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Słowiński National Park and Moving Dunes

Słowiński National Park situated on the Baltic coast, one of the only two seaside parks in Poland, is renowned for its largest stretch of moving sand dunes in Europe.

The park’s area was once a Baltic Sea bay, under the influence of sea’s activity, the sand dunes were formed and it gradually separated the bay from the Baltic Sea. As waves and wind carry sand inland, the dunes slowly move to the east by up to 10 metres each year. Climbing up the Rowokół hill, which is the highest peak of the park, you can take in the sweeping views from the watchtower.

In addition to the moving dunes, lakes were also one of the highlights of Park. All of the lakes are shallow lagoons, both surrounded by peat bog, meadows and woods, which are home to many protected species of plants, various mammals and up to 260 species of birds including herons, cranes, ospreys and white-tailed eagles. The Park was designated as a world biosphere reserve by UNESCO under its Programme on Man and the Biosphere in 1977. Today parts of the lakeshores have been made into strict no-access reserves to protect the stability of plants and animal species with their habitats.

A health resort city of Łeba, about 8 km east of the park, is a great place for visitors to stay before or after exploring the park, which offers endless dunes and sun-baked Baltic sea coast.

Stay a night at beach cabanas, experience horseback riding right on the sand, admire the stunning sand dunes, come to Poland and you will be spoilt for choice.

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The 760th St Dominic’s Fair has already come! ?

?St. Dominic’s Fair is the largest open-air trade and summer cultural event in Poland and one of the largest in Europe. It was established in 1260 by Pope Alexander IV,  and the fair has successfully hosted over 750 editions so far.

Every year in the Old Town of Gdansk,  the St. Dominic’s Fair starts on the last Saturday of July and lasts until mid-August. Over 20 days, more than 1000 merchants, artists, artisans and collectors participate in the Fair occupying with their stands, which attract over 70,000 visitors a day, whose number usually doubles at weekends.

???‍♂️Its unique atmosphere recalls the Medieval tradition of fun and trade, the streets are filled with musicians, mimes, and street artists while shopkeepers present their often unusual, rare and odd wares such as antiques, works of art, silvers, pottery, amber, handmade toys and jewellery, you can find them everywhere! Besides, visitors can enjoy all manner of concerts, street performances, parades, fireworks shows and take part in numerous competitions. There’s also a 50-meter tall Ferris wheel standing in the Ołowianka Island, so-called AmberSky Gdansk, which offers an interesting perspective enjoying the panoramic view of the Gdansk Old Town. The Fair is like a cultural extravaganza that is full of vibrant and colourful activities with an abundance of food & drink stalls to choose from.

Every year, millions of visitors come to participate in the St Dominic’s Fair to find their treasure and immersing themselves into the joyful atmosphere.

Photo by jarmarkdominika

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76th anniversary of Warsaw Uprising

??Today is the 76th anniversary of the start of the Warsaw Uprising‼️

Every year on August 1st, at 5 in the afternoon, so-called “W” hour, Poland’s capital will stop 1 minute and activate alarm sirens to remember thousands of insurgents who put their lives at stake in an effort to liberate Warsaw from the hands of the Nazi German occupiers. At this moment, public transport and other vehicles, as well as Warsaw residents stop in their tracks to pay tribute to the fallen insurgents and those who survived.

?For the people who want to understand more about Warsaw Uprising, there’s a series of 10 audiowalks published by Culture.pl, in both English and Polish, including the most significant events in this important period’s to commemorate this year’s anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising. It’s a good way to learn about the history of this phoenix city before you visit Warsaw.

? https://culture.pl/en/article/unseen-soundwalks-warsaw-rising-44

photo by Culture.pl / Aleksandra Rendak

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Krakow has been named ‘City of the Year 2019’

???Kraków, Poland’s second city, has won the prestigious title of ‘City of the Year 2019’, which is the first edition of the Belgian Tourist Awards that attracted more than 10,000 participants to vote for the best tourist destinations. Dominika Szulc, the director of the Polish Tourism Organisation in Belgium, has received the award from the President of the Belgian Tourist Awards. Congratulations!???

? Come to Poland and visit Kraków!

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

Photo by belgiantouristawards

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WAWEL ROYAL CASTLE IN KRAKOW

Often recognized as the symbol of Poland’s statehood, Wawel Royal Castle was built on Wawel Hill located in central Kraków, and it was the seat of Poland’s rulers since the 11th century.

The castle was rebuilt after a fire in 1499 and has had several extensions. The complex we see now consists of a number of structures from different periods situated around the Italian-styled main courtyard, including elements of the Gothic, Renaissance, Rococo and Romanesque. It’s now a museum containing five separate sections, where visitors can admire valuable paintings, sixteenth-century Italian furniture, beautiful tapestries, dazzling jewelry, oriental arts, armory and other significant historic objects, such as the Szczerbiec coronation sword.

The Wawel Cathedral adjoining to the Royal Castle has witnessed many coronations, royal weddings and funerals. Almost all of the Polish kings were crowned in Wawel Castle. The Cathedral is flanked by various chapels, Sigismund Chapel is among the most surprising which has been hailed by many art historians as “the most beautiful example of Tuscan renaissance north of the Alps”. At the top of its Tower, there is the most famous Polish bell – the massive Sigismund’s Bell. The Wawel Cathedral has been standing for nearly 1,000 years, is one of the most important sacred buildings in Poland.

Wawel Royal Castle Complex is the most historically and culturally significant site in Poland and was one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the world. Do not miss this place next time you visit Krakow.

?Check out our Polish Royal roots 7 day tours, explore Must-Visit Polish Royal Residences with us! ???

?Royal Castle in Warsaw

?Wilanów palace

?The Palace on the Isle

?Wawel Royal Castle in Kraków

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Explore the Green Lungs of Poland

??? North-eastern Poland boasts vast forest, post-glacial lakes, basins and river valleys, known as “the Green Lungs of Poland”. If you want to explore Poland’s natural treasures, then Bialystok is an excellent base where you can walk deep into the wilderness of the Białowieska primeval forest, be fascinated by the marshes of the Biebrza river valley and enjoy a view of various charming towns and villages.

??? Visitors can travel from Białystok to Białowieża Forest, which is one of the last and largest remaining parts of the immense primeval forest in Europe. Spend the morning meeting an actual bison in European Bison Show Reserve and then pass the afternoon wandering into the depths of the Strict Protection Area to watch hundreds of species of birds, or visiting Nature and Forest Museum to learn about various animal’s lifestyles in the forest. If you love the sounds of rushing water, the blowing wind and singing birds, then the Biebrza Valley is a perfect place for you to travel. It is one of the largest wildlife refuges in Europe with pristine wetlands and marshes, the park is home to a diverse animal population, especially for different species of water birds. These picturesque parks are perfect for people wanting to switch to a slower pace of life. ???

Besides its natural beauty, Bialystok is also full of numerous historical sites. It is the capital and largest city in northeastern Poland located close to Belarus and Lithuania, which makes it become a melting pot of diverse nations, cultures and traditions.

⛪️ You can start off in the historical Old Town Square known as the Rynek Kościuszki. Visit the stunning Branicki Palace to admire its Baroque architecture and fantastic French style gardens. Appreciate the impressive Bialystok Cathedral from 17 century, which is known for its sheer magnitude and its lofty vaults. Be sure to taste special local cuisine combined with multiple traditions of Ukrainian, Baltic, German, and Russian.

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Fantastic Beast from Kraków

Poland is a European country with thousands of years of history, filled with many mythical creatures inspired by legends. Among them the most famous one is the Wawel Dragon in Kraków.

??  According to local legend, Kraków was a happy place under the rule of King Krakus, until a dragon came along. The Wawel dragon was constantly hungry and asked people to feed him with cattle or girls, which terrorised all local residents. Both Knights and princes failed to vanquish the beast, until a young smart shoemaker Skuba stood up and outsmarted the Dragon with a calfskin stuffed with smoldering sulfur. As a result, the dragon ate the skin and died poisoned by the sulfur, the inhabitants of the region could finally return to peaceful life.

?? Today, you can still find the Dragon’s Den form 21 meters below ground. At the exit of the cave is a large dragon-shaped statue. It stands on the Vistula riverbank in the shade of Wawel Castle and expells fire out of its mouth every five minutes. Due to the popularity of the legend and the statue, the Wawel dragon became a symbol of the city. It’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kraków, especially for children.

??? There’s plenty more fantastic beasts to discover in Poland, are you ready to explore more interesting attractions with us!

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Poznań, a colorful playground ?

POZNAN is among the oldest cities in Poland and also served as the capital for a short time in the 13th century. Today, as the capital of Wielkopolska province, this vibrant and colorful city is still a major economic, commercial, cultural and tourism hub in west-central Poland, filled with unique places and attractions.

?Stroll into the most picturesque market squares in Poland, you will be fascinated by the colorful townhouses. The famous Renaissance Town Hall stands in the center of the square, where you can watch the traditional duel of the Town Hall goats at high noon!

?Along the Royal-Imperial Route, you can find the former Imperial Castle that used to be a residence of the German emperor. The architecture of its Neo-Romanesque style harks back to medieval castles, and the most impressive room in the edifice was the Throne Room in Byzantine style. Today it houses a cinema, art galleries, a puppet theater, music clubs, and others.

?Whether you are a history buff or just want to get a much deeper understanding of Poland, the cathedral located in Ostrów Tumski is one not to be missed. It’s the oldest church in Poland, dates back to the 10th century, where the first two sovereigns of the country were buried.

?If you have a sweet tooth, St. Martin’s Croissants, a local specialty in Poznan won’t let you down. You can learn the story of this baked goodie and even make a croissant yourself in the Poznan Croissant Museum.

? Top things to do in Poznan.

https://www.europeanbestdestinations.com/destinations/poznan/

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Finding inner peace at BIESZCZADZKI NATIONAL PARK

The Bieszczady National Park is the third-largest national park in Poland, located in the most south-eastern part of Poland on the border with Slovakia and Ukraine. During the day, feast your eyes on peaceful nature, beautiful mountains, various wild animals and charming wooden Orthodox churches. At night, you can also find the darkest place in Europe here, up to 7,000 stars may be seen by the naked eye at Starry Sky Park.

? Hiking to the highest peak of Bieszczady Poland ?

Tarnica is the highest peak of Bieszczady Poland, is also one of the Polish Crown Peaks. Leave from the village Wołosate, hike along the red trail, run through Tarnica (1346 m) and Halicz (1333 m) to Rozsypaniec (1280 m), and eventual return to Wołosate. The length of the route is almost 20 km with hiking time more than 6 hours, is one of the most beautiful trails in the Bieszczady Mountains. It’s a little challenging to finish the whole route, but picturesque valleys along the road are worth seeing.

? Visiting wooden orthodox churches ⛪️

If you walk along the wooden architecture trail, you will find a series of wooden churches. As a borderland area, there was a busy trade route that full of people from Hungary, Poland and Ukraine. As more and more people came to this area, the wooden Orthodox and Catholic churches served for different ethnic groups were well established. Apart from the wooden churches, there is also one made out of stone in Łopienka village which is abandoned after the II World War.

? Looking up at the stars ✨✨✨

It’s one of the few places in Poland and Europe where you can get an undistorted view of the starry sky. Since the invitation of the light bulb, more than 99% of the European populations live under light pollution, which makes the pristine night skies more precious. To protect the nocturnal environment from light pollution, the second-largest Starry Sky Park in Europe was established here, which covers over 113 ha across three parks. You can see more than 7000 stars with the unaided eye at night here under favorable conditions. As night comes, the mountains turn a dark purple color, the sky is full of stars move slowly across the night sky, fully immerse yourself in the dark night to experience pristine nature.

? Paragliding experience in Bieszczady Mountains ?

Have you ever dreamed of flying? Like an eagle admires the beauty of nature from above. Come to experience paragliding in the Bieszczady Mountains, it will make your dream come true. Thanks to the local air currents, it’s easy to rise and float over the scenic Bieszczady mountains and fly long-distances. It’s suited for all levels. Do not miss the chance to experience paragliding next time you visit the Bieszczady Mountains.

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