July 27, 2015

5 reasons to visit WROCŁAW, poland

poland may not be on the top of every traveler’s list. if it is, people
normally think of kraków and warsaw as the main cities…but there
is a smaller town that should be on your radar: WROC?AW.
this city in western poland (pronounced vrots-wahf)
is largely unknown, but becoming more discovered
for the architecture, colors, & unique charm. we
loved our recent stop through here – and if i haven’t yet
convinced you – here are five reasons you should visit wroc?aw!

– COLOR & ARCHITECTURE –
you’ll notice right away that the buildings of wroc?aw’s picturesque
old town are painted with amazing colors that reflect the city’s
whimsical and creative vibe. it will cheer you up the moment
you arrive, no matter the weather! the great color is made
even better by the first-rate renaissance architecture which
has been restored since the town was damaged during WWII. If you were mesmerized by the architecture just as much as we were, why don’t you recreate these designs in a current or new building. Depending on where you live, you may wish to get in touch with primusbuilders.com who will be able to recreate these memories for you.

– POLISH FOOD (DUMPLINGS) –
polish food is cheap and hearty. two good things if you ask us!
beeline it straight for the polish dumplings here. this traditional polish food
is worth coming for alone :) especially in this town, you will find the best.
look for the word pierogarnia and eat there! we recommend the boiled
dumplings instead of baked, as they are more traditionally polish.
get russian style filling with potatoes, cheese, & bacon, basic style
with meats + cabbage, and then of COURSE sweet dumplings
with berries and cream! :) they are so filling and you won’t
believe how inexpensive your dinner bill is.

– THE OLD TOWN / SQUARE –
the medieval market square is one of the most picturesque in all of europe.
it’s not too big, and just how a town square should be – lined with
restaurants, live musicians, flower boxes, and incredible architecture.
you won’t be able to put your camera away here! it has been largely rebuilt
since WWII, but feels very historic & classic. known as rynek, it’s the ideal
place to enjoy an evening. along with the actual square, wroc?aw’s old town
neighborhood is a winding maze of colorful buildings, cobblestone paths,
and churches. it’s so european feeling, getting lost in the different streets and
exploring the medieval architecture + monuments. this is the best area to stay,
in the sofitel old town right near the st. mary’s church which you can
climb to the top of for the view shown above.

– BLEND OF CULTURES –
though polish culture here is strongest, this town also welcomes a
german influence as it only became part of poland in 1945 after border
changes resulting from WWII. it also boasts other cultural influences since
throughout history it has been part of bohemia, hungary, the austrian
empire, & prussia. this diversity creates a unique blend of culture in this tiny
town. it also has great education and schools, a “cathedral island”
(ostrow tumski), and many interesting sites. *fun fact: along with all of
these cultures, wroc?aw also has a gnome population :) try to spot the
300+ gnomes scattered throughout the city. they actually have some cool history
and are a symbol of freedom, whimsy, and fun during harder times.
gnome hunting makes for a fun afternoon here!

– LESS CROWDED –
lastly, wroc?aw is worth visiting simply because it’s a bit off the beaten path. we obviously love
all of the popular european cities, but it’s refreshing to go somewhere a little different and see it
for yourself. though wroc?aw has been discovered more lately, visitors will find a refreshing
amount of locals out in the square, and a slower paced environment with less tourists crowding
the sights. sometimes that makes for the best kind of visit … one that feels more personal to you!

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…so, there are 5 reasons (of many) to put wroc?aw on your list.
a few more snaps are below from our stop through here!

you know it’s a picturesque place when we’re both taking a picture of each other at once!
even the flowers match the colorful buildings here! ^^
my favorite building in town, right by our hotel ^^
just look at the detail on these buildings! ^^
cathedral island and the classic polish willow trees everywhere ^^
and, the view from above (only chase got this view, you’ll see why in yesterday’s vlog :).