About the author

Welcome! I’m R Mac, the creator, award-winning author, and explorer behind the Best Travel Guide to Kraków.

Travel isn't just a hobby for me—it is genuinely in my blood. For over three decades, my journey has been deeply intertwined with the historic streets, hidden corners, and evolving culture of Kraków. I first began living and travelling in and around this magnificent Polish city back in 1990. The Berlin Wall fell, so Interrailing opened up this wonderful part of the world.

Over the last 30+ years, I have watched Kraków transform into the vibrant cultural hub it is today, while keeping a firm grip on its haunting, beautiful history.

As a writer, my passion for storytelling and deep research has been recognised through my work as an award-winning author. 

Why I Created This Guide

I didn't want to build just another generic travel site that points you toward the main market square and calls it a day. My passion lies in finding the unusual, the forgotten, and the deeply atmospheric places that the average tourist crowds walk right past.

Whether it is digging into the dark, dystopian art worlds of local galleries, tracking down secret doorways from wartime history, or mapping out raw, industrial relics like the Liban Quarry, I use my background in writing and extensive local history to uncover the stories that give a place its true soul.

My Travel Philosophy: Don’t Follow the Crowds

This blog is an insider’s self-travel guide designed for independent minds. I write every article based on real, long-term personal experience to help you: Explore the Unexplored: Skip the tourist traps and discover the side of Poland only locals know.

Go Beyond the City Limits: Discover hidden countryside treks, thermal baths, and historical footprints throughout the region.

Connect with the History: Understand the deep, sometimes complex layers of wartime history and architectural marvels that shape modern Kraków.

Thank you for stopping by. Grab a coffee, dive into the guides, and let's go explore the unexplored together!