The biggest mountain fortress in Europe

With a long and rich history, Poland is home to centuries-old architecture, numerous museums, and many cultural attractions. In addition to spectacular castles and palaces, many massive fortresses also attract tourists to Poland. That includes the largest mountain fortress in Europe, the Srebrna Góra Fortress.

The fortress in Srebrna Góra was built in 1764–1777 by the order of Frederick II, the King of Prussia. Located on the heights of the Sudety Mountains, it can house up to 4000 soldiers and is composed of six individual forts, several bastions, and associated elements. The fortress was defended by 264 artillery pieces and well protected by the 12-meter-thick walls, all of which perfectly strengthened the defenses of the Prussian state borders in the region. On 28 June 1807, the fortress was successful in the battle of Napoleonic siege, and it still stands today in its original form, which makes it a rare example of a surviving European 18th-century mountain stronghold.

Today, the fortress is the region’s largest military attraction with a military museum and many various regular events, including the Srebrna Góra Fortress’ Festival when the 1807 battle was reconstructed. It’s such an exciting place that will amaze military history buffs.?

Photo: forty.pl

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Chochołowska Valley

Looking for some fresh mountain air and beautiful natural surroundings? Set your sights on visiting Chochołowska Valley, which is Pope John Paul II’s favorite valley as well. Located on the border between Poland and the Czech Republic, this picturesque valley is the longest and the largest in the Polish Tatra Mountains and has long been a popular resort to visit in Poland. 

The valley covers more than 35 km2 and has a length of about 10 km. Compared with the east and central part of the Tatra mountain range, the Chochołowska valley is lower and wider, which makes it an ideal place for gentle walks with small children, the elderly, and even pets. Although the valley looks amazing at any time of the year, it features an incredible allure in spring, when the crocuses are beginning to bloom, the whole valley is covered with a violet carpet of blooming crocuses. It’s a perfect place for a meeting with spring.

? Check out the link below to read more about the best places to visit in Polish Tatra Mountains！

Photo: krzeptowki.pl

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The starry night in Poland

We all live under the same sky, but we don’t always have the same view that we are seeing. ?? Poland boasts a rich natural heritage and diverse landscapes. We are eager to share with you all the beautiful sights in Poland, day and night.?? Thanks to Lukasz Zak, who started taking photographs of the night sky 10 years ago, we can admire the spectacular starry night sky in Poland’s mountains, where the sky is darker and full of stars moving slowly across the night sky.✨✨✨

Most of the photos were taken in Poland’s Podlaskie region and the Bieszczady mountains which are both ideal destinations for nature lovers. During the day, feast your eyes on peaceful nature, beautiful mountains, clear rivers and lakes, and various wild animals. At night, you can immerse yourself in darkness to admire the beauty of the starry night sky.

? Read more about the Bieszczady National Park

Photo by Łukasz Żak: https://www.instagram.com/lukaszzak/

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Artus Court in Gdansk

Located on the Dlugi Targ Square in Gdansk, the Artus Court is an impressive building that has long been a popular stop for visitors. It’s named after the medieval legend of King Arthur, which symbolizes the chivalrous, brotherly ideals that were espoused in the Arthurian legends. Dated back to the 14-centuries, Artus Court is the only building of its kind to have survived to date. For centuries, this lavish mansion served as a meeting place for the local elite, rich merchants and aristocrats. Among the most distinguished guests was King Henry IV of England.

Despite being destroyed during WWII, Artus Court was painstakingly restored from old photographs and historical records. Today, the building houses a museum, which displays exquisite ornamental furniture, numerous paintings, statues, models of ships, and other works of art throughout. Walk into the massive hall, you will be captivated by the detailed carvings in the woodwork and the large murals on the walls. The most eye-catching masterpiece is a massive Renaissance tiled stove, which is 10.64-meter tall and almost touching the ceiling, reputedly the highest stove of its kind in Europe. The stove is decorated with 520 colorful tiles, with the effigies of kings and allegorical characters, which make it a unique art treasure.

Artus Court is one of the most splendid mansions in Gdansk and well worth a visit. If you are planning to visit Gdansk, be sure to stop by here! ?

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Flowering Crocus

With the arrival of spring, the crocuses are beginning to bloom in the Tatra Mountains. The whole meadows become purple for a few days and look as though it is covered with pink carpet, which stands in stark contrast to the snow-capped peaks in the background, forming a beautiful picture of the Tatra Mountains. ??❄️❄️

Crocuses generally bloom in late March or early April, depending on the weather and climatic conditions. The safest time to visit is April when the entire valley is covered with a dreamlike veil of blooms and petals. One of the best places to admire the blooming crocuses is Chocholowska Valley, which is the longest and the largest valley in the Tatra Mountains as well as the only place in polish Tatra where you can walk your dog and one of two available bike tracks. Moreover, the trail there is very easy, you can go there even with small children. 

? Check out the link below to read more about the best places to visit in Polish Tatra Mountains！? Visit the Tatra Mountains from Poland

Photo: Paweł Opioła/wikipedia.org

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Moszna Castle

What’s it like to live in a castle? ? ? ?

During the day, you can enjoy romantic walks in the beautiful scenery of the vast park and get a sense of majesty and grandeur about the castle. As the sun sets, watch the shades of twilight gently fade until the sky was crammed with stars. Spend a night in a fairy-tale castle and wake up to a beautiful view of the garden full of flowers.? ? ?

If you dream of staying in a castle and feel like a royal, Moszna Castle could grant your wishes! ??Located in the small village of Moszna, it is one of the most well-known monuments in southern Poland. The history of the castle dates back to the 18th century, the present building is a combination of neo-gothic and neo-renaissance styles, from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. This magnificent castle is famous for its 99 towers and 365 rooms, surrounded by an extensive park with centuries-old oaks and limes as well as gorgeous rhododendrons, all of which create a fairy-tale atmosphere that makes you feel as if you are in a Disney film. Today, the castle offers different tours and hotel rooms as well as several different kinds of conference rooms that can serve as a venue for various cultural events. There is no better way to experience and appreciate its beauty firsthand than to spend a day in the castle.

Poland boasts thousands of castles and palaces as well as stunning landscapes. Check out our Poland Tour Package, explore the beauty of the country with us, and create a wonderful photo book of memories! ?

Photo: mosznazamek.pl

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The crooked house in Sopot

Poland is an amazing destination with stunning architecture and fascinating history packed into every city and town. In addition to the sheer number of castles and palaces scattered all over the country, you will also be captivated by some interesting buildings dotted along the street. One highlight is the Crooked House in the coastal city of Sopot.

The warped, modern Crooked House is an iconic building in the city and has long been a popular place for visitors and photographers. Located in the Rezydent shopping center in Sopot, it features a highly distorted and exaggerated facade that stands in stark contrast to the other buildings along the street. The Crooked House seems like an image from a children’s book, and the funny thing is that the building was really inspired by a Polish fairy tale. The building is topped with a roof of blue-green enameled shingles, and the distinctive curved walls and windows make it one of the most impressive attractions of Sopot. Inside, it houses a very large number of clubs, bars, shops and cafes. Although the interior isn’t as fascinating as the outside, it’s still a good place to grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the pleasure of meeting friends.

? Check out more must-see attractions in our 3-Day Getaways in TriCity (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot) ?

Photo: Topory/wikimedia.org

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Morskie Oko lake

As the snows retreat, the thick ice caps-covered lakes are starting to melt, and very soon we will see the gentle side of the lake again. Speaking of lakes, Poland boasts thousands of lakes and waterways, which includes one of the most popular destinations in the Tatras, Morskie Oko lake, which means “Eye of the Sea” in English.

Morskie Oko is the largest and arguably most beautiful lake in the Tatra Mountains. This emerald-green Morskie Oko hidden in the vast Tatras is surrounded by high mountain peaks reaching over 2000 meters, hovering over the famous winter resort of Zakopane, which creates a breathtaking panorama and makes it the best hiking spot of Poland for a reason.

On the way to the lake, you will be able to admire the picturesque Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza waterfalls. And at the end of the trail, there are two lovely mountain huts, overlooking Morskie Oko Lake, one of which is the oldest existing mountain hut in the Polish Tatra Mountains. When you arrive at the lake, you will be completely blown away by the unobstructed panorama. This blue-green alpine lake is formed during the sculpting processes of the last ice age, you can easily find trout through the clear water in summer. Gaze into Morskie Oko lake and admire the reflection of the highest polish peak (Rysy, reaching 2,503 m) on the surface. Morskie Oko is truly a wonder of nature and has its own beauty in different seasons of the year.

? Check out the link below to read more about the Tatra Mountains in Poland!?
? https://www.visitpoland.com/visit-the-tatra-mountains-from-poland ?

Photo:jvrkovks

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Krakow one of the greenest cities in the world

With the weather turning warmer, the snow retreat, and the trees come into bloom. The winter wonderland is gradually replaced by the green one, which lures people out and brings the smell of spring. Not only in nature but the big city like Krakow in Poland is also packed with plants. Thanks to the vast green spaces, Krakow is ranked 5th out of 155 cities by the Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), which makes it one of the greenest cities in the world.

With a high share of urban green space up to 57%, the city of Krakow seemed to be carpeted in a rich green and each resident enjoys an average of 207m² of free space. The main green space in Kraków is Błonia Park, which is a vast meadow with an area of 48 hectares directly adjacent to the historic center of the city as well as one of Europe’s largest city-center meadows. The park has become an ideal leisure space to walk the dog, go cycling and running, and a lot of outdoor sports. 

Krakow is not only a green city, and also a vibrant and vivid city with a rich history and numerous majestic architecture. Walk along the Royal Route, which is the most popular travel route in Krakow that used to be the historical coronation path of the Polish kings. Feast your eyes on the greatest treasures of Poland’s former royal capital, make sure to see the Barbican, St Florian’s Gate, the impressive Cloth Hall, St. Mary’s Basilica with the world’s largest late-Gothic altarpiece, the magnificent Wawel Royal Castle, Wawel Cathedral, and so on. With its long and rich history, Krakow boasts many World Heritage sites and stunning natural landscapes that attract tens of millions of tourists a year, for there is no shortage of things to see in Kraków. 

There are plenty of fantastic attractions in Krakow you can discover by joining our 3days Krakow city break.?

Photo: Polish Tourism Organisation

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Poland’s Varso Tower in Warsaw to be the tallest skyscraper in the EU

? As the final piece of the spire was lifted to the top of the skyscraper, the 310-meter tall Varso Tower in Warsaw has already become the tallest building in Poland and in the EU.

Varso Place is a complex of three buildings whose combined area amounts to about 140,000 m2. It’s home to not only offices and various workspaces, but also a hotel, restaurants, coffee shops and convenient services. Varso Tower also features the highest observation deck in Poland, at a height of 230 meters, offering spectacular panoramic views of the city. Moreover, the building has a superior location and facilitated traffic, it is very close to Warsaw’s Central Station and “Złote Tarasy” shopping mall, and just 20 minutes drive from Fryderyk Chopin’s Airport. The final construction work of Varso Tower is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

? With a number of eye-catching buildings, Warsaw is not only a modern metropolis, but also a tourist hotspot with a dazzling array of historical sites and tourist attractions that captivate all who visit here. With a rich history, Warsaw was the home of Polish rulers for centuries. There is no better way to explore the city than walking along the Royal Route, which is about 11 km long and connects three former Royal residences, starting from the Royal Castle located in the Warsaw Old Town, via Łazienki Park’s Palace on the Island, ending at the Wilanów Palace. Moreover, the route covers a number of historic landmarks as well, such as St. Anna’s Church that survived the war, Holy Cross Church where the heart of Chopin rested, the Warsaw University campus, and the Presidential Palace. Most of Warsaw’s tourist attractions are located along this stretch. Sightseeing along the breathtaking Royal Route is definitely a wonderful experience not to be missed.

?Check out our Warsaw City break 3-day tours, explore Must-Visit attractions in Warsaw with us! ?

Photo: domiporta.pl

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