Krakow's souvenir landscape ranges from mass-produced tourist tat (the Cloth Hall ground floor has plenty) to genuinely beautiful, authentic Polish crafts and food products. Here's what's worth your money.
FOOD (best souvenirs, always appreciated):
- Oscypek cheese: vacuum-packed smoked sheep cheese from the Stary Kleparz market. Lasts weeks and tastes incredible.
- Polish honey: especially from the Podkarpacie region. Wildflower, buckwheat, and heather varieties.
- Dried forest mushrooms: bolete and chanterelle from Kleparz market — far cheaper than in Western Europe.
- Smalec: herbed lard spread in a jar — sounds odd, tastes incredible on bread.
- Vodka: Zubrowka (bison grass), Zoladkowa Gorzka (herbal), or a bottle of Starka (oak-aged) from the duty-free shop.
- Obwarzanek mix: dry mix to bake Krakow's signature bread rings at home.
CRAFTS:
- Polish pottery (ceramika): hand-painted Boleslawiec stoneware with distinctive blue patterns. Several shops in the Old Town carry it.
- Amber jewelry: Baltic amber set in silver. Buy from established shops (Boruni on the Main Square), not street vendors. Prices vary hugely — compare before buying.
- Christmas ornaments: hand-painted glass baubles from the Cloth Hall or Christmas market.
- Szopka: a miniature Krakow nativity scene (the UNESCO-listed folk art tradition). True szopki are handcrafted and expensive — cheaper versions make beautiful decorations.
WHERE TO BUY: Stary Kleparz market for food. The Cloth Hall upper stalls for jewelry and crafts. Kazimierz vintage shops for unique finds. Galeria Krakowska for Polish fashion brands (Reserved, Medicine, Mohito).
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