Kosmopolitan Krakow

To be truthful, I went back and forth for a few weeks before deciding to book my trip to Krakow. The trip would be just a few days before a two-week trip to Spain to hike a portion of the Camino and I was feeling a bit worn out from the amount of travel I was doing. With the help of my persuasive husband, I realized I didn’t know when I’d have another opportunity to do this sort of travel and I should seize the day, YOLO, etc. Off I went for a four-day trip at the end of September fortified with a long list of suggestions from a mutual Polish friend.

I didn’t quite know what to expect for Krakow but I think some of the Polish stereotypes had seeped in and boy, were they wrong! Krakow blew me away. It is an exciting mix of old and new, quirky traditions, historic buildings and green spaces, friendly people, and an inclusion of different cultures and perspectives. The energy pulsating through the city is contagious and I very much wished I could’ve visited in a non-COVID time. There’s a whole underground nightlife culture with hundreds of bars beneath the city which didn’t feel safe given the pandemic and the lack of mask-wearing by the majority of folx there.

From the moment I arrived, I was enchanted and delighted by the city and its people. There are a lot of legends and traditions that the city collectively participates in.

For instance, one legend is that during the Mongol attack of Krakow there was a trumpeter who alerted the city to the oncoming attack by playing a refrain on his trumpet. He was shot with an arrow mid-song. To commemorate his sacrifice, every hour on the hour from the top of the taller tower of St. Mary’s Basilica a trumpeter plays the same refrain which abruptly ends when the legends holds that the trumpeter was shot. At the top of the hour, everyone in the square below the tower is silent and attentively listens to the trumpeter. Once the trumpeter finishes, they wave at the crowds below.

I learned about these types of legends and more on a free walking tour which was a perfect introduction to the city and its history. It’s also interesting to me to see who else is on the tours and where they traveled from — on this tour, I was the only American.

While I did a few touristy things, the highlight for me was simply wandering around the city and soaking it all in. That, and all of the delicious food and vodka!

I paid to see the inside of St. Mary’s Basilica and to climb to the top of the trumpeter’s tower. The inside of the church is beautiful and worth the few dollars admission fee. The climb up the tower is scheduled in small groups and is only offered seasonally. The view at the top is spectacular on a clear day.

There’s a permanent farmer’s market called Stary Kleparz near Old Town which was delightful to walk around. It made me wish I was staying in Krakow a few more days so I would have the opportunity to shop there and make some meals from the amazing products.

Every meal I had was delicious and they ranged from very traditional to a modern and sometimes healthier take on typical Polish cuisine.

I had two amazing street food experiences. One was grilled sausage with a roll out of a blue van. It is run by two guys and they start grilling around 8pm most evenings. There seems to always be a line but it moves very quickly. The other was a traditional Polish dish – zapiekanka – which is half a baguette served open-face and hot with mushrooms and cheese with choice of sauce. You can add a bunch of different toppings but I was told to go with the classic. There are several places that serve zapiekanka and I want to Zapiekanki Królewskie, a stall in a square that was also recommended. Both meals, while definitely not healthy, were superb.

The more “modern” dishes I had were also spectacular. I stumbled upon Pierwszy Stopień Restaurant when I was searching for a late lunch. Their daily lunch special caught my eye — a very reasonably priced cream of green pea soup and an entree of buckwheat noodles with veggies. The restaurant touts its reliance on local suppliers and that is definitely tasted in their food. I also got a beautiful cocktail to accompany my meal. The ambiance was nicely designed as well. My other experience was also happenstance when I was searching for a vodka tasting and something sweet. Starka Restaurant & Vodkas was perfect! A great outdoor dining set up, amazing vodkas made in-house!, and a delicious dessert. I think I lucked out in not needing a reservation since I was a solo diner on a weeknight.

And, finally, I had two very traditional meals. My favorite was at Kuchnia u Doroty where I got a half order of potato pancakes with goulash and a side of mixed salads. The meal was basically what I envisioned Polish food would be like but even better! I, of course, had to get pierogis as well which I did at a local chain, Przystanek Pierogarnia. I got the mix of 10 savory pierogis, a slice of Szarlotka (traditional apple cake), and a cup of Nasz Kompot (a traditional fruit beverage).

Besides the outstanding food, my overall takeaways of Krakow were that it is a very friendly city populated with lots of green spaces and cool street art. There is a lot of diversity in terms of people and cuisine. It is an active city — I walked along the river on a beautiful path that was filled with bikers, runners, and walkers. While it doesn’t feel particularly religious, I saw a notable number of nuns walking around.

I am very glad I made the decision to travel to Krakow and only wish I had more time to explore this unique, energetic, and welcoming city.