Lower Silesia

Schloss Fürstenstein (Zamek Książ) is, after Marienburg and Wawel, the third largest castle in Poland. It thrones on the northern edge of Waldenburg (Wałbrzych) on a rock above the deep gorge of the Polsnitz (Pełcznica).The building combines medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neo-Renaissance styles: Its core dates back to a castle of Duke Bolko I of Schweidnitz from the late 13th century; during the renovation from 1909 to 1923, a new wing and the 47-meter-high main tower were added. A visit includes the state rooms, the terraced gardens, the underground passages from World War II, the stud farm, and the palm house. Around the castle extends a landscape park, which you can explore on forest paths.

Breslau (Wrocław) is, with around 673,000 inhabitants, Poland's third-largest city and the capital of Lower Silesia. The city lies on the upper Oder River and spans about twelve islands, connected by 100 to 300 bridges, depending on how they are counted. Around the year 1000, a bishopric was founded here, and in 1261, Wrocław was granted Magdeburg Law. In 2016, it was a European Capital of Culture.The heart of the Old Town is the Market Square (Rynek) with its Gothic Town Hall, surrounded by burgher houses and churches. North of the Old Town, bridges lead to Cathedral Island (Ostrów Tumski), the oldest part of the city, featuring a cathedral and churches. To the east, in Scheitniger Park, stands the Centennial Hall, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2006.As you stroll through the city, you'll repeatedly encounter small bronze gnomes on house walls, lampposts, and stairs. The first figure commemorates the anti-communist Orange Alternative movement; meanwhile, there are now more than 1,000 of them. You should plan at least two to three days for your visit to the city.

Krummhübel (Karpacz) is located in the Giant Mountains, by the Lomnica river, at the foot of Sněžka (Śnieżka). At 1603 meters, Sněžka is the range's highest peak and lies on the Czech border. With just over 4,000 residents, the town is one of Lower Silesia's key holiday resorts, perfect for summer hiking and winter skiing.Karpacz stretches up the valley. The lower part holds the town center with churches, town hall, and museums. Further up is Brückenberg (Karpacz Górny), home to the Norwegian Wang Stave Church. Above the town, the Giant Mountains National Park (Karkonoski Park Narodowy) offers trails to Sněžka.Plan a full day for the ascent; check weather and lift operations beforehand, as ridge conditions can change rapidly.

Görlitz on the Lusatian Neisse is Germany's easternmost city. Since 1945, the river has formed the border with Poland; its eastern districts are now the independent Polish city of Zgorzelec, reachable on foot via the Altstadtbrücke.During World War II, Görlitz remained almost entirely spared from destruction, and its historic Old Town, including Untermarkt and Obermarkt, is consequently well-preserved. This makes the city a popular and frequently used film set.

Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) in the west of the country is considered the cradle of Poland: Posen (Poznań) and Gnesen (Gniezno) were home to the first Piast rulers, and Kalisch (Kalisz) is known as Poland's oldest city. With approximately 29,800 km², the voivodeship is the country's second largest, and about 3.5 million people live here.The landscape is flat and characterized by the Greater Poland Lake District, with almost nine-tenths of the region draining via the Warthe. Amid fields and forests lie churches, castles, and manor houses, many of them just a short drive from Posen.