Advice needed for Krakow!!

Jen1590

Heading to Krakow in 2 weeks for a long weekend. Staying in an apartment in the city centre, gonna visit the concentration camp, was wondering does any1 know if the salt mines are any good and worth a visit??

Also I heard you can get the train to Auschwitz and just join any tour.. any1 know if thats true?? Will it be cold this time of year?.. and finally how much money would I need for the weekend (food, some shopping and tours)

Cheers!!

gzoladz

I spent a couple of days there in November 2007. It was actually cold but bearable (perhaps around 0C).

We took a van that took us to Auschwits. The admission is free and you must join one of the guided visits (also free).

I did not go to the salt mines, but I would recomend the Schindler factory and also some restaurants that are left from the soviet area. Try pierogi and zapikanki on the street.

It is actually pretty cheap, you can have a meal for a €5.

Irish_polizei

Jen1590 wrote: »

Heading to Krakow in 2 weeks for a long weekend. Staying in an apartment in the city centre, gonna visit the concentration camp, was wondering does any1 know if the salt mines are any good and worth a visit??

Also I heard you can get the train to Auschwitz and just join any tour.. any1 know if thats true?? Will it be cold this time of year?.. and finally how much money would I need for the weekend (food, some shopping and tours)

Cheers!!

YES ! The salt mines are definitely worth a visit ! without a doubt !! ...and the wawel cathedral too ! ...I loved krakow to be honest...really nice architecture and people too ! Prefer it over the likes of spain and portugal !

I dont know if you can just join any tour ? But you can rent out these walkman type things with a headset at auschwitz....personally never used them as we had a tour guide but seen others using them.....and i wouldnt worry about money...its fairly cheap ! ...5 or 6 hundred euro would be more than enough for yourself id imagine !

fergpie

I was there last summer so i cant comment on the weather...

Your better taking a public bus to Auschwitz rather than getting a tour package. I got a bus and admission for a set price but my friends took a public bus and paid in and it worked out cheaper and you can take your time in there. A trip to birkenau is also a must it being only a few kilometers from auschwitz. The tour we took only gave us like 2 mins in birkenau to look around as they had to be back for the late tour.

The salt mines are definitely worth it so im told. I didnt go there myself...

Food and drink are cheaper than Ireland though not ridicously cheap.

rossie1977

yes the salt mine is definetly worth it

we did the coach tour to auschwitz and birkenau and had loads of time in both, our guide was fantastic, his grandfather had been a prisoner in birkenau so to hear him speak about his families experiences was interesting

weather wise, we were there last week in september last year and the weather was lovely, low 20s, sunny, so you might be lucky like that

spurious

The salt mines are well worth it and quite a good trip to do in the afternoon following Auschwitz as the camp and memorial can be a bit draining. You'll know you've had a good walk after the mines.

Make sure to try and get to Auschwitz before 10. The tourist buses pack the place after that.

MrGee

If you get to Auschwitz before 10am u dont have to join a tour, u can go around at your own pace. Birkenau the second camp is about half hour walk away so maybe a tour is best option. You really have to see both camps.
I didnt go to the salt mines but some friends did and said it was well worth a trip.

Chris P. Bacon

Im going there myself in a few weeks,and i have booked everything with THESE GUYS,im arriving at 11am and they are picking me up from the airport and bringing me straight to Wadowice (the birthplace of Pope John Paul II)for the tour then back to the apartment i have booked,then the following morning they are collecting me at 9am and bringing me on the Auschwitz/Birkenau/Salt Mines tour and should be back around 6 or 7pm,im doing it all alone so it is a bit more pricey than a couple or group.

mariaf24

OP and Richie, where did ye book the apartments? Cheers

Chris P. Bacon

mariaf24 wrote: »

OP and Richie, where did ye book the apartments? Cheers

Dont know what one the OP booked,but this is the place im staying in http://www.kazimierzs-secret.com/ got great reviews on tripadvisor

Jen1590

i'm stayin wit these http://oldcityapartments.eu/en/
a girl in work stayed with them and they had been advised to her by sum1 else, so hope der good...

undo

Another option for Auschwitz is the train. I have done the trip like that a good few times. As others said, it is a short walk between Auschwitz and Birkenau - but you can just catch a taxi if you prefer, it will cost you very little for that distance.

The salt mine is definitely a must. English tours are pricier than Polish ones but worth every penny. Always remember all these statues were carved by miners in their spare time... madness.

Kraków's old town itself is absolutely brilliant. You will have a great time staying there, enjoying the pubs and restaurants. There is also a dublinbikes-like system if you want to bike around but you have to sign up online and so I never bothered.

kraggy

Mama's hostel is good and cheap and great location just off the square.

About 10 euro per night which would be cheaper than an apartment.

+100 on the Salt Mines. Stunning.

McGilla

Hey all, I dont want to hi jack the thread but can any one recomend a hotel in Krakow, and maybe a few "must do" activities. Im still stuck between Krakow and Rome!

spurious

Those apartments Jen1590 mentioned are good.

As to hotels, it depends on budget. The Radisson is in a good location but a bit corporate and soulless, albeit very comfortable.

I like the Rezydent on Grodzka street for relatively cheap and cheerful. A literal stone's throw from the Rynek - and not a stone's throw by Steve Austin.

Must dos - Auschwitz/Birkenau, Wieliczka, Park Wodny (if you have kids with you), Galeria Krakowska for shopping.

rovers2001

Hi Guys

Heading to Krakow myself friday can anyone explain the local currency to me i cant get my head around it at all.Thanks in advance.

undo

The local currency is the Polish złoty. The exchange rate is about 3.90 PLN per 1.00 EUR. Not much else to explain .

rovers2001

Cheers thanks alot for that.

rovers2001

Anyone know of any good pubs or restaurants in Krakow for myself and the missus?

GeturGun

Jen1590 wrote: »

i'm stayin wit these http://oldcityapartments.eu/en/
a girl in work stayed with them and they had been advised to her by sum1 else, so hope der good...

Hi Jen1590 - when you booked the apartment on this website, did you use the transfer from the airport option as well? Was it worth it?

Can anyone tell me how much a taxi from the airport to, say, the main square costs?

Thanks

undo

@ GetarGun: There is a train from the airport to the main train station. Costs about €2.50 and gets you there in no time. From the train station, it is a short walk - gives you the opportunity to have a first look at the pretty city.

@ rovers2001: The Old Town is full of very nice restaurants. Maybe not quite the Market Square - that is a bit touristy. But the streets off it are perfect. Also check out Kazimierz, the Jewish district. Some very fine dining there.

rovers2001

Hi Undo

Thanks for the info you seem well up on Krakow city any more info you may have that will help while we are there for three nights this coming weekend sure let us know.Thanks again.

undo

As keeps coming up in any thread about Kraków, there are a few must-dos: Do visit Auschwitz and Birkenau. It is a depressing place but such an important piece of history that everyone should have seen it. Definitely do visit the Wieliczka salt mine - a magnificent sight and absolutely unique in the world. There are plenty of tours that combine Auschwitz and Wieliczka into a day trip. This is a good option if you do not want to be arranging transport yourself.

Speaking of transport, unlike Ireland, Poland has excellent public transport. There is no reason to use taxis whatsoever. Get a three-day bus/tram pass and enjoy the experience of rattly trams full of locals. This is part of the fun of discovering a new place.

The Old Town is stunning and well worth spending most of your time in. Make sure to also visit Wawel castle and the famous cave underneath it where a dragon is said to be living. Every child in Poland grows up hearing stories about the dragon. For centuries, Kraków was the seat of the Polish kings. The capital moved to Warsaw not that long ago. So by exploring Kraków, you will get a good dose of Polish history.

Kazimierz, the Jewish district, is small but charming. To be honest, the walk from the Old Town to Kazimierz, while short, is not particularly interesting. Your best option IMHO is to hop on a tram for a couple of stops.

It will be getting chilly around this time of the year. I am not quite sure but I think it was on Świętego Tomasza street that we sat in a cafe where everyone was given a blanket to keep nice and warm. This was really neat. Try to find that place, you will like it for sure.

rovers2001

Do you think Auschwitz and Salt mines can be done in a day?Read on tripadvisor be tough going and takes alot out of seen the city.Defo doing Aushwitz and maybe the Schindler factory.

undo

Most definitely it can be done in one day, comfortably and with no rush. You can book a tour once in Kraków that has this all arranged for you.

You would head to Auschwitz and Birkenau in the morning as you need sunlight to see the places. In the afternoon, they take you to Wieliczka. It is underground anyway, so it does not matter whether the sun has already set or not. Wieliczka itself is so close to the city center, it is now actually a suburb of Kraków. Auschwitz is maybe an hour away. No problems whatsoever.

rovers2001

Thanks Undo for your help will let you know how we get on looking forward now have to say:)

rovers2001

Sorry one last thing staying at the Red Brick apartments do you know about these and is it a far walk form train station ...Sorry for all the questions.

undo

Never stayed at this particular hotel/apartment myself. But the location is excellent - right on the very first street you see after leaving the train station. So the walk is literally a minute. From the apartment into the Old Town, it should be no more than two minutes; five minutes to the Market Square maybe.

One more tip. When you are in the Market Square at a full hour, listen to the "hejnał mariacki" being played by a trumpeter from the church tower. This is a very old tradition and is famous enough to be broadcast live across all of Poland by radio at noon each day. When you listen to the tune, you can hear it stop abruptly. This is because it once used to be played as a warning sign as the city was under attack. The trumpeter started playing but was then hit by an arrow and killed - to this day, the trumper stops at that very same point in the tune.

rovers2001

.

One more tip. When you are in the Market Square at a full hour, listen to the "hejnał mariacki" being played by a trumpeter from the church tower. This is a very old tradition and is famous enough to be broadcast live across all of Poland by radio at noon each day. When you listen to the tune, you can hear it stop abruptly. This is because it once used to be played as a warning sign as the city was under attack. The trumpeter started playing but was then hit by an arrow and killed - to this day, the trumper stops at that very same point in the tune.[/QUOTE]

Jaysis thats interesting will defo listen out for that thanks.

Lollymcd

I stayed in the Sheraton and would recommend it, really comfortable and warm, like any Sheraton I suppose! The one in Krakow has a vodka bar called Cube where you can get a shot in a glass that's part ice cube!

rovers2001

Hi
Any recommendations on Auscwhitz tour.Do it myself or a tour company?they all seem the same.

undo

Entrance onto the grounds is free. No tour guide is required. The only advantage of a tour is that they sort out transport. So it will depend on that one factor alone - do you want to have a hired bus take you there and back or do you prefer to take public transport?

rovers2001

Hi Undo

Imeasy either way would like to get the best out of the tour and according to tripadvisor when you get there now its compulsory to get a guide at €10 from reception.Some decent tours at around €33 each including transport to from hotel and tour guide lasts about 6 hrs in total.

Jake The Fat Ma

I love Krakow. Make sure you get a portion of noodles in one of the takeaways at edge of square they are fabbo.
If you are interested one of the best Tattooists in the world is based just of the main square his name is Victor Portugal
http://www.myspace.com/darktimestattoo.
Many people travel over to him from all over Europe.

undo

About Auschwitz: That guide requirement seems to be new, yes. This is probably because it is getting overrun and they need some order to it all. Since you will be going out of season, I do not expect much difficulty. But it might be best value for you to just buy the €33 tour, sit back and just let them take care of everything.

rovers2001

undo wrote: »

About Auschwitz: That guide requirement seems to be new, yes. This is probably because it is getting overrun and they need some order to it all. Since you will be going out of season, I do not expect much difficulty. But it might be best value for you to just buy the €33 tour, sit back and just let them take care of everything.

Hi Undo
yeah i booked the Aushwitz tour with escape2poland they came recommended €33 each transport and guide it seems ok.Anyway now the big serious question:D ...whats the local or best beer to drink?

undo

rovers2001 wrote: »

whats the local or best beer to drink?

That, someone else will have to answer. I do not drink.

nealwilford

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Krakow is great location to visit as it is a very lively place and tourists can easily find cheap accommodations there. The perfect time to visit Krakow is from April to October. The main attractions of Krakow are its architecture and vivacious nightlife. It has countless clubs and bars which remain open the whole night. If one loves adventure then salt mines are the best places to visit. [/FONT]

Jen1590

just back on monday nite, and it was very very cold! The temperature was around 5 degrees but there was a really bitter wind. Make sure and bring your gloves and lots of layers! The day we went to Austwich it was very busy (Saturday). We were in a small group so our guide could manouvere us around the other groups. Wouldnt have wanted to be in a larger one. Salt Mines were also brilliant.. surprisingly warm too!!

undo

Jen1590 wrote: »

Salt Mines were also brilliant.. surprisingly warm too!!

Last time I visited the mines was in the summer... and I was freezing . The mines are a constant 15°C year round.

Jen1590

undo wrote: »

Last time I visited the mines was in the summer... and I was freezing . The mines are a constant 15°C year round.

I probably thought it was so warm because it was so cold outside and was wearing so much clothes! I thought the cold gave me a better feel for the Austwich though, you couldnt even imagine how the prisoners survived with hardly much to wear in the winter time..

Jake The Fat Ma

Brobar is a excellent pub we were in. its passed the top of the square and just cross the road and tram lines. Its a class pub, with the berr around €1.80 a half litre.

undo

Kraków is famous for its micro-breweries and pubs located in century-old basements. Try to explore those. I cannot comment on the quality of their brew but the places are legendary.

lpool2k05

Heading to krakow in a couple of weeks!Just a couple of questions.

Do they show premier league matches in the pubs over there?

Is the currency hard to understand?or is it just as easy?

Jake The Fat Ma

Jake The Fat Ma wrote: »

Brobar is a excellent pub we were in. its passed the top of the square and just cross the road and tram lines. Its a class pub, with the berr around €1.80 a half litre.

The pub is browar not brobar here is link
http://www.ckbrowar.krakow.pl/index_en.html

Jake The Fat Ma

lpool2k05 wrote: »

Heading to krakow in a couple of weeks!Just a couple of questions.

Do they show premier league matches in the pubs over there?

Is the currency hard to understand?or is it just as easy?

Its around 4zlottys to 1 euro, cant be simpler than that

undo

Jake The Fat Ma wrote: »

The pub is browar not brobar

Actually, CK Browar. "Browar" itself means "brewery" and is simply a generic word, not the name of any particular place.

jos28

Just back this morning after 5 days in Krakow, fantastic city. Very cheap and so easy to get around. Hundreds of pubs and restaurants and all very cheap. Loads of interesting bars. Like other posters we did Austwitch and Birkeneau and would definitely recommend it. Just a word of warning DO NOT change your money at any of these
http://www.interchange.hu/pages/interchange-poland.aspx
The shops are bright orange and very modern looking but they seriously rip people off. The advertised rate yesterday was 398zlt to €1. They gave me 301zlt !!! Had a major row with the cashier and apparently arguments with punters and having the police called is a daily occurrence. We along with other angry customers staged a sit in yesterday, the police were called. They were very sympathetic and are doing their best to have these exchanges closed down. They asked us to make an official complaint which we did. So be warned !

undo

The big and shiny exchange places always are massive rip-offs. Their only purpose is to catch clueless visitors . Sorry you had to go through this experience.

The way it works with the rip-off rates is that what they show, in huge writing, is the amount they are willing to give you for a złoty (the buy rate, not the sell rate you are actually after). People get confused and fall for it.

You can compare the exchange rates at actual, non-rip-off places at http://kantory.pl/. Most of the time though, the best and cheapest option is getting money out at the ATM.

rovers2001

Hi Guys

Firstly a big thanks to Undo for your help on this thread.

Just back from a fantastic 3 nights in Krakow and have to say what a fantastic place thoroughly enjoyable and cheap.I would recommend getting train into Krakow from Airport its about 12zlty which is about €3 and takes 20 mins.The bus is waitng at arrivals and literally brings you around the corner and the same for return.We found language barrier a slight problem but managed ok by saying English firstly when asking a question.We stayed at Red brick apts and would highly recommend them centrally located and superbly fitted out.Drink and food was cheap and we drank the local beer which is nice but i found personally the smoke in the bars slightly off putting but ok (my other half smokes).I would recommend The Bull pub (shows premiership games) pod and Doltky excuse the spelling these all did lovely food and were pleasant and all just off the main square.We found a good Irish bar (cant remember name)but food was to die for and staff lovely.We did Aushwitz and Birkenau and were both places that speak for themselves but definately worth doing.We did the Schindler factory which was good but surprisingly its a WW2 museum but very good nonetheless.The currency is bascially divide your zlotys x 4 that gives your euro amount approx.Weather was nice while we were there similar to here but do check before departure i can only imagine the winters.The castle is also a stunning building and worth walking around even if you dont enter it but if you can walk through the park to it its absolutely beautiful.
Anyway to sum up its a place i will definately return to some day and in a word i suppose its... Enchanting.

undo

I am glad you had a good time. Always nice to hear kind words about my home country. From the list of things you did, it seems you skipped the Salt Mine - it is definitely something worth coming back for.