We're so excited to celebrate our wedding with you in the beautiful city of Krakow, Poland! For many of our guests travelling from all over the world, this will be a long journey - and we hope you make the most of your time here by exploring all that Krakow has to offer.

Krakow, the second-largest city in Poland, is a treasure trove for history and culture, boasting a rich legacy of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. This ancient city, with parts dating back to the 7th century, was once the capital of Poland from 1038 to 1596.

Krakow's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to largest medieval market square in Europe, Rynek Glowny, surrounded by stunning architecture, including the iconic St. Mary's Basilica and Wawel Castle. The city also features the historic Jewish Quarter, Kazimierz, with its trendy bars, restaurants, and cultural centres.

With its vibrant atmosphere, lively nightlife, and numerous attractions, Krakow offers a unique blend of history, culture and entertainment. From its cobblestone streets, historical buildings, to its lovely parks, there's something to discover around every corner.

Here are just a few ideas for how you could spend your week in Krakow:

- Explore the Old Town & Wawel Castle: wander through the UNESCO-listed Old Town, visit the magnificent Wawel Royal Castle and don't miss the iconic St. Mary's Basilica on the Main Square.

- While at Wawel Castle visit Dragon's Den.

The cave that the legendary dragon inhabited leads down from Wawel Hill to the bank of the Vistula river. The legendary beast terrorised the locals and demanded offerings of cattle, though in an alternative version of the tale which Kasia learnt at school these were virgins! Not even the strongest of warriors could cope with the Wawel Dragon. It was defeated only by the smart shoemaker’s apprentice Skuba, who exploited the worst of the beast’s weaknesses – voracious gluttony. The boy placed a ram’s hide stuffed with sulphur in front of the entry to the cave, and the serpent swallowed it with glee. Soon the monster began to suffer horrible thirst: it was the sulphur burning his innards. He waddled out from his cave to the Vistula, and began to drink water, but could not quench the thirst. Dragons as it is known don’t give up easily, so he drank without a moment’s rest, quite forgetting himself until he burst!

A sculpture representing the Wawel Dragon stands by the cave’s mouth in the Vistula embankments. A few hundred years ago, the cave harboured a famous inn (or more than that), where – mindless of the warning contained in the legend about the monster’s fate – locals and numerous travellers quenched their thirst. The entrance to the Den for contemporary visitors is on the hill, behind the Thieves’ Tower. The 81-metre long route leads along corridors and across chambers with fossils and assorted karst formations to the riverside.

- Try traditional Polish Cuisine: Warm up with pierogi, finish on a traditional Vodka tasting!

-Visit the Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz): Discover the historic streets of Kazimierz, filled with street art, quirky cafes, synagogues and fascinating history. We also strongly recommend trying a zapiekanka here as they are renowned as the best in Poland!

-Day trips: Take a short trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mine (UNESCO listed) or pay a reflective visit to Auschwitz - both are deeply moving and memorable experiences.

- Markets & Souvenirs: Stroll through local markets and pick up unique gifts, amber jewellery or hand-made crafts. A must visit market is Stary Kleparz which is a walking distance from the Old Town and offers the most amazing variety of fresh food and flowers.

- Shop at Sukiennice, the Krakow Cloth Hall. During its gold age in the 15th century, the hall was the source of a variety of exotic imports from the east - spices, silk, leather and wax - while Krakow itself exported textiles, lead, and salt from the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Now, Sukiennice which has been listed as a UNESCO heritage offers very expensive tourist souvenirs.

- Visit Oscar Schindler's Enamel Factory

- Go for a swim to Zakrzowek - one of the most beautiful site used by divers in Poland, and the rocks surrounding it offer a wonderful panorama of Krakow.

- Visit the Princes Czartoryski Museum to see The Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci

- Relax in the Parks: Take a peaceful walk along the Vistula River or unwind in one of Krakow's many green spaces and gardens.

We hope you enjoy this special city as much as we do - thank you again for travelling so far to celebrate with us.

We can't wait to make unforgettable memories together!

STREET FOOD

KIELBASA Z NIEBIESKIEJ NYSKI - Polish kielbasa, mustard and bread served from a Cold War Van which has been serving sausages in Krakow since 1991. The menu is super simple. The sausages are grilled in front of the van over the beechwood flames. It runs almost every night with line stretching till 3AM.

ZAPIEKANKI Z OKRAGLAKA - Zapiekanka is a toasted baguette with a melted mushroom and cheese base, and then loaded with toppings. The best Zapiekanki are served from Endzior in Kazimierz (Jewish district). A hot tip - the less toppings, the better Zapiekanka is!

OBWARZANEK - an obwarzanek is a braided ring-shaped bread that is boiled and sprinkled with salt, sesame or poppy seeds. Traditionally sold from street carts, it is a popular snack in Krakow, where it has the status of a regional food.

OSCYPEK - a smoked cheese made of salted sheep milk exclusively made in the Tatra Mountains region of Poland. It is often pan-fried and served with cranberry jam on the side.

JAGODZIANKI - a Polish blueberry bans, are the essence of a Polish summer.

PACZKI - a traditional Polish doughnuts that are made from a rich brioche-style dough, filled with a rose jam.

There are so many places to recommend!

Breakfast/Brunch - There are so many funky breakfast cafes in Krakow. We highly recommend to stay away from cafes around the Main Square as usually they don't offer much. Just walk to one of the breakfast cafes listed below.

Przesada

Las

Nap Nap

Ósma Rano

Bistro Bazaar Bar a Vin

Zaczyn

Ranny Ptaszek

Fornir

Muhhabet Bar Cafe

Poranki

Lunch/Dinner - we recommend using the Michelin Guide app to see what Krakow has to offer, check out some of the restaurants from the list below or just follow your instinct while selecting a dinner venue.

Marchewka z Groszkiem (Polish home cooking)

Miód Malina (upscale Polish)

Nolio (pizza)

Youmiko (tiny Japanese restaurant with an outstanding vegan omakase)

Veganic (vegan/vegetarian)

ZaKładka Bistro (French inspired cuisine)

Kropka Kraków (creative cuisine)

Vamos! (creative cuisine)

Bars:

Mleczarnia

Alchemia

Mercy Brown

Bunkier Cafe

Hotel Stary sky bar

SIX RoofTop

Rubinstein Hotel sky bar

Pod Roza bar

Cafes:

Massolit Books & Cafe (book cafe)

Charlotte Menora (french bakery)

Szał Cafe (incredible view of the main square)

Mleczarnia (antique/vintage vibe - turns into a bar at night)

Karma (speciality coffee)