We love Krakow and enjoy showing off the best of Krakow’s Nightlife in The Old Town on our nightly pub crawl. But we know the Krakow Crawl isn’t for everyone, so we’ve put together “The Alternative Krakow Crawl” – a self-guided crawl of the best nightlife in Kazimierz( also known as the Jewish Quarter)
If you’re looking to get to know the area better, then check The Alternative Crawl
Why you should check out the Nightlife in Kazimierz!
In Krakow, the majority of the best bars are hidden away and hard to find. That’s another reason why we’ve gone out to all of the best bars around Krakow’s Jewish Quarter “Kazimierz” and put together the ultimate pub crawl guide so that you can get the most out of your night from start to finish!
Kazimierz is only a 7-minute walk south of the main square. Krakow’s Kazimierz district is the heart of Jewish culture in Poland where Christian and Jewish religions coexisted for more than 500 years.
Some of the most exceptional people among the Jewish nation were born here, and it has a unique atmosphere due to its previous cultural importance to life in Krakow, you’ll see many great examples of Jewish architecture but also places of great tragedy. Here you’ll find students drinking shots with corporate types, locals chatting over a beer with forgeries and everything in between.
But the most important thing of all is………there are so many great bars to discover, and that’s why we’ve made this self-guided crawl, but if you would like one of our guides to take you on a private tour, please let us know.
Feel free to change our pub crawl around or do your own thing as there are so many fantastic drinking spots in Kazimierz and we just couldn’t fit them all in.
We recommend to check out the Jewish Quarter Free Walking Tour when the hangover clears, to get a bit more historical and cultural understanding of the area.
Plac Nowy
Our starting point is Plac Nowy which is situated in the heart of Kazimierz. Plac Nowy is an old Jewish marketplace that has many great food stalls. We recommend getting a zapiekanka to snack on to start the evening. A zapiekanka is a traditional polish meal that’s half pizza half baguette, and you can have almost anything on it. It’s delicious, but most importantly, it does a great job of soaking in all that alcohol that you’ll soon be consuming. There are many other excellent street food stalls to choose from, sushi, burgers to grilled sausages.
Address: Plac Nowy
Pijalnia | Wodki | Piwa
Next up is a traditional polish vodka shot bar with a decor that makes you think you’re back in communist Poland, with its distinct green stools, old newspapers for wallpaper and retro appliances.
You’ll find Pijalnia all over Krakow as it is a chain, but that doesn’t hinder the experience at all. Most people just pop in for a quick shot or beer on the way home or before a night out, as all drinks are only 4zl (yes that’s right a beer, shot or wine is only €1) but you’ll still find a nice mixture of locals and tourists perched up there for the night. They use Polish Vodka called Zubrowka for all their shots, and there are 13 mixed shots to choose from; our favourite is the Chupa Chup.
Address: plac Nowy 7, 33-332 Kraków
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Alchemia
Alchemia is one of Krakow’s oldest bars. The bar is candlelit with alchemist tools on the walls and ceilings. With each of its different rooms and cellar having a unique atmosphere, almost anyone can find their nook. Downstairs you can regularly catch a range of local and international bands that play there. They also have a cool indoor smoking section and great food.
Address: Estery 5, 31-056 Kraków
Entropia
Just across the square is Entropia. Infusions are what they do, and they do them well. They infuse 20 different alcohols depending on the season and current trends. Some of the infusions to expect are dried figs, sesame seeds, vanilla, cranberries, sour caramel, white tea, pineapple etc. You’ll also notice the majority of the furniture and a lot of the artwork has been recycled very creatively
Address: Warszauera 1, 31-057 Kraków
hevre
Around the corner is this newly renovated bar, one of the largest venues in the Jewish Quater. It was previously a 19th-century prayer house, and you can still see the warn out Jewish murals on the walls. The high ceilings and unique chandeliers give the place a real grand feeling. They mix great cocktails and even have unpasteurised Pilsner Urquell beer from the tank. We recommend trying this as its that only place in Krakow that has in from the tank.
Address: Beera Meiselsa 18, 31-058 Kraków
Propaganda
Now moving to one of the smallest bars in Krakow, the walls are plastered with communist scrap and propaganda, and sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s older, the patrons or the decor. Polish punk, ska and metal blaring in the background but definitely, a place not to be missed even if it’s for one quick beer.
Address: Miodowa 20, 31-055 Kraków
late night snack
Forget about a late-night greasy kebab that makes you feel terrible and ends your night. Take a stroll back to Plac Nowy where we started, and you’ll find a few small food stalls that run late into the night selling all sorts of grilled meats and vegetables. You’ll be able to get some delicious grilled sausages with bread, onions and sauce for about 10zl and recharge so you can enjoy more of the great bars and clubs in Jewish Quarter.
Forum Przestrzenie
Although Forum isn’t actually in Kazimierz, it is one place you can’t miss. It’s just across the river in the district of Podgórze but it’s definitely worth the journey, and by this time you should be drunk enough to enjoy the walk. The bar is situated on the bottom floor of a large abandoned communist error hotel. In summer you can lounge outside in there massive beer garden which overlooks beautiful views of Wawel Castle and the Wisla river while you sip on some of the many refreshing craft beers they have on tap. In winter, you can cozy up inside and relax at the bar or around some of the funky tables and beanbags. Or check out some of the Djs and techno evnts they host in their back room.
Address: Marii Konopnickiej 28, 30-302 Kraków
If you’d like to have a guided crawl of the Jewish Quarter, please contact us as we organise private tours for the nightlife in Kazimierz. Check out our Jewish Quarter nightlife guide you’re looking for some more of the best bars and clubs in Kazimierz.
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