Kraków Vodka Tour: 7 Polish Spirits & Hidden Bars

Seven Polish Vodkas Across Kraków's Secret Bars, Starting with Tapas

You start with tapas and two clear vodkas at a single venue, then walk through Kraków's Old Town with a local guide to three more bars, tasting five more varieties — including home-made flavoured vodkas you won't find anywhere else. You finish with pierogi at a favourite local spot. The tour takes two to three hours, includes seven vodkas total, and leaves you knowing enough to order confidently and having seen the parts of Kraków most tourists miss.

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to understand Polish vodka and see Kraków's best bars without having to find them yourself or figure out what to order — the guide handles both, and the fixed stops mean you're not wandering the Old Town trying to decide where to go next.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Kraków vodka tasting and city tour

• Start at first bar with Polish tapas
• Sample two historic Polish vodkas
• Hear culture, history, and folklore stories
• Walk through Kraków Old Town streets
• Visit communist era shot bar
• Explore homemade flavored vodka cafe
• Relax in candlelit vodka bar with 100+ varieties
• Try city’s best Pierogi to finish

The Experience

Most visitors to Kraków walk past the vodka bars without knowing what they're missing. You'll start at a cosy venue with a proper spread of Polish-style tapas and two clear vodkas that have been made the same way for generations, then head out into the Old Town's cobblestone streets with a local guide who actually knows the stories behind each bottle. The Kraków vodka tour takes you through a communist-era shot bar, a home-made flavoured vodka cafe that's one of only a handful in Europe, and a candlelit hole-in-the-wall place with over a hundred varieties on the shelf. Your guide points out which ones are worth trying and which ones people order just to say they did.

The flavoured vodkas are the part that catches people off guard — not sweet in a bad way, but genuinely interesting, made by people who know what they're doing. You'll taste seven in total across the stops, and by the time you're halfway through the tour you'll have picked up enough to hold a conversation about Polish vodka without sounding like you're reading from a menu. The atmosphere is relaxed and sociable, the kind of place where you end up talking to other people on the tour and your guide throws in stories about Kraków and Poland that you won't find in a guidebook. It's not a lecture; it's more like being taken around by someone who actually lives here.

At the end you stop for pierogi — sweet and savoury — at a spot the guide knows, which does two things at once: you get to taste proper Polish food and it settles your stomach before you head back out into the evening. The whole thing runs about two to three hours, which is long enough to feel like you've really explored the city but short enough that you're not exhausted. Vegetarian options are available if you let them know when you book, and the tour runs for groups of any size, including private bookings for stags and hens if that's what you're after.

Top questions

How long is the Kraków vodka tour?

Approximately two to three hours, including all tastings and the pierogi stop at the end.

How many vodkas do you taste?

Seven in total — two clear vodkas at the first venue, then five more (clear and flavoured) across the three bars.

Is food included?

Yes. Polish-style tapas snacks at the first stop and a sweet and savoury pierogi tasting at the final venue.

What if I'm vegetarian?

Vegetarian options are available for both the tapas and pierogi. Let the operator know when you book.

Do I need to be an experienced drinker?

No. The tour is designed as an introduction to Polish vodka and blends tasting with culture and history. The pace is relaxed.

Is there a minimum age?

Yes, you must be at least 18 years old.

Can I book a private group?

Yes. Stag and hen groups can be booked as private separate bookings at no extra charge. Mention this when you book.

What's the group size?

The tour runs for small groups. No maximum is specified, but the atmosphere is kept sociable and relaxed.

Is the tour accessible?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and involves walking through Kraków's Old Town on cobblestone streets. Public transport is available nearby.

Can I do the tour if I don't want to walk between bars?

The tour includes walking through the Old Town's cobblestone streets to explore different venues. If you prefer to stay in one place, there's a separate Vodka Experience option at a single cosy venue.

What’s included

Your tour includes a big spread of Polish-style tapas snacks at the first venue, seven carefully selected Polish vodkas (both clear and home-made flavoured varieties), entry to a communist-era shot bar, a home-made flavoured vodka cafe, and a candlelit vodka bar with over a hundred varieties on the shelf, a sweet and savoury pierogi tasting at a local favourite spot, and a friendly local guide who shares stories about Kraków and Polish vodka culture throughout the two to three hours.