“Better Zamosc than Warsaw,” says our Polish friend, as she advises first-time visitors to her home country where they might profitably spend their first day or two. And it’s a perspective that we much applaud. “Better Bruges than Brussels. Better Roskilde than Copenhagen.” Capital cities have their charms, but also their limitations. Does America really » Read more

The colorful town square of Poznan, Poland. Photo by giannisl The main square of Poznan, Poland always has a buzz on weekend nights as the Lizard King competes with Bee Jay’s and the DV Club to transmit the loudest vibes. But the university city of Poznan, exactly half way between Berlin and Warsaw, is more than » Read more

Krakow’s Market Square. Photo by Lars K. Jensen People of Cheapo: low-priced communist-era souvenirs are legal for export from Krakow. After all, nothing will help you commemorate your trip to the city quite like a piece of Cold War nostalgia. Collectables for comrades Multiple open-air markets around the formerly-communist Krakow are a feast for bargain-hunters. Medals, pins, and statuettes » Read more

Wawel Royal Castle is an architectural marvel located in Krakow, Poland. The fortress stands prominently on Wawel Hill, an area that’s been inhabited for thousands of years. (Seriously, it’s believed that mammoth hunters lived on the hill 50,000 years ago.) During the Renaissance, King Sigismund I ”The Old” commissioned the finest artists around to decorate Wawel Castle as his royal palace. » Read more

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Barnett  Poland is a country rich with history, and if you can experience it for free—all the better! Here’s a guide to a week of free museums. No need to spend a zloty to experience a wealth of Krakow’s art and history.  Monday: Old Synagogue 24 Szeroka Street in Kazimierz One of Europe’s most » Read more

A view of the old Barbican gate Although Krakow isn’t among the priciest European cities, we always love to save when we can. Here are our picks for stuff that won’t cost you a z?oty! Take a trip to St. Mary’s Basilica Mariacki Square, 5 Arguably the most famous of Poland’s churches, St. Mary’s Basilica is » Read more

It is always worth pondering quite where is the best place to change trains. Many journeys across Europe offer multiple options. No sane Brit ever chooses to change trains at Birmingham New Street—a sort of subterranean Hades somewhere in the English Midlands—and few are ever really forced to do so. For many rail itineraries across » Read more

Even the most seasoned European traveller can be caught unawares by rail schedules changes. Most European rail companies introduce major timetable changes over the second weekend in December, and this year there are some big alterations in the offing. There is no more civilised way of making a big hop across Europe than on a » Read more

New, nasty, and noteworthy. 1. Polish wonder LCC WizzAir announced this week that they’ll open their 7th base in Poznan in January 2008 by launching new routes connecting the western Polish city to Doncaster, Glasgow Prestwick, Malmö, and Oslo. Hot on the heels of that press release, the Wizzers announced today that they’ll inaugurate a » Read more