High Tatras – Slovakia and Poland The High Tatras form the highest and most dramatic portion of the Carpathian Mountain range, rising sharply along the border between Slovakia and Poland. Though relatively compact in area, the range contains rugged granite peaks, glacial valleys, alpine lakes, and steep ridgelines that give the landscape an almost […]
Wawel Castle – Kraków Wawel Castle rises above the Vistula River on a limestone hill at the southern edge of Kraków’s old town. For centuries this hill served as the political and ceremonial center of the Polish state, where kings were crowned and buried. The castle complex includes a series of Renaissance courtyards, defensive walls, […]
St. Mary’s Basilica – Kraków St. Mary’s Basilica (Kościół Mariacki) stands prominently along the eastern side of Kraków’s Main Market Square and is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. The church is distinguished by its two uneven Gothic towers, which rise above the surrounding rooftops and dominate the skyline of the old town. Inside […]
Kraków – Poland Kraków lies along the upper Vistula River near the northern foothills of the Carpathian Mountains and is one of the most historically important cities in Poland. For centuries it served as the royal capital of the Polish kingdom, leaving behind an extraordinary concentration of medieval and Renaissance architecture. The city’s historic core […]
Birkenau (Auschwitz II) – Poland Birkenau lies about three kilometers west of Auschwitz I and formed the largest section of the Auschwitz concentration camp complex. Constructed in 1941 on open farmland outside the village of Brzezinka, the camp was designed to hold vast numbers of prisoners transported from across Nazi-occupied Europe. The most recognizable feature […]
Auschwitz – Oświęcim, Poland Auschwitz lies near the town of Oświęcim in southern Poland, along the Soła River, a tributary of the Vistula River. During the Second World War this location became the site of the largest complex of concentration and extermination camps established by Nazi Germany. The preserved camp known as Auschwitz I contains […]
Orava Castle – Orava Region, Slovakia Orava Castle occupies a dramatic limestone cliff rising above the Orava River near the village of Oravský Podzámok in northern Slovakia. The fortress is built in a series of terraces that climb steeply up the rock face, with defensive towers and walls stacked one above another along the ridge. […]
Bojnice Castle – Slovakia Bojnice Castle rises above the town of Bojnice in western Slovakia at the edge of the Strážov Mountains, part of the western Carpathian range. The castle’s towers and steep slate roofs stand dramatically above the surrounding parkland, giving the structure the appearance of a romantic fairytale fortress. Although the site originated […]
Bratislava – Slovakia Bratislava lies along the Danube River at the southwestern edge of Slovakia, where the river valley narrows between the Little Carpathian Mountains (Malé Karpaty) and the plains of Hungary and Austria. Because of this strategic position along one of Europe’s major waterways, the city has served as an important political and commercial […]