When most people think of Krakow as travel desitination, they imagine the crowds of tourists making their way through the cobbled streets of the Old Town, admiring the city’s famous architectural attractions or enjoying the city’s vibrant nighlife. However, Krakow also offers a few off-the-beaten track quirks for more adventurous visitors seeking a more unconventional experience. If you belong to this group, check out our insider’s guide to a few of Krakow’s hidden oddities.
Magillo
ul. Lipowskiego 18
Located in Krakow’s Bieżanów district, just 10 minutes on foot from our property, lies Magillo, an unusual restaurant that features a mini zoo where you can view exotic wildlife from your table. Among the live animals that keep you company while you eat are exotic fish, colourful parrots, lizards, turtles and even a crocodile. The walls of the restaurant feature huge in-built terrariums that boast a wealth of flora and fauna.
Magillo’s menu offers a variety of traditional Polish dishes as well as numerous pizza options, and prices are reasonable compared to other restaurants in the city. To add to its quirky status, the restaurant also boasts a number of Guinness records including the largest portion of barley soup (1110 litres) as well as the longest pizza in the world (measured at 134m long in 2004).
William Rabbit
ul. Bożego Ciała 12
If you follow the bunny tracks on the wall at ul. Bożego Ciała 12 and ring the bell, you’ll be escorted down to a hidden Alice in Wonderland themed bar, full of false mirrors, secret cupboards and giant playing cards. The bar offers a variety of reasonably-priced signature cocktails that change with the season to keep ingredients fresh. It’s a great place to impress a date or enjoy an alternative night out away from the usual touristy or student bars. If you’re lucky you might catch the occasional weekend magic show or Thursday jazz concert.
Liban Quarry
Podgórze
Situated in Krakow’s Podgórze district, the Liban Quarry is one of the creepiest locations in Kraków. The site served as a Nazi labour camp during the time when Kraków was occupied in World War II, and it then became a place of rememberance for the victims. However, the area has since been left untended and and is now covered in vegetation, which has turned it into a safe haven for various species of birds. Among the greenery, you can find old, rusty refinery machinery, fence posts and tangled barbed wire, so caution is advised if you’re going to visit the site.
Interesting fact: In 1993 Steven Spielberg used Liban as the set of the Płaszów concentration camp scenes from Schindler’s List. Parts of the film set are still there.
If you want to enter the quarry, there’s a convenient trail on the southern edge. To locate this trail, follow the footpath behind the Krakus Mound heading south toward the corner of Podgórze Cemetery.
Lord’s Ark Church
Obrońców Krzyża 1
Located way off the beaten track, in Krakow’s Bieńczyce district, stands an odd architectural landmark — the Lord’s Ark Church. The church’s distinctive shape resembles a ship, symbolizing the biblical story of Noah’s Ark. The interior is equally unusual, with its spacious, light-filled hall and minimalist decor.
The Lord’s Ark Church was built in 1966-1977 by locals, who received permission by the Communist authorities to construct a church in the fully-planned socialist realist area of Nowa Huta. Its modern and unconventional design stands out today amidst the historical charm of Krakow.
