The Bulwary Wiślane, the walkways along both banks of the Vistula beneath Wawel, are where Krakow goes on a warm evening. Moored barges operate as bars, people sit on the grass and the steps, and the view up to the castle does most of the work. In summer it is the most pleasant place in the city to be at nine in the evening.
It is also, by definition, outdoors and seasonal. When the weather turns or the evening runs late, the night moves indoors and generally uphill into the Old Town. White Chocolate is a short walk from the river at ul. Św. Tomasza 16, one floor below street level.
The Walk Up From the River
From the boulevards beneath Wawel, the route into the Old Town runs up past the castle and along Grodzka to the Main Market Square, then a few streets further north to us. It is a walk of somewhere around fifteen minutes at an easy pace, entirely on foot and entirely within the historic centre.
It is one of the better short walks in Krakow, particularly at night.
When the Season Ends
The riverbank is a summer proposition. From October the barges thin out and the evenings become too cold to spend outdoors, which is precisely when a warm vaulted cellar becomes the obvious alternative.
The stone vaults hold heat well, and the venue is a single enclosed room, so the weather stops mattering entirely once you are down the stairs.
Two Halves of a Summer Night
In warm months the natural shape of an evening is the river first and somewhere indoors later. We open at 20:00, which tends to be well before anyone leaves the boulevards, and run to 05:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Smart dress applies, which is worth noting if the earlier part of the evening was spent sitting on a riverbank.
Frequently asked questions
How far are you from the Vistula boulevards?
Around fifteen minutes on foot. The route runs up past Wawel and along Grodzka to the Main Market Square, then a few streets north to ul. Św. Tomasza 16.
Are the riverside barges open all year?
Mostly they are a warm-weather proposition. The riverbank scene thins considerably from autumn, which is when indoor venues in the Old Town take over.
Is the walk up from the river pleasant at night?
It is one of the better ones in the city - past Wawel, up Grodzka and across the Square, all within the lit and pedestrianised historic centre.
What is the dress code?
Smart. No sportswear, trainers or beachwear. Worth bearing in mind if you have spent the earlier evening sitting by the river.
What time do you open?
20:00 nightly, closing between 03:00 and 05:00 depending on the day of the week. Strictly 18+.