Kraków holidays

For cheap street food, vintage clothing and fresh produce, your best bet is Plac Targowy. It’s the city’s main open-air market, so you’ll find a little bit of everything here. Stallholders set up shop in the morning and don’t close until late afternoon, but it’s best to arrive early to beat the crowds.

Galeria Krakowska is a huge shopping centre next to the city’s main train station. There are more than 270 shops inside, split over three floors. You’ll find high street names like Zara and H&M in the mix. If you’d rather check out some traditional Polish goods, head over to Krakow Cloth Hall, instead – it’s one of the oldest malls in the world.

The Rynek 13 Shopping Arcade is the place to go for designer goods. It’s tucked inside two converted townhouses, and it lines up famous brands like Diesel and L’Occitane among its hive of designer boutiques.

Krakow’s city centre is sprinkled with low-key wine bars, many of them low-lit with candles. They’re the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle, so make for the ideal spot on a chilled night out.

For a lively night out, head underground. Some of the best bars and nightclubs in Krakow’s old town can be found beneath the surface – think cavern-like cellars with vaulted ceilings. Most of them sit on Szewska Street, so that’s the best place to start.

Zapiekanka is one of Krakow’s most popular street food snacks. It consists of an open, toasted baguette topped with pizza-style toppings like cheese and tomato. It comes with a big squeeze of tomato ketchup, too.

Pierogi is a Polish staple, so you’ll spot it on restaurant menus all over Krakow. It’s similar to a pan-fried dumpling, and you can choose from sweet or savoury versions. The sweet ones come with fruit inside, while the savoury option is usually stuffed with cheese and meat.

If you’re in Krakow in the winter, you’ll want to warm up with a bowl of Zurek. It’s a sour soup made with a mixture of sausage, bacon or ham, plus potatoes and mushrooms. The bowl it’s served in is made out of bread, and the whole thing’s usually garnished with a boiled egg.

The Kasimierz is the best place to find authentic Jewish food, like meze. These small dishes are often vegetarian, and come paired with Armenian and Polish wines.

There are plenty of cocktail bars in Krakow, and if you decide to check them out, make sure you order a vodka-based drink like a Krupnik, which is made with honey and herbs. Polish vodka’s famous all over the world. If you’re feeling brave, you can drink it neat, instead.

You’ll find the bus station right next to the train station. From here you can travel to numerous places around the country – including Zakopane in just 2 hours and 20 minutes, or Oswiecim (the town close to Auschwitz) in just over an hour – for a very decent price. The buses depart quite regularly, too.

The Vistula River is Kraków’s sole waterway, offering an alternative way of seeing the city. There are two types of boat operating on the river, the first by double-decker Pleasure Boat. Departing from the Wisla Bank near Wawel Castle, these boats make it easy to navigate the city towards St. Norbert’s Convent and Bielany Monastery. The rides last an hour and run every day between 9.30am and 5.30pm, or up to 4pm on weekends. The other is by river bus. Like land buses, this boat stops at multiple places along the river on its 10km route, meaning you can hop on and off whenever and wherever you like.

The most convenient and cost-friendly way of getting around the city is by tram. A full service runs regularly between 5am and 11pm, with some night trams in operation after dark. Trams are included with the Krakow Card, but you can buy tickets from the machines at major stops (which also operate in English) and on board most trams. All tickets are timed, meaning you can hop on more than one tram within your allotted time, and come at very good prices.

Kraków Glowny is the city’s main station, and is located within walking distance from the market square next to the Galerie Krakowska. From here you can hop on trains to major cities around the country – like Warsaw in 2 hours and 30 minutes or Wroclaw in 3 hours and 40 minutes.

Kraków is a fairly compact city, meaning you can get almost anywhere on foot. The terrain is fairly flat and there’s a nice riverside promenade you can enjoy on sunny days. All the hotels are conveniently located too, under 20 minutes’ walk from the market square and Jewish District. There’s also a fair few parks and green spaces, ideal for an afternoon stroll.