Thursday 13 - Poland Edition #3

13 Things we will see in Poland

These are some of the scheduled stops on our trip. However, itinerary is subject to change on a moment's notice!

1. Malbork Tuetonic Knights Castle - Founded in 1274 by the Tuetonic Order, and one of the largest castles in Europe.

2. Gdansk Old Town - Includes historic buildings, like the town hall (ratusz), and several churches.

3. "Under the Salmon" restaurant - Famous Gdansk restaurant established in the 16th century. Frog legs, anyone?

4. Solidarity Monument and Museum - Tributes to the struggle of the Polish people against communism, of which Robert's father was a participant.

5. Gdansk Shipyard - Ground zero for the Solidarity movement, and a huge active port today.

6. Westerplatte monument - Site of the first battle in WWII, the invasion of Poland.

7. The Grand Hotel - Located in the seaside town of Sopot, this five-star historical hotel was established in 1927 and has hosted many dignitaries, members of royalty and movie stars. Fancy, schmancy. A drink will probably cost us $20 each.

8. The pier in Sopot - Officially the longest wooden pier in Europe at 516 meters long. Lots of action going on here!

9. The Tatra Mountains - Located on the southern border of Poland, these are the tallest mountains in the Carpathian mountain range. We are renting a cabin here for a week.

10. Kasprowy Wierch - This is one of the taller peaks in the Tatra Mountains, and requires an aerial cable car ride to get there. I nearly had a mental breakdown last time we took this trip - I don't like heights - but I suspect we will do it again (and I'll have my head between my knees) because the views are to die for.

11. Morsie Oko - Translated as "eye of the sea", this lake is deep in the Tatras, and can only be accessed by a horse-drawn cart or on foot. It is the largest lake in the Tatra Mountains. This two hour hike one way is great for working off all the pierogies and smoked cheese we will certainly have eaten by this point.

12. Wroclaw Town Square (Rynek) - This is in Robert's home town, and is something we enjoy seeing with each trip. There are outdoor cafes, shopping, and in the center, a very old and architecturally beautiful town hall, as well as several churches.

13. Wieliszka Salt Mines - One of the world's oldest operating salt mines, established in the 13th century. The mine is 327 km deep and over 300 km long.


Please see The Bumbles comments below for the link to more Thursday 13 lists!