For our annual girls’ trip — twenty-six years and counting — Krakow ticked all the boxes. Culture, shopping, food, wine, spa time, and a stylish flat in the old town to call our own. It offered the elegance of Vienna with a touch of bohemian edge, and prices 20percent to 40 percent below Western Europe’s big capitals. What’s not to love?
First Impressions: Old-World Beauty, Young Energy
The magic of Krakow is how seamlessly it blends past and present. The medieval heart of the city, centred on the vast Rynek Glowny — Europe’s largest market square — gleams after meticulous restoration. Horse-drawn carriages circle the Cloth Hall (good shopping, I had to fight hard to resist the red amber jewellery), while sleek golf carts whisk visitors between Gothic churches and Renaissance façades. From the round, fairy-tale Barbican to the twin towers of St. Mary’s Basilica, every corner seems made for postcards.
But this isn’t a city stuck in the past. Cafés hum with conversation, students fill the parks and bars, and the local fashion crowd has embraced vintage, not fast fashion. New money here isn’t erasing the old; it’s polishing it. Krakow’s prosperity is measured in restoration projects, hand-crafted signage, carved wood, and lovingly repointed brickwork. You can feel the pride — and a distinct sense that the Poles are investing in their heritage rather than replacing it.
The magic of Krakow is how seamlessly it blends past and present. The medieval heart of the city, centred on the vast Rynek Glowny — Europe’s largest market square — gleams after meticulous restoration. Horse-drawn carriages circle the Cloth Hall (good shopping, I had to fight hard to resist the red amber jewellery), while sleek golf carts whisk visitors between Gothic churches and Renaissance façades. From the round, fairy-tale Barbican to the twin towers of St. Mary’s Basilica, every corner seems made for postcards.
But this isn’t a city stuck in the past. Cafés hum with conversation, students fill the parks and bars, and the local fashion crowd has embraced vintage, not fast fashion. New money here isn’t erasing the old; it’s polishing it. Krakow’s prosperity is measured in restoration projects, hand-crafted signage, carved wood, and lovingly repointed brickwork. You can feel the pride — and a distinct sense that the Poles are investing in their heritage rather than replacing it.
We started with one of the city’s ubiquitous electric golf cart tours — the easiest way to understand Krakow’s scale. While the old town is compact and easily walkable, the stories you’ll want to hear stretch well beyond it. The Jewish district of Kazimierz, across the Planty park from the centre, is now both a site of memory and a hub of hipster creativity. Its cobbled lanes are lined with synagogues restored after decades of neglect, atmospheric cafés, and concept boutiques. Cross the river and you reach the remains of the wartime ghetto and Schindler’s factory — sombre, powerful places that need no elaboration. The Holocaust lessons are close to the surface here, but handled with quiet respect and striking design.
That’s what impresses most about Krakow: its ability to carry centuries of pain and glory lightly. Unlike Warsaw, which was razed and rebuilt, Krakow survived much of the 20th century intact. You can trace its Habsburg-era grandeur in the pastel façades and theatre marquees, a smaller cousin to Vienna’s ringstrasse elegance. The city’s devotion to Pope John Paul II adds a distinctly Polish note to the mix — you’ll spot his statues and plaques everywhere, a local boy made good.
Living Like a Local
Forget anonymous hotels. The apartment we rented in the old town proved that “Polish builder” is a phrase that should bring joy to any homeowner’s heart. Warm, beautifully finished, and within easy walking distance of everything, it offered both luxury and practicality. (Look for White Magnolia on AirBnB) Each of us had our own bedroom ringing a shared space to unwind, perfect for lazy mornings when one of the gang volunteered to fetch pastries from a nearby bakery. (Pro tip: try anything with poppy seed.)
Evenings meant experimenting with Krakow’s surprisingly sophisticated dining scene. Traditional pierogi and beer halls are a must, but you’ll also find elegant modern restaurants serving artful plates worthy of Paris or Milan. Vodka shots in a stylish bar are practically obligatory — na zdrowie! — and so is sampling the city’s love affair with coffee and cake. (The tongue-twisting Café Noworolski, in the arcades of the Cloth Hall, is a fine place to start. We were puzzled by the Aztec decor until we realised the Art Deco interiors started out as a fancy confectionary and chocolatier.)
Evenings meant experimenting with Krakow’s surprisingly sophisticated dining scene. Traditional pierogi and beer halls are a must, but you’ll also find elegant modern restaurants serving artful plates worthy of Paris or Milan. Vodka shots in a stylish bar are practically obligatory — na zdrowie! — and so is sampling the city’s love affair with coffee and cake. (The tongue-twisting Café Noworolski, in the arcades of the Cloth Hall, is a fine place to start. We were puzzled by the Aztec decor until we realised the Art Deco interiors started out as a fancy confectionary and chocolatier.)
A Weekend Well Spent
Krakow is ideal for a long weekend — three or four days will give you time to explore, shop, and relax without rushing. Just be prepared for a dramatic shift in pace between Friday morning and Saturday night. The city fills with visitors, but the atmosphere remains good-natured. Despite its reputation for stag and hen parties, we saw no bad behaviour. Perhaps it was the season, or our quieter corner of town, but everyone — locals and tourists alike — seemed content simply to enjoy themselves.
Krakow is ideal for a long weekend — three or four days will give you time to explore, shop, and relax without rushing. Just be prepared for a dramatic shift in pace between Friday morning and Saturday night. The city fills with visitors, but the atmosphere remains good-natured. Despite its reputation for stag and hen parties, we saw no bad behaviour. Perhaps it was the season, or our quieter corner of town, but everyone — locals and tourists alike — seemed content simply to enjoy themselves.
Why Go Now?
Because it’s beautiful, affordable, and welcoming. Because it delivers history and indulgence in equal measure. And because it still feels slightly undiscovered — a European classic that hasn’t yet lost its authenticity to mass tourism. Saturday was crowded, but the majority of people around us were speaking Polish. Krakow is a reminder that cities can recover from the worst of human history and emerge not just intact, but radiant.
Over the next few articles, I’ll take you deeper: into Krakow’s cultural highlights, a mountain escape to the Tatras, and a deep dive into the city’s food and drink. And please look for me (Bencard’s Bites) on TikTok and Instagram for an eight-part video series. But for now, consider this your invitation. Pack your walking shoes, your appetite, and your curiosity. Krakow’s waiting.
Because it’s beautiful, affordable, and welcoming. Because it delivers history and indulgence in equal measure. And because it still feels slightly undiscovered — a European classic that hasn’t yet lost its authenticity to mass tourism. Saturday was crowded, but the majority of people around us were speaking Polish. Krakow is a reminder that cities can recover from the worst of human history and emerge not just intact, but radiant.
Over the next few articles, I’ll take you deeper: into Krakow’s cultural highlights, a mountain escape to the Tatras, and a deep dive into the city’s food and drink. And please look for me (Bencard’s Bites) on TikTok and Instagram for an eight-part video series. But for now, consider this your invitation. Pack your walking shoes, your appetite, and your curiosity. Krakow’s waiting.
