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Previous issues for Krakow

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Poland : Krakow - March 2009

Country Code: Dial for Poland

After a hard Polish winter, March in Krakow brings a welcome thaw to the city. Visitors will still find it a bit nippy, so staying inside is best. Thankfully, there are plenty of things going on indoors, including the remarkable exhibition First Step... Towards a Collection of Contemporary Western Art. Michelle Smith gives the low-down on what to do while waiting for the first blooms of spring

Getting around

Balice Airport

Bus: Radtur runs regular buses into the city centre. A single journey costs about €1,90/PLN 7 and takes 30 minutes.
Taxi: A taxi costs around €13/PLN 50 and takes about 30 minutes.
Tourist information: The main office is at 1 Rynek Główny (tel. , krakow.pl). Orbis (41 Rynek Główny) also provides lots of useful information.

OLD TOWN AND RYNEK

The heart of the city bustles with energy and brims with confidence. It is overflowing with cafés, museums and great hotels.

Sleep soundly – The ultra-sleek and chic andel.’s Hotel (3 ul. Pawia, tel. , andelscracow.com, rooms from €70/PLN 310) is just metres from the main train station and bursts with colour and warmth. For a quieter option, try the Hotel Classic (32 ul. Tomasza, tel. , hotelclassic. pl, rooms from €75/PLN 330), which overlooks the green belt surrounding the old town.

Culture vultures – On until August, First Step... Towards a Collection of Contemporary Western Art is an incredible effort, with paintings, sculptures, sketches, photographs and installations by some of Europe and America’s most outstanding late 20thcentury artists. See works by Miquel Barceló, Eric Fischl, Nobuyoshi Araki, David LaChapelle, Sherrie Levine, Andy Warhol and Mike Kelley. The collection is generously on loan from Rafael Jablonka, a Cologne art-gallery owner, and can be seen at Krakow’s National Museum (1 al. 3 Maja) until 31 August.

Must drink – A delightful combination of wine bar and shop, Amphorum (5 ul. Jana) serves up delectable Austrian and Hungarian wines in a romantic atmosphere. Pergamin (3/5 ul. Bracka) does a heady range of cocktails.

Dance the night away – Once on ul. Bracka, there is no shortage of pubs and clubs, but two definitely worth mentioning are Rdza (3/5 ul. Bracka) and Art Club Błedny Koło (4 ul. Bracka). The former is hidden away in a cellar, the latter through a courtyard and on the first floor. Both are magnets for Krakow’s most polished, so you should make an effort before you go there.

JEWISH KRAKOW – KAZIMIERZ

Despite its tragic WWII history, the ‘other side of the river’ has thrown off its dark mantle and is now a fun, fresh and arty district (with an edge). Kazimierz is definitely worth exploring, and is a fantastic base for those wishing to avoid the centre of town.

Sleep soundly – Those on a budget will be hard pressed to do better than Tournet (7 ul. Miodowa, tel. , nocleg.krakow.pl, rooms from €22/PLN 100). It’s a bustling little bolt hole that offers clean minimalism. The still-reasonable Hotel Astoria (24 ul. Józefa, tel. , astoriahotel.pl, rooms from €51/PLN 230) is painted in sunny colours and has a great restaurant.

Must eat – While in Kazimierz, why not give Jewish cuisine a try? Ariel Restaurant (17/18 ul. Szeroka, tel. ) serves outstanding Jewish dumplings. And be sure to get the Passover cheese (mascarpone with raisons and orange zest) for dessert. If you have a craving for Italian food, drop into Nuova Cosa Nostra (25 ul. Dajwór, tel. ). This is a roughand- ready trattoria which has a totally gorgeous house red.

Must drink – With massive windows, antique furniture and creaking wooden floors, it’s hard to beat Mleczarnia’s (20 ul. Meiselsa) ambience. It serves up a range of soft and alcoholic beverages. For something louder and more crowded, give Warsztat (3 ul. Izaaka) a go. Popular with students, the décor is musically inspired – the bar itself is made from an old piano!

Shop til you drop – For the most outthere of out-there home furnishings, go to LuLu Living (10b ul. Dajwór) and wander among a crazy collection of handmade stuffed animals, furniture, lamps, glass and ceramics. There’s a café here, too. And gentlemen can explore the rapidly dying art of hatmaking at a tiny shop, hidden on ul. Krakowska, just across from Plac Wolnica. (The shop has no name, so keep your eyes open for the blue Czapki [Hats] sign.) Get a bespoke hat in just a few days, or choose from the beautifully elegant selection in-store.

Compiled by Michelle Smith

Previous issues for Krakow

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy,
please confirm event/venue details in advance.

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