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Poland : Krakow - January 2010

Country Code: Dial for Poland

Krakow winters mean one thing – staying inside! Thankfully, the city’s sultry nightlife and achingly hip café culture make it unmissable for visitors. Thaw out with some hearty Polish fare at an Old Town restaurant, before heading to a truly heart-warming exhibition at Oskar Schindler’s former factory. Michelle Smith turns up the heat

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 cultural and entertainment centre of the city, the Old Town and its surrounding cobbled streets are chocka- block with art galleries, restaurants, cafés and bars.

Sleep soundly – For a quiet option, check into Hotel Classic (32 ul. Sw. Tomasza, tel. , hotelclassic. pl, rooms from €78/PLN 330), which overlooks the Old Town’s green belt. For something a little less fancy but still central, try the clean and friendly Apartments and Hotel Rooms Monika (6 ul. Langiewicza, tel. , hotelmonika.pl, rooms from €37/PLN 155).

Must eat – Must-try Polish cuisine is offered at Kawaleria (4 ul. Gołebia, tel. ). Perch next to the huge fireplace and enjoy cheese soup with bacon and croutons, followed by wild boar with forest berry sauce. Lovers of Italian food should try Figa z Makiem (10 ul. Sławkowska, tel. ) for the smoked duck linguine and the poppy-seed cake with hot fig sauce, which is the perfect dessert.

Must drink – Krakow is known for its café culture, so warm up at one of these notable places. Cafe Art (23 Rynek Główny) is well-hidden at the back of a hallway and down some steps. Decorated with bits of dismantled church organ and candles, a regular coffee becomes achingly romantic here – especially when served z rumem (with a shot of rum). Chocoholics must visit the Wedel Chocolate Parlour (46 Rynek Główny), with its amazing collection of sweets and flavoured hot chocolates. More than a Cookie (18 ul. Sławkowska) is owned by a lovely American family and boasts perfect coffee, to-die-for peanut butter cookies and absolutely delectable fudge brownies.

Shop til you drop – Eclectic shoppers will appreciate ESTE Gallery of Curiosities (16 ul. Sławkowska), which has everything from amber jewellery to sketches of the city. Those looking for sweet souvenirs will love Kopernik (14 ul. Grodzka) – it’s the best place to buy some Torun, Poland’s famous dark gingerbread.

JEWISH KRAKOW – KAZIMIERZ

This was the centre of Krakow Jewish life for more than 500 years, although it was nearly destroyed in World War II. Look beyond the peeling paint and prepare to step back in time

Sleep soundly – With the introduction of the very high-end Hotel Rubinstein (12 ul. Szeroka, tel. , hotelrubinstein.com, rooms from €151/ PLN 640), Kazimierz now has a true luxury hotel. The more modest Klezmer Hois (6 ul. Szeroka, tel. , klezmer.pl, rooms from €60/PLN 254) offers something unique to interested tourists: the Jewish Quarter’s still-active main synagogue is right on its doorstep.

Culture vultures – Immortalised by Thomas Keneally’s book Schindler’s Ark and Steven Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List, Oskar Schindler is a name synonymous with Krakow. The current exhibition at the former Oskar Schindler Factory (4 ul. Lipowa) depicts the persecution of Leipzig’s Jews between 1933 and 1945, and while it only runs until 3 January 2010, this is in preparation for the official opening of the Oskar Schindler Museum the following week. It’s housed within the original factory and tells the story of how he saved the lives of over 1,200 Jews. A must-see museum and crucial for understanding Poland’s history.

Must drink – Award-winning locally brewed amber ale is served exclusively at Szynk (2 ul. Podbrzezie), along with massive plates of meat-heavy Polish fare to act as ”mid-drink fillers”. For something less rustic, head to Omerta (3 ul. Warszauera), which combines sleek modernism with a mafia-type vibe.

Dance the night away – To try Krakow’s most notorious shot, go to Propaganda (20 ul. Miodowa) and ask for a wsciekły pies (mad dog), a fiery and lethal combination of vodka, Tabasco sauce and sweet syrup – then hit the floor without fear. And definitely visit Zaraz Wracam (11 ul. Bozego Ciała), where some bizarre art graces the walls around the dance floor.

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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