The cathedral hill is the site of several of Frombork’s curiosities. Surrounded by walls, the 14C cathedral has around 20 altars, 101 funerary plaques and 19 epitaphs, including Copernicus’s memorial (he is buried here). In the old bishop’s palace,..

Lying at the southern end of the Podkarpackie region, this little massif of medium-altitude mountains straddles Poland, Slovakia and the Ukraine. Sparsely populated as a result of its topography and recent political history, the Bieszczady is today a..

Forming a natural frontier between Poland and Slovakia, the Tatras are the highest massif of the western Carpathians. Called “pocket mountains” by some, this massif has all the necessary geological attributes despite covering a small area. Zakopane a..

Lancut is known for its vodka, but principally for its castle . A sort of museum of Polish interiors, its multitude of rooms has sculpture, music boxes, Chinese porcelain, a wide array of furniture, and display cases groaning with arms and armour. V..

This geometrically perfect square with blue and yellow hues reminiscent of an Italian piazza is best viewed from the top of the town hall steps. Note the Armenian houses (Kamienice Ormianskie), which differ from the other merchants’s houses in th..

A veritable patchwork of styles, the building has a complex, much remodelled, frontage although late Gothic predominates. Historically the seat of city government, its basement served as as beer cellar. The Flamboyant décor of the east façade is the ..

Standing at the centre of the Rynek, this is one of Poland’s finest town halls. Italian Giovanni Battista Quadro restored it in the Renaissance style after the fire in 1536. Each day when its bells strike noon, the Poznan goats emerge from the cloc..

At the very centre of the city, the market place is surrounded by Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque houses, most of which were badly damaged in 1945 but superbly restored after the war. In warm pastel hues, some of the façades are embellished by painti..

Linking the Upper Gate to the Green Gate and running perpendicular to the River Motlawa, this is the city’s main artery, historically used by the kings of Poland as a processional way on their annual visits to Gdansk. Herlded by the “long street”..

Two gables to the right of the Artus Court (n°41), the fine façade of this 1609 house is striking on account of its rich ornamentation, notably the twelve friezes created between 1609 and 1818 by Rostok artist Johann Voight, separated at each storey ..

This small town will be forever associated with the horrors of Nazism and the Holocaust. Incorporated into the Third Reich, its name was germanicised to Auschwitz, by which it was known for the next six years. These two syllables evoke the greatest m..

Originally used to unload cargoes, this wooden crane has a majestic silhouette. The largest medieval machine of its kind in Europe, it is today the symbol of Gdansk. Rebuilt in 1444 after a fire, it was enhanced in the 17C with the addition of an upp..

This huge edifice stands at the heart of the modern city, a gigantic 230m high grey tower visible from 30km away. “A gift from the Soviet Nation to the Polish Nation”, it was built in the 1950s and comprises three theatres, a multiplex cinema, a 3 00..

This big square is always lively. The ground floors of the attractive buildings house boutiques and cafés. In the centre, near the Church of Our Lady , stands a statue of the poet Adam Mickiewicz (a popular meeting point). Every hour, trumpets ring ..

The pride of Krakow, this museum houses an important collection of European pictures from the 16C to the 19C. Looted by the Nazis, it was partially restocked prior to its nationalisation and incorporation into the National Museum in 1949. The jewel o..

This square was once the centre of activity in Gdansk: the main market, popular festivals and performances were held here. The typical houses with sculpted front stoops above cellar entrances have been restored. In the centre of the square, the Neptu..

Proudly standing between two bends of the River Vistula, this hill is the heart of the city of Poland itself. Discover the admirable Cathedral and the superb Royal Palace . Together they seem to watch over the city. Along the access ramp, an eques..

The Gothic cathedral dedicated to St Stanislas and St Wenceslas contains many works of art, including St Stanislas' mausoleum (1629 and King Wladyslaw II Jagiello's Tomb , in red marble. Italian artists created the finest example of Renaissance ar..

Inside the green swathe of Planty Park , developed in the 19C on the site of the old city walls, the historic old town occupies a beautiful location. Around the Marketplace , the medieval character of Krakow is revealed, and there are many remarkab..

This street, one of the city's oldest, has retained its medieval character with finely decorated façades, beyond which arcades line the old courtyards. The motifs on the entrances are geometric; note the statues, leaded windows and balustrades.