Where To Find Best Pierogi in Krakow

Pierogi are our national treasure and comes as a first thing on ”What to eat in Poland” list. The recipe of those middle-size hand-made dumplings dates back to 13 century and since then we have never stopped to make them! The key for having a good quality pierogi is a well made dough. Thin, but not too much, soft, but still springy – the secret how to make the best one is enchanted in the experienced hands of Polish mothers and grandmothers. Some of them are using eggs, some just warm milk, or water but what is sure - the flour must be full of gluten to achieve the proper velvet effect. 

Then you need to make a delicious filling in order to make pierogi tastier. We have some traditional filiings which are pierogi ruskie (russian) will be filled with boiled and smash potatoes, onion, and cottage cheese, Christmas version with dried mushrooms and sauerkraut, meat one – with minced pork, beef or goose meat and onion, and sweet one with the seasonal fruits, white cheese and cinnamon, or poppy seeds with nuts. Those are the most classic versions but each region has its own variations, each housewife is using the own creativity to make new flavours and each restaurant can surprise us with the new inventions. Cooked or fried, with beautifully caramelized onion, bacon, or with sour cream on the top - what to choose? And the most important - how to find the best pierogi in the world full of dumplings? Trust the experts! In this article you will find our personal choice of the best pierogi places in Kraków - from economic milk bars, through specialized pierogarnia to fancy fine dining restaurants - but what connecting all those places is just simple GOOD pierogi.

1. Przystanek Pierogarnia

Rynek Dębnicki 3, Bonerowska 14, Stefana Batorego 26, Bratysławska 4, Bora-Komorowskiego 41, os. Na Stoku 32, Krowoderska 74, Kraków (www.przystanek-pierogarnia.pl)

Our number one in Kraków - Przystanek Pierogarnia  - serving an excellent pierogi made with the recipes of the owners’ aunt Ula.  Located all around the city 7 tiny places usually just have few sitting places, but the quality of pierogi is right like at home, so we can strongly recommend it! Big portions, possibility to have savoury or sweet mix to try different options, and very affordable price – what more do you need?

2. Pierogi MR Vincent

Bożego Ciała 12, Juliusza Lea 114, Kraków  (www. pierozkiuvincenta.pl)

This classic pierogi place on Kazimierz with Vincent Van Gough inspired interiors is offering the long menu with classic, vegetarian and more innovative versions. We love them for the dough, compact, but still soft. Their flag option is Vincent pierogi – with fried beef, onion and salami. 

3. Bar Mleczny Górnik

Upadate: unfortunately, the restaurant Bat Mleczny Górnik has permanently closed its doors.

Czysta 1, Kraków (www.facebook.com/barmleczny.gornik)

Unofficially the best milk-bars pierogi in the city for all Polish old-fashion places lovers. To buy the classic pierogi you must use the phrase – “Pierogi Ruskie poproszę “ as the staff is not speaking English, but believe us – the dish that you will receive it will be as traditional as it should be!

4. Robimy pierogi food truck

Upadate: unfortunately, the Food Truck Robimy Pierogi ceased operations.

Dajwór 21, Kraków (www.robimypierogi.pl)

Food truck is always a guarantee of the good food. This small pierogi manufacture is serving the high quality hand-made dumplings for eating on-the-go (boiled or fried) prepared only with fresh, natural ingredients.  Seasonally you can try here pierogi with rhubarb, wild blueberries or with broad beans.

5. Pierogarnia Krakowiacy

Szewska 23, Westerplatte 15, Kraków (www.facebook.com/PierogarniaKrakowiacy)

All pierogi here are freshly and hand-made and al the raw products are taken from the local producers. Besides classic options their adventurous version like mascarpone-cherry, or rafaello are already legends. Big plus for short time order. 

6. Przypiecek

Sławkowska 32, Kraków (www.przypiecek.pl)

Pierogi even in the middle of the night? Of course – in Kraków all your dreams comes true! In Przypiecek you can order the delicious pierogi 24 h/day and you and be sure they will be always fresh made. If you can’t decide what to choose take one of their mixes – traditional, vegetarian, fruits or phantasy one.

7. Sąsiedzi 

Miodowa 25, Kraków (www.sasiedzi.oberza.pl)

Extraordinary decorated rustic restaurant located in the basement of the nineteenth-century tenement house in Kazimierz district is specialised in Polish and Galician traditionally cuisine and their bowl of homemade dumplings will satisfy the greatest traditionalists. The portion is smaller than usual (6 pieces) but will allow you to try also the other Polish delicacies.

8. Gospoda na Woli

Królowej Jadwigi 223, Kraków (www.facebook.com/pages/category/Polish-Restaurant/Gospoda-Na-Woli-201617269875431)

This traditional polish restaurant is located a bit more far away from the city centre but is perfect if you would like to make a short break from the touristy Market Square. First take a walk in the beautiful park Willa Decjusza, then visit the Photography Museum MuFo placed in the old wooden shooting range and at the end sit in the garden of Gospoda na Woli and order their famous pierogi ruskie. We can recommend you booking the table earlier as the place can be crowded, especially in weekends.

9. Trzy rybki

Szczepańska 5, Kraków (likusrestauracje.pl/restauracje/restauracja-3-rybki)

The Michelin Guide recommendation, one of the best restaurants in Kraków with unique Renaissance rooms, the ribbed vaults and Gothic windows, is also serving pierogi, but here you should expect a real taste explosion in your mouth! Currently in menu are pierogi with Fontina cheese, purple potatoes chips and truffle, but the chef Krzysztof Żurek is creating always something new, following the season. The highest class pierogi in the city!

10. Nakryto 

Beera Meiselsa 14 (www.nakryto.pl)

In Nakryto you will feel like in the polish home, when the grandma will never let you be hungry. Polish hospitality and nostalgic childhood dishes – this is what all of us sometimes need. Here tradition will get extra modern touch - their ruskie pierogi are served with delicate mint cream and the sweet version is made with traditional smoked plum Suska Sechlońska and nuts. 

Where to try Polish Wines in Krakow?

Although Poland does not seems to be a land of viniculture, winemaking has a long tradition in our country. Winery culture in Poland was introduced by the nations, which brought Christianity on our soil, and the first vineyards were established by Benedictine and Cistercian monks, as they need wine for religious purposes (there was a vineyard even on a Wawel Hill!). Then the cultivation was expanding, but unfortunately, in the seventeenth-century climate has changed (it was called the small ice age), and also as the result of continuous war conflicts winemaking traditions have gradually disappeared. Nowadays thanks to the re-warming of the climate, and the increasing number of wine passionate people we successfully try to rebuild them. 

The main wine areas are currently Lesser Poland with Kraków, Lower Silesia, Kazimierz Dolny, Zielona Góra, and Subcarpatian areas, but small vineyards can be found all around Poland. A lot of winemakers grow Vitis vinifera grapes but there is also a wide range of hybrid varieties, which can resist our adverse climatic conditions. You should remember that Poland is located in the same climate zone as Rioja, Piedmont, Burgundy, Loire Valley, or Austria - and there are some predictions that due to significant global warming this part of the world can become soon a leading global wine region.

Currently, only around Kraków there are ca. 100 wine producers, so while visiting our city you should absolutely try some local wines.  And having some spare time you can even visit the vineyards!  15 min drive from the Kraków city center, almost visible from the Wawel Castle and reachable with the public transport, there is Winnica Srebrna Góra (Silver Mountain Vineyard, www.winnicasrebrnagóra.pl), one of the biggest vineyards in Poland, located near the historical monastery of Camaldolese monks. Here the wine-making tradition dates back to the 10th century! For the last several years, they have been growing Vitis vinifera and hybrid grapes on a total of 28 hectares of land, and from these, they are making wines, which attract the recognition of connoisseurs. One of our favorite vines from their vineyards is charming Cuvee Blanc - unfiltered, full of flavor coupage of Johanniter, Hibernal, and Solaris with the smell of Polish orchard and white chocolate and the rich pear-apple mineral taste. 

Winnica Wieliczka  (Wieliczka vineyards, www.winnicawieliczka.com) lays only 10 km from Kraków and 3 km from the famous Salt Mine and it is the only biodynamic vineyard in Poland. The owners - Monika Rousseau and Piotr Jaskólski grow only the classic European grapevine species – Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet, Muscat, Gruener Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir. What we can suggest you is their wine Jantar - so-called amber wine, the delicious result of the long maceration of light grapes or Cuvee Seraf – an aromatic blend of muscat Chardonnay clones along with Sauvignon blanc which is the white wine with intense aromas of tropical fruits, and white flowers, perfect for an aperitif, salads, and spice food. 

The other place to visit can be Winnica Kresy (www.winnicakresy.pl), located in the Polish Jurassic Upland, 32 km from Kraków, and owned by Robert Zięba. He uses 8 grapes categories: Regent, Rondo, Cabernet Cortis, and Monarch for red and rose wines and Solaris, Hibernal, Johanniter, and Seyval Blanc for white and orange wines. The bottle we can recommend you from his collection is the red wine called Transfiguration 2015 made from Regent, rondo, and Cabernet Cortis grapes with very intense, strong body and balanced acidity with rough tannins in the ends. 

Next vineyard - Winnica Jura (www.winnicajura.pl) is located 30 min drive from Kraków Main Square on a south-facing slope of Kraków-Częstochowa uplands, amidst protected landscape park. Owners Joanna and Marcin Miszczak grow their wine organically, without herbicide and synthetic pesticide use. Almost 70% of its area is occupied by varieties for white wines: Chardonnay, Hibernal, Johanniter, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Seyval Blanc, and Solaris and the red wine varieties are represented by Cabernet Cortis and Pinot noir. Grape processing and wine production take place in Joanna's family farm a few kilometers away in Sanka, where they offer also a vineyard and wine tasting tour. Try their Cabernet Cortis 2018  - strong structured feisty wine with blackberry at the forefront, with notes of red and smoked paprika. 

If you would like to know more about local Kraków wines check the Lesser Poland Wine Route website (www.malopolskiszlakwinny.pl). It is the recent enotourism project that brings together vineyards from our province, providing a short description of each place that can be useful when planning your trip there. 

If you are in Kraków only for few days and you have no time to visit the vineyards, don’t be afraid that you will miss something - it’s very easy to run across the Polish wines in most of the good Kraków restaurants and specialized wine bars. If you are planning the elegant dinner choose Art Restaurant, Albertina or Filipa 18 Restaurant, where their sommeliers will propose the best local wine paired with the excellent food based on the ingredients from Lesser Poland organic farms. For the less formal evening, we can recommend you Bar a Wino on Mostowa Street or Lipowa 6F – Kraków Slow Wines bar in Zabłocie where you can spend all evening trying different kinds and eventually buying few bottles, that will be the best memories of your Kraków trip during the long winter evenings on your sofa. 

Other Wineries in Krakow

Gródek

One of the more ambitious winemaking and enotourism projects that have appeared in Lesser Poland in recent years is undoubtedly the Gródek Winery in Zbyszyce at Rożnowskie Lake. This venture has not yet been completely completed, but it promises to be promising today. Large vine plantings located in a very attractive tourist location, a well-equipped processing plant, convenient facilities for visitors, and wines produced under the watchful eye of the most successful oenologist in the country suggest that we will hear about this vineyard more than once.

The Gródek vineyard was established in Zbyszyce (near Rożnowskie Lake) in 2014. The project started on the first hectare, which was planted with five thousand seedlings (mainly roundabout, regent, and Solaris).

The Dunajec Valley, proximity to the lake creates favorable conditions for viticulture. The Gródek vineyard is nicely situated, grows on gentle southwestern slopes.

Winnica Słońce I wiatr

It is worth keeping an eye on this vineyard, especially since it has already officially started selling wine. The Sun and Wind Vineyard are two hectares of crops. The vineyards consist of three plots - they are all located on the north-east side, several kilometers from Krakow.

Goja vineyard

Wojnica Goja borders the Ojców National Park, it is located in Smardzowice. Several strains are grown, including seyval blanc, solaris, regent, maréchal foch, léon millot. Winnica conducts enotourism activities. The area where the Goja Vineyard is located is quite a special place on the wine map of Poland because, at a distance of at most a few kilometers from it, there have been about a dozen other vineyards. Of these, three have already registered official commercial activities, and several others are on their way to join them soon. Slowly, on this patch of the Jurassic plateau, a real wine microregion with specific features grows. This area is distinguished not only by the considerable density of vineyards by Polish standards but also by specific conditions for viticulture and - it can probably be said - the seeds of its own wine traditions.

24 Hours in Krakow: Things To Do

Let’s agree- if you are planning to visit Krakow you should plan to stay at least 3 days in order to immerse the culture and local life of the city. Yet if you have only 24 hours in Krakow and wondering what to do in Krakow in 24 hours this article will help you to plan your day.   

You should start your day with a good breakfast and a cup of good coffee. The first meal during the day in Poland is extremely important, and one of the sayings says - Eat breakfast alone, lunch with a friend and give your dinner to the enemy. Well, where to find the best breakfast in Krakow? There are few good places that offer Polish & international breakfast and one of our favorite breakfast places in Krakow is Handelek (św. Filipa 16/2). In the XIX century, the “handelki”, they were very busy breakfast bars where you could eat and drink alcoholic beverages from morning till late night, often found next to delicatessen stores. They were famous for different types of sandwiches, and if you would like to feel the atmosphere of the last century Kraków, you should go there. Another advantage of visiting Handelek is that you will try the best local products – the butter is from Skała, the trout from Ojców, kiełbasa (sausage) from Liszki and oscypek (smoked sheep cheese) from Zakopane. They are never using low-quality industrial ingredients! Bread is their own product, you can even observe the baker making it, and we can assure you that this is one of our favorites bakeries in the city. You will not find a more typical Kraków breakfast than this one. At the end of your meal try chałka (challah- it is a special bread in Jewish cuisine) with rose jam! – it is a must!

photo by Handelek

Now you are ready to explore Krakow!  Right around the corner, you will find the oldest covered food market in Kraków – Stary Kleparz. The name of this place comes from a kind of high fives between the buyer and seller (klepać means: to pat). In this lively place, has been functioning from the 12th century, you can find fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, flowers, and all the other seasonal products. Small-scale original mountain cheese producers and different food artisans arrive every single day (except Sundays) directly from the countryside. Grab a box of fresh raspberries or buy rose petal jam to take it home. 

Now let's walk to the Main Square. Historical city walls are just 5 min walk from Stary Kleparz and the first building that you will see right in front of you is Barbakan (the Barbican). It is one of few treasures of defensive architecture in Europe and can be counted as a very important part of Kraków heritage. Gothic style 15th-century building was originally connected with St Florian’s Gate (Brama Floriańska), one of the 8 former city gates and the most important one. This gate was also the beginning of Droga Królewska (royal route, Via Reggia, finished at the Wawel Castle), used by the kings to enter to the city after victorious battles, during coronation, funerals procession etc. Try to imagine that between 1901 and 1953 there was a narrow gauge tramway going through the gateway.

Floriańska Street is one of the main streets in the Kraków Old Town. Under the no. 14 you will see the oldest Kraków Hotel – Pod Różą, which hosted Tzar Alexander I, Franz Liszt and many other famous personalities. On the front of this building, there is a Latin inscription wishing that the house continues to stand “Until the ant has drunk all the waters of the sea and the turtle has walked all around the world”.

The must-see place in Floriańska Street is the Museum of Pharmacy, situated in the 15th-century building at no. 25. It is the largest pharmacy museum in Poland and one of the few this type of museum in the whole Europe. You can see there not only different styles of pharmacy interiors but also  - on the last fifth floor, a really good display of traditional herbal medicines. Surprisingly interesting place!

The most famous Polish historical painter, Jan Matejko, used to live under the no. 41 and you can still visit his house with a lot of personal items, documents, photographs and gold objects from the artist’s collection as well as numerous paintings.

The house at No. 45 is famous Jama Michalika (Michalik Den). Initially Cukiernia Lwowska (Lemberg Confectionary) in the beginning of XX century became the stage for Poland’s first literary and artistic cabaret “Zielony Balonik (“The little green balloon”).  The interior is still decorated with original paintings made by Young Poland artists, so it is a good occasion for the short coffee break.

 The next stop is the Rynek Główny (The Main Market Square), the biggest medieval square of whole Europe and the most beautiful one. Here you will see lots of blue carts that sell a ring-shaped bread which is called Obwarzanek.  Obwarzanek is a progenitor of Jewish bagel, twisted bread which is treated as a symbol of Cracow. During the days more than 200.000 pieces of obwarzanek are all sold all over Krakow so it is very popular. You should definitely try one while you are discovering the Market Square.

Do you know that Kraków Old Town was the first European city on the Unesco World Heritage list (1978!) and looking around you can see about six thousand monuments and over two million works of art. Flowers, pigeons, churches and the melody played from the tower may cause some dizziness…  

The square’s centerpiece is the 14th-century, gothic-style St. Mary’s Basilica, with the famous Wit Stwosz Altar, stained glass windows, and gilded interiors. At the end of the 19th century, the inside of the Basilica was decorated with the paintings designed by Jan Matejko. Look up - the vault imitates a starry sky.

If you will be by the Basilica at a full hour you will notice that on one of the towers there is a trumpeter playing the same melody which breaks upright in the middle. The legend says that when the Mongols attacked Krakow and the trumpeter sounded the alarm of the upcoming danger, he was shot in the throat. Since then it’s stopping always in the half note to commemorate this moment. You can also climb at the top of the tower and listen to this music right next to the trumpeter, believe me, it is touching. And the view from the tower is stunning!

In the very middle of the square there is the Cloth Hall (or the Sukiennice) – definitely the most recognizable Kraków building – the oldest European shopping center. 

Enter to flit between folksy craft stalls and amber shops, and go back to the 14th century, when Kraków was the most important meeting place for merchants from all around Europe. Initial building burned in the XVI century, which allowed to rebuild it in the gorgeous renaissance style. During this time Kraków was at the peak of its heyday, so the employment of an Italian architect Santi Gucci allowed to create this piece of art with elegant Gothic gargoyles and huge stairwells on both ends of the trading space.

The Adam Mickiewicz statue is the reference point and a popular meeting spot for people of all ages. It is here when many loves and many amazing stories started.

Main Market Square has a very regular, nearly perfectly square shape and there are 11 streets leading to it. Not everybody knows that until 1854 there was a salt spring at the end of the St. Jana street on Main Square. To this water, people had to go down to the vaulted cellars of one stall. Later the stalls was removed and the source was filled in. Regarding all the beautiful houses that surround Main Square Market although most of them were rebuild in the XIX century, they still have kept the form of original, sometimes even XVI century residences.  The most beautiful buildings are Szara House (no. 6), Montelupi House (no. 7), Pod Jaszczury House (no. 8), Bonerowska house no. 9, Jabłonowski Palace (no 20.), Pod Baranami Palace no 27, Spiski Palace (no 34), Pod Krzysztofory Palace (35, Pod Jeleniami House (no. 36, Pod Orłem House (no 45). 

On the Main Square you will find also the oldest bookshop in Europe (no. 23) dates back to the 1610 and even today the place also welcomes you to take a break in rooms dedicated to Wisława Szymborska and Czesław Miłosz, the Kraków Nobel Prize winners.

The next stop will be the Wawel Castle and to go there you will take Grodzka Street which has no changes its route since the Middle Age. It was the part of Royal Route as well as a very important part of the salt route leading from the Wieliczka Salt Mine to Hungary. The street starts close to the small St Adalbert church (the earliest part of the church dating back to the 11th century, so it is older than the Main Square itself!) - mix of pre-Roman, Roman, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture style. On Grodzka street you should not miss XIV century Collegium Iuridicum (open the door and take a look inside!), St. Andrew’s Church dating back to the 11th century and St. Giles dating back to the 14th century.

Wawel Royal Castle situated on the bank of the Vistula river was from the beginning of Polish history (9th century) a center of political power and one of the principal centers of Christianity in Poland. During the reign of Casimir the Restorer (r. 1034–1058), Wawel became also an administrative center for the Polish State.

The current, Italian Renaissance look coming from the early 16th century when King Alexander (r. 1501–1506) and his brother Sigismund I the Old (r. 1506–1548) decided to build the new palace in place of the old Gothic residence. In 1518 Sigismund I has married Princess Bona of the Milanese House of Sforza, which had a significant influence also for Polish cuisine, as from this time we have added leek, celery, cauliflower, artichokes, string beans, broccoli, fennel, kohlrabi, lettuce and spinach to our meat diet.

Wawel’s started to lose its importance when Sigismund III Vasa moved his court to Warsaw in 1609–1611, however, it still has remained a royal residence and the cathedral continued to be the site of the coronations and burials of Poland’s kings. During Swedish Deluge, the castle was ransacked and in the 18th century with the partitions of Poland castle was converted to barracks for the Austrian army. 

When Poland has gained her independence after the Ist World War Wawel was reconstructed and converted into a residential museum. Now you can visit the Castle, the Cathedral, the Royal Tombs, the Sigismund Bell, and the Cathedral Museum. You should have 3 or 4 hours to look around completely or 1 hour to see the gardens, the walls and the beautiful views of the city.

No visit to Krakow would be complete without a tour of Kazimierz. Now called the Jewish Quarter initially Kazimierz was founded as a separate town in 1333.  When in 1495 Jews were prohibited to settle in Kraków, they began to move to Kazimierz, creating a huge Jewish community and Europe’s only Jewish-governed town, subject only to the King’s power.

Kazimierz was connected to Kraków at the end of the 18th century, and the rich Jews again started to move to the Kraków city center, so Kazimierz remained the poorest quarter, and till now it is creating the unique atmosphere. Full of art cafes, pubs, the best restaurants, galleries, and craft shops will attract you to take a slow walk on his paved streets. 

You can take one of the most popular routes among travelers - Jewish Heritage Route - starts at the Jewish Cultural Centre on Meiselsa 17 and taking you to the New Jewish Cemetery on Miodowa 55. On your way you will see the Temple Synagogue on Miodowa Street, then Kupa Synagogue on Warszauera Street, Isaac Synagogue on Jakuba Street and High Synagogue on Józefa Street. The most important stop will be the Old Synagogue on Szeroka Street – the oldest one in Poland (15th century) – now the Museum devoted to the Kraków Jews, that we suggest you visit. On the same street, you will find Remuh Synagogue and the Old Jewish cemetery open from in 1511. The last stop will be the New Jewish Cemetery – enter there and take a walk between historical tombs and monuments commemorating Kraków Jews personalities from the XIX and XX centuries.

After this long walk it is time to go deeper into the next part of Polish culture – culinary traditions! Breakfast and light lunch was already a long time ago, and the best way to understand why the Polish cuisine is appreciated all around the world is to try it!

Our Krakow Food Tour will allow you to try 14-15 different foods, polish craft beers, and vodkas, and the delicious (of course!) homemade dessert, that you will not find in pastry shops. Treat it like a long lazy dinner (usually, it lasts 3,5 hours) with a friend, who will tell you also a lot of stories about our traditions, complicated history, will give you few secrets on how to make homemade vodka and which cakes are the best. We will visit 5 carefully selected different places, and in the end, you will leave the last restaurant with a full stomach, big smile and the map in your hand, on which you will find the recommendations where to eat and what to see during the next days of your stay!

Still not tired? Are you in for a couple of Polish drinks? Then you should go to one of Kraków's hidden gems – a pub called Hevre – just 5 minutes from the place where the tour will end. This building was a former XIX century Jewish prayer house (Chewra Thilim Synagogue), with a lot of original architectures elements, such frisks with biblical motives, lamps, a gallery for a woman. They are serving many different kinds of polish vodkas and local craft beers which can be the relaxing end of this long day. We are sure you will love this place!

We hope that you find this article useful! Feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions!

9 Things to Know Before Your First Time Visit in Krakow

1- Where to stay in Krakow?

Krakow is the second-largest city in Poland yet most of the interesting things to see/do are almost in walking distance. The two most popular neighborhoods to stay in Kraków are definitely Stare Miasto (Old Town) and Kazimierz (Jewish quarter). Old Town with its central location and stunning beauty is still the most attracting, however, you should take into consideration that it is relatively crowded and expensive.

Our favorite area in Krakow is the Kazimierz district. By choosing an apartment or hotel in Kazimierz you will have a chance to catch a more local atmosphere – few steps from your doors you will find the best pubs, art cafes and restaurants that are visited mostly by locals in the city. Not only staying here but also eating&drinking will save you some money. You can reach the Krakow Market Square within 15 minutes by walk.

The other good alternatives can be Podgórze or Dębniki – both of them are still in the walking distance from the Rynek Główny (Main Square), on the other part of the Wisła river. Especially Podgorze is getting a lot of attention- recently lots of cafes, bars, and restaurants were opening in this district.

 2. Transportation

If you come to Kraków by plane the most affordable way to reach the city center from the airport is to take the train. It is a very comfortable, stress-free and budget-friendly option – much cheaper than the taxi and Uber. The ticket costs only 9 PLN, and you do not have to pay for your luggage. It is possible to buy the ticket in the passenger terminal, on the station platform, and on the train. Kraków Główny (the main train station) will be the fifth stop (you will arrive there in 20 minutes) and after 10 minutes walk, you will reach Rynek Główny (the Main Square).

 The alternative can be agglomeration bus lines (208, 209, 252) – it is even cheaper than the train (4.6 PLN), but the journey will take at least 45 minutes. These buses have few stops close to the city center, so in some cases, it can be an also convenient option. You can use the Jakdojade app to check which is the closest bus stop from your hotel.

Of course, you can take taxi, Uber or Bolt. There is an official Kraków Airport Taxi that you can book online at: https://www.krakowairport.pl/en/passenger,c70/transport,c313/krakow-air



 3. Polish Language

The Polish language is one of the most difficult languages to learn however Knowing a few polish words is always appreciated by Polish people. Do not be afraid to try, you will always gain an extra smile! Here are some words that will help you during your stay.

• Dzień dobry - good morning / good afternoon (jane DOH-brih)

• Dobry wieczór - good evening (DOH-brih VYEH-choor)

• Dobranoc - good night (doh-BRAH-notes)

• Cześć - hi (cheshch) 

• Do widzenia - good bye (doh vee-DZEN-ya)

• Proszę - please / here you are (PROH-sheh)

• Dziękuję - thank you (jen-KOO-yeh)

• Dzięki - thanks (informal) (JEN-kee)

• Przepraszam - I'm sorry / excuse me (psheh-PRAH-shahm)

• Tak - yes (tahk)

• Nie - no / not (nyeh)

• Nie wiem - I don't know (nyeh vyem)

• Jak się masz? - How are you? (informal) (yahk shay mahsh)

• Nie mówię po polsku. - I don't speak Polish (nyeh MOO-vyeh poh pohl-skoo)

• Nie rozumiem - I don't understand (nyeh roh-ZOO-myem

• Na zdrowie! - Cheers! / Bless you! (lit. For health!) (nah ZDROH-vyeh)

Many Polish people (especially the younger generation) speak fluently English as well as other languages and they are always open to help, so in any needs, you can always ask them.

4. Book Your Activities in Advance

The most popular attractions are very busy in high season so pre-booking activities can save you a lot of time and can guarantee that you will not miss it. The most popular attractions are Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, The “Wieliczka” Salt Mine, Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory, Nowa Huta Museum, Wawel Castle.

5. Buying Sim Card

Buying a SIM card in Poland is quick, painless, and inexpensive. The 4 main providers are Orange, Play, Plus, and T-Mobile, and all of them will be suitable for you. You can buy a SIM card in supermarkets, small shops (like Żabka – available everywhere) street kiosks, gas (petrol) stations, and in official company stores.  Then you should register SIM card with your passport or national ID card – so please confirm during your purchase that the attendant has not just given you your SIM card package, but has activated the card as well. First, you should insert and register the SIM card, then wait for the confirmation, that all working properly via text messages from the cell company and a quick Internet speed test.

 We can recommend you to verify everything before leaving the store or kiosk, in case of any problems you can always as the attendant help.

The service is really cheap, but if you will need it you can later easily buy top-up vouchers in the same places you bought the SIM card.

6. Must Try Polish Dishes

Polish hospitality is famous and all polish mums and grandmas cook when they want simply make their you happy. What you should try in Kraków to feel this atmosphere?  

Our Krakow Food Tour covers most of the must-try Polish dishes as well as beer and vodka by visiting local eateries that visited mostly by local people. You can read more about our food tour here:

• Zalewajka - sour rye soup typical for Małopolska region:

• Barszcz (Christmas beetroot soup with dumplings – this is the taste of polish family Christmas Eve dinner. Try at Zalewajka Restaurant.-     

• Placki ziemniaczane – potatoes pancakes, served with goulash and sour cream. Try at Kuchnia u Doroty.-       

• Bigos – slow-cooked (sometimes even three days!) sauerkraut stew with meat, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Try at Goscianna Chata.

• Zapiekanki – Open-faced sandwiches with different toppings. Vegetarians options are available. Try at Plac Nowy.  

• Obwarzanek – The progenitor of Jewish bagel, twisted bread which is treated as a symbol of Cracow. You can find them everywhere- just make sure you try them in the morning as it is fresher. 

•  Pączki  - Polish donuts, fresh fried, soft and filled with the rose jam. Try at Gorące Pączki.

• Kremówka  (Papal Cream Cake) – a pie made with two pieces of thin puff-pastry filled with vanilla custard cream sprinkled with powdered sugar. Try at "Czarodziej" Cocktail-Bar Cukiernia.

•  Sernik – Cheesecake made with polish farmer cheese called twaróg. Try at Cukiernia Pod Arkadami.

7. Where to Eat in Krakow

Forgot about TripAdvisor! Here you will find our few personal choices of the best places to eat.

Polish Food in Krakow:

• Art. Restauracja - Reinvented polish cuisine in the fine dining option. World Luxury Restaurant Award Winner 2019, Michelin Guide  2019

• Albertina - Fine dining restaurant with Polish and Mediterranean cuisine. Michelin Guide  2019

•  Kogel Mogel - Exceptional Polish menu at its very best. Michelin Guide  2019

• Morskie Oko - Good and inexpensive traditional Polish food in the folklore environment

 International Food in Krakow:

• Zazie Bistro - Delicious French-inspired food at a fantastic price. Michelin Guide 2019

• Nolio - A real Italian cuisine with Neapolitan pizza and the best raviolo con uovo in the town. DOP mozzarella and  San Marzano tomatoes.

• Youmiko Sushi - very small and very creative sushi bar in Kazimierz with vegan options. The best sushi in Kraków!

• Akita Ramen – Meat ramen by Akita is considered an art. – You must have a visit!

•  Pod Norenami -- Perfect Asian food option for vegetarian (but not only) with the long menu.
  
  
  

8. Safety

Kraków is a very safe city. You can walk everywhere, there are no dangerous districts or so. Also coming back home at night normally does not create any disturbances.

9.Useful Websites and Apps

Visiting the new place is always a bit challenging – let’s make it easier for you. Here you will find a few useful applications that will help you to discover Kraków better.

• Jakdojade - The best transport application that allows you to go from point A to point B, buy a ticket or check the tram/bus route. Absolutely no. 1

• Traficar – Car-sharing app, you will pay only for time and distance (fuel and parking are already included in the price)

• Bolt  - Ride-hailing app for requesting a fast and affordable ride. The cheaper version of Uber.

   Hulaj, Lime, Blinkee, Bird – if you just have few days, electric scooters, available everywhere in the city, letting you see Kraków faster and from a different perspective.

• Kraków.pl – it is practically a free city guide, that also showing all events, concerts and the other upcoming events.

• Vegan Kraków – using this app you will easily find all the vegan-friendly spots in the city (restaurants, bars, markets, shops)

• Pyszne.pl – food delivery from the restaurant just to your hotel or apartment.

• Finebite – book the table in the best Kraków restaurants with 50% discounts just for your feedback

5 Must Try Polish Vodkas

On our Vodka and Culture Tour, we have heard many times the hard question: Which Polish vodka is the best? The reason why we think that the question is really hard to answer is that we have got different types of vodkas in Poland and each of them is characterized by different things. Below we listed 5 must try Polish vodkas which you can try almost in every bar and restaurant. In this post, you will not find the flavored vodkas as we decided to write them in another post.

1-Żubrówka: Żubrówka is called Bison Grass Vodka. This intriguing name comes from the one of its main ingredient- grass, that is gathered in Bialowieza Forest- home of polish bisons. Żubrówka delights unique, herbal taste. Generally, vodka is not served in Poland in cocktail form, but with Żubrówka we make an exception and mix it with Apple juice. Apples perfectly emphasize herbal notes. 

2-Żołądkowa Gorzka: It is herbal alcohol beverage with a beautiful, golden color. A blend of dried fruits, herbs and spices give unforgettable taste. However, Żołądkowa is not a proper vodka as its alcohol content is less than 37,5% abv (exactly 36% abv).So why Żołądkowa Gorzka has been listed here if it can not be called real vodka? Żołądkowa used to have 40% abv, but the number has been decreased without changing the taste.  It has very distinguished flavor and it's one of the few alcohols that are distributed only in Poland. Don't miss a chance to try it!
    

3-Sobieski: Sobieski is a vodka named after Polish invincible and fearless king Jan III Sobieski. The king had won Battle Vienna stopping the invasion of Ottoman Empire. Sobieski is based on high-quality rye and crystalline water. The careful selection of all ingredients makes Sobieski one of the smoothest and purest vodkas in Poland. It's not only premium quality vodka but also a history lesson.

4-J. A. Baczewski Vodka Monopolowa: Baczewski is a legendary vodka produced since 1781. It's one of the few vodka distilled from potatoes. Baczewski is distilled based on a traditional formula. You will be surprised by its smoothness and distinctive taste.

5-Dębowa: Dębowa literally means Oak Vodka. It's a herbal spirit based on Black Elderflower and Oakwood. The taste is a mixture of sweetness and spiciness. It reminds vanilla and pepper.
Visually Dębowa's bottle looks very impressive.
 

If this post made you more into the Polish vodkas join our vodka and culture tour! Our tour is not only about tasting but also learning traditions, drinking habits, and history.