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

This is where the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp was built. A free shuttle bus leaves the town of Auschwitz (located roughly two miles away) every 30 minutes.

Birkenau

Albania

England

Greenland

Spain

Central America

Africa

North America

South America

Asia

Middle East

Oceania

I took the tour here in English, but it is possible to do it in French (or any one of around 15 other languages). Though partly destroyed, the site is still impressive. When you see the railway tracks and the wooden huts (former stables to which latrines were added), you can really imagine what the "living" conditions must have been like for the prisoners, and the very idea sends a shiver down your spine. On the day I visited, the sun was shining brightly but the atmosphere was chilling. Seeing the remains of the crematoria and hearing what the tour guide has to say provides a vivid reminder of the horrors that took place here. Auschwitz-Birkenau is the largest Jewish cemetery in the world. This is an absolutely essential place to see when visiting Poland, but when you come back out of this emotionally-charged site afterwards, you won't be quite the same as when you went in.

Birkenau Vacations

Birkenau: How to get there?

Birkenau: See when to go ?

Birkenau: For how long?

Birkenau: What to see nearby?