Krakow

Cześć,
Knowing very little about Poland apart from the devastation of World War 2, I went with limited knowledge and just ready to explore. I have to be honest, what I found was beyond anything I expected! An idyllic and beautifully preserved city, Krakow is a phenomenal place with amazing history and gorgeous architecture. There for four days including my birthday, it was a great place to celebrate and a destination that I will most definitely be returning to. Another selling point is that compared to the rest of Europe, Poland is cheap!!!

Where to eat!

As a coeliac, I thought Poland would be tricky to find yummy traditional gluten free cuisine, fortunately I couldn't have been more wrong! I've got to be honest here, I have a supermum and she is one of the most accommodating and caring women in the world. Her 'super power' is that she is a researching wizard and does not rest until she has found gluten free options. Because it was my birthday she set her super power to work. This means we found a few terrific options for us gluten free travellers.

Restauracja Pod Baranem

Now if you take nothing else away from this post it is that gluten free or not you MUST, I repeat MUST, go to this restaurant. With a huge menu and half of it being gluten free this traditional bistro is absolutely incredible! We went twice and it was mouth wateringly good! I had creme brulee, wild boar and pierogi and everything I ate was terrific and felt super authentic!

Pod Wawelem

This place is adorable as it reminds me of the beer halls in Germany. As the accordion plays it feels like you have stepped back in time. Delicious and traditional style food of meat and vegetables, Pod Wawelem won't disappoint!

Da Pietro

Talk about atmosphere, this restaurant has it spades! With Gluten Free Pasta and an amazing aspect of sitting right on the Old square we went at least three times over our four days and it was worth it! I had the spaghetti carbonara every time and it was gooood. I also had the creme brulee on my birthday and it was beautiful. Sitting outside and cosying up under a rug and sitting by outdoor heaters made the lights on the square magical!

Chłopskie Jadło

A very cute restaurant chain, they were very accommodating and gave me some steak, boiled potatoes and sour cream. It was good and this is a handy one to know as they are scattered around Poland. Not having a GF menu but having options, when you ask the waiter, this was a good find and great place to have up my sleeve of places to eat.
Things you must do in Krakow

Krakow really has so much to do and see. Whether it is a glass of wine in the main square, or having a day excursion to the Salt Mine or Auschwitz, you will not be disappointed if you make Krakow the next stop on your overseas adventure.

Auschwitz
A morbid and confronting look at the history of Europe, this is a must see. As my tour guide so wisely stated, 'it is important to remember the mistakes of the past so they are not to be repeated and become the mistakes of the future'. As someone who is a history nerd I am fascinated by the complexities of history, this therefore was not my first concentration camp, however I really think it will be my last. Auschwitz is so incredibly preserved and was so confronting and moving, that I think visiting three concentration camps tops off my need of exposure to the traumatic events of World War 2 (or at least for the foreseeable future or in the form of visiting camps). It is definitely a must see in Poland not for the joy but for the experience and I do think that it gives you a clarity of how we are blessed to live in the day and age and the importance of never ever letting anything like this happen again! A visit here will give you perspective, empathy and determination.

Wieliczka Salt Mine

I absolutely loved the tour of the salt mine but it is not for the faint of heart if you are claustrophobic. As you make your way down the flights of stairs it is quite overwhelming, however it is so worth and it was a terrific experience.

Eco Friendly Electric car private tours

This was so much fun! A tour around Krakow to see the old and new parts of the city, Oskar Schindler's factory (which is now museum) and so much more, this was a great way to learn about the city and see so much via the small streets and narrow streets. A guide provides you with additional information about the city. I can't imagine there would be a better way to see and learn so much.

Krakow was an incredible city to visit and has definitely weaseled its way into my heart. A destination for everyone with history, culture and amazing food it is definitely up there for a favourite travel spot. I hope if you are going to Krakow you love it as much as I did!

Happy and safe travels.

Georgia

The Coeliac Adventurer