Krakow for Budget-Conscious Travelers

Regular rates in many hostels in Krakow, bed-and-breakfasts, and various guest houses start from an equivalent of about ten euro per person per night. And from July through September the city’s numerous student dormitories are turned into cheap hotels. Plus an interesting option for families and small groups are holiday apartments for rent that have mushroomed recently all over the city, many situated conveniently in Krakow’s central historic districts of the Old Town and the Kazimierz Town or near by.

Foodstuffs aren’t perhaps dirt-cheap in Poland but one may find low-priced yet decent food products in Krakow shops – it suffices to stray slightly from the city’s main tourist routes. Superstores have good prices but some budget convenience stores still undercut them a bit. And fresh farm products are available on markets scattered over the city. 

A myriad of the city’s downtown fast food restaurants, snack bars, burger joints, kebab bistros, salad bars, pizzerias, and the like are the obvious choice for diners with limited budget. At the same time it’s good to remember that Krakow is the capital of Poland’s gastronomy and a good deal of its numerous restaurants prove truly affordable. A three-course meal of the ‘dishes of the day’ priced at an equivalent of 8 euro or so in an out-of-the-way diner is pretty common (look for ‘obiad firmowy’). As a last resort there remain the dirt-cheap eateries called ‘bar mleczny’ (milk bar), once profuse throughout Poland and nearing extinction nowadays, that serve simple but healthy food at low prices subsidized by the Krakow municipality.