first night in kraków
Armed with just a backpack, and my phone (another trip with no camera), I set off on another solo adventure. The flight from Bournemouth was a breeze, and I landed without any drama. I slipped through security and somehow managed to quickly hop onto a train into the city I had absolutely no business catching. It was just twenty minutes to Kraków Główny station, and I had arrived after sunset, but the walk to my apartment through the city’s tidy streets felt remarkably safe. Even in the dark, Kraków struck me as a place that genuinely looks after itself… well-lit parks, no litter to speak of, and everyone I passed seemed totally at ease and approachable.
My apartment in Krakow
My Airbnb turned out to be one of those pleasant surprises, prettier and bigger than strictly necessary for one person for a few nights. Olympia, the host, was friendly without being overly hovering or explaining every tiny detail, which I’m a fan of. The air con worked well, which I was thankful for as it was a warm evening and I was slightly sweaty from the walk in my heavier travel clothes. My only gripe about this place was the tiny and thin pillows, and the fact those curtains were super thin, not ideal the next morning. Anyway, I was already thinking about where to eat (as usual).
I opted for Veganic as a first food stop of the trip. I went for cauliflower wings and pierogi, both cooked properly, but both items just… fine. I was hoping for a bit more effort in the seasoning, as often vegan places really nail the flavour game, but regardless, it was an easy first plate and the service was kind, so no drama.
The evening really picked up in quality at TAG, a cocktail bar with possibly the most creative menu I’ve encountered. Graffiti artwork that you pick based on your mood, then a little UV torch reveals the flavour notes if you want to peek. The staff seemed to genuinely enjoy chatting rather than just going through the motions, and it turned out the girl serving me was also the person who takes their photos, so we connected over some camera geekery for a bit. I opted for Collard Greens, then Gold Digger, both really well balanced and dangerously smooth… the sort you can sip like water without realising how strong they are. They even created a coconut, strawberry and lychee take on a Mai Tai when I asked them to surprise me. The place was really cool too, brick walls, neon lighting, comfy seats, and at under £9 a drink, it felt almost cheeky to be paying so little for this quality.
Day 2: Looping the Old Town, River Light and Kazimierz
I slept badly, so I took the morning to sleep and set out around midday. The Planty (the green band around the Old Town) is a lovely way in, with quiet trees and benches that gently decompress you before the noise of tourism in the old town. I entered through St Florian’s Gate, strolled down Floriańska, and stepped into the main square, which is quite commercial on the surface but still remarkably dignified. I wandered through the cloth hall arcade and out the other side, then had a quick look inside the Church of Sts Peter and Paul on Grodzka… really high dome, cool air, and a stall advertising nightly orchestral concerts that looked tasteful rather than tourist traps. I was tempted, but the concerts I wanted to see were on days I couldn’t do.
I skirted the south side of Wawel (the castle) along the river next. There’s a large dragon statue that does a little fire-breathing trick every few minutes. It only breathes it for about 3 or 4 seconds though, so be ready if you want to get a video! The castle grounds and courtyards are free to wander, and honestly, that was enough for me, as someone who has seen many interiors of stately buildings already in my life.
Kazimierz Jewish Quarter of Krakow
My afternoon belonged to Kazimierz, the former Jewish quarter that became my favourite part of Kraków to simply wander through. Cobblestones, worn stucco, an appealing mix of cafés and little shops, and graffiti that feels like it gives something to the area rather than just vandalism. There’s a particular hum you only get in streets where people actually live, rather than just visit, something I always look for.
There’s something in general about Jewish quarters in many European cities that can elevate the experience and authenticity of your trip. It never feels like anything in the area was made for, or cares about tourism. One of my favourite locations for this in Europe was Cordoba in Spain.
I had lunch at Folga, right beside the round market hall. The rabbit I ordered was delicious, and the chocolate cremoso had me craving more and more… it was lifted with raspberry and elderflower in a way that managed to be both rich and bright. I thoroughly recommend.
After a walk back across the city and a brief reset at the apartment, I gambled on an Old Town restaurant called ‘Pasta Bar’ for dinner. The name absolutely screams tourist trap, but thankfully the food didn’t follow suit. A perfectly tender prawn starter in a simple tomato salad, decent lasagne, then three flavours of really great gelato folded with fruit and raspberry sauce. A glass of prosecco and a really fair price, I was happy.
Day 3: SALT MINES, GOLDEN HOUR and Mercy Brown
I allowed myself another small lie-in before taking the train out to Wieliczka for the salt mine, about 20 to 25 minutes and completely straightforward. I joined the 12:30 English tour, popped on the headphones, and down we went. The descent involves roughly 300 wooden steps that keep spiralling until you start wondering if you’ve accidentally signed up for an underground fitness class.
Looking up at the wooden supports inside the mine
The early chambers are essentially warm-up acts for what comes next… chapels and the famous underground cathedral where people actually get married, complete with chandeliers carved from salt and saints and biblical scenes cut straight from the walls. Everything’s supported with timber, creating this extraordinary blend of the sacred and industrial. The mine extends to almost 300 kilometres of tunnels and chambers altogether. Numbers like that only really land when you’ve been walking for ages and you’re still very much underground. The return journey involves little cage lifts that somehow accommodate ten people at a squeeze, with doors that open inward so everyone shuffles, laughs, and breathes in at once. Two hours very well spent though, worth it as a trip out of the city for sure.
After a walk around the Wieliczka town and a nearby castle, I jumped on the train back to the city. Back from Wieliczka, I let the afternoon turn to golden hour on the main square. I had been blessed with weather so far on this trip, with temperatures into their 20s and mostly sunshine. Breakdancers were pulling in a crowd and the whole place was feeling more cinematic than touristy. The main square is lovely during the day, but it truly comes alive around sunset. Because the west side of Kraków is essentially flat, the sun sweeps across and illuminates the façades rather than dropping behind hills, giving everything this gorgeous deep orange glow that bounces off all of the buildings. Not every European square gets this treatment due to orientation and terrain. If the sky looks promising, plan a slow lap just before sunset and stay for blue hour.
I ate at MooMoo after, opting for a ribeye that should have been more buttery than it was… a touch gristly for the price, if I’m honest. When ordering wine, I was offered regular or large, then learned when I got my bill that large is literally double the price, which felt a bit off. The service was lacking, and when I politely declined the optional service charge, the server turned noticeably frosty, which sort of answered the question about the place’s priorities.
I walked the square again under the blue evening light, then decided to get my first ever massage at a nearby parlour that was well rated, and left feeling very relaxed, rounding the night with three excellent cocktails at Mercy Brown. The bar was a real surprise, hidden at the back of a building as a speakeasy, and set out as such. It had a small stage for burlesque performances and they even put haze in the room to make it look like cigarette smoke. Kuba behind the bar talked me through how they build the menu and even the artwork for it, which I loved… proper craft and passion rather than just following recipes. Then back to the apartment and the best sleep of the trip so far, hooray!
Day 4: Kazimierz to Krakus Mound
I’d decided to skip both Auschwitz and Nowa Huta in favour of a slow wander through the Jewish district, which is exactly my pace. Although Auschwitz feels like it’s probably a ‘must do’, anyone I spoke to, and anything I read, said that it’s a very long 6 hour tour, it can feel tiring and draining, and is more just about taking in the story and emotion rather than seeing much. Maybe that makes me sound heartless, but as a photographer, I travel in order to see beautiful and interesting sights primarily.
Lunch that day at Taste of India (I know, most basic name ever) absolutely hit the spot… sometimes you just crave something with proper spice and flavour. Then I crossed the pedestrian bridge that’s lined with hanging sculptures, into Podgórze, had a loop around St Joseph’s church from the square (there was a wedding on, so I kept to the outside), and made the climb to Krakus Mound. The approach to it winds through fairly ordinary streets and goes over a motorway, which oddly makes the reveal at the top more dramatic. It offers a really nice 360-degree view of the city, an abandoned quarry that was used in Schindler’s List, river curves, rooftops and chimneys.
If you want elevated views in Kraków, you have just two choices, choose your mound carefully. Kościuszko Mound closes early in the evening, making it impossible for sunset viewing at this time of year, while Krakus Mound stays open at all hours and offers cleaner views. Krakus also gives you a broad western sky for colour, while Kościuszko feels more park-like. If clouds are breaking to the west, Krakus is 100% your safer bet.
I made my way back down in a different direction, I skipped Oskar Schindler’s Factory (big queue) and went next door to MOCAK instead. It was full of strong but haunting modern art exhibitions that felt out of place for a sunny afternoon, but still fascinating.
I grabbed a glass of wine nearby to reset, then I tried to make it back to the square for another golden hour travel TikTok I was going to make, but annoyingly the sun slipped under a bank of cloud just as I arrived. Sometimes timing doesn’t work in your favour.
If I were to ever stay in Kraków again, I’d stay a different side of the city. I was based in the north east area, which was nice, and easy to walk to, but almost every attraction is on the other side of the city, closer to the Jewish district. It seems to me that the South East of the city is the place to be.
Dinner that evening was at a small Italian spot hidden away called Ristorante Santa Caterina. I had octopus carpaccio to start and a steak for main, both perfectly decent, they were kind enough to fit me in before another booking, as my attempt at booking a table in advance had thrown up an error. I followed up the meal with some truly delicious dark chocolate and orange gelato, then two final drinks at another great place called Mr Black Cocktail Bar before calling it a night. I wouldn’t say this was the best of the cocktail bars I visited, but it was still fantastic quality, and for one of the drinks they made me drink out of a bowl, I felt like a kitten.
day 5: Last Morning in kraków
Brunch that morning at Bread & Butter involved a small queue, the food was decent, but it strikes me as a place that’s getting crowds just because it’s gained a high review score and not much else. Realistically, almost any brunch cafe is the same quality. After that it was back to the main station for the westbound train, watching mostly flat farmland and hedgerows roll past with occasional patches of rain, something I hadn’t seen at all on my trip so far. It was onwards to Wrocław!
arrival in wrocław
After a smooth ride I found myself stepping out into Wrocław Główny (it was only at this point that I realised Główny must just mean ‘main station’). The air felt much cooler after recent rain, and the city immediately struck me as younger and a touch more ‘lived in’ than Kraków, in the best possible way, and buzzing with student energy.
I walked to my apartment at Rynek 15, right in the heart of things. The apartment had better pillows and thicker curtains (so this time I wasn’t awoken by the sun), those small luxuries can make travel days infinitely more comfortable.
I set out and wandered through the streets of the old town, which are stunning, with some beautifully coloured buildings and a feel to them that I just didn’t get while in Kraków. I felt like I would enjoy living here, which I hadn’t felt previously. My journey took me towards the north side of the city which is where the river opens up to form various small and very pretty islands. Absolutely the postcard area of Wrocław.
There was a small park social advertised, so I joined for a while. Only five of us turned up in the end, which was perfectly fine, we had a bit of chat until the cold drove us indoors. We drifted to a very student-oriented bar whose name translates as “High Five” in Polish, had a drink, then I peeled off to find dinner.
After attempting another place that was sold out, The Cork turned out to be a very lucky second choice. The chef mixed beef tartare at our table with truffle and all the right accompaniments, followed by an octopus and prawns main with potatoes that honestly made me slowly sample every bite (something you’ll know is rare if you know how fast I eat). Another quick gelato nearby, then I looped back to High Five for a few gin, lime and sodas and some people watching, which was pretty interesting, as a goth gig had just come out from upstairs.
Wrocław definitely skews young and attractive, which is brilliant for the atmosphere but rather less helpful when you’re a slightly older solo traveller hoping to strike up conversations.
Day 6: Island Light and a Jazz High Point
I had another nice lie-in, then headed to the restaurant I had wanted to go the previous day, IDA. It’s Michelin Guide rather than starred, but the cooking really is serious stuff. I started with goose gizzards, something I’ve never had before, followed by wild boar that fell apart like the best kind of pulled pork. Wow, what an explosion of flavour in these dishes! It included free freshly baked warm bread, proper house butter, tap water served without any performance around it, and the whole thing came to about £22. I left very happy indeed, what a true bargain.
View of Ostrow Tumski from Wroclaw Cathedral
As I wandered, I started bumping into some of Wrocław’s famous gnomes… they’re easy to miss unless you’re looking down, then suddenly there they are, little brass figures caught mid-task or mid-joke.
They’re absolutely everywhere and surprisingly easy to miss unless you actively look down. I’d suggest saving a simple map pin or short list of ones you particularly want to find, otherwise you’ll spot five by accident and miss fifty others. The real fun is in stumbling across them while you wander, so don’t over-plan it. For photos, a low angle shot framed with the street behind works much better than pointing your camera straight down.
The clouds from the morning kept thinning gradually, so I crossed over the islands in the river via the little bridges and took the lift up the Cathedral of St John the Baptist. The view opens beautifully across the river, and when the sun finally broke through properly, I managed to capture the rooftops warming just enough to look magical. I really loved this view, the street below felt like something from a different era.
Back down, I wandered the river promenade and unexpectedly discovered Gastro Miasto in full swing, rows of 100 or so independent stalls and street food along the riverside boulevard. It’s exactly the sort of event that reminds you why this city feels genuinely lived-in rather than staged for tourists. Apparently it happens about once a month. I didn’t get anything, but I took it all in, and kept wandering about, before the rain set back in that day and a torrential downpour caught us all unaware. I sheltered, and then got myself back to my apartment. Getting around Polish cities on foot takes longer than you might expect, by the way. People wait for the green man even on completely empty streets at night, and the crossing phases can be surprisingly short… sometimes just seven or so seconds. On wider roads, you’ll often only reach the middle before it flashes red again, leaving you stranded for another couple of minutes. Factor this into your walking times, especially if you’re carrying bags. Dinner was a little bit of a miss at Woosabi on the southwest side of town, basic Thai red curry with chain-restaurant quality service, nothing worth writing home about. I tried to raise back up the evening with a single drink at Szklarnia, which kept being recommended, a conservatory atmosphere, but honestly an average cocktail, indifferent and uninterested service. I left after the one drink, but then completely salvaged the evening at Vertigo Jazz Club. I made my way downstairs to find a sold out jazz show going on. There was only room for me to sit at the bar which was fine, and I chatted a little to the bartender, who served me two of the best cocktails I’ve tasted in a long time. I couldn’t recommend this place more.
Day 7: Colour in Nadodrze, Towers and farewell
After dropping my bags at nearby hotel storage, I headed north to Nadodrze for the Colourful Backyards along Roosevelta. Two main courtyards sit side by side… the left-hand side as you enter features stronger, higher-quality murals with more coherent themes, while the right is more mixed, with some good walls interspersed with weaker ones. The neighbourhood is genuinely a bit rough around the edges in places, which is exactly why the art project works so well, bright paint as a small act of care.
I walked back towards the centre for lunch at a place called Look Up, a beautifully designed space doing breakfast and daytime dishes, though strangely empty for the quality on offer. I had their shakshuka, which was nice and tasty and then tried a highly rated gelato spot afterwards, took one spoonful, and decided not to waste calories on something I wasn’t enjoying.
As I made my way back in, again via the Cathedral area to get some shots in the sunshine, I ended up passing back through the market square. The main square actually hides a maze within the central block that I’d somehow missed including narrow passages and little lanes tucked inside the buildings. It’s really worth a slow exploration when you visit. I aimed to climb St Elizabeth’s Tower next, only to be met by what might have been the grumpiest man in Europe and a cash-only sign. No queue, just a shrug and a wave. Fine.
Quite glad I wasn’t handing over my money to the man, I went to the Witches’ Bridge instead, a dramatic walkway connecting the towers of St Mary Magdalene. I paid by card like a civilised human being of the 21st century, climbed roughly 250 steps, and waited patiently until a slice of sun broke free to illuminate my favourite buildings in the square. It was absolutely worth the patience and a nice extra bit of exercise. If you want a good view over the main square, this is a great way to get it.
I finally went to pick up my bag. It’s never worth carrying around your bag on the last day when luggage storage costs about a fiver. The airport bus takes about 40 minutes, an easy exit from a city that had genuinely won me over with its youthful, lived in charm mixed with pretty architecture and river views.
If Kraków felt like a city that knows exactly how poised and beautiful it is, Wrocław felt like somewhere I could actually stay in indefinitely, student energy, excellent food at sensible prices, islands and bridges, art projects in forgotten backyards, and enough texture to keep you walking just a little bit longer each time the sun decides to make an appearance.
All in all a very nice trip, and I’m so thankful that I got mostly good weather too. I think which of the two cities you’d prefer would depend on personal taste.
