Our Recommendations for Krakow

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Our tour guides are not only experts in the history of Krakow, but they’re also experts in the best places to eat, drink, and play in Poland’s greatest city. Read your guide’s recommendations below!

See videos and photo albums of some of our favorite places on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook at @KrakowExplorers

The Best Restaurants for Polish Food: • Kuchina u Doroty • Babcia Maliny • Morskie Oko • Dawno Temu	The Milk Bars (Bar Mleczny) in Krakow: • Bar Mleczny Centralny • Bar Mleczny Poludniowy • Bar Mleczny Pod Temida • Bar Mleczny Flisak	Best Place in Krakow to Grab a beer: • Wezze Krafta • Multi Qlti • Viva la Pinta • Omerta Pub • CK Browar
Cool Bars in Kazimierz (The Jewish Quarter): • Alchemia • Mleczarnia • Eszeweria • Singer • Hevre	Our Favorite Museums in Krakow: • Schindler’s Factory (WWII) • Czartoryski Palace (they have a Da Vinci!) • MNK (National Museum in Krakow) • MOCAK (Modern Art Museum) • Manggha Japanese Museum • Eagle Pharmacy	Our Favorite Sites that often get overlooked: • Eagle Pharmacy Museum • St. Francis Basilica • Ghetto Wall Fragment • Plaszow Concetration Camp • The Mounds of Krakow
Cheapest Bars in Krakow: • Pijalnia Wodki i Piwa • Bania Luka • Komisariat	Best Wine Bars in Krakow: • Metalowe Wino • Czarna Owca • NOTO Wine Bar • BARaWINO	Hidden Bars in Krakow: • Mercy Brown • William Rabbit • The Trust Bar
Beer Gardens/Courtyards: • Mleczarnia • KlubRe • Schindler’s Passage Bars • Ulica Krokidyli (in the back)	Places to Swim in Krakow: • Lake Zakrzowek • Zalew Bagry • Przylasek Rusiecki • Kryspinow • Sosina (outside of Krakow)	Best Spots in Nature in Krakow: • Las Wolski Forest • The Planty Park • Park Bednarskiego • Zakrzowek • Ojcow National Park (outside the city) • Krakus Mound
Best Outdoor Activity: • Watch the sunset from Krakus Mound • Swim in Zakrzowek Lake • Hike through Last Wolski forest to the Pilsudski Mound for a picnic • Take a stroll through Planty Park	Best Breakfast/Brunch in Krakow: • Poranki • Charlotte • Alchemia • Hevre • Ranny Ptaszek • Milk Bar Tomasza • Manggha Cafe	Best Non-Polish Restaurants: • Vamos! • Mezallians • MAZI • Luktung • Molam Thai • Youmiko Sushi • Urara Hot Pot (Shabu Shabu) • Akita Ramen • Kinki Ramen
Best Spots for a Coffee in Krakow: • Aura in Stary Kleparz • Karma • Crush • Marble Cafe • Camelot	Best Ice Cream or Gelato in Krakow: • Emil’s near Rynek Podgorski • Good Lood (multiple locations) • LODY (Pracownia Cukiernicza) • MagdalenkaGelato	Indoor Activities (Non-Museum): • Krakow Arcade Museum • Hala Centralna for bowling, billiards, or roller skating • Park Wodny Indoor Waterpark • Bunny Cafe • Cat Cafe
Best Day Trips from Krakow: • Zakopane (Tatra Mountains and Morskie Oko) • Auschwitz Concentration Camp • Wieliczka Salt Mines • Wadowice (JPII Birthplace) • Czestochowa (Home of the Black Madonna at Jasna Gorna Monastery)	Best Souvenir Shopping in Krakow: • The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) • Hello Handmade • Krakow Story • Popper Synangogue • KrakowPlaces.com	Best Markets in Krakow: • Stary Kleparz (Mon-Sat) • Nowy Kleparz (Mon-Sat) • Hala Targowa Flea Market (Sundays) • Plac Nowy Secondhand Clothing (Sundays)
Best Polish Food to Order: • Pierogi • Bigos • Żurek • Gołąbki • Kielbasa • Placki ziemniaczane • Barszcz • Oscypek • Rosół • Kotlet Schabowy (also available as chicken usually)	Best Polish Street Food to try: • Zapiekanka from Plac Nowy • Kumpir Baked Potatoes • Kielbasa Sausage from the Blue Van • Maczanka from Andrus food truck • Obwarzanek	Best Old Town Sites: • St. Mary’s Basilica • Wawel Cathedral • Slowacki Theater • City Walls and Barbican • The Cloth Hall • St. Francis Basilica • Jagiellonian Univeristy • Wawel Courtyard • Smok Wawelski Fire-Breathing Dragon
Best Churches to Visit: • St. Mary’s Basilica • Corpus Christi • Wawel Cathedral • St. Francis Basilica • St. Joseph’s Church	Best Synagogues to Visit: • Remuh Synagogue (Functioning Synagogue) • Popper Synagogue (Local Bookstore) • Old Synagogue (Museum) • Temple Synagogue (Functioning Synagogue)	Best Vegan or Vegetarian: • Veganic • No Bones • Glonojad • Ranny Ptaszek • Vegab • Hummus Amamamusi
Best Jewish Quarter Sites: • Any of the 7 Synagogues • The New or Remuh Jewish Cemeteries • Szeroka Street • Plac Nowy • Schindler’s Passage	Best Neighborhoods to Visit: • The Old Town • Wawel Castle District • Nowa Huta • Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter) • Podgorze	Best Burgers or Cheesesteaks in Krakow: • KraCOWska Burgers (also cheesesteaks) • Beef Burger Bar • Tasty Beast Burgers • Yellow Submarine Smashburgers • Matt’s Cheesesteaks
Best Rooftop Bars in Krakow: • SIX Rooftop Bar • Secret Academy of Music Rooftop (strange hours double check before going). • Forum Panorama

What is the Best Milk Bar (Bar Mleczny) in Krakow?

Emily: I love Bar Mleczny Centralny because of it’s authenticity, having been built during communist times in the district of Nowa Huta, which just so happens to be one of the largest planned socialist realist settlements ever built. But if you don’t feel like leaving the city center- Bar Mleczny Pod Temida is the closest to the Main Square. But it might be worth your while to head down to Podgorze and visit Bar Mleczny Południowy as well. It’s closer than the one in Nowa Huta, yet a bit more real than the one in the Old Town. Remember- the more authentic, the more likely that the menu and staff won’t speak English- so be prepared to point and smile, and be surprised by the food you get! Most Milk Bars are only open M-F so also check their hours before heading all the way over on a weekend, you just might find the doors closed.

Where is the Most Authentic or Traditional Polish Food in Krakow?

Emily: Milk Bars are a great place to go for traditional Polish food- but since we’ve already recommended our favorite for those above, I’ll give you an actual restaurant (or two) this time. Morskie Oko and Kuchina u Doroty have the best Polish food in Krakow. Their soups are phenomenal, and while I prefer to order a chicken cutlet with potatoes and shredded salads (Surówka) from Kuchina u Doroty- my favorite thing at Morskie Oko is their grilled sausages to start (Kiełbasa) followed by a plate of homemade pierogi. I do also think that Starka should probably be listed here, but I won’t lie to you, I’ve never been! It’s on my list.

What is your favorite museum in Krakow?

Emily: I think the Czartoryski Palace is somewhere that really captures the elegance of Krakow, and it’s a museum that often gets overlooked. With a collection of 3 Billion Euro worth of art, there’s something for everyone to be amused by. The best part is that the museum has both a da Vinci and a Rembrandt- but it’s not usually very crowded around them. So if you’ve ever been to see the Mona Lisa and got lost in sea of cellphones and shuffling crowd- the Czartoryski Palace will offer you a more intimate moment with a painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Sometimes when I go, I’m the only one in the room!

What is your favorite indoor activity in Krakow?

Emily: I absolutely love going to the Krakow Arcade Museum– you pay per hour (or for the full day) and have unlimited access to all the arcade games. My favorite is GuitarHero- with the Dance Dance Revolution game coming in a close second. But they’ve also got pinball machines and vintage arcade games too! I’ve spend a few hours here before– but what’s even better now, is that on one side of the building (Hala Centralna) there’s a bowling alley and billiards; and on the other side a roller-skating rink!

What is your favorite outdoor activity in Krakow?

Emily: Swimming at Zakrzowek Lake is my absolute all time favorite thing to do in Krakow- not just my favorite outdoor activity. The crystal clear water of this old limestone quarry was recently renovated to also include pools. Sometimes they have a long line, but I’m an expert on this area, so you can ALWAYS access the lake without having to wait for the pools- you can read how here. While I’m probably at Zakrzowek in summer at least a couple times per week- I don’t want to leave out the Mounds of Krakow here. They’re a close second for my favorite outdoor activity. Hiking up Krakus Mound to see the sunset- or through Las Wolski Forest to picnic at Piłsudski Mound is a must-do for anyone that likes to get a bit off the beaten path on their visit.

What is your favorite café in Krakow?

Emily: This is so hard to answer because Krakow’s cafe culture is fire– like there’s an awesome cafe on almost every corner. But if I have to narrow it down to just a handful; I would say near the Old Town- head to Aura in Stary Kleparz, they roast their own beans and it’s just really cool to sit and relax in Krakow’s Oldest Covered market.

What is your go to brunch spot?

Emily: I probably go to Ranny Ptaszek most often for brunch- and I really love the atmosphere here, as well as the vegetarian menu; however, it’s often hard to find a seat here because it’s so small. So I think for visitors- Charlotte (with two locations in Krakow) is probably the best recommendation I can make. It’s a French-inspired bistro, popular throughout Poland, that is known for their classic breakfast of a fried or soft-boiled egg; accompanied by a basket of fresh made breads and a croissant; plus your choice of chocolate spreads, honey, or homemade jams. Made even better if you add on a glass of champagne!

What is your favorite park in Krakow?

Emily: I think Szymborska Park, with it’s huge mural of the late poet’s most famous poem “Never Twice” is going to become one of my favorites as the trees begin to grow there, but since it’s quite new and needs some time to grow, I’ll pick Park Bednarskiego. It’s been around for over a century, so it’s full of lush trees and has a really interesting location up above Podgorze. I love that when they renovated the park recently they put in the Mech Cafe, so it’s a great place for a walk, a picnic, or to grab a cup of coffee. The Planty Park is also a favorite of mine- and you’ve probably noticed it already if you’ve seen a map of Krakow. The Planty is that green belt that surrounds the entire old town. It actually used to be the city’s moat! It can get crowded during high season and good weather, but when the tourist crowds thin out a bit, it’s a great place to go for a jog or a bike ride, or just a walk about the Old Town.

What is your favorite souvenir shop in Krakow?

Emily: I’ve got three go to spots when I’m shopping in person for souvenirs in Krakow. First I go to the Cloth Hall right in the middle of the Main Square. They’ve got all your generic stuff- and the prices aren’t so bad to be honest. Then for things a bit more special I head to Hello Handmade on Florianska Street. And lastly the Popper Synagogue in Kazimierz on Szeroka Street has lots of gift ideas, many with more connection to that specific district. If I need to buy something online though- I love the gifts Krakow Places has for sale in their shop.

What is your favorite pub or bar in Krakow?

Emily: This is probably an unpopular opinion- but my favorite place to drink is Pijalnia Wodki i Piwa. Maybe it just makes me nostalgic for my younger years, but it’s always been a go to place for us– usually at the beginning or the end of a night out. I highly recommend their Wściekły Pies shot (vodka and raspberry syrup layer to look like the Polish flag then hot sauce is added and floats down to the center of the shot)- make sure you take it all at once, because if you just sip it, you’ll end up burning your lips when you get to the Tobasco. They also have great homemade lemon vodka called cytranowka; and it’s great in the shot called Chupa Chups, where they mix it with ginger syrup and add a dash of black pepper. I will warn you though- the later you go to this bar, the stickier, and drunker the whole place gets– you’ve been warned.

What is your favorite outdoor café or beer garden in Krakow?

Emily: The Mleczarnia Beer Garden in Kazimierz is a really cool spot just next to the famous Schindler’s Passage where they filmed one of the most famous scenes of the movie Schindler’s List. I get really excited to see this spot open up every spring as we prepare for warmer days. But in the Old Town, you might be surprised to find many courtyard gardens hidden behind a lot of the old bars, so keep your eyes peeled. But one of the best is KlubRe, so if you happen to be on that side of town see if they’ve got a seat here for you, it’s worth it.

What is your favorite market in Krakow?

Emily: I do all my produce shopping at Stary Kleparz– and they’ve got lots of locally produced items there as well, so it’s worth a visit. Plus it’s the oldest covered market in Krakow, so there’s hundreds of years of history now. In the last few years though we’ve seen lots of little lunch spots, cafes, and even a couple bars open up in this space as well. Bit if you’re looking for flea markets- the best is Hala Targowa. The only problem is, it only happens on Sundays. But if you happen to be here on a Sunday, Hala Targowa is a traditional flea market with everything… but on Plac Nowy you’ll find a second hand clothing market every Sunday as well.

What is your favorite local festival in Krakow?

Emily: For me, it’s the Jewish Culture Festival and FestivALT (alternative Jewish Culture Festival) that coincide every summer here in Krakow. Every year I learn so much about the Jewish history of Krakow, but they also have amazing concerts, film screenings, panel discussions, and more. It’s truly an event I look forward to year after year; and it’s amazing how many people actually come to Krakow every year to participate.