Ryanair Stories: Postcards from Poland

“We did a lot of walking, from our apartment to the town square which was so lovely in the sun and the heat, and then just spent our time drinking and eating our way around the lovely city. We spent a fair while finding nice places to sit and relax, a must on any city break!

The Polish people are very, very friendly and really welcoming too, it’s such a lovely thing when you’re travelling and discovering a new place… It’s cheap as well – honestly you can live like a king there for a full weekend on under €300. Best trip all year”.

Connor, Dublin

“It was amazingly warm for December (when I was there), and it meant that I really enjoyed walking around the charming city of Wroclaw.

What makes this city unique is the fact that it is dotted by small statues of dwarfs (or gnomes), they’re very cute and they’re everywhere.  Also, it was nice to see how people were decorating their homes and offices for Christmas.

Make sure to keep a lookout for the dwarves if you come here! There are 300 of them all over the city, and you cannot miss at least a few of them, especially if you keep an eye open to see them!”

Nuttavikhom, London

“Despite the city being almost completely destroyed during WWII after the uprising by the German troops, Warsaw has many interesting things to see; it’s a place full of history.

The night life is really fun and intense, as you can expect from any European capital.

If you are going to spend a couple of days in Warsaw, you should definitely visit the castle – and you should also take part to the “free walking tour” of the city, which will allow you to visit all the main monuments in just a few hours.

Moreover, the guide will tell you many stories related to the city and its inhabitants. Finally, he/she will be really helpful by suggesting you typical places where to eat or drink typically Polish stuff. I highly recommend this way of seeing the city”.

Davide, Milan

“We stayed in the old part of the city, we were surrounded by beautiful old buildings and were so close to the museum and galleries!

One morning we got up really early and walked through the city, it was so lovely just to wander and look at the history of this old city when the streets were still quiet.

We then went to Hotel Bristol for their Champagne Brunch. It was hard to get a reservation, and they advised us it books up far in advance and is very popular for special events such a communions, anniversaries and birthdays.

We got a reservation the day before but we were told it wouldn’t be the best table. It didn’t matter, it was still fabulous!  We received champagne and were topped up throughout the meal.

There was such variety of food, even a juice bar where you could choose your fruit and have it juiced in front of you! It was incredible experience, and brilliant value.

Be careful what time of year you go, we went in mid-October and it rained the entire weekend.

We were prepared for cold weather but not constant rain, it did limit the amount of activities because I think Warsaw was just a beautiful city to wander around the streets. So bring a good raincoat if you’re going at that time!”

Emma, Dublin

“We spend some time visiting the new developments in Lodz such as Manufaktura, the new station hub, local pubs and culture scenes. Piotrkowska Street was just a beauty, and with all new buildings and streets updates it was a pleasure to take a stroll down this main boardwalk in Lodz.

There are many cultural places and a vast selection of local bars and restaurants that are tucked in old buildings or old factories.

Manufaktura and Piotrkowska street are a must to visit once in Lodz. Landmark Piotrkowska is under ongoing revitalization, and it shows that the local government care to make an effort for locals and tourists.

Manufaktura shopping mall is one of the best designed malls in this part of Europe, it’s amazing, Being located in the old factories does help with the interesting, unusual look and feel”.

Mirek, Spain

“I was pleasantly surprised by a recent trip to Lodz. There’s a nice arty feel to the city.

The fact that it’s a university city means prices in bars and restaurants were always budget friendly too, and there are lots of young people out and about in the evening so the atmosphere is great.

Manufaktura is excellent for shopping. It’s wall to wall with high street and designer label boutiques.

There are also some great restaurants nearby, I’d recommend Anatewka for Jewish-Polish cuisine. It’s a lovely, cosy little restaurant with great service.

Good value and the perfect place to go if you want to try something different while you’re visiting the city.”

Hillary, Wimbledon.

“Krakow is such a wonderful city, we took carriage ride round the centre of the city, which was a really magical experience. There are loads of superb restaurants at such reasonable prices too, and with fantastic entertainment.

The people here are so friendly and helpful too. We visited the salt mines, a truly amazing place to see and really worth a trip.

I would recommend Krakow to travellers of all ages, it’s a magnificent city. Just enjoy! Do try the Polish dishes in the traditional restaurants, you won’t be disappointed.”

Dee, London

“We stayed at the Columbus hotel near the Jewish Quarter, it’s a lovely hotel and within 10 mins walking from the old town – I really loved the Jewish Quarter a lot though. The choice of restaurants here was superb, and it’s just such an interesting looking part of the city.

On Sunday afternoon the sun came out, and we sat in the main square and just watched the world go by. I would recommend a longer stay there if you can, as there is so much to see and do.

Plan to make some trips outside the city (to the salt mines and Auschwitz), they are fascinating. Walking tours are abound in the city and they are an excellent way of getting an overview of the city.”

Marian, Dublin

“My girlfriend is Polish and she lives close to Gdansk so we often come here, especially during the summer to spend time on the beach nearby, at Sopot.

I love it here, my favourite thing to do is watch the sun setting over the beach, if you walk from the east towards the west you’ll get a perfect view. It’s very pretty here, not as hot as Brazil but it’s different!

The food’s great – tasty and filling and really cheap too so you will not have to worry about spending all your money on food! Try the Zeppelins and the Pierogi, these are both very traditional Polish meals.”

Rodrigo, Sao Paulo

Flights to Poland

- Dee Murray