Anyone been to Krakow... advice please

[ThankGoditsChristmas]

Hello all,

I've booked a trip to Krakow the end of this month for myself and my 13 year old son. I've never really travelled alone before, have a terrible sense of direction and to be honest a little nervous travelling as the only adult in case it all goes wrong.

I have a few questions (which are probably stupid) but it would be great to have some info and feel better informed.

We are staying 3 nights but only really works out as 2 full days, so I want to get things organised in advance if possible.

We are staying here in Old Krakow town at this location...
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g274772-d954084-Reviews-Antique_Apartments_Plac_Szczepanski-Krakow_Lesser_Poland_Province_Southern_Poland.html

So my questions...

• Can anyone recommend places to visit in the Old Town? The reviews state that there are things to do in walking distance.
• We want to Visit Auswitch...I've somehow gone wrong here because I checked distance when booked and thought it was around half hour away from our hotel. Apparently not. So a taxi will probably cost a fortune and presumably we want to do an excursion/tour/arranged trip. How am I best booking this? Anyone have recommendations? Will we be able to book via the hotel? I have emailed them and awaiting a reply.
• also want to visit the salt mines, again how is best to do this? Via a trip/excursion.

I'm worried about booking things and it all going wrong. So I'd love any advice please. Thank you.

Have a look at Pod Wawelem for dinner. It's on the castle walls and looks like half a tram. The kebabs are huge and will easily feed the two of you! They're about a foot long. It will come up if you google Pod Wawelem Restaurant Krakow.

I personally think every secondary school child in the UK should be funded by the Government to go to Auschwitz-Birkenhau. I went in mid-December with a metre of snow on the ground. It's a very sobering and thought provoking place and underlines what the human race is sadly capable of.

I think you're going to be pushing it to do much in 2 days. I'd do schindlers museum, wavel castle and the Jewish area. The schindlers museum is free at certain times, or it was when we went.

Dp has visited the salt mines and said they're fantastic but you don't want to lose valuable time travelling.

We loved krakow. It's a great place.

Following for ideas.

I went to Krakow 12 years ago & we booked to visit Auschwitz through the hotel reception. We visited both camps & it was approximately 45 minutes by minibus. It is very thought provoking & harrowing but also very educational. However it does take up the best part of a day so you might struggle to fit in other things you might want to see eg Schindlers factory & the Jewish quarter which has a lot to see. Beautiful city & wouldn't hesitate to go back.

I had booked it for end of this month but a few things have made me change it to April now. I have the tour too.

Will be very cold so make sure you wrap up well!

I'm booked in dream garden Palace. Just 2 nites.

Will be good to see how you get on x

Been to Krakow several times and if you only have 2 days I wouldnt go to Aushwitz. It will take up a whole day and you need time to process it. Schindler's factory is excellent and ideal for your son's age group. Its a bit away from the centre but you can get those little tourist cart thingies to take you which arent expensive. Dont miss the utterly brilliant underground museum under the main square. Its fantastic. Great displays and sound effects. You buy your ticket at one side of the main corn hall building and then the entrance is round the other side. Bit tricky to find but so worth it. Your ds will love it.

We went this year. Ubers are very cheap and we took them everywhere, including the salt mines. You have to go down the mine with a group but they leave regularly and you don't need to book in advance.

We didn't go to auschwitz because our kids are younger, I have been as an adult. I would personally not go if you only have two days in the city, it would take too much time out of your trip and is a lot to process.

Single day tour to both Auschwitz and salt mine on same day. I use GetYourGuide in various European cities and it’s always been good- can book in advance online- booking the day you arrive may well not get you a spot unless you can phone the hotel in advance.

Then the town centre is definitely all easily walkable. We thought that Wawel Castle was waaaaay more interesting that expected and the cathedral is amazing for a quick pop in! Then walk to Schindler’s Factory via the Kazimierz.

Find a milk bar for pierogi for dinner!

I've been to krakow twice now. Download Get Your Guide app. They're fantastic for trips to auschwitz and salt mines. You just book tickets on the app and then someone will be in touch with where your collection point is. Some even include lunch too

Auschwitz and salt mine in 1 day is too much, it would be 12 hours on a good day. Some tours offer packed lunch but if u are in the apartment then bring your own, don't assume u will have time to buy coffee etc, so take your own water, we were there in November and there were queues and no time to wait.

We booked with KrakowDirect.

We did the salt mine on another Day in the morning and walked to the castle in the afternoon.

To be honest u will probably run out of time to go inside but look around the courtyard etc and later that find the fire-breathing dragon below it by the river (every 3 minutes or so).

Plenty of eating places around so I don't really need to plan that too far ahead, I think Wentzl is one of the most expensive? Nice place to eat was Morskie Oko with traditional mountain theme.

Either midday or 1pm there is a historic musical clock at the old Uni just off the old town.

Some museums are free on Mondays or Tuesdays so check that, we got for free to the archeological below the old town and a national gallery above the cloth hall.

Must have IDs for Auschwitz if u decide to go.
Enjoy.

Wentzl wasn't the cheapest but a 2 course meal for two with wine and beer was £48 so not bad.

Hi we are thinking of going in Feb - maybe doing Kracow and Warsaw - can anyone recommend good sites to book apartments through please. And any other recommendations. 2 adults , 2 kids ( 18 and 15) .

Lots of good recommendations on here about places to visit and restaurants @coffeeandbiscuittime. I booked through Jet2 who I have always found to be very reliable with a good range of decent accommodation.

Thanks for the info re sights.
We tend to just book flights and accommodation separately, but we haven't for a few years - we are looking at Krakow, Warsaw or going down to Zakopane. So I wondered if anyone had booked independently. If so which sites to book accommodation through - as historically we have just landed and gone from there!
Thanks for the jet2 recommendation- I will look at the accommodation they use and see if I can book independently.
Sorry for hijacking's this thread - I will continue with my research.

We had our best ever city break in Kraków. We gave Auschwitz a miss because it would have been far, far to upsetting for our sensitive youngest child, who was 10 at the time. We did visit the salt mines - we booked directly via the official website and got there in an Uber (or whatever the local equivalent is).

As an alternative, I've heard good things about walking tours of the Jewish Quarter.

Other things we did that would be perfect with a 13 year old:

Lost Souls Alley
Perogi making class
Pretzel making class
Pinball/arcade museum
Axe throwing
Be Happy museum
Wolf Pit Tavern
Torture museum

I took my kids to Auschwitz when they were about 10, 11 and 12. The older two were fine, respectful without being disturbed. Part Jewish family as well and could see our name on the boards. The youngest sulked a bit (because she thought it was boring) but knew she had to behave herself and just sat outside on a phone while we went inside the buildings. TBH I think her behaviour was a lot better than some of the adults grinning with selfie sticks. I don't think your son is too young. Also, you don't have to book a tour to go in (or didn't when we went) We just had to queue to get in. We had a rented car to get there.

You can get the bus from Krakow bus station to Zakopane. Costs very little. I stayed at The Grand but there's a newer big hotel now. Zakopane is lovely, especially in the snow!

Oh, and we did Krakow Parkrun.

We went to the arcade museum and tram museum. Both those trips you mention are pretty much full days, we were there four days and didn't do them as we felt it would be too tiring, lots of walking we used app GPS my city for walking tours. We stayed in Jewish quarter which was really pretty.

Absolutely love Krakow & Poland generally.

We just booked Salt mines on their website.& got an Uber there & back, was cheap.

Enjoy just wandering around Krakow, so much to see & do.

I went in September last year and have booked again for March with another friend.
We did the Saltmines and Auschwitz in one day booked through TripAdvisor. Picked and dropped off near our hotel. We chose packed lunch provided at a cost can't remember how much but it was worth it. I went in Sept with 3 DDs youngest 18.
We did the free walking tour of jewish ghetto day b4 definitely recommend this our guide was brilliant very knowledgeable. (Called Walkative) You give a tip at end of tour and tour lasted over 2 hours. You can choose either a morning or afternoon tour. Would definitely recommend this m DD booked it the night b4. I will be booking Auschwitz and Saltmine trip before I leave in March and will book on TripAdvisor. Lots of cheap restaurants. We chose not to have breakfast in hotel and enjoyed each day visiting local bakery shops lots around.
Also be careful of taxis some rip you off big time!!

Hi, I recently visited Krakow and actually stayed in the Antique Apartments.
we had a wonderful time but a few tips -
Antique Apartments are extremely central and convenient BUT are quite Eastern European in design and there are NO lifts. Expect to walk multiple flights of stairs daily and it is a hike!!!!
We took a golf buggy tour around the four distinct areas of Krakow and it cost £100 for the two of us. You can do shorter tours for cheaper.
the cloth hall is amazing and the cathedral in the square is also a must visit.
we didn’t do Austwich as, due to my deep interest in history, I knew what to expect and I couldn’t bear it.
we met people who did do it and it’s a hike. A long day and no food/drink are allowed in the camp.
for the salt mines it’s 300 steps underground so wrap up warm and expect to do some exercise.
font forget to try the amazing Perogi and polish soup.
Wawel castle, the Jewish quarter and the Ghetto area are worth a visit. Our guide on our buggy trip was so informative and his knowledge was so worth the money.
we absolutely liked Krakow and can’t wait to go back!

I'm following with interest, some great information here on the thread!

I never know what kind of tip to give on the free walking tours. Is there a ballpark figure out there. I don't want to be mean about it, but also don't want to be foolishly generous either. Somewhere in the middle would be fine!

I'm thinking of going on my own as no one I know has the time free or is not interested much, would prefer warmer places which is fine also. I'd be going around mid March or just before for 4 or 5 days.

We used Hello Crakow for camps and Saltmines

You have to book in advance for Auschwitz if you don't want to pay ££££. It's free if you book on the website. You will be able to get a private trip easily enough but some
private individuals will be profiting from your visit and that didn't sit right with me. Instead go to the Schindler museum (tells the story of the Jews through the whole war period) and the museum of Galician Jewish life (I think that's the name). The castle is stunning. I loved Krakow - loved the history, the food, the architecture, the park around the old town. I want to go back and see Auschwitz separately. And maybe the salt mines.