Situated on the Polish and Slovakian border, the Dunajec gorges offer amazing views  of the Pieniny region.    

Europe

After almost half a century of being under supervision, Poland has been slowly, but surely, opening its doors to the world over the past twenty years. Vibrant and dynamic, one of its main attractions is its striking blend of modernism and archaism. The towns boast many different sights: the capital of Warsaw is a showcase of the country’s new modernity, while the picturesque Krakow and Gdansk seem at times to be set in another era. Equally, you can discover dreamy landscapes, from the Baltic beaches to the many lush and unspoilt natural areas (natural parks, ‘the land of the thousand lakes’). But Poland also has a very heavy history, which you can, and should, discover, by visiting sites charged with history, such as the Warsaw ghetto and the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. To visit Poland is to discover a world of contrasts, a country focused on the future, and the scars it wears preserve an authenticity that forms all its charm.

Poland

Gorges de Dunajec

The Wieliczka Royal Salt Mines are easy to get to from Kraków.  You can therefore go on an afternoon's excursion to them. 

Wieliczka

A cold city at first sight, but a good place to come to terms with. Warsaw is a footprint of history and this history is still too often little-known.

Warsaw

The first winter sports resort on the Polish side of the Tatras, Zakopane has managed to retain all of its old-world charm with its many wooden chalets.

Zakopane

Chelmno is one of the most beautiful spots in the Lower Vistula Valley, on the route between Torun and Gdansk. This splendid medieval town inherited from the Teutonic Knights boasts stunning red-brick buildings, impressively preserved.

Chelmno

Albania

England

Greenland

Spain

Central America

Africa

North America

South America

Asia

Middle East

Oceania

I was delighted by Chelmno (pronounced "Khéoumno"), where I arrived one January morning (-16°C that day) during my adventures in northern Poland, not expecting too much. As I disembarked from the train which had brought me from Torun, I was surprised to find that the Teutonic Knights, who ruled over the region in the Middle Ages, had left behind such beautiful and well-preserved vestiges. 
My admiration for Chelmno's architecture gave way to the bitter cold a mere quarter of an hour after my arrival in the city. I found refuge in a popular eatery, where I enjoyed a warming plate of pierogi. This proved to be the culinary hot water bottle I needed, and provided me with the energy to continue my exploration of the city, which I was eager to do. A young local, also sheltering from the cold, offered to give me a guided tour. We took a lovely walk, wandering from the elegant "Rynek" with its fantastic town hall in the Italianate style of the Polish renaissance, to the gothic red-brick churches in the typical Germanic style of the north.
After thanking my tour guide, I took refuge once again, this time in a tearoom. Reinvigorated, I ventured out again, hands in pockets, to explore the ramparts, admiring the roofs and streets blanketed in snow. I boarded the train to Gdansk feeling very pleased with my fleeting visit...

Chelmno Vacations

Chelmno: How to get there?

Chelmno: See when to go ?

Chelmno: For how long?

Chelmno: What to see nearby?