Peak Kraków: Things I loved about Poland’s most beautiful city
By Leanne Kitchen
Yes Auschwitz, yes the Salt Mines, and yes Zakopane, the quaint town in the Tatra mountains that’s a popular side-trip. These iconic places might already be on your must-see list if you’re bound for Kraków, but this city, an architectural and cultural gem that effortlessly balances medieval history with dynamic, youthful energy, offers so much that you might run short of time for optional jaunts. Beyond the touristy main square—beautiful as it is—lies a world of experiences that reveal the city’s soul. Here’s a list of the things I loved the most during a recent, all-too-short visit to this, Poland’s iconic, beautiful, second-largest city.
Ambasada Śledzia, aka ‘The Herring Embassy’
This shrine to Poland’s beloved herring serves the polarising preserved fish in numerous guises—with creamy dill sauce, tossed in zesty mustard dressing, and even beer-battered and stuffed into burgers. The broader menu lists other salty, small bites (zakąski), designed to support the extensive vodka list and sometimes referred to as ‘Polish tapas’, as well as soups, potato pies and hearty pork knuckle for the very hungry. Bania Luka is another place offering similar fare, although it’s more of a raucous pub and their menu is less extensive. Mismatched furniture, warm lighting, and a mix of curious tourists and chatty locals make the Herring Embassy feel like a secret club. Whether you come to kick off your evening with a shot and a snack before dinner elsewhere, or to end it lingering over your last bite of herring, a final toast of vodka, and some good-natured banter, it’s great.
The Baking!
If there's one thing to rival Kraków's cultural offerings, it's the city's dedication to baking. Family-run Cukiernia Śliwa was my favourite place for the famous light, fluffy różane pączki (rose jam-filled doughnuts). Poles take their pączki so seriously that they dedicate them entire day called Fat Thursday, when the nation devours around 100 million. (Poland’s population is around 36 mill, so you do the maths). Silwa still uses homemade rose jam in theirs (most places don’t anymore), which explains why locals queue around the block during peak hours. It’s more of a grab-and-go bakery, but there are a few places to sit and they will make you a coffee.
Another must-visit is Cukiernia Cichowscy, in business since 1945, with a lovely cafe to sit and linger. They bake a divine drożdżówka z owocami (a soft, fruit and streusel-topped yeast bun) and rogale świętomarcińskie, also called St Martin’s croissants. These are like a regular large croissant but on steroids; they’re stuffed with a white poppy seed, cake crumb, nut, raisin and candied fruit mixture, iced, topped with nuts, and traditionally served on St Martin’s Day on 11th November. I shared one with the Trav Bud and it stopped both of us in our tracks for the rest of the day. The sernik (Polish cheesecake) here is the stuff of legend, and it’s made with twaróg, a distinctive Polish curd cheese that gives a lighter texture than our cream cheese versions.
The Princes Czartoryski Museum
The Louvre might have the Mona Lisa, but Krakow’s Princes Czartoryski Museum is home to da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine. You can admire this masterpiece in peace and quiet and this experience alone is worth the admission price. The museum was founded in 1796 and has a massive collection spanning Old Masters (Rembrandt, Lorenzo Lotto, Lucas Cranach, Hans Holbein et al), ancient artefacts, and decorative arts showcasing Poland’s cultural and artistic evolution—it’s worth spending a few hours here. I also enjoyed The Ethnographic Museum of Kraków, a trove of Polish culture and tradition that gives a glimpse into the crafts and customs of the past. Housed in a charming old building, the exhibits include everything from intricately embroidered folk costumes to beautifully recreated village interiors.
Wandering Through Kleparz
A relatively under-the-tourist-radar neighbourhood, Kleparz has the kind of gritty charm I’m particularly fond of. Staying here put me close to the Old Town while enjoying a quieter, more residential area at the end of each day. With a vibe that’s distinctly ‘lived-in’, it’s dotted with understated treasures all without the tourist throngs.
St. Florian’s Church, for example, is a striking Gothic structure from the 12th century, holding a special place in Polish history as it was the starting point for royal processions to Wawel Castle. Nearby, you’ll find Plac Matejki, a square dominated by the Grunwald Monument, commemorating a defining battle in Polish history. Behind here lies the renowned Academy of Fine Arts, where some of Poland’s most famous artists were educated. Kleparz is also home to one of Kraków’s oldest and most beloved markets, Stary Kleparz, operating since the 14th century. You’ll find produce, regional cheeses like oscypek (a salty, smoked sheep’s milk cheese form the nearby Tatra Mountains), smoked sausages, honey, and pickled just-about-everything. It’s perfect for self-catering supplies, or just to go and soak in the vibes; it’s best on a Saturday morning. At the entrance there’s a coffee roastery called Aura—locals say theirs is the best coffee in town. Whether that’s true or not, it’s certainly fun sitting in their little shaded area out front, watching Kraków’s coffee freaks come and go.
Exploring MOCAK (Museum of Contemporary Art)
While my travel buddy headed to Oscar Schindler’s Enamel Factory, now turned into a stellar museum about the Nazi occupation of Kraków, I dove into MOCAK, right next door. After visiting Auschwitz, the former Jewish Ghetto and other Holocaust sites, I'd had my fill of annihilation narratives and reminders of the grim past. I wanted an avant-garde high! Both these museums are in the revitalised Podgórze district, with MOCAK’s stark industrial architecture setting the stage for thought-provoking exhibitions by both Polish and international artists. Including Ai Weiwei, Beat Streuli and Krzysztof Wodiczko. There’s something delightfully jarring about an edgy art space right next to Schindler’s Factory—it’s almost like Kraków saying, “Yeah, we know our past is heavy, but we’re so much more than that.” Bonus; the museum's tranquil café serves a mean sernik (cheesecake).
The Gobsmacking Stained Glass Workshop and Museum
The Stained Glass Workshop and Museum (Pracownia i Muzeum Witrażu) is one of Kraków’s unsung attractions; I found it by happy accident. It’s a living museum and a working studio where centuries-old techniques are still practised. Established in 1902 by celebrated architect and entrepreneur Stanisław Gabriel Żeleński, it became a hub for some of Poland’s most distinguished stained glass artists and among its remarkable collection are works by Józef Mehoffer and Stanisław Wyspiański, pioneers of the Polish Art Nouveau movement. (I later visit the oft-overlooked Jozef Mehoffer House, and really enjoy that too).
On a guided tour I learned about the laborious process of crafting windows, from the initial sketch to the delicate task of cutting coloured glass, applying hand-painted details, and firing pieces in the kiln. Every step is performed painstakingly and with no concession to modern technology whatsoever. One of the highlights is the stained glass artist’s atelier, virtually unchanged since the early 20th century. Over the 120-odd years of operation, this very atelier has created windows for some of Poland’ most iconic architectural landmarks, including Kraków’s Wawel Cathedral, St. Mary’s Basilica, and countless others.
Dawn Patrol At Planty Park
Planty Park in the morning is magic; the mist hovers and street lights softly glow. This 4-kilometre green belt hugging the Old Town was created in the 1820s when the medieval city walls were demolished—you can still spot the odd fortress tower peeking through the greenery. For peak morning vibes, grab a coffee and still-warm drożdżówka (sweet bun) from Cukiernia Michałek Szczepańska Street—their cinnamon rolls and poppy seed rolls (makowiec) have been fuelling early risers since communist times. Find yourself one of those vintage benches near the Barbican, and watch the city wake while cooing pigeons hold their morning meet-ups.
Pro tip: The stretch between Wawel Castle and the Barbican is particularly photogenic at dawn when the sun hits the old defence towers. And if you're here in spring (I wasn’t), they say the magnolia trees near Jagiellonian University put on a pink-and-white show that'll send your Instagram followers into a frenzy of oohs and ahhs, if you’re into that.
Stepping into History at WW2 Museums
The Pomorska Street Museum (the former Gestapo HQ) and Polish Army Museum tell extraordinary tales of the destruction and resistance that shaped modern Kraków—these aren't your standard 'old uniforms and medals' types of institutions.
The Modernist-era Pomorska Street building still has the original Gestapo cells pretty much as they were left, bearing witness through original prisoner graffiti; the desperate messages, some scratched with bare fingernails, range from poetry to last goodbyes. Displayed with precise translations, you really hear those voices from the past and it’s incredibly moving.
The Museum of The Polish Army honours the Armia Krajowa, the largest resistance movement in Nazi-occupied Europe with around 400,000 members. They ran underground schools, published newspapers, and even had their own postal service. The Museum picks up these threads with some jaw-dropping artefacts, like a fully reconstructed resistance radio station, a reconstructed V-2 rocket, and intricately forged identity papers that literally saved lives.
Discovering Hidden Courtyards
Beyond Kraków's bustling main square lies a network of hidden courtyards and alleyways, some still functioning as workplaces or residences. The most impressive is the Collegium Maius courtyard, part of the Jagiellonian University, where Copernicus studied. Dating to the 14th century, it features an astronomical clock that puts on a musical puppet show at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm daily. There's also a peaceful café. Another gem is the Małopolska Garden of the Arts behind the National Old Theatre, a modern cultural venue in a refurbished 19th-century stable that boasts contemporary sculptures, a vertical garden, and plenty of quiet. Apparently it’s especially magical in spring when the wisteria blooms, turning the whole space into a fairy tale.
Don't miss the courtyard at Canonical House (ul. Kanonicza 21)—a medieval time capsule with worn stone steps and ancient wall paintings. For something different, peek into the technicolor courtyard at Józefa 12 in Kazimierz, where local artists have transformed a drab space into a mural-filled explosion of colour.
Exploring the Milk Bars
Booming during communist times, 'milk bars' were so-called because they originally served only dairy-based dishes to make up for meat shortages. These days, they're canteen-style eateries that still sling out hearty, filling, home-style Polish classics. Finding a proper milk bar takes effort; they don't have fancy signage out front or English menus. Bar Mleczny Targowy and Bar Mleczny Pod Temidą are the real deal (there are more but too many for a single trip unless milk bars are all you’re here for!) where you'll rub shoulders with pensioners, students, and local workers all queuing for their favourite comfort food.
What to expect? A no-frills experience with no-nonsense staff; menu boards might be handwritten, the furniture will remember the 1970s, and you'll need to master the fine art of pointing (and smiling) when ordering unless you know some Polish. Just saying ‘poproszę'—'please'—will go a long way to smooth your experience. Bring cash, arrive by 11.30am to dodge crowds, and try dishes like żurek (tangy rye soup with sausage and egg) and placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes).
The Bugler of St. Mary’s Basilica
Kraków's live hourly trumpet call is properly cool. From St Mary's Basilica’s tallest tower (82 metres high), a lone bugler belts out the Hejnał Mariacki (literally "The Trumpet Call of St. Mary’s"), a tradition dating back to the 14th century. It was originally used to mark the opening and closing of the city gates and to warn of fire or an enemy attack. The bugler plays four times, once in each direction, and today the assembled tourist crowds cheer while the bugler waves. It’s actually very charming. Quirkily, the performance always ends abruptly, mid note. Legend has it that in the 1200s, a watchman spotted Tartar invaders and sounded the alarm, thus saving the city. Unfortunately he was shot with an arrow mid-call, so now every performance ends this way in his honour.
The buglers come from Kraków's fire department and they play rain or shine. The melody is a national symbol and is broadcast live at noon on Polish Radio, a tradition since 1927. Hot tip: climb the tower for a ripper view of the Old Town and a closer look at the bugler. Fair warning though—those 300 or so medieval stairs are a proper workout!
Let’s go travelling…
