Śródmieście is a primary focus for Hamilton May, and indeed our offices are located in the heart of the city centre and with walking distance of many of the apartments that we offer for rent. Here we provide some general information about the city and the property market, and we recommend review of our current property listings for the most up to date information.
Śródmieście is perhaps the most desirable district in Krakow in term of rental demand and many of the offered properties are owned by investors from both Poland and overseas, who have bought to let the apartments. As you would expect, rental prices are still higher than average for Krakow but still represent good value when compared to other European cities.
As with any international city, there is a mixture of both foreign owners and local landlords offering both furnished and unfurnished apartments for rent. Perhaps with the exception of the Wola Justowa region, the city centre is the area with the highest density of foreign tenants with many leases being taken up by people visiting Krakow on business trips.
During the Summer months, demand for property in Sródmieście increases as short term apartment rental companies increase their stock of properties to accommodate tourists over the season. Another peak in demand comes towards the end of the Summer period when many people return to Krakow, in particular students, and the population of the city rises
Real estate in the city centre of Krakow is characterized by old tenement or town house style buildings (in Polish, ‘kamienica’), some in a poor state of repair, others fully renovated. New build property is as dispersed within the old town although it is less common and more in demand when available because of the lack of supply.
Within the old city walls, where cars are restricted, the usage of property is mainly for commercial purposes, such as hotels, shops, restaurants and offices. Although there are also a number of residential apartments located right in the centre of the city, most people who want to be in the city centre prefer to live just outside of the old city walls which is more suited to residential purposes.
As you move further from the main market square residential property becomes more widespread and indeed the section of the city centre between the Planty and Aleja (second ring road) contains some leafy and highly desirable residential streets.
Because of the historic nature of Krakow’s city centre, parking is relatively limited and a significant premium is associated with any property with parking, particularly when it is secure or in underground garages, so availability of a garage should be taken into consideration if you wish to rent an apartment with parking.
