Long post alert, there is much to unpack from Jason and I’s September trip to Poland! Besides the WWII history and pierogis, we didn’t know what to expect on our first visit to Poland. In the end, we discovered beautiful cities, countryside and culture! The majority of our time was spent in Kraków and what a gem of a city. Our hotel was situated right near Rynek Główny, the main square which is lined with colorful buildings, cafés and the massive St. Mary’s Basilica. Cloth Hall sits in the center and is considered one of the world’s oldest shopping malls. During the 15th century, you’d see exotic imports like spices and silk but today you’ll find souvenirs and lots of amber!

We decided to climb the Bugle Tower at St. Mary’s Basilica, a total of 271 steps up! The tower gets its name from the bugle that is played every hour on the hour from the top windows. This tradition goes back to 13th century, when the bugle call was utilized as a warning of fires or enemy attacks. After we caught our breath, we enjoyed the fantastic views.

Another highlight was visiting Wawel Hill, with its historic palace, 1,000 year-old cathedral, and fortified walls. Perched above the city, this was once Poland’s royal residence and the cave below is rumored to have been a dragon lair! The gardens were also a great place to rest our tired feet.

Ready to see outside the city, I planned a road trip to explore the Trail of the Eagle’s Nests. This scenic route is made up of 25 medieval castles, which were built high on limestone formations to protect the southern borders from invaders. Sadly, we only had time to stop at two of the castles but thoroughly enjoyed the lovely drive. First up was Ogrodzieniec Castle, which has been used in several films and shows (most recently the Witcher!) The castle dates back to the 14th century and is very impressive even in ruins. Originally as grand as Wawel Castle, it was pillaged by the Swedes in the 17th century. Quite fun to imagine the castle in its glory days!

The 2nd stop was Pieskowa Skała. This is another castle built on a limestone cliff set in a picturesque valley. It was straight from a storybook.

While in Poland, we also visited Auschwitz-Birkenau, the former Nazi concentration camp. It was important to us to acknowledge the atrocities that occurred here and pay respect to the victims. I won’t say much about what we saw or learned, only that we walked away from the visit overwhelmed by the cruelty and tragedy of it all. The final photo of the plaque was positioned near the two mass extermination sites and it speaks volumes. Preserving places like Auschwitz is a reminder we must do our best to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.

Thanks for reading and following along.

Categories: TravelTags: photography, Poland, Travel