krakow tips

squarehead94

squarehead94

squarehead94

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Cumbria, United Kingdom
Hi all, Booked Krakow for me and the OH for mid September. Just a few questions for anyone thats been. Staying right next to Wawel Castle for reference.

Anyway. spending money, was looking to take around 1200 zloty for the 5 nights we are there. This sound like enough? not big drinkers so wont be out getting hammered every night, and not looking to bring tonnes of stuff back, the odd souvenir. So mainly funds for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a few drinks and a handful of excursions.

Wanted to do Salt Mines and Auschwitz and obviously the main market square. Wondering if its cheaper and easier to book online here or over there? Theres various types of tours online, for example it is £64/300 zloty pp to book a 2 day auschwitz/salt mines full day tours, has anyone been and can recommend paying over there or booking in advance?

And finally, do people recommend taxi from the airport or is the train/bus just as good and cheap to use? Google reckons Id have to catch the LEB9102 and then catch the Krakow - Jordanow and get off at Krakow Jubilat - estimates a 50 min. total trip. I dont mind just getting a cab if its not going to be that much more expensive.

Thanks in advance!
 
First one to say don't bother taking cash, just apply for a Halifax Clarity card (other 0% Forex cards are available).

Been to Krakow but for a stag so it was a very different experience and did nothing on your list - particularly Auschwitz - but it's a beautiful city.
 
Russinating said:
First one to say don't bother taking cash, just apply for a Halifax Clarity card (other 0% Forex cards are available).

Been to Krakow but for a stag so it was a very different experience and did nothing on your list - particularly Auschwitz - but it's a beautiful city.
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Dont want a credit card - for the amount I am looking to take, I dont really think its necessary. Im more of a cash person and we will just take a bit of cash out each day. Thanks though.
 
Went a year or so ago. Our holiday included Aushwitz, but booked the salt mines when we were there and they were around £30-£40, so your £64 online sounds pretty good. If you book when you are there you basically rock up at various tourist information type kiosks and compare prices, then book.

I can recommend a couple of places for food

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Resta...w_Lesser_Poland_Province_Southern_Poland.html - had live music on when we were there. Really good food and reasonably priced (expensive relative to polish prices though).

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Resta...w_Lesser_Poland_Province_Southern_Poland.html - local Pierogi place - couple of quid for lunch in a takeaway tray

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Resta...w_Lesser_Poland_Province_Southern_Poland.html - nice food, but relatively expensive compared to other places and quite clinical in decor/atmosphere/presentation. Nice, but I preferred Starka personally. More of a foody place, but less soulful.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Resta...w_Lesser_Poland_Province_Southern_Poland.html - full of locals when we went. insanely cheap. around £12 total for 4x meals (roast pork and mash, cod parcels - proper meals) and 4x drinks (beers and ciders).
 
squarehead94 said:
Dont want a credit card - for the amount I am looking to take, I dont really think its necessary. Im more of a cash person and we will just take a bit of cash out each day. Thanks though.
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That's exactly what you can do on the credit card, take cash out. Each to their own but you're only doing yourself out of money so *shrug*.
 
Russinating said:
That's exactly what you can do on the credit card, take cash out. Each to their own but you're only doing yourself out of money so *shrug*.
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Exactly this!

Going with the 'Credit cards are bad mmmkay' attitude is a bit silly really. The clarity card should be your main go to travel card for the foreseeable future and can be used as a debit card that you just have to pay off each month.

There are some good tips above, just try and enjoy local food at local prices. Avoid the expensive places around the main square, but they still do some good food.

The main food tip I'll give you is to ask for Pierogi, but request them smażone (smazh-on-e). Boiled ones are ok, but for the truly salivating experience you'll want them fried in butter, just like Babcia makes them :D
 
I love Krakow. The salt mins are well worth doing. Do Auschwitz on the last day as it wipes you out and stays with you.

No real view on the budget other than to say you can get great food at both ends of the spectrum price wise. Last couple of times I have been have been on business so not watching pennies.
 
squarehead94 said:
And finally, do people recommend taxi from the airport or is the train/bus just as good and cheap to use? Google reckons Id have to catch the LEB9102 and then catch the Krakow - Jordanow and get off at Krakow Jubilat - estimates a 50 min. total trip. I dont mind just getting a cab if its not going to be that much more expensive.
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There's a light rail link that goes from the airport to Główny station, but it's a bit of a walk from there down to Wawel - through the old town, so pretty picturesque but maybe not so much if you are lugging suitcases.
 
Auschwitz II-Birkenau is free. You do not need a ticket and you simply stroll through the main gate.

To visit Auschwitz I (the camp that has the famous slogan "Arbeit Macht Frei" at the entrance), you can either book an English tour for 50zl/person which includes a bus ride and tour of Birkenau, or you can rock up and hope that there are free tickets available that will allow you to stroll around at your leisure at zero cost.

The majority of the price you're paying for the Auschwitz is for the transport from Krakow. If you can find a way to get to Auschwitz on your own, you could in theory see the entire thing for free.

I visited Auschwitz for the second time two weeks ago and didn't pay a penny to see either camp.

EDIT: I almost forgot. You HAVE to go here and get a zapiekanka. It's a huge toasted baguette which costs about £2. Best thing ever.
 
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thewanted said:
Auschwitz II-Birkenau is free. You do not need a ticket and you simply stroll through the main gate.

To visit Auschwitz I (the camp that has the famous slogan "Arbeit Macht Frei" at the entrance), you can either book an English tour for 50zl/person which includes a bus ride and tour of Birkenau, or you can rock up and hope that there are free tickets available that will allow you to stroll around at your leisure at zero cost.

The majority of the price you're paying for the Auschwitz is for the transport from Krakow. If you can find a way to get to Auschwitz on your own, you could in theory see the entire thing for free.

I visited Auschwitz for the second time two weeks ago and didn't pay a penny to see either camp.

EDIT: I almost forgot. You HAVE to go here and get a zapiekanka. It's a huge toasted baguette which costs about £2. Best thing ever.
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Cheers for that mate. Your link for 50zl pp tour isn't working however. Is there a difference in the quality of the tours? As if I did book online, the prices vary wildly really. Thanks
 
squarehead94 said:
Cheers for that mate. Your link for 50zl pp tour isn't working however. Is there a difference in the quality of the tours? As if I did book online, the prices vary wildly really. Thanks
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Sorry, for some stupid reason the site demands a trailing slash. The link should work now, and it's the official Auschwitz site.

I've only been on an official tour through that website so I couldn't really say. As far as I know, they don't allow third-party travel agents to give tours but I can ask my girlfriend if that's true since she's from there and has been many times.
 
Probably won’t help now, but when I was in Poland around 30 odd years back, I was advised by Poles here to take some U.S. dollars to sell on the black market.
I changed $100 in Warsaw before driving to Tarnów to visit my Polish girlfriend’s aunt, and got so many złoty, I didn’t know what to do with it all.
From Tarnów, I took her aunt, uncle, and two cousins to Kraków for the day, about 80 km, went in a good restaurant, had a blinding meal, pig’s head with an apple in its mouth, carp, gołabki, bryndza cheese, vodka, cognac, piwo, (beer), the whole nine yards, paid for it, including a good tip, and still had bundles of złoty left.
In the end, I gave it away to her cousin in Poznan before we left Poland.
A little tip for some brownie points, when you’ve had a couple of drinks, and you’re nibbling her ear, whisper “kocham çie”, (I love you), might make a good night better.
 
El Pew said:
There's a light rail link that goes from the airport to Główny station, but it's a bit of a walk from there down to Wawel - through the old town, so pretty picturesque but maybe not so much if you are lugging suitcases.
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This train is so easy and cheap to use from the airport, you may as well use it to get you into Krakow and then a taxi on from there if necessary.
 
Went about 3 years ago and stayed near the castle. Most areas of the castle are free to view so worth a look as you're so close. We booked Auschwitz and the salt mine for separate days through the hotel. The guided tour of Auschwitz is a must in my opinion and, as someone said earlier, better done toward the end of your stay. It left a lasting impression on myself and my wife that took a couple of days to shake off. We got a taxi from the airport to the hotel, which is something we normally do as we like to make it as simple as possible. Have a great trip, it's a wonderful place. :)
 
Been twice.

Salt mines were amazing.
Auschwitz is well.....Auschwitz
Chill out in the square

Train from airport is very easy although I think the station is quite far from where you were (we were right in the square and it was a 10 min walk for us with little suitcases). It will be hot so maybe get a taxi from the station.
 
If Auschwitz doesn't relate to you don't go (suggestion from half Polak). Poland is so much more than a one time Jewish/dissident concentration camp. Have a great holiday go somewhere nice.
 
Me and the wife have been about 7 times now, absolutely love the place!

We did all the tours on the first trip, but now just go back for food and drink and to chill out. There are some AMAZING restaurants if you go off the square a bit, but i don't think we've had a "bad" meal yet...trip adivsor is your friend :D

It's a beautiful city, and in this weather, its just so relaxing :)
 
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