Travel to Poland

[AndyM31]

Here in the office I have just been told that I in the not too distant future must go to Poland for 2 weeks. I have been there before on day trips for work so airport, office and airport.

Taking in to account the stretch of the stay I have no clue of how I can cover the non-working hours, places to go or eat etc...

Anybody been there before for some time? Suggestions of places and to stay and eat would be welcome.

Thanks,

Andy

[Mars]

Where in Poland will you be?

[AndyM31]

At first I shall be traveling to Warsaw. From then I do not have a plan to cover weekend or evening entertainment. The only place that could be similar to Warsaw is Talin where I have been.

Thanks,

Andy

[markCSC]

If you get a chance go to Krakow. Beautiful city, especially the old bit. It would be well worth a weekend visit.

[AndyM31]

Thank you Mark, I shall put this on the travel destinations.

Andy

[Mars]

I've stayed in Warsaw for 7 or 8 weekends in the past. The old city is worth a look around and Lazenki park has Chopin recitals staged in the Summer and Autumn. Apart from that it is much like any other major city.

Krakow is spectacular. You can spend a good few days there, a whole day at the castle. Long long way from Warsaw, although you could fly there I suppose.

My wife is from Torun, another very old city but which hasn't benefitted from continuous regeneration like Krakow, so with one eye is might look a bit battered, but with the other eye it is totally authentic. There's remnants of an ancient Teutonic Knights' castle there, monuments to Copernicus and a really nice riverside aspect.

Torun's about 3 hours drive from Warsaw.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torun

[Mandat]

Mars said:

Krakow is spectacular. You can spend a good few days there, a whole day at the castle. Long long way from Warsaw, although you could fly there I suppose.

Krakow is about 3 hours by intercity train from Warsaw.

[Owdeeman]

Mandat said:

Mars said:

Krakow is spectacular. You can spend a good few days there, a whole day at the castle. Long long way from Warsaw, although you could fly there I suppose.

Krakow is about 3 hours by intercity train from Warsaw.

Krakow is a great place to visit. If you can get down there a visit to Auschwitz would be worth doing.
I'm off to Poland tomorrow staying in Opole which is about an hour from Krackow.

[markCSC]

Also worth doing is the salt mines near Krakow.

[Wigeon Incognito]

markCSC said:

Also worth doing is the salt mines near Krakow.

The Wieliczka Salt Mine definitely, complete with underground cathedral hewn entirely (even chandeliers etc) from rock salt.

[imp123]

used the in your pocket guide when i visited Krakow, very guide (much better than lonley planet and DK ones)

www.inyourpocket.com/poland/city/warsaw.html

[Mars]

Mandat said:

Mars said:

Krakow is spectacular. You can spend a good few days there, a whole day at the castle. Long long way from Warsaw, although you could fly there I suppose.

Krakow is about 3 hours by intercity train from Warsaw.

I didn't know that. One day I might learn more about public transport than always relying on my car.

[Mandat]

Mars said:

Mandat said:

Mars said:

Krakow is spectacular. You can spend a good few days there, a whole day at the castle. Long long way from Warsaw, although you could fly there I suppose.

Krakow is about 3 hours by intercity train from Warsaw.

I didn't know that. One day I might learn more about public transport than always relying on my car.

I was recently looking at trains to Zakopane from Warsaw, that's why I know that Krakow is only 3 hours on the express train.

[mybrainhurts]

AndyM31 said:

Anybody been there before for some time?

Bloke called Adolf...comedy 'tache and into uniforms

[Goughie]

I know it sounds pretty depressing, but if you can I'd go and visit Auschwitz. It's stunning - from the railway going into the camp to the empty buildings that you are almost afraid to enter. If you are at all human you'll cry for sure - I did in buckets, but (and I mean no disrespect when I say this) it puts everything in your life into sharp relief. I walked away from there with tears stinging my eyes but a renewed outlook on life, a much more positive outlook.

Aside from this, food is very different to that over here, so pick your eateries carefully!

[sadoksevoli]

If in Warsaw:
Zelazowa Wola, a few miles west of Warsaw - Chopin's burthplace.
Wilanow - a mini- (very mini)- Versailles but nevertheless lovely to go to - on the outskirts.
The old town (Stare Miasto) and the Royal Castle - especially the monument to the 1944 Warsaw Uprising along the old town walls - a statue of a child with helmet and an SMG.
Lazenki is nice to chill out in and walk around.
Palmiry I remember goign to as a boy, I remember its peace - it's a pine forest near Warsaw where the Germans executed thousands of Poles during WW2 - there's a cemetery there.
The Jewish Ghetto is thought-provoking - its a flat area that was where the ghetto was.
The military museum and the neighbouring national gallery on Aleje Jerozolimiskie are worth a look-see - the gallery has Jan matejko's epic painting of the Battle of Grunwald - an awesome scene plus an interesting olleciton and often fascinating exhibitions - despite it's stalinist architecture and the "stara baba" (old crone) in the ticket booth.
There are some cool places to eat out and go out - the main sqaure int he old town has some good eateries while there are some good places just off Krakowskie Przedmiescie (near the old town).

The Citadel a bit out of town is a bit eery.
Jezoro Zeglinskie is a lake 45 mns north - it has some nice beaches (though haven't been there for quite a few years).

Further afield there;s Czesochowa, Torun (a Hanseatic city still with its medieaval town centre) and as mentioend already - Krakow and Zakopane, plus loads more all over the place.

Hope you have a good trip.