Churches of Peace
The Churches of Peace are outstanding testimony to an exceptional act of tolerance on the part of the Catholic Habsburg Emperor towards Protestant communities in Silesia in the period following the Thirty Years’ War in Europe.

It forced builders to implement pioneering constructional and architectural solutions of a scale and complexity unknown in wooden architecture.​

Zelazowa Wola
Visit Chopin’s birthplace, now a museum, in Zelazowa Wola, where piano concerts are held regularly in the summer. He was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of French-Polish parentage. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music.

Czermna
Next to Kudowa Zdroj is the village of Czermna with its Chapel of Skulls, where the walls are covered with bones. Under the floor there is space with decaying bones which were not used during decorating the chapel.

The chapel was built in 1776 by the Czech local parish priest Wacław Tomaszek. It is the mass grave of people who died during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), three Silesian Wars (1740–1763), as well as of people who died because of cholera.

Lichen – Basilica of Our Lady
It is Poland’s largest church and also one of the largest churches in the world. The church is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, Queen of Poland whose icon, dates back to the 18th century. Pope John Paul II blessed the Basilica in 1999. The history of the Basilica goes back to the beginning of the apparitions of the nineteenth century, when the soldier Thomas Kłossowski in 1813 participated in the Battle of Nations at Leipzig. Thomas was mortally wounded, on the battlefield. He began to pray fervently to the Mother of God, asking for help. Holly Mary appeared before him and promised that he would return home but he should find an image faithfully presenting her and put it in public view, which can be seen at the altar today

Swieta Lipka- Monastery of the Holy Linden tree​
Swieta Lipka is a tiny village in the north of Poland, and despite its size it is well known – as a religious centre and a pilgrimage site. In fact, it is one of the most celebrated in the country. Whether you are a Catholic or a tourist with an interest in sacral architecture, this is a destination you have to see. Within the monastery complex stands a magnificent 17th century Baroque church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where organ concerts invariably draw large audiences.

The scenic Lake Dejnowa help make Swieta Lipka a mini health resort.​

Wadowice
Pope John Paul II’s home town. The places where he lived and spent his childhood before he took up his studies in Krakow. You can visit the church where John Paul II was baptized, his family home, now turned into a museum devoted to him, where an exposition of old photographs can be seen.

Brewery night
It seems to be a great idea to have a delicious, filling meal after a hectic night in Wroclaw. Especially, if it is served with the local, traditional beer produced from malt, hops and yeast according to a 500 year old recipe. All of this happens in a magnificent, historic interior of the Town Hall. You are guaranteed an unforgettable “tasty” experience and assured that even the most sophisticated palates will be fully satisfied. All beer enthusiasts would love this experience!

Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa : Bielsko-Biala – February
The Festival, according to its name (Zadymka means “blizzard”) takes place in the Winter season, when tourists from the country and from abroad visit the Beskidy region. For five days you have an opportunity to take part in about a dozen of concerts held in various venues – from the stylish interiors of Polski Theatre (where the Festival Gala takes place), to the modern Klimat Club in Sfera Shopping gallery & to the mountain lodge on the Szyndzielnia mountain.​

Coke Live Music Festival : Krakow – August
Regular festival held in Krakow since 2006 always at the end of August. The main sponsor of the festival – The Coca-Cola Company. This festival is a great success and every year more and more celebrities come to visit, as well as audiences from all walks of life. The festival has been nominated for the prestigious UK Festival Awards 2009 in the category of Best Overseas Festival, which is the best festival held outside the UK – on the European continent.

Cracovia Marathon : Krakow – April
It is an annual marathon held in the city of Kraków, Poland, usually in May. It was established in 2002 and has been run every year since. The competition features professional athletes and amateur runners. A total of 3200 people finished the race in 2011.​

International Dance Theatres Festival : Lublin – November
International Dance Theatres Festival in Lublin belongs to the biggest cultural events in Lublin. Over the last few years it has become one of the most important dance festivals in Europe. The Festival aims to present the most interesting artistic proposals prepared by professional dance theaters around the world, as well as promotes Polish artists and the promotion of amateur artistic groups.

Jazz at the Old Town Square Festival : Warsaw – July
This event is one of Poland’s most praised and most attended jazz festivals. Last year three to four thousand people gathered in the Old Town Square to listen to some of the most famous jazz stars in the world. It is also one of the longest European jazz festivals ever, and presents various jazz styles such as mainstream, swing, fusion, modern jazz, Klezmer jazz, Latin, “third set” and world jazz. Its undeniable advantage is the fact that it’s open to the public who can enjoy their favorite jazz musicians for free.

Open’er Festival : Gdynia – July
Open’er is Poland’s largest music and performing arts festival, the total area of the festival in Babie Doly airfield is 75 hectares of space with seven stages, around 120 artists, merchandising area, gastronomic zones, camp sites, beach, sea and sun, space for sport activities and multimedia, NGO’s, films, theatres and performances.

Sacrum Profanum : Krakow – August
Sacrum Profanum is a festival presenting music from the 20th century, which has obtained the status of one of the most interesting music events in Europe. It’s rank is built by the participation of the most valued groups performing modern music. Amongst others there are: Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Klangforum Wien, Theatre of Voices, Tomasz Stańko, Leszek Możdżer, stars like Aphex Twin and the group Kraftwerk, etc.

Warsaw International Film Festival : Warsaw – October
Also known as the Warsaw Film Fest, it is a major film festival held every October in Warsaw, Poland. The festival has been held every year since 1985. The festival is host to the International Federation of Film Critics awards for enterprising film making in Central and Eastern Europe. The 27th festival took place between 12 October & 21 October 2012.

Warsaw
The capital of Poland situated in the heart of the country is the centre of business, culture and science.

​Reconstructed after World War II, the city of Warsaw rose from ruins and the oldest part of the city is now a UNESCO heritage site. It is full of trendy restaurants, souvenir shops and is as expected rich in history and monuments too.

Krakow (Cracow)
The historic centre of Krakow, the former capital of Poland, is situated at the foot of the Royal Wawel Castle. The 13th-century merchants’ town has Europe’s largest market square and numerous historical houses, palaces and churches with magnificent interiors.

Further evidence of the town’s fascinating history is provided by the remnants of the 14th-century fortifications and the medieval site of Kazimierz with its ancient synagogues in the southern part of town, the Jagellonian University and the Gothic cathedral where the kings of Poland were buried.

Wroclaw
When visiting Wroclaw you should definitely put on your list The Centennial Hall, Old Town, Multimedia Fountain, the Szczytnicki Park with Japanese Gardens and Panorama Raclawicka. Centennial Hall is a historic building and an early landmark of reinforced concrete architecture, which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.

Panorama Racławicka is a large painting showing the Battle of Racławice (Kościuszko Uprising). The painting is located inside a characteristic rotund building. It is exceptional because of its historical value and also because of its enormous size. It is literally a panorama – cycloramic painting that gives viewers an impression of being part of the battle.

Torun
Toruń is picturesquely located on both the banks of the Vistula River, an intersection for ancient trade routes. The gothic buildings of Toruń’s Old Town, which won the designation of World Heritage Site from UNESCO in 1997, present proof of Toruń’s centuries – old economic, cultural and intellectual ties with the leading cities of Europe associated in the Hanseatic League.

In Toruń lies the most technically advanced planetarium in Poland with its semicircular dome and rotunda shape which is easily recognizable among other structures of Toruń Old Town. The heart of the planetarium is a ZEISSA RFP projector, which reconstructs the image of the sky with great accuracy, from any time and place on Earth.

Biskupin Bronze Age Village​
Just 80 km from Poznan you can find the Bronze Age village. Discovered in 1933 by Polish archaeologists the settlement has been carefully reconstructed. Learn how life would have looked like 36000 years ago. You can take part in one of many events organized every year with new mottos like : “Great discoveries and inventions”; “Celts – people of Europe”; “Between us barbarians” or “Man and woman in prehistory”.

Malbork Castle
It is the most complete and elaborate example of the Gothic brick castle complex in the unique style of the Teutonic Order. The spectacular fortress represents the phenomenon of the monastic state in Prussia, founded in the 13th century and developed in the 14th century by the German communities of military monks who carried out crusades against the pagan Prussians on the south Baltic coast. From the 19th century onwards the Castle has been the subject of restoration that contributed in an exceptional way to the development of research and conservation theory rediscovering medieval art and craft techniques. Visit in August to take part in a performance of a medieval battle & the knights festival!

Jasna Gora Monastery
The Monastery of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, Poland, is the third-largest Catholic pilgrimage site in the world. Home to the beloved miraculous icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa, the monastery is also the national shrine of Poland and the center of Polish Catholicism.

The miracle for which the Black Madonna of Częstochowa is most famous occurred in 1655, when Swedish troops were about to invade Częstochowa. A group of Polish soldiers prayed fervently before the icon for deliverance, and the enemy retreated. In 1656, King John Casimir declared Our Lady of Częstochowa “Queen of Poland” and made the city the spiritual capital of the nation.

Auschwitz Birkenau​
Auschwitz-Birkenau was the largest of the concentration camp complexes created by the Nazi German regime. It was the one which combined extermination with forced labor. At the centre of a huge landscape of human exploitation and suffering, the remains of the two camps of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, as well as its Protective Zone were placed on the World Heritage List as evidence of this inhumane, cruel and methodical effort to deny human dignity to groups considered inferior, leading to their systematic murder. The camps are a vivid testimony to the murderous nature of the anti-Semitic and racist Nazi policy that brought about the annihilation of more than 1.2 million people in the crematoria, 90% of whom were Jews.

Wieliczka Salt Mine
The salt mines of Krakow exemplify a large industrial establishment, administratively and technically well organized.

It has been a source of rock salt since the late 13th century. The total length of the galleries, in which are to be found wells, corridors, labyrinths, excavations of all sorts, rooms, and even chapels cut out of the salt, with altars, pulpits and statues, is some 300 km, connecting more than 2,000 excavation chambers on nine underground levels. It extends 5 km to the east and west and 1 km to the north and south, reaching a maximum depth of 327 m below the surface.

Fanaa – Zakopane
Fanaa, is a 2006 Indian romantic crime drama film, directed by Kunal Kohli and produced by Yash Raj Films. Aamir Khan plays the role of Delhi tourist guide Rehan Khan and Kajol plays a blind Kashmiri girl Zooni Ali Beg. Both fall in love, but are separated by a terrorist bombing that reportedly kills Rehan. It is later revealed that Rehan was not killed, but is in fact a Kashmiri insurgent responsible for the bombing. Seven years later, his insurgency organization IKF sends him on a mission in Kashmir, where he once again encounters Zooni. Portions of the movie were shot in Zakopane, Poland.

Schindler’s List – Krakow & Auschwitz
Schindler’s List is a 1993 American historical period drama, directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg and scripted by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the novel Schindler’s Ark by Thomas Keneally, an Australian novelist. The film is based on the life of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories. It stars Liam Neeson as Schindler, Ralph Fiennes as Schutzstaffel (SS) officer Amon Goeth and Ben Kingsley as Schindler’s Jewish accountant Itzhak Stern. Principal photography took place in Kraków, Poland, over the course of 72 days

Narnia (Tatra Mountains & Dunajec River)
The Tatra Mountains – Pieniny Range are a rich landscape, the range provides a stunning natural backdrop for filmmakers, particularly along the picturesque Dunajec River. There are forests of mixed beech and fir, barren slopes and ledges covered with small pines, all making this part of Tatra Mountains almost a fantasy landscape, as seen in the feature film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) directed by Andrew Adamson.

The Pianist – Warsaw
The Pianist is a historical film drama of 2002 co-produced and directed by Roman by Ronald Harwood, and starring Adrien Brody. It is based on the autobiographical book The Pianist, a World War II memoir by the Polish-Jewish pianist and composer Władysław Szpilman. The film was a co-production between the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Poland. Filming began in Warsaw on 29 March. The rundown district of Praga was chosen for filming because of its abundance of original buildings. Additional filming also took place around Warsaw. The Umschlagplatz scene where Szpilman, his family and hundreds of other Jews wait to be taken to the extermination camps was filmed at the National Defence University of Warsaw.

The Foreigner – Warsaw
The Foreigner is a 2003 film starring Steven Seagal. The film was shot entirely in Warsaw, Poland, and was the first of a long string of direct-to-video films released starring Seagal.

The Reader – Lublin
Michael Berg (David Kross), a teen in postwar Germany, begins a passionate but clandestine affair with Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet), an older woman who enjoys having classic novels read to her. Then Hanna mysteriously disappears, leaving Michael heartbroken and confused. A number of scenes in the movie were shot in Lublin, Poland.

Azaan – Poland
Aazaan is a 2011 action spy film directed by Prashant Chadha starring Sachiin J Joshi and South African model Candice Boucher. Aazaan marks the debut of entrepreneur-turned-actor Sachiin J Joshi of Energy Drinks and Candice Boucher who was seen in the title role. Filming took place at multiple locations in Poland.

Bialowieski National Park
Established in 1932, the Białowieski National Park is one of the oldest nature reserves in Europe. It covers the central part of the Białowieża Forest which is known worldwide for its vast, virgin forest and the breeding grounds of the European bison.

​Today the largest bison herd to be found here is made up of over 300 animals. The park constitutes an area of mixed forests with an unusual abundance of diverse tree varieties which grow in their natural state, untouched by man, with many of the trees reaching heights seldom seen elsewhere in Europe.

Slowinski National Park
The greatest attraction of this park stretching along the Baltic Sea coast (between Rowy and Łeba) are the shifting sand dunes, which, as they move uncover dead tree stumps or fossilized remains of forests which were here once upon a time.

The biggest dune rises to 42 meters above sea level. You can glimpse moving dunes as you enjoy scoops of ice creams on the beach.

Bieszczadzki National Park
The park boundaries encircle the highest part of the Western Bieszczady Mountains with its main peak, Mount Tarnica (1,346 meters above sea level). Woodless, grass-covered ridges, called połoniny, are a distinctive feature of the mountains in this park.

These mountain meadows are filled with a great number of rare, East Carpathian plants. Forests with mostly Beech, Fir and Sycamore trees cover 87 percent of the park. Bear, wolf, red deer, bison, lynx to mention only a few mammals, and about 150 species of birds have found a haven here. The park, together with adjoining lands, has been incorporated into the “Eastern Carpathians” international biosphere reserve.

Stone Mountains National Park
The principal attraction here is the wild landscape of rocky plateau with sheer cliff drops, which have developed as a result of the specific tabular geological structure of these mountains. Nature has formed labyrinth-like passages among the rocks.

The most interesting clusters of rock formations can be seen in the “Błędne Skały” reserve and on Mount Szczeliniec Wielki (919 meters above sea level).The slopes and foothills of the plateau contain Spruce and Beech forests, while the high moors are covered with marsh plants growing in protected areas on the flat, table-like tops of the mountains.

Tatra National Park
On the Polish side, the park surrounds and protects the whole Tatra mastiff with its highest peak, Mount Rysy (2,499 meters above sea level), and is the only region of an Alpine character in Poland.

​The jagged granite ridges and forested slopes, post-glacial depressions, mountain lakes, numerous caves and scenic valleys with rushing mountain streams create one of the most beautiful landscapes in Poland.

Masuria District
Located in northeastern part of Poland, the Masuria Lake District is also often called “A land of a thousand lakes”. In fact, 10.000 years ago, the glacier shaped more than three thousand lakes, making this region a unique place.

It stretches from the town of Węgorzewo in the north of the region, through Giżycko and Mikołajki, to Ruciane Nida in the south. Today, the Masuria Lake District offers a broad variety of touristic activities. It is an excellent base for canoeing, windsurfing and of course sailing – every summer the major lakes host international boat racing events.

Paradise Cave
Nature, over the ages, has created this underground complex of breathtaking tunnels and chambers which have been decorated with hundreds of stalagmites, stalactites and pillars of various shapes and sizes. A 180 metre underground route was opened especially for tourists who want to admire the fairy-tale like underground world.

At the entrance to the cave is an exhibition showing a family living in a reconstruction of a Neanderthal camp. Three life-size figures are shown with the remains of prehistoric animals such as the mammoth, hairy rhinoceros and cave bear.

Warsaw Shopping
As Poland’s capital, Warsaw has attracted all the big international names in shopping, keen to take part in the country’s economic resurgence. As a business hub, Warsaw is also an oasis for travellers looking for smart clothes at reasonable prices. Still, the city continues to retain its old world charm, and there are plenty of smaller stores tucked on the back streets with treasures waiting to be discovered. Recommended shopping places: Zlote Tarasy, Fabryka Trzciny, etc.​

Zakopane- Krynica
Krynica is the best-known spa town in Poland, two hours south of Krakow in the Carpathian Mountains. In addition to its stunning wood and brick architecture, the spa has one of Europe’s most beautiful pump rooms with an indoor promenade, winter garden and theater complex. Treatments are available for diabetes and blood related disorders while the Eris Spa connected to Eris cosmetics features a pool, sauna and fitness center.

Naleczow
Naleczow in southern Poland, is a spa town catering to coronary disorders. Located in a 50-acre Spa Park are five sanatoriums, including one specializing in cardiology; the Malachowki Palace is the most popular spa treatments facility. Cultural attractions in this town include an annual carnival of folk ​ traditions (in January) and the International Piano Festival (in August).

Traditional Polish Dinner
You can be sure that it’s absolutely worth trying a traditional polish dinner during your stay in Wroclaw. If you want to be part of a gastronomic delight just try a hearty three course traditional meal with fresh salad, water and 2 cold beers. The most recommendable dishes are: Bigos, Kotlet Schabowy, Pierogi and Gołąbki. Poles boast that their two basic products are bread and sausages. A shot of vodka is an appropriate addition to festive meals and help you to digest the food.

Ciechocinek
Located south of Torun in central Poland, this is a region of pine forests and meadows; the spa here attracts guests with respiratory, rheumatic or cardiovascular ailments. The spa dates to the 19th century when rich thermal brine springs were discovered.

Polanica
The spa lies in the Bystrzyca River Valley, surrounded by forested mountain slopes and flowering park landscapes. The qualities of the spa’s mineral springs have drawn spa-goers here for therapeutic treatments since the 19th century. Treatment specialties target circulatory and digestive system disorders.

Kudowa Zdroj
This spa is located in the Sudety Mountains and is known for its mineral springs since the 17th century. Other facilities in the health resort include a running track, a pool, tennis court, fitness center and an enormous room of drinking and bathing water. It is near to the Bones Chapel in Czermna.