Dolny Slask, or Lower Silesia, is a region located in the
heart of Europe, in the southwest of Poland, in the valley of the Oder River,
at the foothills of the Sudeten Mountains. It is a land of opportunities, attracting
visitors with its picturesque scenery and abundant wildlife, as well as numerous
historic sites and health resorts. The landmark of Lower Silesia is its capital,
Wrocław. The city‘s population exceeds 600,000 and the town is said
to be one of the trendiest in Poland these days. Aspiring to be a European
metropolis, it is a major economic, administrative, cultural and educational
centre.
The Sudetes are old, not very high but extraordinarily scenic
and interesting. Though the highest peak reaches 1,603 m above sea level, you
can see examples of the Alpine nature, postglacial lakes, waterfalls, gorges,
cliffs and valleys. It is a perfect place for trekkers or cyclists. The network
of marked hiking and cycling trails has been expanded recently. The trails
will take you to the most interesting spots on the Polish and Czech sides of
the mountain range. They are part of a Euroregional hiking and cycling system
covering the territories of Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany. Along the
trails, there are viewing, educational and camping sites. There are also mountain
huts where you can stop for refreshment or stay for the night. The area is
full of both modest accommodation places and 4-star hotels. Towns at the foothills
offer a wide variety of hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, bars, etc. In summer
the mountains are a venue for cultural events like the Mountain Films Festival,
concerts, or bike marathons. The Sudetes are a beautiful and mysterious region
with places marked by imposing creative thoughts of the last centuries. It
is a region with breathtaking landscapes and rich wildlife, attracting thousands
of Polish and international tourists every year. You can find here numerous
caves, old mines, tunnels and underground labyrinths. Former military or industrial
sites are tourist attractions now – either accessible for everyone or
only with one of our instructors. During your stay in the Sudetes, you can
practice mountain sports, go sightseeing, relax surrounded by delightful views,
have fun and experience the cultures, cuisines and traditions of the three
countries of the Euro region: Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany
Wroclaw
The capital of Lower Silesia is one of Poland’s oldest and most beautiful
cities. It is located at the foothills of the Sudetes, on the Oder River. The
river cuts the town with its tributaries and canals, flowing around 12 islands
and under 112 bridges of the city. Wrocław’s turbulent history is
written in its walls. The isle of Ostrów Tumski reminds us of early medieval
times. It is one of the most delightful and best-preserved examples of the European
sacral architecture. The Town Hall is counted among the most splendid Gothic
buildings of Central Europe. In Wrocław there is also the biggest in Poland
Baroque chamber. It is Aula Leopoldina in the 17th century University. Wrocław’s
theatres, cinemas, opera, musical theatre, philharmonic, museums, galleries and
clubs offer a continuous string of artistic events. Wrocław is famous for
its international music festivals: Wratislavia Cantans - Music and Arts, Jazz
nad Odrą Festival, the Old Masters Music Days, the Actor Song Festival,
the International All Saints Day Jazz Sessions, One Actor Theatre Meetings, or
the Dialog Festival. The Hala Ludowa is a venue for internationally renowned
monumental opera performances. You can’t miss another cultural attraction
of Wrocław, the Panorama Racławicka. It is a rotunda that houses a
panoramic painting (120x15 m) depicting the Battle of Racławice (between
Poland and Russia) on 4 April 1794. Wrocław is the fourth biggest city of
Poland with its population of around 650.00*0. It is one of the major university
cities. Higher education schools include one of the best Polish universities
and technical university. The city is situated not far from tourist and health
resorts and it is easy to get to the towns in the valley of Kłodzko and
within the Sudeten and Karkonosze Mountains. Wrocław is also a major transport
centre – there are three international roads, 2 large train stations,
2 river harbours, an international airport, all of which connect the city with
the world.
Białowieza Ancient Wood
Białowieża Primaeval Forest is an ancient virginal forest straddling
the border between Belarus and Poland, located 70 km north of Brest. It is the
only remaining part of the immense forest which once spread across the European
Plain.This UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve lies in south-western
Belarus, and near the town of Białowieża in the Podlachian Voivodeship
(62 km south-east of Białystok and 190 km north-east of Warsaw) in Poland.
On the Polish side it is partly protected as Białowieski National Park,
and occupies over 100 km². On the Belarusian side the Biosphere Reserve
occupies 1,771 km²; the core area covers 157 km²; the buffer zone -
714 km²; and the transition zone - 900 km²; with the National Park
and World Heritage Site comprising 876 km². The border dividing 2 countries
runs across the forest and it is closed for big animals and tourists as well,
for the time being. On the Polish side, in the Białowieża National
Park, one finds the Białowieska Glade, originally built for the tsars of
Russia — the last private owners of the forest (from 1888 to 1917) when
the whole forest was within the Russian Empire. The Glade is equipped with a
hotel, restaurant and parking areas. Guided tours into the strictly controlled
areas of the park can be arranged by horse drawn carriage. Approximately 100.00*0
tourists visit the Polish part of the Forest annually. The village of Białowieża
lies on the edge of the forest. The Bialowieza Forest transcends the boundaries
of Poland... and time. Trees, plants and animals live here as they lived for
thousands of years: amongst unspoilt, thick backwoods, unchartered marshes and
pristine forest meadows. Man is only a guest here, but the forest readily reveals
its secrets, especially to those who enter on foot. You may have a chance to
hear the "tooting" of the black grouse or see their magnificent plumage,
watch their masterly choreographed pairing dance, a spectacle to be long remembered.
The Bialowieza Forest is also a natural habitat of the bison. This "king
of the forest" has the size and weight to match the name: over 1 thousand
kilograms. A lot of weight to put on by eating grass only...
Biebrza National Park
Tis is a national park in Podlasie Voivodeship, northeastern Poland, situated
along the Biebrza River.The largest of Poland’s 23 National Parks, was
created on September 9, 1993. Its total area is 592,23 km², of which forests
cover 155,47 km², fields and meadows - 181,82 km² and the famous Biebrza
River Marshes - 254,94 km². Marshes are the most precious part of the park.
Biebrza National Park protects vast and untouched by civilization peatbogs with
unique variety of several species of plants, birds and animals. The Biebrza as
well as the Narew River valleys are very important centres of birds’ nesting,
feeding and resting. In 1995 the park was designated as a wetland site of worldwide
significance and is under the protection of the Ramsar Convention. The most important
part of the Park is Czerwone Bagno (Red Marsh) which is under strict protection.
In places wet leafy forests are visible, composed mostly of alder, birch and
ash-trees. In the middle of the Biebrza valley - where the Red Quagmire reserve
is located - spreads an old, dwarf, marshy coniferous forest of pine trees. The
marshes are dotted with sandy hillocks, known as grzedy, forming long chains
of elevations. The marshlands are home to elk which managed to survive here the
times of World War II, and the river with its tributaries and wild canals became
a sanctuary for beaver. Both species, after being exterminated by men, were reintroduced
into the Biebrza habitat
Bieszczady
For most western tourists anything in Poland outside of Krakow
and Warsaw, with perhaps Gdansk and Wroclaw thrown in for good measure,
is still pretty much a terra incognita. Even for the Poles themselves,
many areas along their country’s eastern frontier with Ukraine
are little known, and therefore pleasantly devoid of the trappings of
mass tourism. However, for those of us who seek to discover something
more authentic than the touristy charms of Poland’s former and
present capital, there is hardly a better place to discover the “Wild
East” without actually venturing into Ukraine or other former Soviet
republics. The flora of this remote region includes all the typical East
Carpathian species such as the Dacian Violet, Carpathian Beech and the
Hungarian Violet, all of which can not be seen further west, while the
fauna is exceedingly original, since it consists not only of the spectacular
antlered red mountain deer, specimens of which can be seen further west,
but also of lynx, bears, beavers, wolves and European bison, thus preserving
the delicate balance between the carnivores and herbivores that has been
destroyed in most of the rest of Europe. Finally perhaps the most obvious
attraction, advertised in all local travel brochures, are the distinctive
mountain meadows, or poloniny, which offer distant views into Slovakia
and far into Ukraine. These meadows are natural, and have not been created
by forest clearing - the microclimate here which combines dry winds blowing
from the Hungarian plains with the icy eastern winds that dominate during
the exceedingly harsh winters has lowered the forest line to 1100 meters,
some 500 meters lower than in the Tatra Mountains further west. This
unusually low forest line speaks volumes about the strong continental
influence on the regional climate, with the nearest seacoast more than
600 miles away
Biebrzanski National Park is a national
park in Podlasie Voivodeship, northeastern Poland, situated along the Biebrza
River.The largest of Poland’s 23 National Parks, was created on September
9, 1993. Its total area is 592,23 km², of which forests cover 155,47 km²,
fields and meadows - 181,82 km² and the famous Biebrza River Marshes
- 254,94 km². Marshes are the most precious part of the park. Biebrza
National Park protects vast and untouched by civilization peat bogs with unique
variety of several species of plants, birds and animals. The Biebrza as well
as the Narew River valleys are very important centers of birds’ nesting,
feeding and resting. In 1995 the park was designated as a wetland site of worldwide
significance and is under the protection of the Ramsar Convention. The most
important part of the Park is Czerwone Bagno (Red Marsh) which is under strict
protection. In places wet leafy forests are visible, composed mostly of alder,
birch and ash-trees. In the middle of the Biebrza valley - where the Red Quagmire
reserve is located - spreads an old, dwarf, marshy coniferous forest of pine
trees. The marshes are dotted with sandy hillocks, known as grzedy, forming
long chains of elevations. The marshlands are home to elk which managed to
survive here the times of World War II, and the river with its tributaries
and wild canals became a sanctuary for beaver. Both species, after being exterminated
by men, were reintroduced into the Biebrza habitat.
Warsaw
In full The Capital City of Warsaw is the capital of Poland
and its largest city. It is located on the Vistula river roughly 370
kilometers (229.9 mi) from both the Baltic Sea coast and the Carpathian
Mountains. Its population as of 2006 was estimated at 1,700,536, with
a metropolitan area of approximately 2,900,000 to 3,000,000 people.
The city area amounts to 516.9 square kilometers (199.6 sq mi), with
an agglomeration of 6,100.43 square kilometers (2,355.4 sq mi) (Warsaw
Metro Area - Obszar Metropolitalny Warszawy). Warsaw is the 7th biggest
city in the European Union.
The city, also the capital of the Masovian
Voivodeship, is home to many industries, including manufacturing, steel,
electrical engineering, and automotive; it features 66 institutions of
higher learning, including Warsaw University, Stefan Wyszyński
University, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw School of Economics, Agriculture
University and a Medical Academy. Warsaw is home to over 30 theatres, including
the National Theatre and Opera and the National Philharmonic Orchestra. Warsaw
is internationally notable for giving its name to the Warsaw Pact, Warsaw Convention
and the Treaty of Warsaw.
View of the Market Square.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia |
Cracow
Cracow; in full Royal Capital City of Kraków is one of the oldest and
largest cities of Poland, with a 2004 population of 780,000 (1.4 million, counting
adjacent communities). This historic city is situated on the Vistula River (Wisła)
at the foot of Wawel Hill in Lesser Poland region (Małopolska). It is the
capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (Województwo małopolskie)
since 1999; previously, it was the capital of Kraków Voivodeship from
the 14th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading scientific,
cultural and artistic centers of the country, the former residence of the Polish
kings and a national capital, considered by many to remain the spiritual heart
of Poland due to its history of more than a thousand years. Kraków is
also a major centre of local and international tourism, attracting seven million
visitors per year. The city is regarded by many to be the cultural capital of
Poland. In 1978, UNESCO placed Kraków on the list of World Heritage Sites.
In the same year, on October 16, 1978, Kraków's archbishop, Karol Wojtyla,
was elevated to the papacy as John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope in 455
years.Kraków's population has quadrupled since the end of the war. Off
shoring of IT work from other nations in recent years has become important to
the economy of Kraków and Poland in general. The city is the key center
for this kind of business activity. There are about 20 large multinational companies
in Kraków, including centers serving IBM, General Electric, Motorola,
Google and Sabre Holdings, along with British and German-based firms.
Bieszczady
For most western tourists anything in Poland outside of Krakow and Warsaw, with
perhaps Gdansk and Wroclaw thrown in for good measure, is still pretty much a
terra incognita. Even for the Poles themselves, many areas along their country’s
eastern frontier with Ukraine are little known, and therefore pleasantly devoid
of the trappings of mass tourism. However, for those of us who seek to discover
something more authentic than the touristy charms of Poland’s former and
present capital, there is hardly a better place to discover the “Wild
East” without actually venturing into Ukraine or other former Soviet republics.
The flora of this remote region includes all the typical East Carpathian species
such as the Dacian Violet, Carpathian Beech and the Hungarian Violet, all of
which can not be seen further west, while the fauna is exceedingly original,
since it consists not only of the spectacular antlered red mountain deer, specimens
of which can be seen further west, but also of lynx, bears, beavers, wolves and
European bison, thus preserving the delicate balance between the carnivores and
herbivores that has been destroyed in most of the rest of Europe. Finally perhaps
the most obvious attraction, advertised in all local travel brochures, are the
distinctive mountain meadows, or poloniny, which offer distant views into Slovakia
and far into Ukraine. These meadows are natural, and have not been created by
forest clearing - the microclimate here which combines dry winds blowing from
the Hungarian plains with the icy eastern winds that dominate during the exceedingly
harsh winters has lowered the forest line to 1100 meters, some 500 meters lower
than in the Tatra Mountains further west. This unusually low forest line speaks
volumes about the strong continental influence on the regional climate, with
the nearest seacoast more than 600 miles away.
Pieniny
Pieniny National Park (Polish: Pieniński
Park Narodowy) is a protected reserve of land in Lesser Poland, Poland, in the
heart of Pieniny Mountains. Pieniny National Park is one of the smallest Polish
National Parks in the Southernmost part of the country, by the border with Slovakia.
The Pieniny mountain range is divided into three parts - Pieniny Spiskie, Małe
Pieniny, and Pieniny Właściwe (where the park is located). Park’s
area is 23.46 square kilometers, of which 13.11 km² are forested. One-third
(7.5 km²) is strictly protected. The Pieniny mountains are mainly built
from limestone and they create picturesque and impressive, almost perpendicular
walls which go down towards the Dunajec River. The most famous peak - Trzy Korony
(Three Crowns) is 982 meters above sea level high, however Pieniny’s highest
peak - Wysoka - is 1050 meters above sea level and is not located on Park’s
area.
Pieniny National Park is located in the Dunajec river basin, and the river
occupies important position among factors that influence Pieniny’s look.
Even though the Park is small in size, on its area thrive hundreds of species
of plants, including 640 kinds of mushrooms. Sometimes, on the same rock, grow
plants with opposite means of survival. Park’s meadows, which are the
result of human activity, are some of the richest plant ecosystems of Poland
(30 to 40 species of flowers for every square meter). So far around 6500 animal
species have been proven to live in the Pieniny. It is supposed that the area
is even more abundant - with up to 15 000 species. There are numerous birds,
fish, reptiles and amphibians as well as mammals. The most important predator
is the lynx. On the shores of the Dunajec the otter thrives. First permanent
human settlements in the Pieniny mountains date back to 1257, when Polish princess
Kinga was given nearby lands. In 1280 the princess founded a monastery at Stary
Sącz, later the Czorsztyn castle was built. This castle belonged to Poland,
on the southern side of the Dunajec valley, the Hungarians built their own,
then called Dunajec (today it belongs to Poland and its name is Niedzica).
The Dunajec valley in 1997 was flooded by water, as a result of construction
of a river dam. There are 34 kilometres of tourists walkig paths in the park,
from such peaks as Sokolica and Trzy Korony one can have excellent view on
the Pieniny and the Tatra mountains as well as the Dunajec. Park’s main
attraction is a river trip on wooden boats, very popular among all tourists.
