Foto: The central square of Warsaw (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Poland - Today we explore the city of Warsaw. Right next to the hotel stands the Staszic Palace, with the statue of Copernicus on the square in front of it. We cross over to Piłsudski Square, the largest square in the city. At the edge of the square, next to the enormous Saxon Garden, stands the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Two soldiers stand guard at the monument. On the other side of the square are the Grand Theatre and the Metropolitan building. Through the park, we reach Bank Square. The town hall occupies the entire eastern side of the square. From the other side of the Grand Theatre, we arrive at the Royal Castle and the Old Town. We climb the bell tower of St. Anne’s Church. After 150 steps, we reach the viewing platform on the bell tower. From here, we have a view of the palace, the old town, and the Vistula River. The interior of St. Anne’s Church is surprisingly beautiful, decorated in a baroque style. In the Old Town, we visit St. Martin’s Church and St. John’s Cathedral. The latter houses a mausoleum of Cardinal Wyszyński, who was active in the resistance during the war. Behind the church, a narrow alley runs under arches, leading to a viewpoint over the Vistula River. At the edge of the central market square, a small museum displays the restoration of the Old Town after WWII. Photos show the extent of the destruction. It’s hard to imagine that the entire Old Town was meticulously restored in its original style. This is especially visible on the Rynek, the central square. The reconstructed pastel-colored houses recreate the atmosphere of the past. On the north side, we pass the city wall. Here begins the New Town. Via the New Town Market Square, we reach the Church of the Holy Sacrament and the Church of the Visitation. Behind them lies the Multimedia Park with a view over the river. In one of the streets, we order lunch. When we come outside again, it has started to rain lightly. In the drizzle, we walk to the Jewish ghetto district. Here stands the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, commemorating the Jewish uprising against the Germans. We walk back to the center via the Krasinski Palace. The Royal Route begins at the Royal Castle. Along this broad boulevard are the Presidential Palace, Hotel Bristol, and the university buildings. As we walk south, we pass various palaces, one of which now serves as a museum about the life of Chopin. By late afternoon, we arrive at the Palace of Culture and Science. This striking tall tower from the communist era contrasts with the surrounding shopping centers. We decide not to go up to the top floor of the cultural center due to the hazy weather. We walk back to the mall and order a beer in a café.
Auschwitz Concentration Camp
Poland - The city of Kraków is closely connected to World War II history. About sixty kilometers from Kraków was the largest Nazi extermination camp: Auschwitz. At nine o'clock, we drive out of Kraków and head toward Oświęcim, the current Polish name for ...
Kraków City Center
Poland - Today we explore the old center of the city. We begin our walking tour in the old Jewish quarter, as our hotel is located here. Right on the corner of the street stands the first Jewish temple. Already in the 19th century, the Jewish population concentrated ...
Malbork Castle
Poland - Outside it's cloudy as we open the curtains. It rained last night. When we load the luggage into the car, it's still lightly drizzling. We drive out of Gdansk on our way to Warsaw. About fifty kilometers southeast of Gdansk lies Malbork Castle. This medieval ...
Old town of Gdask
Poland - We start the day slowly. After having coffee in the hotel room, we walk to the Motlawa River quay for breakfast. The weather is beautiful. The sun is shining and it’s about five degrees outside. In a small café, we order breakfast with cappuccino, ...
The beautiful churches of Pozna
Poland - Upon entering Poznan, the streets are busy. The evening rush hour starts early here. The hotel is located right next to the old town, but unfortunately, the road leading there is closed due to construction. We take a right turn at random. The navigation ...
The Wieliczka Salt Mines
Poland - Before heading to Kraków, we first visit the Wieliczka salt mines. The salt mine complex is located just past Kraków. Since we had already booked tickets in advance for the English-language tour, we don’t have to queue at the ticket counter. We are ...