POLAND (POLSKA) - CENTRAL EUROPE - TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATION GUIDE

POLAND TRAVEL INFORMATION

Poland Travel Guide:

Ten Things You Should Not Miss While In Poland   by Jonathan Williams

1.) Old Town

Words can only capture so much of the beauty and timelessness that defines Stare Miastro. Take a walk or ride a bike or carriage for a tour of the city, and be mesmerized by the simple grandeur of the place. Pubs, bars, restaurants, etc. are plenty in the city, so you don't have to worry when that tummy churns from hunger in this beautiful city.
 

World War II did something to change the landscape of Warsaw, but the beauty of this city remains worthy of a stopover. Visit Warsaw and see for yourself the Royal Castle, the Wilanow Castle, the Lazienki Park, and other scenic sites that gives color and grandeur to this Polish city. 

The ruins of the Jewish ghetto wall are standing up to this day, a reminder for the many who perished in Nazi atrocities and the few who managed to come back.

3.) Sopot

Sopot is the premiere vacation spot in Poland that gives travelers a scenic place and a place for a myriad of activities. Sopot is also a home to both budding and respected artist in various fields, giving radiance to the already lively place. With so many things to do, boredom is certainly one of things you shouldn't plan for in this city.

4.) Slowinski National Park

Drop by the Baltic Coast and see for yourself the various land features that characterize Slowinski National Park's topography. Walk by the beach, enter the forest, step on wet marshlands and sand dunes, and cross grassland and moors while you're in it. Be fascinated by the wide variety of flora and fauna that comes with it.

5.) Tatra Mountain

Tatra Mountain range, home of natural wonders and mountain adventures, lies in the border of Poland and Slovakia. 

Glance at the Polish biodiversity while admiring the landscape formed by four glaciations that took place in the Tatra mountain regions. Take a hike and climb the peaks of Tatra, and be astounded by the scenic view of Poland from its side.

6.) Auschwitz

More than sixty years after the Nazi Rule, Auschwitz stands as a reminder of the past that should be forever remembered. Travel back in time of Nazi's occupation of Auschwitz and relive the tragedies that surround the concentration camps. Let the edifice and the few things left both by the perpetrators and the victims speak of the history that unfolded in this side of the Polish lands.

7.) Great Masurian Lake

Found in the northern part of the country, Great Masurian Lake is the remains of the Ice Age that cover all of Poland. With some 4000 lakes linked by intricate river and water tributaries, it covers up to 15% of all Masurian Plateau. Travel the lake in its entirety with bike tours made available in the area.

8.) The Wawel

Visit the place where polish kings rule for over 500 years. Walk around time and see yourself time-locked in the Renaissance period with Wawels's castle, churches, courtyards, and other infrastructure. Learn, discover and marvel at the sight of this city.

9.) Czartoryski Museum

Da Vinci and Rembrandt aficionados who plan to visit Poland put Czartoryski Museum on top of their list. Despite losing some artworks during Nazi occupation, artworks like Da Vinci's Lady with the Ermine and Rembrandt's Landscape with the Good Samaritan is still a sight to see. Tour the museum for more artworks from Greeks, Romans, Etruscans, Italians, Dutch, and Flemish artists.

10.) Kazimierz Dolny

Named after Kazimierz Wielki who founded the town in 1335, this polish town offered shelter to persecuted Jews before World War II. The number of Jews living in Kazimierz was a target for the Nazi during WWII, reducing the 70,000 Jews in pre-world war era into 600 to this day. Take a peek into the preserved Jewish ghettoes and discover the lives these people have then.

There's Always Something For Everyone In Krakow   by Kalyan Kumar

Wandering the streets of the Old Town or the former Jewish district, Kazimierz, you will find a Krakow pulsating with life in all its variety. Galleries full of fascinating exhibitions present both the classic and the experimental avant-garde; cafés, pubs and restaurants offer the finest in both Polish and world cuisine - and all are an integral part of any visit to Krakow restaurants.

Like a magnet Krakow attracts an extraordinary range of people who help create the atmosphere of a city that is full of life, yet which exists in perfect harmony with its rich past. Actors, painters, musicians and poets make the city a magical place in which each moment becomes history. There are not enough words to describe the phenomenon that is Krakow, combining tradition and modernity with a multitude of avenues with which to escape from everyday life. It is enough to come and visit us to be convinced that the alternative to the relentless march of progress is not necessarily a step backwards.

One of the best and most famous activities for Krakow tourists is to take the Royal Route. The route begins by St Florian's Church in Matejki Square, leads by the Krakow Barbican, through the main entrance to the city, St Florian's Gate, along ul. Florianska, across the Main Square, and then along Grodzka Street to the Royal Castle on Wawel Hill.

Worth attention is the remaining fragment of city fortifications. The houses in ul. Florianska include the famous Jama Michalika (Michalik's Den) café and Jan Matejko House. The Main Square--the largest public square of medieval Europe--is dominated by the towers of the Gothic St. Mary's Church.  Every hour the famous Krakow bugle call is played from the taller one.

Inside the church, we can admire its greatest highlight: the high altar by Wit Stwosz (Veit Stoss) which is Europe's largest Gothic altar. The central part of the Main Square is occupied by the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice)--a rare example of a medieval structure that has for centuries served as a commercial centre. 

On its other side stands the tower of the former Town Hall. Passing by the Monument to Adam Mickiewicz and the Church of St Adalbert, we enter ul. Grodzka, pass by the precious church and monastery complexes of Dominicans and Franciscans, Wielopolski Palace (currently, the seat of municipal authorities), SS Peter and Paul's Church, the convent of Poor Clares, St Andrew's Church, and the Church of St Giles. Running parallel to Grodzka, ul. Kanonicza is a charming street lined with recently renovated palaces and residences. Both Grodzka and Kanonicza lead to the foot of Wawel Hill with its Royal Castle, one of Europe's most splendid Renaissance royal residences. 

Among its treasure of artistic masterpieces, most noteworthy in the Castle is the famous Audience Hall with a coffered ceiling adorned with 30 wooden heads. Similarly unique is the collection of 142 tapestries commissioned by King Sigismund Augustus in Flanders.