The trip

I have often said that my favorite place to visit is the place I have never visited before.

Last month, I visited several such places when I visited Poland for the first time. In my two-and-a-half-week journey, I explored the regions in and around Zakopane, Krakow, Gdansk, and Warsaw.

I was struck by how different each area was. Mountains surround Zakopane- the Gubałówka Range to the north and the Tatra Range on the other three sides; Krakow is a city with great history, highlighted by its Old Town and Jewish districts; Rivers cut through Gdansk, which rests against the Baltic Sea in the country's far north; and Warsaw is a large industrial city and the nation's capital, which features a beautiful area around the palace. Most cities we saw were clean, but I also saw a plethora of graffiti on the urban buildings.

Poles love to hike, and we spent every day exploring on our feet. I estimate that we hiked well over a hundred miles on this trip. The most difficult walks were among the mountainous regions around Zakopane. A close second was a climb to the top of the tower at St. Mary's Basilica in Krakow.

We rented a car for the first week, which let us explore the area around Zakopane. Driving in Poland is an adventure for those not used to it. Roads are narrow - often too small to accommodate two cars passing in opposite directions without one moving to the sidewalk. No one jaywalks in Poland. Pedestrians have the right of way at designated crosswalks, and they know it, often crossing streets without looking - an impressive act of faith in the approaching drivers. One night, we almost parked in a spot reserved for licensed horse-drawn carriages before Bing Translate helped me understand the sign. The next day, we witnessed tickets and wheel locks on cars parked in these spots.

I found most things to be inexpensive in Poland. We ate most meals at restaurants, and it often cost about half what I would have paid in Chicago. One notable exception was gasoline, which cost $80 to fill a tank.

Although most of the trip was in Poland and I only slept in Poland, I did spend a day in Slovakia. Our plan was to visit an ice cave, but when we arrived, we learned the closing time posted on their website was inaccurate, so we arrived too late. Instead, we drove to the Bešeňová Water Park and Spa, which featured mineral baths - spring water containing sulfur and other compounds that some folks believe provide healing powers.

Highlights

Here are a few highlights from the trip.

Morskie Oko

A mountain lake outside Zakopane. Getting to the lake required a long hike up a steep incline. They offer a horse-drawn carriage ride, but this only took us a fraction of the distance, so we still had to hike miles to get to and from the lake. When we arrived at Morskie Oko, we decided to walk the path around the lake, which is covered in large broken stones and took several hours. It was a lot of effort, but it was well worth it. The vistas at Morskie Oko are breathtaking.

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Our tour took us 130 meters underground, where we learned the mine's history and saw impressive art and sculptures.

Auschwitz and Birkenau Death Camps

When Adolf Hitler and SS chief Heinrich Himmler devised their "Final Solution" to eliminate Jews from Europe, his Nazis built death camps to accomplish this goal. Few camps were more successful than Auschwitz, which is located about 40 miles west of Krakow. A million Jews were murdered at Auschwitz, as well as a hundred thousand others deemed undesirable by the Nazis. An organized tour took us through Auschwitz as well as the nearby concentration camp at Birkenau. The stories of suffering were difficult to hear, but the experience was moving.

Piano Recitals in Gdansk and Warsaw

Composer Frédéric Chopin grew up in Poland and composed many beautiful piano pieces. I resolved to see a live performance of Chopin's work, and I saw two! In Gdansk, Piotr Kasiłowski performed on piano in St. Catherine's church, illuminated only by hundreds of candles. His set included works by Chopin, Beethoven, Brahms, and Liszt. The following evening in Warsaw, pianist Mamiko Ueyama performed Chopin compositions exclusively in a museum near the palace.

Westerplatte Peninsula

World War II began at Westerplatte Peninsula when Adolf Hitler invaded Gdansk, in violation of multiple treaties. A monument stands here to honor the soldiers who held off the Nazis for seven days before falling. Walking around the peninsula to and from the monument provided fresh air and exercise.

Museums

I visited numerous museums on my trip, including

Itinerary

Here is when and where we stayed and visited.

• September 5-12: Zakopane and vicinity (with a side trip to Slovakia)
• September 12-17: Krakow
• September 17-20: Gdansk
• September 20-22: Warsaw

Below are our daily activities

September 5

• Landed in Krakow. Rented a car and drove to Zakopane
• Walked around downtown Zakopane

September 6

• Took the cable car to the top of Giewont Mountain
• Sushi and Ice cream in Nowy Targ

September 7

• A beer at the top of Gubałówka Mountain
• A visit with Donna's aunt and uncle in Suche
• A drink at the Café Tygodnik Podhalański. Rooftop restaurant with views of the city

September 8

• Hike up and down Morskie Oko
• Dinner at Cristina Ristorante. The best service we experienced in Poland

September 9

• Drive around Slovakia
• Ice cave was closed
• Bešeňová Water Park and spa

September 10

• Climbed up and down Wiktorówki

September 11

• Rain all day. We spent a leisurely day sipping coffee and beer and walking around the city.

September 12

• Arrived in Krakow
• Tour of Wawel Royal Castle
• "Golf Cart" tour of Kazimierz - Krakow's historic Jewish Quarter

September 13

• Wieliczka Salt Mine
• Several beautiful churches, including St. Mary's Basilica: Climbed to the top of the tower for views of the Old Town
• A walk around Krakow's Old Town

September 14

• Schindler's Ceramic Factory

September 15

• Auschwitz and Birkenau Death Camps

September 16

• Krakow Underground Museum
• Walk around Krakow's Jewish Quarter

September 17

• Train to Gdansk

September 18

• Museum of the Second World War
• European Solidarity Center

September 19

• Westerplatte Peninsula
• Candlelight piano concerto by Piotr Kasiłowski performing Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, and Liszt at St. Catherine's Church in Gdansk

September 20

• Train to Warsaw
• Piano recital: Pianist Mamiko Ueyama performs Chopin compositions

September 21

• Royal Place Gardens
• Warsaw Uprising Museum

September 22

• Flew home