100% customisable travel idea
Baltic, lakeside and urban Poland Family trip at the heart of Europe
Poland - Gdansk - Masuria - Warsaw
100% customisable travel idea
Poland - Gdansk - Masuria - Warsaw
100% customisable for you
Pick up your rental car, take the motorway and stay for four nights between the Vistula and the Baltic Sea. Huge windows open these modern chalets onto the surrounding countryside. The colours are light and natural. The overall effect is both rustic and stylish. Discreetly elegant. Nevertheless, the sea is nearby and the atmosphere is suited to the informal lifestyle of the coast. Everything you need for a self-catering family holiday is available on site. There is a sauna, as befits a northern location. A mini-market allows you to pick up any small items you may have forgotten. However, if you don't feel like cooking, you can order meals. In the evening, people often gather at the owners' house. This is a great way to bond over food and conversation. Children can enjoy outdoor games. The gentle terrain is ideal for using the bicycles provided for guests. The nearest beach is about two miles (three kilometres) away.
On your itinerary - Gdansk by solar boat. A private guide is on hand to refresh the memories of adults who may have forgotten about the Hanseatic League or the Danzig Corridor, and to enlighten those who have never heard of them. Gdansk's rich heritage bears witness to a long and complex history, including alternating between German and Polish rule, membership of the Hanseatic League - an import/export association - from the 14th to the 17th century, and repeated identity crises. Once upon a time, there were neighbourhood problems. This is how St Mary's Church, which was built in the 14th century in typical Gothic brick style, became successively Catholic, Lutheran and then Catholic again. The Jagiellonian kings combined the Renaissance modernity of their era with German Gothic. The 15th-century harbour crane is a beautiful symbol of powerful trade. At the end of Long Lane, the Mannerist Golden Gate reflects a new view of the world at that time. As for the shipyards, they preserve the memory of the workers' revolts that shook Sovietism in the 1970s and 1980s. At the end of the historical tour, you board a solar-powered boat and set sail on the Vistula.
Gdansk is a symbol, despite itself, of the misfortunes of post-Versailles Europe, and was devastated but meticulously rebuilt after the war. It regained the vitality that had always characterised it. When the time came, a strong working class, a turbulent and committed student youth, and the support of the Church and courageous intellectuals sparked the Solidarnosc epic. In the post-socialist context, the city has embraced its future and is becoming increasingly attractive thanks to its dynamism, stimulating urban planning, vibrant cultural life and world-class museums. Young people should be encouraged to go and see Hans Memling's Last Judgement - the painter who made the spiritual elegant - at the National Museum, or the Centre for European Solidarity in the shipyards. You'll be rewarded with piernik, the local gingerbread speciality.
Optional - Malbork Castle.
Northwest of Gdansk, Slowinski National Park is the perfect place for a breath of fresh air with the family. It is famous for its shifting dunes. Sometimes as high as forty metres, the wind blows them along the coastline. It's the perfect playground. The protected area was classified as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar Site (wetland of international importance) and also includes pine forests and peat bogs, which can be explored via the footpaths. Can you see two big ears darting away? It’s a hare. A pig that isn't a pig? It's a feral pig, a grumpy domestic animal that has conquered freedom. You’ll watch the mute swans, white-tailed eagles and grey geese fly by. There are also lots of ducks and teals. And a multitude of waders feeding north of the water. While the children play with their spades in the sand, their parents relax, gazing out at the grey-blue sea.
Drive to Masuria. Stay for three nights between Lake Sniardwy and Mragowo in a forest house whose rustic exterior conceals a treasure, just like in fairy tales. Here, you’ll find design and comfort. That’s because the famous architect who designed it limited his boldness to the comfort and convenience of the guests. The colours surprise, then seduce. This pink is stunning. And you will remember the blue earthenware tiles. The shapes are in harmony with a beautiful freedom of tone. On top of that, the technical facilities are impeccable. Nothing is missing. The private and communal areas are in harmony. There is a generosity here that adds a special touch to the stay. In short, it's beautiful, it's practical, it's comfortable. And then there is the transition to the perfectly maintained natural surroundings. Will it rain? These things happen. If they don't want to play outside, the children have a games room at their disposal.
Masuria is full of woods and lakes, and mists when the weather turns cool, so it is the natural setting for Polish romanticism. It is a land of mystery and antiquity, whose calm hides something. And it's probably wodnik, a water spirit who enjoys a sarcastic and mischievous relationship with humans. He is a pipe smoker who is also contemplative. And then, bang! The carp jump just has to be seen. The water clearly carries all sounds far. Children who love surprises are at home in Masuria. Lake Sniardwy is the largest in the country. It connects with others. Walking, hiking and cycling are obvious activities as they are easy to do in this flat country. The flora includes carnivorous sundews, beautiful Siberian irises, delicate boreal linnaea bells, martagon lilies, among many others. The fauna includes insects such as the swallowtail butterfly, butter-yellow with black veins, the stridulating cockchafer, and the fawn dragonfly with a blue abdomen. And there are birds too And mammals.
Optional - Bike rental.
On your itinerary - Kayaking on the Krutynia river. It flows (or rather, enters) Lake Beldany after 55 miles (90 kilometres) of peaceful flow through the different aspects of the Masurian landscape. That makes it perfect for exploring the countryside and enjoying a family paddle. From this point of view, although the effort is persistent, it is not strenuous. You can go at your own pace along a reasonably defined section. The equipment is provided by the organisation and safety conditions are guaranteed. Water sports have a special charm. Is it the fluidity of the water? Perhaps. In any case, you get involved and you apply yourself. And you always feel proud of yourself when you reach dry land. You get a satisfaction that enhances the pleasure experienced along the way.
Drive to Warsaw. Return the car and spend the night in the city centre. From the outside, the building's ocean liner architecture is impressive. Inside, the contrast with what came before is striking, as you encounter Japanese minimalism in all its splendour, sophistication and comfort. Even the bathrooms are urban. Why Japanese? Why not! A journey within a journey. Impeccable, graphic, hyper-contemporary. As for the restaurant, it's Nikkei: Japanese stoves and knives with an Andean influence. This provides a counterpoint to the pierogi. In short, a surprise!
Portrayed by Bernardo Bellotto, 1721-1780, razed, rebuilt, Sovietised and liberalised, the Polish capital seems to have to pull itself out of everything. This gives it poise and a taste for the present.
Optional - Warsaw like a local.
Transfer to the airport. Return flight.
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