PolandThe Inside StoryVisit Poland and discover breathtaking landscapes pepperedwith lakes and windswept sand dunes on the Baltic co<strong>as</strong>t.Across this huge expanse you will encounter towns andcities rich in history both glorious and tragic.Admire the painstaking reconstruction of Warsaw’sOld Town which contr<strong>as</strong>ts so vividly with the Stalinistarchitecture. Take in the tre<strong>as</strong>ures of Krakow, whoseimposing c<strong>as</strong>tle peers down on a maze of medieval streetsand admire the rebuilt Renaissance delights of Gdansk orWroclaw’s dramatic Gothic architecture.Head into the mountains where you can follow the walkingtrails through the Tatr<strong>as</strong> or delve underground into thecavernous chambers of a salt mine, stop at J<strong>as</strong>na GoraMon<strong>as</strong>tery, home to the miraculous icon of the BlackMadonna, and contemplate the suffering of those whosetragic stories ended at Auschwitz.Storyto tell -JoanneWheelerWhy I lovePolandPoland is an extremelyspirited country andthere is a real sense ofcommunity and prideamongst its people,perhaps best exemplifiedby the meticulouslyrebuilt Old Town inWarsaw which w<strong>as</strong>dev<strong>as</strong>tated in WorldWar II. This positive,forward-lookingattitude translatesinto the warmwelcome that I find onevery visit.966Duke Mieszko I, founderof the Polish state, adoptsCatholic Christianity1569Signs Union of Lublin,establishing the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth1918Independent Polishstate restored afterend of WWI1940Soviet troops m<strong>as</strong>sacreover 22,000 Poles atKatyn1945Soviet forcescapture Warsaw1025Boleslaw I proclaims theKingdom of Poland1794Disappears from the map afterCommonwealth is partitionedamong Prussia, Russia & Austria1939Nazi Germanyinvades Poland1941Nazi concentration campsbuilt around Poland
WistaDays like theseOur recommendations for the perfect holiday in PolandKrakow & the TatraMountains7 days from £520 pp twin-shareThis individual itinerary offers thegreat combination of a city stay inhistoric Krakow with the relaxingmountain scenery of Zakopane.As the cultural capital of Poland,Krakow never suffers a shortageof exhibitions, arts, concerts andtheatrical performances. TheMarket Square is the largestmedieval Square in Europe and theCloth Hall is an excellent startingpoint for souvenir shopping.In contr<strong>as</strong>t, nestled at the foot ofthe spectacular Tatra Mountains,Zakopane is the winter sportscapital of Poland. During the winter,plentiful snow and challenging runsmake for excellent skiing, whilethe summer months offer walkersmountain lakes, glacial valleys andwaterfalls.A town full of folklore and mythsand bearing the legacy of Poland’sartistic set from the 1930’s,Zakopane attracts 3 millionvisitors a year. With its distinctivewooden architecture and colourfulmountain traditions, the townitself is a worthy stopping point,but it is the splendid Tatra peaks,the mountain range on the borderbetween Poland and Slovakia, thatis the main highlight. Visitors comeyear-round to admire the dazzlingnatural beauty of the region’s alpinelakes, flora and fauna.Hotel Litwor HHHHConsider staying at the superb4-star Hotel Litwor, which is ideallysituated on the main pedestrianstreet of Zakopane. Retaining therustic charms of traditional Polisharchitecture and decoration, thishotel h<strong>as</strong> 56 contemporary roomsand 6 suites. Facilities include anindoor pool, restaurant, sun terraceand fitness centre. The buffetbreakf<strong>as</strong>t is very impressive and staffare extremely friendly and helpful.LebskoRUSSIALITHUANIALakeGulf ofUstkaWejherovoSeaDanzigLeborkGdyniaPomeramianSlupskBraniewoGotdapSopotGdanskBaySlawnoBartoszyce Wegorzewo SuwalkiBytówElblagKolobrzegKoszalinTczewFezioroMalborkMamryElkBialogardGryficeStarogardOstróda Olsztyn FezioroSwinoujscie SwidwinGdanskiSniardwyItawaSzczytnoSzczecinek ChojniceBELARUSNowogardSzczecinGrudziadzSwiecieNidzicaBialystockStargardLomzaWalczBrodnicaSzczecinskiMlawaPyrzyce Choszezno Pila BydgoszczTorunCiechanówBugGERMANYOderBalticOderNotecGorzówInowroclawWartaWyszkówWielkopolskiWloclawekPlockKostrzynGnieznoBialaPoznan WrzésniaKutno WARSZAWASiedlce Podl<strong>as</strong>kaKoninPruszkówSwiebodzinLowiczLukówKoscianP O L A N DJarocinZielonaLódzGóraLeszno KaliszTom<strong>as</strong>zówPabianiceMazowieckiLubartówGlogówRawicz Ostrów SieradzPiotrkówRadomPolkowiceWielkoposkiLublinLubinBetchatów TrybunalskiChelmLegnicaWielunOstrowiecWroclawRadomskoSwietokrzyskiOtawaKluczborkZamoscJelenia GóraKielceBrzegCzestochowaStalowaTarnobrzegTom<strong>as</strong>zówWalbrzychOpoleWolaLubelskiPinczówBytomDabrowaMielecKlodzko GliwiceGórniczaLubaczówSosnowiecKatowiceRybnikKraków Tarnów RzeszówZoryUKRAINESkawinaPrzemyslBochnia J<strong>as</strong>loNowyKrosnoSaczSanokOdraCZECH REPUBLICNotecWartaBielsko-BialaGorliceCarpathian MountainsTatra MountainsSLOVAKIAWistaSanBugWARSAWPoland - Perfect ForLovers of old architecture will be charmed by the well-preserved gemsof Krakow, Wroclaw and Gdansk, with enough cobbled streets, medievalchurches, c<strong>as</strong>tles, cafes and museums to lose yourself in for days. Poland isalso a proud brewing nation with many establishments housing their ownmicrobreweries, so beer enthusi<strong>as</strong>ts are extremely well-catered for.1947Becomes CommunistPeople’s Republic1989Roundtable talks betweenSolidarity, the Communistsand the Catholic Church1992Soviet troopsbegin to withdrawfrom Poland2010President LechKaczynski and manyother senior officialskilled in a plane cr<strong>as</strong>h1945-1961Warsaw’s Old Townmeticulously rebuiltafter war dev<strong>as</strong>tation1978Karol Wojtyla, Cardinalof Krakow, elected Pope<strong>as</strong> John Paul II1990Soviet Russia finallyadmits to the Katynm<strong>as</strong>sacre2004One of 10 newstates to join the EU2012Co-hosts 2012European FootballChampionships withUkraine59Call 020 7666 1244 | www.regentholidays.co.uk | visit your local travel agent
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