This is my first post in the section I have called "Interviews" in which I have the intention to have some of my best friends from around the world sharing with you their best knowledge about specific cities and countries.
We always want to avoid typical touristic stuff when travelling, right? So what could be better than getting some tips from locals?
This was the main reason to open up this series of interviews and I really hope you find them useful.
So let´s get started. Today I have had the pleasure to have a nice chat with Halina, a Polish girl born in a little village in the south of Poland, close to the border with Slovakia. She has lived in Krakow for more than 7 years and now she will share with us some extraordinary useful tips. This article is especially for the ones that are planning to visit Krakow (or Poland) soon.
Dzien dobry Halina, Jak sie masz?
Dzien dobry Pedro!
Dobrze, dziekuje. A ty?
Bardzo sie ciesze, ze mogliemy sie tu dzisiaj spotka? (Very happy to be here with you)
Stop using Google translate!
I am afraid my Polish is very limited. Haha. We will continue talking English if you do not mind, do you?
Haha, yes! Your Polish is very funny! Just joking, I don´t mind at all!
Perfect! Thank you. If I say Krakow...What is the first word that comes up to your mind?
Home!
Could a tourist feel a bit of "home" there?
Of course! Krakow is very international. We are used to have a lot of tourists there and local people will be very happy to help with everything you may need. Poles are famous for their hospitality and they always tent to treat visitors in a special way. Don´t hesitate to ask if you get lost or you need some advice where to go etc.
Where is your secret spot in Krakow? The place (can be a bar, a park or whatever) where you feel special?
I have a few secret places :) A cafe that I like to go to is "Siesta Cafe" in Stolarska st. - it's a very small but cosy place:). Another one is in Kazimierz district, Józefa st - it's called "Eszeweria". You can check it out on Tripadvisor.
Apart from that, I love going to Kopiec Krakusa (Krakus' Mound) in Podgórze and to Park Decjusza - but this one is far from the centre so it may be a good idea to visit it if you are planning to spend more time in the city, not only a weekend :)
We, the Spanish people, love the art of food. Could you name some good and non touristy Polish restaurants?
My one and only is "Marchewka z Groszkiem" in Mostowa st. Very traditional and not known by tourists. Another one is "Miodova" in Szeroka st, it's a bit more modern but you can try some rare cracovian wines there!
Any Typical food you would specially recommend?
Of course pierogi (dumplings), barszcz (beetroot soup), zurek (sour soup ) and Polish cheesecake.
To whom would you recommend to visit Krakow?
To everyone! To the ones who like culture and history related stuff because the city has plenty of museums and corners where you can breathe history all around you.
To young people who like to party. Krakow is one of the most famous "Erasmus Cities" in Europe, so unless you come during summer, you will find a lot of young people.
To older people who like to go on a nice and calm city strolls with good food and good atmosphere.
To the couples for a romantic weekends. Our architecture makes the city special for lovers :)
Could you tell us how much would be the price for a beer in a bar, a dinner for two etc?
1 Beer in a bar - 10 PLN, (Around 2 Eur)
A nice dinner for two people around 150 PLN (35 Eur)
1 night in an average hotel: You can find a bed in the hostel for around 12 Euro. A night in a 4 stars hotel will be around 60 Euro depending on the season.
1 ticket for cinema: depends on the cinema, day of the week and time, but it would cost around 5 - 7 EUR
Public transportation one-ride ticket around 0,70 EUR. By the way, to get to the city center from the airport you can use the buses 208 292 902. One-ride ticket is 4 PLN. You can also take a train to central station. One-way ticket is 8 PLN. More info on krakow airport website
I think we already do have an idea about the cost of living over there...
In general is affordable, but prices are increasing fast last few years...
Let´s talk about the weather now... Which season is in you opinion the best to visit Krakow?
Any time, but for me it would be May and June - my favorite months :) Even though the city looks beautiful in winter when it's snowing, it may be very cold with temperatures around -10/-15 degrees. November is traditionally a very rainy month so I would avoid it if I could.
In May and June everything is green, flowers are blooming everywhere, weather is nice to walk around the city and it does not rain so much.
Any one-day excursion tips?
Definitely, the most popular ones to visit are Auschwitz Birkenau camp, or Wieliczka Salt Mine. Apart from these, a one day trip to the mountains could be a good idea; for example to Zakopane (but it is the most popular mountain town and it could be crowded), Pieniny mountains and Dunajec river rafting during the summer season could be an option :) or Ojcowski National Park that is really close to Kraków - 16 km.
Definitely a lot of options...no way to get bored over there...
Poland is awesome. We have a lot to show!
I saw it with my own eyes last year :) So, to sum up Krakow...Can you give us a top 3 To Do's there?
- To see Wieliczka Salt Mine - one of a kind!
- To visit our Wawel Castle and its Cathedral were greatest Poles are buried.
To finish this interview, I'd like you to talk a bit about the rest of the country as we may have people who want to explore more than Krakow...
Okay Halina, thanks a lot for your time and thank you for your amazing advises you have given us today. After our chat, I can´t wait to be back in Poland again!
It´s been a pleasure. I hope the ones who visit Poland have a great time :)