10 things to avoid in Krakow - an "all you need to know" guide
- Jess Touhig
- 6 days ago
- 8 min read
Always be prepared!
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Before you panic and think this post is going to put you off visiting Krakow - at Sightseekr we truly love this city. It’s safe, absolutely beautiful, and a great introduction to Poland whilst still being very international and easy to travel to, without too much of a language barrier. Hospitality and hotel staff generally speak several languages, and everyone is very accommodating to tourists in this stunning city.
However - that’s not to say that you don’t have to learn the customs, and common scams or things to avoid in the area. You absolutely do! There are good and bad parts of every city and every tourist destination, so it’s always best to do your research, and plan ahead.
Of course, if you don’t feel like spending hours researching all the best places to eat and drink, things to do and to avoid, learning key phrases in Polish and figuring out how to avoid tourist traps, you could leave it to the experts and download our Krakow Travel Toolkit.
Not only that - it comes with access to our Ultimate Map of Krakow, which has the main landmarks, hidden gems, and the best cafes, bars and restaurants across the city highlighted on it. This means no more scanning through reviews, or scrolling for hours trying to find that one influencer-recommended spot you saved on your phone weeks ago. It's all in one place, and you can even see your own location so you know which spot is the closest.
You can get access here:
So, here are our ten things to avoid in Krakow, with lots of advice on how to make your first visit to the city, a great one.
Avoid falling for tourist scams in the city centre:
Every tourist destination has people who want to exploit tourists - either through scams or through pickpocketing. Krakow is definitely not the worst city for it, but there are some scams and issues you should be aware of.
Planty Park is a green space that encircles the old town of Krakow. You will definitely walk through it when heading to see Wawel Castle, one of the main attractions in the city. It’s one of the main spots for pickpocketing and people stopping tourists for various scams. This doesn’t mean avoid Planty Park, it’s a gorgeous place, just be a little more aware of your surroundings here.
The main area for tourist scams, and where we have been approached the most, is the main market square (Rynek Główny). It’s a stunning square, and somewhere we’ve enjoyed many hours of sightseeing and people watching. But you may get approached by people asking for money or asking you to sign things, complete surveys, etc.
Although it sounds harsh, in this square always firmly say no thank you, and walk away. We have had the odd situation where we’ve engaged a little to see what the person was asking for, but then they may become much more persistent. You are more likely to be approached when alone in this square too, we’ve found, so just keep being aware of your surroundings and move quickly on if someone is trying to stop you for any reason.
Common scams include:
Asking you to sign a petition, but then telling you you’ve signed to pledge money once your signature is down
Showing pictures of ill or sick family members to ask you to donate
False charity donation scams
Giving you a bracelet as a “gift” and tying it onto your wrist, but then asking for payment once it is tied on
For a full list of common scams in the area, you can check out our Krakow Travel Toolkit, which has a guide to avoiding tourist traps as well as a full digital guide to the city centre with things to do, a food and drink guide, and a full interactive map of Krakow.
Avoid leaving belongings unattended:
Some would say this is common sense, but it’s easy to forget when you’re excited and in a new city, potentially overwhelmed, or trying to fit lots and lots of sightseeing into a short space of time. Therefore, we thought we must mention that one of the main things to avoid in Krakow is leaving your belongings unattended.
Again, although Krakow is one of the safest we’ve felt in a tourist hotspot, it’s still a busy city and you never know who could be passing by if you leave your belongings unattended.
Avoid eating only at the most hyped-up tourist restaurants:
Of course, some of the restaurants that go viral on social media and get all the best reviews are worth the hype and the attention. But don’t solely visit these or your trip will be full of international, potentially unauthentic food, at really busy restaurants and bars.
Instead, make sure to head a little bit off the beaten track. Try some street food from a market or a dish from a Polish restaurant down a side street. The best dishes are usually from places that don’t look the most special from the outside.
One of our favourite spots is Żarówka Cafe. This beautiful cafe is a bit of a hidden gem, just tucked away from one of the main streets. It has a comfortable outside area, friendly staff - and one of the best iced coffees we tried in Poland! Plus, they sell traditional Polish bagels (Obwarzanek krakowski) which originate from Krakow, an absolute must-try when you're in the city.
You should also try Judah Food Market. Whether you're looking for typical Polish street food like Zapiekanka, or something international such as wood-fired pizza or belgian fries, you'll find it at this small, independent food market.
We have a huge food and drink guide included in our Krakow toolkit, including typical local meal times and dishes to try in the city, as well as areas to head for the best restaurants, bars and cafes. You can even view all our recommendations as part of an interactive, digital map, so you can find the one nearest to you at any time.
Get access here now - you won’t be disappointed:
Avoid only exploring the Old Town area of Krakow:
The Old Town (also known as Stare Miasto), is by far the most popular, and the most picturesque area of Krakow. It’s absolutely packed full of things to see and do, as well as a brilliant selection of cafes, bars and restaurants. However, if you spend all of your time in Krakow in the old town, you’ll miss out on some of the most amazing places, neighbourhoods, and activities in the city. For example, outside of the Old Town you will find the Vistula river, where you can take a boat trip, and see the city from a different perspective. There are lots of options, from daytime sightseeing cruises, to sunset boat trips, and even weekly boat parties where all of your drinks are included. Many of these trips are run seasonally so check they’re running in the month you’re visiting before you get too excited. The boat party is well known and one of the most recommended things to do in Krakow in Summer!
There’s also the Kazimierz Neighbourhood, Krakow's historic Jewish Quarter, now packed with museums, galleries, and independent shops, cafes and restaurants. It’s stunning, with loads to see and do, and some of the best restaurants in the city, so definitely don’t miss it.
For a full guide of all the best things to do in Krakow, from the main landmarks to the hidden gems that not all of the tourists know about, make sure to check out our Krakow Travel Toolkit.
Avoid drinking alcohol in public spaces
In Poland, it’s illegal to drink alcohol in public spaces such as squares, parks and streets. Although it might be tempting to have a few beers by the river watching the sunset, or a bottle of wine in the park, Polish police do regularly enforce this rule with fines, even to tourists, so it’s worth just waiting to be back at your hotel, or inside a bar or restaurant.
Speaking of drinking, avoid ordering double measures of spirits (unless you’re prepared for a very strong drink)
When in Poland, especially if you enjoy drinking spirits, you must absolutely try some of their vodka. Whether you go for plain, flavoured, or one of their many vodka liqueurs, you won’t be disappointed. With literally every flavour you could imagine on offer in some of the specific Vodka bars and even in supermarkets, vodka has become part of Polish culture.
But, you must be aware that in Poland, a single measure of spirits is 50ml and a double is 100ml, which is twice the size of the measures in the UK. Plus, some of the flavoured vodkas do not taste strong of alcohol, but the content is definitely there, trust us!
Avoid eating and drinking only at restaurants and bars in the main square
Whilst in Krakow, it’s completely understandable if you want to sit in the main square and relax with a local drink or some food, maybe sitting outside watching the world go by and enjoying the atmosphere. We definitely get that, and understand why you’d want to. However, try and make that a one-time thing, as normally in the main squares you’ll find a lower quality of food and drink, for a much higher price.
You see, in main areas with a view of landmarks, the quality doesn’t have to be incredible to attract lots of tourists, so often you won’t be eating the best, freshest, most authentic food. However, a few streets back from the main areas and viewpoints, restaurants have to work to obtain good reviews and a positive reputation with locals and tourists alike. You’ll generally find higher quality, less crowds, and better service outside of the main square.
For example, one of our favourite food spots in Krakow is Hamsa, a middle-eastern restaurant in the Jewish Quarter of Krakow. It’s affordable, in a stunning restaurant, and the food is delicious and obviously fresh! For more hidden gems and advice like this, you can read our Krakow Travel Toolkit here.
If you’re planning to visit the Auschwitz memorial and museum, make sure to avoid booking through third-party sites
Lots of people want to visit the Auschwitz memorial and museum when visiting Krakow as it’s not too long of a drive or train ride away, and a really important area to see when you’re close by. It’s a heavy day, but important to go and recognise the horrific events that happened around Poland and Europe during the Holocaust.
If you are visiting, make sure to book well in advance. Reservations can disappear quite quickly and you want to make sure you are booking directly, through the official provider. Avoid third-party sites, as they can often overcharge, make you pay extra for “VIP” or “Skip-the-line” tickets that simply don’t exist, or even charge you, take you to the site, and then end up being turned away as they haven’t reserved enough tickets.
Avoid walking around the outskirts of the city at night
Again, this isn’t something to stress about too much, just standard practice for keeping safe in any unfamiliar city. The old town and main tourist hotspots of the city are perfectly safe to wander through, just keep your belongings close to you. But on a night, it’s best to avoid quiet residential areas on the outskirts of the city, away from the main neighbourhoods that tourists stay in, especially if you’re travelling solo. It’s just a precaution really, but always better to be safer than you need.
Avoid spending far too long researching - and then still missing out on some of the best hidden gems including sightseeing spots, attractions, bars and restaurants in the city:
There’s only one way to avoid the hours of preparation that a well-thought out trip includes, and that’s to pass it over to an expert. Luckily for you, our Krakow Travel Toolkit contains a full list of all the must-try dishes and drinks in Krakow, as well as the best restaurants, bars and cafes to go to to find them. Save yourself hours of researching, scrolling through reviews, and a fortune on wasting money in tourist trap cafes!
We’ve tried and tested everywhere that we recommend to make sure it’s a perfect fit. They’re all saved to an Ultimate Map which shows you your own location compared to all the attractions, so you can find the best spot for food and drink closest to you.
Support our small business and get your Krakow Travel Toolkit below!
