Our second train ride in our month-long adventure took us from Prague Liben Station to Krakow, Poland. The 3h train ride was easy, and our accommodation was easy to find on foot. While in Krakow, we also booked an important day trip to Auschwitz and Birkenau. This post will share our impressions of Krakow and the Holocaust Memorial Sites. We spent three nights in Krakow and really enjoyed our stay!
Krakow, Poland
As expected, the city of Krakow is beautiful! Many of the buildings were erected when it was the capital. We enjoyed staying near the old town and marvelled at its medieval features. Many of the town gates, parts of the wall and barbican have been restored and maintained. The former moat around the city walls is now parkland that encircles the old town.
Where Did We Stay?
We booked our stay at the Amber Boutique Hotel. It was near the train station and a short walk to the old town on a quieter street. There were several restaurant options along a nearby street. Our room was comfortable, the breakfast was tasty, and the hotel staff were helpful. We enjoyed relaxing in the garden among the gigantic chestnut tree while waiting for our train the next day.
Polish Dining Highlights
Bar Mleczny (Milk Bar) Experiences
Since this was our first visit to Poland, we ate at a few establishments called Bar Mleczny. These “milk bars” are known for their affordable, cafeteria-style service of simple traditional dishes. They are subsidized by the state to maintain affordable options and to keep the traditional foods available. Many locals eat in Bar Mleczny places.
Our first attempt was at a tiny place called MIŁA bar mleczny 7, where we managed to order and receive some pierogis and a cutlet (kotlet). We shared a table with a university student and struck up a conversation. There were many students in the tiny restaurant when we were there. Luckily, we recognized our order when it was called, and credit cards were accepted for payment.
We tried a couple of different Bar Mleczny spots and managed to find more pierogies, cabbage rolls, crepes, kotlets (pork cutlets) and a variety of side veggies. I learned a bit about how Milk bars developed after reading this great post: https://www.deliciouspoland.com/blog/2025/3/29/a-guide-to-polish-milk-bars-bar-mleczny-the-best-budget-eats
Bar Smak
We discovered another type of restaurant with table service that also served traditional meals. Our favourite was called Bar Smak. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere and staff were welcoming. Our favourite beverage was a dark beer called Litovel Černý citron. It was a dark malt with lemon.
Exploring the City
We thoroughly enjoyed our walking tour of the historical town on our first morning. We booked this tour of old town with GuruWalk: https://www.guruwalk.com/walks/22111-free-tour-krakow-old-town-and-wawel-castle?ref=b0daqs9t53by2ul34xjt
Our tour guide was informative and entertaining! He shared many historical facts and explained why there are so many references to dragons (based on a fable) in the city. We also walked through the first university campus, which was used for a famous movie! Can you guess which movie series?
Kraków has 22 universities, which helps explain its youthful population. He also shared a webpage with many suggestions about things to do and places to eat, which we used during our stay.
Auschwitz and Birkenau Memorials
Oświęcim is the name of the town where the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau were established during the Nazi regime. The camps were built with a 40km zone around them to hide their activities. The camp began in 1940 and continued until the end of the war in 1944.
We booked a day trip out to the infamous Auschwitz and Birkenau Holocaust Memorials. We chose a day trip from Viator. It included an early-morning pick-up from our hotel and a full guided tour of both sites. Our hotel provided a box lunch for us as we left the hotel before breakfast was served. It was a generous amount of food that we used for breakfast and lunch that day.
Auschwitz
Leaving Krakow early was ideal as we began our tour before most of the crowds arrived. The site is well managed, and the headphones allow your guide to speak to you without creating a noisy environment. The entire site was a place for quiet reflection. The systematic destruction of so many is overwhelming at times. I’m not sure how the tour guides can explain the details of these camps without being overwhelmed.
I had seen some of the Auschwitz artifacts in photos and heard many details about life here in books and movies, but experiencing it first hand was impactful. Seeing the medical infirmary building, the shooting wall and walking through a gas chamber was a lot to take in. The place still has a heavy feeling despite the sunny weather and reconstructions. The devastation is well documented. There were images of the gas cans used, and even the tattoo needles were on display.
Birkenau (Auschwitz II)
Birkenau was built to expand the camp to house more prisoners. Auschwitz was intended to house Polish prisoners, and then the crematoriums were built to carry out the murder of thousands per day from all across the German-occupied nations. It was a bigger campus with a railroad passing through it and smaller buildings and more gas chambers. Some of the gas chambers were destroyed by the Nazis when they retreated, and the memorial is near these chambers. We followed our guide to a variety of places, and he explained what daily life was like. It was a humbling experience. The camp was spread out and would have held many thousands of people at any time.
Things to consider when visiting:
- book the earliest tour of the day as it gets very busy
- many parts of the tour are outdoors, so be prepared for sunny/rainy conditions
- there are some uneven stairs to climb
- it can be very emotional and not recommended for children
- using the toilet required a credit card to enter
We enjoyed our 3-night stay in the Krakow area and could have easily spent a week here. We were able to see and do everything we had hoped to do in that time.
For more details about our European train travel, read our post: https://lifeafter50travel.net/2026/06/25/affordable-train-travel-in-eastern-europe-and-finland/
I took my first flight at 6 months of age and I have continued to plan trips and travel to more than 60 countries. Now as a middle age traveler we have learned some travel hacks and budget saving ideas that we are happy to share. Follow our posts for ideas and tips to stretch your travel budget in your gogo years!
