Warszauer Hotel, & mini-guide for design conscious visitors to Krakow's Kazimierz district
This summer was a busy one for us at the studio so we decided to treat ourselves to a weekend in Krakow. We were after a place in the center (but not in the strict tourist center #iykyk) and the hotel had to be intimate, well designed and quiet. Warszauer , situated in the heart of the old Jewish quarter of Kazimierz fitted that bill perfectly. With just 10 minimal bedrooms, it offered as exactly what their website promised: ‘a home away from home’.
We dropped our bags off and while the room was getting ready we explored our old favourites in the district (a fun fact - Sylwia studied in Krakow, and when we met, we decided to make the city our base for 6 years before moving to Scotland) and we were chuffed to find so many of them completely unchanged in their friendly atmosphere and great food, just with updated decor and menus.
Some of our tips for great places to Krakow, especially bars & cafes:
If you follow along Paulinska Street you can have a lovely stroll by the Vistula river and visit one of my favourite wee parcs in front of a baroque church in Skalka; by turning left from there you can pop into to a St Catherine of Alexandria medieval church which has the coolest painting of a whale I’ve seen. Highly recommend if you are into that sort of quirky finds on your trips!
After a short refresh at our hotel (Warszauer has a quiet communal area where you can help yourself to a tea/coffee and as we discovered often a nice pastry too) it was time to meet friends and apparently all the cool kids hang out in @forumpanorama restaurant on the top floor of the one of the most iconic buildings of the modernist era. Designed in 1978 by a legendary Polish architect Janusz Ingarden it offers unparalleled views over the Vistula river.
The best place for a nightcap was however just 5 minutes from our hotel at @alchemiakrakow which doubles as a jazz bar and restaurant. Another fun fact from our personal lives: this was where Simon proposed over a romantic, candlelit dinner. Highly recommend, the food and cocktails are delicious, even if you were not planning a proposal for your partner.
If you are still feeling peckish - the main square of Kazimierz has the cult dish of every late drinker in Krakow called ‘zapiekanka’ which is a delicious hearty portion (usually a half of a baguette) with various toppings, usually topped with melted cheese. It quenches that salty food urge and undoubtedly provides interesting dreams (the amounts of grated cheese are generous).
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For fans of something healthier a vegan and vegetarian street food market Turlaj Klopsa is situated in Isaac’s Square. Open from noon till 7pm. Their branding is genius too.
The next morning we’ve ventured out across the river to the Museum of Contemporary Art @mocak_krakow (again, a great spacious and welcoming cafe and well presented art bookstore, open until 7 pm). If you are into museums you will surely not be short of them in Krakow! Our favourites are @mufo (Museum of Photography) in Rakowicka 22A (a very short walk from the Main Train Station), @mckkrakow with amazing contemporary art exhibitions (this time we saw Brancusi’s show accompanied by a soundtrack from one of our fav bands @badbadnotgood) and last but not least @wawelcastle to rule them all. There are many more (like The Prince Czartoryski’s collection with their Leonardo DaVinci ‘Lady with an Ermine’ and @mangghamuseum of Japanese technology and culture but these might have to wait for another trip).
From there a new trendy neighbourhood of Podgorze emerges (joined with Kazimierz by the brand new pedestrian crossing at the top of Nadwislanska street) with their highly specialised matcha bar @ayko.matchabar in Wegierska 12 and Tadeusz Kantor’s Centre @cricoteka (our Scottish followers might be acquainted with that name though Richard Demarco @demarco_archive ) if you are more into food than performance arts - the restaurant is on top of the collection’s building that is perched over an old power plant.
Dear Krakow, we will haste ye back!