10 Things to Do in Krakow in November

Are you planning a trip to Krakow in November? I have very good news, although the weather is not always good, this is a month in which, in addition to the things to do on any trip to Krakow, there are many cultural events, such as music and film festivals, but also many other traditional celebrations. In the penultimate month of the year, the Polish city comes alive- discover it!

Do you want to combine the most touristy part of Krakow with a more sporty one? In November the ski slopes start to open, and the Zakopane ski slopes are about two hours away from the city. Plus, you don't need to travel with all your ski equipment and prices are low compared to other cities, so for around €40 you can get access to the slopes and ski clothes.

If you're more of a snowboarder than a skier, Zakopane' s slopes will also welcome you. In general, it's an area that's more than suitable for winter sports, but I particularly recommend the Białka tatrzańsk ski resort, which is open until almost 10pm. Perfect for one last spectacular night run!

And if you like mountains and nature, but not for snow sports, I recommend a day trip to Zakopane from Kraków. You'll discover this beautiful city, the capital of winter tourism in Poland, enjoy incredible snowy landscapes and take a cable car ride to Mount Gubalowka to admire the Tatra mountain range. The icing on the cake? A visit to the Bukowina thermal baths to relax and take the chill off the November cold - great!

All Saints' Day (1 November) is a very important and traditional day for Poles, who use this day to visit cemeteries and fill them with candles and flowers. It's a somewhat mournful but beautiful celebration, so keep this in mind if you visit a cemetery to see this holiday.

Flowers, candles and traditions on All Saints' Day

Poland is a country with deep-rooted Christian traditions, so it's common for people to be buried underground and with gravestones. That is why during All Saints' Day you will find the cemeteries more crowded and decorated than ever, with thousands of "znicze" candles. In fact, families go to great lengths to create original candles and floral decorations.

Night visits to the cemetery

As you can imagine, the thousands of lit candles create a beautiful scene when night falls - never has a cemetery been less scary!

If you feel like it and are prepared for the cold (November nights in Kraków can get close to freezing), you can take a night tour of one of the city's cemeteries, such as the Rakowicki Cemetery, which is one of the best known for housing the graves of great Polish cultural figures.

It is also a good day to get to know the mysteries of the city first-hand by booking a Krakow ghost tour, a walking tour of the city where you will learn about the mysteries and legends hidden in its streets.

If you are going to Krakow in November, be aware that it is likely to be rainy and cold on some of the days of your trip. At such times, my advice is to take a full day trip to the Wieliczka Mines which, being underground, are protected from the weather.

The mines are full of passages, galleries, monuments and secrets that you won't fully understand unless someone specialised is there to explain them to you. In addition, transport to and from the city is also included, which is much more convenient.

To descend into these mines is to enter a hidden but very valuable world, as salt has been extracted from them for years and they also contain important works of art in the form of chapels and liturgical decorations (many of them made with salt).

How much do you know about Polish history? You may be familiar with the fact that on 11 November 1918 Poland gained its independence after hundreds of years of its territory being divided and its people punished for their culture or language. If your trip to Krakow coincides with this celebration, pack something red and white in your suitcase and join one of the marches organised on that day.

Taking advantage of the fact that 11 November is a day to bring out the Polish spirit, I recommend you go to a typical Krakow restaurant, where the dish of the day will probably be goose with apples and herbs, very traditional on this date, and for dessert a croissant filled with almonds, sultanas, walnuts and oranges.

Another plan more than appropriate for the date could be to take a guided tour of Krakow, where you will learn about the main monuments and the rich history of one of the most important cities in Poland from an expert guide.

On the night of 29-30 November magic (and a bit of witchcraft) fills the streets of Krakow. Why? Because it's St Andrew's Day, when Poles perform a ritual with wax and water to make omens and omens. Polish culture has many such traditions, as they rely on the power of predictions.

Although St Andrew's Day is on 30 November, it is the night before, the 29th, when the omens are made. There are different ways of trying to predict the future, but the most common is by pouring hot wax through the keyhole into a container of cold water to create a wax figure.

This is another great day to take a ghost tour of Krakow and learn about all the stories and legends that this magical city has to offer.

Kraków is a jazz city, so twice a year, once in November, a jazz festival is held in Kraków. This is a great opportunity to appreciate the improvisational art that makes this music so unique.

Still in autumn, the Autumn Jazz Festival in November brings together musicians from all over the world, as it has an international character, and in particular it is held in Kazimierz, the Jewish quarter of Kraków.

If you have an enthusiasm for music running through your veins, don't miss a Chopin concert in Kraków. They are held in the Chopin Gallery in the Bonerowski Palace and include the famous Polish musician's best-known nocturnes, mazurkas and polonaises.

I know, I start to get into the Christmas spirit in November too. The good news is that Krakow's big Christmas market opens its doors in the last week of November, so you'll be spoilt for choice when it's a little less crowded and you'll be able to do some initial shopping.

Krakow is a beautiful city and when Christmas starts to arrive, it becomes even more magical, something you'll especially enjoy if you're in Krakow with children. You'll feel it as soon as the Christmas market opens, with plenty of stalls selling handmade decorations and gifts, traditional food and drinks to warm you up.

The market is located in Krakow's central Market Square, so you'll find it hard to resist stopping by. My advice is also to make the most of it; Krakow at Christmas time tends to fill up with tourists, especially in December, so November is the ideal time to kick off the festive season without the crowds.

Don't hold your breath, but there is one drink that is very typical of winter in Kraków and that is warm beer. It may seem like something you don't want to try at first, but when you're having a cold November evening in Kraków, you'll be glad you popped into a bar for a glass of warm beer.

If you go to Kraków in November, you'll notice that with the first days of cold weather in the city, the bars start serving warm beer. Don't think that it's just microwaved, because Grzane Piwo, as it's called in Polish, also contains ginger, cinnamon, cloves and other spices. All in all, a delicious cocktail that will warm you up quickly. Be careful, drink it slowly to savour it and so that it doesn't go to your head too quickly.

Vodka is also an excellent option to warm you up (but always in moderation) and I can't think of a better plan than booking a vodka tour of the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, where you'll taste four varieties of this spirit and learn about the history of the quarter. Two for one!

Kraków may seem a little traditional when you first arrive, with its low houses and cobbled streets, but it also has a very alternative and avant-garde side. If you don't believe me, you have to go to the Audio Art Festival, which fills the city with postmodernist, experimental and multidisciplinary art every November.

Every November, the Krakow Audio Art Festival welcomes artists from all over the world who want to exhibit their creations, which often mix visual art with sounds. What can you expect? Installations, concerts and performances where artists create sound on the spot thanks to technology, becoming composer and performer at the same time.

Most of the events take place in concert halls and cinemas in the city, and admission to some of them is free, so take this opportunity to get to know the hipster side of Kraków.

Do you like art? Then you're in luck if you're going to Kraków in November, as the Etiuda&Anima film festival takes place during the last days of the month, giving visibility to the film creations of students, independent producers and artists from all over the world.

The two names of the festival, Etiuda and Anima, refer to two awards. Etiuda is a competition for students submitting feature films and documentaries, while Anima is a competition dedicated to animated films.

This is the oldest film festival in Poland. During the festival, Kraków is filled with art and art-house films, especially animated films that are not widely available, so if you're a fan of this kind of art, you'll want to pay a visit to the festival. Tickets are quite affordable (around €15 for general admission and €5 for film passes), so it's well worth a visit.

Just one thing: be prepared for the cold. In November low temperatures hit Kraków, so you'll need to pack warm clothes to withstand lows of almost 0°C (32°F). On the other hand, rainfall is quite frequent (it rains about half the days of the month), so remember to pack a good waterproof coat and several layers - you'll need them!

Knowing the weather forecast for November, you may be wondering if this is really the best time to go to Kraków, but I can assure you that if you're prepared, you'll be able to handle the cold. The nights are even colder, so take advantage of the daylight hours (approximately 8 or 9 hours) to visit the city and, when the sun goes down, go into a bar and have a hot chocolate.

Oh, and if the cold gets harder than you'd like, don't hesitate and hop on the Krakow sightseeing bus to continue exploring the city, but in a super comfortable way and sheltered from the cold.

Average temperatures in Kraków in November are around 5°C (41°F). One of my tips for travelling to Krakow is to pack wisely and logically, packing clothes that allow you to wear several layers during the trip (e.g. thermal T-shirts, jumpers and fleece jackets or windbreakers).

Of course, don't forget your heaviest coat at home; if it's waterproof, all the better, as it usually rains in the middle of the month. I don't recommend an umbrella, as it's uncomfortable (especially if you're going to be walking into places or if it's windy) and if you need one, you can buy one there. What you do need to pack in your suitcase are gloves, a hat and good, warm shoes that allow you to walk comfortably.

Are you all set to go to Krakow in November? Don't forget to let me know what you think of all the plans I've suggested.