Krakow

[Elephant Stone]

Out there for a few days over the weekend, any recommendations for best places to drink etc?

Anything we should do/see/avoid?

How far will a pound take me?

[Guest Frandsen08]

make sure you visit auschwitz

the best bars are the backstreet underground bunkers ones, its a great city just needs some exploring.

it was pretty cheap when i was there 2 or 3 years ago, I'd imagine it has increased significantly.

[Biggish Dave]

Krakow is ace, I loved it over there. Find an alehouse not far off the rynek called 'House of Beer' http://www.houseofbeerkrakow.com/ and ask for a drink called 'gas chamber' but have somebody there ready to carry you back to the hotel as its lethal but pretty good.

 

Avoid the bulls head on the corner of the rynek, most expensive pub we found over there

 

Beer is cheaper than peanuts and crisps in bars! I think we were paying around £1.20 roughly on average for bevvy

 

Also, the christmas markets will probably be on, they have some good grub on there.

[miamiwhite]

a must is the Wierzynek restaurant on the main square,one of poland's oldest and most famous eating place. superb jackbit in there. slap bang next door to it on the main square is the Wentzl,another fine eating establishment. 5 mins from the main square and again highly recommended is Pod Aniolami,superb cellar restaurant.

definitely visit Auschwitz as mentioned above,plus the salt mines just out of krakow.

krakow's jewish area of Kazimierz is a must. try the Ariel restaurant in that area,a scene from Schindler's list was filmed in there. i tihnk schindler's factory is now open for guided tours

can't go wrong with the place,it's top notch,unless you can chinned by a pole hoolie,and ripped off by a seedy brass

[MickyD]

They have a beer called Gas Chamber?

[Traf]

They have a beer called Gas Chamber?

 

No, it's a drink. You ignite the spirit (usually sambuca or absinthe) and inhale the vapours.

[Uncle Albert]

Went a few weeks before the Euro's started this year, brilliant place.

 

There's a company called Escape to Poland that we booked our Auschwitz tour with, they pick you up in brand new Merc van/sort your guides/radios etc out. Booked our travel back to the airport with them too that worked out cheaper than the bus.

 

Learn a couple of Polish phrases like hello, please, thank you etc, they really appreciate it.

 

Looking to go back over before Christmas.

[Elson]

Get the train from the airport about 20mins and takes you right in to the heart of the city

 

Did both of then tip top the salt mines, Massive underground ball room with great art work shaped on the walls,Auschwitz has to be done, walking in to the gas chamber and seeing the firing wall.

 

But its Birkenhau where it hits home of the size of the place walk down the tracks to the chambers, and look back and take it all in.

 

Went this time last year the main square hads all the market stalls out but not open, but is a smallest market in the builing in the main square.

 

The castle is a great walk around and can go in the catacombs and the Bell tower, free on a Sunday.

 

But cheap as chips for beer, Wonka, etc

 

The best (cheap) bars are all underground and hiden away you will enjoy it great place

[DazBob]

Definitely do Auschwitz, but do it at the end of the trip as you'll not really be in the mood for party party after it.

[Guest Frandsen08]

Definitely do Auschwitz, but do it at the end of the trip as you'll not really be in the mood for party party after it.

 

i agree. we went to auschwitz in the first day , went to the hotel all in a low mood. the strip club that night cheered us up a bit though.

[Lenny with a y]

I went a few weeks ago and can only echo what's already been said. The underground bars are great and you find news ones on virtually every street. Ale averaged between £1 and £1.50. Vodka is cheap as too.

 

If you like steak go to the pimiento steak house in the Jewish quarter. The T bone was incredible!

 

Salt mines and auschwitz are well worth a visit. We did auschwitz on the last day as it does tend to stay with you for a long while afterwards.

 

Great place Id go back

 

 

 

[beer_swiller]

Do all that is mentioned in the replies. Auschwitz and Birkenau book a trip, it`s easier than pissing about on busses and trains.

 

House of Beer is a fantastic beer house, great draught beers and bottled, it gets very busy from 3pm onwards and tables get booked up.

 

Elephant Sq theres a bar underground, brilliant food and beer. They have a menu in english and brew their own beer on the premesis. They do a Porter, wheat beer , a lager and fruit beer. A meal and a pint costs around £7 Z 36.

 

Me n the Missus went in Feb of this year and was the coldst place I have ever visited -30 whilst we were there, froze the snot on yer snout it did.

 

Do visit both stadiums as they are both available to take a look around depending on the time of day.

[Underpants]

I've got a great idea, lets start a Krakow thread. Can we not make this thread sticky and lump it with all the other ones we've had on this subject?

[Elephant Stone]

Thanks for the recommendations!

[Zico]

if you go to auschwitz then make sure you go to birkenau

 

if you book a trip they do this by default, and you go on nice air conditioned coaches

 

if like me and mi mates, you miss the coach trip and have to get public transport, it takes hours and might be hot and the bus is like a minibus with no open windows and you might be sick in auschwitz bogs when you get there if you're hungover

 

and if you do that, you need to get a taxi to birkenau

 

the pubs and bars were mint, dunno where we went, we had some polish lads we knew take us round

[Guest Frandsen08]

oh if you happen to end up in a underground barwhere the bar man looks like Andrey Arshavin then dont compliment his bird who works in the same bar otherwise you might end up in a 10 man brawl england v poland style

[jazza]

Auschwitz is a must. I went in January in a blizzard and it is the most haunting experience of my life.... we should never forgive or forget.

 

Krakows bars are ace...you'll have a great time

[Elephant Stone]

Auschwitz is a must. I went in January in a blizzard and it is the most haunting experience of my life.... we should never forgive or forget.

 

Krakows bars are ace...you'll have a great time

 

Thanks Jazza....I went last year though! You were right, I had a great time

[jazza]

haha   i was as late repylng as a paul comstive tackle

[Henry_VIII]

Hotel recommendations? Somewhere decent, not a lads trip....

[gonzo]

We stopped in an old mental asylum.

 

The doors still had massive bolts on.

 

They had stripped the padded walls but left them all fucked with bits of plasterboard hanging off.

 

Was about 3p a night though.

 

I wouldn't stay there pal.

Edited September 25, 2013 by gonzo

[Henry_VIII]

We stopped in an old mental asylum.

 

The doors still had massive bolts on.

 

They had stripped the padded walls but left them all fucked with bits of plasterboard hanging off.

 

Was about 3p a night though.

 

I wouldn't stay there pal.

You're really not wrapped right son

[DazBob]

Hotel recommendations? Somewhere decent, not a lads trip....

 

If you're staying for 2 or 3 nights then I'd recommend looking at renting an apartment. They're easy enough to find on t'internet.

 

I had my stag do there a few years ago and the ones we rented worked out cheaper than the hotels, plus they were well located and the buildings were beautiful.

[Traf]

If you're staying for 2 or 3 nights then I'd recommend buying a house for thrumpence

[Clean Shirt]

Went earlier on this year, brilliant.

Dirt cheap as well, spent about 250 quid on the whole thing, 5 nights, nice apartment as well.

Auschwitz was good, thought it'd be a bit of a dampner but it's been a museum so long it seemed a bit desensitised.

Apartment we were in was Rainbow apartments, definitely reccommend them