Poland - Eastern Europe - page 378

were shifted approximately 200km (120 miles) to the west, gaining territory at the
expense of Germany and losing it to the then-Soviet Union. The country shares bor-
ders with the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the south, and Belarus and Ukraine to
the south and east. Germany lies to the west. To the north, Poland borders the Baltic
Sea and Lithuania. Poland also shares a long northern border with the Russian enclave
of Kaliningrad, part of former German East Prussia that the Soviet Union claimed after
World War II, but which does not connect to the Russian homeland.
THE REGIONS IN BRIEF
Warsaw, the capital, lies in the easterly center of the country, the main city of a rela-
tively flat region known as Mazovia. To the northeast, an interconnected series of
rivers and lakes, known as the Mazurian lakes, stretches out to Kaliningrad and
Lithuania. Much of this land was part of the German province of East Prussia and
belonged to Germany as recently as World War II. South of Warsaw and Mazovia are
the regions of Ma l opolska (Little Poland), often seen as the Polish heartland, and
Kraków. Under Austrian occupation, Kraków was a leading city of the province of
Galicia, which spreads east into present-day Ukraine. Below Kraków begins an area
known as the Podhale, the foothills of the Tatras, and then farther south the moun-
tains themselves. To the immediate west of Kraków lies the immense industrial region
of Upper Silesia, including the central city of Katowice. Farther west, to Lower Sile-
sia, the region becomes more agricultural. The capital of this area is Wroc l aw, the for-
mer German city of Breslau. North of Wroc l aw, starts the enormous regions of
Wielkopolska (Greater Poland) and Pomorze (Pomerania)—the ancient borderlands
between Germany and Poland and rich with the legacy of the Teutonic Knights.
SUGGESTED ITINERARY: POLAND IN 10 DAYS
Poland is a large country with small roads and generally slow trains. That means it's
hard to cover ground quickly and best to keep travel plans relatively modest. The fol-
lowing itinerary is laid out for car travel but with a little effort can be adapted to train
and/or bus travel.

Days 1 & 2 Arrive in Warsaw
Get settled in and if you've got the energy,
try to arrange for a city tour in the after-
noon. Warsaw is sprawling and even if
you're not an “organized tour” type of
person, this is one place where it makes
sense. Spend the second day with a more
leisurely stroll of the Old Town. Don't
pass up the chance to see the Museum of
the Warsaw Uprising.
Days 3 & 4 Kraków
Drive or take the train to Kraków—either
way it will take about 4 hours. Give your-
self plenty of time to enjoy Poland's most
popular travel destination. Dedicate at
least a day for the Old Town and the

Wawel castle area, and another for Kaz-
imierz and the sights of the former Jewish
quarter.
Day 5 Kraków Day Trip
The former Nazi extermination camp at
Auschwitz/Birkenau lies about 90 min-
utes west of Kraków by car; alternatively,
you can book one of several Auschwitz
day tours through the tourist information
office. It's a must, particularly if you have
never had the chance to visit a Holocaust
site in the past. If you're traveling with
small children and looking for a more
cheerful day trip, try the Wieliczka Salt
Mines, easily reachable from Kraków by
bus or train.