Rich in culture and biodiversity, the landscape of Poland is beautifully textured with epic mountain ranges, picturesque streams and lakes, and historic cities centuries old. The country is bordered by the Baltic Sea in the north and the majestic Tatra mountains in the south that results in a pleasant climate all year round. That, plus the hospitality and vibrance of the local populace, affords a wonderful opportunity for tourism that can compete with any of Europe’s other popular destinations.
Story and photos by : www.poland.travel
STAY
♦ Shuum Boutique Wellness Hotel
With the ever-striking Baltic Sea within reach, Shuum Boutique Wellness Hotel is the place where harmonious and spacious interiors meet an appreciation of nature, love for wood and tribute to minimalism. Non-apparent shades of gray and beige accompany a simplistic design warmed up by wooden elements and furniture to create a private atmosphere in which you will relax to the fullest. At the very least, you should experience the soothing power of water and feel the rejuvenating warmth coming from the exceptional pools and three saunas, including a Finnish sauna with a view of the seafront park. Shuum is also the home for organic produce from local farms and crops grown in the region, designed to reduce food waste to near zero.
♦ Nosalowy Dwór Resort & Spa
Nosalowy Dwor Resort & Spa is the largest resort in the Podhale region in Southern Poland and – along with its sister hotel Nosalowy Park Hotel & Spa – one of the most renowned hotel brands in the country. The resort, consisting of four connected hotels predominantly of a 4* standard, offers nearly 400 spacious rooms in total as well as numerous restaurants and bars, kids’ playrooms, an outdoor playground, games zone room, wellness area with swimming pool and saunas, gym and NABE SPA to mention a few. With a picturesque setting at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, the resort is an ideal place for families and active recreation with a great skiing arena in the winter.
♦ NYX Hotel Warsaw
Located in the very heart of the capital, the characteristic and modern design constitutes only the exterior frame. The hotel space is decorated by local artists’ work, from the fields of graffiti, urban, and street art. NYX Hotel Warsaw’s original dishes are available at the Clash restaurant, while cocktails are served on the 19th floor bar, which offers a breathtaking view of the cityscape. The hotel offers 331 rooms and apartments for more than 750 guests with parking spaces for a few hundred cars. The facility’s great setting also consists of a diverse musical scene from jazz sounds or lively DJ sets, turning the hotel into a nightclub in the evening.
♦ Lake Hill Resort & Spa
A stylish four-star hotel with a wellness area is located in the Karkonosze Mountains region – an area dedicated to mountain-based activities such as trekking, long hikes or mountain biking. Lake Hill is the ideal tranquil getaway for a holiday in the mountains near the ever-enchanting Karpacz town and Sosnówka, a village with a unique lagoon amidst the mountains. Whatever the weather, guests can swim freely in the indoor pool with hydromassage and jacuzzi. The hotel also has an outdoor heated pool and two jacuzzis which overlook the mountains.
EAT
♦ Pierogi, Polska żywność
Most visitors will find a variety of pierogi made in a very traditional way – stuffed with chopped mushrooms and shredded cabbage, then seasoned simply with salt and pepper to be particularly tasty. During the summer months, the Polish menu is full of pierogi stuffed with a variety of fruits: strawberries, bilberries, cherries, even sweet cottage cheese with raisins. The Podlasie region would be an excellent choice for a pierogi journey, although it’s safe to say that every nook and corner of Poland is the home of great pierogi.
♦ Meat and Veggies
Meat basically means pork in Poland, whether it is a fried breaded cutlet, roasted with prunes or served with stewed cabbage. Chicken and beef are less popular, unless the latter is served as the ultra-popular zrazy, a rolled beaten beef dish. The most popular accompaniment for meat is beetroot which can be puréed, sliced and fried in batter, or grated and combined with a little soured cream or minced onion. Another favorite side dish with various roast meats is a cucumber salad named mizeria. Wafer thin slices of cucumber dressed in a combination of soured cream, lemon juice, a dash of caster sugar and salt and chilled before serving.
♦ Street Flavors
Every region in Poland has its specialties, mysterious culinary legends, flagship dishes and delicacies. The streets of Polish towns and cities have welcomed global culinary trends in the form of all kinds of street food: from kiosks, food trucks and stalls, to breakfast markets and culinary fairs. For instance, Krakow – a gem of national cultural heritage – offers a flourishing street food scene with choices such as zapiekanka (grilled open sandwich) and maczanka krakowska (pulled pork sandwich). Be sure to also try some refreshing craft beer, delicious mead or colorful liqueurs made from Polish fruit.
♦ Papal Cream Cake
One casual remark by Pope John Paul II managed to propel a previously standard dish to stardom. As he reminisced of his younger days, he mentioned thesweet taste of a cream cake called kramówka that he bought in a pastry shop in the market square. With this, a great effect happened to the entire Polish confectionery business. On the very next day, kramówka became the order of the day in all local tea-rooms and confectionery shops. If you have a sweet tooth, the Małopolska region and the royal city of Kraków, Poland’s former capital, are the places to go.
♦ Where Vodka Calls Home
In Poland, this fiery water even has its own museum. Belvedere, Chopin, Luksusowa and Biala Dama are the purest, best-distilled elite brands, but it is also worth trying some of the flavored Polish vodkas: Goldwasser, Krzeska, Starka, Zoladkowa Gorzka, Jarzebiak Izdebnicki or Zubrowka, drunk with apple or pear juice or maybe served with raw cucumber. Home-made liqueurs and meads are also becoming more and more fashionable. The oldest Polish brewery, in Lwowek Slaski, has been operating continuously since 1209 and produces an excellent unpasteurised ale.
♦ Beerlover’s Guide
Poland is a beer-loving country, with brewing traditions dating back to medieval times. Some of the breweries, such as Tychy Brewery and Zywiec Brewery, keep their doors open for visitors, who can gain insights into the beer-producing process and watch some beer-related exhibits, combined with beer tasting of course! There are also beer festivals where beer enthusiasts can try the new brews, talk to the brewers and participate in the beer making process. Major beer festivals include the Birofilia Festival, Warsaw Beer Festival, Beer Geek Madness in Wroclaw, Good Beer Festival, and many other similar events.
♦ Zakopane Cuisine
There are many intriguing and delicious traditional flavors to be discovered in the Highland cuisine of the Zakopane region. The amount and variety of restaurants and taverns ensures that everyone will find the right place to sample the gastronomic delights. Pażuchy, bukty, tarciochy, moskole, karpiele, żury, kołacze and kwaśnice, all rather difficult to translate and to pronounce, mean the only way to find out what these dishes are is to try them. At the end of the day, chilled mountaineers and tired tourists should try Highland electric tea – served with the local spirit (the drinkable kind) and “bombolk” with honey.
♦ Mazurian Cuisine
The Mazurian cuisine is characterized by ingredients such as cream and freshly made butter where the flavors of dill and caraway seeds dominate some of the dishes. Popular fish dishes such as smoked eel and bull trout are highly recommended. The real specialty, however, are potatoes which can be prepared in hundreds of ways, even for dessert. When visiting the Great Lake District don’t miss the opportunity to try the pea soup, regional sausages and roasted meat served cold. The delicious desserts should also be sampled: marzipans, puddings and Kisiel, a delicious (potato starch) sweet pudding.
DO
♦ Christmas Festivals
Starting with the days of Advent, Christmastime in Poland is celebrated extravagantly. Perhaps the best way to embrace the Christmas spirit while in Poland is a visit to one of the many extraordinary Christmas markets that take place throughout the country. In almost every village, town or city, a Christmas market is held so that residents can buy ornaments, sip on mulled wine and enjoy beautiful decorations in a communal setting. Some cities like Warsaw, Krakow and Wroclaw boast truly spectacular Christmas markets, and it would be a mistake to miss a trip to at least one of these amazing spots.
♦ Wooden Architecture Trail
Experience the living history of the Malopolska Region (Southern Poland) enshrined in the marvels of its wooden architecture. Preserved here are the numerous historical remnants of old Polish village life, built of wood and thus in harmony with the landscape. What is more, the wealth of local culture and art of the Malopolska Region is unmatched throughout Poland. The Wooden Architecture Route, stretching over 1500km, includes 237 architectural examples, from Catholic churches, Orthodox churches, chapels and belfries to granaries, rural cottages and manor houses, marked with directions on more than 600 signposts.
♦ Copernicus Science Center
The Copernicus Science Center is one of the largest and most modern institutions of its kind in Europe. The aim of the Center is to inspire curiosity, assist in the independent discovery of the world around and help teach and inspire social dialogue in science. It conducts modern scientific communication through interactive exhibitions addressed at multiple groups of recipients, shows and workshops on scientific themes, debates and discussions as well as activities of science and art. The Copernicus Science Center has the status of a cultural institution, established and funded by the administration of the capital city, Warsaw, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Ministry of National Education.
♦ Malbork Teutonic Order Castle
The 13th century Malbork castle of the Teutonic Order is the mightiest fortress of medieval Europe. Surrounded by deep moats and several rings of defensive walls, it houses the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Ann’s chapel beneath it. The old settlement outside the outer walls was also expanded, becoming a spacious and functional Middle Castle available to knights – guests from Western Europe. The Malbork Castle Museum houses numerous exhibitions, including militaria, amber, china and glass art, furniture and more to discover. If you are looking for the best spot from which to admire the enormous size of the castle, it is from the Nogat River side.
♦ Bialowiesza National Park
This ancient forest sits on the border between Poland and Belarus, the Podlasie Region. UNESCO named the site a Biosphere Reserve in 1977 and it represents the forest that once covered most of Europe. This primeval forest is home to animal and plant species typical of both Eastern and Western Europe and the only place where you can see European bison freely roaming. Some other species that call the forest home include elk, wolves, red and roe deer, lynx, and wild boar. Accommodations are available in the village of Bialowieza where there are also several monuments and historical buildings, a palace and parks complex, and a Natural History Museum.
♦ Winter Sports
The mountainous landscape of Poland is ideal for skiers and snowboarders. The better known ski slopes are in Zakopane, of course. The longest one in the Tatry leads from the mountain revered by Polish skiers – Kasprowy Peak, to the Gąsienicowa Meadow – and is over 7 km long. In Sudety the pistes near Karpacz and Szklarska Poreba are the most crowded. The most famous Polish cross-country skiing piste is in Jakuszyce, where the biggest winter international event takes place – the Piast Race. The slope in Sopot might not be impressive enough from the point of view of altitude but it does give you a view of the Baltic Sea!
SHOP
♦ Bazar na Kole, Warsaw
A magnet for buyers every weekend, the capital’s most famous and popular flea market is a center of unique items and exceptional deals. There is plenty to choose from as the market boasts a hodgepodge of top-notch period furniture, antiques and other objects. If tired of crawling through, one can try local, home-style meals at one of the food stands. But following the golden rule of flea markets: “Haggle at all times”, never give up. One might be lucky enough to get half the price.
♦ St. Dominic’s Fair
Starting on the last Saturday of July and lasting until mid-August in Gdansk, the oldest flea market in Poland has more than 1,000 stalls. Shopping is the main theme of this traditional fair and is one of the most significant and popular summer events in Gdansk. The streets are filled with musicians, mimes, and street artists while shopkeepers present their often unusual, rare and odd wares. Food stalls show off a grand display of produce and preparations such as pastries, cheeses, sausages, spices, coffee, tea, preserves and tinctures.
