Cheap Hotels in Krakow

Cheap areas to stay in Krakow

Krakow is a city that offers cheap accommodation right in the center, in the charming Stare Miasto, or Old Town, with many budget hotels found near its handsome Main Square. Grzegórzki is a good place to find well-priced hotels, while Zablocie, Krakow’s post-industrial part of town, houses cheap digs amidst its converted warehouses and once-forgotten alleyways. Other cheap lodging options can be found out near the airport, which is an 18-minute train ride from the city center.

Cheap hotels in Krakow

The Station Aparthotel is just a few steps from Głowny, the city’s main train station, and a pleasant 15-minute walk from Stare Miasto’s Main Square. The hotel offers cheap ensuite rooms, and even cheaper rooms with shared bathrooms. The budget-friendly Hilton Garden Inn Krakow Airport is across the road from the airport’s Terminal 1. Guestrooms come with 39-inch TVs and free WiFi. Just a 10-minute walk from the Main Square, the reasonably-priced Metropolis Design Hotel Sp. z o.o. SKA has tastefully decorated rooms with free WiFi and complimentary bottled water.

Where to find cheap food in Krakow

Finding cheap eats in Krakow is as simple as taking a stroll around the historic Old Town. Here, you’ll find plenty of restaurants serving traditional Polish fare at inexpensive prices. Delicacies to look out for include the huge variety of kielbasas – Polish sausages – often served with sauerkraut and horseradish or mustard, and best accompanied by an ice-cold, Polish beer. If you have a sweet tooth, try paczki – a type of holeless doughnut often filled with jelly. You can also find some good-value restaurants in the Zablocie, home to cheap cafés and small bars.

Cheap things to do in Krakow

Exploring the charming Old Town on foot is absolutely free, but there’s another great walk, along the banks of the wide Vistula River. The Vistulan Boulevards, pedestrian paths running along both banks of the river, offer plenty of opportunities for picnics as well as some fantastic views of the city – take your camera with you. Entrance to the fascinating Rynek Underground Museum is inexpensive and, even better, on Tuesdays it’s free. Once into the museum, you’ll be walking along several miles of tunnels which sit under the Main Square and the Old Town and feature excavated artifacts from Medieval Krakow, including workshops and market stalls. Once the site of the city’s fortified walls, Planty is a lush green park that encircles the Old Town. Stroll around it and you’ll find fountains, street performers, and lots of quiet little corners.

Cheap ways to get around Krakow

If you’re staying in Krakow center for a city break, many of your likely destinations will be easily walkable. To travel to more distant parts of the city, you’ll be able to use the cheap and efficient network of buses and trams. You buy tickets either on board or from the little kiosks that are next to many of the main bus and tram stops. Various deals are available for tickets that are valid for unlimited travel over a fixed period of time – an option well worth investigating as it can save money.