‘Any Idiot Can Find a Brothel in Krakow’

“I pay for sex. So what? The girls here like me, I treat them better than their own men and we have fun. A lot of guys who visit Krakow are at the same thing. People need to get over themselves.” Uncomfortable words, but how surprised should we be that a tourist hotspot like Krakow is also on the sex tourism trail?

Shamelessly candid Mike, a 42-year- old plumber from Liverpool, is a self- proclaimed sex tourist. His eyes light up with expert acumen as he describes his favourite brothel on ul. Długa.

“It’s not exactly high end, but I don’t like that kind of thing anyway, I pay 200 złoty for an hour and have a little fun. Okay, the girls aren’t stunners, but they mind themselves more than the girls at home, and age better. It gets a lot of foot traffic – being on a main street – and there’s a big sign over the door. Any idiot can find a brothel in Krakow, they’re everywhere.”

He’s right, they are everywhere. Flashing neon come-ons are a common feature on streets just minutes from the Market Square. Signs spell out lewd services for passers by, some I have seen pause momentarily before deciding on a whimsical indulgence.

And there is a wide selection. Just around the corner from Mike’s favourite on ul. Długa, another venue advertises a sauna, a solarium and a glory hole among its attractions.

You might be forgiven for mistaking this openness as a sign of legality. It is not. Polish law allows streetwalkers and escorts to trade independently, but prohibits the establishment of brothels and the practice of pimping.

Head out from the Old Town on any major route and you will quickly find a ‘massage’ joint that hints heavily at other services, or openly advertises them.

Krakow is full of brothels that barely bother to put up the window dressing to make their premises appear legal. Escort agencies are allowed to put clients in touch with prostitutes, and charge a fee for this service, on the condition that the escorts are not working together on the premises.

But many of Krakow’s brothels, which usually have girls working in the building, prefer the guise of sauna, solarium or massage parlour. Presumably the word ‘agency’ just isn’t sexy enough.

The city’s law enforcement agencies seem to be turning a blind eye. This provides plenty of entertainment for sex tourists, but also brings darker problems ranging from protection rackets to human trafficking. According to a recent report on prostitution in Poland, local and foreign sex workers claim they have to pay protection money to organised criminals and corrupt police officers.

La Strada, an international anti- trafficking organisation, says that it is much harder to reach sex workers operating in brothels than those on the street. These may be women who have been trafficked into Poland against their will, or underage girls. Kept in flats, they become invisible to everyone but their clients and their pimps.

A Google search will quickly turn up ‘legal’ online escort agencies listing girls in every Polish city, along with prices and comments from satisfied customers. These women operate out of private apartments and their prices are generally the same as those in brothels.

But if brothels are being allowed to operate almost openly in Krakow, how likely is it that the authorities are rigorously checking up on the legitimacy of online escort agencies? How many of these women, some offering services for as little as 12 euro, are actually operating under pimps or madams?

While the authorities would like you to believe that all is well in Poland’s semi- legal sex industry, statistics paint another picture. Poland has a high number of migrant sex workers – the average estimate is 33 per cent – many of whom are from Ukraine, which has the highest HIV infection rate in Europe. And these numbers are not made up of heroin addicts or gay men, the hardest hit are young female sex workers.

Despite the threat of infection and subsequent trips to the clinic, or worse, Mike the sex tourist protests he is always careful and is defiant in the face of criticism. Defiant that is, until I mention the fact that brothels are illegal in Poland.

“Illegal? You’re joking! Seriously? Get into any taxi and they’ll take you to a brothel, walk down the street and you’ll find one… You’re having me on.”

It does seem like a joke – the whole messy charade of payoffs and neon lights. Neon lights that seem to shine with the presupposition of legality. But then, presuppositions are dangerous things.

The Facts

  • Prostitution is legal in Poland, but operating brothels, pimping, coercive prostitution, the prostitution of minors and living off someone else’s prostitution are all prohibited.
  • Prostitutes operating in illegal ‘escort agencies’ or ‘massage parlours’ are breaking the law, those operating independently are not.
  • Prostitutes in Poland do not have to pay tax.
  • NGOs estimate there are over 18,000 prostitutes in Poland and 15 per cent of these are male.
  • A 2009 US Human Rights Report says the police estimate there are 3,300 sex workers in the country.

57 thoughts on “‘Any Idiot Can Find a Brothel in Krakow’

  • May 11, 2012 at 12:53 pm
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    Although this trade caters for tourist, it is also well supported by Polish men from this good Catholic country, who are quite prepared to believe that many of these often exploited workers, are freely choosing this activity which clearly isn’t always the case.

    Reply
    • September 15, 2020 at 9:40 am
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      Prostitution is more common in UK than in Poland , no need to get so righteous.

      Reply
  • May 13, 2012 at 2:03 pm
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    Poland is still a backward country full of backward men.I’m sick of the hypocrits that go to church then sleep with hookers on the way back. They’re the same men who judge me on nights out because I don’t believe in god. Losers.

    Reply
    • May 18, 2014 at 7:44 am
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      It’s because being a true Christian is very hard. In fact, it opposes the human needs and requirements. You need to become semi-God to be a true and consistent practitioner. That’s why you don’t believe in God, because you are seeing these people who are fake believers. Once you meet true believers, you’ll recognize GOD. Wish you luck ;-)

      Reply
      • December 25, 2014 at 2:50 pm
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        If you put God in your sight, the rest of the world will vanish.

        Reply
    • August 17, 2014 at 1:46 pm
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      Jason, i’ve been selling a propert in England now for 12 weeks it is a cash buyer no chain,i sold a property in Poland it took 3 day’s, hows that for being backward ignorant idiot.

      Reply
      • January 7, 2016 at 8:33 pm
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        The reason it is taking 12 weeks + to sell your house in England is perhaps because it is overpriced.

        In a mature market economy such as Britain’s, low quality houses with high price tags may well linger on estate agent shelves for months if not years.

        Reply
    • March 5, 2020 at 3:44 am
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      The hypocrisy might be the notion that only one woman is the perfect arrangement for any man. It just isn’t the case. The US “Me Too” movement points to this issue. Women love the idea that they can control a man with the social monogamy contract.

      The idea that a woman is a “slut” and intended as a derogatory connotation, and a man with a high libido is a stud, (point of pride), illustrates the problem that our society has perpetuated to the detriment of women. Woman with a genuine appreciation of physical love are a gift to this world.

      Reply
  • May 13, 2012 at 4:25 pm
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    If the country is so backward than maybe Jason should just p*ss off back to the “advanced” country he came from. Which by the way is?

    Cheers

    Reply
  • May 14, 2012 at 6:26 am
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    OZ, maybe you should go there… if you can find time between praying and banging hookers…

    Reply
  • May 15, 2012 at 1:57 pm
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    OZ!!! … what a laugh! I have cousins there, so know what ‘heights of civilisation’ have been reached – i.e. just about at the attitudes and culture of the stone age now (after all, somebody has to dig out the minerals to sell to the Chinese, don’t they).

    Reply
    • June 7, 2019 at 10:03 am
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      For me – being local for over then 10 years – it is sad to see that Krakow has become attractive for sex tourists or maybe the other way round – tourist coming to Krakow expected this kind of service and the market has caught up. Either way, I feel uncomfortable when my customers ask us to organize sex connected activities in Krakow. We decide not to take part in this share of tourist market and feel happy about it. Luckily Krakow has a bigger bright side and that’s what we should focus on. We provide even higher adrenaline/endorphins kick on extreme shooting sessions with real guns & bungee jumping! :)

      Reply
  • May 15, 2012 at 9:15 pm
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    Clever cousins….back on your knees mate.

    Reply
  • May 16, 2012 at 1:21 pm
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    wow i had not made up my mind to go to the euros beforehand but after reading this i definitely will. this was a great advertisement for the polish red light trade. before i was afraid i would be arrested, now i know the cops turn a blind eye. thanks for the help. i’ll be sure to tell my friends too any more interesting point on poland and its people and culture?

    Reply
    • May 16, 2012 at 1:34 pm
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      Is that last comment ironic or merely pitiable?

      Reply
      • May 16, 2012 at 1:53 pm
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        perhaps pitiable for my poor spelling, grammar and punctuation. definitely ironic in my seemingly new awareness of a developing countries sex industry. sex sells not only for the prostitutes but for the journalists also. just another cog in the machine, another opinion in a world flooded with self-righteous assertions fuelled endlessly by the constant stimulation of alcohol simulating original thinking.

        Reply
  • May 16, 2012 at 4:15 pm
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    Poland is not a developing country….

    Reply
    • May 16, 2012 at 8:28 pm
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      are you proposing that it is a regressing country?so by way of argument i would beg to differ as it is moving forward rather quickly with an ever-increasing percentage of the population freeing themselves from the old ways of thinking that you so care to chastise in your first comments. we must all develop or we will become stagnant like still water.
      perhaps prostitution is beneficial in allowing men to release primal urges with ‘consenting and finanacial beneficiaries saving the children and other unsuspecting vulnerable persons becoming destroyed victims of sexual aggression.
      i myself do not frequent escorts or the like but i can empathise with those who do. in all relationships in life there is give and take- be it financial or emotional.

      Reply
      • June 15, 2013 at 4:16 am
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        And seamus is the voice of reason.

        Reply
      • January 6, 2015 at 8:23 pm
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        Well, what you say it’s reasonable however it’s not fair. None of those females would want to that if they would have better options but they don’t they come from poor backgrounds, some of them are looking after their children some after their beloved parents.
        My opinion is that legalising prostitution you choose the lesser evil in a world that is very far from going in the right direction.
        I never imagined myself going to prostitustes but after facing so much rejection from women that are looking mostly towards jerks and assholes who fuck them and dump them I prefer to choose this because life is not fair therefore fuck it. I have however a lot of compassion for the women who waste their lives practicing this dirty job. I feel sorry for them but as I said we all have our dramas.

        Reply
        • January 27, 2015 at 7:17 pm
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          where the purchase of sex is illegal I.e. criminalizing men such as Sweden; Prostitutes are in more danger as a result – because its being driven underground—that’s hardly forward looking,people have all sorts of undesirable jobs,just because of that doesn’t mean we should deny them those options—regardless of moral outrage!

          Reply
  • May 16, 2012 at 8:49 pm
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    Mate, do you know what calling a country ‘developing’ means? Wikipedia…. Your other points are just well….stupid..and pretty sexist…do you even know which side of the fence you care to plonk your fat ass on?

    Reply
    • May 16, 2012 at 9:15 pm
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      ah the great wikipedia!!!!! do not limit your horizons to what you have been told. i see no fences anywhere. i do not wave flags. so i am fat and i am stupid but we are mates…. all is good. the troll shall now depart. hugs and kisses… sounds like you need em. maybe you should come to poland too but i think you have had bad experience with the backward types as you call them.

      Reply
  • May 16, 2012 at 10:20 pm
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    You actually believe that prostitution hinders rape and child abuse and that men are slaves to sexual aggression…..I hope you’re Catholic, then you should bring all your shit to Poland and stay there…suit you just fine.

    Reply
    • May 17, 2012 at 3:12 pm
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      i believe that alcohol is more the cause of those problems than prostitution. would you see that outlawed? i think you could not survive in this world without it

      Reply
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  • October 23, 2012 at 6:32 pm
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    The more a conservative country is about sex the more brothel flourish as sex is such as a natural thing that not even church can stop it.

    Reply
    • December 28, 2012 at 5:16 am
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      Dear Billy no doubt sex is a natural thing but doing sex like sex worker is not natural. If you look at the interviews of sex workers you will find that no sex worker enjoys sex while working as sex worker because they are not doing it with love or by heart. Sex with your partner , with your husband is the natural and most beautiful thing and is natural.

      Reply
      • December 10, 2013 at 12:40 pm
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        Yes,
        Everybody is self righteous and fake
        like you

        Reply
        • July 7, 2017 at 4:01 am
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          Jesus said if you like women, get married to one and knock yourself out. If you don’t like women, don’t have sex.

          Reply
  • December 26, 2012 at 4:49 am
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    Polish girls are the most beautiful, hardworking, faithful, loving and caring girls in whole Europe. This thing hurts when you hear that such nice girls have been forced to work as sex workers obviously by men or sometimes by circumstances. 18000 sex workers in whole Poland in not a big issue. If we work together we can save all these 18000 and can move them from Hell to Heaven. They just need love and respect. Trust me no ,money, no status nothing else.

    Reply
    • May 17, 2013 at 8:54 pm
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      I agree to the first part, but to put them on their knees by “saving them from Hell to Heaven” may have a different result ;-).

      Reply
      • July 14, 2015 at 12:36 am
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        agreed pete delete. the poles need to throw off the yoke of the clergy.

        Reply
    • July 20, 2014 at 9:07 pm
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      you are deluding yourself if you think they all need “saving” many are not forced at all,trafficking is an
      issue,but exaggerated.

      Reply
    • September 23, 2014 at 7:03 pm
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      Polish girls most faithful and loving? I had a polish girlfriend,she maxed out my credit cards,she like all humans have their faults wherever they’re from.

      Reply
      • September 24, 2014 at 6:02 pm
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        Exceptions are always there . I am not talking about bad ones. I am talking about the majority of polish girls.

        Reply
  • April 26, 2013 at 6:47 am
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    I am Australian born but come from a polish family, i have been to Kraków many times since 1990 and from my perspective this is very much a developing country on the up and up. When you have a developing economy, you will always have crime and protitution, Kraków is much better than it was in this respect and i see it becoming less corrupt every time i go there. In Australia, about two thirds of the country has made brothels illegal but in the major cities there, brothel are really easy to find. Australia is seen by alot of the world to be way more developed and less corrupt by the way. Religion has little to with anything discussed here but nevertheless people always find a way to argue about it.

    Reply
    • July 20, 2014 at 9:08 pm
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      where in Bulgaria,maybe i should go there?

      Reply
  • July 22, 2014 at 7:51 am
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    Szanowny Taniec Osoba / Lover,

    Link poniżej, jest napisane / graficzne / wideo o różnych tematach dotyczących Polskich Tańców. (To powinno otworzyć się teraz!) Powinien je znaleźć interesujące. (Jeśli masz jakieś pytania dotyczące prac, warsztaty, lub wideo (które w tej chwili są na osobnej płycie CD) prosimy o kontakt.)

    Dear Dance Person/Lover,

    The following link, below, contains written/ graphical/videos about various topics dealing with Polish Dances. (It should open now!) You should find them interesting. (If you have any questions about the works, workshops, or videos (which at this time are on a separate CD) feel free to contact me.)

    http://jason.chuang.ca/social-dance/mazur-mazurka/

    r cwieka

    Reply
  • September 23, 2014 at 7:13 pm
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    My Polish mate has a cousin 70km from Krakow,and we may go there soon so I did my research on where to find sexy lades for myself and any testosterone fueled red blooded male,here is a list of places

    Night club Extaza (wielkotyrnoske street 2) moulin rouge (pilotow street 919)

    night club 37 (nr market square) Krakows old town on Mogilska street 37

    pussy cat (otwinowskiego street) 6

    street girls around railway station (warszawa st)

    Reply
    • November 6, 2015 at 1:18 pm
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      Warszawska street, not warszawa street :) There are not “warszawa street” in Cracow :)

      Reply
  • October 21, 2014 at 10:47 pm
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    Crash hot, Jason! You’re a man of clear and true words. Well written, mate.
    Poland is half the way out of its middle age darkness suppressed by popes and cardinals. The second half will take at least 4 generations to complete. Religion (any kind) keeps home sapiens jailed and Poland is a living statement for this imprisonment.

    Reply
  • May 31, 2015 at 1:38 pm
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    La Webcam que esta enfrente de Anton Saski, en Krawkow ves todos los viernes sábados unas cuantas chicas ofreciendo sus servicios.

    Reply
  • October 19, 2015 at 9:46 pm
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    It is odd that in a country where so many folks declare themselves Catholics (and in the town whose former Archbishop became the Pope, no less) there are such lax laws regarding prostitution.

    The problem with encouraging sex tourism is that it drives the rest of the economy down. I used to live in Fortaleza, Brazil, where corrupt law enforcement allowed an entire nightlife district to pretty much go to hell. Things got worse when child prostitution came into play. It took years for the city to revitalize the area.

    Reply
  • December 4, 2017 at 4:57 am
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    Can you stop making money and fame from advertising brothels in poland?
    fuckers?

    Reply
  • January 31, 2018 at 4:53 pm
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    On a recent visit for two days I was approached six times on Florianska Street between my hotel and the market square by young women and men during daytime luridly suggesting visiting sex clubs nearby – where are the civic authorities or police? I had thought until then that this was a progressive but family friendly city.

    Reply
  • February 13, 2018 at 3:14 pm
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    FACTS ! :

    1. In Poland 90% of prostitutes are UKRAINIAN

    2. In Cracow no one says i’m going to get some prostitutes, instead thay say I’ll get some Ukrainkas (Ukrainka is ukrainian girl) cause these girls are all ukrainian.

    3. In Warsaw , 85% Ukrainkas, 10% Russian the rest Polish

    All brothels in Poland are run by Polish mafia/gang members but ukrainian mafia is in it too. I mean ALL of them.
    Church has got nothing to do with existance of these places and anyone saying it has , is highly retarded.

    Ukrainkas quite often when asked say they are Polish/Russian or something else cause they feel ashamed. It’s understandable.

    Reply
  • April 1, 2018 at 5:08 pm
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    There are many lovely womans in UK please!

    Reply
  • July 17, 2018 at 12:52 pm
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    extremely disgusting

    zero class

    Reply
  • March 27, 2022 at 3:37 pm
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    Adam believed in God and look what happened to him when Eve came along.
    That’s what you call ribbing.
    Sex is pleasurabley and enjoyable by all.
    When you marry you pay for carnal just the way you do from the oldest profession.
    A big difference than getting a divorce and getting your clothes taken off your back.
    Tim

    Reply

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