What to see in Poland and Prague, Czech Republic

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.43.27 AM — Go see the winsome views in Prague, Czech Republic

I have always had such a desire to travel; it’s so amazing to be able to go somewhere foreign and experience the culture of another place, the food, the people, the entertainment, the lifestyle of others; fascinating…

I went on a trip to Poland and also Prague, Czech Republic! As someone who is in love with all things history, Poland was on my list of places to go, but what I found was so much more than I could have even asked for! So below you will find a list of places to go and things to do when you visit Poland and Prague, Czech Republic.

Warsaw

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.50.14 AM — Visit the Old Town where you will see the 14th century fortification walls and beautiful architecture. A lot of which was rebuild after WWII to resemble the old styles.

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 9.13.22 AM — While in Warsaw you have to go to the Warsaw Ghetto, it’s creepy, but amazing and you can’t miss out on the historical experience if you’re there!

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 9.09.13 AM — Just look around Warsaw and you can still see the reminance of WWII.

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.46.56 AM — Go visit the largest park in Warsaw, the Lazienki Palace Park which used to be the summer home of Polish Royalty. While some original art pieces and beautiful interior paintings on the ceilings/walls remain, you can also see where the Germans began the deconstruction of it. Also super random, the king who last owned the home loved peacocks and there are still a ton of them wandering around the park!

Krakow

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 10.45.54 AM — The super awesome town of Krakow is full of things to do and see. You can walk around the old town and it actually has a pretty good nightlife.

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 10.36.57 AM — There are a lot of beautiful buildings in Krakow. One historical place I would recommend is visiting the factory where Schindler’s List is based off of.

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 10.47.02 AM — One evening go and enjoy the the peaceful sounds of the piano at the Chopin Gallery – Cracow Concerts. We not only went to the home of Fryderyk Chopin while in Krakow, but we also went a listened to a young pianist who played his music.

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.35.28 AM — Take a horse driven carriage tour of Krakow, its a great way to see the town and you won’t regret it!

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.41.13 AM — The. Best. Gelato. I’ve. Ever. Eaten. So when you visit, be sure to get some, I think I got gelato four different times while I was in Poland haha! Also a really great restaurant in Krakow is the Jama Michalika Restaurants and Art Cafe; it has a great vibe.

Zakopane

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 9.54.16 AM — While in Zakopane you can stay at the adorable quaint Hotel Galicja, which is just a short walk from downtown.

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.45.40 AM — This tiny resort town is nestled in the Tatras Mountains and was protected from the Germans in WWII due to its location (leaving it untouched). Visit in the summer like me or in the winter as it’s a world class ski destination.

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.42.08 AM — Why yes, that is a huge plate of meat. It wouldn’t be Poland if you didn’t try the sausage and pirogi varieties. Be careful to pace yourself or you may throw-up (no that it happened to me or anything). Any delightful dish you find at Restauracja Owczarnia will be grilled over an open flames and delicious.

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.36.31 AM — While devouring all the scrumptious meats you are able, you can enjoy the live music!

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.46.15 AM — Ride the gondola or hike up the mountain and enjoy a day hike and the beautiful views of the town from above.

Wieliczka

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.36.04 AM — This is worth the extra trip to go see! The Wieliczka Salt Mine… you can take a tour going down into the mine almost 150 meters into the earth! It’s incredible. While the mine is minimally worked in today, there are signs of the miners through history, via carvings in the walls. They used to bring horses down to haul salt out and a bonus is breathing salt purified air is super great for you! You can even buy a salt inhaler and salt scrubs in the gift shop after your tour. Note: if you get claustrophobic it may not be your thing though.

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.38.20 AM — When down in the mines it doesn’t even seem like you’re underground at some points, like in this photo, descending the beautiful staircase into a lobby where you can get a snack and enjoy the wall carvings.

Screen Shot 2017-10-26 at 8.44.14 AM — You can attend a concert and enjoy lunch/dinner down in the mine’s concert hall as well.

Oswiecim

If you go to Poland, I would highly recommend visiting this place… Auschwitz Concentration Camp. It is surreal and ominous, but worth the visit. You can take a full tour of the camp where you are able to see the barracks, pictures of actual victims, belongings that were confiscated, the rail ways that brought the victims to the camp and of course the gas chambers.

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Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is known for it’s wonderful architecture, you need to just walk around and take it all in! Enjoy the views and even if you’re not religious you should check out the gothic cathedrals with their incredible art inside. There are also cool museums like the museum of torture (featuring medieval devices) and the museum of Salvador Dali!