Trip about poland

Poland - in central europe over Baltic Sea. It borders upon Germans on west , Czech Republic , on afternoon (south) Slovakia , Ukraine, Belorussia, on east Lithuania and on midnight (north) Russia ( Kaliningrad Region ) , but exclusive economic zones through marine border with Denmark also and Sweden.There is member of european union, NATO and many others international bodies.
CITIES OF WORTH TOURING

Curious places of Warsaw :


The Palace of Culture and Science - the tallest building in the capital and in Poland, measuring 234.5 m, competes with the Mermaid as regards the symbol of Warsaw. it portrays an example of controversial style in architecture. Some regard it as a masterpiece, whereas the others treat it as a 'junk'. Since its background history is slowly forgotten it is a perfect place for leisure and entertainment. As the Palace is visible from 20 km it is considered to be a helpful orientation point for tourists and visitors. There are many famous theatres as Dramatyczny, Lalka and Studio inside of the Palace. There is also a modern multiplex, a swimming pool, disco and a nice restaurant 'Quo Vadis'. It also houses Warsaw's biggest entertainment arena - Sala Kongresowa, once often used for communist party meetings. Here take place the following hosts: famous International Book Fairs, or many cultural events as Jazz Jamboree, TT Warsaw - International Tourist Fairs. The Palace of Culture and Science was constructed in 1952-1955 and 'given' by Stalin as a not returnable gift of friendship". It's an outstanding example of the social-realistic architecture. For its construction a number of 40 million bricks was used and its room space is over 80.000 m3.

Museum of Science - entrance from Aleje Jerozolimskie. Open: Tuesday - Saturday 09.00 - 16.00, Sunday 10.00 - 17.00. Admission 6 zł, reduced 3 zł.
The museum hosts plentiful collection of 'technical miracles' from past decades. Among many, there is a famous Enigma, German coding machine successfully cracked by Polish scientists, and 'the Glass Lady' that presents the functions of inner body organs (additional fee 1 zł). There is also Planetarium where one may see the movements of stars and planets in Polish sky. Show on Tuesdays - Saturdays 10.00, 12.00, 14.00; Sundays at 12.00, 14.00 and 16.00.

Viewing Point - it will take about 25 seconds to lift you up to the 30th floor where you may study Warsaw from the skies! It is the highest viewing point in Poland recommended to visit but only in good weather conditions. Open 09.00 - 18.00. Admission 15 zł, reduced 10 zł. You will also find a cafe and seasonal exhibition there.

Wilanów is situated 10 km from the centre of Warsaw and is at the end of the historical Royal Route. It can be reached by buses E-2, 116, 117, 130, 180, 519, 522, 700, 710, 724. Bus stop WILANÓW. Cross the street then walk in the direction of the church and park which is on your right at 10/16, Potockiego street. The Palace is open at 09.30 - 16.00 on Monday, Wednesday, Sunday (last entry at 14.30). The garden is open from 09.30 till dusk. Tel. 842 07 95.
Palace tours: In groups with a Polish guide admission 18 zł. Reduced 9 zł. Guided tours in - ENGL, FRA, GER, RUS, ESP - up to 5 pers 120 zł per group, from 6 to 35 pers 24 zł per pers. TIP! The token attached to your ticket indicates your allotted time of entry into the Palace so if you are late you might not get in with another group!
The Gardens: Admission with no guide. 4 zł. Reduced 2,5 zł. Free entry on Thursday.

The King's architect, Augustyn Locci, built the Palace (1677-1680) for King Jan III Sobieski as his royal residence. Its model was an Italian village and its original Italian name is 'Villa Nova,' hence the Polish name of Wilanów. After the death of Jan III (in Wilanów), the Palace became the residence of many Polish aristocratic families and at their whim was rebuilt or rearranged many times. Notwithstanding these alterations, Wilanów is a symbol of the reign of the Polish King Jan III Sobieski who broke the Turkish siege of Vienna in 1683 and saved Europe from Islam. (Inside the Palace are portraits representing the monarch).

The Palace. You enter a wide courtyard which is surrounded on three side by the well-proportioned facade of the Palace. Then through a gate archway with its allegories of war and peace constructed during the reign of Jan III and into the Palace. Certain personal items belonging to the King (and his beloved Marysieńka) can be found on the ground floor. The entire Palace, especially the King's Royal Bedroom and the Central Hall make this visit something to remember for a long time.

The entrance to the gardens is in the left corner of the courtyard. These are splendid gardens which have matured and been restyled over several centuries. They give visitors an opportunity to appreciate many different forms of horticulture, and to compare them in one location. The Baroque garden in the French - Italian style is situated centrally. The English - Chinese Romantic garden covers the area to the south of the Palace and the English park is in the north. A pathway runs between a small lake and perfectly ranked trees. Sculptures, monuments, garden pavilions, neatly laid out flowerbeds and walkways make it an idyllic and peaceful place for all visitors.
After the Palace and its garden(s) we recommend a visit to the Poster Museum which is situated at the right side of the entrance gate (Open 10.00. - 16.00. Closed on Mondays) and the Neo-Baroque church of St. Ann (to the left of the Palace).

Theatrical Square. On the right the square is closed by late-baroque Blanka Palace, the place where in 1944 Polish poet of Warsaw Uprising, Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński was killed. Behind the palace there is The Jabłonowskich's Palace. Before war it functioned as a town-hall. The building had been completely destroyed and after war it was demolished. At the end of 90s Warsaw regained the building again, however there were only two things that stayed untouched: the clock tower and facade. At present in the former town-hall there is the bank centre. You should go through the gate, under the tower, where there is 19thc tower basement and the monument of K.K. Baczyński. The view of the back side of the palace can shock you, but you have to see it with your own eyes...

The Grand Theatre, designed by A Corrazi is a huge classicistic building situated opposite The Jabłonowskich's Palace. Here there are The National Opera and The National Theatre. Although the building was burnt down three times and completely destroyed during the war, now it is considered to be one of the most interesting buildings in Warsaw. The opera's scene is one of the biggest in Europe, the house has got over 1800 seats. Unfortunately beautiful interiors, crystal chandeliers, spatial foyer together with its columns and beautiful mosaic can be seen only during the play.
Theatrical Square is closed by Petrykus' Tenement (1821) and some highly respected restaurants and clubs.

Nowy Świat is the most elegant, shopping street in Warsaw. Its commercial traditions date back to 19th century. Walking down till De Gaulle's Roundabout (street's left end) we pass many exclusive saloons, antique shops or interesting restaurants. At No 33 & 35 there is a famous Blikle's cafe where you can get really delicious cakes. If you want to go shopping turn right into Chmielna St. However the prices are not lower than in Nowy Świat.

Nowy Świat goes till the Square of Three Crosses but we turn left on De Gaulle's Roundabout and go across the street, just in front of Financial Centre.


Curious places of CRAKOW
The historic centre of Cracow is situated at the foot of the Wawel Castle - the former residence of Polish kings. It was built in Reinassance style during the reign of Sigismundus I and his Italian wife Bona Sforza. After the fire that consumed the majority of the castle, Wawel was rebuilt in Baroque style.
Worth seeing on the Wawel Hill are: the Gothic Cathedral where Polish kings are buried, Royal chambers, Sigismundus’ Bell, treasures and armaments.
The Market Square, the largest one in the medieval Europe, is framed by tenement houses, palaces and churches with their magnificent interiors.
The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) houses plenty of shopping stalls and cafes. On the first floor there is the Gallery of Polish nineteenth-century art that shows a rich collection of paintings and sculptures.
Next to the Cloth Hall there is the Town Hall Tower (Wieza Ratuszowa) - the only surviving part of the medieval Town Hall which was destroyed in the early 19th century. It houses a small exhibition of photographs documenting the town history (open in summer only).
St. Mary’s church with its two beautiful towers is the most imposing building of the Market Square. It is famous for the magnificent late Gothic wooden altar made by Wit Stwosz. The church functioned for a long time as a municipal watch-tower. For centuries a bugle-call (Hejnal) has been played every hour from its windows into the four quarters of the globe; its melody stops abruptly in memory of the death of a watchman hit by a Tartar arrow (Pl. Mariacki 5, opening hours: Monday-Saturday 11.30 am - 6 pm, )
Further evidence of the town's fascinating history is provided by the remnants of the 14th-century fortifications and the medieval site of Kazimierz (the former Jewish district) with its synagogues in the southern part of town.
EATING OUT
Cracow is famous for its elegant restaurants, offering not only delicious dishes, but also a huge dose of entertainment thanks to frequent shows of local songsters and bards. Apart from Polish renowned specialties such as ‘bigos’ (sauerkraut with sausages and mushrooms), ‘pierogi’ (boiled dough pockets filled with meat or cheese) or ‘zurek’ (a soup made from fermented rye with eggs and sausages), Cracow takes pride in Galician cuisine which is said, in a sense, to be historical because it refers to the times of Austro-Hungarian Monarchy when Cracow was the major town of the Galicia province (don’t confuse it with Spanish region of the same name!). It abounds in rich and vegetarian food. To the most recommended delicacies belong: borsch (a kind of beetroot soup), shish kebab, potato pancakes with goulash, bread with pork scratchings and baked aubergines with tomatoes.
Walking around the Market Square, it is impossible not to notice merchants selling the traditional Cracovian pretzels - a type of crackers baked in the shape of a knot and covered with salt or poppy seed.
Worth mentioning are also numerous Asian take-away bars, specializing in cheap oriental food including fried vegetables, chicken, beef, fish, noodles, rice, salads, etc.

SHOPPING
Cracow has a splendid range of shops to choose from, especially the Old Town district teems with stores of all kinds including souvenir shops, antique shops, bookstores, jeweller’s, wine cellars and exclusive boutiques. They line every street in the area, mostly at the main avenues (Florianska, Szewska, Grodzka or Slawkowska) crammed into every available space.
Foreign retailing supermarkets and department stores such as British Tesco or French Carrefour win enormous popularity thanks to reasonable prices and a huge variety of products. A visit to this kind of place is not only a good chance to do your shopping but also a pleasant form of entertainment and surely a nice antidote for rainy days.
Nonetheless in every part of Cracow traditional marketplaces swarm as ever with bargain hunters and shoppers looking for fresh fruits and vegetables from the local farmers.
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
Vistula cruise is a good occasion to admire the beauty and historical landscape of the river that formerly was one of the main trading arteries of Poland (harbour at Bulwar Czerwienski near Wawel, trips available every day 9.30 am - 4.30 pm)
Botanical garden is the part of Jagiellonian University’s Institute of Botany. It preserves many unique species of flowers, plants, bushes and trees. (ul. Kopernika 27)
Fantasy Park is one of the biggest family places of entertainment in Poland. It offers bowling, American pool, simulators, discotheques, bars, internet cafes and many, many more (Plaza Shopping Centre , Al. Pokoju 44).
Henryk Jordan Park is an ideal recreation centre for children offering water equipment hire, bicycles and electric cars (entrance from ul. Reymonta or Blonia Krakowskie).
PLACES AND ATTRACTIONS AROUND CRACOW
Myslenice - the longest cable railway in Poland. The route goes up to Chelm mountain where you can enjoy the beautiful sights over the Tatras and the Beskidy. (Myslenice-Zarabie, ul. Jodlowa 1F; opened in summer from 9 am till dusk, in winter: 10 am - 3 pm; ticket prices: single 7 pln, round-trip 9 pln, reduced fees for students and pensioners).
Wadowice (48 km south-west of Cracow) - the birthplace of cardinal Karol Wojtyla (commonly known as the pope John Paul II). In Koscielna street 7, there is the house of John Paul II where he spent his early childhood. In 1984 it was transformed into museum
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska (33 km south-west of Cracow) - the town is famous for its Cavalry on the hill slope, the first such imitation of the original one in Jerusalem.
Wieliczka (13 km south-east of Cracow) - the salt mine subterranean kingdom (ul. Danilowicza 10)
Bochnia (40 km south-east of Cracow) - contrary to the popular belief, it is the oldest salt mine of Poland.
Oswiecim (Auschwitz) - the biggest concentration camp of the whole Europe built by Nazis.


Curious places of Pomerania

Street fulfills debt and trade of most popular pull is among golden gate in debt gdansk spacerowy wytyczony and green. Impressive apartment-houses enclose representative gdansk street. Strange nothing presents . Otherwise, it is called it royal highway expensive and it belongs to fine and most representative gdansk streets. Highway fulfills the same function as in warsaw Starówka, if (or) main market in crakow, beauty equaling memorial and historic resource. Oldest build from apartment-houses in the middle ages else. Each presents perfect example of gdansk architecture almost , slenderness of narrow faade characterizing, coat of arms zdobionych and bas-reliefs, with typical summits or attykami. Most wealthy gdansk patricians lived in these houses. House deserves particular note Uphagena, original decor has behaved in which with almost XVII and XVIII century .
The most popular course walking in Gdańsk is between Golden Gate a Green Gate. The oldest rom apartment-houses It build in the middle ages .House deserves particular note Uphagena, original decor has behaved in which with almost XVII and XVIII century .
It is not possible to be omit biggest fortress of medieval europe in to Malborku. Lock castle on start built XIV century , year was headquarters of seat of great champion by near about 150 and capital of state krzyżackiego, among others, polish kings resided later here. Military barracks were contained in lock . Locking museum build create in 1961 year here.
In half between knowledge expensive but it is placed gniezno Lednica. There was one of first duke's headquarters in poland. There museum of first piast is placed presently. It is possible to observe rich museum packages in it, which date from early period of the middle ages. Collections of military accessories are presented on time exhibitions here, products of artistic crafts, instruments, our ancestors used which from before stuleci, and objects of daily applications. Exhibitions present constant residue of palace complex, which has been executed from stone. She is placed on ostrow Lednickim.


autor:MATEUSZ KOWALCZYK