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I won’t lie, at first I was reluctant to go to Poland. I didn’t have a very good image of the country. Firstly for political reasons, but also because I had met someone who had lived there in the past and had given me an unflattering description.

Well, I think we chose the right city, because if we had spent those three weeks in Warsaw I might have had a different opinion.

On the 28th of November we (finally) left Catania to go to the second largest city in Poland. I said I wouldn’t lie, so it’s true, as soon as we arrived I was surprised to see a completely modern country (yes, I have prejudices, but I change my mind easily). I wasn’t sure what to expect, and in fact I was pleasantly surprised. 

What I liked in Krakow that you might like as well.

Honestly the list might be quite long, I liked many things in Krakow! 

Cafes and restaurants

I would start with the cafes and restaurants. There are a lot of them, and they are overall more than affordable. The cafes we visited were very cozy and one could easily sit there with their laptop. 

Of course, you can’t leave Poland without trying a Pierogis, which is a kind of stuffed ravioli (potato, cottage cheese, mushroom, cabbage, meat etc). It’s excellent but rather heavy, perfect for a cold winter’s day!

Pastries

Whether in cafes or in bakeries/pastry shops, we tried some excellent cakes in Poland, and God knows I’m picky about this!

Whether it was Pavlovas, cream cakes, nut cakes, fruit cakes, Paczki (Polish donuts with jam), everything was delicious. Don’t miss it!

The centre (Stare Miasto) and its small and old streets

At first sight, the old centre of Krakow immediately reminded us of the old centre of Tallinn, with its tall, colourful old buildings and narrow cobbled streets.
Of course, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you know the drill.

The main square, Rynek Główny, is a must-see. Dating from the 13th century, it has a covered market which contains mainly souvenir and jewellery shops. In this square you will also find a Catholic basilica, as well as cafés and restaurants. There is also an underground museum about the history of the city called the Rynek Undergound. Finally, don’t hesitate to wander in the small streets around, it’s really nice!

The Christmas market

This was clearly the advantage of being there in December! The whole city is illuminated and the market is really worth a visit, it is located on the main square: Rynek Główny. It was the first time I saw a Christmas market with so many food stalls and such a big tree. Of course, there are also a lot of craftsmen exhibiting as well as souvenir stalls, because at this time of the year a lot of tourists converge to visit the market.

A little tip: avoid getting there during the weekend, as you might get stuck in the crowd and not even be able to see the stands. (We’ve been there, we don’t recommend it!)

Wawel Hill

It overlooks the old centre of Krakow. It includes a group of buildings including a cathedral and a castle, as this place was once the residence of the kings of Poland. 

We had the opportunity to visit the cathedral as well as the two museums related to it. The cathedral itself is really impressive and huge. It took us more than an hour to walk around it: you can access the bell towers from close by via very narrow stairs and passages, there is also a crypt and many chapels. The two museums were a bit less interesting, but maybe that’s because I’m not very museum-minded (and not very religious either). They tell the story of the priests, popes and other people of the church and present a collection of their vestments.

For more information about visiting the cathedral and the two museums, you can click here. The ticket costs just under €5 per person.

You can find the rates for the castle by clicking here. The advantage is that you don’t have to visit all the rooms and can choose only what interests you.

Krakow’s Jewish Quarter

The Kazimierz district is a creative and trendy area.  It has many small shops, galleries and bars that are very popular in Krakow. In this district you can also visit the former enamel factory of Schindler, who was an extraordinary boss. He hired more than 1,000 Jewish people during the Second World War to save them from deportation. Today, it is a museum that tells this story.

What I didn’t like

The cold and the snow ?

To be honest, it’s mostly because I had to find at least one thing I didn’t like… But I did like the snow a little bit. On the other hand, the streets and pavements are not or hardly cleared of snow, and in some places, the ground is extremely slippery. Vigilance is really necessary!

Of course, because of the cold, we shortened the walks… but we took advantage of the cafés and the little hot chocolate shops!

The last word

Finally, Poland was a great surprise! I think I’ll go back during another season, because I saw that there were many big parks and forests near the city which seem to be worth the detour, and the city in spring must be very pretty too with a little more greenery. The people were friendly, the town was pretty and had plenty to offer, and the activities were generally affordable.