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Łódź

Łódź (Pronounced: Wootch) is Poland's third biggest city, and the capital of the Łódzkie Voivodship. Unlike most other large Polish cities, which have long histories, Łódź was created almost from scratch during the 19th-century textile industry boom to house textile mills, their owners and their workers, and rapidly grew to become an important industrial and commerce centre. Since the end of the Soviet era, the textile industry split into many smaller companies, which often specialize in technically complex products such as lingerie and wedding dresses. The city rebounded in the 21st century due to foreign investment in IT industries.

Owing to its history, Łódź has an impressive collection of residential, commercial and industrial 19th-century architecture including some of Europe's largest factory buildings, now mostly repurposed as shopping centres or lofts. Local investment and a long-standing cultural scene ensures there is always something more to do than just sightseeing or shopping, with the city hosting some of the best museums and art galleries in the country. The close proximity of Warsaw and Łódź's location at the crossroads of the Polish motorway system make it an ideal destination for a day trip or longer city break.

Name and history
The origin of the city's name is unknown, however, the word łódź translates to "boat" in English. This is referred to in the emblem and when you hear the dwellers of Łódź (łodzianin (man) łodzianka (woman) łodzianie (plural)) calling themselves "the boat people".

A settlement on the area of present-day Łódź was established in the 14th century and in 1423 it was granted a town charter, along with the right to have a marketplace. However, the real development of Łódź started with the industrial era at the beginning of the 19th century when the city was chosen to be the heart of the rapidly-growing textile industry. The population of Łódź soared from some 4,000 people in the 1830s and 40,000 in 1865 to over 300,000 inhabitants at the turn of the century, which was an unprecedented growth on a worldwide scale.

The rapid development of Łódź in the second half of the 19th century was brought about by the rise of enormous industrialist fortunes. New inhabitants, craftsmen and merchants came to Łódź; markets and town fairs came to life. The profits obtained from prosperous textile mills opened up practically unlimited possibilities for their owners. The city residences became expressions of the riches and power of the local tycoons. They were usually next to the owner's factory.

Ever since the industrial revolution brought a massive influx of workforce, Łódź had been a city almost equally divided between four cultures - Polish, Jewish, German and Russian. The day before the outbreak of World War II, Łódź was inhabited by approximately 672,000 people, among whom 35% were of Jewish faith and some 15% were ethnic German. Andrzej Wajda's movie, Promised Land based on a novel by the Nobel laureate Władysław Reymont, depicts those times and is a worthwhile introduction to the city's bustling history.

During the Nazi occupation, Łódź was incorporated directly into the Third Reich. The city was renamed to Litzmannstadt, and Piotrkowska Street was called Adolf-Hitler-Strasse. The Jewish community was practically wiped out, and many others lost their lives. Although the city was not destroyed in the aftermath, the material losses were serious as the machinery, raw materials and finished goods were taken away by the fleeing Nazis. The day before the liberation, about 80,000 Germans left Łódź in panic. At the beginning of 1945, the population was estimated at 300,000.

Łódź today
Since the fall of communism in Poland, Łódź has not enjoyed the rapid economic growth cities like Kraków, Warsaw and Wrocław have experienced, and has had to endure the fall of much of its textile industry, high unemployment and emigration (within Poland and abroad). This led to further dilapidation of the investment-starved city, and many of its streets and buildings show profound signs of neglect. At first glance, for a city of 680,000 and agglomeration of 1.1 million (2019), there does not seem to be much to see. However, the situation is rapidly changing now with Łódź campaigning and redesigning itself as an up-and-coming destination. To accomplish this, Łódź has been capitalizing on its film history - Łódź is jokingly referred to as the "HollyŁódź" of Poland and hosts several film festivals and many other cultural events.

Łódź today may not have the glitz and glamour of its heyday; however, there is a certain charm to Łódź in its partially renovated façades and leitmotivs, not to mention its grand artistic traditions.

Orientation
The main tourist office is at Piotrkowska 87 Street. You should also be able to get a map and some tips at the airport.

Łódź is divided into five districts:
 * Śródmieście - central downtown area
 * Polesie - western residential area
 * Widzew - eastern industrial and residential area
 * Bałuty - northern industrial and residential area
 * Górna - southern residential area

By plane

To travel between the city and the airport:

 * Public transport, buses 65A and 65B serve the airport. Read more in the public transport section.
 * Taxi, in front of the terminal there is a number of taxis to choose from.

The marginalisation of Łódź's own airport is due to the proximity of the Warsaw's Chopin Airport (WAW), which offers a wide range of European and intercontinental flights. Warsaw's other airport, Modlin Airport (served by Ryanair only), is farther away.

By train
See also Poland

 * Łódź Fabryczna is a centrally-located terminal station for domestic trains, incl. direct trains from Warsaw, Kraków, Gdynia, Poznań. Luggage lockers 13-16 zł/24 hr.
 * Łódź Widzew is a station east of the center, which handles most intercity traffic to and from Łódź. You can get there on trams number 8, 9 and 10 and many buses (if travelling by tram, you need to alight at the Rondo Inwalidów stop and walk alongside Adamieckiego street).
 * Łódź Kaliska is a station west of the center that, as of 2018, does not handle any transit trains and offers connections mainly to nearby towns around Łódź such as Sieradz or Kutno.

By car
Łódź lies at the centre of Poland's road and highway system. The nearby city of Stryków is important motorway junction, where two of the most important motorways cross each other:
 * The  A2   E30  runs from Berlin to Warsaw (through Poznań). The section between Berlin and Konin requires hefty tolls. An alternative is taking the former country road no.  2 .
 * The  A1  between Gdańsk and Katowice was completed in 2013. The  1   E75  is its country road equivalent.

The planned  A8  highway to Wrocław has been downgraded in plans to  S8  expressway.

By bus
Flixbus serves Berlin, Prague, Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdansk, Katowice, Zakopane and Poznań. They offer free onboard Wi-Fi and the tickets should be bought online beforehand for the best price. Buses depart from Łódź Fabryczna bus station (adjacent to the train station).

Eurolines serves many European routes.

Small minibus and bus companies offer connections between Łódź and number of cities (big and small) around Poland. While most of these depart from Łódź Fabryczna station, there are also buses (operated by OKbus) that go to Warsaw Chopin (Okęcie) and Warsaw Modlin airports from Łódź Kaliska station. The Czech bus company Leoexpress connects Łódź Fabryczna railway station with Warszawa Zachodnia bus terminal and Młociny metro station.

On foot
Depending on your level of fitness, you can see the whole of the city center without needing any transport. However, for some attractions like the Old Jewish Cemetery or Botanical Garden you will be better off taking a bus.

In winter snow is sometimes not removed from the sidewalks, resulting in a mixture of snow and mud. Be sure to bring waterproof shoes if you plan to travel on foot in the winter.

By bike
A bicycle sharing system was implemented in Łódź in 2016. There are 154 bike stations available and 1540 bikes for rent. You need to register with a fee of 20zł, but if you return the bike within 20 minutes no money is charged. For more information and the full tariff, see the ŁRP website (available in English). Bikes are not available in the winter season.

Public transport
The public transport system is operated by MPK-Łódź (apart from two bus lines: 6 and 61, operated by other companies, but the same tickets are valid within city limits; don't mistake the bus line 6 with the tram line 6, which has the same number, but is operated by MPK). It is definitely the cheapest way of moving around the city. The descriptions on the bus and tram stops are in Polish only, but they should be easy to follow. See the Polish phrasebook if you feel uncomfortable. For schedules of buses and trams see also jakdojade.pl (available in English). Outside of the rush hour (07:00-09:00 and 15:00-18:00), the public transport is quite efficient and runs on time. During the rush hours and in winter (during snowy conditions) be prepared for some delays.

Łódź is divided into two ticket zones: inner-city and suburban (the division doesn't concern 20-minute, 40-minute and 60-minute tickets). The inner-city tickets are valid within the city borders, while the suburban ones - in the neighbouring towns and villages serviced by the Łódź public transport system (with some exceptions in the towns of Zgierz and Pabianice, which will be explained later on).

Some of the lines have variants marked by different letters. In the case of some lines there are only two of those (9A and 9B, or 10A and 10B), but with some lines there are as many as five (53A-E). Always check the timetable, where all the information is always included.

Every ticket allows you to change the vehicle an unlimited number of times within the ticket time (waiting time at the bus or tram stop also counts, so be careful if you have a "short" ticket and a long connection). There are also reduced fare tickets (50% off the regular price), but these can be used only if you have valid documentation with yourself (e.g. a student ID of a Polish university or an ISIC card) as it will be requested during the ticket control.

Validate your ticket immediately after you enter a bus or a tram - it should be the first thing you do. It is advisable to buy tickets beforehand in numerous newspaper kiosks and small groceries. There are also ticket machines at selected spots in the city, usually near busy sites in the city centre, and these accept both cash and cards. Most of the vehicles (except those operating bus lines 6 and 61) are equipped with ticket machines, but the majority of these accept only payment by card. If the ticket machine in the vehicle is out of order and you run into ticket control, you can buy a ticket for 4.40 zł (cash only) from the controllers and avoid the penalty fee. This does not include situations in which the machine is only temporarily blocked, so the regulations leave some room for interpretation and it is a good idea to buy the ticket before boarding the vehicle. It is not possible to buy tickets from the driver.

Tickets valid for longer than 24 hours are written onto an electronic card called "Migawka"; you can buy them in a few dozen sales points. Tickets valid for longer than 5 days are available in two versions - bearer and personal. Personal tickets are cheaper, but they must be ordered in advance (online or at one of 5 MPK customer service points) and you must attach a photo.

There are also several mobile phone payment systems for buying tickets. Callpay uses premium numbers (there is no need to register or download any application), while Mpay, Mobilet, Skycash and Unibank all offer pre-paid e-purses accessible through a mobile phone application. Unfortunately, only Skycash offers an English website, but there is still no English application.

Travelling with any luggage (within reason) or a bicycle is free of charge. During the summer, there is a special summer schedule with a reduced number of departures for most of the lines.

All traffic info (mainly disruptions) is posted in real-time on the Facebook page MPK-Łódź Traffic.

By tram
There are 18 tram lines (1-18, with variants) serving the city proper and two suburban tram lines (41 and 43). Line 10 (both variants) is served by low-floor trams throughout the day. With other lines, you are likely to find yourself boarding one of the older trams with no access for the disabled. If there is a change in the schedule (in other words, if something fails), the substitute bus lines are marked with either the Z or KZ abbreviation (for "komunikacja zastępcza" - "substitute transport"), or the number of the substituted tram. The tram line map is worth familiarizing yourself with first. Because of the renovations of the tram tracks, some lines have been closed and are served by substitute buses. Such long-term substitute buses are marked with the letter Z and a number, often being a number of the replaced tram line - for example Z2 for a bus substituting tram number 2 (but it's not a rule).

Tourist Tram Line
Łódź has one of the oldest tram networks in Poland, which dates back to the 19th century. One of the attractions during the summer is taking the 'Tourist Tram Line' (43), which goes from the area of Liberty Square in Łódź (the beginning of Piotrkowska street) through the town of Konstantynów Łódzki to the village of Lutomiersk. Łódź public transport tickets (both inner-city and suburban) are valid. You can also buy tickets from the tram crew dressed in historical costumes.

By bus
The buses are the backbone of the public transport in Łódź. Almost all of the buses are the easily accessible low-floor buses. The bus line map (also including trams) is worth printing and keeping in your pocket whenever you're visiting.

Night buses
There are 8 night bus lines and they serve extreme points of the city. There is no fare increase compared to other public transport services, so you can use ordinary tickets on the night lines. All the night lines have a common stop at Kościuszki/Zielona intersection and depart every hour starting at 22:30 on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends. Be fast to board your bus as they stand in a long line and all depart at the same time! The night bus map is separate from the day version linked above.

Suburban trams and buses
The public transport system of Łódź also connects the city with neighbouring towns and villages. It is divided into two zones: the inner city and the suburban zone (the division doesn't concern 20-minute, 40-minute or 60-minute tickets, which are valid in both zones and allow crossing from one to the other). The towns of Zgierz and Pabianice have their own public transport systems and their own tickets. Outside the borders of Łódź, it is important to know which tickets you should use.

The suburban tickets of the public transport of Łódź are valid in:
 * all the trams and buses within the borders of Łódź
 * all the trams outside the borders of Łódź
 * all the buses outside the borders of Łódź, except the local lines in Zgierz (including lines 6 and 61 that connect the town with Łódź; lines Z45 and Z46 are operated by MPK Łódź and require regular Łódź public transport tickets) and Pabianice.

The tickets of the public transport of Pabianice are valid in:
 * local buses in Pabianice

The tickets of the public transport of Zgierz are valid in:
 * buses in Zgierz - local ones and those connecting Zgierz with Łódź (6 and 61), but only within the borders of Zgierz

Travelling from Łódź to Zgierz by one of the bus lines: 6 or 61, you have to validate a new ticket at the border stop (marked in the timetable with a hash: #).

Travelling beyond Łódź city limits, you need to have a valid ticket for the suburban zone from the moment you cross the border stop (marked in the timetable with a hash: #). If you possess, for example, a monthly inner-city ticket for Łódź, and you are going to Pabianice by tram (41), you have to validate a 40-minute Łódź ticket (or another one that is valid in the suburban zone) at the Mały Skręt stop. Of course, you can have a suburban zone ticket for the whole journey, including the part within Łódź.

The unified map of both inner-city and suburban lines in the Łódź metropolitan areas is another great resource to print out and keep on your person whenever you're walking around the city.

By train
Several train stops scattered throughout the city complement the city's public transport system. Łódź public transport tickets (same as for buses and trams) are valid on all trains operated by Polregio and ŁKA (Łódzka Kolej Aglomeracyjna) companies within city limit. For long-distance trains operated by PKP Intercity you need a separate ticket. If you want to make sure your station lies within city limits, check for the name of the city in the station name (the only exception is Lublinek, which despite lacking 'Łódź' in its name still lies within city boundaries). Check the bus and tram system maps above for the location of train stations.

By car
Driving in Łódź is quite easy and the rules of the road are adhered to. Pedestrians and bicycles have a right-of-way on pedestrian and bike crossings. During the rush hour, you may expect large traffic jams on the main arterial roads (Mickiewicza, Kopcińskiego, Pabianicka, Włokniarzy, Jana Pawła II, Paderewskiego, Śmigłego-Rydza, Rzgowska, Kościuszki, Strykowska and Zgierska).

Local and international car rental agencies (such as Hertz, Avis or Eurocar) can arrange a car for you when you arrive at the airport. When parking in the city center within the marked paid parking area, make sure you pay the parking fee. Depending on the parking zone, the fee is 1-1.50 zł for the first 30 min, 2-2.50 zł for the next hour, 3-3.50 zł for the second hour, 3.50-4 zł for the third hour, then 2.50-3 zł per every next hour. Parking can be paid with credit cards, coins or via CityParkApp and mobiParking parking apps. You only have to pay when you park between 8:00 and 18:00 on weekdays, and weekends and holidays are free. You may also park on a privately-owned parking lot in the center. A parking attendant will approach you then and put a piece of paper behind the wiper with the time you started parking. When leaving, you will have the pay the fee - it is usually the same as for the public parking (or slightly more).

Yearly passes can be bought at Zarząd Dróg i Transportu (Road and Transport Authority) at ul. Piotrkowska 171/173 (Tuesdays 09:30-16:00, every other weekday 08:30-15:30) or at the road and transport authority's Web site.

Taxis
Taxis are another option to consider, and are quite cheap for a westerner. However, one should be sure that there is a taxi sign atop the cab and that the driver has a permit. 9622, 600400400 and 9191 are some of the known companies and they all have exactly same prices. You also can order a taxi via a hailing app, such as Uber, Bolt, FreeNow (former myTaxi) or iTaxi.

Rickshaws
On Piotrkowska Street, you can travel any distance on a rickshaw for 2.50 zł per person. It gets to 4.00 zł in the night and most of the rikshaw drivers will take you out of Piotrkowska if you offer to pay more.

See
Łódź is well known for its architectural monuments which form a record of the city's heritage, particularly its unique 19th century development. Since 1989, the city of Łódź has rediscovered its industrial heritage, a unique ensemble of architecture, preserved despite two world wars.

Religious buildings

Museums & art galleries
Łódź has a surprisingly large number of museums for a city of its size and background, which strengthens its claim as a hotbed of culture and ensures there is always somewhere to go for a visitor. Most charge a small fee, though these are good value by western standards.

 * Also in the complex is the Open-air Museum of the Łódź Wooden Architecture.

Parks
One of the "greenest" cities in Poland, Łódź is home to 34 public parks - 11 of which are natural monuments - and one of the largest city forests in Europe is within the city borders. Perhaps the most interesting ones are:

Do
Having been primarily promoted as a centre of creative industries (arts, design, fashion), the city hosts a considerable number of cultural events throughout the year on a range of subject matter. If you are travelling not just to see beautiful architecture, but to also experience a plethora of local events, Łódź is a great place to be.

Theatres
The city's theatre scene can be considered a jewel in its cultural crown and includes a diverse range of shows and productions.

Tango
Milongas usually take place on Mondays in Oranżada on ul. Piotrkowska 67 and on Sundays in Klub Mojito on ul. Piotrkowska 143. They usually start at 19:00-20:00 and don't last longer than till 22:00-00:00. Several long and short tango courses are usually organized through the year.

Sports

 * Football: Widzew Łódź play soccer in Ekstraklasa, the top tier. Their home ground Municipal Stadium (capacity 18,000) is 2.5 km east of city centre.
 * ŁKS Łódź were relegated in 2024 and now play in 1 Liga, the second tier. They too play at Municipal Stadium.

Buy
The vast rate of improvements made over the past two decades mean Łódź may in fact be Poland’s top shopping destination (but don't tell that to someone from Warsaw!). Whether one is in search of American-style malls, designer boutiques, dusty family stores or antique markets, there is much to be explored and it is likely you will need more than a day to experience it all!

Shopping areas

 * Piotrkowska Street is the main commercial street in the city. It is supposedly the longest commercial street in Europe, being four kilometres long. There are many enticing shops selling jewelry, clothes and books.
 * Kościuszki Street not as famous as Piotrkowska Street, but you can usually buy the same things here and pay much, much less.

Malls
Łódź has a good number of shopping malls. The most notable are:

Markets
If you are up to buying groceries, clothes or anything else on a real market, these are the places to go:
 * Former
 * Former
 * Former
 * Former
 * Former

Clothes
You will find numerous shops offering wedding dresses in Łódź. This is a derivative of Łódź being once a very large textile center. The "wedding district" is on ul. Jaracza, ul. Sienkiewicza and ul. Kilińskiego, but you will also find other shops all around the city. If you buy something directly off-shelf, you may get a very good price (usually less than €250). It is cheaper if you decide to buy in autumn as it is considered to be the low season.

For groom clothes, you can visit either Ptak Trading Center, Polros or Pawis shop where you can get a tailor-made suit (but it usually takes a few weeks). There is also Sunset Suits and Armani stores in Manufaktura mall that tailor wedding garments. Again, if you buy off-shelf, the price is highly competitive.

Łódź and the surrounding area is also known for producing some of the highest quality and best-fitting bras in the world. Some factories, such as Ewa Michalak, are open for tours or have stores.

Eat
Łódź has culinary influence from all over the world and it is actually quite difficult to find explicitly Polish cuisine if you do not dine in the most expensive places. For the cheapest food, it is best to go to one of the numerous kebab or Yem joints. For something a bit healthier, you can easily get a tasty sandwich for around 6-8 zł. Polish cuisine does not have any cheap 'fast food' meals, so if you want to try something definitely Polish, it is wise to invest a bit more money and go to a splurge restaurant. They are costly only by Polish standards.

The cheaper option would be to look for a 'Pierogarnia' (or ask someone about it). There are many of such places in Łódź and they sell Polish dumplings. The price is usually very competitive.

Food delivery services are represented by such popular apps like Pyszne.pl, Pizzaportal.pl, Glovo and UberEats.

Food shopping
The most popular hypermarkets are Tesco, Carrefour, Kaufland, Auchan or E.Leclerc. If you are on budget, you can go to Biedronka or Lidl. If you are prepared to spend some more money and buy some better produce, go to Piotr i Paweł. The last shop is 100% Polish-owned.

Drink
Łódź is known for its excellent night scene. Nightlife is concentrated in the city center (Piotrkowska Street, Kościuszki Street and the adjoining streets). There are dozens of pubs and restaurants there. Another focal point is Manufaktura where many festivals and public concerts take place (but it usually closes much earlier).

Sleep
Łódź lacks cheap hostel accommodation, but with generally low prices for the mid-range hotels, everyone should be able to find something suiting their needs. It may be wise to choose one of the hotels in the city center as this will reduce the time you need to spend on the public transport or in taxis. Łódź is a fairly compact city, and while most attractions are in the center, you need to travel some distances to a few other attractions that are on the outskirts.

Postal service
There are numerous post offices in Łódź. The main post office is on Tuwima 38 Street in a century-old building. Do not be misguided by the name, the main post office is not open 24/7 (but the one next to Łódź Kaliska station is).

Internet
There are some Internet cafes on Piotrkowska and nearby streets and most bars and restaurants have Wi-Fi, just ask the staff. There's also free Wi-Fi in Manufaktura centre and at Łódź Airport.

Stay safe
Łódź has a rough reputation among Polish people from other cities, largely thanks to well-publicized events that shocked Poland in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Today, Łódź is a safe place. Contrary to typical newcomer's fears, the crime rate is relatively low and according to statistics is much lower than in any other large city in Poland (only 39 crimes per 1000 citizens were reported in the city in 2008). Also, violent crime is very rare. Some basic advice though:

Watch out for pickpockets. A common trick for thieves is to operate in groups and create artificial crowds on buses and trams which distract their victims' attention prior to being pickpocketed. Also, do not leave your belongings unattended and keep your wallet in your front pockets.

Do not visit the city parks after dark. During the day you are perfectly safe, but almost all city parks are open also during the night and there have been reported cases of muggings.

Avoid the following places. Even though the city is safe, the locals will tell that you should avoid certain places if going alone. These are: Włókiennicza Street (also a small part of Wschodnia and Kilińskiego Streets that is in the proximity of Włókiennicza), Abramowskiego Street, Solna Street and Limanowskiego Street.

Avoid displaying football-related emblems. The hooligan scene in Łódź is quite large and very divided. You never know who you will meet, so it is safer to keep your football affections to yourself. This is especially important during the local derby between ŁKS and Widzew football clubs. This advice holds for every Polish city.

Be careful when using pedestrian crossings. Even though pedestrians have right-of-way on pedestrian crossings, some Polish drivers do not respect that. So please be careful and always make sure that there are no cars approaching when you decide to cross the street. This applies to all Polish cities.

Beggars
Łódź hasn't been developing residentially quite as rapidly as some other more successful Polish cities, and has some of the most deprived urban areas in Poland, but such issues are handled by the government and (especially) NGOs.

If you are keen to help, consider donating to an accountable charity, like the Polish Red Cross or Caritas Polska. If you still want to give something to a beggar, offer buying food for them (and notice their reaction).

Cope
Łódź is a safe and friendly city, very eager to receive foreign visitors. The average English level of Łódź residents is high, especially among young people. Older generations are more fluent in Russian and German. However, directions to major sights are not well-marked and you are best off with a map at hand. Do not be afraid of asking directions, as people will almost always try their best to help you! It will be very well perceived if you learn at least a few Polish words like "dziękuję" (thank you) or "proszę" (please). See the phrasebook Polish for more Polish words and their pronunciation.

Consulates

 * 🇦🇹 Austria
 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
 * 🇩🇰 Denmark
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇭🇺 Hungary
 * 🇱🇻 Latvia
 * 🇲🇩 Moldova

Go next
Useful for day trips:
 * Łęczyca, a medieval town about 40 km north of Łódź with a royal castle, knight tournaments, old churches and Festival of Film Trailers. About 1 hour by train from Łódź Kaliska bus station or by coach from Lutomierska and Zachodnia streets intersection.
 * Łowicz is famous for colorful regional costumes and folk art. It is about 60 km north-west of Łódź (about 1 hour 15 minutes by train or bus from Łódź Kaliska station). Boasting rich history, Łowicz also houses the old residence of Polish archbishops, numerous churches, monasteries and museums.
 * Nieborów has a splendid baroque palace with a large park, and is close to Łowicz.
 * Arkadia is an English-style, large romantic park with artificial ruins. To get there, first go to Łowicz and then take a bus (PKS) in the direction of Skierniewice that stops in Arkadia and Nieborów.
 * Inowłódz is a small village south-east of Łódź, just beyond Tomaszów Mazowiecki. There is a famous, almost 1,000-year-old church there.
 * Spała is a village right before Inowłódz. There is the Spała Landscape Park and the village is known throughout Poland for its spa resorts and luxurious hotels.

Large cities nearby:
 * Warsaw, the capital of Poland, with much to offer to any type of tourist. The fastest way to get there is to take the train from Łódź Kaliska or Łódź Widzew station, or travel by car or coach about 130 km east over the A2 highway that connects both cities.
 * Poznań, one of the largest cities in Poland and home to the country's oldest cathedral. It's about 200 km west by same A2 highway.
 * Toruń is one of the oldest Polish towns and the birthplace of Copernicus. It's about 160 km north of Łódź by A1 highway.

title: Łódź


text:
Łódzkie

Łódź Voivodeship (Polish: województwo łódzkie) is a province in central Poland, formed around the major city of Łódź.

Cities

 * — once renowned for its textile industries, the Polish Manchester has the longest walking street in Europe
 * — an important industrial hub has a small but beautiful old town
 * — with two market squares (one triangular!) and nearby parks and palaces, this charming little town and a hub of local folk culture is well-connected to major transit corridors
 * — south of Łódź is this often-overlooked pearl of 19th-century heritage
 * — the second-largest city in the voivodeship boasts rich history reaching the medieval times
 * — the capital of horticultural sciences offers a surprising variety of built heritage
 * — the capital of horticultural sciences offers a surprising variety of built heritage
 * — the capital of horticultural sciences offers a surprising variety of built heritage

Understand
Łódź Voivodeship is in the centre of Poland. The capital is Łódź, which is the third biggest city in Poland. In geographical terms, the Łódź region is located on the Central Polish Lowland, in proximity to the Świętokrzyskie Mountains.

The present-day Łódzkie is an amalgamation of cities and lands with very different history, brought together by their central location. It is a rather urbanized and industrialized region, even if the prevalent industries are the light ones, compared to the heavy industry in Silesia southwards from Łódzkie. As there is no major river flowing through Łódzkie, it benefitted greatly from the construction of railways that started in the 19th century, and there are many important railway nodes in the voivodeship. Moreover, Poland's two most important motorways, the North-South A1 and East-West A2, cross in Łódzkie, providing further boost to the development of logistic centres and business/industry parks.

Having said which, Łódzkie is also rich in pre-industrial historic and folk heritage, which can be evidenced in many of the smaller towns and villages across the voivodeship. There is a wealth of local cultures and traditions, simple but very tasty cuisine and stories involving big historic names such as Napoleon or numerous Russian Tsars. While off the map for most tourists, Łódzkie is far from flyover country.

History
In the early Middle Ages the Łódź region was part of Greater Poland which was the major part of Poland in the 10th century. However, the capital of Poland was moved from Gniezno to Kraków in 1040. When in 1138 the Seniorat of Poland was formed, what is now Łódź region was part of three different duchies: the south-eastern part of Greater Poland, Sieradz and Łęczyca. These three were soon reunited, and became part of the Kingdom of Poland in the beginning of the 14th century. Piotrków Trybunalski played an important role in Polish parliamentarism, as this was the place where the most Polish Sejms gathered since the 15th century.

After the Second Partition of Poland in 1793, most of its territory was annexed by Prussia, but became independent as part of the Duchy of Warsaw between 1807-1815. After the Congress of Vienna it became part of the Kingdom of Poland, ruled by the Russian Tsar. Łódź, often referred to as the Polish Manchester, emerged as a major industrial city in Central Europe in the early 19th century. After World War I Łódź region became part of the Second Polish Republic, but was occupied by Nazi-Germany between 1939 and 1944, when it was part of the German Generalgovernement. After World War II it again became part of Poland. Nowadays it is in the heart of the country.

Talk
There is no major dialect or accent of Polish notable within Łódzkie. Many inhabitants do not speak any foreign language, but if they do, English is your best bet among the younger generations and with most service sector employees. Despite being in the Russian sphere of influence for almost two centuries, you won't find many fluent Russian speakers - much more probably, some of the younger people you encounter will speak another Western European language besides English, like German or French, due to many international companies locating their subsidiaries and service centres in Łódzkie.

By plane

 * Łódź Władysław Reymont Airport is a relatively small airport served by Ryanair, Wizzair and SAS, the latter offering connecting flights to most major airports in Europe via its hub in Copenhagen.
 * Warsaw's Frédéric Chopin Airport is only about 100 km away from Łódź.

By train

 * Łódź Fabryczna is the terminal for trains that originated in Poland with Łódź as a stop. This station is centrally located and announcements are in Polish, English and German. It reopened in 2016 after reconstruction.
 * Łódź Kaliska is the more international train station that services riders from the Czech Republic and Germany.

The most important railway infrastructure points in the region are Koluszki (east from Łódź) and Kutno (north from Łódź, between Poznań and Warsaw).

By car
Poland is planning an extensive network of highways, but until this project is completed the best advice is to check a map or an atlas.

Several completed and planned international highways that will pass through or by Łódź are listed below.
 * A - 1 from Scandinavia via Gdańsk, Toruń, Łódź, Częstochowa, Katowice to Balkans.
 * A - 2 from London via Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Poznań, Łódź, Warsaw, Minsk to Moscow.
 * A - 8 from Paris via Strasbourg, Cologne, Dresden, Wrocław, Łódź, Warsaw, and from Geneva via Munich, Prague, Wrocław, Łódź, Warsaw.

Go next
Łódź Voivodeship borders six other Polish voivodeships (from South, anticlockwise):

 * Śląskie,
 * Świętokrzyskie,
 * Mazowieckie,
 * Kujawsko-Pomorskie,
 * Wielkopolskie,
 * Opolskie.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Łódzkie


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Łęknica

Łęknica is a border town in Lubuskie Voivodship, Poland lying directly opposite the German town Bad Muskau. The Muskau Park (German: Muskauer Park, officially: Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau, Polish: Park Mużakowski) at the border with Germany is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

By plane
There is an international airport in the near city of Wrocław.

By car
You can easily get there by car from Wrocław.

Buy
Manhattan. One of the biggest street bazaars in Poland, over a thousand sellers. Food, ceramics, wicker products, clothes, cigarettes and everything else, caters to Poles and Germans alike. Still, an attraction.

Go next

 * Bad Muskau, German twin town

title: Łęknica


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Łeba

Łeba (pronounced 'Webah') is a resort city in Pomerania on the Baltic coast with a wide sandy beach. The Slowinski National Park, featuring the biggest sand dunes in Europe, is situated to the west of Łeba.

By plane
The nearest airports are Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport and Szczecin-Goleniów Airport.

By car
From Gdańsk or Szczecin by the route E28 to Lębork and then north to the coast by the 214.

By train
There are regular train connections from Lębork several times a day during the summer peak season - usually every hour or second hour. The journey takes an hour. A few trains per day runs all the way from Gdynia.

By bus
There are regular minibus services operated by Boguś Bus  between Lębork and Łeba.

Yacht port

 * ul. Jachtowa 1, tel. +48 59 8661460, 8661530, 8662973
 * 54°46.0' N 17°33.5' E
 * Radio: VHF 12, 16, 17
 * Maximal units: up to 18 meters long (yachts), up to 24 meters long (motor). Price/24h: yacht up to 5.5m: 11zł, 5,5-10m: 20zł, 10-13m: 35zł, 13-17m: 43zł, 17-20m: 50zł, etc... Electricity: 6zł, water 3zł. Hostel: Jul-Aug 170zł/90zł kid (120/70 zł off season)
 * Water and electricity supply to yacht. Bar, WC, showers, laundry, sauna, hostel.
 * See: http://www.portjachtowy.vit.pl/ Also Port Jachtowy link on http://www.leba.pl/ (in Polish). Follow into Port Morski link to see navigation map.

Get around
Łeba is a small town - it is easiest to navigate by foot or by bike. There are many bicycle rental shops in the town (prices start from 20 zł per person per day).

See
There is a tourist information centre in the Listopada Street. To get there, after getting off the minibus at the railway station, walk straight ahead to the roundabout, turn right and the tourist information centre will be on your right hand side a few metres ahead next to the library.

Do

 * beach
 * water sports, windsurfing
 * horse riding
 * disco

Go next
Gdańsk Bay:

 * Gdańsk - Pomeranian city with a beautiful old town and the biggest Gothic brick church worldwide
 * Sopot - a sea resort with the longest European mole
 * Gdynia - a sea resort and the biggest Polish Baltic port
 * Puck - a sea resort

Vistula Bay:

 * Elbląg - a large town with history that dates back to the Middle Ages
 * Frombork - a sea resort and medieval town, with the grave of Nicolaus Copernicus
 * Kadyny - a small seaside village

Kashubian Coast:

 * Slowinski National Park with the biggest dunes in Europe
 * Jastrzebia Gora - a sea resort
 * Rozewie - a sea resort
 * Władysławowo - a sea resort

Pomeranian Coast:

 * Koszalin - medieval town
 * Kołobrzeg - a sea resort and medieval town
 * Ustka - a sea resort
 * Rowy - a sea resort
 * Mielno - a sea resort
 * Darłowo - a sea resort

On the Hel Peninsula: Chałupy, Jastarnia, Jurata and  Hel are little sea resorts that are popular destinations for summer vacations.

On the Vistula Peninsula:
 * Krynica Morska - sea resort

title: Łeba


text:
Świdnica

Świdnica is a city of 58,000 inhabitants in Dolnośląskie, Poland. It lies 55km southwest of the regional capital Wrocław. The Peace Church of Świdnica is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

By plane
There is an international airport in the near city of Wrocław.

By train
The regional rail operator Koleje Dolnoslaskie has train going from Wroclaw Glowny that takes 1-1.5 hours (sometimes require a connection).

By car
You can easily get there by car from Wrocław, Wałbrzych and Jelenia Góra.

By bus
The local minibus departs from a side road outside Wroclaw main bus station with several departures every hour (time table). The journey takes about 1 hour. (See Poland by bus.)

Do
Attend the summer Bach Festival in July. Concerts are held in the Church of Peace and other venues in the town. For further details go to and follow the links through 'schedule of concerts' and 'Bach festivals'.

title: Świdnica


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Świdwie

Świdwie is a lake and birds reservation 20 km away from Szczecin in Poland.

Flora and fauna
There are a lot of birds in the park.

By car or bicycle
Drive from Szczecin through Pilchowo and Tanowo; just after Tanowo you will see "Świdwie" sign. After few kilometers of gravel road you'll arrive at small village Węgornik; there you will see another sign. Leave your car on parking, climb the tower (you can't enter the reservation without previous arrangement with its office) and enjoy the view.

There is bicycle path connecting Szczecin (Głębokie) with Pilchowo and Tanowo; you can also ride through the forest by fire roads if you have good map (topographic map preferred) and more rugged bicycle (it's quite flat but expect a lot of sand).

Fees and permits
Entry is free.

See
The birds. Take good binoculars and/or lenses for the camera.

Do
Photos of the birds.

Buy
You can't buy anything here. Nearest shop is in Tanowo.

Eat
Bring your own food. If you are so inclined you can try collecting mushroom or berries in forest outside reservation area.

Drink
Bring your own drink. Drinking alcohol is prohibited at reservation and will incur the wrath of guards.

Sleep
Sleep in Szczecin. You can try asking people at nearby Węgornik village to pitch a tent, perhaps some will allow you to do it at their premises.

Respect
You can start a campfire in a designated area, but ask the reservation guard for permission first. Don't shout or otherwise scare the animals.

Go next
Szczecin

title: Świdwie


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Świeradów-Zdrój

Świeradów-Zdrój is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodship, in Poland. The town of just short of 5,000 inhabitants is located very near to the Czech border.

Do
In 2008 a new skiing development opened. This includes a purpose built gondola system which will transport skiers in comfortable 8 person carriages. The slope is 2.5 km long at a very relaxed pace making it an ideal destination for beginners.

Sleep

 * Dworek Saraswati www.saraswatihotel.com
 * Fireside Holidays www.firesideholidays.com

title: Świeradów-Zdrój


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Świnoujście

Świnoujście is a port town and seaside spa on the western Baltic coast of Poland, near the German border. It is situated at the north coast of the islands Wolin and Usedom (Uznam) at a wide sandy beach. It is known historically by its German name, Swinemünde. It is directly bordering the German Ostseebad Heringsdorf.

By plane

Another option may be to fly to Berlin and take a transfer to Szczecin from there. From Szczecin there are a lot of connections to Świnoujście.

By car

 * From Gdańsk or Szczecin by the route E28 to Goleniow and then E65.
 * From Anklam by the B110

By train
is located on the right side of the river. Polish national railway company [http://rozklad.pkp.pl/bin/query.exe/en? PKP] operates to Świnoujście totally 7 long-distance trains and many regional trains. For example, the train ride from regional capital Szczecin takes 1h30min-1h45min.
 * PKP operates to Świnoujście 5 InterCity trains: Przemyślanin (Przemyśl - Kraków - Katowice - Poznań - Szczecin - Świnoujście), Barnim (Katowice - Wrocław - Poznań - Szczecin - Świnoujście), Światowid (Katowice - Wrocław - Zielona Góra - Szczecin - Świnoujście), Matejko (Przemyśl - Kraków - Częstochowa - Wrocław - Zielona Góra - Szczecin - Świnoujście) and Latarnik (Warsaw - Poznań - Szczecin - Świnoujście).
 * PKP operates to Świnoujście 2 Tanie Linie Kolejowe trains: Wolin (Kraków - Katowice - Wrocław - Zielona Góra - Szczecin - Świnoujście) and Uznam (Warsaw - Poznań - Szczecin - Świnoujście).
 * PKP operates from Szczecin to Świnoujście 8 regional trains, 4 of them start in Poznań.

If travelling from Germany, then UBB/DB is the option to go with. Notice that these trains leave from a different station, the on the left side of the river.
 * UBB operates to Świnoujście Centrum 28 RegioBahn trains on line RB23 (Stralsund - Greifswald - Züssow - Wolgast - Zinnowitz - Heringsdorf - Świnoujście).

By bus
Świnoujście bus station is next to the train station.

 * PKS

By boat and ferry

From a ferry crossing Świnoujście Warszów (“Bielik” ferries only for inhabitants) may use passenger cars and lorries with maximum weight up to 2.2 tons. In hours from 4:00 to 22:00 may use only vehicles having letters beginning with ZSW on licence plates or ID stickers on front windows. On weekdays from 22:00 to 4:00 and on weekends i.e. Friday from 17:00 to 4:00 Monday may use all passenger cars and lorries with maximum weight up to 2.2 tons.

 * Polferries connects to Ystad, Sweden daily, about an hours drive from Copenhagen over the Øresund bridge (The company will pay for the bridge toll or a bus connection between Ystad and Copenhagen. You need to ask in advance).

Drink
There are several lively clubs and bars in Świnoujście that provide a bustling nightlife, especially during the summer season. Jazz Bars, rock clubs, pubs are all there - not to mention the lively seaside promenade. Right on the beach, there are several beach bars and a dance club.

Bars in Świnoujście:
 * Akwarium, Mazowiecka 77A
 * Boss Pub, Wybrzeże Władysława IV 22
 * Cech Pub & Pizzeria, Bohaterów Września 4
 * Hoangson Bar, Konstytucji 3 Maja 4
 * Osada, Wybrzeże Władysława IV 30
 * Pasztecik Bar, Generała Józefa Bema 13
 * Promway Bar, Wybrzeże Władysława IV 3
 * Royal Joker Billard Club & Drink Bar, Uzdrowiskowa 11
 * Sfinks Pub, Wojska Polskiego 1/19

Clubs/discos in Swinoujscie:
 * Piwnica Bar, Mazowiecka 72b

Go next
On the island Wolin:
 * Wolin National Park
 * Game reserve of wisents
 * Sea resort Międzyzdroje with the Kawcza Góra hill and 93 meter high cliff of Gosań nearby
 * Sea resort Dziwnów
 * Ancient town of Wolin (town)

On the mainland:
 * Pommeranian metropol Szczecin
 * Sea resort and medieval town of Kamień Pomorski
 * Sea resort and medieval town of Kołobrzeg
 * Gothic church ruins at Trzęsacz
 * Medieval town of Stargard Szczeciński with an over hundred meter high cathedral

In Germany:
 * The island Usedom and Peenemünde

title: Świnoujście


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Şarköy District

Şarköy is a coastal district in Tekirdağ Province in Turkish Thrace, with a population in 2012 of 29,991. It's also the name of the main town, population 17,411, at the west end of the district. It's a resort strip and wine-producing area, within 2-3 hours travel west of Istanbul.

Understand
This district borders the Sea of Marmara and is backed by low mountains, none reaching 1000 m. The city experiences hot, mostly dry summers - nevertheless with some occasional downpours - and chilly, rainy and occasionally snowy winters. This climate is good for growing olives and grapes, see below for local wines. Spring with the fruit blossom and autumn harvest are pleasant times to visit. It's become a resort strip, mainly for the benefit of Istanbul, and western tour operators and hotel chains don't feature here.

From antiquity this coast attracted Greek settlers, who grew into the majority population by the 19th century. Ethnic tensions spiralled into the First World War and the follow-on Greek-Turkish war: the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne re-drew the border and mandated population transfers. So Şarköy deported its Greeks and was re-populated by Turks deported from Macedonia in northern Greece.

Towns
From west to east, the main settlements are:
 * the principal town was ancient Peristeri or Peristasis. There's a nice waterfront, and traveler amenities.
 * was Heraklitsa. It has nice beaches with clear water.
 * was Kalamisia. It has a pleasant beach and olive yards.
 * was Myriophyton, meaning "a thousand vineyards". It was the district capital during the Ottoman period.
 * was Hora. It's one of the larger settlements along this coast.
 * was Melen. It's a well-preserved Ottoman village, with stone houses, a ruined bathhouse, and old mosque.
 * was Ganos, and with Hora formed the Greek metropolis of Ganohora. It has citadel ruins and desolate beaches. East of here, Mt Işıklar or Ganos rears up from the coastline.
 * was Vidimo, meaning "the heavenly stream". It's a picturesque village clinging above a valley, retaining most of its traditional wooden houses.
 * or Nikori means "the new village" - a mere 200 years old. It's actually in the neighbouring Süleymanpaşa District but easiest accessed while touring Şarköy. Now semi-abandoned, its wooden houses cascade down on the side of a valley.

By road
By car from Istanbul city or airport follow the main highway west to Silivri then D-110 / E84 through Tekirdağ, following signs for Keşan until you branch south on D-555 for Şarköy. This twists and turns but is the fastest and safest route.

For a scenic alternative on a fine day, follow the coast from Tekirdağ through Kumbağ and then via the hairpin bends, olive groves and occasional rock falls to Gaziköy and on west. There's no gas or repair services until Mürefte.

A third route is over the hills from the north, through Ormanlı to Güzelköy and Hoşköy. It was surfaced in 2023, so is no longer exclusively reserved for rufty-tufty drivers, but beware of loose gravel, hairpin turns, and all too common combination of those two.

Coming from the west, from the border go past Keşan and pick up D-555 as above. From Çanakkale and the Gelibolu peninsula, branch off at Kavakköy onto D-120.

By bus
Metro Turizm buses run from Istabul Bayrampaşa via Silivri and Tekirdağ to Şarköy, taking just over two hours, for a fare (as of Aug 2021) of 80 TL. They're every couple of hours daytime with some overnight buses. Be sure to type or cut & paste "Şarköy" into their website, "Sarkoy" won't be recognised. These buses run inland and don't serve the small towns along the coast. For these, travel via Şarköy then look for a dolmuş, see Get Around. There's no public transport on the winding coast road east of Gaziköy.

Pamukkale buses run from Istanbul Esenler / Avrupa every hour or two and stop at Tekirdağ on their way to Çanakkale and other points west. Change for the local buses or dolmuş to Şarköy, which run hourly and take an hour, for a fare of 20 TL.

Ferries no longer sail to the Şarköy coast.

Get around
Dolmuş rattle along the coast between Şarköy and Gaziköy every 30 min between 07:30 and 19:00. They are sparse further east: from Uçmakdere there might be only one or two in the morning heading into town, returning mid-afternoon, so they don't help you with day-trips.

The nearest car rental offices are in Tekirdağ - lots, but international visitors will do better to hire from Istanbul city or airport.

See

 * Gazi Süleymanpaşa Cami is the most attractive of the half-dozen mosques in Şarköy. It's 200 m inland from the harbour.
 * (Kutman Şarap Müzesi), housed in a historic winery building on the waterfront of Mürefte, displays ancient equipment and artifacts used in winemaking.
 * Hoşköy lighthouse (Hoşköy Feneri) is off the main road, on a cliff west of the village. It's a 20 m tower built by the French in 1861 and still in service.
 * St Ioannis Theologos Monastery is a ruin in the hills 1 km north of Hoşköy. This area once had many Greek churches and monasteries and St Ioannis was built in 1865 over a Byzantine or earlier religious site. The ruin is within the Melen vineyard, whose owners hope to restore it.

Do

 * Beaches: Şarköy's best are east of the harbour. Those elsewhere are a thin strip, with groynes to retard further erosion.
 * Hike: a line of mountains rise to 900+ m behind the coast. One popular route is up Mount Işıklar or Ganos, starting from Uçmakdere.
 * Paragliding: The Tekirdağ Paragliding Club (TEYAK) conducts flights, including tandem, from the hills around Yeniköy landing at Ayvasıl beach east of Uçmakdere. They have offices in Yeniköy and Ayvasıl, both also serving as walk-in cafes.

Buy

 * Migros in Şarköy is on the main road 500 m north of the beach. It's open M-Sa 09:00-22:00, Su 10:00-22:00.
 * There is another Migros in Mürefte, at the west end of the town, and a store of the national discount chain A101 in Hoşköy.

Eat

 * Şarköy: open 24 hours by the harbour are Şarköy Balık Dünyası and Yakamoz Köfte Salonu. Lots more on the beach strip east.
 * Seafood everywhere, and this is traditionally a shrimp-fishing area, although much shrimp is now imported from India.

Drink

 * This is a wine-growing region. Turkey doesn't have geographically-protected appellations and plants a variety of grapes, some internationally known such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and some local cultivars such as Karasakız (red) and Narince (white).
 * Melen Winery is based in Hoşköy and offers tours May-Oct.
 * Chateau Kalpak and Cansin's Wineyard are both on D-120 west towards Gelibolu peninsula.

Sleep

 * Şarköy town has the widest selection, which includes Zen Inn Butik, Duru Butik Otel, Sohbet Motel and Kaan Pansiyon.
 * Eriklice has Pansiyon Akmonya south edge of the village.
 * Mürefte has a campsite on its west edge, and the better-reviewed Makara Cadir campsite east by the harbour.
 * Hoşköy: one km south is Hora Butik Otel and restaurant, new in 2021 so it's squeaky clean and eager to please. Near the harbour are Otel Ganohora and the upmarket Hotel Marin Hoşköy.
 * Ayvasıl off the road between Uçmakdere and Yeniköy, particularly the sparsely wooded valley behind the beach is a scenic camping spot popular at summer weekends but you have to be self-sufficient as there are no facilities.

Connect
As of Aug 2021, Şarköy town has 4G from all Turkish carriers. The signal gets weaker as you go east and peters out somewhere around Hoşköy, and there's no signal on the winding coastal road west of Şarköy. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Tekirdağ the regional capital is a sprawling modern place but with several buildings from Ottoman times.
 * Gelibolu is the main town on the Gallipoli peninsula. The memorials of the 1915 battle sites are further south around Eceabat.
 * Istanbul to Izmir is an itinerary with one branch following the coast, to continue south by road down the Gallipoli peninsula.

title: Şarköy District


text:
Şirince

Şirince, formerly Kirkince or Çirkince, is a village nestled in the hills in Central Aegean Region, Turkey, 15 minutes from Selçuk, 20 minutes from the ancient site of Ephesus. Şirince today is very popular with Turkish tourists, especially on weekends.

Understand
A small village, famous for its original Ottoman architecture, olive oil and wine, Şirince was a Christian "Greek" village before the Turkish Independence War. In 1923, Turkish and Greek governments exchanged the populations. The Greek government exiled the Muslims of Greece to Turkey, while the Turkish government exiled Christians of Turkey to Greece. Şirince forms the setting of Farewell Anatolia, by Greek writer Dido Sotiriou's—a native of Şirince. It depicts the events of the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922 through the eyes of a fictional character from Şirince. It is an exceptionally beautiful place and has been relatively well protected. One of very few villages of its type remaining in Turkey and definitely worth visiting.

Get in

From Selçuk town (8 km away from Şirince), you can take minibuses to the village, which cost 10 TL. There is a minibus every ten minutes. You can find one at the main bus depot in Selcuk or flag one down anywhere on its route. Private cars going up to the village will need to pay for parking.

Get around
Şirince is a typical historical Ottoman village with windy cobbled streets and poor car access. As you enter the village you could walk up the right hand street, up past the first church and up on a high level to the second church. The St John The Baptist church ( the deepest in) is worth visiting. This will give you excellent views across the village. You can make your way back down through the bazaar.

See
There are two churches, now restored, both merit a visit.

Many cafes and restaurants offer good views back across the village.

The bazaar in the centre is fun and buzzing.

The principal attraction is walking around the village itself.

Do
Above the village, there is fantastic walking. Olive groves, peach orchards, vineyards. It's Turkey's Tuscany. You need to walk up above the village (any direction will take you to a track or road) to the forestry tracks which crisscross the hillsides. Or walk out to the Mathmatical Village and have lunch or a coffee at the hotel there, they have a pool.

Do please remember that the village is HOME to us villagers and take your litter away with you.

Buy
Olive oil, fresh peaches in season, wine...and people here do make things. Sirince Glass makes pretty glass jewellery, the ladies of the village knit and make jams.

Eat
There are plenty of restaurants in the village with reasonable prices. They serve local specialties and grilled meat. Uzum, in the centre, in addition to good food with a more adventurous menu than most, offers excellent expressos and Western coffee. There is a very good Pide (Turkish pizza) place in the covered bazaar. Sedir (below Uzum) offers excellent food in a shady courtyard. Above Uzum is the delicious Ayse gozeleme restaurant, with a wide range of home cooked food. All these are marked on Google maps.

Drink
You can find alcohol in every restaurant, except close to the mosque. There is a tradition of homemade wine. In addition to homemade (grape) wines, Şirince is also well-known for its fruit wines made of apple, berries or more unusual types such as myrtle. All through the village are shops where you can put your wine tasting skills to the test.

Sleep
Several hotels and bed and breakfasts, mostly in renovated village houses, ranging in price from very basic to luxurious. Also Gül Konakları and Kırkınca Pension.

 * Terraced Houses, a boutique hotel spread across 5 individual village houses offers you comfort and well styled interiors, and outstanding breakfast. +90-532-263-79-42.
 * Terraced Houses, a boutique hotel spread across 5 individual village houses offers you comfort and well styled interiors, and outstanding breakfast. +90-532-263-79-42.

Connect
Şirince and the main road from Selçuk have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Sept 2022, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

title: Şirince


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Šiauliai

Siauliai is an industrial city in Samogitia, the northwest region of Lithuania, though it borders Aukštaitija the northeast region. It's the country's fourth largest city: in 2023 the population was 40,434, with a total of about 108,000 across the metropolis. It's a modern city with several sites of interest, but the stand-out is the "Hill of Crosses" pilgrimage site 12 km north.

Understand
Šiauliai takes its founding date as 22 Sept 1236, when it was documented as the site of the Battle of Saule - though probably that was 30 km northeast. It grew slowly, being devastated in the 16th and 18th centuries by plague and "The Deluge", the invasion by Sweden. After a rebellion in 1769 it was rebuilt in classical style on a grid pattern, and boomed in the 19th when road and rail transport fostered its industries. The big business here was leather and related trades such as footwear, textiles, candles and confectionery, and local magnate Chaim Frankel built a fine mansion on the proceeds. Šiauliai was wrecked in the First World War and eviscerated in the Second, when within a few weeks of the Nazi arrival its large Jewish population lay in the forest graves they were forced to dig for themselves.

Postwar Soviet rule was oppressive but established industries of metal-bashing (including a bicycle factory), electronics, wood-processing and construction. Independence in 1990 led to growth of the service sector and a westward-facing economy. The airport from 2020 was developed as an Airbus servicing facility, and its military role continues as it's within 15 minutes flying time of NATO's eastern frontier.

By bus
From Vilnius buses run roughly hourly, taking 3-4 hours via Panevėžys and Radviliškis; or you might have to change.

From Kaunas they're likewise hourly, usually via Kėdainiai, and continuing from Šiauliai to other towns such as Mažeikiai or Žagarė.

From Klaipėda some four or five daily buses take 3 hours, but early morning and evening buses take slow roundabout routes.

From Riga in Latvia one bus per day is direct from Riga Airport, and two per day run from Riga city with a change.

By train
A daily train to Latvia leaves Vilnius at 06:30 and Siauliai at 8:50, calling at Joniškis and Jelgava and reaching Riga by 10:45. The southbound train leaves Riga around 15:30 to arrive in Šiauliai at 17:20 and Vilnius at 19:50.

From Vilnius trains run every 2-3 hours and take 2 hr 15 min via Kaisiadorys, Jonava, Kedainiai and Radviliskis. From Šiauliai they continue via Telšiai to Klaipėda, taking just under 2 hours.

From Kaunas two services per day take 3 hours changing at Kaisiadorys, and four others take 4 hours changing at Vilnius.

By plane
The most convenient commercial airport is Vilnius, and there are budget flights to Kaunas.

Šiauliai Airport 7 km southeast is primarily military with no commercial flights.

On foot
The city sprawls, but most points of interest are within a compact area.

By bus
City buses run 05:00-23:00. Timetables are posted at bus stops, the station and online. Single tickets are sold on the buses (adult €1, senior €0.50). E-ticket fares are €0.50, for an upfront charge of €1.50 for an e-card, so you break even on the third journey: buy these at the bus station on Tilžės g.

By taxi
Best booked through your accommodation—they know who's trustworthy. Or use the eTAKSI app for smartphones, or Taxify or Uber.

As of 2023, official rates are flagfall €0.70 plus €0.70/km and €6/hr waiting.

Do

 * Saulė Concert Hall is at Tilžės g 140.
 * State Drama Theatre (Valstybinis Šiaulių dramos teatras) is at Tilžės g 155 opposite the Photography Museum.
 * MB Game Tunnel (MB Žaidimų tunelis) is a bowling alley with other amusements such as snooker. It's at Tilžės g 121 opposite the Chocolate Museum, open daily 16:00-01:00.
 * Football: FA Šiauliai play soccer in A Lyga, the country's top tier. FA stands for "football academy" and they're the phoenix successors to FC Šiauliai who went bust in 2016. Their home ground is Savivaldybė Stadium (capacity 7000) about 1 km northwest of city centre; it's shared with the women's team FC Gintra, also in their top tier. The playing season is March-Nov.

Buy
Stores are strung along Tilžės gatvė, the spine of town coursing southwest to northeast. The most central is Maxima on Rūdės g near the Bicycle Museum, open daily 08:00-23:000.

Eat

 * Leja and Boho opposite side of Vilniaus gatvė get good reviews.
 * Leja and Boho opposite side of Vilniaus gatvė get good reviews.
 * Leja and Boho opposite side of Vilniaus gatvė get good reviews.
 * Leja and Boho opposite side of Vilniaus gatvė get good reviews.

Drink

 * Pubs are close to Vilniaus g, and include Bottoms Up, Black Bar and Rock n' Roll. Nero is a shisha cafe.
 * Brewery Gubernija may have brewed since 1665, serving a noble estate, but became an industrial business in 1867; it was revived in 2019. It's 2 km north of the centre at Dvaro g 179, open daily 09:00-19:00 for tastings and shop sales.
 * Distillery Pakrutos Manor in Pakruojis town make gin, schapps and liqueurs.

Sleep

 * Hotel Šiauliai is a Soviet-era behemoth in town centre by the bicycle museum.
 * Hotel Šiauliai is a Soviet-era behemoth in town centre by the bicycle museum.
 * Hotel Šiauliai is a Soviet-era behemoth in town centre by the bicycle museum.

Connect
As of Aug 2023, Šiauliai and its approach highways have 4G from Bite and Tele2, and 5G from Telia.

Go next

 * Klaipėda, Lithuania's third largest city, lies west. It's modern but with many points of interest, and a short ferry-ride brings you to the Curonian Spit.
 * Palanga is a beach resort north of Klaipėda.
 * Kaunas, Lithuania's second city, is southeast, with many features of its time as a Russian bastion then a Polish city.
 * Riga north in Latvia has a fascinating old town centre.

title: Šiauliai


text:
Šibenik

Šibenik is a city (pop. ~37,000) in Šibenik-Knin County, in northern Dalmatia, Croatia.

Understand
Šibenik is most famous for Saint James Cathedral, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, as are the city walls from the Venetian era. A trademark of the city is the traditional Šibenik hat, coloured orange and black, also the city's colours. 16th-century polymath and bishop Faust Vrančić, known as one of the inventors of parachute and perhaps the first man who used it, was born here and lived here. Famous basketball player Dražen Petrović, and Maksim Mrvica, a piano player, were born here.

Šibenik was mentioned for the first time under its present name in 1066 in a Charter of the Croatian King Petar Krešimir IV. For a period of time, it was a seat of the Croatian King. For that reason, Šibenik is also called "Krešimirov grad" (Krešimir's city). It is the oldest native Croatian town on the eastern shores of the Adriatic sea. You can see the statue of King Petar Krešimir IV between the park and the beginning of the promenade along the sea. Šibenik was for almost 300 years under Venetian rule, and then in Austro-Hungary, Yugoslavia and finally, Croatia. It was a very important town in Venetian-Turkish wars and it was a frontier of the western civilization and Christianity.

By plane
Airports of Split and Zadar are quite close to the city (approx. 1 hr by bus).

For Split airport it would be more reasonable to get to Trogir straight from the airport (instead of Split proper), then take a bus from there.

By boat

For long distance destination, like Rijeka, Dubrovnik or Ancona and Bari, check ports of Split and Zadar.

By car
Take A1 highway Zagreb-Split and turn off at Šibenik junction.

On foot
Everywhere in the city is within walking distance. From bus station to the old city centre it takes only five minutes to walk. You can get to all sights on foot, and the furthest are within half an hour walk.

By bus
If you want to go to the outskirts of the city (for instance to the Dalmare shopping centre), you can take a public bus. Bus transport in Šibenik is operated by Autotransport Šibenik and 3 smaller private companies.

By car
If you come by car, there's a large parking place on the very central square Poljana, as well as there is one with 700 spots when you enter the town northbound.

See
Venetian rule left Šibenik with four beautiful fortresses: St. Michael, St. John, Šubićaevac and St. Nicholas. Old part of the town, full of churches, old noblemen palaces and typical Dalmatian stone houses centuries old is very interesting. Town walls are also well preserved. One of the most interesting sights is medieval monastery garden.

Do

 * Take a swim! Beaches around Šibenik (Solaris, Žaborić, Grebaštica, Brodarica, Jadrija, Srima...) are extremely clean and fun (although sea in Šibenik bay itself isn't very clean). You must try the beach game of picigin, an invention of nearby city of Split's youth. All you need is shallow, sandy or not so stony beach, small ball and company. The aim is to hold a ball as much as you can up in the air, and you're allowed to use all body parts.
 * Take a trip to Vodice (Hacienda) or Primošten (Aurora) night clubs. It takes around 15 minutes to Vodice and half an hour to Primošten by car.
 * Take a trip to Vodice (Hacienda) or Primošten (Aurora) night clubs. It takes around 15 minutes to Vodice and half an hour to Primošten by car.

Events

 * The annual Šibenik International Children's Festival (Međunarodni Dječji Festival), founded in 1958, takes place every summer in the theater or the stage between the Cathedral and City hall, as well as on the streets and squares. It's a great fun, tickets are bargain, and there are a lot of events for adults as well.
 * In late summer traditional Dalmatian Chanson Evenings are held. It's worth the visit, but tickets are expensive and there are few of them.

Buy

 * Take a walk along the Kalelarga (officially King Tomislav's street) and visit its shops, squares and cafes.
 * Buy a CD with traditional Dalmatian klapa singing on it. Klapa is a choir which uses mostly just voice and a few instruments, and they are typical for Šibenik.
 * Nearby islands Krapanj and Zlarin are famous for their sponge industry (Krapanj) and coral diving and coral cottage industry (Zlarin), which goes back to 17th century. Coral jewelery and sponge souvenirs are affordable and original.
 * Traditional Šibenik's orange and black cap is town's most famous and most recognizable brand, but it can get expensive (more than ), so just buy a mini replica.
 * Olive oil and dry figs are also very qualitative and you can bring them home.
 * There are also antiquities fairs around the town, so look for them. If you visit Šibenik in late September, you'll get inside Medieval festival, where you can buy almost everything linked to medieval.
 * You can also visit the Dalmare shopping mall. It is located in the southern outskirts of Šibenik, along the road to Split. It includes many clothes shops of major European chains, a large Konzum supermarket and a 24-hour McDonald's restaurant.

Eat
Kike Pizzeria in the ancient part of the city is worth a visit.

Sleep
Surprisingly, private accommodation in Sibenik is not as popular as it is in the other cities of Croatia. Few are willing to open their houses to the travellers and no or only a few sobe (room) signs can be seen at the doors.

 * A hostel Indigo is in the old part of the city.

Connect
As of Sept 2021, Šibenik and the coastal highway have 4G from A1 and Tele2, and 5G from T-Mobile.

Go next

 * Krka National Park is perhaps somewhat lowlier than the famous Plitvice Lakes National Park, but still is well worth a visit. The park is full of breathtaking scenery of waterfalls, flora, fauna as well as historical and archaeological remains.
 * Kornati National Park is famous for its numerous islands and its undersea.
 * Telašćica Nature Park just next to Kornati
 * Zadar
 * Split

title: Šibenik


text:
Banovci (Vukovar-Srijem County)

Banovci is a small village in Croatian Syrmia, 10 miles south of the Danube River and near the border with Serbia. A sizable German minority that lived in the village before World War II mostly moved to Austria at the end of the war. Today most of the population are members of Serb minority.

Understand
Every year on the Orthodox Christmas Eve (January 6), residents in the churchyard fallen bonfire. In this occasion locals takes oak tree from the surrounding and make the ritual fire. These nights the locals remember their old Slavic religion and symbolically confirm Christianity.

In the rest part of year, villagers are organized around the celebration of New Year's, Women's Day, Labour Day (May 1), on the occasion of the end of the school year, important religious holidays, etc.

There are active and the football club, pensioners club, the Protestant community and the Women's Caucus, which also periodically organizes public events.

What describes life in Banovci it might be described as living on a human scale. People are extremely friendly and hospitable. Crime can be said not to exist in Banovci.

Banovci is one of the few places in Croatia that has retained its street names from the period of communist Yugoslavia. This was done at the express request of the villagers. For this reason, the name of the main street still bears the name of former Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito, while other streets are named by prominent members of the anti-fascist movement during World War II.

The best time to visit is spring when climatic conditions are favorable. Summer in this area have a big problem with mosquitoes, which do not transmit diseases, but they are real temptations. The doctor and mobile library comes to Banovci once a week. Zip code of village is 32 247, mail order just in business days.

Get in
Banovci is well connected with regional centers.

Plane. Through the international airport in Osijek (Croatia) and continue with bus (1 hour) or through international airport in Belgrade (Serbia) and continue with bus (2 hours).

Train. Banovci is on the railway line between Zagreb and Vinkovci, and all local trains stop at the local railway station. International trains stop at 8 km away Tovarnik (Croatia) or 20 km away Vinkovci (Croatia). Railways is the main route between Western Europe and the Middle East.

Bus. Banovci are connected by direct lines with Vinkovci, Vukovar, Osijek, Belgrade and Šid.

Car. Banovci is ten miles north of highway A3 (Bregana—Lipovac via Zagreb and Slavonski Brod). Regional roads have been repaired and are in good condition. Some local roads are not in the best condition.

Get around
Bicycle. You can visit nearby places on a bike. If you don't bring your own bike, you can always ask a local to lend one to you. He will probably give you a bike if you convince him of your good intentions.

By foot. You can walk to two nearby villages that are within the 0.5 and 1 mile.

See
The baroque Orthodox church dedicated to St. Petka. The church was built in the 19th century and has been restored. Best time to visit is for Sunday morning worship when the church will surely be open. The church is open for all "important" saints, and can be opened at any other time by arrangement with the priest in Šid town (Serbia).

There is an old mill, old local railway station, the old railway route and houses built in traditional Pannonian style.

Buy
There is only one shop that is satisfactory equipped.

Eat
Try different kinds of dried pork, homemade cakes and organically grown fruits and vegetables freshly picked. You should try an alcoholic plum brandy called Rakija. Search for Balkan specialties such as pies, cheese, meat, potatoes, baklava, sarma.

Sleep
Banovci not a tourist destination and hotel accommodation can be found only in the surrounding towns.

title: Banovci (Vukovar-Srijem County)


text:
Široki Brijeg

Široki Brijeg, (Croatian for wide hill), sometimes known as Široki Brig or by the local inhabitants simply as Široki, is a town on the river Lištica in northern Herzegovina, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Understand
The town itself has a population of about 10 thousand people, while there are another 20 thousand people in the surrounding countryside.

Geography
The town is at 270 above sea level and is in Low Herzegovina, while a huge portion of the surrounding countryside is mountainous and is in High Herzegovina.

Read

 * Official website
 * Široki Brijeg Independent daily
 * Široki Brig Unofficial
 * Web portal
 *

Get in

 * From Mostar, 20-25 km.
 * From Međugorje, 42 km
 * From the Adriatic coast and the city of Ploče, 88 km.
 * From the Adriatic coast and the city of Split, 119 km.

title: Široki Brijeg


text:
Škofja Loka

Škofja Loka is a town in Central Slovenia.

By plane
Škofja Loka is 20 km away from Ljubljana's Brnik Airport. A taxi costs around €60.

 * Airport Taxi ( Brnik ) Jože Pučnik Ljubljana-Slovenia,+386 41 670216,taxibrnik@gmail.com,.

By bus
Kam-Bus runs frequent services from the main bus station in Ljubljana (€3,10) and some limited direct services to other points nearby. The bus station is very centrally located at the edge of the old town, and there's a map to orient yourself as you exit. On weekdays, buses leave every 15-30 minutes from 5:00 until 23:00 and take approximately 45 minutes. On weekends services are reduced to once per hour.

Get around
Škofja Loka is easily covered on foot.

See
Škofja Loka is medieval town and very important for Slovenes. One of Slovenia's most famous books was being setted in Škofja Loka, Ivan Tavčar's Visoška hronika.

Do

 * Veronikina pot (Veronika's Path)
 * Škofjeloški pasijon (The Škofja Loka passion), it is only displayed on few years

Buy
In centre of Škofja Loka there's a lot of shops with clothes, souvenirs and books.

Drink
There are few cafés in city centre but the most beautiful of all is Homan , where you can drink a cup of coffee under a big 100 year old linden tree.

Go next

 * Lubnik
 * Poljanska dolina (Visoko, Žiri)
 * Selška dolina (Železniki, Zali log)

title: Škofja Loka


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Špindlerův Mlýn

Spindler's Mill (Czech: Špindlerův Mlýn, German: Spindlermühle) is a small mountain town in Giant Mountains (Krkonoše) in Hradec Králové Region in north-eastern part of Bohemia, Czech Republic.

Understand
Most people just say Spindl.

By bus
There is a direct connection to Prague.

title: Špindlerův Mlýn


text:
Štip

Štip is the largest city in Eastern North Macedonia with about 44,000 people (2002). It has been perhaps the most important educational, cultural, and economic centres of this half of Macedonia for centuries. The first opera in Macedonia was played in Štip in 1924. In 2007, Štip became home to the country's fourth state university when Goce Delčev University opened.

Understand
Štip is a very pleasant city that gets fewer tourists than the west, which makes the people nicer and more willing to help than the people in the western part of the country.

Smoking is prohibited in all nightclubs and bars (kafanas). Cigarettes and alcohol can be sold to individuals aged 18 and over.

As in all other cities in North Macedonia, if you are not a Macedonian citizen, you must check in with the local police station when you arrive and leave.

History
The history of Štip goes back a few thousand years, evidenced by archaeological findings. Perhaps the best intact archaeological site in its vicinity is Bargala, listed below in this guide.

Štip was an important city in Ottoman Macedonia: Turkish traveller Evliya Çelebi noted in 1661 that Štip had 2,240 homes, 24 Islamic religious buildings, seven hans (Turkish baths), one caravansary (inn), and a bazaar with 450 shops. The city was briefly under Austro-Hungarian rule from 1689 to 1691.

Štip once had a relatively significant Jewish community. Following the Spanish Inquisition at the beginning of the 16th century, a number of Sephardic Jews settled in the city, with roughly 200 living here by 1519. On 11 March 1943, Štip's 551 Jews were deported to Treblinka by the occupying Bulgarian fascists where virtually all of them were killed. The city's Jewish quarter, including its synagogue and Jewish school, were destroyed.

The city was active between the world wars, home to the Association against Bulgarian Bandits from 1922 to 1930. Factions within Bulgaria felt that it deserved a larger share of Macedonia and other parts of Yugoslavia and thus organized guerilla attacks within eastern portions of Yugoslavia. Organizations like Štip's Association against Bulgarian Bandits helped suppress these attacks.

Today, Štip is home to a population that is nearly 90% ethnic Macedonian. The city also has sizeable minorities of Roma (Gypsies), Vlachs (Aromanians), and Turks.

By car
By car from the north (Skopje), the main regional road circumvents Štip, but any of the several clearly marked exits will take you downtown. From the south: the main Strumica-Štip road enters through the Bregalnica canyon in the south and goes directly to downtown. There are many local roads entering from the east and west.

By train
Štip lies on the Skopje - Kocani line. Passenger services are running again as of January 2021, according to Macedonia Railways (MŽ) website. There is one daily train each way, departing for Skopje in the early morning, and one coming from Skopje in the afternoon.

By plane
By sport airplane: Štip is served by the largest sport airport in Eastern North Macedonia, accommodating single and twin-engine aircraft. The third international airport in North Macedonia, to be built in Štip, is still in the initial stages (the first phase is planned to be for cargo only).

Get around
The best ways to get around are by foot or by taxi, though there is a municipal bus fleet which connects the center with the outlying of Babi, Senjak, Prebeg, Makedonka, Kezhovica, etc.

See
Štip offers a variety of sights to see including fortress ruins, medieval churches, Ottoman monuments, Jewish sites, and museums plus more in the immediate surrounding area.

Novo Selo
Novo Selo is a historic former village that is nowadays considered a neighborhood of Štip. It sits at the confluence of the Bregalnica and Otinja rivers, just below the Isar fortress on the west side of the city. The rivers carve into the landscape, forming sharp hills around this neighborhood.

Neighboring villages
The villages around Štip range from populous suburbs of the city to isolated and depopulated old villages. Several villages are completely abandoned; these are primarily ones inhabited by a significant Turkish population that has all but left the Štip area since the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Štip also has a relatively high, but declining, population of Vlachs (Aromanians) in its vicinity.

Events

 * MakFest, the largest festival of pop music in North Macedonia
 * Štip Summer of Culture (Macedonian: Штипско Културно Лето), which is a month long festival held from 1 July to 1 August
 * Štip Summer of Culture (Macedonian: Штипско Културно Лето), which is a month long festival held from 1 July to 1 August

Eat
Štip is known throughout North Macedonia for the local dish called Pastrmajlija. It is a pizza-like crust, in a long canoe shape topped with chicken or pork meat, eaten with hot pepper or pepper flakes on top. It is available at nearly every restaurant in Štip, and at the annual Pastremajlija festival in late September.

There are many great restaurants that serve traditional Macedonian food, as well as many Pizza-restaurants (Italian style, as opposed to American Pizza-parlors). Every restaurant is famous for some specific dish, so try to order that one in particular.

Drink
There are dozens upon dozens of bistros/bars aka kafani all over the city, on every corner. They serve all types of alcohol at a cheap price and food with it as well. Drinking coffee is a social event which often lasts for hours, with very little coffee or alcohol actually consumed. It is not considered rude to sit a table and order very little for several hours, as it would be in many western cities.

As with the rest of North Macedonia, being intoxicated in public is frowned upon.

Nightlife
There are several large disco-techs, including Mystic, Angels, and Ice, which play pop and dance music. Jazz Art Club is the local rock club featuring live bands all year round.

Sleep
All hotels could probably be classified as 3 stars, though there is no official rating system. Oaza and Garni are right in the center, while Izgrev is about 10 minute drive from the center (or 30 min walk). Garni is a boutique hotel with few rooms, but held to high standards.

Stay safe
Štip is probably one of the safest cities in North Macedonia, and definitely much safer than all the major cities in the western and central part. Violent crime and murders are almost non-existent, and property crimes are very rare. Foreigners are welcomed and looked upon as a curiosity as Štip is not advertised or developed as a tourist destination, despite having a lot to offer.

There are several night clubs in Štip, and they are all much safer than any western counterpart (no metal detectors anywhere). Keeping a low profile is recommended as not to tempt the local macho mentality. Aggressive courting of girls is not recommended as this can be seen as encroachment and cause physical conflict.

The Roma (Gypsy) population of Štip is mostly living far below the overall poverty level, and although their shanty towns (spread around several areas of the city, mostly in the north) are very picturesque and exotic for the tourist to behold, avoid giving them gifts or money, as that will make you a target for more panhandling and possibly a (non-violent) property crime. Do not be fooled by the looks of the Roma children beggars, for most of them that is their full-time job, and no one is dying of hunger or cold in Štip.

The police is sometimes helpful if approached politely, but beware that the socialist heritage where the police was very brutal and was mostly used to keep an eye on the population, instead of maintaining law and order, is still very much alive. Ask a younger person for directions, as most youngster speak passable English, and only deal with the police when you have to, taking good care not to offend them in any way.

As pretty much anywhere else, do not accept offers from strangers; do not enter in business deals with unknown people, even if the offer is most tempting; do not go to secluded or dark places at night or abandoned places during the day, and exercise good judgement that you would in other poor countries like Mexico or Central America.

Do not be alarmed if glasses are shattered by being slammed on the ground as this is a cultural thing, especially when one male individual is intoxicated and there is live music. This practice is quite common for males of all ages, and is the same in all the surrounding countries like Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Albania.

Don't carry too much cash on you and do not flash/show it (there is no need, there are plenty of 24/7 ATMs around the city). Try to dress like the locals. Too much differentiation might attract unwanted attention, which, while usually harmless, can be very annoying at the end. Lock your valuable in the hotel safe or hide them well. Keep your electronics and cameras in bags for most of the time while taking picture/videos around.

At the end, exercise a common sense that you would exercise in rural Alabama or West Virginia, for example, and you will be fine and have a great time!

Go next

 * Skopje (NW 50 km)
 * Veles (W 30 km)

title: Štip


text:
Šumadija

Šumadija is a region in Central Serbia.

Cities

 * — a town near the Ovčar-Kablar gorge
 * — a city in Pomoravlje on the Belica river
 * — the first capital of modern Serbia, industrial hub and the 4th largest city in Serbia. Kragujevac is in the region Šumadija, 120 km south of Belgrade. Lepenica, a small river, flows through Kragujevac. Near the town is Lake Gružansko (Гружанско Језеро).The city has a university, and important cultural and medical buildings. It has a rich history and many cultural and historical monuments.
 * — an important economic center in Serbia 170 km south of Belgrade. It lies on two rivers, the Morava and The Ibar river.In the outskirts of the city is very famous monastery Žiča with a rich history, and in addition to the monastery and the famous Mataruška spa, and a little further Bogutovačka Spa.
 * — another largely modern city. The main attraction here is Prince Lazar's fortress. It is now a complete ruin, with not much left to see except some foundations. There also a church dating back to the 14th century.
 * — town with a spa and Roman spring
 * — town with a spa and Roman spring

See

 * Near the town of Topola is the hill of Oplenac (Опленац). Here is the Mausoleum of the Serbian Royal family Karadjordjevic (in St. George's Church), museums, and vineyards.

title: Šumadija


text:
Żnin

Znin is a town of 24,000 people (2020) in Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province in Poland.

Understand
[[File:Town hall tower in Znin (2).jpg|thumb The town was established in the 11th century. The name originates from the Polish word "żnieja", meaning harvest or a harvester.
 * Market square with the medieval tower of the town hall]]

Żnin sits on the Gąsawka river between two lakes – the Żnin Great Lake and the Żnin Small Lake. Both these and the nearby forests are popular tourist attractions.

By plane
The Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport is 45 km (28 miles) to the north of Żnin. Once you are in Bydgoszcz (possibly via Warsaw or London), you will need to catch a local bus or taxi to take you into Żnin.

There is also the Poznań-Ławica Airport in Poznań approx. 100 km (62 miles) south-west of Żnin.

By bus
Several companies dealing with public transport serve Żnin with bus services connecting the town with all major cities of the region (Bydgoszcz, Gniezno, Inowrocław, Poznań, Toruń, Wągrowiec) and also with Wrocław.

By car
The expressway S5 runs from Wrocław via Poznań, Gniezno to Bydgoszcz and Świecie. It is about an hour's drive from Bydgoszcz and about 45 minutes drive from Gniezno.

The regional road no. 251 (droga wojewódzka nr 251) running from Inowrocław to Kaliska near to Wągrowiec is another major road connection. It is about 45 minutes drive both from Inowrocław and Wągrowiec.

Do

 * Ride the narrow gauge rail Żnińska Kolej Powiatowa to Biskupin and Wenecja and visit the museums located there
 * Visit Western Town Silverado City

Go next

 * Biskupin

title: Żnin


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Żywiec

Żywiec is a town in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland, 85 km south of Katowice. It's best known for its brewery and is a resort town, with a large lake, and winter and summer leisure activities in the nearby Beskids mountains. In 2019 its population was 31,000.

Understand
The original village, first documented in 1308, was 2-3 km north down the valley. This site was prone to flooding so in 1448 its inhabitants moved south - they'd be aghast to see it today, deep beneath the waters of Lake Żywiec along with three other villages. The new site acquired a castle and various churches, remaining a small market town with no great mining or textile industry. Swedish troops wrecked it in 1656 but from 1772 Austria was the power in this region, as Poland was carved up. Archduke Albrecht (1817-1895) founded the town's famous brewery in 1856. He also rendered the Austrian army useless by resisting every form of modernisation, laying the seeds of its humiliation in the First World War. This plus the collapse of Imperial Germany and Tsarist Russia created space for Poland to regain its independence in 1918, so toast the Archduke whenever you first sample the local beer - na zdrowie!

The mining and industrial cities to the north had large German populations, and at independence several voted to join Germany not Poland, and the border was re-drawn. No such mix in rural upland Żywiec, and when Germany seized all of Silesia at the onset of the Second World War, they found a 99% Polish population here. They reckoned to adjust that by deporting 95% of the population, exterminating the 4% who were Jewish or otherwise on their death list, and re-settling the area with Germans from further east. This "Action Saybusch" (their name for Żywiec) ran Sept-Dec 1940 and removed some 20,000 locals, who were stripped of their possessions then dumped elsewhere; deportations continued at lower intensity throughout the war. The inevitable post-war reprisal was the ousting of Germans from their long-established settlements across Poland and the Baltic.

The communists carpeted much of Silesia with factory blocks, slag heaps and drab high-rise apartments. The contribution of Żywiec was to power this workers' paradise, by damming the valley in 1966 for a reservoir and hydro-electric scheme. This has created a pleasant recreational lake. Winter sports also developed: the nearby mountains don't much exceed 1000 m so the skiing is beginner-to-nervous-intermediate level. You wouldn't travel far to experience them, but residents of the Katowice metropolis can readily hurl snowboards, children and big bouncy dogs into the back of the car and head off along the motorway.

Get in
By road from Katowice follow S1 motorway south past Bielsko-Biała. Exit onto Highway 946 spur for town centre, but for the brewery stay on S1 until the next interchange 3 km further south.

Hourly regional trains from Katowice take 1 hr 45 min via Tychy, Pszczyna, Czechowice-Dziedzice, Bielsko-Biała, Lodygowice and Pietrzykowice (for lakeside village). They continue south to Ciecina, Milowka, Rajcza and Zwardon, another 50 min. Four trains a day from Warsaw run direct to Katowice and Bielsko-Biała.

is 2 km southwest of town centre. It was renovated in 2018 but remains as tatty and broken-down as before.

JM Bus runs hourly from Bielsko-Biała, taking 50 min via Lipowa.

The bus station is next to the railway station.

Get around
Walk in town centre. Buses ply to the bus and railway stations and the brewery.

See

 * is the old market square, pedstrianised and surrounded by colourful low-rise.
 * Ratusz the town hall is on the east side of Rynek, a neo-Renaissance townhouse of 1868. No entry unless on business.
 * Plac Targowy is the modern marketplace a block north of Rynek. The architecture is drab and it's full of parked cars.
 * Co-cathedral of the Birth of the Virgin Mary (Konkatedra Narodzenia NMP) is southwest corner of Rynek. It was built in the early 15th century but re-built in Baroque style after a fire in 1711.
 * New Castle or Hapsburg Palace next to the old castle was built in the 1890s in neo-classical style. A few of its rooms can be seen on the museum ticket, and the park is freely accessible.
 * (Kościół pw Św Krzyża) is 18th century Baroque over an earlier church.
 * (Kościół pw Św Marka) was built in 1885, replacing a wooden medieval church.
 * (Kościół pw Św Marka) was built in 1885, replacing a wooden medieval church.

Do

 * Koszarawa riverbank has a path for running and biking.
 * Lake Żywiec is the main recreation area in summer, with swimming and hire of pedalos and kayaks. It was created in 1966 by a dam, flooding the valley.
 * Aquapark Leśna is 2 km west of town.
 * Skiing: Groniem ski area is 10 km south. There's a larger area west, accessed via Buczkowice.

Buy

 * Galeria Lider is a shopping centre at the north end of Rynek, open M-Sa 09:00-20:00.
 * Żabka convenience stores have two outlets near Rynek.

Eat

 * La Sorpresa is a pizzeria next to Galeria Lider, open Su-Th 10:00-22:00, F Sa 10:00-00:00.
 * Żywiecki Food Truck is in Plac Targowy, open Tu-F 10:30-19:00, Sa 09:00-17:30.
 * Fabryka Smaku is home-style cooking at Handlowa 5 west of the park, open daily 11:00-18:00.
 * Fabryka Smaku is home-style cooking at Handlowa 5 west of the park, open daily 11:00-18:00.

Drink

 * Krajcar is a micro-brewery at Świętokrzyska 8 near Old Castle, open Su-Th 13:00-22:00, F Sa 13:00-00:00. Food portions are large but quality is hit-and-miss.
 * Żywiec beer remains widely available though brewery tours ae suspended.

Connect
As of June 2024, Żywiec and its approach roads have 4G from Orange and Play, and 5G from Plus and T-Mobile.

Go next

 * Bielsko-Biała was a textile town, whose mill-owners prettified its churches and mansions.
 * Roads cross into Slovakia southwest at Zwardon, and south at Korbielów.

title: Żywiec