All Saints’ & All Souls’ Day

The Catholic holidays of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are important dates for most Poles.

Special value of this day lays not only in its religious background, but also in the family character of spending it. The evening between the two days is a traditional time to bring all family members together, attend church and remember past family members.

The tradition of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day began in the first centuries of Christianity. All Saints’ Day has been designated by Roman Catholic Church, as the day to pray for Saints of the church. All Souls’ Day is a day of prayer for all who have died. Over both days, throughout Poland, cemeteries are visited and flowers and candles are placed on graves. The flower traditionally associated with All Saints’ Day in Poland is chrysanthemum.

During this one of the most important Polish holidays, cemeteries glow with thousands of candles and people pray to All Saints by one of the oldest prayer, Litany of the Saints.

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The Palace on the Island in Warsaw

The Palace on the Island is the most important building in the Royal Baths, known as the most charming park in Europe.

The Palace is one of the finest building in classical style, a pearl of Polish architecture and one of the symbols of Warsaw. It is built on an artificial island, that divides the lake into two parts and is connected to the surrounding park by two colonnaded bridges.

It used to be a private bathhouse for the royalty and it was owned by the last king of Poland, Stanislaw August Poniatowski, who made it into his private residence. The Palace was famous for its Thursday Dinners, which were meetings of artists, intellectuals, architects, politicians and statesmen held by the last King of Poland, Stanislaw August Poniatowski.

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The Palace of Culture & Science

This Warsaw’s most recognizable and famous building is located in the very centre of the city, on a square biggest in Europe.

The skyscraper was constructed as a gift from the Russian people to Poland. The idea of constructing such a building was made by Josef Stalin, and the Palace of Culture and Science was built by over 3.5 thousands workers and soviet engineers. 

The building was originally known as the Joseph Stalin Palace of Culture and Science. The name was changed during Poland’s transition to democracy. Stalin’s statutes and communist artwork were also removed during this time.

When it was built, the Palace was the second building in Europe as far as its height. The building is also one of the world’s tallest clock towers. The Palace is home to the biggest in Poland conference hall for 3000 people and its terrace on the 30th floor is a well-known tourists attraction with a panoramic view over the city. 

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Moszna Castle – The Castle of the 99 Towers

Moszna Castle is a historic castle, one of the most magnificent castles in the world.

located in a small village of Moszna, in Southwestern Poland. The castle in Moszna was raised in the mid-17th century, but its present form is a result of the invention of a Prussina magnate from the late 19th century. Even though the castle was originally designed in a Baroque style, one of the castle wing is Neogothic in style and the other is Neo-Renaissance.

The Moszna Castle, is a gigantic dreamlike structure over 8400 square yards and resembles those magical places, that feature in fairy tales and Disney films. The castle structure amazes with its architecture and scale. It has 365 rooms and 99 towers. Part of the rooms were turned into hotel and spa, so you can experience a stay in the castle. The park surrounding, packed with gorgeous azaleas, rhododendrons and oak trees, is one of the oldest establishments in the region of Poland, Silesia.

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Polish Traditional Waffle Cake

Traditional Torcik Wedlowski.

It is a unique wafer cake spread with delicious hazelnut cream and dipped in a thick dark chocolate. Each cake is decorated with a hand-made decoration and cakes are available with special messages for holidays and personal celebrations. Emil Wedel’s signature is used on each produce to distinguish it from others.

As the oldest chocolate brand in the country, Wedel has won people’s hearts and business for generations, since it was first founded in 1851. Its founder, Karol Wedel was a pioneer in the field. The famous chocolate factory is located in Prague district, in Warsaw. E.Wedel is most famous for its Ptasie Mleczko (chocolate-covered marshmallows), Mieszanka Wedlowska (assorted chocolate-covered candy), Torcik Wedlowski and Pawelek (chocolate bar with flavoured filling).

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Zamosc, one of World Heritage Sites in Poland

Zamosc known as ‘a pearl of the Renaissance’, dates back to the 16th century.

It combines Italian and central Europe architectural traditions and its Renaissance character has been preserved until today. It’s cathedral, ranks among the most outstanding accomplishments of late Renaissance architecture. The Renaissance town layout has been maintained and the bastion fortifications surrounded town is a distinctive Renaissance type. The majority of buildings are tenements, which are also an example of Renaissance period.

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Amber – Treasured gift from the sea

Amber is known as the ‘Gem of the Baltic’, and often referred to as ‘Polish Gold’.

It’s the oldest, most precious export product from the Baltic Coast. Amber is a tree resin hardened and weathered for millions of years and washed ashore of the Baltic Sea. 

It’s a mineral of many different names and colours. The colour of amber might vary and depends on the amber nuggets age. It ranges from nearly white, through all shades of yellow and orange, to dark, almost cherry-like red. It’s known under different names such as ‘jantar’, good stone, gold of the north, Baltic gold and electron. 

In the past, amber was associate with a magical power and healing properties, and nowadays is used in the cosmetic industry and folk medicine. 

If you are looking for Polish amber, Gdansk is the city to visit. The seaside city Gdansk is home to the Amber Museum, where you can admire both old and contemporary works of designers. Stadion Energa Gdansk, considered to be most stunning football arena, resembles a piece of amber. 

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Health and Wellness in Poland

From the Baltic Sea in the north of the country, to the magnificent mountain trails in the south, Polish health resorts offer unforgettable experience.

Combination of nature-filled holidays, relaxation, medical and beauty treatments. Polish Health resorts have rich resources of mineral waters with medicinal properties. The oldest mention of using mineral waters for therapeutic purpose in Poland dates back to the 12th century. Besides mineral water springs, the most precious resource in Polish health resorts is peloid deposits of various mineral compositions. Treatments in Polish health resorts are made with a use of natural resources and rare microclimates.

The biggest seaside health resort in Poland is Kolobrzeg, which is known as the capital of all Polish spas. The graduating towers in Ciechocinek are the oldest and the largest such complex in Europe. The UNESCO Heritage site, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is an underground rehabilitation and treatment centre.

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Polish Town Halls

The historic and beautiful town halls city in Poland

Polish town halls were traditionally built in the centre of a town or in the middle of a town square. Their main function was to be a seat of local government. The town halls were a symbol of freedom, wealth and city importance. Beautifully decorated with precise finish façade elements, they contain vital links to the culture of a town.

Beautiful Polish Town Halls:

  • Wroclaw’s Town Hall ranks among the finest town halls in Europe.
  • Poznan’s glorious Town Hall is the most valuable Renaissance architecture monuments in Central Europe.
  • Tarnow’s Town Hall is a 15th century building, originally constructed in the Gothic style and remodelled at the end of the 16th century in a classic Renaissance manner.
  • Stunning Town Hall in Zamosc has 52-metre-high tower and monumental curved stairway, which were built in the second half of the 18th century.
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Karpacz, a charming tourists town

Karpacz, a typical Polish mountain town is situated in the beautiful surroundings of the Western Sudetes.

It is known as the Pearl of Polish Giant Karkonosze Mountains, with a tradition dating back to the 17th century.  

This remarkable town is the most popular mountain holiday resorts in Poland. In winter, perfect for skiing and other winter sports. The rest of the year tourists can spend on mountain and forest walking.

The must to see attraction is the unique 13th century Lutheran Wang Chapel, which was originally built in a Norwegian village Vang and then transferred to Karpacz. Beautiful scenery, including lakes, waterfall, forests and rock formations make the town a perfect destination to relax from city bustle life.

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