Krakow Poland is a hidden gem. And I think people are starting to figure out that Poland as a country has A LOT to offer the world of tourism.

We stayed in Krakow for one month, Nov 29 to Dec 29 and it did not disappoint. We stayed a bit out from the center, only a 15-20 minute walk. But in the middle of December, that can feel like a looooong time. So we rented Wavelo city bikes for one month. There are stations all over the city, and you certainly don’t have to rent for a whole month. Though it only cost each of us $6 USD. I highly recommend using them if even for one day.

Overall we had a great time living in Krakow. The people are nice yet straight forward, the cities are all individually awesome, it feels safe and the food is LEGIT.

The Food

Much to our surprise, the food in Krakow was SO GOOD. We seem to be doing less and less research before we go to a place. All we really knew about Krakow is that it was supposedly cheap, and it would cold. What we did not know is that it is a very much so a university town and has a great culinary scene.

From pierogis to Scandinavian dishes, vegan cafes, and asian cuisine, you can find most anything in Krakow. And you can count on it being GOOD + CHEAP. We had some awesome burgers and pastrami sandwiches as well.

The Main Square

You cannot go to Krakow without visiting the main square. It was more quaint and charming than the Google images led on in my opinion. Perhaps the Christmas market had something to do with that. I can’t speak for other times of the year, but if you go in December, you MUST come during the day and again in the evening.

If you fancy a carriage ride, you can take a stroll around the area. Or you can grab some mulled wine and snacks from the vendors. The square is more or less surrounded by good food and shops. You could spend every day here and not want to leave, but I do encourage you to venture beyond the square.

Roam the city

Take a bike and see the city. There is much to see in Krakow and a bike is a great way to do it. You can also take public transportation or walk. But a bike is fun I think. If you’re walking, you can always map a route and take breaks to grab a coffee or some amazing food. Krakow has no shortage of that.

Most of the buildings are near the square, but if you ride towards the river from the main square you can ride along the waterfront. Here you’ll see more buildings, plus a bridge with sculpted acrobats on the cables. We saw this in other Polish cities as well. I personally love the idea.

Christmas Bike Ride

We happened to be in Krakow on Christmas. We took the opportunity to ride bikes around the nearly empty city. It was a GREAT decision. A cold one, but great none-the-less. As I said before, biking is an amazing way to see Krakow. They don’t have set bike lanes everywhere, but biking is very much so a normal thing to do here.

Accommodations

Our airbnb in Krakow was great. You will need a bike or transportation of some kind in Krakow unless you’re staying IN the center. Our location was perfect for us as there was food within 15 minute walk. There was a small grocery store on the first floor of the building, and our gym was in the same complex so the convenience was UH-MAZING. Especially with us being in Krakow in December.

It also had a full kitchen, a washer and tons of storage. For a long stay, it was perfect. You can see it here at airbnb.

For more info on Polish Travel, keep an eye out for our one week road trip from Krakow to Poznan, Gdansk, and Warsaw.

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