Choosing a restaurant in Krakow can be a challenge. Poland, the land of pierogis, borscht, and oscypek, serves up traditional foods that are as delicious as they are difficult to pronounce. This article will get you past the quasi-hieroglyphic names so that you can eat at some of the best restaurants in Krakow while savoring the unique flavors of Polish cuisine. >> Also read our guide on the ... Read Full Article
First Time Visitor’s Guide To Krakow, Poland
Krakow is one of the most romantic cities in Europe. Though it’s located in the “Lesser” region, it’s no slouch: Krakow is the only Polish city that wasn’t decimated during World War II, and its Gothic architecture puts the city center on the list of World Heritage Sites. While it is the second largest city in Poland, Krakow retains a small-city feel, with plenty of small, winding ... Read Full Article
Mystery of the Black Madonna
The History of the Black Madonna The Black Madonna has been a figure of mystery for centuries. Some say she’s simply a statue of the Virgin Mary carved from black wood, or perhaps has soot on her skin from the smoke of thousands of candles. But speculation goes much deeper than that. Throughout Europe, especially in France, about 500 Black Madonnas, painted or carved in wood or stone, stand ... Read Full Article
Poland Tourist Information
Poland is an oft-neglected destination for travelers to Europe and this bodes well for those of you who do make the trip. Poland has had its ups and downs since leaving the cold grip of the Soviet Union in 1990, but the economy is stable and the tourism infrastructure is more than adequate for the casual traveler and yet rustic enough to provide for those magic moments far away from home. Poland ... Read Full Article
See Szczecin, Poland in a Day
Szczecin, Poland’s seventh largest city (population 406,000) and the capital of West Pomeranian Province, is a charming maritime city worthy of a day trip. The city is only a two-hour train ride from Berlin, and is also accessible from Warsaw and smaller cities in Germany’s Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Due to its small size, the entire city can be explored in less than a day. Taking ... Read Full Article
Historical Sights of Gdansk, Poland
Gdansk is a gothic, seaside city with everything painted grey and gilded with gold. A former fishing village, it is now a major seaport of almost half a million inhabitants located on the Baltic Sea. Visiting Gdansk I visited the city in mid-June and the weather was beautiful, making it perfect for strolling along Gdansk's waterfront. The waterfront is perhaps the most entertaining aspect of ... Read Full Article
Visiting the Sacred Death Camps of Nazi Germany
Why would anyone do it, is perhaps the first question. The idea of visiting a concentration camp does not sound like a pleasant experience, never mind something you would want to do on your vacation to Europe. Perhaps this is why one of the saddest parts of human history is being slowly put away, and Auschwitz, the largest and most infamous of all concentration camps, as reported by the BBC, is ... Read Full Article
The Salt Mines of Krakow, Poland
Though the Wieliczka Salt Mine is visited by millions every year, I likely wouldn’t have known about it if my Polish friends hadn’t taken me to it. Naturally gray in color, the mine is composed of salt rock, some of which has been polished to a clear, glass-like transparency. This glass-like effect encompasses the entire cave, including one area that touts some impressive salt rock chandeliers ... Read Full Article
Memories of Masuria, Poland
I went to Masuria just a few years after the Wall fell, maybe 1993. Trips since then have had varying degrees of influence over my psyche, but this trip was early on in my ongoing career as a traveler, so I will remember Masuria forever. Masuria is in northeastern Poland, just west of Russia and right smack in the middle of what was once old Prussia. This area took a long time to conquer and ... Read Full Article
The Romance of Krakow, Poland
When I first visited Krakow, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew that the city is one of the few Polish cities not destroyed during WWII and that the beautiful architecture of its buildings is some of the oldest in Poland. I also knew that Krakow has the largest medieval town square in all of Europe, the Main Market Square. Finally, I knew that Polish beer—piwo in Polish, pronounced ‘pee-voh‘—is ... Read Full Article