So far I’ve only visited the south of Poland, but I have to say I was truly impressed! I had no idea Krakow was such a beautiful city, with its historic streets, impressive architecture, and centuries of history. I also visited Auschwitz, which was obviously a completely different experience but one of the most important historical places I’ve ever visited. Poland has much more I’d still like to explore, especially the Tatra Mountains, Warsaw, and some of the cities and countryside farther north. Between its historic cities, castles, mountains, and complicated history, there’s easily enough here for several more trips.
Explore Krakow
Located in southern Poland, Krakow is one of the country’s most historic and beautiful cities. Its medieval center is filled with old churches, narrow streets, impressive architecture, restaurants, and one of Europe’s largest medieval market squares. Krakow was Poland’s royal capital for centuries, and much of that history is centered around Wawel Hill, where Wawel Castle and Cathedral overlook the Vistula River. The historic center is compact enough to explore largely on foot, making Krakow an especially enjoyable city for simply wandering around and seeing what you come across.
Explore the Tatras
The Tatra Mountains form a rugged natural border between southern Poland and Slovakia and contain some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the region. Although the peaks aren’t particularly high by international standards, the Tatras are packed with steep ridges, rocky summits, forests, and beautiful alpine lakes that have made them an important center for hiking, mountaineering, and climbing. Zakopane serves as the main gateway to the Polish Tatras, with trails leading into the mountains through Tatra National Park. I came here intending to climb one of the peaks and somehow ended up on the wrong trail, but between the mountain lakes, wildlife, forests, and surrounding peaks, the hike still became one of my favorite outdoor experiences in Poland. I’d definitely like to return someday, especially during winter for some technical ice climbing.
Explore Auschwitz
Auschwitz is obviously not a destination people visit for enjoyment, but it is one of the most important historical sites I’ve ever visited. During World War II, Nazi Germany established the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp complex in occupied Poland, where approximately 1.1 million people were murdered, the vast majority of them Jews. Prisoners were also subjected to forced labor, starvation, disease, executions, and medical experiments. Today Auschwitz-Birkenau is preserved as a museum and memorial, allowing visitors to walk through surviving barracks, prison blocks, ruins, and other parts of the former camps. It’s an extremely somber place to visit, but seeing it firsthand gives a perspective on the Holocaust that is difficult to get from books or photographs alone.
