Krakow with the Kids

from Krakow In Your Pocket - August - September 2018

Kids. They get tired, they get bored, cranky, whiny, naggy, damn-near-impossible to please or control. We know, and we love them anyway. Though we won’t argue that the main things Kraków has to offer the little ones are ice cream and pigeon-chasing, here are some recommendations for what to do with the family anyway.

Everybody loves Kraków (right?), but one complaint we sometimes hear is that it isn’t the most family-friendly tourist city. Pushing a pram down cobbled streets and cracked sidewalks crammed with pedestrians and parked cars is a drag, you can only expect kids to be quiet and respectful in churches, memorial sites and boring history museums for so long, and you can’t expect them to enjoy cellar bars or stylish clubs at all. There must be something else to do in this town, right?

Right. It may not be immediately apparent to the travelweary family here for only a few days, but there is in fact plenty to do with the kids in Kraków, especially when the sun is out. We’re here to help you find exactly those things, and send your kids back to school bragging about what a great vacation they had in Kraków.

HELPFUL HINTS

Of course the first step to having a great family vacation abroad is to accept that what you want to do, and what your kids want to do are hardly one and the same. That said, there’s no reason you can’t find some common ground in Kraków’s major attractions. Everyone has Wawel (p.38) on their list, and though all it takes is one too-hasty ticket purchase to over-do it, you can still have a great time with the kids exploring Kraków’s royal castle. Most of the ticketed exhibits will prove too lengthy and tedious for young attention spans, but you can still say you saw it by strolling around the numerous gardens and courtyards (for free, no less). Kids love the legend of the Wawel Dragon, and Dragon’s Den (p.41), touristy as it may be, is a perfect way to exit to the riverbank below where you can take photos of them climbing all over the fire-breathing dragon monument.

**Giant bubbles near Wawel**
Wojciech Wandzel, www.wandzelphoto.com

Sometimes the best thing to do when there are easilytired kids involved and you want to see as much as possible is to simply sign on for a guided tour (p.27). Though you won’t learn much, a horse-drawn carriage ride (p.26) is irresistible to kids (and wives), and will send you home with some photos of your dashing fam sightseeing in style. By the same token, kids will love travelling up and down the river in one of the many charming cruise boats available for hire beneath Wawel (p.124).

Sometimes, however, all you really need as a parent is a playground. To that end we’ve marked all the playgrounds in the centre on the maps throughout our guide, but nothing beats the new wooden playground in Krakowski Park (G-4, p.126).

When it’s time to eat, look for the Child-friendly symbol at the end venue listings in our Cafes and Restaurants section to see which establishments claim to have things like high chairs and play corners. Or just head straight to Pod Wawelem (p.109), an enormous beer hall which offers plenty of tables, enormous portions of cheap Polish food your kids will eat, live music in the evenings, and a huge rumpus room which will keep your kids happily occupied while you clink steins with your partner.

**Ice cream break at Rynek Podgórski (p.52)**

As for museums, Kraków is home to scores, many of which have been recently modernised to be more interactive and kid-friendly. Our little experts ranked the Engineering Museum (p.65) and Rynek Underground (p.70) as the most fun, after being reminded that the Zoo and Water Park aren’t actually museums.

In recent years, Kraków’s most tourist-trafficked areas have become home to numerous tacky attractions (mirror mazes, butterfly museums, wax museums) that can best be described as tourist traps. You’ll find our take on these places on our website, but we don’t recommend them and we aren’t listing them here.

For more ideas go to iyp.me/krakowkids or kidsinkrakow.pl.

KRAKÓW WATER PARK

The huge indoor pool complex includes 800m of water slides, dragon and pirate play areas, massage fountains, climbing walls, wave machines, and other in-water activities, probably the thing your kid will remember most about Kraków. You might not have such a bad time yourself with access to jacuzzis, saunas (1.90zł) and a pool-side cafe from which you can watch your little terrors dunk each other. Prices are 39/35zł for 2hrs and 61/48zł for day access (including sauna). Note that on weekends this place is absolutely packed.QL‐1, ul. Dobrego Pasterza 126, tel. (+48) 12 616 31 91, www.parkwodny.pl. Open 08:00 - 22:00.

STANISŁAW LEM SCIENCE GARDEN

A fun, interactive, educational park for kids named after local sci-fi author Stanisław Lem. The 7 hectare science park features different stations engaging kids in optical illusions, acoustics and the laws of physics. Though teenagers will roll their eyes, it’s a nice outing for younger children, and a nice change of pace from modern multimedia museums. Be prepared that some of the most exciting attractions for older kids - namely zorbing, the human gyroscope and bungee trampoline - all cost extra (5zł). Explanations at each station are in English and Polish. Reserve 90 minutes to visit the park in its entirety and get there via trams 1, 14 or 22, getting off at the ‘M1 Al. Pokoju’ stop; alternatively, a cab from the centre is about 25zł. QAl. Pokoju 68 (Czyżyny), tel. (+48) 12 346 12 85, www. ogroddoswiadczen.pl. Open 09:00 - 20:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 20:00. From September open 09:00 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 19:00. Last entrance 30mins before closing. Admission 12/10zł, children under 3 free. Family ticket 35zł. Y

KRYSPINÓW

Kraków’s favourite summer sun destination is the artificial beaches at Kryspinów Lagoon. With no less than four separate sandy pitches on the reservoir (though note that only one beach is watched by lifeguards), there is plenty of space here for everyone, despite the area’s immense popularity. About 12km away and well-connected to Kraków, Kryspinów also features a range of attractions including water sports equipment and boat rental, windsurfing and wakeboarding instruction (available in English), zorbing and quads, flyboarding, playgrounds, a ropes course, beach volleyball and tennis courts, and plenty of eating options, including Skansen Smaków - a traditional Polish tavern. It’s also a popular party destination on summer weekends, organising numerous events throughout the season. Though outside city limits, you can still get there by Kraków public transit; simply take bus 209 from the Salwator tram roundabout (E-8) to the ‘Budzyń Zalew na Piaskach’ stop; or bus 269 from Salwator to the ‘Budzyń Plaża Główna’ bus stop. Note that both stops are ‘by request’ and that you need a 4/2zł ticket that covers both zones I and II.QLiszki, tel. (+48) 502 37 01 81, www.kryspinow.com.pl. Open 08:00 - 22:00. Admission 12/6zł, family tickets available, kids under 6 free; all tickets half-price after 17:00. Parking 10zł.

KRAKÓW ZOO

First opened in 1929, Kraków’s Zoo offers visitors the chance to see nearly 1500 animals of almost 300 species, while still remaining very manageable in size at only 20 hectares. Most of the exhibits are outdoors in the natural setting of Wolski Forest and there’s surprisingly little to get depressed about. Among the rare, exotic and endangered species you’ll see are Indian elephants, pygmy hippopotami, South American sea lions, Humboldt penguins, giraffes, jaguars, camels, dwarf caimans and a surprisingly impressive array of brightly-plumed pheasants (our favourite). There’s also a petting zoo, and some unavoidable snack bars. Bus 134 leaves every 20mins on weekdays and 10mins on weekends from ‘Cracovia Stadion’ (ul. Józefa Kałuży, G-6) and drops you off at the entrance.Qul. Kasy Oszczędności Miasta Krakowa 14, tel. (+48) 12 425 35 51, www.zookrakow.pl. Open 09:00 - 19:00; last entrance 1 hour before closing. Admission 18/10zł.

OBWARZANEK MUSEUM

Obwarzanki - the chewy dough rings which date back over 600 years (p.83), are synonymous with Kraków, and beloved by both its people and pigeons. If you can’t get enough of these circular snacks, learn more about them at this interactive educational museum. Discover what makes them unique, see how they’re made firsthand and even bake your own. Primarily occupied with school groups, workshops for the general public are limited to specific hours; English-language sessions take place on Wednesdays at 14:00 and Saturdays at 12:00 - visit their website for bookings and more information. Each participant leaves with their very own obwarzanek to cherish forever (external conditions may apply) or chow down on immediately. During the rest of the week groups can still visit if arranged in advance, and anyone can drop in to their small cafe/ shop for a coffee and a bagel.QJ‐4, ul. Paderewskiego 4, tel. (+48) 12 357 73 22, www.muzeumobwarzanka.com. Open 10:00 - 16:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 09:30 - 17:30. Admission 19/16zł, children under 3 free.

GO JUMP

The trampoline park craze has reached Kraków with this large jumping-centre en route to Nowa Huta, which boasts a multi-trampoline main arena, foam block pit and zones for playing dodgeball or shooting hoops. The minimum age is four years old, and the maximum is whenever your knees give out. To get here by tram take number 1 from ‘Plac Wszystkich Świętych’ or number 14 from ‘Dworzec Główny’ to ‘Centralna’; Go Jump will be on your right. Their second location at ul. Rzemieślnicza 20G also offers classes including parkour and trampoline fitness (drop-in fee 35- 39zł)Qul. Centralna 41A, tel. (+48) 533 39 92 45, www. krakow.gojump.pl. Open 10:00 - 22:00. 34zł/hr plus 5zł for (mandatory) anti-slip socks, students with valid ID 21zł/hr Mon-Thu 10:00-15:00, groups of at least ten people 25zł/hr; slightly cheaper if you book online.

CIUCIU

Touting themselves as the ‘world’s smallest candy factory,’ this shop is indeed pint-sized and completely charming. Ciuciu specialises in personalised hard candies and bonbons, adding your small logo, inscription or pattern to the flavour and colours of your choice; or they’ll teach you how to make the candy yourself. Versatility is limited, but this is a pretty great gift idea. Stop by to see what they’ve got prepared already; free samples are almost guaranteed. QI‐6, ul. Grodzka 38, tel. (+48) 698 52 15 42, www. ciuciukrakow.pl. Open 10:00 - 22:00. From September 10:00 - 20:00.

HISTORYLAND

This pricey family attraction inside Kraków’s former main train station attempts to bring Polish history to life in a way that will appeal to kids - via multimedia displays with LEGO. There are exactly 10 detailed displays of PL’s proudest historical moments, from the 1410 Battle of Grunwald to the Gdańsk shipyard protests. Each is enhanced with some sort of animation or interactive play (virtual reality in one case), while touchscreens (with English and Spanish) convey more historical info than you’re likely to want. There’s also a fancy LEGO shop on site where nothing has a price tag, and a play area where you can make your own masterpieces; as the latter is free, it’s probably the most recommendable part of this enterprise. Overall our kids enjoyed it, but we left feeling a bit fleeced. QK‐4, Pl. Jana Nowaka-Jeziorańskiego 3, tel. (+48) 530 90 30 53, www.historyland.pl. Open 09:00 - 17:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. Admission 27/24zł, family ticket (2 adults, 2 kids) 89zł.