palace was built as the home of King John III Sobieski. It was one of the few buildings saved from the destruction of war and houses the country's artistic and royal heritage.
Hala Koszyki: this is a wonderful area that hosts dozens of street food shops and a meeting point for many locals!!
Food - Restaurants
Throughout the city you will find excellent restaurants at very good prices to enjoy either local cuisine or international flavors. The ones we stood out in the old town were the picturesque Gospoda Kwiaty Polskie-restauracja, U Fukiera and Bazyliszek Restaurant. If you want to learn about local dishes and street food, click here
Excursions - Guided tours
If you are thinking of visiting Warsaw and want to visit the Auschwitz museum then you can book the following day trip from the capital, click here
Poland is famous for its vodka and by clicking here you can do a tasting at the city's vodka museum with tasting
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