Spirit of Ostra Brama

After years of efforts the Canadian authorities handed over to Poland the Douglas DC-3 Dakota “Spirit of Ostra Brama”.

Until now, the plane was in a military base in Winnipeg, Canada. On 8thMarch it was given to the Polish embassy in Ottawa and later transported to Poland. The famous DC-3 was manufactured in Oklahoma City in 1943. In January 1944 it was transferred to the British Royal Air Force and a few months later a Polish crew flew under the command of Capitain Józef Tyszka. After this flight, the machine had received the name “Spirit of Ostra Brama”. Later it was used to transport the Polish commander-in-chief of the armed forced in the West – General Kazimierz Sosnkowski.

After the war, the plane belonged to the next units in the RAF bases, but in 1946 it was sold to the Canadian airlines and converted to into a classic passenger plane.  Almost 50 years ago it was removed from the aircraft register and used only as a source of spare parts. Later it became the property of an air museum. Only in 2002, the history of the air craft was discovered and handed over to the 17thRoyal Wing of the Canadian Air Force in Winnipeg. In 2016 the plane was partially painted by local volunteers. On the basis of photos from World War II, they used the name “Spirit of Ostra Brama”.

Now, finally, thanks to the work and involvement of enthusiasts, volunteers and embassies, we will be able to admire it in the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw.

 

source of the picture – PLinCanada / Twitter

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Poland – the best place to organize a conference

6 reasons why Poland is the best place to organize conferences

The conference market has an enormous potential. If you are thinking whether to organize such an event or not, here are some conclusions why you should not hesitate.

           1 First of all, there are no crises in the conference industry. In the last few years Poland is being placed higher and higher in the rankings of event destinations, due to the rapid development in categories like communication (domestic and international), which are important for the organizations of conferences.

           2 One of the important issues is safety, taking into account recent events in the world related to the migration crisis and the threat of terrorism, Poland is considered as a safe and calm country.

            3 After Euro 2012 the number of direct flights has increased significantly. It has become very easy and comfortable to visit Poland from hundreds of destinations. As we speak about the aviation market, it is worth mentioning that for example in Warsaw, the airport is located in the city, so getting to the city center or conference centers is very simple and cheap. As well as by plane, you can visit Poland by train – Moscow, Berlin or Vienna are only a few of many direct train routes.

            4 Another advantage of conference centers in Poland is variety. You can find a lot of conference centers in cities, but also outside the metropolises like in Mazurian Voivodeship or Bieszczady District. It is up to you and your company what location you prefer.

            5 Diversity is not considered only in terms of city or countryside, but also in size of the conference room itself. The divergence is enormous, you can find a space for 1915 people as well as for a group of 20, so the number of participants doesn’t have to limit you.

            6 Poland has a variety of conference venues with extensive technical facilities, the whole organization takes place at the highest, world-class level. It is worth pointing out that, the prices are very attractive in comparison with other European countries. This a great example of the fact that luxury and reasonable prizing can go hand in hand.

            There are plenty places in various cities which we can recommend. Warsaw can be proud of the National Stadium or Ms Mermaid (this one has a wonderful view on the Vistula  river). Kraków has the biggest conference venue in Poland for 1915 people called ICE Kraków. For meetings in the heart of the city Stary Browar in Poznań is a perfect spot. Centrum Stocznia Gdańska and Wroclaw Conference Centre are also worth recommending and if you are looking for a place a bit different – Hotel Narvil Conference & Spa is a unique place located among the forest and on the banks of the Narew River, only 40 minutes from the center of Warsaw.

            Poland conference market grows rapidly and it is becoming one of the best countries to organize such meetings in Europe.

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Poland in film, music and art – Spring events

Poland is the homeland of many great artists from various fields.

In Spring lots of cultural festivals take place and we have to say, it is very difficult to choose the best one, because they are all greatly organized and amazingly interesting. Through a tough selection, we chose 3 events from 3 areas – Film, music and art. Everyone will find something special for them, all of the festivals are an adventure to remember and an great opportunity to get to know polish culture in a fun and different way.

Millenium Docs Against Gravity

The Millennium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival is the biggest documentary film festival in Poland. This year will be already its 16thedition and through all other ones it came out to be a major success. Last time almost 65 thousand people in five different cities took part in the festival. Beside the main competition there is also a tour of “Weekend with Millenium Docs Against Gravity” which visits 19 cities with a selection of best polish documentaries. The slogan of this year edition is “FREE YOUR MIND” – from stereotypes and habits. We are being encouraged to open ourselves up to the amazing world presented by the documentary cinema. The 16th Millennium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival will take place May 10-19 in Warsaw, Wrocław and Lublin, in Gdynia the audience will have the opportunity to watch the film on May 15-24, and in Bydgoszcz May 11-18 2019.

Enea Spring Break

            Enea Spring Break Showcase Festival & Conference is a pioneering event in Polish music industry. This festival aims to present young polish artist at the beginning of their carrier to influential people from the music industry to help them evolve. The presence of the biggest Polish record labels and cultural institutions makes it one of the best places to launch a carrier. Many bands that begun at this festival ended up playing at most important music festivals in Poland (for example Open’er). The festival opens up doors for young artists as well as brings lots of joy, fun and “fresh sounds” to the audience. Beside stunning music experience, there are also English spoken panels and interviews. Sixth edition will take place in Poznań between 25th and 27th of April 2019.

KRAKERS Cracow Art Week

            This project started in 2012 with the idea of promoting contemporary art in Kraków by creating a platform for communication, education and promotion between the artistic community and the citizens. It evolved into a weeklong event and the main slogan became “JUMP”, which meaning underlines the dynamics and changes of the event. This whole week will be full of exhibition opening, performances, meetings, panel discussions and many more. All the exhibitions presented during the Cracow Art Week are prepared specially for this occasion. It will take place in various locations, well known galleries as well as new inspiring spots. Participant can take part in gallery walks, enroll in workshops, meetings and panel discussions with artists and market experts.

Spring has a lot to offer in the cultural fields, but Summer is a real boom of festivals, concerts, exhibitions and many more, so stay tuned!

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Cycling tours in Poland

Let’s burn some winter calories and get a bit active with one of the easiest and most popular sports – cycling.

After winter we are all craving for some outdoor activities and biking is the first thing that comes to our mind. Poland maybe isn’t the most obvious destination for biking trips, but we can assure you that it is definitely worth a try. Thanks to the incredibly diverse areas (mountains, fields, forest and beaches) you can choose the right environment to your abilities. Even cycling in big cities is getting much easier and safer. But if you want to enjoy a whole day trip or even a weekend we recommend you 4 tours, which will definitely satisfy your expectations. However, it is important to remember that Poland has thousands of stunning routes to explore.

Not many know that in Poland we have a desert – Błędowska Desert! The tour has 26 km through this unusual environment. On the way tourist can also admire an old wooden church from 15thcentury and some giant, natural curved rocks. At the end of the trip, you get a great reward which is Czubatka – marvelous view point on the entire desert.

“Land of 100 lakes” sounds magical and it surely is. On a distance of 99 km you can sightsee not only lakes but also a lot of monuments. This trip is very convenient for these of you who will combine it with a visit in Poznań, because here it starts, next to Lake Malta. On the way among all the lakes, you will be able to see Górków Castle and the first printing house in Wielkopolska. Worth a stop is also Sierakowski Landscape park neighboring with the oldest stable of hot-blooded horses in Poland.

The third tour we recommend is for Pros, but the monuments and views on the way are definitely worth the effort. The trip contains 83 km of mountainous areas, some even up to 600m. This district is a land formerly inhabited by the Lemkos, where you can visit numerous ancient churches: the Greek Catholic church, orthodox church of Saint. Paraskeva, Orthodox church. Nativity of the Mother of God. The entire route begins in Gorlice and ends in the magical Dukla.

Beside these 3 nice tours, we have in Poland something we can be very proud of – Green Velo route, it is almost 2000 km long and runs through 5 voivodeships in the eastern part of the country. Thanks to the uniqueness and diversity from each district every tourist will find something for him. The route combines beautiful views, stunning landscapes and historic monuments along with Polish cultural heritage. We are able to visit 5 national parks, 15 landscape parks, 26 special protection areas for birds and 36 special areas of conservation. It’s an absolutely marvelous adventure and a great way to discover Poland. Using the website greenvelo.pl you can easily plan a route tailored to your needs and ability. They have also created an app, which makes everything super easy and comfortable even already during the trip.

Long distance cycling is a great activity for all, young and old, girls and boys. You can go alone, with your other half or with your whole family. Visit Poland to admire the stunning landscapes and get into form after winter. Spring is starting, so don’t hesitate and contact us to organize your spring break holiday in Poland.

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Spa and wellness in Poland

We all need a bit luxury and relaxation in our lives.

Poland is not only all about farms and agritourism. There are elegant and exclusive hotels, where the SPA areas are pretty outstanding. Even big hotels can have an “one of a kind” atmosphere.

They are a great possibility to relax, without organizing long holidays abroad. You don’t have to travel far, because a lot of SPA centers are located near cities, or even sometimes in city centers offering you a wonderful day time treatments. Of course if you are looking for a little escape out of the city, there are cozy and hidden hotels as well. We are presenting few high luxury accommodation, where you can forget about all your worries and have some time only for yourself.

            Masuria Arte is a luxury, boutique establishment in the Land of Great Masurian Lakes. It is located close to Ełk and Augustów in nature park and five lakes with exclusive access to a private lake. The property includes a typical Masurian settlement. It is a perfect combination of luxury and home warmth. A great, holistic SPA, is amazing not only thanks to very qualified stuff, but also because of the stunning views.

            Heron Live Hotel Marina & SPA is situated in Lesser District, about 50km from a charming touristic village – Krynica Zdrój. The hotel has a stunning (!) outdoor pool and you can use all the water sports facilities. Despite the very luxurious character of the place, there is a babysitting service, so you can enjoy your treatments, while your kids are taken care of. If you like outdoor activities, there are bikes and canoe available.

            NoName Luxury Hotel & SPA is an oasis of total peace. Is a place where you automatically switch into good mood, a place very intimate and providing a complete relaxation. It is a heaven to which you want to escape, to be alone in a beautiful environment. The biggest advantage of the hotel is its intimacy – even if there are other guests, you can barely notice them.

            In Poland the SPA market is evolving really quick. The offers are getting really wide and now you can not only get a classical massage, but in some of the resorts, a real plastic chirurgical operation. Some centers focus on natural products, while other go for new cosmetic discoveries. People visit SPA not only for relaxation, but also for health reasons. There is no better place to clear your mind and focus on your mental health as in a beautiful, cozy and nice wellness area.

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Welcoming Spring

How do we welcome Spring in Poland?

First day of Spring is dated on 21stof March, but the astronomical one is the day before, when we experience equinox. As we look through the window, we can already feel the sun warming up the leaves on the trees. But regardless of the weather conditions, Poles have a lot of fun customs to celebrate the beginning of the season.

Drawning of Marzanna is a tradition which refers to a Slavic goddess who identified winter and death. According to the legend, killing her, would lead to a fast approach of Spring. People are creating such puppets by themselves, in schools or with friends, and then drown them in a nearest river.

Spring Cleaning is hated by many, but it’s and activity than comes every year around the first day of Spring. It doesn’t sound like it, but it comes from ancient beliefs – it is not only about a shining apartment, but it has a deeper meaning – with the removal of the whole mess, we can get rid of everything that remained after winter, so together with all the garbage we throw away the evil.

With no doubt, Truant Day, is the favorite custom of all the pupils. Schools celebrate this day by organizing school trips, movies or other activities instead of regular classes. Of course there are students which will choose another way to celebrate this day – away from school, but it’s all in the tradition.

As you can see, we celebrate in Poland almost EVERY occasion that there is, thanks to a lot of fun Slavic customs and legends. We recommend to Visit Poland and experience it yourself!

 

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Mindfulness in the Polish countryside

Stop for a while and enjoy the moment. The philosophy of “Mindfulness” becomes a thing and the best place to embrace it is definitely a quiet and beautiful accommodation which brings the word “hygge” into life. 

Poland is a country like no other. Big cities combine old and amazingly renovated buildings, which reminds us about the difficult history that this land has been through, but on the other hand Warsaw for example is becoming an important business center with evolving companies from all over the world as well as polish ones. However, Poland isn’t only large agglomerations with lots of tourists. The real natural beauty starts approximately 200 km from the capital, it’s hidden in the woods, fields and lakes.

Slow down, relax and enjoy the moment. We are taking you on an imaginary trip through the one of a kind Warmian-Mazurian Voivodeship. It’s a district which is perfect for every part of the year. In Summer you can swim in the lakes or borrow a boat, Autumn is perfect for walking in the forest and searching for delicious mushrooms, Winter welcomes you with fireplace, hot chocolate and a good book in small, but adorable agritourism, but now, in Spring, long walks and bike trips are just ideal.

Poland countryside is getting more and more creative, farms are becoming ecofriendly and people (finally!) begin to appreciate local products. With great honor we can recommend places, where time stops, or at least it passes really slowly.

Fajne Miejsce in Tłokowo. First of all, the name translates as “The Great Place” and that’s already super fun itself. This wonderful place is also animal friendly, so you don’t have to leave your lovely pets at home, let them enjoy with you! Bike tours in this area are definitely for Pros, because it can get bumpy, but during them you can reward yourself with delicious cheeses from local farmers, which you pass on the way. In the morning you can get a breakfast basket and enjoy your meal on the near bridge next to the lake.

Kwaśne Jabłko in Świątki it’s a place where everything is perfect, starting from the host, the people who work there, the atmosphere and ending with the food and home-made cider. It is located in a middle of nowhere, but that’s what makes it so relaxing. In the garden there are lots of apple trees, so it’s almost natural that the hosts decided to produce their own cider which you can taste during your stay. Almost all the food is made at the place, so you can be sure, that the products are fresh and eco. If you want to get to know more about everyday life of the locals, it’s a spot perfect for you.

Dom w Dolinie Łąk, Przerwanki. It’s a heaven on Earth. Beautiful, old house with 3 bedrooms, fire place, full equipped kitchen and a big garden. Place for everyone, who wants to escape from all the noise, crowds and stress of the city. It’s located near a big lake cold Gołdopiwo and it’s taken care of by a wonderful lady. By your arrival she will wait for you with her home-made bread (I got it still warm) and honey made by the neighbors. For these of you interested in WWII, I strongly recommend visiting Mamerki (20 km from Przerwanki), where you can walk in the forest and visit 30 bunkers of Headquarters of the Wehrmacht “Mauerwald”.

Poland is an amazing place for relaxation. Warmian-Mazurian is a district, where you can always find some time for yourself and forget about all the everyday troubles. Not only in Spring, but throughout the whole year.

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Warsaw Communism Tour

Former Era City Tour

If you want discover Warsaw from a completely different side and go a bit back in time, this trip is made for you! Check  how Warsaw could look like in communistic era following our  Warsaw Communism Tour. Do not wait, just Visit Poland!

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Cracow Panorama Tour

Cracow City Tour

Cracow has so much more to offer than just Main Market Square and Jewish District. Thanks to our Cracow Panorama City Tour,  you will be able to admire the full beauty of this marvellous city. Check all the exciting steps of our  Cracow Panorama City Tour. Do not wait, just Visit Poland!

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International Women’s Day – 8th March by VisitPoland DMC

As we speak about this important holiday, it is worth mentioning how Polish women changed the world.

We all know who runs the world – Girls! In Poland this holiday became very popular in the communism period and there was even a “standard gift set” which women received at work. It included a flower – first carnation and through the years it changed into tulips – and a pair of stockings. Nowadays instead of stockings women receive chocolates and candy. Apart from the gifts, feminist manifestations and happenings yearly take place in big cities.

First of all, there are many women who we can thank and admire until today: Maria Skłodowska – Curie, physicist and chemist who made major discovery is in the area of radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person and only woman to win twice, and the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences.  Wisława Szymborska was a Polish poet who received in 1996 the Nobel Prize in Literature. To honor her legacy and reward talented poets, in 2013 the Wisława Szymborska Award was established. Irena Sendlerowa – social worker, humanitarian, nurse and a real-life super hero. She saved lives of many Jewish children during the World War 2 and despite torture she never revealed the names of the survivors to Gestapo.

The world is changing and so are women. We are evolving, breaking the “glass ceiling” and overcoming barriers. Women become more and more successful. In sport disciplines, we have the most know tennis player Agnieszka Radwańska. She won twenty career singles titles and achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 2 in 2012. Her achievements include winning the Women’s Tennis Association Fan Favorite Award six times, Shot of the Year five times, and Shot of the Month on a regular basis. The other sport star is Justyna Kowalczyk. She is a double Olympic Champion and a double World Champion. She is also the only skier to win the Tour de Ski four times in a row. Kowalczyk holds the all-time record for the most wins in Tour de Ski with 14 competitions won and 29 podiums in total.

Polish women are conquering Hollywood. Agnieszka Holland, one of the most outstanding polish filmmakers. She is well known for her political input in Polish cinematography. 2 years ago she won the Silver Bear award for her film Spoor at the Berlin International Film Festival. Joanna Kulig is a polish actress. She received the Best Actress Award at the 31st European Film Awards for her performance in Cold War, a film which was nominated in 3 categories for the Oscars.

Last year, in Poland, we were celebrating 100th anniversary of Women’s right to vote. The female history wasn’t easy at all, nothing was just given to us, we had to fight for every right and for every change. We should be thankful to thousands of brave females all around the world. We have to admire and appreciate women not only ones a year, but daily. If you want to meet other brave, smart and succesfull women just Visit Poland.

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