Picturesque Krakow has much to offer travellers of all ages and persuasions. In recent years, cheap flights have made the city a favorite with bachelor parties from the rest of Europe. However, there’s a lot more to this Polish city than nightclubs and parties. Here’s how to spend a short 48 hour break in this fairytale destination.
The best way to start any trip to Krakow is with a delicious breakfast. The city is home to a delightful array of cafes and eateries to suit all tastes. For a great way to start the day, why not try Milkbar Tomasza (ul. Sw. Tomasza 24), the restaurant is famed for their delicious breakfast and lunch options at reasonable prices. Perhaps unexpectedly, Irish breakfast complete with blood sausages is among their most popular morning food offerings, but you can also get pierogis and other more Polish options.
Irish breakfast at Milkbar Tomasza
Once you’ve had your fill, get your walking shoes on for the city’s famous ‘Free Walking Tour’. The guided jaunt through Krakow’s departs daily from between the St. Florian´s Gate and Barbican areas in the centre of town at 10am, 2pm, and 4pm. The tour serves as a sort of ‘Dummies Guide to Krakow’ and allows visitors to sample a taste of the culture and history of the city’s charming Old Town. Best of all, the tour is provided free of charge with guides making a living from tips.
Be sure to tip the ‘Free’ Walking Tour’s excellent guides
Next up, you might fancy a spot of lunch at one of the city’s many traditional Polish restaurants. Introligatornia Smaku (Jozefa, 20) is a favorite among tourists and locals alike. This eatery serves up a selection of Krakow favorites at very reasonable prices.
Alternatively, nearby Bagelmama has the best bagels and lox in town. In addition to the classics, they experiment successfully with combos like warm brie and tomato. Soups and salads are also on offer.
Oscar Schindler’s former enamel factory is today home to a captivating museum detailing the horrors of the Nazi occupation during the Second World War. The museum documents the story of Schindler’s efforts to help save the lives of hundreds of Jews as depicted in the hit movie Schindler’s List.
Oskar Schindler’s factory
Afterwards, why not head east of the Old Town for an authentic Polish dinner at Restauracja Stylowa (Centrum C3), one of the city’s best known traditional restaurants? This Krakow must-see has been in existence since the 1950s and still serves up some of the best grub in town to this day.
Once your appetite is satisfied, it’s time to check out the city’s famous nightlife. Krakow is littered with top quality drinking dens, and many nightspots offering excellent local vodka. Our favorites are Wodka cafe bar (Mikołajska 5) and House of Beer (Świętego Tomasza 35).
After a hearty breakfast, and possibly nursing a hangover, you should enjoy a wander around the city’s historic old town to soak up the hustle and bustle of Krakow. Afterwards, travellers will almost certainly enjoy a walking tour of the city’s Jewish Quarter. The tour leaves the Old Synagogue on Szeroka Street every day at 10am & 1.30pm with an additional tour departing at 5pm between March-October. The ultra-interesting jaunt lasts 2.5 hours and allows viewers to delve into the city’s fascinating Jewish history. There is no set charge for the tour but the guides are paid in tips, so if you enjoyed the tour, don’t forget to give generously.
For lunch, tuck into some local fare at Przystanek Pierogarnia (Bonerowska 14). The prices are reasonable and the food is among the most recommended in the city.
Pierogi from Przystanek Pierogarnia
If you fancy checking out further sights from Krakow’s storied past then make a beeline for the Rynek Underground Museum (Rynek Główny 1). The glitzy museum first opened in 2010 to much fanfare and today, presents visitors with 6000 metres of exhibits outlining the entire history of Krakow.
Historical Museum of the City of Krakow
For your final dinner in Krakow check out Copernicus. It is Polish food at its finest, served in beautiful surroundings. While it certainly not the cheapest dinner in town, it may well be one of the best that Krakow has to offer. It really is the perfect way to round off your Krakow city excursion.
You may think you know Italy if you visited Rome, Florence, and Venice, but you haven’t experienced true Italy if you haven’t paid pilgrimage to modern Milan. This fashionable city is the energetic heart of Italy’s commerce but also packs a historical punch and culinary delights for travelers of all ages and tastes.
If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, then what better way to start your trip than with a traditional Milanese breakfast with the locals? Milan is famous for its coffee, so get your authentic experience on and have a civilized espresso and pastry at the many neighborhood coffee bars on street corners across the city. The experts swear by centuries-old Pasticceria Marchesi.
Energized with breakfast, we recommend you indulge in the many historical wonders that Milan offers. A crossroads of cultures and countries throughout history, Milan has a wealth of ancient and modern sights. A good place to start is the famous Duomo cathedral in the centre of the city. The magnificent cathedral is the largest church in Italy and the fifth largest in the world, taking six centuries and no less than 74 architects and engineers to complete. (Take that, Sagrada Familia in Barcelona!) Art historians often affectionately refer to the Duomo as the wedding cake cathedral emblematic of the International Gothic style. Throughout the years, it’s been the site of famous visitors; Napolean Bonaparte was crowned King of Italy at this Duomo, and authors Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, and Henry James all had differing opinions on the aesthetics of the Duomo. Form an opinion yourself, you’re in excellent company!
Another stellar spot is the Castello Sforzesco. The former Visconti fortress is home to ten museums proudly displaying masterpieces by Mantegna, Titian, Caravaggio, and Michelangelo as well as ancient Roman and Egyptian works. It is easy to spend days in this museum complex. Don’t miss Michelangelo’s powerful last sculpture in The Museum of Rondanini Pietà.
If you fancy a spot of lunch, head to Luini, strolling distance from the castle. Line up with the locals for panzerotti, a sort of little deep-fried calzone stuffed with fillings like tomato and cheese. If elbowing your way through for fried business isn’t your style, there’s Giacomo Arengario, a “ladies-who-lunch” spot serving Milanese specialities and wonderful view.
Nearby is the storied Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. This stunning glass, marble, and steel covered arcade is not only a premier destination for high-end shopping, but also a marvel of Belle Epoque engineering named after the first King of Italy. It’s also deservedly known as the salotto di Milano (Milan’s living room) where the refined and well-heeled Milanese shop. Expect to see the best in haute fashion; Milan is widely recognised as one of the cutting edge fashion destinations in the world.
Once you’ve had your fill of shopping, go for dinner at one of the city’s many high quality restaurants. As you might expect, Milan is a food lover’s paradise and the city plays host to an array of culinary fare from across the globe. For a truly special evening, check out Cracco, which offers two Michelin stars of contemporary Italian cuisine, or Hostaria Borromei where you can enjoy traditional regional dishes in an unpretentious space.
After an early breakfast, take a stroll to the Santa Maria delle grazie (Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie) to check out one of Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic Last Supper. Unsurprisingly, the masterpiece is extremely popular with tourists so make sure you book tickets to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site in advance.
Afterwards, enjoy a beautiful lunch at La Brisa, this modern Italian trattoria is among the best in town and caters to both meat-eaters and vegetarians. With an excellent wine list, it would be a shame not to order a glass to top off a delicious lunch in elegant surroundings.
A trip to Milan would not be complete without trying out the city’s favorite pastime, aperitivo. This Milanese tradition takes the concept of a happy hour and gives it a local twist for a city which isn’t known for its booze-soaked exploits. Once the clock strikes 6, locals like to enjoy a drink alongside a buffet of delicious appetizers.
A great place to check out some of the best aperitivo joints is the Navigli area, a beautiful canalside district packed with the city’s cool kids enjoying a glass of wine and some nibbles. The options are numerous and the best way to find your favorite is to go for a stroll around the area. La Prosciutteria Milano Navigli is a great option.
No trip to Milan would be complete without a visit to the legendary Teatro alla Scala (Via Filodrammatici, 2), one of the world’s most prestigious opera houses. Known simply as La Scala, it has presented the world’s most famous opera singers over its 240 years in existence, including Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo to name just a few. It hosted the historic world premiere of perennial opera darlings, Turandot and Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini (the original Andrew Lloyd Weber). Take a tour of the magnificent gilt interior or even better, attend a performance. It will be a perfect finale to your trip to refined Milan, a thrilling modern city of history, arts, commerce, and culture.
Lviv is Ukraine’s cultural capital — a literary city in the west of the country that leans closer to western European than cities elsewhere in the country. It’s gradually becoming more popular, but is still untouched compared to other regional destinations like nearby Kraków in Poland. Discover this Ukrainian gem in 48 hours with our guide.
When you arrive in Lviv, one of the first things you will notice is the city’s charming old town. The Old Town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and has yet to be spoiled by tourism like other centers in Eastern Europe. A ramble through the city streets will help you gain an appreciation for the vibrancy of Lviv. If you are feeling adventurous then why not climb to the top of the the City Hall tower in the main square, Ploshcha Rynok.
After all of that, you’ll have almost definitely worked up an appetite. Thankfully, Lviv is home to a bustling cafe culture and some very delicious (and budget friendly!) restaurants. A tasty lunch can be enjoyed for a very reasonable price at Museum of Ideas (Valova, 18a), while vegetarian dishes can be enjoyed at Pid Klepsydroyu (5 Armenian Street).
The refectory in the Museum of Ideas
Afterwards, a jaunt to check out the city’s famous cathedrals and churches is sure to satisfy those craving spirituality. Among the most impressive are St. George’s, the Eastern Rite Catholic cathedral (Ploshchad’ Svyatogo Yura, 5), the Dominican church and monastery (Museina Square, 1), the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption — often simply called the ‘Latin Cathedral’ (Katedralna Square), and the Armenian Cathedral (Virmens’ka St, 7).
After this we suggest you indulge in an afternoon nap in order to prepare for the city’s bustling nightlife.
Upon waking from your slumber, throw on your best outfit (the people of Lviv love to dress up) and head to the super swish Baczewski restaurant (8, Shevska Street), Baczewski offers some of the finest food in the city and their fruit-infused vodka is a must try for any visitor.
Afterwards, we suggest you put your dancing shoes on and check out the city’s famous nightlife scene. For an evening with a difference, we suggest you pay a visit to Cafe Masoch (7, Serbska St.), the venue is named after BDSM pioneer Leopold Ritter von Sacher-Masoch who was born in Lviv in 1836. The seemingly normal bar allows customers to get whipped on request, although those with a lower pain tolerance can just enjoy a regular night out.
Whether you wake up licking your wounds or not, a delicious Lviv-style breakfast is a must. Svit Kavy (6, Katedralna Square) offers some of the best coffee in town alongside a selection of savoury and sweet options to start your day off the right way.
Afterwards, why not check out a traditional banya, a Russian-style bathhouse that is more steam room than sauna. Galaktika Club, a 15-minute bus ride from the Old Town is among the best in the city. There you can also indulge in a massage and other spa treatments.
The banya at Galaktika Club
For lunch, check out Dim Legend, a 5-story restaurant/bar/world of weirdness (48, Staroievreiska St). The food is tasty and the photo opportunities are many in this folklore-themed eatery. Be sure to get your hands on a Local card….but we’ll tell you more about that later.
You will feel so good that your body won’t even care if you pay a visit to the city’s famous brewing museum (18, Kleparivska St) afterwards. The building houses the oldest brewery in the country and is arguably home to the best beer that Ukraine has on offer.
If you fancy a clearer head then pay a visit to the Union of Lublin Mound (Vysokyi zamok). This 29 meter high artificial mound was created in 1869-1890 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Union of Lublin. It is located on the summit of Lviv High Castle.
For dinner, why not check out the wonderfully quirky “The Most Expensive Galician Restaurant”(14 Ploshcha Rynok, 2nd Floor, Apartment 8). The restaurant offers excellent local fare with a Masonic theme. Be sure to take a Local card from sister restaurant “Dim Legend” for a discount which will make this weird and wonderful delight pretty damn affordable.
The Most Expensive Galician Restaurant
Afterwards, we suggest that you finish off your visit with a trip to the city’s famed opera house and theater. The Solomiya Krushelnytska Lviv State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet ( is undoubtedly one of the city’s greatest historic cultural centers (Svobody Ave, 28). Catching a performance in this beautiful building with certainly make your trip to Lviv an occasion which you will never forget.
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