The journey through Poland: Top 5 of the most interesting cities

For the first acquaintance with Poland or just for traveling along the unforgettable route, it is worth visiting these cities: Krakow-Wroclaw-Lodz-Warsaw-Lublin. This route is very convenient because the cities are located between them at a distance of 200-250 km, so you will not get tired, you can enjoy the Polish beauty, delicious local cuisine, take a few hundred photos against the background of countless Catholic churches and castles. In Poland, the transportation is developed, there is Polski Bus, with which you can get to every point of your route. And what is important for your budget, the cost of the trip will not exceed € 5-6, and if you plan everything in advance, you can have tickets for € 1.

Prices for accommodation in all cities of the route are the same:

• A bed in a hostel – start with € 5;
• Room in a 3 * – start with € 20 for two;
• Room in a 5 * hotel – start with € 70 for two.

1. Krakow

Photo by Ostap Senyuk

Just a few hours and you will arrive in the medieval Krakow – the cultural capital of Poland. Its heart is the Old Town with a spacious Rynok Square, St. Mary’s Church and Wawel Castle. For a long time, Krakow was the place of the coronation of the Polish monarchs, although the capital of the country is Warsaw – you can learn more about this during the tour “Secrets and greatness of royal dynasties”. Really, the number of attractions in Krakow is huge, but what makes this location truly unique is the two places almost to the city. The first is the Wieliczka salt mines with several tracks (tourist and mining), a salt cooling tower, a church, and other interesting additions; the second is the world-famous Auschwitz concentration camp.

2. Wroclaw

Photo by Mihaela Holhos

The next stop of the route will be the city of Wroclaw. This is another “classic” Polish city with the old quarter and Market Square in the center. Also traditionally in Wroclaw is a royal palace and historical museum. The most famous attraction of the city is the Century Hall, built in honor of the victory over Napoleon near Leipzig. This architectural wonder looks like a wedding cake, the Capitol, the building of the old Baku airport at the same time! In this building are organized fairs, architectural exhibitions, opera performances, and basketball competitions. Also, one of the most interesting places is the Water Knowledge Center – Hydropolis. It is a place where diverse multimedia technologies, interactive installations, faithful replicas, and models, as well as touch screens providing extensive information, serve one purpose – to show water from various fascinating perspectives.

3. Lodz

Photo source: www.polsko.travel

Very interesting city, with a rich history and a lot of attractions. It is surprising that after the war, when Warsaw was destroyed, Lodz actually played the role of the capital of Poland in 1948-1949. Lodz is an industrial city, it adds a special charm and uniqueness. The factories became museums, and the former factories became shopping centers and restaurants. For example, you should visit the museum of the textile industry or the museum of wooden architecture. Lodz is also a “cinematic” factory in Poland. There is a school of cinema and television, a museum of cinema and its alley of stars. In Lodz, there is the longest pedestrian street in Poland, on which are located dozens of cafes, restaurants, pubs, and shops. The main feature of the city is a shopping and entertainment complex – Manufactory, located on the site of a former textile factory. There are shops, cinemas, restaurants, art installations.

4. Warsaw

Photo by Kamil Gliwiński

In Warsaw, you immediately feel that you are in the capital: wide avenues, long streets, tall glass buildings. In the center is traditionally the Old Town. True, he is only 60 years old! Warsaw will not amaze you with such a large number of attractions, like Krakow or Wroclaw, but there is something to see here. The city is very dynamic, technological, cosmopolitan. You should visit the most unusual park in Warsaw, which is located on the roof of the Warsaw University Library! The life and work of the great composer, Chopin, is inextricably linked with Warsaw. The city has 15 ” singing benches “, on which you can listen to melodies. You will be amazed even more by the Copernicus Science Center – this is not just a museum of the heritage of Nicolaus Copernicus, here you can become a scientist, you could check for yourself the effect of all physical laws. In addition, an excellent view of the city opens from the highest building – the Palace of Culture and Science.

5. Lublin

Photo source: www.mywanderlust.pl

Lublin has an unofficial nickname – “little Krakow”, because there are also many attractions, but the city is located away from large tourist flows. This was reflected in the pricing policy, so, for example, lunch in Lublin can be 10-20% cheaper than in other cities of the route. Also, this city will be a good place for shopping on the way home. The main local attraction is the Lublin Castle, which offers a great view of the city (from a height it looks something like Vilnius or Bratislava).