We got a trusty PolskiBus (super cheap and actually quite nice and well-equipped) to Krakow, via the old spa town of Zakopane. At our destination we just about managed to negotiate the tram system, which wasn’t labelled quite as clearly as a British equivalent probably would be, and were at our hostel after a short walk. The Momotown hostel in the Jewish quarter was our home for 3 nights, and was a pretty good choice. The staff were really friendly, the only downsides were that the male bathroom was on a different floor to our room, and some of the shower cubicles were kind of translucent which was slightly odd. That and the snoring Chilean guy we shared our dorm with, but that’s the risk you take with hostels!
Krakow itself is a great city which we highly recommend for a cheap European getaway. The Jewish quarter is well connected transport-wise and really well-kept with nice bars and restaurants everywhere. On the first night we went to an absinthe bar where they do great cocktails in a chilled atmosphere. Penny-pinching though we are, we found Krakow refreshing as the food and drink is so cheap you don’t really need to factor price into your choice of bar/restaurant. A couple of places we’d recommend are the aforementioned Absynt Cafe, and the Ambasada Sledzia (called ‘Herring Embassy’, as it’s opposite the American Embassy). Most people working in the bars/shops speak at least some English, which is helpful when ordering from a menu as Polish pronunciation seems to hold no resemblance to spelling (at least to an English speaker).
Some of the main attractions in and around the city are the central square, the cloth market, Wawel Castle and Dragon, and the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp. The city lends itself to walking around and happening upon things, the central square is very grand and can’t be missed, and you can get a great feel for the place through the many free attractions. We couldn’t miss the opportunity to visit Auschwitz during our stay, and opted for one of the organised tours from Krakville tours, which cost PLN198 (~€40, the cheapest tour we found by about €20) between us. You can make your own way there and do an unguided tour, but if you’re booking the day before like we were you risk having to wait hours if you don’t go with a tour company. The day was very informative and immersive, but quite harrowing! We visited both Auschwitz I and II (Birkenau); it was very moving walking through the camps and absorbing the atmosphere of such a significant place.
After 3 days in Krakow we boarded our train to meet our new hosts in the small artists’ town of Kazimierz Dolny. We felt really welcomed by our host family from the start, and have been treated like royalty since (we’re beginning to wonder if there are any bad hosts on Workaway!). Most of the jobs so far have involved helping the two girls, aged 9 and 11, with their English (not difficult following our Italian and Slovakian experiences), and helping about the house and garden. Kinga and Piotr cook lovely food with fresh ingredients bought from the little town’s market, and I don’t think my glass has been empty since arriving!
We talk over dinner about everything from politics to music. Our hosts are very interesting and interested people, they are keen to share their knowledge about Poland’s communist past, and equally keen to learn about our home and culture in the UK. They were particularly enthusiastic about trying a full English breakfast, so one morning we cooked them our best approximation using Polish ingredients- it came out pretty well, if we do say so ourselves! Although the family live in Warsaw for most of the year, Piotr’s hometown is Kazimierz and he seems to be acquainted with every artistic drifter type in the town, which is really cool.
So, our host family are once again great (must be down to our expert Workaway-surfing skills). We’ve enjoyed many an ice cream, day at the beach, bonfire, music, and laughs (our British pronunciation of the Polish city of Wrocław as ‘Row-claw’ rather than the actual pronunciation of ‘Vrot-swav’ was something the family found particularly funny) in just our first week here. We’ve also spent a few evenings with a guitar in a bar in the main square singing Dylan and Hendrix songs until the early hours, which the locals seem to enjoy and has earned us a few free beers! Poland is proving a lot of fun and surpassing our expectations so far!
Things we've discovered:
- Krakow would make a great long weekend away.
- Good, cheap Polish beer- we recommend unpasteurised 14-day Tyskie in Krakow.
- There are beaches in the middle of Poland!
- Kielbasa (Polish smoked sausage) is delicious and can be eaten for any meal! We'll be looking out for this in the Polish section of the supermarket at home.
Total joint spend: €1644
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