Poland

By Carol Barton

There are many great places to visit in Poland. One of its more famous towns is Warsaw, which is a very historical section of Poland. When basically the whole of Warsaw was demolished in World War Two, the people of Warsaw rebuilt the buildings to look like the ones that used to be there, in order to preserve the historic aspect of it. If you’re interested in history, architecture, or even if you simply want to get a taste of the history that Poland has to offer, this is an opportunity you simply can’t pass up.

Another place that is great to visit is the town of Malbork, which is best known for its castles. The largest of these beautiful castles, which is named after the patron saint of the city and castle, is actually made up of three castles combined. You’ll definitely want to spend a night or two here, because the views of these castles in the morning, afternoon, and evening are all something you’ll want to stay for.

If you’re the more adventurous type, you may want to explore the wilderness that Poland has to offer. The Tatra National Park has lots of trails, beautiful views, and dense forests, making it a great spot for hiking. Even if you aren’t the outdoorsy type, this and other parks are all something you’ll want to set aside a day for. It may be tough exercise, but once you reach the top of the trail, there are breathtaking views that are definitely worth the climb.

This park has plenty of great skiing areas as well, so even if you don’t like to hike, you can still get some stunning views. It’s definitely an activity that’s fun for the whole family, even if you don’t really ski that much.

Food and Culture

Poland has a lot of unique foods that you can sample during your trip. Some traditional foods that are found in Poland are bread, soup, pierogi, and kietbasa. The bread is a symbol of good fortune, and is eaten with a lot of meals. Many meals start with soup, and there are lots of different kinds, including barszcz, (borscht) which can be served three different ways. It can be served clear, with small ravioli-like dumplings filled with meat, or with a hot meat or cabbage filled pastry.

Some restaurants that you can go to to sample some of Poland’s finest food are Polka, which is run by Magdalena Gessler, a famous cook who was in the Polish edition of Kitchen Nightmares and was a judge in MasterChef, Przy Zamku, which specializes in food found when hunting (such as wild boar), and Zapiecek, which specializes in a very famous polish dish, pierogi. This is a polish dumpling, usually stuffed with meat or cheese. However, this restaurant also creates a twist: they also fill these dumplings with more exotic fillings such as salmon, or carrots.

Still not convinced? We recommend that you take a trip to Poland the next time you’re in Europe, because there are some activities that you have to do yourself to get the full experience.