Guide to Poland Seaport Szczecin: An off-beat beauty near Baltic Sea

A marvelous mashup of historic and modern architectural treasures awaits visitors to Szczecin, a busy Baltic Sea port tucked into the northwest corner of Poland.   The city’s medieval castle reminded me of a wedding cake frosted with cream cheese. Its futuristic concert hall looks like an ice palace with jagged glass panels that light up the sky.   Szczecin (pronounced shteh-cheen) may not be a well-known tourist destination—yet. However, the city of 400,000 impressed me with its eclectic attractions, close proximity to Baltic beaches and innovative take on traditional...

Historical sights, modern marvels on a Warsaw visit

Old Town Square in Warsaw Poland.

Poland’s vibrant capital is showing up on more travel lists in 2025, and not just because Warsaw is one of the most affordable European capitals. As I zipped to the top of Varso Tower in a glass-enclosed elevator, I marveled at the city’s evolving landscape. At 1,020 feet, the neomodern structure is now the tallest building in the EU.   The 53-story skyscraper’s observation deck opens to the public this spring. Finally, visitors can look down on the Palace of Culture and Science, the drab...

In Wroclaw, Dwarves Add Mischief and Meaning to Historic Polish City

More than 1,000 bronze dwarves reside in doorways, atop bridges, and on street corners in Wroclaw, a vibrant city in southwestern Poland. Some made me laugh like the dwarf riding a Vespa. Others encouraged reflection, such as the dwarf with a big heart helping children in neighboring Ukraine. Most, well, just made me smile.   Some destinations capture your imagination with towering skyscrapers, prestigious art museums, or Michelin-starred restaurants. In Wroclaw, what drew my attention were the statuettes shaped like dwarves or krasnale in Polish.  ...

How I Found Jesus in Poland

Worlds-tallest-statue-of-Jesus-in-Swiebodzin-Poland.-@Barbara-Redding.jpg

A chance encounter with a stranger in a small town in Poland led me to the world’s tallest statue of Jesus.   I was on my way to Berlin after spending 10 wonderful days devouring pierogies and visiting castles and cultural sights in Poland. But my train departed late and I missed my connecting train. I wound up on a train headed in the wrong direction.   You can read about what happened next in my story in the latest issue of Food Wine Travel...

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