Europe – Primal Tennis

Nestled in the middle of the rich tapestry of Poland's cultural heritage and vibrant cityscape lies Krakow, an enchanting city with lots of great tennis clubs and tennis players. Beyond its medieval architecture and lively street life, Krakow boasts a thriving tennis scene. Whether you're just a visitor to Krakow for a short period of time, or you are living in town already, in this article, let's delve into the best courts and clubs, and how to find tennis partners. With this article, you can make unforgettable experiences in Krakow, just like I did, and serve up an ace in the heart of Europe. Also see: The Ultimate Guide to Playing Tennis in New York City How to Find Tennis Players in Krakow, Poland The first thing you'll want to do when trying to play tennis in Krakow, Poland is to join the Facebook group - Tenis w Krakowie - sparingpartnerzy and introduce yourself. With over 4500 members, it is very easy and simple to find people to play tennis with. https://youtu.be/G8r7SufzsBI I made a post introducing myself and expressing my interest in playing tennis and had more people reach out to me than I could make time to play with. This Facebook group is healthy, active, and friendly, so don't be afraid to jump right in. Booking Tennis Courts in Krakow There is an app called Tenis4u that you can download and install. However, the app is all in Polish and I am unable to speak that language. Every tennis club listed below has a friendly staff that you can call and they can reserve a court for you. Tennis clubs in Krakow are not very "membership" based, meaning that you can pretty much play anywhere without the need for a membership. There is a highly recommended membership called MultiSport, which is widely used in Krakow, and grants access and provides discounts to tennis clubs all over Krakow. It can also be used for yoga, gyms, dance classes, and much more! I was only in Krakow for one month and my friend said it is probably not worth it unless you are staying long-term. Also see: Is Tennis a Good Sport for Meeting and Dating Women? Best Tennis Clubs in Krakow One interesting thing unique about Krakow tennis courts, or maybe it's just me, is playing on synthetic clay. This artificial clay plays just like real clay - you can slide on it, sweep it normally, and a little easier on the knees than hard-courts. Also, don't forget to sweep your court when you are done playing! In Europe, as opposed to South Carolina where I am from, it is customary to always groom the court so it's ready for the next person. Błonia Sport Blonia Sport was highly recommended to me by a local Polish man and it is clear why. They are one of the few clubs with hard-courts (3) in Krakow, but their speciality is the synthetic clay courts (4). They have a very nice clubhouse and locker rooms, and a fully stacked pro shop for stringing tennis racquets and buying accessories. Walking through their hallway to the courts it is amazing to see how much time and money went to putting their facility together. A picture of their hard-court, but their artificial clay is magical. Cracow University of Technology Tennis Court (Florera) The locals call this club "Florera" because it is located in the part of town called Florera. I had a great time playing doubles here on the artificial grass court, although as of September 2023 it was in need of some minor repairs. Florera has four outdoor red clay courts and two green artificial grass courts. They don't have much of a pro shop with accessories, but they do have baskets of used tennis balls that you can rent as well as some teaching staff. Fame Sports Club Fame Sport Club was one of my favorite places to play tennis in Krakow. They have four artificial clay tennis courts, badminton, and a paddle tennis court. They have a full tennis shop where you can buy balls, racquets, and get restringing. https://youtu.be/iOZy8Zq-cio Also see: The Ultimate Guide to Playing Tennis in Buenos Aires, Argentina Krakowski Klub Sportowy Olsza "Olsza", the locals call this tennis club, is the oldest and most history tennis club in Krakow. KKT Olsza has eight/nine outdoor red clay tennis courts and one indoor red clay tennis court. Although during winter seasons, many courts get shut down, a few are kept in play with a large bubble installed over them. Unfortunately, because of the prime location of the real estate that this club sits on, there is a rumor that they will be torn down at some point. There is an online petition to prevent this from happening, but locals say it may become inevitable. Sport Factory Park - Brzezie https://youtu.be/QYdMh3Q_ZFo Located in Brzezie, Sport Factory Park is a tennis club that I played at numerous times in Krakow, Poland. As you can see in the video above, the courts are absolutely beautiful artificial red-clay. The only drawback is that they are about a 20 minute drive from the old town. Tennis & Country Club Giebułtów Located in Giebułtów, TCC is another great tennis club in Krakow. They have beautiful blue carpet tennis courts. This was my first experience playing on carpet and it was a real treat! Like Sport Factory Park, they are a little bit of a drive away from the old town, so you'll need an Uber or taxi to get there. ***** Thanks for reading!