Amanda and Sophie’s Kraków City Break

Hi I’m Amanda and I’m the Branch Manager at Thorne Travel Largs. I recently visited the City of Kraków in Poland with my daughter, Sophie.

We stayed at the Golebia8 Residence which is a family run hotel situated close to the Main Square of the Old Town of Kraków. The hotel was immaculate and while it is small, it had all of the amenities and facilities that you need for a short city break. The hotel staff were some of the friendliest that we’ve ever come across, so we’d definitely recommend this as a great place to stay.

On our first day the weather was quite similar to that at home in Scotland - we had a mixture of warm sunshine and the odd flurry of snow! That didn’t stop us having some fun though, we jumped on a Golf Buggy Tour and took in the sights of the Old Town Square including St Mary’s Basilica, Cloth Hall, Town Hall Tower, as well as the historic Jewish Quarter.

Our Tour ended at the ‘Once Upon A Time’ Restaurant which is really quirky and decorated in a pre-WWII style and offers a packed menu of authentic Polish and Jewish food. We enjoyed some traditional Jewish dumplings, washed down with far too many Meads (hot, sweet vodka). Despite the vodka, neither of us were brave enough to try the specialty of the day - ‘Goose Maw’ (Goose stomach in its own sauce) - maybe next time!

Sophie is currently studying Politics and History at University, so she was interested in visiting the Memorial and Museum at Auschwitz-Birkenau. While Auschwitz-Birkenau is a must-see and acts as a major draw for tourists, it is worth noting that a visit to the Concentration Camps is a very emotional experience. You will gain a deep understanding of the atrocities that took place there during World War II.

The Concentration Camps are definitely not the place for holiday selfies, but don't worry there are plenty of other opportunities for photographs in Kraków.

Speaking of photo opportunities, we also visited the ‘Be Happy Museum’. This is a place where dreams come true and the imagination turns into a sweet and colourful experience. The museum is designed to cultivate a feeling of complete happiness and make photographic memories. There are dozens of scenes and props including a marshmallow pool, banana swing, and magic unicorn which you can use to take hilarious photos and selfies.

The Museum certainly didn’t disappoint, we had hours of fun and laughed a lot, it really was good for the soul. The Museum also serves some of the most amazing ice creams and shakes - yes, we completely overindulged!

If you are a fan of vodka, then Kraków is the place for you! There are lots of vodka bars where you can sample a huge range of flavoured vodkas at really reasonable prices. The locals and tourists in the bars were all really friendly and welcoming and we felt completely safe when we were out and about.

We discovered ‘Bubble Toast’ which is a champagne and cocktail bar with an over-the-top interior that is designed to look glam on our Instragram. The ‘Cosmic Games Pub’ which is designed like the interior of a spaceship was a HUGE hit with Sophie, we enjoyed some time there playing games such as beer pong, table football and air hockey. We’d definitely recommend both of these bars, they were such fun!

We really enjoyed our time in Kraków. The city is an interesting mix of historical sites, impressive architecture, affordable restaurants and bars as well as some pretty boutique shops. Sophie is already pestering me to book our next visit!

If you are interested in a trip to Kraków, get in touch with one of our Travel Experts on Tel: 0300 373 0800, who will help you to plan your perfect city break.

Amanda (& Sophie) xxx