Warsaw is better when it comes to high-end design and fashion, and Gdansk is a better place to buy amber and jewelry. Still, Kraków is filled with interesting shops to peruse, especially for art, antiques, and trinkets. Most of the better stores are concentrated in the Old Town along the streets that radiate from the Main Square, especially ul. Sw. Jana. Poke your nose in at the ancient books, maps, and old postcards at Stefan Kaminski, ul. Sw. Jana 3 (tel. 012/422-39-65). Slawkowska Street also has a nice grouping of art and antiques stores. Atest, Slawkowska 14 (tel. 012/421-95-19), is one of the best. For some unusual modern Polish painting and sculpture, stop by Galeria AG, Dominikanski 2 (tel. 012/429-51-78; www.galeriaag.art.pl).
Kazimierz has emerged as a second shopping mecca; here, the emphasis understandably is on Judaica, but the little streets are filled with shops selling everything from trendy art and design to out-and-out junk.
For classic Polish souvenirs, including handicrafts, woodcarving, and (naturally) amber, first try the stalls at the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) in the middle of the Rynek Glówny. You'll have to pick through lots of dross, but hidden among the "Poland" T-shirts and mass-produced icons, you'll find some beautifully carved wood and amber chess sets, as well as locally produced cloth, lace, and leather goods.
For English-language books, Kraków is blessed with at least two treasures. The first is undeniably Massolit, Felicjanek 4 (tel. 012/432-41-50; www.massolit.com), easily one of the best new and used English bookshops in Europe. Massolit is especially strong on Polish authors in translation, but has thousands of titles under all conceivable categories (plus a very cute cafe and a quiet, contemplative ambience highly conducive to reading and thinking). The other is Austeria in Kazimierz, next to the High Synagogue, Józefa 38 (tel. 012/430-68-89). Here you'll find dozens of titles on Judaica, Polish history, and the Holocaust, as well as some incredibly beautiful photographs, posters, CDs, and reproductions of old maps.
Kraków is a good place to find that exclusive bottle of Polish vodka. Two stores stand out. Szambelan, Golebia 2 (tel. 012/430-24-09; www.szambelan.com.pl), and F. H. Herbert, Grodzka 59 (no phone). Szambelan is best known for its exotic bottle shapes, but both stores carry a nice range of the best straight and flavored vodkas, as well as an excellent selection of wines and other beverages.
