For over a decade now, when young backpackers ask, "Where can I go to get off the beaten path (and drink cheap beer)?", the first answer always seems to be ... Prague.

For the folks that really want to "rough it", there's a new town on the radar - Krakow. The ancient capital of Poland has quickly become the cheap, partying headquarters of Europe for those "in the know".

If you could put your finger on the heart of backpacking in Europe, it's almost as if you could hear them say: "Dude, you've got to go to Krakow. It's the NEW Prague!".