Poland – Warsaw & Krakow

Why we went…

My husband and I have traveled a decent amount in Europe, and we are looking to explore new cities and countries that we haven’t been to. Poland has been on our list for a while for the history and culture.

How we got there…

We flew through Heathrow to Warsaw, took the train from Warsaw to Krakow, and then we took a car to Prague and flew home through Frankfurt from Prague. Unfortunately, the direct LAX to Warsaw flight that we booked got cancelled.

Where we stayed in Warsaw…

Hotel Indigo, Warsaw – This hotel is modern and clean. The location is convenient. We could walk to a lot of attractions, and it was a central location to take Ubers as well.

Where we ate in Warsaw…

Specjaty Regionalne – Casual and great regional polish food on Nowy Swiat street. This restaurant was a great introduction to Polish food. The staff is friendly and the location is central.

U Fukiera – Ainsley absolutely loved this restaurant. It was beautiful and felt very special. She loved the tartare with the wine glass of egg yolk. It is located in the main square in the old town.

What we did in Warsaw…

We only had one day in Warsaw so we had to make the most of it. We wanted culture, history, and fun!

Copernicus Science Center – We love a good science center, and this one is up there with the best. The kids had a great time exploring and learning. Everything is interactive! Most is in polish, but there is a bit of English too.

Warsaw Rising Museum – Poland has quite a history. The Warsaw Rising Museum is fantastic and interesting. We went through quickly, but you could spend hours here. The museum isn’t only informative, but visually stunning as well.

Warsaw Castle and Old Town – A must do in Warsaw! The castle is beautiful and worth walking through. It was also fun to have a drink at a cafe in the castle square and enjoy the hustle and bustle of this lively and charming part of town. We loved exploring all of the small streets in the old town. It is beautiful at night too!

Lazienki Park – We were short on time and energy so we opted not to visit any of the museums in the park, but we did love walking around and enjoying the beautiful spring blooms and fantastic vistas.

Where we stayed in Krakow…

Hotel Saski Krakow, Curio Collection by Hilton – This was our favorite hotel of the trip. The hotel was beautiful and has a perfect location for exploring the city. It is on the same street as one of my favorite little churches in Krakow. The restaurant was great and had pasta for Spence and foie gras beef tartare for Ainsley. It also had an indoor pool, sauna, and steam room, which the kids loved.

Where we ate in Krakow…

Morskie Oko – Close to our hotel and the main square. This casual mountain-decorated restaurant had great food and a lot of charm. The kids were a bit tired of taking photos at this point, but Spencer loved the pickle plate and Ainsley got a bowl of beef lard spread that the server didn’t think a child would like.

Starka – This was my favorite restaurant of the trip. They had a full menu of interesting homemade infused vodkas. The decor was very hip and the food was excellent. Of course, they had another fantastic beef tartare for Ainsley.

What we did in Krakow…

Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter) – This is a must do. I only wish we had more time here and perhaps a guide to provide us with more information. We were limited with time and the kids have a limited attention span for history, so we powered through. The street are wonderful to walk through. We visited the Stara Synagogue, roamed the neighborhood, and passed through the Jewish Cemetary.

Wawel Castle – Another must do! This is one of the most beautiful castles. I loved the colors and architecture. The kids loved climbing the church’s bell tower. We went through the armory room as well.

Rynek Underground Museum – This isn’t a must-do mostly because most of the information is all in Polish, but it was a neat space. It is located right in the main square, and it was nice to escape the heat for a few minutes.

Wieliczka Salt Mines – We elected not to visit Auschwitz with the kids and decided to go to the Salt Mines instead. We did the miners’ tour which was really interesting. We learned about the life of a miner, tasted salt off the walls, and ground salt by hand. If you have never done a salt mine tour, I would do the normal tour first, but this was our third salt mine so we wanted a different experience.

Walking the City – The old town in Krakow is much bigger than the old town in Warsaw. It is wonderful to walk around and there is something beautiful around every corner. Beautiful buildings, churches, ice cream shops, gingerbread shops, and street art.