Kraków is filling up with mediocre cafes with similarly lackluster terraces. Here is our list of five extraordinary cafés and bars which are undoubtedly worth visiting this spring.

Zielono mi, ul. Królowej Jadwigi 4

With green ivy-covered walls blue tables and white benches, the quaint Zielono mi is an ideal alternative for those looking further afield than the old market square and Kazimierz. After an afternoon walk to Kopiec Kościuszki, sit down for a moment in the center of Salwatora for a refreshing lemonade to regenerate by the Vistula boulevards.

Krakowskie zakąski, ul. Sławkowska 16

And here is one of our favorite discoveries. The garden, inconspicuously hidden in the gate between the two exchange offices, opens in front of the guests, giving the impression that it never ends. Colorful lights hung on the trees of the courtyard add magic to the scene. Guests can chill on one of the equally colorful hammocks. However, this place is great not only because of this hidden garden, but they also have a surprising selection of good whiskey.

From April until about mid-October, this is one Kraków’s most glorious beer gardens (open 10:00 – 23:00; Fri, Sat 10:00 – 24:00). Full of sunlight in the afternoon, candlelight in the evening, and otherwise unbound by time, Mleczarnia is perfect for daydreaming, catching up on your reading, or sparking a romance.

Mehocafe, ul. Krupnicza 26

Hidden behind the home of Józef Mehoffer, the garden is an orderly, almost park-like space, which seems to have been stolen from the nineteenth-century Paris and moved without changes to Krakow. For the supporters of closer contact with nature, on the ideally trimmed grass, there are also sun loungers on which, after a day’s work, nothing tastes like one of the extraordinary beers offered by Mehocafe.

Eszeweria, Józefa 9, Kraków

Few places (even in Kazimierz) have such a charming atmosphere as Eszeweria. The garden, carefully hidden among the shrubs and flowers of the courtyard, is filled with wooden tables and small tables, which are accompanied by chairs and armchairs. Everything becomes even more magical in the evenings when the delicate candlelight illuminates the courtyard giving it a pinch of mystery. There is nothing else but to sit comfortably in a hammock and forget about everything, with cider in hand and indulge in evening chats with friends. Highly recommended.