Visiting the remains of the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw is an emotional experience. Truth is, there are not many physical remains of the largest ghetto in Nazi-occupied Europe, but the bleak soviet-style housing, old prison, various memorials and an excellent museum are all reminders of the suffering Jews and Romani suffered at the hands of Hitler, not to mention the bravery of the Polish people during the Warsaw Uprising. After the invasion of Poland, Hitler’s armies created the Warsaw ghettoes (there were two joined by a bridge) north of today’s Al Jana Pawla II (or John Paul II) Avenue. They enclosed the area in a red brick wall (fragments can be seen in Sienna Street) and incarcerated about 100,000 people in Pawiak Prison, the Gestapo’s operational base in Warsaw. Now a museum, its grey walls and chambers are a chilling reminder of their cruelty (ul Dzielna 24, free admission). Very close to Pawiak Prison, in a charming little park, is the Ghetto Heroes Monument, a memorial to the fallen in the Warsaw Uprising of 1943. (Somewhat ironically it is made of the granite the Nazis hauled over for their own victory monument). Another memorial can be seen close by on Willy ...

Until the 16th century Kraków, and not Warsaw, was the capital of Poland. Not only does this beautiful city still retain the most note-worthy of the country’s historic architecture, but also its medieval seats of power, which reign over Kraków on Wawel Hill. The best way to reach emotive Wawel Hill is to weave your way up there on foot, via a lane that leads from the Old Town. There are two major attractions at the top: the Gothic Wawel Cathedral and the imposing Castle. Opening times for both vary so it’s best to check ahead at the tourist office before you head up. The Wawel Castle is nothing less than the symbol of Polish identity. Although it was founded in the 11th century, what you see from the exterior today is Renaissance in style, though some of the original forms of some of interiors have been recuperated. The Castle has been divided into five separate sections, each containing a museum. (And yes! Each with varying hours and admission fees). The most impressive collection is located in the Royal Chambers, which is packed with breathtaking pieces of decorative art, paintings and tapestries. But perhaps the most interesting from a historical perspective are ...

Warsaw is often referred to as the ‘Phoenix City’ for the way it rose out of the ashes of destruction of WW2. In response to the Polish Uprisings during the course of the War, the Nazis had destroyed over 80 percent of the city by the end of it. Communist rule in Poland may have been responsible for countless ugly, high-rise blocks throughout the city, but during the decades of post-war Russian control Warsaw’s lovely, historic Old Town was completely rebuilt. Using old photographs and other images as references, the areas was restored brick by brick to its former century glory. In 1980 it was placed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List as ‘an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction.’ For the visitor, Warsaw’s, partially-walled Old Town is not only the city’s most evocative district, but contains most of the major sites. For a taster of the charm it has to offer, head to Old Town Square, where a medley of townhouses in varying styles, from Gothic to Renaissance, are lined up in picture-perfect rows. (Only numbers 34 and 36 were still standing after the Nazis had left). In the middle of the square is the famous statue Mermaid with numerous ...