How often do you have a chance to have a cup coffee or a glass of wine among museum-quality artworks?. In the Art Nouveau café Jama Michalika (also seen as Jama Michalikowa), the walls are hung with works by its original customers—artists, who sometimes paid their bills in kind. The atmosphere is deliciously decadent: dark interior lit with stained-glass lamps, palatial chairs upholstered in green plush, and other fin-de-siècle attributes.

One of the finest places to indulge your sweet tooth is in the bohemian surrounds of Jama Michalika in Krakow’s Old Town, where curved lines, polished wood, stained glass and oil paintings take you back to the glamorous Art Nouveau age. Soft lighting creates an inviting glow in this coffee house, which opened its doors in 1905 and was once home to the Zielony Balonik (the Green Balloon), a literary cabaret founded by Krakow poets, writers and artists who performed regularly until 1912. Today locals and visitors pour in for coffee with whipped cream and a piece of decadent hazelnut tart, chocolate cake or cheesecake – all served with a dollop of nostalgia.

In 1901, the owner of Paon, Ferdynand Turliński, went bankrupt and the bohemians moved to 45 Floriańska Street to the Jama Michalika café. This is where, a few years later, the Zielony Balonik (Green Balloon) cabaret began its activities – a kind of hyde park of the Young Poland movement, where everyone had the right to perform their text or song in front of an audience (and be applauded or booed for it). The café, which still exists today, deserves a visit – the interiors have preserved original furniture, paintings or frescoes which at one time provoked the indignation of the Archbishop of Krakow himself.

This café/bar/restaurant is another of Krakow’s remnants of a past era and has actually been rated as one of the 15 most historic cafes in Europe by GlobalGrasshopper. It is a feast of art nouveau and is where "Mloda Polska" was born (the Polish Art Nouveau movement). The walls are adorned with artist's work who used to gather here and enthuse over their heroes such as Mucha and Klimt.

Encounter Polish folklore through a folk show with exceptional dancing, singing, and regional costumes at Jama Michalika Café in Krakow. Savor traditional dishes with a 3-course Polish dinner.

Jama Michalika is hard to beat for history and atmosphere, although the dining experience can leave a lot to be desired. Drop in for a drink and a peak instead.