DESTINATIONS EUROPE | POLAND


WARSAW


of the BEST


POLISH CITY BREAKS


With Poland on the UK’s ‘safe’ list, Katie McGonagle finds out where to spend a weekend away


1 KRAKOW


Krakow escaped the worst of the wartime damage, meaning the medieval architecture of the former capital is surprisingly intact. Head up Wawel Hill to see inside its famous castle. Then get an aerial view of the Old Town from the Town Hall Tower, an icon overlooking the sprawling Market Square. Take time to wander through the Kazimierz quarter, centre of the Jewish community and used for filming locations in Schindler’s List, or take the short journey to the


impressive Unesco-listed Wieliczka Salt Mine. Book it: Osprey Holidays offers two nights’ B&B at the five-star Radisson Blu Hotel Krakow from £185, flying from Stansted on October 6. ospreyholidays.com


POZNAN


This compact city is easy to explore in a weekend. Get a look at Poland through the ages at fun museum Porta Posnania, then walk across the bridge to Cathedral Island, known as the birthplace of the country. Back in the city centre, watch out at noon as two mechanical goats emerge from the Old Town Hall to butt heads 12


times in a tradition that dates from 1551. Book it: Spend a night in Poznan as part of Cosmos’s nine-day Portrait of Poland tour, from £874 excluding flights. cosmos.co.uk


top tip


Learn about Poland’s cities for your chance to win one of several weekend visits by watching Travel Weekly’s Roadmap to Recovery webinar with the Polish Tourism Organisation at


comp.travelweekly.co.uk/ PolandWebinar


32 30 JULY 2020 LODZ


Exploring the Polish capital is a lesson in urban regeneration: after the Second World War all but obliterated its Old Town, the medieval centre was meticulously rebuilt, complete with cobbled streets and colourful shopfronts. It’s awash with museums and galleries including one dedicated to its most famous son, the composer Chopin, along with street art and entertainment in hipster district Praga. For outdoor pursuits, stroll along the banks of the Vistula or through


the grounds of Lazienki Park. Book it: Reserve tickets on a hop-on hop-off bus tour around Warsaw from £17 with Do Something Different. dosomethingdifferent.com


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WROCLAW


This atmospheric city, where Gothic spires complement colourful merchant houses, and old-fashioned gas lamps are still lit by a lamplighter clad in cape and top hat, has been dubbed the Venice of Poland. It’s wonderfully walkable, has a beautiful central square (with a popular Christmas market), and a curious love of gnomes (once a symbol of anti-Soviet


resistance) which can be spotted around the city. Book it: Great Rail Journeys’ Discover Poland tour includes two days in Wroclaw, from £2,595 for a 13-day tour including rail travel, four-star accommodation and 18 meals. greatrail.com


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This central Polish city, pronounced ‘Woodge’, has a Manchester-like vibe, having evolved from a 19th-century manufacturing centre, through post-industrial decline, to a hub for artists and entrepreneurs. Expect huge street-art murals, an inventive food scene, good breweries and bars,


and museums showcasing its industrial heritage. Book it: Viator offers a three-hour Private Walking City Tour from £130 per group for up to 10 people. viator.com


travelweekly.co.uk


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PICTURES: Shutterstock


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