There’s no doubt that Steven Spielberg’s film (1993) on the story of Oskar Schindler and his employees helped the city of Kraków resonate internationally and made the Oskar Schindler Enamelled Goods Factory (to give it its full name) a staple tourist attraction. Re-opened in 2010 as a world-class museum, it casts the city in the main role of its permanent exhibition titled, ‘Kraków During Nazi Occupation 1939-1945.’ If you’re a history buff and interested in this particular episode of World War II, the museum is a must-visit.
Located in the district of Podgórze, the Factory is far from Kraków’s main tourist attractions in the Old Town and Kazimierz. The surrounding area, Zabłocie, has developed rapidly and construction seems never-ending with new housing complexes and repurposed industrial sites. With the Schindler’s Factory Museum at the epicentre of this revitalisation, it is easy to miss a lot of places you can enjoy during your visit. So here’s a list of places to keep in mind for when you plan your visit to the Museum.
Restaurants & Cafes
Emalia Zabłocie
A stone’s throw from the Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory it offers a concise seasonal menu of attractive salads, burgers and pastas. READ MORE ▶︎
Orzo
A restaurant-bar offering fresh salad bowls, pasta, sandwiches (including pastrami and porchetta), pizza and steaks. READ MORE ▶︎
Piec na Zabłociu
A seemingly unlikely, but a strong candidate for Kraków’s best pizza. READ MORE ▶︎
Krako Slow Wines
Located almost next door, this warehouse space has been transformed into an oasis of good taste, ideal for getting your nose into their outstanding selection of wines from exclusively ecological vineyards. READ MORE ▶︎
Bal
A hip hangout perfect for breakfast (all-day brunch weekends; before 11:30 for big breakfast sets on weekdays). READ MORE ▶︎
Pochlebstwo
Hipster bakery. FB ▶︎
Sightseeing
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCAK)
An actual part of the old Factory, MOCAK Opened in 2011 and it does not disappoint. The building alone will impress with its avant-garde styling and ultra-modern layout. READ MORE ▶︎
Glass & Ceramics Centre
Located directly across from MOCAK, this building has been a glassworks since 1931. In brief an educational museum showcasing Polish glass and glassblowing technology. READ MORE ▶︎
Legal Graffiti Park
Anything goes in this legal graffiti park, with three long walls for artists to do whatever they want. READ MORE ▶︎
Plac Bohaterów Getta
During the time of the Kraków Ghetto this public square was at once the source of the residents’ greatest relief and also the scene of their greatest horrors and humiliation. READ MORE ▶︎
First visited the factory in 2008 before it became a museum then again 2/3 days after it opened and what a difference, truly an excellent place to visit and no visit to Krakow is complete without a visit to the museum, visited a number of times over the past few years and its surprisingly amazes me how much the area around the museum has developed and in fairness has improved the area. Krakow is a great city and the museum is a great attraction for the city. Highly recommend a visit not just to the museum but to the many bars/restaurants that are popped up in the area. Cant wait to return to Krakow later this year.