Summer in the City

Summer in the city accompanied by small children can bring any parent out in a sweat. 

Text: powsinogi.eu

When the thermometer hits 35C, the urban jungle can easily seem like double the temperature, and the kit bag containing toys, changes of clothes and snacks feels like it weighs a tonne… Instead of sipping a cool spritzer with friends by the Vistula and humming Summer in the City, you keep hearing “Muuuum, I want an ice cream!”, “I’m too tired!” or “I’m too hot!” Oh well. If you can’t just pack off your offspring for a jolly summer holiday in the countryside with their grandparents, don’t panic. There are plenty of places in Kraków where summer-weary parents can catch a breather, so let’s go!

Przylasek Rusiecki Reservoir

A veritable urban waterside resort! Wooden gangways meander among the rushes, leading to a wide, sandy beach, some of which even has invaluable (and rare!) shade provided by the imposing willows growing alongside the avenue. There are pavilions with toilets and showers, and a picnic area. Bring your own lunch, or chose from plenty of seasonal food trucks! If the kids ever get bored of paddling in the water (unlikely though it seems), head for the playground among the willow trees. It may seem modest, but the basic equipment provides inspiration for truly acrobatic contortions. Check it out! Take the water slide to splash into the reservoir or try your hand at water sports. You’ll also find a truly Instagrammable rope swing hidden on the shore – perfect for your summer pics! Just watch out for the swans, always on the prowl hoping to steal your biscuits. Living the dream!

photo by Karolina Walocha / powsinogi.eu

Bagry Reservoir

Beach? Not just one but two! Playground? Yup! Water? But of course! There’s also a graduation tower, tree-top rope course, hammocks, jetties, changing rooms, sailing boats, pedaloes and reeds swaying gently in the breeze. You’ll find all this and more at the Bagry reservoir in Płaszów. It was created by flooding a former quarry excavated for materials to expand the railway network during the war. Today it’s best to grab your beach towel and inflatables, and dive right in. Both beaches have gentle slopes making them safe for exploring kids. The main difference between them is that the one by Kozia Street features terraced levels and a jetty stretching out into the gently lapping waters, while the one at Bagrowa Street is wider, longer and surrounded by meadows. There’s more shade, but the playground is a bit further. On the other hand, the graduation tower is nearer… Think about your favourite activities and beach away! Of course the earlier you come the better – on sweltering afternoons the crowds can get pretty dense… But there’s good news: the most hotly-awaited summertime spot in Kraków – floating pools on the Zakrzówek reservoir – has been launched in early summer. We’ll see how it turns out!

photo by Karolina Walocha / powsinogi.eu

Krakowski Park

We often hurry past as we’re driving down the Trzech Wieszczów Avenue or changing trams at Inwalidów Square. But it’s a real oasis in the city centre, inviting and tempting the year round, and filled with ever-changing flora from early spring until late autumn. In the summer, explore its myriad winding paths leading to the pond and the local playground. It’s wooden, natural and imaginative – just how we like it! It also has a water obstacle course with a pump providing cool water. The system of pipes and drains connected with switches and points is perfect for kids testing their engineering skills, or simply paddling around in the wet sand. When you add iced coffees for the parents, you find yourself in a place where urban summer is no longer such a challenge (at least for a while)!

photo by Karolina Walocha / powsinogi.eu

Nowackiego Park

Home to a great big fish! The huge wooden beast, favourite of Cracovian kids, was destroyed by a lightning strike last summer..! Fortunately the fish has been restored and stands in the middle of a playground on the site of former royal ponds. The fish were caught for noble tables, feeding officials on Wawel Hill. Fortunately the present-day fish is safe from such fate! The popular playground has the most shade of Kraków’s parks – a real bonus on hot summer afternoons! And where there’s fish, there’s water with a small pond for aquatic adventures. If it makes your kids desperate to take a dip, check out Jordana Park and its even bigger water park. Perfect even during the hottest heatwaves. So? Maybe we can hum Summer in the City after all?

photo by Karolina Walocha / powsinogi.eu

• powsinogi.eu
  powsinogi [gadabouts – trans.] are Karolina, Przemek, Zosia and Jasiek – office worker, film scout, enthusiast of dresses and a young lad convinced of being fully indestructible. Together they discover Kraków and mountain trails fit for children’s legs, sharing tips and ideas on their blog powsinogi.eu and on their Facebook and Instagram profiles.

photo by Karolina Walocha / powsinogi.eu

Text pulished in the "Kraków Culture" 2/2023 quarterly.