WARSAW, KRAKOW, WIELICZKA

Our northern neighbor can offer many natural, cultural and architectural treasures, and as soon as we had the opportunity to visit this country, we took full advantage of it and chose the best from it…

A visit to Poland was connected with the wedding of our friends near the Masurian Lakes, so we logically headed straight for the capital.

Warsaw

After a quick transfer from the airport, we head straight to the center to explore the city. We start in the Old Town, which is on the UNESCO list for its unique architecture and is located on the left bank of the Wisla River. It is a favorite place not only for tourists but also for locals. The remains of the former fortifications can be found here and from the Old town to the New town you can walk under the protective bar – Barbican

Part of the Old Town is the picturesque Market Square of the Old Town with many restaurants, shops, and street performers. The square is lined with houses in the Renaissance and Baroque style, which were newly built after the bombing of the city during World War II. In the middle of the square is a lovely statue of a mermaid.

Not far from here is another square (Plac Zamkowy) with a statue of King Zigmund, thanks to whom Warsaw became the capital. There is also the Royal Castle where the Polish kings used to live and today there is a museum.

We continue outside of the Old Town along the Royal Route. This route served to move the Polish kings from the Royal Palace to the summer residence of Wilanow. There are many churches, shops, gardens, and residences, as well as the University of Warsaw and the Presidential Palace.

The next day we chose to see one of the city’s landmarks, which is the Palace of Culture and Science. The huge building, which cannot be overlooked, is 231 meters high and is not only the tallest in Warsaw but in the whole of Poland. The building has a total of 42 floors and on the 30th floor, there is a viewpoint from which there is a breathtaking view of the city. Worth it… The building hosts various exhibitions, and concerts, and is also the HQ of many companies. Russian architecture can not be denied here because it was a gift from the Soviet people and reminded me a little of Lomonosov University in Moscow.

From here, we carried on to a piece of history in the Warsaw Ghetto, which was built during World War II. At that time, original inhabitants were evicted from here and Jews from all over the area moved here. Nearby is the famous Memorial of the Warsaw Uprising, which is dedicated to all the fallen victims and is crowded with tourists.

We ended today’s trip with a visit to the largest park in Warsaw. It is Lazienki Park and it is the Royal Baths. A beautiful park with many monuments, lakes, and statues is one of the best you can see in Warsaw. There is an ancient theater, a Chinese quarter, and several palaces, e.g. Royal Palace, Palace on the Island, Palac Myslewicki but also the White House and Ujazdowsk Castle.

That would be about everything from Warsaw, but we still stay in Poland. We are moving south, closer to us, to Krakow…

Krakow

The picturesque town in the south of Poland with a rich history is one of the most visited in the country. It is the second-largest city in the country and is crossed by the Wisla River. It is also called the ‘royal city’ or ‘city of the dragon’ thanks to the fire-breathing dragon but I’ll come to that later…

It is best to go directly to the center of the Old Town (as well as Warsaw and this is also on the UNESCO list), which will immediately enchant you with its architecture. The whole city is surrounded by the walls of the city fortifications and its most famous parts include Barbakan and Florianska Street, where there are many restaurants, shops, and cafes.

Not far from here is the Main Square (Rynek Glowny), which is one of the largest in Europe and certainly one of the most beautiful. It is a vibrant place from early morning until late at night and you will find here many museums, statues, fountains, and galleries as well as shops and restaurants. We recommend climbing up the stairs to the top of the town hall tower from where you will have the whole square in the palm of your hand.

From here we move to the nearby Wawelske Hills where Wawel Castle is located. This was the main seat of the Polish kings and the place of coronation of the former monarchs. Right next to it is the Wawel Cathedral, which houses the Zigmund Bell – the largest bell in Poland.

After a short walk, you can reach the Dragon Hole cave, in which, according to one of the legends, a dragon lived, and spewed fire. This is what I mentioned to you at the beginning. A really good copy of this fire-breathing dragon is located at the castle fortifications in a small park.

Right next to the Wawel Dragon, it is an ideal place to relax or have some refreshments, and at the same time, it is one of the best places to observe boats sailing on the Wisla River. This was our last stop in Krakow and our next stop is the Wieliczka salt mine…

Wieliczka

You don’t have to go far to visit the world-famous salt mine. It is only a short walk from Krakow, as it is only about 15 km away. In any case, this underground work of art is a hidden gem and is worth visiting…

Compared to our caves in Slovakia, there is no need to worry about low temperatures as the temperature here is in the range of 12-15°C. Firstly, you need to climb down 380 wooden stairs, but on the way up you can also take a lift to get back to the surface. According to information from the guide, only 2% (about 3 km) of the total length of the discovered corridors are passable. The tour starts at a depth of about 35m but gradually meets to a depth of 135m. On the way down you can see various statues, ponds, paintings, and tools that were used in the extraction of salt.

In some places, the corridors are really narrow and of course, I just couldn’t resist trying to lick my finger after touching one of the walls and see if it was built from salt. Even though it’s strictly forbidden… We slowly descended to a depth of about 100m and found ourselves in the most beautiful place of the whole mine – St. Kinga’s Chapel. Upon entering the hall, you will immediately be impressed by the magnificent chandeliers, various statues, and the painting of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci carved into the salt wall.

Another large hall is at the end of the corridor. Salt mine goes with the times and so in some rooms not only weddings but also music concerts take place. However, due to the healing effect of salt, people with problems with the upper respiratory tract come here mainly to treat it. Of course, there is also the possibility of refreshments in the buffet or the restaurant. After being taken out by lift to the surface, there are also souvenir shops. Admission 50PLN / person. You pay for the camera before entering the mine.

That’s pretty much it from our trip to Poland. This large country in the north of Europe with huge potential has something to offer to every visitor. Whether you travel, for culture, nature, monuments, sports, history, the mountains, or the sea, you will find it in Poland. We will reserve more time in the future for this beautiful country and travel it from east to west and north to south…

Tip 1: In Warsaw, don’t forget to visit the Palace of Culture and Science with its fantastic view of the city.

Tip 2: In Krakow, in addition to a walking tour of the Old Town and the Wawelske hills, it is worth taking a boat trip on the river Wisla.

Tip 3: In Wieliczka, you can enjoy a good and reasonably priced buffet deep down below the surface in the salt mine.

Total costs: 3 nights:  Flight: £100.00 

(Prices as of  December 2010)

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