Travel guide – Krakow, Poland

Krakow:

 City in the center of Europe . Krakow is located in southern Poland near the border with the
Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is located 2,126 km from Madrid.
 It has a population of 766,739 inhabitants .
 It is the second most important city in Poland, after Warsaw. It is also the second most populated
city in Poland.
o Krakow was the capital of Poland for six centuries , from 1038 to 1596 when King
Sigismund III moved it to Warsaw.
 It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. 8 million tourists visit this city. It is
considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world and they say that it is the most beautiful
in all of Poland.
o Its beautiful, well-preserved historic center , declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
in 1978 , is divided into three distinct areas: Wawel Hill , the medieval Stare Miasto
neighborhood and the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz .
 It is a very well preserved city, which survived World War II because the Nazis
established the city of Krakow as their residence during the conflict and no one

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 has ever wanted to bomb it. Only two of the bridges over the Vistula River were
lost.
 Vistula River. The Vistula River is the most important in Poland, and the
longest of those that flow into the Baltic, which rises and ends in Poland.
It is 1,070 km long. Passes through Krakow and Warsaw.
 There are many references to John Paul II , as he was its bishop for more than 20 years and was
archbishop of Krakow between 1962 and 1978.
 Poland's currency is the Zloty , abbreviated as zł (in international markets it is usually abbreviated
as PLN).
The official equivalence with respect to the euro is: €1 = 4.31 PLN
100 zloty = 23.2 euros
The Zloty is divided into 100 Groszy, which are zloty cents.
 It is very typical to ride a calesa (horse carriage), and it costs about €40.

Some souvenirs from Poland :

o Amber jewelry . Fossil resin that has formed over millions of years in the depths of the
Baltic Sea.
o Gingerbread : Typical sweet from Torún, the birthplace of Nicholas Copernicus.
o Bolesławiec Pottery : Hand-decorated with folkloric motifs, the most typical of which is
navy blue polka dots. It can be washed in the dishwasher and used in the microwave.
o Posters : Made by the Polish School of Posters (1950s-1980s), using suggestive and
intelligent allusions to the communist era, they make the designs true works of art.
o Spirits and wine : Some of them described in the “drinks” section
o Decoration elements, casual clothing and unique jewelry made by Polish designers.
Krakow specialties
o Dragons : related to the legend of the shoemaker who saved Krakow from the clutches of
an evil dragon.
o Elements of the Krakow regional costume : Red hats with peacock feathers for men,
embroidered shawls for women.
o Miniature chess board : Made of wood, hand painted in typical Krakow patterns. You can
lock the folding board so you can hide your treasures safely.
o Old photographs of Krakow .

Krakow tourist attractions

Wawel Hill
In the year 1000, on a hill above the Vistula River, the Bishopric was established in Krakow and shortly
afterward the first Wawel Cathedral was built. Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral are located on this hill.

 Wawel Castle
It is an extensive medieval royal castle transformed into a museum exhibiting European paintings
and sculptures. It was a royal residence and combines Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance
elements.

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 o At the foot of the castle is the Wawel dragon. Legend has it that there was once an evil
dragon that devoured all the livestock in the city, until a humble shoemaker had the idea
of stuffing a lamb skin with sulfur and making the dragon eat it. Sulfur is not very good for
the stomach, so the dragon died and became a tourist attraction for Krakow.
 Wawel Cathedral
Gothic cathedral and national sanctuary.

Medieval quarter, old town and historic center Stare Miasto

 Barbican
The Barbican (Barbakan) is the most interesting preserved part of Krakow's medieval fortifications
and one of the few buildings of its style preserved in Europe. Built around 1499 in Gothic style. It
is a defensive structure connected to the walls, from the end of the Middle Ages. It is a historic
gate that leads to the historic center of Krakow. Only 200 meters of the medieval wall that
surrounded the historic center of Krakow are preserved.

 St. Florian's Gate

From the 14th century: one of the few parts of the wall that survive.
 Krakow Market Square (Rynek Glówny)
The largest medieval square in Europe (40,000 square meters) and the nerve center of the city
where we find several emblematic buildings: the Basilica of Santa María, the Tower of the Old
Town Hall and the Cloth Hall.
o St. Mary's Basilica (Mariacka) . It is a 14th century Gothic church with stunning views.
The main tower, the tallest, is 80 meters high. Legend has it that two architect brothers
competed to build the tallest tower. The younger brother who was less important
architecturally speaking, made the tallest tower. And the older brother, out of the rage he
felt, killed his brother, stabbed him and jumped from the highest tower.

At every rush hour during the day, a retired firefighter comes out to play the trumpet.
Legend has it that this tradition dates back 700 years, from when in the Middle Ages the
arrival of invaders to the city was announced by a melody played by a trumpeter.
Normally the melody usually ends suddenly and unexpectedly, to commemorate that the
trumpeter died suddenly while playing because an archer pierced the trumpeter's throat.
o Tower of the Old Town Hall
o Cloth Hall (Sukiennice)
Market and important trading center in the Middle Ages. Here they met in the 14th
century to make purchases and barter. Today it is still an essential place to buy crafts and
souvenirs.
There they sell typical sheepskin rugs for around 100 euros. They were used to provide
shelter because it is very cold in Poland: it can get down to -15 degrees.
Amber is also very famous, which is a fossilized resin, with which they create jewelry.
o Royal Mile (Florianska and Grodzka streets, located at two ends of the Market Square). At
the end of Grodzka Street is Wawel Hill and its castle.

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 o Slowacki Theater
o Church of Saint Adalbert
o St. Andrew's Church
o Adam Mickiewicz Monument
o Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul
o Florianska Street
o Krzysztofory Palace
o Collegium Maius
The Maius College, which belongs to the Jagiellonian University, the second oldest on the
continent after Prague, welcomed illustrious students such as Copernicus and John Paul II.
o Czartoryski Museum
 Planty : pleasant ring-shaped green space that surrounds the old town of Krakow, constituting an
important green lung for the city. Created where the old wall and its dozens of watchtowers were
located, most of them extinct.

Kazimierz Jewish Quarter

The city's Jewish history is seen at Oskar Schindler's Factory and the former Jewish quarter, Kazimierz,
which is now full of trendy cafes and bars.

The Jewish Quarter of Krakow is called Kazimierz and in the 14th century it was a town located on an
island in the Vistula River. There were three medieval settlements there. Around 1200 in Poland Jews
were given freedom of worship, travel and commerce and facilitated the settlement of a significant colony
of Jews.

But the neighborhood suffered terribly during the Nazi occupation. They were thrown from Kazimierz to
the ghetto, on the other side of the river. Crossing the Vistula we continue to relive the Nazi horror in the
Ghetto, a remote area of the city, where the German army transferred some 30,000 Jews who lived in
overcrowded conditions before being transferred to concentration camps as slave labor, German
companies at the service of the Third Reich or directly be executed.

Jews were gathered in Ghetto Heroes' Square before being transported to the concentration camps. In it
there are 68 monuments of chairs that each represent 1000 Jews. During the Nazi occupation, this square
was called Adolf Hitler. In Heroes' Square itself is Apteka Pod Orlem, a museum that commemorates the
figure of Tadeusz Pankiewicz, who ran this pharmacy during the Holocaust and helped the Jews. Recent
research reveals that during the Holocaust some 15 million people died throughout Europe.

In the 19th century there were 65,000 Jews living there, representing 25% of Krakow's population at the
time. Of all the people who came to live in Kazimierz, after the Second World War, with the
extermination, only 6,000 remained. The Oscar-winning “ Schindler 's List ” was filmed among its alleys.
He won 7 Oscars.

One of the businessmen who went to Krakow looking for slave labor for his factories was Oscar Schindler,
whose workers were able to save their lives thanks to his protection. This movie tells the story of Oscar
Schindler who was a businessman who worked in Krakow and employed more than 1,000 Jews, saving
them from being transferred to the extermination camps. Thanks to him many families were saved.
Currently in the Jewish quarter of Krakow there are only 7 synagogues, such as the Isaac Synagogue.

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  Remuh Synagogue
 Galicia Jewish Museum
 old synagogue

Others
 Podgórze district , where the Jewish ghetto and Schindler's Factory were located.
 Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow MOCAK
 Grunwald Monument
 Botanical Garden of the University of Krakow
 Kosciuszko Mound
 Krakus Mound
 Polish Aviation Museum
 Lesser Poland Jacobean Route
 Ojcow National Park
 Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec
 Ogrodzieniec Castle

Curiosities of Poland
 There is a lot of prostitution.
 The food is very cheap.
 The most expensive thing in Poland is clothes.
 The minimum wage in Poland is €409.53. The average salary in Poland is 982 euros.
 Poles sunbathe a lot.
 Education is free. Public university.
 Horse carriage rides are typical to get to know the city center
 Poland is the country in Europe with the least immigration.
 Saint Florian the patron saint of firefighters.
 Poland is the country with the most Catholics per inhabitant in Europe, after Malta.
 Krakow was the city where Catholicism was first established in Poland.
 Poland has been a Catholic country for more than a thousand years, the first Polish monarch to be
baptized was Duke Mieszko I in the 10th century.
 Polish public healthcare has the fewest doctors per inhabitant in Europe.
 In Poland they have up to one year of maternity leave. The 500+ program, with the second child they
give you 125 euros per month.
 It has the second oldest university in Europe after Prague. It was founded in 1364, under the reign of
Casimir III, the Great and John Paul II and Copernicus studied.
 Poland was the fourth country with the most deaths during World War II. It is estimated that about 6
million people perished.
 Krakow is the most visited city in Poland, receiving 8 million tourists every year.
 Krakow lives off tourism. They are very interested in having the city organized. There are many
churches. 90% of the population is Catholic.
 In terms of character, Poles can seem very serious, but then they are very nice once you get to know
them.

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 The way to greet is 3 kisses .
 When you arrive at a Polish house it is normal to take off your shoes.
 They really like order.
 You have to be polite, it is very frowned upon to get upset.
 The restoration part is surprisingly cheap. The coffee is expensive, like 2 euros.
 Curious bar: Singerclub where the tables are sewing machines. American Isaac M. Singer launched his
improved version of the sewing machine in 1850.

Excursions
Two essential and mandatory excursions:

Auschwitz concentration camp - Birkenau

The Nazi regime carried out Jewish persecution (1,300,000 people) during World War II, and murdered
1,100,000, 90% of whom were Jews. During the war, the Germans had a total of 47 concentration camps
operating, including Auschwitz. At the entrance it says “ Arbeit macht frei ” which means “Work will make
us free.”

Auschwitz operated between May 20, 1940 and January 27, 1945, when it was liberated by the Soviet
Army. Pope Francis I visited this concentration camp last July completely in silence. When prisoners tried
to escape, they were starved to death and their families were captured.

The Nazis were so sadistic that they made soap from the fat of the Jews. Before burning the Jews, they cut
their hair and made thread for blankets, sheets or uniforms that the Jews later wore.

Transportation to Auschwitz: There are buses that leave from the main station to Oświęcim Muzeum and
cost around 15 PLN.

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Also called “Krakow Salt Mines”, they are located 18 km from the city. They were declared a World
Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978 .
It is the most visited place in Poland : every year it receives more than a million tourists. Entering these
salt mines costs €36.
They are mines located 327 m deep made up of various galleries, a vast labyrinth of tunnels and the
spectacular chapel of Santa Kinga , a large room located and sculpted inside the mine itself where
concerts and events are held.
There we can discover its history. It began operating at the end of the 13th century, uninterruptedly, until
1999. Salt was very important in Poland's economy.
There is a lot of wood because it reaches the ceiling and holds the salt above to prevent collapses. Salt is
for cooking, bath salts, cosmetics. There are 240 km of galleries. All the statues and reliefs in the mine are
made of salt.
Copernicus was a very famous Polish astronomer. It is said that he stopped the sun and moved the earth.
Since 1978, the mine has been inscribed on the UNESCO cultural heritage list. 13.5 million years ago,
there was a sea called the Miocene. The weather was getting hotter and the waters were evaporating.
What remained below was the salt deposit.

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In general, salt functioned as currency. Hence, the word salary. For a block of salt weighing up to two tons
you could buy a horse, five cows or a small village.
The mining profession has always been very dangerous and remains that way to this day. That's why, at
least in Poland, miners are quite religious.
There is a huge chapel. The lamps have salt crystals. On the altar is the figure of Saint Kinga, patron saint
of miners in Poland. She was canonized on June 16, 1999 by John Paul II.
To go, it is advisable to take bus 304 . It costs about 4.6 PLN.
Other excursions
Mountainous and tourist city of Zakopane , where you can visit the Tatra Mountains. The best way to get
to Poland's winter capital is by taking a bus or minibus from the main bus station. The trip takes about
two hours and the ticket costs about 20 PLN. Buses to Zakopane leave every 15 minutes.

Basic Polish Phrases

 Good day good evening Dzień dobry /dobre yin/
 Bye Do widzenia /do vitsénia/
 Sorry, sorry Przepraszam /pshe-prásh-am/
 Thank you Dziękuję /yen-cú-ie/
 Please Proszę /proshe/
 Where is…? Gdzie jest…? /g-ye is this…?/
 How can I get to…? Jak dojadę do…? /iak do-iáde do…?
 How much does it cost? Ile to kosztuje? /i-le to cosh-tu-ie?/
 Two shots of vodka, please Dwa szoty czystej, proszę! /dva shote chéstei, proshe!/
 Two beers please Dwa piwa proszę /dva piva, proshe/
 Health! Na zdrowie! /na sdróvia/
 I love Krakow Kocham Krakow /co-jam crack-ugh/
 Merry Christmas / Happy Easter Wesołych Świąt /ves-ó-uej sh-viónt/
 Happy new year Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku /schen-shu-vé-go-no-vé-go ro-k/

Recommended sites
 Breakfast in Charlotte

Transport
Options once you arrive at the airport:

 Bus
The cheapest option to get to the city center is the bus. This city is very well connected. The
journey takes between 30 and 40 minutes and there are buses every 20 minutes.

Bus numbers 208 and 292

Single: 4 zloty

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  Trolley car
A single ticket lasting about 20 minutes costs 2.8 zloty (Strefa 1)

It is advisable to buy the ticket from the large gray machine inside the tram. Chop the bill in a little
orange machine.

o Jakdojade App (to know tram schedules)

 Cab
 Uber
 Discount card: Krakow Card , you can get 3 days with tourist attractions and public transport to
the airport and also to the salt mines. 30 euros. If you only want attractions without
transportation it is 17 euros for 3 days.

recommendations
 Documentation : it is sufficient to travel with the DNI , but it is advisable and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs recommends that apart from the DNI we also travel with the passport . If we get
lost, we would have to go to Warsaw to do all the paperwork.
 In relation to currency exchange, although we are still in the European Union, there is no euro,
but the zloty currency, so we have to change. It is best to bring some money from the country. It
is recommended never to change at the airport. The exchange houses are called “ Kantor ”, it is
better to change there. They usually have good prices so you don't have problems. Without a
doubt it is better to change in the cantons, but you should especially avoid those at the airport
because they are more expensive and those at hotels. In the city centers the change is not bad.
 Health: European health card . This way we can urgently use any public service. The health card
does not replace health insurance. It is always advisable to do it in case we get sick from the
hospital in Poland to Spain, the health card does not cover it, we would need to take out
repatriation insurance, so that we could be evacuated.
 It is advisable to take free tours. (Walkative!)
 Poland is a very safe country. Sometimes robberies and thefts occur in busy areas and
transportation areas. So be careful in these places.
 There is no mandatory vaccination. If we go out to the forest or the field, it is advisable to get
vaccinated against meningitis.
 The weather in winter is very cold. But in summer it is quite hot. It is advisable to bring sunscreen.
 In Poland the authorities are very demanding and ask for 0.0. That is, you can't drink anything.
You must carry all the driving license documentation and also mandatory civil liability insurance. If
you give more than 0.0, they hold you and take you to the police station. This can go on for hours.
They can leave you for several days if there are no interpreters.
 In Poland you have to cross the zebra crossing carefully because there are unknown cars. If you
cross on red, you may have to pay a fine imposed by the police.
 It's okay to take a souvenir: any fashion carving, glass, amber jewelry, cheese, vodka (Soplica
bottle).
 It is advisable to install the mobile application jakdojade.pl , a public transport app that has
everything you need: trams, buses, schedules, routes, stops and tickets.

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  Tap water is safe to drink in Krakow. You should not drink from public fountains unless they
indicate that they are drinking water.
 Polish people tip only if they are satisfied, there is no set mandatory amount.
 It is illegal to drink in the street. If you cause trouble, you may even end up in the drunk cell. The
police can check that you are drinking even if it is from a different bottle.

To learn more about Poland

Films

The films of Andrzej Wajda (honorary Oscar winner):

 Katyń : About the 1940 massacre in the Katyń forest.

 The Marble Man : Story of the legendary builder of Nowa Huta, a model propaganda city of the
communist system built on the outskirts of Krakow.
 The Promised Land : The story of Łódź, Polish Manchester, based on the novel written by Nobel
Prize winner for Literature Władysław Reymont.
 Walesa. The Man of Hope : The story of the charismatic leader of the Solidarity union.
 The Pianist , by Krakow Ghetto survivor Roman Polánski: The story of pianist Władysław Szpilman,
survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto.
 In Darkness , by Agnieszka Holland: Film about a Jewish family that is forced to hide in the sewers
of Lwów (present-day Lviv in Ukraine) during the Nazi occupation.
 Three Colors: Blue , by Krysztof Kiéslowski: Film directed by one of the most influential Polish
directors.
 Sexmission , by Juliusz Machulski: A parody of communism. Science fiction film about the world
after WWII in which only women survive while men become extinct.
 The Mill and the Cross , by Lech Majewski: A mix of technology with a true artistic spirit.
 The Cathedral , by Tomasz Bagiński: An animated short film nominated for an Oscar in 2002.
 Jack Strong , by Władysław Pasikowski: A political thriller based on the life of R. Kukliński, colonel
in the Polish Armed Forces who spied for the CIA during the Cold War.
 Ida , by Paweł Pawlikowski: Beautiful and artistic film about the complicated relations between
Poles and Jews. It won the Oscar for best foreign language film in 2015, the first Polish film to do
so.
 The Karski Report , by Claude Lanzmann: History of Jan Karski, who reported to the Allies on the
situation of the Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland.
 Cold War , by Paweł Pawlikowski: Black and white story about a passionate and complicated love
story that occurs with the Cold War in the background. An Oscar-nominated film.
 Wataha , by Michał Gazda, Kasia Adamik and Jan P. Matuszyński: A Polish television series whose
plot takes place in the Bieszczady Mountains, a magical but extremely dangerous place. Wataha is
about a group of guards tasked with protecting the border between Poland and Ukraine. A risky
door for smuggling weapons, drugs and people looking for a better life.

Books

 Jan M. Małecki, A History of Kraków for Everyone : Easy and fun to read. English Version.
 Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki, Brygida Grysiak, He liked Tuesdays best : A bestseller on the
life of John Paul II. English Version.

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  Norman Davies, God's Playground : Probably the best book on Polish history. In English.
 Tadeusz Pankiewicz, The Krakók Ghetto Pharmacy . English Version.

Translated into Spanish:

 Emilie Schindler, Memoirs Emilie Schindler.

 Timothy Snyder, Lands of Blood: Europe between Hitler and Stalin : A great synthesis of what the
two dictators did in central-eastern Europe.
 Isaac Bashevis Singer: Polish-born author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature for his books
written in Yiddish. The Wizard of Lublin is a sophisticated work that narrates the sexual
compulsion of a man who avoids love.
 Olga Tokarczuk : Writer and activist. One of the Polish authors best valued by critics. Winner of
the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2019. Especially recommended is his work A Place Called Once ,
an example of Polish magical realism. A family saga: births, deaths, the passage of time, magic, all
with the war and chaos of 20th century Europe in the background.
 Stanisław Lem : Science fiction writer, philosopher and futurologist, called by some the HG Polish
Wells. His best book, Solaris , uncovers humans' complete failure to understand the universe,
communicate with extraterrestrial life, and free themselves from guilt and remorse. In 2002, a
movie was made based on this book, starring George Clooney.
 The Witcher : A character created by the Polish fantasy genre author Andrzej Sapkowski. In his
books, he describes the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter. The video game The
Witcher, based on the books, is the most awarded video game in history with 251 awards. Netflix
has produced a series as well.
 For poetry, the works of Czesław Miłosz and Wisława Szymborska are recommended: Both
winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Music

 Revolutionary Study, Op.10 No.12 Fryderyk Chopin, Poland's most famous composer.
 Chopin – the Complete Preludes : Performed by Rafał Blechacz (winner of the Chopin Piano
Competition).
 The soundtrack of Bandyta , by Michał Lorenc.
 Astigmatic , by Krysztof Komeda and Tomasz Stańko (Poland's most famous jazz musician),
probably the best Polish jazz album.
 If you like jazz, we recommend the works of Michał Urbaniak and Leszek Możdżer.
 For lovers of sung poetry, we recommend the works of Marek Grechuta and Grzegorz Turnau.

Meal
Polish food is very caloric. The dishes are quite filling and large, especially because it is cold weather. They
have a mix of many places.

 Pierogi : Polish dumplings, both fried and boiled. The most popular fillings are: ruskie (with
potatoes and quark cheese), pork, cabbage and mushrooms. The last ones are traditional during
Wigilia (Christmas Eve). It is common to see the sweet version, filled with seasonal fruit or cheese.
 Schabowy : Breaded pork fillet; the most popular dish in Poland, served with potatoes and
cabbage.

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  Barszcz : Beet soup, which you can have alone (as a hot drink), with a krokiet (crêpe filled with
meat and mushrooms breaded and fried) with uszka (Polish tortellini filled with meat or
mushrooms served during Wigilia ).
 Żurek : Fermented rye flour soup with egg and sausage (also with potatoes and mushrooms).
 Bigos : Hunter stew. Stew of fermented cabbage, meat and mushrooms, served with bread and
potatoes.
 Placki ziemniazczane : Potato pancakes, a simple dish made with potatoes, onions and eggs, fried
in oil. Served with sour cream or goulash.
 Gołąbki (literally “popcorn”): Stewed stuffed cabbage leaf rolls. The filling can be minced pork and
rice or buckwheat with onion, mushrooms and spices. They are cooked in fat and are usually
served with tomato sauce or tomato sauce.
 Kapusta zasmażana : Braised cabbage, a popular side dish.
 Kapusta kiszona : Fermented cabbage.
 Kasza : Name given to cereals in Polish: buckwheat, barley, millet, semolina, etc. Essential in
Polish gastronomy.
 Golonka : Pork knuckle, covered with a thick outer layer of fat and with a tasty and tender
interior. Unforgettable looking! Commonly served with sauerkraut, mustard or horseradish paste.
 Cholent : Traditional Jewish stew. Usually simmered for 12 hours and served on Shabbat. Its
ingredients are: meat, potatoes, legumes and barley.
 Racuchy : Tasty fritters made with flour, milk, egg, yeast and apple. Fried in oil until golden brown
and served with sugar and cinnamon.
 Chałka (challah): Jewish bread of biblical origin. It is traditionally consumed during Shabbat and
many other festivities. It was introduced into Polish cuisine through the Ashkenazi Jewish culinary
tradition. This braided bread can be made in all kinds of flavors.

Typical food of Krakow and its region:

 Zapiekanka : Half a baked baguette with mushrooms and cheese on top and with the possibility of
adding the ingredients that you like the most.
 Maczanka Krakowska : Roasted pork with onion, served with sauce and a bread roll. The best
part is dipping the bread in the sauce.
 Obwarzanek : Donut-shaped bread with gratin cheese, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, grains of
coarse salt, perfect as a snack. You can buy it at the stalls on the streets of Krakow. Protected by
the EU as a Traditional Specialty.
 Kiełbasa lisiecka : Typical sausage from the towns of Liszki and Czernichów, near Krakow. Made
with minced pork, salt, white pepper and garlic, smoked in the traditional way using alder wood,
beech or fruit trees. Protected by the EU as a Traditional Specialty.
 Oscypek : Smoked cheese made from salted sheep's milk, characteristic of the Tatra Mountains
region. Protected by the EU as a Traditional Specialty since 2007.
 Chleb prądnicki : Artisanal rye bread with a thin, dark crust. Its name comes from the towns near
Krakow, on the banks of the Prądnik stream, where there were water mills.

Seasonal food:

Summer

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  Chłodnik : Cold soup made from cooked beet leaves, mixed with cream and served with
pickles, dill and boiled egg.
 Strawberry and blueberry pierogi : Served with cream or sugar.
 Szczawiówka : Slightly sour soup whose main ingredient is sorrel. Served cold with hard-
boiled egg; essential in the Polish summer.

Winter

 Grilowany oscupek z żurawiną: Roasted oscypek with lingonberry jam.

 Rosół: Chicken broth with carrots, parsley and fine noodles.
 Kaszanka: Black pudding served hot; ideal accompanied by ogórek kiszony (pickles).
 Flaki: Stewed tripe; ideal to combat a hangover.

Sweets and desserts:

 Drożdżówka : Sweet bun, made with drożdże (fresh yeast), which gives it its name. It is normally
eaten for breakfast, it may include fruit, jam, quark cheese and poppy seeds. The jagodzianki
(blueberry) variety is really delicious, made during the summer.
 Sernik : Traditional Polish cheesecake, made from cottage cheese, nuts and chocolate icing.
 Szarlotka : Apple pie, a delicious experience especially served hot accompanied by ice cream.
 Makowiec : Poppy seed cake traditionally served during Christmas. Made with yeast and a poppy
seed paste. According to popular tradition, eating makowiec will bring you happiness and girls
who ground poppy seeds (they are usually ground three times) will find a husband soon.
 Mazurek : Polish only; thin cake traditionally made during Easter with one or two layers of
shortcrust pastry, held together by a thin layer of jam and covered with icing, chocolate and other
delicacies. Splendidly decorated with Easter symbol, mazurek also has a decorative function.
 Malaga, Tiki Taki, Kasztanki : Legendary chocolates from the Wawel chocolate factory, filled with
raisins, nuts and coconut, wafer and cocoa.
 Michałki Białe: Pralines filled with chocolate and chopped peanuts covered in white chocolate
from the Wawel chocolate factory.
 Krówki: Polish soft candy made with milk. Her name literally means “little cow.”
 Ptasie Mleczko: Chocolate covered meringue sponges.

Drinks
Alcohol

 Wódka (pure vodka): It is drunk very cold, and is accompanied by drinking zagryzka afterwards.
 Wódki Raciborskie (Racibórz Vodkas): The tradition in Racibórz distillation dates back to the 19th
century. Their vodkas, liqueurs, and herbal tinctures (produced based on centuries-old recipes of
Franciscan monks) are made with natural ingredients. Try their elderflower liqueur!
 Nalewka : Similar to medicinal tinctures, they are made by infusing spirits with fruits/herbs/spices
creating a thick liquor.
 Tatanka : Żubrówka (European bison grass vodka), served with apple and cinnamon juices.
 Nalewki Wawelskie : One of the best nalewka brands run by a small family business. Try their real
Krakow liquor.

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  Potato Vodka : Made with the best quality potato liqueurs, smooth and exquisite. Without
gluten! Try Chopin Black (the world's most awarded potato vodka), JA Baczewski (traditional
recipe recovered from the 18th century from Lwów, today Lviv in Ukraine), Młody Ziemniak
(made with new potatoes harvested in early spring) or Wódka Starotoruńska.
 Sernik (cheesecake shots): An incredibly delicious drink whose recipe is secret.
 Srebrna Góra (“The Silver Mountain”): Famous wine and vineyard brand with centuries-old
experience and fields from the ancient Camaldolese Monastery; traditional Krakow winemakers.
The best proof that Poland is a land of wines.
 Transfigurato : Elegant, full-bodied red wine made with the Cabernet Cortis, Regent and Rondo
varieties, all characteristics of the contemporary wine tradition, whose revival has been observed
especially in the last two decades. A very complex wine macerated in oak barrels for more than a
year and shows notes of the soil of the Jurassic Highlands of Poland, a region next to Krakow.
 Kimeryd : Polish interpretation of the new orange wine trend. Made with white grapes, in which
their skin is also used in maceration, a common process in the production of red wine. Produced
by the Polish winery Kresy Winery, Kimeryd is made with Johanniter grapes and uses wild yeasts
in its fermentation, resulting in a truly extraordinary flavor.
 Baltic Porter : Typical Polish beer with a toasted appearance, warm, full-bodied and high alcohol
content, perfect for the cold. Aromas of coffee, chocolate and smoked fruits (mainly plums); It can
be kept in the cellar as if it were a red wine.
 Piwo Grodziskie : Sometimes called “Polish champagne” for its high carbonation, it is a historic
Polish wheat beer. Light, smoky, low alcohol content, which was used as a medicinal remedy in
Poland, today the best remedy for hot days... and a hangover cure.
 Ursa Śnieg na Beniowej : (“Snow on Beniowa Mountain”): American Golden Ale. It has a pleasant
orange and vanilla aroma with light notes of ripe peach, kiwi and summer flowers. Due to their
special choice of different hops, you can taste citrus, cinnamon and nutmeg. Finished with a slight
bitterness.
 Ursa Rejwach na Kazimierzu : (“Haleo in Kazimierz”): Exquisite beer with the flavor and aroma of
ripe oranges, delicate bitterness, a touch of fresh mint and a spicy finish, coming from the Belgian
yeast. It will quench the thirst of those in search of jazz or longing for the peaceful Bieszczady
Mountains.

To heat up

 Grzane wino : Mulled red wine prepared with cloves, cinnamon, a slice of orange, dried fruits and
raisins.
 Grzane piwo: Hot beer. Try it with ginger or raspberry syrup.
 Krupnik: Honey liqueur, served with hot water and a slice of lemon or pepper. Try the flavored
krupnik, especially quince and hazelnut.
 Miód pitny (literally “drinking honey”): Polish mead, made from fermented honey, a specialty of
the manor houses of medieval Poland. Try the modern flavored versions: Dwójniak Maliniak (with
raspberry juice) and Dwójniak Jabłkowy (with apple juice).
 Hot chocolate
 Tea with raspberry syrup
 Fruit and cinnamon tea

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Drinks without alcohol

 Maślanka/Kefir : Buttermilk, ideal for hangovers.

 Kompot : Fruit drink cooked with sugar and spices. It is usually prepared with apples, cherries,
currants, strawberries, pears and rhubarb. The preparation of this drink has more than 700 years
of tradition in Poland and was brought from the Ottoman Empire.
 Kwas Chlebowy (kvass) : Eastern European cola soft drink; fermented drink made from black or
rye bread, perfect for hot summer days.

Zagryzka (“bite”)

Cap to drink after a shot of pure vodka.

 Ogórki kiszone: Polish pickles, a popular tapa and one of the ways to survive a whole night
drinking vodka.
 Kiełbasa : Sausage
 Śledzik : Herrings; served in a thousand ways.
 Smalec (lard): Lard spread on a slice of rye bread, usually containing pieces of meat, cracklings
and sometimes apple.

To drink beer:

o Cheap (bad beer), there is a chain of breweries: Pijalnia, Bania Luka (half-liter beer 4 zloty
(1 euro)).
o Long live the pint

References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDD9tZuiIc8
https://www.elcomercio.es/planes/viajes/cracovia-deibilidad-ejercito-nazi-20170921105917-ntrc.html?
ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.es%2F

Walkative!

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