Krakow late November/Early December/ TIming / Airline & Hotel Questions

Posted by Theresa (Trieste, Italy) on 11/20/14 11:40 PM

I am in Rome and am thinking of taking a short trip to Krakow sometime next week or so. If not from Rome, then from Milano Bergamo. I am wondering if anyone has experience with Ryan Air? They offer the best price, but have heard mixed reviews. Alitalia is the runner up, though their fare is higher.
I am also looking for hotel recommendations. I saw one listed on the forum for the Hotel Wielopole, and am wondering if you have any other suggestions?

Lastly, I was thinking of going for 7 nights, but after reading some of the posts, wonder if that's stretching things out a bit? Airfare from Rome and Bergamo is close to $200, so not sure a 4 night trip is worth while.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
Theresa

Posted by gone

11/21/14 06:44 AM

2081 posts

Teri,

Do you have any ideas on what you want to do in Krakow?

I was there this past Sept and found that what i wanted to do/see/experience, 3 full days was enough for what i had planned. I didnt see everything that was there, but i always leave things out for when i return.

As far as how to get there, Ryan Air is okay as long as you read the fine print. Many of the low cost airlines get you in by the price and then nickel and dime you for everything else. Again, if you read the fine print and know what you will be charged for, then you can make an informed decision as to if its a good deal.

as far as lodging. You may want to state what your budget is in PLN since thats the local currency. Also, do you have any needs/wants in terms of the lodging. I fly solo, so what i will look for maybe different from you or if you are traveling with someone else.

happy trails.

Posted by Laura

Rick Steves' Europe

11/21/14 07:59 PM

16895 posts

If it's $200 roundtrip, that would be a very competitive, reasonable price to reach any city in Europe from Italy. If you're based in Italy for a while, then presumably you can pack a very light, small bag that fits airline restrictions for either free carry-on or their cheapest version of paid/checked baggage. I've never spent more than three days at a time in Krakow, but if you have a week available, you could travel by train to a second Polish destination, such as Warsaw (3 hours, $40 each way on a fairly fast train).

Posted by Harold

New York, NY, USA

11/21/14 08:19 PM

11294 posts

I had 6 nights in Krakow, and that resulted in a very relaxed pace. I'm not sure what one would do there for 7 days, unless you have a special interest. I agree that 3 days is good, although if you're planning to see Auschwitz, you need to allow not only time to see it, plus 1.5 hours each way from Krakow for transportation, but time afterward to process what you've seen.