Krakow - Advice

Lemlin

Hey,

As readers of a previous thread would know, I was planning to go with my girlfriend to London In March. However, we've now decided to go to Krakow.

I've found out that we can get flights and accomodation in the Sheraton hotel (five star, meant to be very nice) for about €400 each which is good. That's for four days.

I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on what places to visit etc. I've been told about Auschwitz and Market Square already.

How do you organise about getting to Auschwitz though?? And what other places are of interest?

Gazza22

I'm just back from Krakow a few days now, it's a lovely place.

Yes Auschwitz is a must. You can do it two ways, get the short train ride there yourself and then join one of the large tours operating throughout the day, or what we did was book it through a tourist office. It cost us €22 each to be picked up where we were staying, go to Auschwitz 1, 2 and Birkenau (A hugh concentration camp bigger than Auschwitz but still included in the common name 'Auschwitz') and then dropped home. I found the latter the better way as you are in a more personal tour group of around 10-15 people and everything is organised. The place i booked it is found in the big building (cloth hall) in the centre of market square.

We also visted the Salt mines at Wieliczka. We booked this again with the same tourist office for €23. You go down a total of around 140m below the ground visited 3 of 9 levels that's open to the public. I'd recommend the salt mines, it's an unusual tour and facinating to see what in some cases three men carved out of simple rock salt! (they were responsible for the hugh cathedral on the 3rd Level).

Then there is Wawel castle located betweeen the old town and the Kazimierz (You will see it from the Sheraton). This place is cool to visit aswel, it dates from 1038 and it is the royal palace of Poland where kings have been coronated and lived throughout history. It is free to walk around but if you want to enter the many parts you must buy tickets from the front desk. We visited the Royal Armoury & Treasury and the Royal Apartments. You are watched like a hawke lol (I put my face a bit closer to a knights sword and alarms sounded!!) while anywhere inside the castle and as the collections inside are unbelievable such as a solid gold diamond encrusted sword used to Coronate the polish kings since the 13th Century, presents from Louis XIV of France...etc...
The royal apartments of the king are by small guilded tour only and i recommend it, it's amazing to see such luxury! But there are many parts of the castle such as the catherdal etc we didn't have time to visit, see
http://www.wawel.krakow.pl/en/index.php?op=40

Two restaurants (both italian but with polish cuisine also) i would recommend are Leonardo's & Pepe Rosso.

Leonardo's is one of the best restaurants in Krakow, expensive to polish standards but the food, service, atmosphere is impeccable. When i say expensive, a three course meal for 3 people with wine cost €100. An average meal for 3 at a good but ordinary restaurant shouldn't cost more than €50.
http://www.leonardo.com.pl/

Pepe Rosso's is located in the old jewish quarter. Again lovely food and service but not as "expensive".
http://www.cracow-life.com/eat/restaurants_details/724-Pepe_rosso

It would be also worth your while to learn a few phrases of Polish before you go because outside tourist offices, hotels and restaurants english is not really spoken. Even taxi men won't have a clue what you're saying is you can't pronounce exactly where you want to go.

Sorry if i have waffled on a bit, but everythings fresh in my head.

If there's anything else you'd like to know, just ask, have a good time!

kraggy

Definitely recommend the Salt Mines. Make sure that you go to the ones at Wieliczka. Amazing labyrinth a whole 140 mts under the ground. And the churches and chapels and underground rooms and walkways are beautiful. And everything you see is made from salt. Unreal. (When you enter the mines, and start walking down the stairs, look between the bannisters and see how far you are going to go down. It's mental).

Also, Auschwitz is a must. But make sure you dedicate a whole day to it. It takes 1.5 hours to get to and there are two locations. You need at least 3/4 hours in the second part (Birkenau). Not going to say any more on it. You'll see if for yourself. Makes you think. (Wouldn't recommend doing it hungover though)

The town centre is really nice and quaint. All the clubs branch off the streets off the square. If you like dance music, I'd recommend Prozac, nothing special but does the job.

Other than that, it's just a nice town to walk around and see the old architecture.

And it's cheap as chips over there:

Pint 2.50
Cigs 2.00
We got a starter, main course and 2 orange juices in a nice Mexican restaurant on the square for 11.50.

Enjoy.

whiterob81

You can also get tours of the main city and the jewish quarter. Tours leave from the main city square, near the cloth hall, and there's no need to book in advance.

Also recommend prozac, very good fun, great dance music

Lemlin

What will the weather be like there in March?

c - 13

Just saw this thread now - echo what previous posters said about Auswitch and the salt mines, boh worth a visit. We booked day tours to them from a tiny travel agents just behind the babrican. Would recommend them, but cant rememebr ther names.

Krakow is a lovely place, some fantastic bars there and everyone is really nice too.

Sundy

Lemlin wrote: »

Hey,

As readers of a previous thread would know, I was planning to go with my girlfriend to London In March. However, we've now decided to go to Krakow.

I've found out that we can get flights and accomodation in the Sheraton hotel (five star, meant to be very nice) for about €400 each which is good. That's for four days.
I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on what places to visit etc. I've been told about Auschwitz and Market Square already.

How do you organise about getting to Auschwitz though?? And what other places are of interest?

And where di u get that deal?

dronerz

yea i was in krakow during the summer deadly city, market square, wawel castle and salt mines are all must see's, but also ders dis cool little restaurant/bar on a boat/barge in de river jus below wawel castle thats pretty cool...thats pretty much it although if ur interestd you could head to the second oldest university in europe just of market square i think...jagiellonian university

jdivision

+1 on salt mines.

Lemlin

Sundy wrote: »

And where di u get that deal?

Through my employer. Special deal as I work for Quinn-Direct and Quinn Hotels own that Hotel.

Fozzie Bear

I was there with the missus in August. Such a beautiful city. All of the above recommendations, plus the cathedral (name escapes me) at the top of the market square. The ornate decore inside is mind boggling. Also if you fancy it Oscar Schindlers factory over in the old jewish quarter for a few pics. There is not much to it to be honest at the mo. Think they are planning to put more displays in though. All that remains of the original factory is the old front building and the original gates that were used in the movie Schindlers list. A plaque on the wall outside and a small display area upstairs. Good to visit all the same and get a picture of yourself in the gateway. Also recommend a walk along the river. The walkway must be 2/3 miles long but the views are lovely. Mind you i did it in the summer so it may not be as nice this time of year.

Lemlin

How can I go about booking tours or organising to go to the Salt Mines and Auschwitz? Thinking of going to one day and the other one of the other days.

Gazza22

Lemlin wrote: »

How can I go about booking tours or organising to go to the Salt Mines and Auschwitz? Thinking of going to one day and the other one of the other days.

Covered all that in my post

Lemlin

Gazza22 wrote: »

Covered all that in my post

Should we try and book these trips before we go over or anything? We arrive on the Tuesday and were going to go to Auschwitz on the Wednesday and the Salt Mines on the Thursday. Is it easy to just go in and book for the next day?

Kintarō Hattori

+1 for a visit to Krakow. It's a really lovely place, great food, excellent value, nice people etc.

spurious

Lemlin wrote: »

Should we try and book these trips before we go over or anything? We arrive on the Tuesday and were going to go to Auschwitz on the Wednesday and the Salt Mines on the Thursday. Is it easy to just go in and book for the next day?

You will have no problem booking for the next day.
There are lots of tour companies competing, so shop around.

Fozzie Bear

Lemlin wrote: »

Should we try and book these trips before we go over or anything? We arrive on the Tuesday and were going to go to Auschwitz on the Wednesday and the Salt Mines on the Thursday. Is it easy to just go in and book for the next day?

Book them over there, there will be no problems what so ever doing it that way. We booked ours in the main bus station, i think a bus leaves there every hour or 1.1/2 hours to Auschwitz. Its directly behind the train station, actually a bit of an ordeal finding our way into it. We eventually figured out how to get to it. You need to go to the end of the plaza directly outside the train station where the road way is (to your right as you face train station, you will see the blue railings). Go down the steps at these blue railings and walk along the footpath under the bridge past the train station and head maybe just shy of 1/4 mile out that road. Then hang a left head up that road, hang another left and the bus station is there in front of you. (approx 15/20 min walk). Its as i said directly behind the train station but we were unable to find a bridge or pathway connecting the two (which would have made more sense and been a hell of a lot easier).

Lemlin

Will it be cold over there at that time or what will the weather be like??