Hellloooo!

I’m a 28 year old female from California who is super stoked to say that I’m going to be visiting Krakow, Poland for about 3 weeks in mid July early August. And while I will have some friends to hang out with and we’ll be staying at pretty social looking hostels, I do want to get an idea and list of some things I can do alone or in smaller groups for times when I get antsy and want to explore alone.

I don’t speak much to any Polish. Will the language barrier be an issue? Anything I should be wary of when trying to find things to do alone or during night time? Pickpockets? Any issues for women walking alone at night? Do locals enjoy American visitors? Any etiquette recommendations, do’s and don’ts for behavior and wardrobe for girls?

Some of my interest include museums, libraries, Gothic architecture, skateparks, clubbing and dancing (safe for females), sexy adult parties or events (I’ve gone to a few sexy adult parties in CA and have heard Poland has an interesting scene for this as well), hikes to water like rivers, natural springs, waterfalls etc, food festivals, music festivals (local), underground tunnels, 10k races, sweet baked goods and recommended restaurants I want to get the best Polish food experience as I have little to no knowledge. I’ve seen posts about strawberry pasta recently, is that something I’d be able to find? I also know of pirogies and would love to know recommended places to find good ones in Krakow.

For transportation I hope to take mostly trams or buses. Would love to know if the recommended [Krakow Card – City Pass Cracovia Card](https://www.krakowcard.com/) is a must have? Is paying with złoty an okay expectation or have a lot of places turned cashless and prefer credit/debit card?

What’s the weather like during July and August? California has been a hot and rough summer hovering around 37 degrees C and so when I see on the Krakow weather that there may be clouds and rain I feel like I have to ask for a second opinion before I pack nothing but shorts. Does it get cold when it rains in Krakow or can I get away with a light jacket?

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I know that this is a BIG question with a lot of room for very different answers. I really do appreciate any help or advice that can be given. Thank you in advance for your help, I’m super excited to be in Poland soon. Would love to connect and meet up with anyone as well 🙂

3 comments

  2. I believe many people speak english and will understand you, but mostly younger.

    Poland is quite safe. I don’t have any tips apart from normal like don’t go alone to street without street lights where you even feel it’s not safe etc. About pickpocketing , it may happen, just don’t show around how much cash you have in Your wallet and keep it close.
    Etiquette for wardrobe ? Just wear what you want 😀

    Interesting places in Kraków that I can reccomend:
    Zakrzówek
    Skałki Twardowskiego
    Las Wolski
    Schindler’s Factory
    Old Town
    Kazimierz District
    Krak’s Mound and other mounds in Cracow

    *If you find any Sexy adult parties Please let me know* asking for a friend of course
    Because I can’t really think of any , unless you are just looking for some clubs like Teatro Cubano (Latiny dancing club)

    Oh, and for underground tunnels there are old atomic shelters under Nowa Huta District, also worth checking

    For polish food try some pierogi for sure.

    That City Pass looks good. But if you want just bus/tram tickets remember to buy for longer period of time because it comes cheaper

    Weather ? Hard to say. Could be around 36 degrees or colder when you want to dress something more like longer pants and jacket.

    I’m bit tired as I’m writing this so probably didn’t answered all of you questions and I’m sorry for that 😅 but feel free to ask , or message me. I lived in Cracow since birth so Maybe I would know anything that could help you.

  3. Language should not be a problem, especially as there are usually students behind bars and cash registers who speak English. In Krk you have three main districts, the Old Town and Kazimierz (a former Jewish district) which have been modelled for tourists, and Nowa Huta which is a working class district. From 10-15 years ago there was a problem there and it was seen as a dangerous place, but now it’s ok. I’ve noticed that there are a lot of myths about Poland that were created during the transition period, but they don’t hold true anymore. Pickpockets? Crime in Krk is low, so you won’t have problems, although I wouldn’t wave my wallet everywhere for safety.From Gothic architecture you have the Cathedral and the Barbican in the centre, the Royal Castle is there too but it is built in the Renaissance style. You also have some strange things like the Museum of Wax Figures, the National Museum where I think they keep that famous “Lady with an Ermine”. There’s also the museum of the Polish Resistance, the famous Schindler’s factory. Plus Krk is close to Auschwitz, and Americans like that sort of thing.Pierogi and typical Polish dishes can be found in so-called “milk bars”, but there are also bars dedicated solely to selling pierogi. These can be found in the old town, but also in… well, everywhere. Many people dines there, mostly students and workers.As far as the weather is concerned, it is worth checking in advance what it will be like, because recently we have had hot weather of 38 degrees, and only yesterday it started to rain and we are having a cooling-off period.The Krakow card is ok, although an alternative is the electric scooters scattered around Krk that you can hire yourself using the app, but they are private (e.g. Bolt)It’s worth behaving like a human being. Poles do not like e.g. English tourists because they behave like animals, they litter everywhere and make noise. When you enter buildings take off your hat, and there is no tipping culture in Poland, but if you give something to the waiters no one will be offended. And drinking alcohol in public is prohibited and you can get a fine for it. You can only drink alcohol in bars, clubs and private properties. If you drink alcohol on the street or in a park, you may be caught by the police. Oh, and as if you were talking to someone, you are in CENTRAL Europe, not Eastern.

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