Krakow Nightlife: Places and Districts to Go Out in Krakow

  The Market Square

Sitting out having a drink on a long summer’s evening in Krakow is just about one of the most pleasant experiences in a city full of them. But not everything about nightlife in the city is so sedate and civilized: Krakow’s bars and clubs can also ripple with urgency and excitement.

Warm and welcoming during the daytime, Krakow carries that atmosphere over into the night  - and often into the next morning again. What’s more, with a large and frequently boisterous student population, visitors to the city can be struck by the frenetic pace of its nightlife.

Although the main square of Rynek Glowny is very attractive, it’s also something of a tourist trap. It’s probably a good idea to have just one scenic (and slightly overpriced) ‘zywiec’ (local beer) or two before moving on. There are a number of atmospheric old cellar bars, or 'piwnice', in the surrounding area which cry out to be explored.

And it’s when you move away from the main drag that things get a bit more difficult. Krakow’s bars and clubs are well-known for being tucked away in the warren of old streets that makes up the city center. Frankly, though, this just makes it all the more satisfying when you find the sort of place you’re looking for.

Perhaps the most interesting part of town to visit when looking for somewhere to drink is the Kazimierz district of Krakow. Many of the bars are in centuries-old buildings dripping with character. Bar owners also seem to go out of their way to make their place as interesting, unusual, or even downright outrageous, as possible.

Plac Nowy and Szeroka and Estery streets have a concentration of excellent, slightly more alternative places. As the evening lengthens, Plac Nowy fills up with groups of people sitting on the empty market stalls and having a few drinks before the clubs open.

Krakow is well-known across Poland for its zealous club scene. Although Fridays and Saturdays boast by far the best nights, being a student town, there’s usually something going on most nights of the week.

The usual assortment of sweaty discos playing cheesy music can be easily stumbled into in Krakow. And many backpackers have a great time doing just that. But there are also a few pretty serious clubs which, like the nightlife in general - and indeed the city itself - offer a unique and wonderfully intimate experience.

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