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Home - City Guide - Cracow - Shopping | ||
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Shopping The Rynek Glowny (Main Market Square) still performs its medieval function - the Cloth Hall in particular is a good place to find all manner of souvenirs and Polish handicrafts such as lace, dolls, and leather goods it also excels in high-quality, reasonably-priced amber jewellery. The Cepelia stores, on ulica Bracka, and range of shops clustering around the Cracovia hotel, are also worth a visit for Polish handicrafts. As the influx of western tourists brings more money into the city, the number of smart boutiques continues to grow, especially on ulica Florianska, and, to a lesser extent, on ulica Szewska. The colourful, vegetable market Stary Kleparz (open from 0700 until dusk) at Rynek Kleparski, just to the north of the Old Town, is one of the oldest markets in Poland, dating back to the fourteenth century. A little further north, around plac Nowy Kleparz, at the end of the longest street of Cracow - ulica Dluga, is another vegetable market (open from 0700 until dusk) - though not quite so cheap as its older cousin. Cracow's biggest flea market (open Sunday 0700-1300) is located at plac Nowy Kazimierz. Large supermarkets - such as Carrefour, ulica Zakopianska 62), Geant, ulica Bora Komorowskiego 37, Hit, ulica Wielicka 259 and the newest addition - a 24-hour Tesco, ulica Kapelanka 56. Supermarkets offer the best prices for traditional Polish products, such as Vodka and Krowki (literally, 'Little Cow') sweets. Opening hours vary considerably, and many shops tend to open and close later than in Western European countries. Shops are generally open Monday to Friday 1000/1100-1800/2000 and Saturday 1000-1300/1600. Shopping malls, hypermarkets and the larger shops are often open seven days a week, and there are a number of 24-hour shops. At present, there is no VAT refund scheme. |