We spent our 4-day Easter weekend (thanks Europe!) exploring a little slice of Poland—road tripping from Berlin to Kraków and back again with Heidi in tow. Unfortunately, the weather decided not to work with us, and our time in Poland was largely gloomy and rainy. On the plus side, that gave us ample excuse to find cozy places to fill our bellies with potatoes and vodka. Here were some of our favorite things to do in Kraków.
Eating, Drinking, and Things to Do in Kraków
Places to Eat in Kraków
Hamsa. Located in the Kazimierz, or Kraków’s Jewish quarter, Hamsa is an Israeli eatery that prides itself on hummus and happiness. It delivered both in spades. Their mezze platter provides a light and perfect breakfast: spicy hummus, falafel, and labneh, a very soft cheese rolled into balls, soaked in olive oil, and served with pillowy pitas. Head to Hamsa in the evening to enjoy a lounge space with a bar and a beautiful patio.
Other favorite spots in Kazimierz: Dawno Temu Na Kazimierzu (“Once Upon a Time in Kazimierz”, a trio of former shops torn down to become one long, unique restaurant), and Moment (mid-century/modern bar and resto with delicious pastas).
Street Food Market. Most of the cloth hall booths closed for the Easter holiday (except the one selling relics of Pope John Paul II, perhaps Kraków’s most famous inhabitant). But outside the arched colonnade a robust little food market had all the snacks you could possibly dream of. We snagged some pierogis and some roasted meat, washing them down with a few beers from Okocim brewery.
Carrots with Peas (Marchewka z Groszkiem). This was a high recommendation from a Kraków-born colleague of mine. They serve authentic Polish food in a cozy atmosphere (it looks a little like grandma’s dining room). Unfortunately, the kitchen was closed by the time we arrived, but the food smelled heavenly, and the space was beyond charming.
Places to Drink in Kraków
Poland was a sleeper hit in terms of drinks for me. I hadn’t heard anything specific about the country’s “official drinks”, so I wasn’t prepared for anything particularly extraordinary. That left me open to being blown away, and blown away I was! Polish beer and vodka are where it’s at, and the city is chock-full of authentically cool places to enjoy both.
Alchemia. This corner bar in the Kazimierz would be equally at home in Berlin. It had a loose techno soundtrack, a sort of shabby bohemian look, and amazingly cheap drinks. The main difference is that where Berlin can sometimes feel a little forced, Alchemia has an unapologetically easy cool. Groups of older locals, young students, and foreign tourists all feel right at home. We liked it so much, in fact, that we went every night we stayed in Kraków.
Other favorite spots in Kazimierz: Propaganda (a socialist era bar), La Habana (like a little pocket of Cuba), and Singer (old-timey feel with tables made of vintage sewing machines).
Wodka. If you want to sample some Polish vodkas, look no further than Wodka, located a 5-minute walk from the main square. Inside this snug little bar are hundreds of bottles for sampling. We did a vodka flight with seven different variants ranging in flavor from peppery to syrupy. It definitely should be on your list of things to do in Kraków.
We asked all of our bartenders for their favorite vodka. Nearly unanimously, they recommended us Piołunówka, a unique type of vodka made by macerating wormwood. It has a sharp spice not unlike licorice or cinnamon, but is entirely smooth going down. Our favorite beer was Książęce, an offshoot of Tyskie. We tried several different types: all are light and full of summery flavor.
Things to Do in Kraków
Dog-Friendly Kraków
We found Kraków to be extremely dog-friendly; Heidi was welcome everywhere we took her except for the grounds at Wawel Castle.
Easter in Kraków
If you are planning to visit Kraków over Easter, keep in mind that a lot of things will be closed for the holiday. Some restaurants were closed Sunday-Monday, others will closed the entire weekend. Plan ahead with reservations so that you’ll have a spot to sit in the places that are open.
Also be aware that Auschwitz, which is a simple day trip from Kraków, is closed over Easter. Visiting Auschwitz is a somber but important thing to do when visiting this area.
I imagine this city to be outstanding in the summertime, with the trees in bloom and the cafés spilling into the sidewalks. But in the winter it can look and feel a little drab—just keep that in mind for planning your trip!
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Nice coverage on the cute Polish city