Long weekend in Krakow

Been meaning to go for years, have finally bitten the bullet and booked 4 nights late March in Galaxy Hotel B&B. Booked private transfer as I have mobility issues due to MS. Would have liked to stay in the old town but of course most hotels do not have a lift.

I get around quite slowly with support of a stick and I really enjoy rambling about old/medieval European cities. Years ago I was in Warsaw and Gdánsk, enjoyed all the old streets, parks, eateries and cafés, and though it was raining cats and dogs on both trips, I especially loved seeing the gargoyles in Gdánsk spitting out the water!

Any recommendations to enhance my trip, and especially a nice restaurant to go on my birthday?

spurious

There is a lovely restaurant in the Pod Roza hotel that does a tasting menu for 375zl. Mental money for Krakow but a fraction of what you would pay in Dublin for similar quality. https://podroza.hotel.com.pl/hotel-pod-roza/restaurants/pod-roza-restaurant

For the other end of the market, give Tom Naughton (a Dubliner) a visit in his Milk Bar. Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057603183132

Nice little cafe in the corner of the main square where it meets Grodzka Street. Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/cafezakatek/

Another favourite of mine, the Wisniowy Sad/Cherry Orchard (Polish and Georgian food) up a lane at 33 Grodzka Street. https://wisniowysadkrakow.pl

So many lovely places. I am so jealous.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121833436#Comment_121833436

Oh sounds lovely!!! I will mark them out on Google map

Just looking at all the things to see and do. The Old Town, Auschwitz, the Salt Mines… and something that caught my eye, the Polish Aviation Museum 🤤🤗🤪 Lots of old Soviet aircraft you can sit in!!! My idea of heaven, and located in an old airport in the suburbs.

Mav11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121835245#Comment_121835245

Both Auschwitz and the salt mines are well worth the visit. If you go to Auschwitz you will need to take in Birkenau also. Very poignant. Lots of walking involved with all the tours. You may need to bear that in mind.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121835278#Comment_121835278

Yes, I can do walking slowly and have quite an endurance when I take sufficient breaks. I see where Kraków now has quite a lot of easier ways for people with disabilities to get around, including golf cart tours.

Hellrazer

Plac Nowy is a great little spot - theres a market there that had when I was there old Soviet stuff - great to browse around - and the bars surrounding it are hopping. Few nice restaurants around teh square aswell.

Also did Auschwitz and Birkenau - we used a private tour guide who was brilliant - little bit more expensive than using the guided buses but we were collected from the hotel in a Merc, brought to Auschwitz first, did the tour and then he waited and drove us to Birkenau and waited to bring us back to the hotel.

Didnt do the salt mines as the day would have been too long and we were limited in the time we had there.

gipi

I know you'll do your homework in advance, but it's worth checking out the Salt Mines accessibility in advance - it can get a tad slippery down there (since the underground steps and floor are made from rock salt). I find it awkward to walk in icy conditions (tend to feel very off-balance), and I found parts of the salt mines steps challenging to my balance when I visited 10 years ago. Well worth a visit if you can get there though.

I recall an interesting piece of history in the centre of the town (in the large square) - there's a subway station, which was installed by the Soviets, and which has a large wall of old controls, switches and knobs on display on the ground floor - with instructions all in Cyrillic of course!

I’ve booked a tour to Auschwitz with hotel pick-up. Most companies don’t pick up at slightly more outlying Galaxy but found one that does. The Salt Mines have too many steps, in any case I’d be too tired covering both.

I will get a taxi to the Polish Aviation Museum which seems to be one of the best there is, and it’s less than 20 minutes taxi ride from my hotel.

To think my aunt used to fly regularly on the Tupolev 134 above on her trips to Bulgaria to get the bargain basement holidays!

raclle

I'll be going in a few weeks. Do you need to book Auschwitz and the Salt mines in advance? Will also prob do Oskar Schindler factory and the mountain thermal baths.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121848139#Comment_121848139

I think It is probably best to pre-book to get the time you want. The early departures, some 6.30am, were too early for me but good if you are in a strict budget. There are individual tours to either Auschwitz or the Salt Mines, or combined tours, run by different operators. I booked only Auschwitz when I saw 300 steps involved in Salt Mines, though a bit more research might have given me knowledge of a reduced mobility alternative. I know I will likely return to Kraków and do the thermal baths. Most people make a couple of visits to Kraków.

Plenty of beautiful and interesting cities in Poland too, some lesser visited, and Ryanair serves many of them for locals commuting to and from Ireland. There are lots of nature reserves to visit too.

I would also like to see some of the Tatra mountains on the Slovak side, I’ve seen amazing pictures of delightful villages.

For May I booked my own diy trip to the Hebrides, which I simply adore, but weather doesn’t always obey, in fact it rarely does. They got a fabulous last summer I believe, saw all the daily photos on FB taken by a local. Stunning! Flying Dublin to Glasgow with Ryanair flexible fare, tons of time to catch Loganair flight to Benbecula for 5 nights, staying in a luxury pod on North Uist and hiring a nice automatic Peugoet 3008 to explore the Uists, Berneray and Eriskay. Will stay in Glasgow two nights on way back, see some interesting museums.

Has whitest sands in the world!

spurious

For your next visit to Krakow, there is a lift down to the Salt Mines. Once down there, it's relatively easy - handrails, mostly on the flat etc..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121850056#Comment_121850056

Great to know. Kraków is easy to get to and I’ll make a trip into the mountains at same time. Presuming my general mobility is sufficient by next year etc.

The trip was great, and so easy for me with my ms difficulties. Very easy to negotiate, cross roads, walk down by river etc. Everybody made great accommodation for me everywhere I went. The Polish people are very nice and hospitable, hard workers, nothing is too much. I’m very encouraged to go again to Poland, turned out to be a great country.

Stated in the Galaxy Hotel which overlooks the river and is close to a nice modern shopping centre and the riverside walk up to Wawel. First day I did a walk around the Old Town, enjoyed watching Polish dancing in the Market Square. Second day I visited the Aviation Museum, using FreeNow to order taxis which worked out perfectly. Last day I visited Auschwitz which is of course a depressing experience just as it should be, but a place to remember and respectfully think of the victims and how such inhumanity can be practised given a certain context arising.

raclle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121954416#Comment_121954416

Not to mention cheap 😉 having said that the prices in oldtown are very much not unless you know where you're goin. Delighted to hear you'd a great trip and it all worked out well. I wasn't too far from where you stayed in the Metropolitan. The weather was great and didn't rain once. Hope it held up for you?

Walked around Old Town on the first day same as yourself. Did Auschwitz on the second day but didn't get that eerie depressing feeling like everyone else. I found it too busy and the tour was rushed. I'd recommend doing an individual tour. Went to Zakopane and thermal baths the next day. Unbelievable scenery and views in the village. On the last day we went to the Salt Mines and Schindler's factory. Again both were fantastic.