Things to do in Poland

Visit Krakow

Krakow is a college and industrial city located in the southern part of the land. Though it is not as populous as Warsaw the capital, there is something spectacular about it and that is its medieval atmosphere seen in the number of historical sites that are available there. It is an UNESCO listed city. Its main market square is the largest in the whole of Europe. One of the impressive tourist attractions in this main market square is the 14th century Cloth Hall which is located at the middle of the entire market square. Other buildings of historical importance include the Wawel Castle, 16th century Remuh synagogue, the Gothic Cathedral and the awesome former Jewish quarter.

The Old Town of Warsaw

A number of structures in the old town were destroyed during the World War II. However, today the Old Town of Warsaw has been reconstructed according to the original plan. Paintings that dated from 17th and 18th centuries are available there. If you go through the street of this old town, you will not believe that they were created about 50 years ago. The quaint cobbled street is quite impressive. The Palace of Culture and Science is one location that you must visit during your stay. If you climb to its top, you will have a panoramic view of the town.

Visit Lublin

Lublin is one of the largest and economically vibrant cities. It is a home to many expats. One of the stunning and historically important landmarks is the Cracow Gate. It is through this gate that you can enter the Old Town. The gate houses a tower that was contrasted with red brick. The tower forms park of the original fortifications. The Cracow gate was constructed in the 14th century. However, in 1782, it was remodeled in 1782. Today, a historical Museum is housed by the red brick tower of the Cracow gate.

Medieval town of Torun

One of the highlights is the medieval wall of Torun. It straddles the Vistula river. Constructed in Gothic style, the medieval town of Torun comprises redbrick houses, cobbled streets and old fortifications. If you are a science student or if you have studied Geography in the secondary school, you would have heard of Copernicus and the revolution he brought . The famous Copernicus was born in this town. The widely eaten pierniki gingerbread started from here.

Visit Wroclaw

Wroclaw is a diverse city known as the Breslau in German. Formerly, it was part of German Empire. It has up to 100 bridges crossing canals which connects many islands together. There are a number of sights to behold and the important ones are the cathedral on Ostrow Tumski (Cathedral Island), the giant Raclawice Panorama and the City Historical Museum. If you require to transport all your belongings or just shipping excess baggage from UK to Wroclaw, you should check shipping costs from at least a few different moving providers.

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Constructed in the 13th century, Wielliczka Salt Mine is one of the popular tourist attractions in the industrial and college city, Cracow. There are 300km of shafts and tunnels in the UNESCO listed heritage site. The tunnels and shafts are adorned with statues. There are also beautifully built chapels that are carved out from salt by the miners. Visitors are able to access only the 2km (1.2 miles) of the mine. The underground route through which tourists and visitors are allowed to pass through is about 135 km (445ft). The underground route has beautifully sculptured chapel, chandeliers, bas-reliefs and awesome chambers.

Old port city of Gdansk

One of the cities that you should explore during your visit is Gdansk. This port has a lot to offer tourists and vacationers inside it. If you find yourself there, you can explore the beach resort there which is close to Sopot. It features the longest pier in Europe known as the Molo. The pier is as long as 515m or 1700ft. The largest Gothic church is located here. Other tourist attractions that are within reach are the Teutonic castles at Malbork and Gniew, the Kashubian Lakeland and forested Hel Peninsula and Beach.

Nature reserves in Poland

Poland has a number of national parks and nature reserves that provide impressive pastime opportunities for hiking enthusiasts. There are hiking trails in these national parks located here and there. One of the impressive hiking destinations is the Kampinos National Park which is close to Warsaw. You can also head for the Bieszczady National Park which forms part of the Carpathian Mountain. This park is a home to wolf, lynx, wildcat and the surviving fragments of the Great Bieszczady. About 120 brown bears are located in this national park.

Mushroom picking

One of the age-long traditional practices that have continued till today is mushroom picking. There are different kinds of mushrooms which can be used to prepare delicious delicacies. Mushrooms are very nutritious and some varieties that are found in Poland are very delicious. One of the ways that you can have fun and spend your leisure with the locals is to go for mushroom picking. If you are engaging in this type of outdoor activities, you should ensure that you go with expert mushroom pickers. It is done in the woods during the early stage of the autumn season. Picking mushroom is also an opportunity for you to explore the woods and have a good feel of the vegetation.

The Pomeranian coast

It is a haven for beach lovers and seaside sunning enthusiasts. Some of the best beaches in the northern part of Europe are located in that area. If you are a beach lover, definitely, you have a rewarding and enjoyable holiday and stay as the case may be. The Pomeranian coast is home to wonderful beach resorts. A typical example of such resorts is the Kolobrzeg or Leba resort which is a large resort with stunning sandy beaches. The Slowinski National Park is connected to this beach and so you can also explore the park from the beach. Among the impressive attractions in this beach is its wonderful wandering sand dunes which keep shifting on yearly basis several meters away from its original position.

Auschwitz

You might have heard about the Holocaust – the mass massacre of Jew under the Nazi Germany. This is one of the despicable periods in the history of this part of Europe. If you visit the concentration camp at Oswiecim-Birkenau, you will really sober and feel the pain of those Jews that lost their lives during this time. The concentration camp which is about 66km (41 miles) from Cracow is now used as a state museum. If you are interested in history, this is one of the must see locations.

If you are interested in history especially in the history of World Wars, one of the locations that you must visit during your stay is the Warsaw Rising Museum which will provide you with an educational and interactive experience on the resistance during the World War II. There are films shows, slides and testimonials that are shown there. You will also see artifacts used during the war in this museum. You will be enlightened on the resistance put up by the residents of the Warsaw.

Masurian Lake District

There are more than 1000 lakes in the Masurian Lake District. If you are an angling enthusiast, this district is a must-visit location for you. There is no other place where you will have enough of angling as well as boating than in this destination. It is a great destination for trailing enthusiasts. There is a well known trail that gets across several lakes and canals. You will also get the opportunity of exploring local towns such as Mikolajki and Gizycko. These towns have impressive festivals and events that they host on yearly basis. A typical example of such festival is the sea-shanty festivals. If you are in the destination when any of these festivals and events are being hosted, you should make it as point of duty to witness it.

Visit Zelazowa Wola

The country has a rich music tradition. It has produced a number of composers. However, Federic Chopin remains one of the greatest if not the greatest among them. He was born in Zelazowa Wola which is just 33 miles away from Warsaw. The manor house where he lived is one of the places that you should visit if you have penchant for music and history of music. You are not going to see just an empty house. You will see the 19th century musical instruments that he used, the summertime recitals, gardens and furniture used by this great musical icons.

Visit the Black Madonna

For the religious minded individual and adherent of Roman Catholicism, the Miraculous painting of Our Lady which is known as the Black Madonna is worth viewing. You can see it in the big Jasna Gora monastery complex located at Czestochowa. The Painting is said to be made by St. Luke one of the evangelists. It is located just 100km away from Cracow.

Old City of Zamosc

Zamosc is one of the places to visit during a stay or a visit. The highlights are its market square which has a town centre that has been in existence since 16th century and which has been designated as an UNESCO World Heritage sites. This site was constructed by architect Bernando Morando who designed the site after the Italian models.