Looking for a cheap weekend getaway? I'd recommend Poland being on the top of your list for European short vacations.
Poland is amongst one of the cheapest options when considering Europe as a holiday destination. Not only are the flights and hotels options cheap but so is the beer which you can buy for around £2 a pint or £0.50 for a bottle! A very good measure of how expensive a city or town is, is to compare the price of a pint of beer.
Where to stay?
As Krakow is relatively cheap, you can afford to splash out a little more on where you stay, this can even include hotels with your own jacuzzi. Additionally, I'd recommend staying in Old Town as it's close to all of the attractions and restuarants.
A personal recommendation is to stay at Komorowski Luxary Guest Rooms in Old Town.
This hotel is situated just 5 minutes away from the main market square in Krakow. The staff were super friendly and very accommodating, especially when asking to arrange some special arrangements.
You can even take a look at the package which they offer including the romantic package for just £73 which includes:
French champagne on ice along with strawberries or raspberries,
Jacuzzi filled with bubble bath,
Aromatic candles lighting your room,
A bouquet of a fresh red roses,
Fresh rose petals scattered around the room.
Price: You can get a king sized room with a jacuzzi bath for just £155 for 2 nights!
http://aparthotelkomorowski.com/ or check out deals and reviews on booking.com
2. Aparthotel Stare Miasto
Stay just 150 yards away from the main market square. If you get one of the deluxe or super deluxe studios, you'll have your own spa bath for those romantic evenings back from dinner.
Price: Around £60 per night for the deluxe studio (depending on the month) *based on two people sharing.
3. Hotel Stary
If you're looking for that 5 star spa setting, then take a look at Hotel Stary. The hotel is located in the heart of Old Town Krakow wihth free access to the on-site spa, which includes a sauna, gym and a steam bath.
Price: A twin room costs around £90 per night, based on two people sharing.
Places to eat:
Wesele Restaurant
Opening times: Monday-Sunday 12:00-23:00
If you're looking to eat traditional polish cuisine then I would insist everybody make a reservation at Wesele. Usually, this restuarant is fully booked if you try to make a reservation on the day, so I'd recommend booking ahead as soon as possible.
Top tip: I'd ask for a window table if possible as you get see the main market square whilst eating dinner.
I'd recommend tasting the traditional polish dumplings with a side of potatos and fried cabage. Or if that doesn't take your fancy the Sirloin Steak is also a very good choice.
Price: 36 PLN- 86 PLN per dish (£7-£18).
2. Enoteka Pergamin Restaurant
Opening times: Monday- Sunday 11:00-23:00
Enoteka Pergamin is truely a fine dining experience in the Old Town of Krakow. The food was perfectly portioned without being overwhelming large or painfully tiny. I'd encourage those visiting to enjoy a three course meal to really sample the food on offer.
Having not tasted Polish wine before, our waitress was super helpful and recommended a bottle to accompany our meal. If this is your first time in Poland or you've never tried a Polish wine, I'd highly recommend tasting a Polish white. It was surprising crisp and delicate and can pair quite well with any dish of your choice.
If you have a group of you, you can even choose to do a food and wine pairing experience at just £40 each.
Price: 20PLN- 95PLN per dish (£4-£20)
Things to do:
Explore the main market square/The Cloth Hall
If you want to see the sights and also do some shopping at the same time, taking a visit to the main market square is a must. In the main market square you'll also find The Cloth Hall which sells art, crafts, clothing which are traditionally Polish. I'd recommend getting your Krakow souvenier here.
2. Visit Wawel Royal Castle
If you take a trip to visit Wawel Royal Castle, it gives you some of the best views of Krakow from high above. Visiting Wawel Royal Castle adds some historical culture to your visit, but you also get to soak in some beautiful Polish architecture.
Admission to the courtyard is free, but admission to any of the gardens or galleries have an entry fee.
3. Visit St Mary's Basilica
St Mary's Basilica is a Gothic church built in the 14th Century positioned in the main market square. In 1978 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. St Mary's Bascilica also served as an architecture model for many of the other churches built by the Polish diaspora abroad, E.G St Michaels in Chicago.
http://mariacki.com/en/
4. Explore the Jewish Quarter
One of the best things about Krakow, is if you only have a couple of days to explore the city, you can choose to go sight seeing on a heated golf cart. At first this might sound a little silly, but it was one of the fatest and most effective ways of seeing all the sights across Krakow including the Jewish Quarter.
Rather than searching online or if you're in a hurry you usually find guides selling these trips around the main market square and outside of The Cloth Hall. We managed to haggle £20 per person for a 2 hour experience which is reasonable.
5. Take a trip to Auschwitz
Auschwitz is a full day trip (6.5-7 hours) from Krakow if you are planning on visiting, so please do bear this in mind. Most companies will pick you up from your hotel in the early morning.
Tourists from all over the world visit Auschwitz in Poland to pay tribute to everyone who died there. It is now a museum, located in Oświęcim, preserving the memory of every person sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau and reminding about dreadful times of World War II and the Holocaust. It represents extremely important history and it’s highly recommended to explore the place to everyone. In 1979, Birkenau State Museum has been added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Price: ~£40
These are just some things to check out whilst in Krakow, however there is so much of Poland to explore. It is a very up and coming destination to visit with lots of history and somewhere everybody should tick off on their travel bucket list.
@beau.travels