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What happens when you take an ancient Polish capital, fill it to the brim with cafés, bars and clubs, mix in roughly 120,000 students and then shake this up with a generous measure of ex-pats and young tourists on holiday? The explosive cocktail that is Krakow's nightlife: that's what!
And where can you sample this heady and hedonistic brew? There's no better place to start than in Krakow's splendid Old Town where, underneath a façade of ancient architecture, are housed countless dens of vice and inequity all eager to cater for your ill-advised pleasure. Those of you that have spent any time in Krakow will agree with me when I say that there are few greater experiences in life than following your nose down a dark alleyway or into a cloistered courtyard to discover yet another fantastic bar that you'd never been to before. But if you are new to the city, or are planning just a short visit, then you needn't worry, you don't have to be Keith Richards to track down a good watering hole - we at Cracow-life.com have done the hard work for you! In addition to our complete café, bar, pub and club listings we would like to proudly present to you our specialist section, Cracow Life's very own Nightlife Guide.
Let's start with the pubs. Now whereas many a young Pole feels that it is perfectly OK to rock up to a club at ten o'clock and make themselves comfortable for the night, the English amongst us know that this nefarious practice is in fact illegal. All nights out, by orders of Her Majesty The Queen (whose authority bypasses such frivolities as international borders) must start in a bar and no later than eight o'clock! Luckily for those of you who share this Anglican ideology, Krakow proves to be something of an alcoholic's paradise. There is a fantastic selection of pubs and bars, often housed in attractive subterranean cellars, which will serve you their finest piwo (beer) for no more than around six zloty a time (that's about a pound, or one and half euros/dollars). Two such cellar bars (or 'piwnice' as they are known in Polish) are Czasem Trzeba Pub and Piec Art. Both attract a young academic crowd, relatively free of tourists, and are great places to savour a pre-club beer and build up the excitement before the carnage begins in earnest. The latter also hosts the occassional jazz night. If though you prefer something a little less studenty and a bit more swanky, then Boogie Bar and Cynamon Cafe are the new upmarket joints that are aimed at the money crowd. But then again why not chill out in the relaxing confines of the Budda Drink and Garden, or watch the world go by from any of the many cafés in the main square? When it comes to drinking this city simply spoils you for choice!
If Krakow isn't short of a bar or two (about two hundred in total by all accounts), then you don't have to go very much further to find a club. The roads leading onto the main square are chock full of doorways, which, unnoticed during the day, sprout big burly doorman at night and entice you in with the powerful thump of a familiar bass-line. Although there are clubs that cater for every taste, the vast majority of venues plump for the lowest common denominator soundtrack of house and techno, splash out on a nice bit of décor and succeed in attracting a mix of tarted-up girls and the usual suspects trying to pull them - or get dead drunk trying. The best of this variety is Cien, where the music is very palatable commercial and funky house and the girls are out of this world. But be warned, trying to compete for their attention with all the other droolers and dribblers at the bar can be tough. Frantic on Szewska plies a similar trade, with a fraction more tourists and a second room for hip-hop. It is ram-packed from Thursday to Saturday, whilst Goraczka next door plays cheesy party music and is lively every night of the week, even on Sundays (and if all the good girls are at church that leaves only the bad girls, right?). Fusion, on Florianska, adds a slight twist to the mix and you can bump and grind to hip-hop and r'n'b on a Friday, laid down by their Jamaican and UK DJs.
Whereas you can enjoy full-scale carnage at any of the above if (like the author of this guide!) you are a something of a 'club snob', then don't despair - there are a few genuinely great places in Krakow hosting serious music nights for the more discerning party-goer. Near the top of the list is Rdza, which has welcomed drum and bass acts as famous as Andy C on back-to-back nights with Makoto feat. MC Deeizim, whilst Ministerstwo is another good alternative to the generic tourist traps, and a worthy addition to the Krakow nightlife scene. But of course, when it comes to the big players no guide to Krakow's nightlife would be complete without mentioning Krakow's most wayward child, Prozak. With its shameless (and yet not entirely without merit) door policy of letting in only fit Polish girls and rich foreign men you might expect the worst, but it regularly stumps up stunningly original house and techno sets that are surely wasted on some of the clientele. Finally Midgard is staking out a claim as the best club to open in recent years. Not as pretentious as either Prozak or Cien, it can give both a run for their money in terms of a sheer no-holds-barred good time. Needless to say that if you feel differently please keep us informed by posting a review!
Did someone say they don't like dance music? Shame on you, but fear not - when the thought of yet another night of 130bpm blasted at your poor lugholes gets too much, then you can visit one of Krakow's 'alternative' venues, for 'alternative' people. Uwaga on the Maly Rynek is probably the most famous with its seminal New Romantic and Electroperversion nights; meanwhile Carpe Diem I and II and the Tower Pub dish up the metal to the rock kids; and, if you want a truly Polish experience, check out a ragga party at Art Klub Bledne Kolo, which by the way also hosts some pretty wild electro parties, normally on Saturdays. Finally, housed in the same building on Wielopole street, Caryca, Lubu-Dubu and Kitsch add further diversity to the Krakow nightlife experience, and each come complete with their own cult following. Kitsch is one of the only gay bars in town and is famous for throwing a riotous party until the very early hours.
If all that isn't enough to keep you entertained in Krakow then you will be pleased to know that this is just the sand in the city's bikini, and there's plenty more left on the proverbial beach. Besides the Old Town the reinvigorated area of Kazimierz is rapidly enlarging its reputation as the place to be right now. A bevy of bars and cafes and a couple of clubs are pulling the arty crowd away from the tourist hordes in the main square and preserving a genuinely sophisticated drinking scene in the unique Jewish Quarter. The majority of the best venues can be found in and around the Plac Nowy, the funkiest of which is surely the ultra-hip Alchemia. Worth its weight in gold on any day of the week, it also hosts various concerts and performances in the shadowy depths of its downstairs. More upmarket, Le Scandale is the name on the lips of those in the know. But if you are looking for romance (viz. a cheap lay) be warned, the Kazimierz crowd wouldn't look out of place in Hoxton's finest and the chat up line 'do you speak English?' doesn't guarantee the same sort of success that it does in the tackier joints around the Old Town.
One more thing you should remember about Krakow's nightlife is that it is heavily influenced by the seasons. As summer rolls on and the Polish students finish their exams and jet off to man the bars of London and Dublin, or to venture even further afield, the scene will change considerably. Their number will easily be replaced by the high season's tourists and it's a safe bet that anywhere with seats in the sun, plus all the clubs around the Main Square, will be doing a roaring trade as excited young hedonists on holiday hustle at the bar to be the first to spend their zloty. It's not real money after all!
So now that you know a little about Krakow's nightlife, don't you think it's time you checked it out for yourself? There are hundreds of places besides those mentioned here to try out and we suggest you use our pub and café directory to get a fuller flavour of what's for you. We are just the few and you are the many, so don't let your opinions of a venue you have visited go to waste. Keep us and our users informed by posting a review and help us make Cracow Life the most up-to-date and accurate guide to the city's hotspots. Remember the best and most informative annual review wins a weekend trip for two back to beautiful Krakow with all expenses paid - that includes flights courtesy of Cracow Life, tours courtesy of Krakow Tours and accommodation courtesy of Krakow Apartments!
Finally don't forget to check out our clubbing guide courtesy of our friends at Where2Be. If you want to know which is the best party in Krakow they'll tell you where's it at!
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 | | "Which club is that in the picture?" | Pete
United Kingdom
Jun.30.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "6 of us hit Krakow on Sunday June 30th. Soooo up for it!! Let us know the hotspots. x" | Danny McG
United Kingdom
Jun.25.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "will it still be good in like september ?
" | ian-liverpool
United Kingdom
Jun.19.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Roxy Guide? Hell yes :-) I'm going on the 19th for 3 days.. Will you be free ?
mail me st_edy@yahoo.co.uk" | Eddie
United Kingdom
Jun.08.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "@Mi Zhu: it sure is a hell of a distance between Barcelona and Krakow, but if you only can afford it - go for it! I guarantee you won't be disappointed ;]" | Chris
Netherlands
Jun.06.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "Im going to be in Barcelona on June 23. My classes start on July 4 at university of innsbruck, so i am free in between then. i don't if it's worth it for me to travel all the way cross europe to go to krakow." | Mi Zhu
United States
Jun.03.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "i'm polish and i just love krakow, its clubs, restaurants and monuments. I am going to be there in the second part of june so if anyone needs a guide, i'm here to help :)" | Roxy
United Kingdom
Jun.02.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "going to a stag do on friday, going to be really good! cannot wait! any reccomendations for places?" | Camil
United Kingdom
May.20.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I am thinking of taking my mother to Krakow in November. Have stuff planned for the day time, want to know where is good to head to in the evening for drinks and food. Any advice would be great! HB X" | hbrennan
United Kingdom
May.19.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "can any1 inform me of the dress code in the evenings when going to restaurants,bars and clubs?im going next week" | becki
United Kingdom
May.18.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "We(2guys) are coming to krakow from the 21-24 may, can anybody give some tips on art museums? also about night clubs, if someone is willing to show us around would be fun...greetings" | michael
Netherlands
May.11.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "there last weekend. Clubs you must visit when in Kraków: Frantic, Prozak and Cien. Hard Candy is also very nice cocktail bar..." | Glenn Embrechts
Belgium
Apr.20.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "Maybe someone want to show him city???" | slavko
United States
Apr.18.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I've lived there. Great city especially at night.
PS I gonna be in Krakow in May" | slavko
United States
Apr.18.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Gonna be there in the end of may 21-24, who is the hot guy on the photo? he can show me around :P" | Mike
Netherlands
Apr.07.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I enjoyed Krakow very much. After living in Praha for two years, Krakow was something similar.. I did note a few of the mobile muppets of England stomping around fecklessly, but, alas...can't escape the moronic classes these days due to easy jet. I would recommend the city for it's people, culture and sense of calm... and the women give world class BJ's ;-)" | dibdodob
United Kingdom
Mar.19.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "Bobby Blue, I make you right. Each year thousands of people like those who have posted on here "fly the flag" for us in places such as Krakow & Prague whilst truly shaming the nation in the process. Well done lads" | T Mclerie
United Kingdom
Mar.10.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "god bless artur boruc the holy goalie" | Dave
United States
Mar.09.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Going this wkend on astag trip. Cant wait. We're a decent bunch so we wont be raucous on the streets and lookin out of place but wud like to know the best places to go. A good mix or real Krakow mixed with cheapish beer n nice women. Also, gd places to go during the day i.e go-karting?" | andy
United Kingdom
Feb.26.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I wanted to go to Kracow until i read some of the comments from engligh people here who go there. depressing bunch arent you" | Bobby Blue
United Kingdom
Feb.25.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "how much are the brasses. ive heard there only a 10er" | milsey innit tho
United Kingdom
Feb.17.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Going to Krakow in June 09. Any good night clubs to go to. When can you meet women?" | Doc R
United States
Feb.15.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "i came back from krakow yesterday i spend 2 wonderful days with my boy there:) i m sure we come back soon ...aga from wroclaw:)" | Aga
Poland
Feb.12.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "well you could get a deal with the Sodispar "Quebec" apartments situated at Poselscka Street, just spent 4 awesome days at Krakow, amazing nightlife and dirt cheap..." | Sidanth Tewari
United Kingdom
Jan.29.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "trying to plan a trip to poland for my 21st in april, would it be worth it????" | mick
United Kingdom
Jan.28.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Will i be able to fit Laura Davis in my suitcase please!" | ste mahoney
United Kingdom
Jan.13.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "whats the red light district like??" | lil ste
United Kingdom
Jan.13.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "going in march wit a few of the lads, an want to know is there going to be scenes? probly wil be because im a gooser!" | Ray 'the blade'
United Kingdom
Jan.13.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Im going to Krakow in April, we are looking to stay in a hostel, can anyone recommend any? " | Daniel
United States
Jan.12.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Im going to Krakow for my 21st with the Girls and there all relying on me for a good time but i have never been b4! We are staying in Hostel Giraffe and wondered if any of u could tell me some Bars and Clubs near By!? Cheers x" | Ruth
United Kingdom
Jan.04.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "me an 15 other fellas off two krakow on 30th jan stayen 3 nites interested in a piss up an a laf. our we welcomed over there as this chris seems e asnt ad the best time there ?" | paul
United Kingdom
Dec.30.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "COYOTE BAR great club, great bar-tenders, love polish girls. i had sex with paulina from coyote bar." | stilian petrov
Bulgaria
Dec.22.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "so u think they will not check our IDes? Cuz we are coming to poland next weekend, and most of all is 17 :) " | dea
Slovenia
Dec.09.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "The legal drinking age in Poland is 18, but most clubs don't even check your ID unless you look like 12. More upscale clubs might not let you in if you're under 21, but that's rare and unless you're part of a stag group, you most likely won't get turned away." | Ania
Poland
Dec.08.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "does anybody know how old you have to be to get into the clubs?" | Sverige
Sweden
Dec.01.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "I am going to Krakow for new year
I would like to meet a girl there to show me
around the bar and clubs I love dancing
any girl there....." | Jose
United Kingdom
Nov.23.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "i work with about 500 polish people and they were telling me krakow is the place 2 be, great pub clubs and the women r all beutifull, what else do guys need, cant wait 2 go and get smashed " | barbour
United Kingdom
Nov.14.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Does anybody know if it is ok to go to Krakow in may 2009? I heard they put a ban on alcohol because the pope was visiting??" | Jon
United Kingdom
Nov.14.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Whoever is the moaning feck,(CHRIS) bitching about all the British lads out on the ale in Krakow....Get over it dude! "Poor little Krakow and its poor inhabitants", as if they dont like a good piss up! Come on, its not as if any Polish lads come over to England and get totally hammerd, making an arse of themselves and generally pissing about! We welcome them with open arms so pipe down about us British going over there for a few cheap beers! Where are all the Toms by the way, are they any good??" | JK
United Kingdom
Oct.22.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Pete?
Are you really better than that guy on the photo?
Show your face.. make us happy, man!" | Armando
Austria
Oct.16.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "I agree with matey ! What is with the ugly mug in the photo ?????" | pete smith
Australia
Oct.07.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "im going there in march .. wheres the best club to go to ? cheers (: xx" | Fern Abbott
United Kingdom
Sep.23.2008
rates this page 2/5 |
| | "hey,
im goin 2 krakow on dec 30th n jst wonderin where the best club 2 go on new years eve?
any suggestions? cheers" | Dazza B
United Kingdom
Sep.22.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "I read on another site (krakow-info.com) that Krakow has three casinos, but I cannot find any information on them here on cracow-life.com Does anyone have any idea if there are casinos there?" | Kamil
United States
Sep.16.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "hey, im going to krakow in october, any advice, Im a single guy travelling alone." | steven
United States
Sep.10.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Hy Lawts,
be careful because Krakow in December is very very cold...
Contact Sodispar Apartments (+48 602 247 438) they have very good apartments and rooms in the city center, at very reasonable prices.
Le Scandale, in Kazimierz quartier, is a very good place for eating and listening good music... FRANTIC, in the old town, is good for music and dancing.
... but believe me, there many wonderful places in Krakow...
If you need further information don't esitate to contact me : giofurno@yahoo.com.
Have a nice stay!!!!" | Giovanni
Italy
Sep.10.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "hey im goin to krakow 28th dec till 2nd jan ant tips or advice on pubs clubs and brothels????" | Lawts
United States
Sep.06.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Hey all!
Has anyone got good tips on where to go partying and clubbing on the 28th and 29th of august 2008? Then me and some co-workers will be on a trip to Cracow and ofcourse we wanna check out the nightlife!!!!!" | Herman
Netherlands
Aug.20.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "If you need to move, qo to Cracow, maybe one of the most interresting city, it's very fun, club, peoples...are the best... Cracovie c'a dechire tout, les boites, les gens, d'ici quelque années se serat une ville incontournable!" | Slek
France
Jul.29.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "Well following on from my earlier comments, I have now been to Krakow and thouroughly enjoyed it, and yes there were idiots legless and causing a nuisance from back home but this was localised to only a few bars.
On the hole the rest of the place was intriguing and genuinely captivating, enjoyed it so much im going back with the missus and leaving the boys at home !" | andy
United Kingdom
Jul.14.2008
rates this page 2/5 |
| | "Hi,
I'm Italian and I spent five months in Krakow for business.
It's a fantastic place to live, good people, excellent beer and wonderful girls !
Polish people are very different from other Europeans ... It's normal, but this is the best reason to be back again in my second Country !
Go there, have fun and enjoy every minute of your days and nights!
Giovanni" | Giovanni
Italy
Jun.20.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "was over last summer and going again next week. cheap beer and lovely ladies, every mans dream. any poles want to show us about krakows clubs let me know." | Paul
Ireland
May.22.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "were are all the good bobby moores???" | deebone
Ireland
May.16.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I'm going next week and i'm gonna get wankered every night...and day." | merc
United Kingdom
May.15.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | ""stay at home you banch of retards" - One retard that can't spell!
Chris - You need to get a life and get out more!
" | Mark
United Kingdom
May.12.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "It rags me off to see pitiful whingeing about idiots on the piss in a foreign country, every country has them and every country duly exports their fair share and poland is no exception. I will be going myself shortly and yes it is a stag party, but we are all in our thirties/forties and although we do intend sampling local beverages and having a god forbid it LAUGH ! we are not rall tall muppets with no respect for our hosts.but we will be boosting the economy with five star accomodation and blowing large amounts of cash,
get over yourself even poland has gits !!" | Andy
United Kingdom
Apr.28.2008
rates this page 2/5 |
| | "Will be visiting Krakow this week 27th may bank holiday weekender. Looking forward to the beer and food. I heard the bars are nice and the woman are very attractive....so lets see. I'll keep u posted on how i got on and where i went. cheers." | dal
United Kingdom
Apr.28.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "well mate your entitled to your opinion, but if you know the drill out there i could possibly do with a bit of help to make sure that we dont come across like "some" groups of lads who go away. pop me a mail @ the_nemesis_666@hotmail.com practice what you preach and give me some pointers" | lander
United Kingdom
Apr.24.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "obviously...dear Lander,sure you're smart enough to understand what sort of (majority)groops of lads from both countries i refer to.People there are sick of this (stag nonsence)...and it is rather embarrassing for those, who as you put it so rightly don't wish to be brushed with the same brush and be associated with those retards i mentioned earlier.So again,my dear if you are decent(interesting,interested,intelegent,elegant)...or simply NORMAL person,-GOOD FOR YOU!!and so i hope you will be welcome.But unfortunatelly my man as you well know majority is far from it...Good luck... " | chris
United Kingdom
Apr.23.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "nice to see that you are tarring everyone from two countries with the same brus there chris! I am from england and I will be coming on a stag weekend in July with 12 others, however i will have to dissapoint you as we wont be what your expecting. We are going for a laugh and to see some sights. Dont tar everyone with the same brush matey" | Lander19
United Kingdom
Apr.23.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "all of you groups of English lads(10,20,30)going on the stag weekends...you don't need beautiful city like Krakow,as all you are interested in,is cheap piss and sluts.you will find MORE of that in Newcastle,Leeds,London,Liverpool...trust me,so go there,or perhaps just go to hell!! NO ONE wants you in Krakow!!!Girls can't stand you,and drinks are no longer cheap.So stay at home you banch of retards.And if you still deside to go,you will not be able to get in to any decent venue,and rightly so.You spoil a great atmosphere in a beautiful city for everybody (the same goes to Italians)...so stay at home where ever you are,-ambarrassing banch of tossers!!!
Think about it (if you can) before you go." | Chris
United Kingdom
Apr.21.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "im a 19 year old dziewcynka from AUSTRALIA
coming to krakow in july & looking for gorace polskie chlopcy" | l y d d i a
Australia
Apr.14.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "I'm coming to poland next month, where are the hottest girls, Krakow?" | Babz
United States
Apr.13.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "Jay, the clubs are definitely full during the week, especially as it gets warmer and more tourists fill them. Check out the events calendar for special club nights, as well as where2b.com" | Cracow Life Team
Poland
Apr.04.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Is Krakow just bouncing at weekends or will the clubs b able to be crawled through the week too, as we were thinking of going through the week, Thanks" | Jay
United Kingdom
Apr.03.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Cracow's spots has got one serious vice. There're so packed. I hate throng." | Lotnik
Poland
Mar.30.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "I heard its pretty easy gettin laid in this place and if your unlucky enough you'll have to pay for it
that ugly mug doesn't advertise much though" | christy
Ireland
Mar.13.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "second trip to krakow in 5 days, cant wait. love it!! the people, the sights the beer. " | tracey
United Kingdom
Mar.04.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "26 fella's land mid july for 2 nights of carnage,any tips or idea's to make the most of the weekend?venue's etc??
Cheers" | Anon
United Kingdom
Feb.29.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "wheres the Casino in krakow-poland???
who plays poker???" | jimmy
United Kingdom
Feb.27.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "here you've got kamilka-w@o2.pl" | wenedonga
Poland
Feb.26.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Deei please - contact with me (mail)" | wenedonga
Poland
Feb.26.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "ML, for some good indie rock, try B-Side on ul. Estery. For something heavier, Jazz Rock on ul. Slawkowska is pretty good and has live shows too." | Dagny
Poland
Feb.04.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Are there any good rock bars/ clubs in Cracow????" | ML
United Kingdom
Feb.03.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Hi - myself and 5 young guys from thr UK arrive on fri 1st feb for 3 nights..anyone know of the best weekend spots for this weekend? cheers" | Adam
United Kingdom
Jan.29.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
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