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Features
- Beer Gardens
- Polish Name Days (Imieniny)
- Flower Power
- Local Likes & Dislikes
- Polish Christmas Carols (Kolędy)
- Andrzejki
- The Vistula/Wisła
- Czesław Miłosz
- Juwenalia
- May Days
- Valentine's Day in Krakow
- Hey Handsome...
- The Obwarzanek
- The Maluch
- Stained Glass in Kraków
- Hot Beer?
- Młoda Polska
- Sonderaktion Krakau
- Polish Vodka
- Cracovian Cuisine, P-Z
- Cracovian Cuisine, A-O
- A Polish Easter
- The Zbruch Idol
- Witkacy
- Szopki Krakowska
- Wooden Architecture of Malopolska
- Jagiellonian University
- What's in a Name?
- Abandoned Kraków
- Notable Local Alumni
- Dogs
- Błędowska Desert
- Further Reading
- Lenin in Kraków
- Dishing Up History
- Where to find Krakow In Your Pocket
- The Hejnał
More features:
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The Maluch
Like the Czech Škoda and the East German Trabant, the Polish Maluch has served several purposes during its lifetime; a Godsend for families behind the Iron Curtain, source of amusement for smirking foreigners and now, as a cult icon for nostalgists.... -
Dogs
Kraków has something of a fixation with dogs; where else in the world will you find an annual fancy dress sausage dog parade.... -
Dishing Up History
Undamaged by the Nazi cyclone, Kraków’s Old Town is one of the few town centres in Poland which remains in its original form, and as such represents a breathing history lesson.... -
May Days
Spring ushers in the arrival of not only fair weather to Poland, but also the country’s ‘National Holiday Season’, which in addition to Easter offers two other dates to note down in the diary:First up is May 1st, otherwise known as Labour Day, and a direct leftover from the communist lurch.... -
Stained Glass in Kraków
Stained glass enthusiasts will have an absolute field day in Kraków, which has many fine examples of the craft – arguably some of the best in Europe – thanks to a proliferation of ancient churches and being the home city of resident geniuses Stanisław Wyspiański and Józef Mehoffer.... -
Polish Christmas Carols (Kolędy)
The singing of holiday carols (kolędy) is extremely popular in Poland, and the Poles possess a vast, seemingly inexhaustible songbook of ancient tunes traditionally sung this time of year.... -
Lenin in Kraków
While Kraków’s regal associations are common knowledge, it’s easy to remain ignorant of its connections with communism, and specifically Comrade Lenin who for two years called the city home.... -
Further Reading
Immerse yourself in the legends and folklore of Kraków’s historic centre by picking up Maciej Miezian’s excellent Kraków’s Old Town (Wydawnictwo Bezdroża, 2004).... -
Polish Vodka
Proven masters of make-do with the potato as their primary resource, the Poles have been producing and drinking vodka since the early Middle Ages, distilling their skill into some of the best vodka blends available in the world, many of which date back centuries.... -
Wooden Architecture of Malopolska
Małopolska – the region in which Kraków finds itself – is something of a tourist goldmine, and diligent tourists find themselves faced with a stonking choice of eight sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.... -
The Hejnał
One of the most fascinating traditions for tourists and Cracovians is the hejnał (pronounced "haynow") – a short, melodious bugle call played every hour from the east, west, north and south sides of St.... -
Local Likes & Dislikes
In June 2011, Poland’s Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper invited 21 journalism students from City University London to visit the country’s largest cities and chronicle their experiences as tourists – using Polish services, interacting with Poles, and travelling around each city.... -
The Obwarzanek
Any culinary journey through Kraków is likely to start with the obwarzanek. A chewy dough ring sprinkled (usually extremely unevenly) with salt, poppy or sesame seeds, obwarzanki are sold from rolling carts on every other street corner in Kraków, and are so inescapable they’ve become an unofficial symbol of the city....
Cracovian Cuisine, P-Z
Doughy dumplings traditionally filled with potato (Ruskie), sweet cheese, meat, mushrooms and cabbage, strawberries or plums, though you will find plenty of maverick fillings like broccoli, chocolate or liver as the possibilities are truly limitless. The standards are served almost everywhere in the city; head to Zapiecek for an impressive array of original options or head to U Babci Maliny for an unconventional fried (not boiled or steamed) Pierogi served with a wooden fork on a plate made of bread.
Placki
These greasy, fried potato pancakes (‘placki ziemniaczane’) are very similar to Jewish latkes (if that means anything to you) and ideal for meatless winter days. Served with sauce, goulash or simply sour cream on top, placki are a great hangover cure and you'll find them on menus everywhere. U Babci Maliny’s ‘Placki po Węgiersku’ is generally accepted as one of the most delicious and highly-caloric meals you’ll ever have anywhere in your life.
Smalec
Vegetarians who broke their vows for a bite of sausage or a taste of żurek generally draw the line here. An animal fat spread full of fried lard chunks (the more the better, we say) and served with hunks of homemade bread, Smalec is a savoury snack that goes great with a mug of beer. Any traditional Polish restaurant worth its salt should give you lashings of this prior to your meal; we've had the best at Pod Baranem or buy your own at Krakowskie Kredens.
Soup
Poland has three signature soups: Barszcz, Żurek and Flaczki. A nourishing beetroot soup, Barszcz may be served with potatoes and veggies tossed in, with a crokiet or Pierogi floating in it, or simply as broth in a mug expressly for drinking. A recommended alternative to other beverages with any winter meal, we’d be surprised if you can find a bad cup of Barszcz anywhere in Kraków. It doesn’t get any more Polish than żurek – a unique sour rye soup with sausage, potatoes and sometimes egg chucked in. Our vote goes to Bar Smak but you also can’t beat Wesele’s batch eaten out of a breadbowl. If you’re of strong constitution and feeling truly adventurous, spring for Flaczki – beef tripe soup enriched with veggies, herbs and spices. A hearty standby in most kitchens, we personally save the pleasure for compromising situations involving mother-in-laws, but you can take your chances at Chłopskie Jadło.
Zapiekanka
The ultimate Polish drunk food. Order one at any train station in PL and you’ll get a stale baguette cut in half, covered with mushrooms and cheese, thrown in a toaster oven and squirted with ketchup. Underwhelming to say the least. However the vendors of Kazimierz’s Plac Nowy (D-6) have made a true art out of the ‘Polish pizza.’ With endless embellishments and add-ons (including salami, spinach, smoked cheese, chicken, pickles, pineapple, feta – you name it), garlic sauce and chives have essentially become standard procedure at this point. Because of their popularity you’ll witness ridiculous lines at the various windows around the Roundhouse, but the wait is worth it. At 6/7zł it’s a great value and will sustain you through a night of heavy drinking. To leave town without having tried a Plac Nowy Zapiekanka would be felonious, as would settling for one anywhere else in Kraków.