Essential information when visiting Krakow
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Location
Krakow is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland.
Based in Southern Poland near the border of the Czech Republic it is well known for its beautiful architecture, complex history, its well-preserved medieval walls and beautiful market squares.
Krakow (also spelt Cracow and pronounced Krakoff) is Poland’s former capital city and more well known in the UK as a popular stag and hen do destination in recent years due to the cheaper cost of food and drink than other European cities.
But do not let this put you off. Whilst we did see a few merry groups wandering the streets, it did not take away from the city’s charm and warming character as we explored the city’s attractions
The best time to visit
Krakow has changeable weather for most of the year including periods of heavy rain and whilst it enjoys warm summers hitting around 30 degrees C, this is its peak season meaning it brings in crowds and a higher number of tourists.
We visited in May and despite it raining for the first few days, the weather then brightened up and was a warm 22 degrees C.
Online research suggests the best time to visit is May to June and September to October as there are fewer tourists, it’s still fairly warm, rainfall is lower and snow (which they can experience a huge amount of in winter) is non-existent.
Getting around
Walking
Krakow is a very walkable city meaning unless you are going outside the city you don’t need to consider transport too much.
Much of the city centre has no traffic meaning it’s lovely to walk around and relax in the bustling town squares whilst enjoying a drink without the noise of vehicles whizzing past!
Also, Google Maps is very reliable in Krakow so unlike Marrakech we avoided spending tedious amounts of time getting lost!
Tram and bus system
If you would prefer to use transport or are less mobile then there is a very good tram & bus system in Krakow which will take you to most of the main attractions.
You can purchase tickets from most newspaper stands, the ticket machines at some bus and tram stops (They are also in English) or actually on board the bus or tram.
Tickets start around the equivalent of 1 euro for a 20-minute journey through to a 72-hour pass for under 10 euros and the tickets include bus and tram travel throughout the city.
Taxis and Uber
There are taxis on most roads and they are fairly easy to flag down and we found them to be much more reliable in terms of actually taking you where you want to be.
As with most things in Krakow in comparison to the UK, everything was super cheap, and this included transport which meant if you needed to use it we didn’t need to worry about the cost involved!
Cycling
If you want to get around in the daytime we would recommend hiring bikes!
Krakow is a great city for cycling and you can hire standard bikes or electric bikes.
We visited a few sites outside of the city we found them a fun and different way to get from A to B. There are a couple of bike hire places near the centre that we found simply using Google.
Golf Buggy tours
Lastly, there are many tour companies offering golf buggy tours.
They are not hard to find if you fancy being whizzed around the city whilst listening to an informative audio guide. In the main square, there are plenty of friendly vendors selling tours and if you are short on time and want to see and learn as much as possible in a few hours it may be a good option for you.
Airport transfer time
If you fly into Krakow’s main airport which is John Paul II you are close to the city centre, approximately 11km away and a short 20-30 minute taxi ride to the main squares and hotels.
We booked a transfer with our apartments, but you can pick up a taxi straight outside the airport if you would prefer. The cost is between 15-20 euros to the centre depending on traffic and where you are staying.
If you decide to take a train, you can get the free shuttle bus to the train station and then the journey is around 20 minutes or less to the city centre for around 1 euro 50 so it’s a cost-effective way to transfer in.
We generally opt for taxis or transfers on shorter trips because our time is so limited.
Currency
The currency for Poland is the Zloty which for most of us travelling from inside Europe makes it a cost-effective place to visit as they do not use the euro.
You can get your Polish Zloty before you travel or from various exchange shops at the airport or in the city centre.
We also used our Revolut card for most of our trip which is a travel visa card that has no fees attached to paying on cards or withdrawals. There were plenty of ATMs inside the city and nearly all shops and restaurants took debit and credit cards.
Plug sockets
The power sockets in Krakow are type C and E, confusing right?
Some hotels now also have an earthing pin which means if you have an EU adaptor without the hole to take this then they won’t work.
Most EU adaptors do now come with a hole for the earthing pin but it is worth checking yours before you leave.
It’s also worth mentioning that the 220 v is compatible with all UK appliances but if you are travelling from America then you may need a transformer to step down the voltage for your appliances to work!
Language
Some basic yet useful phrases
Hello – czesc
Goodbye – do widzenia
Please – pro – she
Thank you – jyen-koo-ye
Yes – tak
No – nie
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