Top tips for trip to Krakow especially shopping/eating out as already planned Auschwitz and salt mines etc.

[MrsMeow]

DD (16) and I are going for a few days soon and I've spent hours researching!

We're booked on to an Auschwitz-Birkenau tour and will hopefully visit the salt mines and see a few sights otherwise but I've promised DD a shopping trip as well, to the Galeria Krakowska.

I just wondered if anyone had any top tips for us - how much spending money for 3 days, any restaurant recommendations, are the trams easy enough to navigate?

We're staying in the Novotel Krakow Centrum, which from googling seems to be a 15 min walk from the square so not too bad :)

Thanks!

Ps I did search on here before posting but could only find old threads

I am very interested in this too as we are going in April, though dd is only 11 so we are not doing Auschwitz this time. We are going to do the tour of Schindler's Factory though and the salt mines.

There seems to me a big market building on the main square so that seems worth exploring. I will also research a walking route around the old Jewish Quarter - we have done this in Budapset, Venice Prague and Amsterdam - very interesting.

I am interested in good restaurants / bars where we can bring dd too.

It will be our first time there - very excited!

Watching with interest. I am going too with DS (14) in April.

We tend to do a free walking tour (you tip what your think the tour was worth at the end) to get our bearings. Krakow has these tours too.

We have not booked Auschwitz yet. Do we need to book before we go? Or is it best to DIY or book a tour when we get there?

My friend said the Jewish Quarter was very interesting when she visited.

Hi

We did the free walking tour and its brilliant but wear sensible shoes ....its a decent pace and will give you good bearings around all of Krakow ....

The shopping centre is good - quite a good mixture of stores to suit everyone - but quite a few of the stores are the same as in Oxford Street ...Pull and Bear etc. The pound is not very strong at the moment and I wouldnt think that it would be worth shopping here at the moment.

We did a Segway Tour and that was brilliant (It was in a street near to the St Mary's).

St Mary's church is amazing (and its where the free tours begin).

The best places to eat are in the Jewish Quarter - We had a lovely meal at Trezo and also Starka ....but just have a look at Tripadvisor - Krakow Restaurants.

We combined our stay with a 2 nights in Zakopane and there were two amazing Spa's there which we visited ...

We have stayed in Krakow twice - once near the Ghetto in Qubus - whilst this hotel has an amazing roof top pool - I would recommend because of location...

The second time we stayed in The Columbus and I could not fault this hotel - brilliant location - great for walking into centre and also eating out in Jewish Quarter (literally around the corner from Jewish Quarter.

In the Jewish Quarter you will find some wonderful little shops - quirky jewellery etc

You will love Krakow ....

We're going next month too. 2 nights in Zakopane (which spas would you recommend lottysmum ?) followed by 2 nights in Krakow. Trying to find accommodation tonight for Krakow for 7 ppl; 3 adults, 1 x 15 y/o and 3 x 11 y/o.

These recommendations for places to stay and things to see/do are incredibly helpful - thank you!

Thank you all so much for the tips, looks like the Jewish Quarter is worth a visit so thats definitely on the list :)

Breward I think you can book when you get there, and actually, reading on Trip Advisor it seems that you can get a bus/tram there for a small cost which will make it a reasonable price.

Walk up the very steep entrance to Wawel Castle, it's well worth the effort. Admire the panoramic views, find the dragon and then treat yourself to coffee or better still a hot chocolate at Slodki Wawel. Polish chocolate is amazing and really shouldn't be missed.
Buy a pretzel from one of the carts on most street corners, they are cheap and tasty.
Explore the market square, enjoy another chocolate treat or three then sit it one of the many outdoor cafes in the square and watch the world go by.
Enjoy

Penfold007 what an absolutely beautiful reply! We shall most definitely be doing that one of the days. Gorgeous views, chocolate and people watching...sounds like heaven!

Thank you 😊

Ah thank you. I luffs Krakow! Scuttles off to book a trip.