Any advice on Krakow?

Davo55

I'm going to Krakow for 5 days next Monday. Staying at the Hotel Wentzl in the main square. I've already arranged to visit Auschwitz/Birkenau on one of the days. Any advice for other must-sees/dos in the city or close by, from those who have been there?

Thanks.

tangoflash

DaveMehmet

Lovely city. Salt mines are worth a visit and we also did a city tour in a trabant which gave an overview of communist era history.

RedPanda

Check Wisla and Krakowia fixtures. Tickets shouldn't be more than £15, both stadiums walkable from the centre. The zoo doesn't have red pandas.

ShootersHillGuru

You are staying in the best possible spot in the city. Another must see is the salt mine which is about 30 mins outside of the centre. Would recommend a pre arranged tour of this also. Allow half a day. Other area worth seeing is Kazimeirz the old Jewish quarter (not ghetto) which is now quite fashionable with hotels and restaurants. The old ghetto is just accross the river from Kazimeirz and the Oskar Schindler factory is located there and now open as a museum. Both are within in walking distance from your hotel.

Goonerhater

Aushwitz---------salt mines--------old jewish Ghetto.
I salutue your cultural awareness mate

but in a way it does explain why Bangkok is the biggest tourish destination !

DA9

I stayed in the Prince of Wales hotel just off the main square many years ago, lovely city.

Hastingsaddick

We went to a jewish cultural evening, really good music in a fabulous setting, plenty of food and drink as well which was excellent. Fancied going to the Tatra Mountains but they were a bit far for a day out, we did go to the town of Tarnow for the day, which was OK and worth the train journey. Auschwitz is a harrowing place but for the experience worth a visit.

Hastingsaddick

A good side trip from Krakow is the Nowa Huta Steel Works factory (unfortunately the wife wasn't interested so we didn't go), but if Communist industrialisation is your thing then well worth checking out, the Lonely Planet guide to Krakow is well worth getting, loads of useful info in there (as well as a good write up on Nowa Huta....New Steelworks).....enjoy your trip.

ShootersHillGuru

Also check out "In Your Pocket" guide to Krakow and Cracow.com

sam3110

Check out the Amber Market in the Square

Davo55

Cheers all. Will pick up on some of those suggestions. Will definitely skip the implied suggestion from tangoflash though - I guess that's a trauma buried deep in your past (arse?) my friend :-)

stilladdicted

Jewish quarter, cemetery, restaurants plus the salt mines and Wawel (Camelot meets Windsor Castle). The Schindlers tour is OK'ish but walk through the old and working class areas by yourselves and pop into the tiny museums especially those showing life ( or death) in the ghettos. Leave Auschwitz/Birkenau to the last day, it's just so chilling. I would suggest that you allow more time for Birkenau than the guides suggest. It was possibly the most sobering experience of my life and I found I needed time to just wander and reflect without being hurried along by tour guides. Pop into the book shop near the exit from Wawels castle and try the hot chocolate. Serious stuff. If you like churchy stuff, check out the wooden altarpiece in St Mary's Basilica ( in the square). Eat the weird titbits of food cooked in the square and find a traditional bar selling cherry brandy and hosting jazz musicians. Can you tell this is one of my all time favourite cities?

Athletico Charlton

1. Don't refuse to pay your bar bill at the end of the night even if they have added drinks you never ordered to it, unless you wish to visit the inside of a police cell and pay for your nights accommodation there

2. Don't fall asleep pissed in the middle of the main square unless you want to wake up strapped to a table in a mental asylum.

3. Don't pour yourself a beer at the bar when no one is serving you unless you want an ex KGB type to put you in a head lock and lob you down the stairs!

4. White water rafting was fun on the old olympics site.

5. Shooting big guns was quite fun.

6. East goulash. It is actually ok and very cheap.

7. Don't bother with the footy (wislaw Krakao), very 'communist' / manufactured atmosphere.

In reality, it looked a great City, full of culture and I would love to go back on a real trip rather than a stag do.

ShootersHillGuru

Seek out Harry's Bar. On the square in basement. Great Jazz and atmos.

carly burn

"Did Hitler kill all the ugly birds?" Just one of the observations when the stag Do I was on pitched up there a few years back.

Indie Boy

Salt Mines are worth a visit - jewish quarter too. The town center was quite lively as well from what rememember

The_Organiser

Find the beer gallery. Loved the underground bars and clubs.

thai malaysia addick

It's a good craic - ow!

ISawLeaburnScore

One of the best cities in Europe I've been to, great boozing and some unmissable sites which although moving and upsetting are so worth seeing - schindler's factory and auschwitz especially.