Since I started travelling I have always been eager to visit my own country. This year I drove far east to visit Podlasie, one of the most beautiful Polish regions, for the first time. Here is a short summary of my journey. The idyllic Janów Podlaski Janów Podlaski is a small village in Podlasie and it is widely known for its Arabian horses breeding programme and horse auctions. The horse stud established in 1817 gathers horse experts from all over the world. I’m not a huge fan of horses thus for me this was only an idyllic village in Podlasie. A few kilometres south from the world wide renown horse stud we found a perfect location for a short and peaceful stay. It’s called Pensjonat Uroczysko Zaborek and it is located in a beautiful spot. Recently renovated old wooden buildings are available for guests along with vast green terrains of the forest, small ponds and meadows. We were lucky to stay overnight in an old beautifully renovated windmill. A small apartment at the top floor was spectacular. Inside of the living room, there was a huge windmill wheel converted into a table. Also, small windows and wooden floors made a huge impression of being close to the past of this regions. Full immersion in the green landscape was at our fingertips. It is hard to admit but even in such an idyllic place, you can experience a bad luck. There were other guests at the property and unluckily for us they were having a wedding party. They were loud and extremely disturbing until 3:00 a.m. There was no chance to sleep sound so I can’t say we fully appreciated the location. The next day the owner apologised us and gave us a small hand made gift to make a good impression. We were not fully satisfied with our stay but the service was friendly so I’d say we could stay there again in the future. The Holy Hill of Grabarka The next day we drove further north along the east border of Poland. We were aware that the Podlasie region is known for its religious and cultural diversity and we wanted to experience that, therefore, we drove to a holy hill for Orthodox pilgrims called Grabarka. It is a sanctuary with a small wooden Eastern Orthodox Church constructed on a top of a hill. There is also a wellspring with water that is believed to save people from dying out of extremely contagious disease cholera. The local story says that people who came to the place carrying wooden crosses on their back and drank water from this wellspring were saved. Since then the hill is full of crosses, big and small ones, and people still carry them as a penance or supplication to God. The wellspring is located at the foothills of the mountain and all pilgrims can draw water from it. The UNESCO site If you’re interested in wild nature you’ve probably heard about Białowieża: the ultimate wilderness of Europe. The national park (Białowieski Park Narodowy) established almost hundred years ago protects large parts of this wild forest. To all Polish and some foreigners, Białowieża is synonymous to European Bison, the biggest European mammal that still lives there. Thanks to a collaboration of state institutions and private companies not only the wilderness is well protected but also a breeding programme of the Bisons is well developed. The tourists can watch Bisons in a sort of semi natural habitat which is quite impressive. Religious diversity of Podlasie: The Eastern Orthodox and the Muslims Poland is known as a religious country with the majority of Christian Catholics. Out of historical reasons, the eastern part of the country is more diverse. Being highly influenced by our eastern neighbours who are almost entirely Orthodox, Podlasie kept its multi religious character. The houses of small villages and towns gather around Eastern Orthodox churches. Further, the big towns like Supraśl and Białystok have their own modern churches. We watched the small wooden churches from the outside as they were closed during the day. We also visited a big Eastern Orthodox Church in Supraśl which was deeply disappointing. We also visited a big Eastern Orthodox Church in Supraśl which was deeply disappointing. It was mainly due to a hostile attitude of the guide who let us wait long in a cold passage before we entered and then he said absolutely nothing about the buildings we visited and the orthodox religion itself. We even witnessed that he made fun of a tourist who asked some basic questions about the Orthodox faith. Moreover, the churches we watched were recently constructed so their architecture and their interior was not very impressive. There is even one wooden mosque in a village of Kruszyniany that serves to the local community of Tatars. The Folk Music Going deeper into the cultural diversity we eventually arrived in Supraśl and listened to a concert of folk music from the area. The artists Karolina Cicha and Bart Pałyga played a wonderful concert presented to the audience an exotic music of the Tatars. We listened to their band a few years earlier at the Poznan Ethnoport Festival and they developed their repertoire even further. We enjoyed it immensely and through the music our journey was complete. There is so much more to see and we’ve already decided to go back to Podlasie one day.  

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After two months spent in this wonderful Italian region, I would like to share best pictures of Puglia with you. This is not the photo album presenting all best sites in Puglia. By no means! It is, however, my personal itinerary of winter spent there and best pictures I took. I am convinced that a picture is worth a thousand words so with no further hesitation here are 15 best pictures from Puglia. Small and friendly Towns It all started in Oria a small and frienly town deep south. It is situated on a hill and has a remarkable history of the Jewish community. For me, however, the most striking thing was the legend that St. Peter walked through Oria when he was going to Rome, to die. Ancient roots of the parish in Oria. Old and picturesque Not only old stones but also old cars. Oria was all about old school views. Excuisite Architecture Everywhere you go in Puglia, sooner or later you get to a place that is an example of the baroque style. I saw the real pearls there! Top Attractions Ostuni has been known to me for a long time. I considered it a must see while in Puglia. I spent one sunny day in Ostuni but the city, although it is nice, was very touristy. I prefer less known destinations. Ostuni is worth a one day visit but there is so much more to see in Puglia! Alberobello UNESCO site Equally true was the fame of Alberobello. This UNESCO site known for its downtown full of trulli houses was somehow dissapointing. It is just too perfect! Clear, white, well kept looks like a huge tourist attraction. Don’t get me wrong. It is worth a visit. I went there twice and let me tell you this: once is enough. Welcome to Gallipoli! Gallipoli has recently gained a status of super popular tourist destination. Many of my Italian friends visited it at least once. The inflow of visitors has changed this place. Apart of downtown, the city build along the shore is new and, unfortunatelly, not so beautiful. I enjoyed one morning visit in the old part of Gallipoli. It was so beautiful! Otranto Otranto was far from Oria but even though I drove down there to enjoy one of a few places in Italy conquered once by the Turkish army. I especially enjoyed the view on totally empty at this time of the year marina. I have a dream to sail there! And, above all, at 15:00 there was literally nobody. I had a city to myself! What a luxury! Seafood in seaside towns Every single town in Puglia is so close to the coast that you can eat excuisite seafood literally everywhere. It tastes like heaven! Friendly Locals In many of the locations visited people were charming. I got friendly with the locals and it turned my stay in Puglia in a sort of extended family visit. Sea I love the sea. Especially in a cold and windy day. The view of the waves and the lighthouse is one of the most beautiful things on earth! Monopoli was stunning! I visited five times just to fully enjoy its atmosphere. Bari of Saint Nicola I had no idea how important the Basilica of St. Nicola in Bari is. A celebration of Christmas there and another visit in a crypt downstairs where relics of St. Nicola are held was a powerful experience to me. And the prayer in Russian of this old lady whispered in front of the Saint was touching. Charming downtowns Here is Monopoli again. I found it most intriguing. A truly lovely place, full of inner beauty, surprising tiny streets, excellent restaurants and the view on a rough sea. The picture perfect. Olive oil Crossing Puglia makes you think that this region is all about olive oil. I was lucky. Usually, in December, the olive harvest is long gone. This year was exceptionally good and even in late December and early January farmers were still coming to frantoio to have their olives turned into olive oil. The smell of olives was everywhere not to mention a fantastic taste. How to visit Puglia in winter. Advice I found Puglia in winter the most charming place. There were no tourists, the locals had time and interest in visitors, the quality of services and food was excellent. I personally see no reason why anyone would like to come here in summer time. Winter was just perfect! The weather was spring like with only three rainy days in more than two months! The blue sky was an everyday view and I would recommend Puglia in winter to every traveler who wants more than just sunny beaches and cheap drinks.    

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I have never been to Puglia before. Since I enjoyed the idea of spending cold Polish winter elsewhere, which became a sort of a new tradition, there was a decision to make. I picked up Puglia, the most southern part of Italy. There were many reasons to come here. The weather was one of them, and the food too. I did not know that much about Puglia before I came and stayed for a while. Therefore, there was no real anticipation nor high expectations. I also read a post about Puglia in summer by my dear friend Cathy  and it was intriguing enough to think about winter in Puglia. I’ve been living here for a month now and I am sure this was a great decision. Here is a short list of my reasons why you should visit Puglia in winter. No crowds In recent years, Puglia has become a popular holiday destination. Thousands of Italians and foreigners visit this region, mostly in the summer time, that is in June, July and August. These months turn Puglia into a frenetic zone, full of crowds and noise. Such a circumstance should not discourage you to visit this part of the world, though. Instead of coming here in the hot and crowded season, I suggest you come in winter time. There is literally nobody here! Being the only tourist in a city of Oria with 12,000 of locals is fun! No lines, no waiting for hours in a restaurant, no noise. The winter life of locals is peaceful and full of surprises. Mild climate The cold and the warmth is a relative thing. In Puglia, the temperatures are above  zero degrees, and in the middle of the sunny day the temperature is as high as +19C. In average it is between 10C and 16C.  For me, this looks like a beautiful spring time. Moreover, the sun shines most of the days and it did not rain even once! I know these temperatures are far from +40C in the summer time, and I love it! It is perfect for a walk, the blue sky makes a perfect photo background and my running routine is effortless! Due to this wonderful weather, I was able to pursue my training plan. I’m running regularly three times a week and the conditions are just perfect! It looks like I’ll be well prepared to run a half marathon in April 2016. Excellent food No doubts Puglia is famous for its excellent food. This is true for both summer and winter time. There are still fresh fruits and vegetables here and, above all, super tasty frutti di mare. Fresh clams, squids, shrimps and fishes are delivered daily to small fish stores all over the place. I was not a huge fan of frutti di mare before, but I am now! I mean, how could you not? And there is the highest quality dairy. Burrata and stracciatella di burrata are two of my favourite fresh cheeses. A simple and very cheap lunch consists of a fresh bread, a piece of cheese, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, prosciutto crudo and sweet pears. Fabulous and very healthy food! Friendly locals If you are the only tourist in town just try to imagine how sweet the locals are. They are not tired with crowds and they have enough time and curiosity to spend a while with you. I got friendly with my neighbours quite quickly, not to mention a local tradesman who comes in his Ape car with fresh fruits every morning. He rings my bell and he sometimes leaves the fruits I ordered the previous day in front of my door, if I’m out. What a service! Silence Most of all, what makes my winter in Puglia a perfect experience, is the silence. I need it to work on my book. The good news is, I have recently completed a chapter about the Cook Islands. This is a huge milestone and I have to admit that the atmosphere of Puglia helped me a lot! I hope to bring you more stories from Puglia. A visit at the hairdresser was very interesting. Living like a local is my superpower so stay tuned and come back for more.  

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Read the previous episode. Fluminimaggiore The location of my apartment was very unfortunate. It was located along one of the streets that cut the town east – west. Even though it was not the main street, the traffic was pretty heavy. It did not bother me during the day, but the late nights and early evenings were particularly difficult to enjoy. In the late evenings, some youngsters trapped in this city drove their scooters just outside my windows. Over and over again. Luckily, the town acknowledged siesta thus between 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm the silence cut all noises. I guess the level of the noise would be easier to deal with if only I did not normally live in a small and very quiet village. Apart of the traffic the walls and floors of this old house were exceptionally thin. In the night, I had an impression there were people in my room who were talking, laughing, playing cards and, when the booze finished, they were snoring. This was so loud! This was not a surprise then that I often woke up early and went out of the apartment to hanging around a bit in the early morning. First couple of days I was sleeping better than during the rest of my stay because of being exhausted by the journey and by the heat. Unfortunately, after three days I was struggling with falling asleep every night. I wonder if other travellers and tourists has the same problem. Morning My favourite moment of every morning was 7:00 am. At 7:00 am the bell from the church rings loudly announcing the day officially has started. And suddenly, every sound rises its volume: the town wakes racily up. The shop around the corner opens its door with a smash, the trash collector throws glass to his car with a sharp noise and the dog starts barking at everything he sees. The bell continues ringing: a melody of Ave Maria announces that the day has started and that everything that happens today will praise the Lord. After 7:00 am the bars are open and flooded with the residents. All of them needs a modest encouragement to start the day. Coffee is one of their daily treats. A quick check of the lottery raises their blood pressure too. Worst case scenario, a glass of cold beer wakes them up. The town in the early morning with trash vehicle collecting glass and scooters driving around makes a curious impression. The poverty, visible at every corner is mixed with a rush of the residents eager to start working before the heat of the day hits them. There are dogs with no owners hanging around and the cleaning ladies sweeping the streets. When a vehicle collecting glass takes another load, the people in the bar shout like if their team scored in the game. I am not sure where does their enthusiasm come from. There is a hairdresser just in front of my temporary house. It opens at 7:30 am with a loud greeting by the owner to passing people and opening the sunblind. The frequent customers start coming. The door is open and a conversation sparkles. A loud greeting, a noise made by hairdryer and the scissors cutting hair is mixed into an everyday melody of this town. All windows and door along the street is open: people try to catch some fresh air before the heat come. The bell rings again. It’s 8:45 am and all should be working by now. The sun will silence everyone after the noon. The heat will be unbearable by then. It warms the walls, stairs, roofs and air so the main effort of all resident will focus on keeping their houses cool. They will close the door and the windows, they will keep drinking cold water and eating fruits. They will not rise their voices and before it’s 1:30 pm all will be silent again. A small town routine Everyone has a small garden here. This is the secret method of flourishing despite the odds. We saw hundreds of small gardens outside the town while driving here and there and they are a prove that all depends on water. If a small field is watered the vegetation is as lush as in the tropical garden but if the water is scarce everything is burnt out. The main task here is therefore watering the garden. In the mornings and early afternoons, the local farmers try to sell their fruits and vegetables in small booths along the main road. Sometimes in the town there are door opened and few fruits are being sold there, directly from the farmers. It strings the process of production and consumption to the minimum. From the garden to the table the distance is really short. So green and eco! People here are nice. We get often questioned about our stay in Fluminimaggiore and almost all locals ask whether we go to the beach today. It was weird at the beginning and I thought we have some beach related objects or dress that would suggest our intention of spending time at the beach. When I heard the same question again I thought there must be a pattern. And there is. The locals are convinced that the beach is the only attraction for tourists and to keep them happy all you need to do is to send them to the beach. Thus, when we declared we have no intention of spending our holiday at the beach they looked at us in a suspicious way. Fortunately, we speak Italian, which always helps. Celebrations And so the life goes rather slowly here. It has a certain charm, though, of a tiny place where everybody knows each other. It seems like they all know their limits, which includes even a quantity of bread baked daily. When I go to the bakery after 10:00 am there is very little left. Every day the same people buy the same things and thus a baker has an easy task...

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Tbex conference is always packed with events. But there is always one of two days off to enjoy the place where the conference is held. This year we were very lucky to find ourselves in Athens – the capital of Greece. Although the weather was summer like only for 2 days we were still having fun laughing, drinking and dancing together. Once in a year it is great meeting all bloggers in the same place at the same time. Bike tour After one day trip with Jenny to Marathon I took part in cycling tour around Athens. No surprises here: I have always considered bikes the best transportation in big cities and also the best way to actually see the city. So when a company Travelncycle invited me and Susan decided to join them we didn’t have a second thought! Security first! We were a jolly group! Twins from Slow Spirit Blog, Franziska from Coconut Sports, Susan from VibrantIreland and Roni from TravelGuru were all invited to join Yorgo and Villy – locals from Athens who wanted to show us their city. Each of us got a helmet, highly visible vest and a bike. Now, I tried quite a few bicycles during my travels. If you remember my adventure on the Aran Islands you will surely know how hard and uncomfortable it was. Thus, I was shocked how easy this bike tour was! Even if we biked up and down the bikes provided by TravelnCycle were brilliant! Guys from this company also published few really nice pictures taken throughout the day: click here to watch them all. Around the city We started from main city site: Acropolis. The weather was perfect for a bike ride: no sun was shining and it was chilly enough to ride a bike without sweating. We biked through the main districts including famous Plaka and Psirri, less known Gazi with revitalized post industrial buildings, Greek Parliment to watch changing of the guard, Public Gardens and epic stadium called Panathenaic Stadium. The Stadium was pretty impressive especially because a finish line of every classic Marathon run in Athens each year is right there. Here are few pictures taken along our itinerary.         Fish Market One of the most fascinating attractions seen and experienced with all 5 senses was a fish market. What a place! Guys from TravlnCycle did great job taking us there so we could – at least for a short moment – see how locals live and do their daily shopping. This place was smelly and very very loud. Every seller shouted in Greek things we didn’t understand but surely they tried to catch the attention of the buyers, and they were very successful in that! I’m not a big fan of seafood but I loved this place! For its vibrant and unpretentious character. It gave us a grip on where and how Athenians buy their food. Chill Out The tour took us more than 4 hours so eventually, after seeing all beautiful byzantine churches, ruins of Hadrian Library, Temple of Zeus and million other sites, we headed towards an exceptional place called: Kerameio Cafe. All of us were tired and needed some regeneration before going back to a hotel so Yorgo and Villy took us to a brilliant place. The music, interior design and food was exceptional. I felt warm and peaceful in a minute. We sat around a table and started trying traditional greek food and drinks.  The tour around Athens by bike was fantastic. I had a great time not only visiting the famous sites but also interacting with our guides and other bloggers. I can tell you this: biking IS the best way to visit the city and with guys from TravelnCycle you can be sure to be well taken care of! Highly recommended! Tbex 2014 from Null & Full on Vimeo.  

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Architecture in Poznan is far from trivial. Despite the devastating World War II there is number of interesting buildings spread throughout the city. My favorite style of the city houses is art nouveau found in one of the city districts: Jeżyce. Not as magnificent as buildings in Barcelona, Paris or Brussels it is still fascinating to walk around this area and know the history behind it. It all started with a flood in 1888 which, causing a considerable damage of the ancient fortifications, convinced the authorities to expand the city towards the west. In a place where today you find a vibrant city there were small villages only 120 years ago! What I find most striking was a tight tie with Berlin that is so clearly visible in architecture of these times! Back then, Poznan was under Prussian rule (1793–1918) with authority in Berlin. All buildings, streets squares and avenues were conceptually driven by the mainstream trends from Berlin rather than Warsaw. Architectural style of art nouveau introduced in Poznan had few particular features. The houses were bigger than previously constructed in the city center but in terms of internal division of space it did not change significantly. The main characteristics of art nouveau is found in rich decorations of facade, stained glass windows, abundant stucco and excessive usage of floral motifs. Also oval windows were a novelty and beautifully crafted balcony railings. A fairytale like elements were introduced in all newly constructed buildings, which were numerous. In late 19th century construction sites popped up like mushrooms after a few days of rain. As many as over 800 planning permissions were issued and within next few years wonderful and stylish houses were constructed. Here is something extra for you: Poznan seen by a foreigners. An Australian family visited Poznan and here is what they found interesting in our city! Jezyce might not be a touristic center of Poznan, however, it is heavily used by the locals. So if you wonder how is life of the local people you should walk around this area. Here is my itinerary of one sunny early morning I spent in Poznan. ROOSEVELT STREET – KRASICKIEGO STREET – MICKIEWICZA STREET – POZNANSKA STREET – STRZAŁKOWSKIEGO STREET – DĄBROWSKIEGO – JEZYCKI SQUARE – KRASZEWSKIEGO STREET – SŁOWACKIEGO STREET back to MIECKIEWICZA STREET. Quite naturally just like very other city district Jezyce has its own problems. Heavy traffic, lack of parking space and city noise are only few of them. Nevertheless, this area has amazing charm and beauty. If you come here in early morning, walk around and look up you will connect with the past of this city. Watching newly renovated houses but also the ones that were less fortunate and show a visible damage you will think about the difficult history of this place. Some of the details found in the streets of Jezyce are stunning. There are some good cafes to sit in too. A recent revival of cafes along Szamarzewskiego street is worthy to pay a visit. Also an interesting one is called Sweet Surrender and is found at Krasińskiego Street, just behind a theater building. A perfect place to play chess with your friends! Every fan of art nouveau will find this place delightful! Far from crowded touristic spots there is a very unique and interesting piece of modern architecture. This is just perfect for a lazy morning walk and a photo tour! Disclosure: this post was kindly supported by City of Poznan, however, all opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.  

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Poznan is easy to love. Not that I am biased by the fact of being raised in this city. Poznan is simply a very attractive place to visit and to have fun. Let’s say you’re coming to Poznan to visit me. Where should I go with you? What should we see together? Here are few places in my home city I would like you to visit. All are really special to me. For a good start To fully appreciate any place you need to relax first. There is no use to running around like a mad cat. So first I’m going to take you to a cafe. Poznan is known for a variety of cafes located in the heart of the city. There are many places to enjoy your coffee or snack but there are three places I particularly like. Our first stop is Kamea Cafe on Wroniecka Street. There are couple of reasons why I picked up this place. First, I remember it from my high school times. This cafe was located elsewhere but successfully survived more than a decade serving fabulous desserts. Second, I like the interior design of this place. It’s not excessively fancy nor rustic, its brown color creates a nice atmosphere of leisure and feast at the same time. Third, the fruit and ice cream desserts are delicious! I’m not going to tell you which is my favorite. You need to figure it out for yourself. And lastly, I have good memories of meeting my friends here. When I lived abroad and stayed in Poznan for few days a year there was always an issue on how to meet all friends in a very short time. And, more importantly, not having an apartment in Poznan: where to meet them all? Kamea was just perfect for long winter evenings and bright summer nights. Having my dessert in Kamea now brings all these wonderful moments alive. So this is a special place to me. Where next? Another place, another story. Dominikanska Street no 7 hosts Tea Shop Chimera. It combines exquisite tea selling with cozy cafe and good restaurant. Surprised? Well, although this mix sounds weird I think this place is very successful in hosting guests of all kinds. Since I remember this tea shop was here and in my high school time this was one of very few places where we could drink a high quality green or white tea. For years this was a place of meetings with my school mates, which is especially joyful many years after graduation. People from my high school spread around the world so whenever there is a holiday season we try to gather in Poznan. This is a tough task but we managed to meet few times after we parted at the end of high school. Just recently, visiting Chimera with my Italian friends I discovered how good the local kitchen is! My dear friend ate here an exquisite duck with dumplings and red cabbage (pretty traditional Polish food) and she told me that this was the best duck she has ever eaten! Here is something extra for you: Erin and her family recently visited Poznan and they picked up best Polish food. Find out what foreigner appreciate in Polish kitchen! Good company The last place I wish to share with you was discovered recently. Hosting Laurence and Vera from Finding the Universe travel blog few weeks ago I tried to find a very particular place to have our coffee at. And found one! Through a radio station International Poznan I’ve heard a story of Erik – an American guy from Seattle – who runs a small coffee shop at Ratajczaka Street, 18, called The Bigfoot Cofee Shop. This place might be tricky to find as it is located along a street restricted to traffic. But when you find it you will love it! Erik is one of the most friendly people I have ever met. I’m not going to share his story here. To know him you will need to visit this place for yourself. Let me just tell you that his coffee machine and sandwiches are delicious! Plus: his photographs of Poznan he exhibits on walls are fantastic! You can see that he loves our city. This story continues. Follow me to know Poznan and let’s go to Food Market together! Disclosure: this post was kindly supported by City of Poznan, however, all opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.  

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Writing about home city is challenging. It’s very difficult to find the right perspective. On the one hand, there are too many stories to tell, too many memories to share and just too many places to write about. On the other hand, local stories and excessive detailed description will not interest travelers nor tourists. So here is the thing: I will show you my city just as I do with my foreign friends who visit me here. Places I normally go, things I usually do, events I always participate. This is a very personal itinerary of Poznan. And as local as it gets. Food Starting with basics: I’ll show you my favorite places for having a coffee, a delicious dessert or sites where I simply like to chill out with my friends. So next post will take you on tour around the Poznan cafes. Some of them are charming and very busy with locals while others are quiet and peaceful. This is true for Poznan: everyone finds something for himself or herself. A huge variety of cafes awaits you. Not only cafes are busy places here: people all over the world spend time shopping fresh vegetables, fruits and flowers. You must be familiar with pictures of exotic food markets and I’m going to show you how people do their daily shopping on city markets. It’ll be very colorful and crowded, just like elsewhere! Art&History Poznan is an excellent example of a place where history and art are fascinating! No worries: no boring museum with old paintings. Far from it! I’ll take you for a long walk around one of Poznan districts that is called Jeżyce. I’m going to show you a fabulous art deco style of the houses that survived last war. Spectacular details, glass windows, door, balconies and stucco. Few sites here reminds me my trip to Barcelona and I hope you’ll share my delight with these beauties. Further, I’m taking you to one of the most modern places in the city where ancient history becomes alive. Sounds weird: modern technologies and the ancient history? Fair enough. You’ll se for yourself. Events Poznan is a city of festivals. No doubts about it! Throughout the year there is no weekend without a music or cultural event. Seriously! You can chose from street theaters’ festival, ethnic music festival, jazz festival, films and music festivals and so many others! I will focus on two events I participate: Dancing Poznan and 15th Poznan Marathon. I think these two events are very particular and you will find out why if you read these posts. If you wish know Poznan better, see whether this city is an interesting holiday destination or just check what to do here follow posts published under “Home City”. Trust locals – they know best!    

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This is the last post from Marche. But before we’ll say ‘good buy’ to her let me show you the real pearl of renaissance architecture: Palazzo Ducale. I can tell you that Giorgia from Marche Holiday was right: Urbino is all about renaissance and Palazzo Ducale is the best example to show you this. Light Palazzo Ducale dominates the city skyline: it is visible from Fortezza and from few squares throughout the city. The most characteristic elements are two thin and very tall towers that were constructed in few stages. I had a bad luck and when I was visiting Urbino the towers were covered with scaffolding and couldn’t fully appreciated this precious architectural element. There were extensive conservation works ongoing in few rooms inside too. Despite of this, Palazzo Ducale impressed me so I can only imagine its splendor and plan another trip to Urbino after the works are done to fully enjoy it! “It’s all about light!” – I was told when the history of Urbino was explained to me. And you see it from the very first moment you enter this impressive building. A staircase you see below is the first one ever constructed this way. Starting from this building all other European lords and dukes followed this pattern. Duke of Urbino – Duca Federico Montefeltro – made his palace full of light and when others saw it they wanted the very same thing in their courts. This was the first staircase in Europe that has been constructed this way: perfect proportions, very large windows, beautiful ornaments and comfortable steps. Duca Federico Duca Federico was a powerful man! Indeed. He ruled Urbino from 1444 to 1482 and in these years he had completely changed this city. If you think about influential people in Italian history and art he is the one who comes to mind in top 3. Duca Federico was very special and Urbino is still his city. Although many years have passed and Urbino has turned into a vibrant university city it still keeps his original thoughts about greatness in it. Federico was passionate about two things: war and art. This is not a very popular combination, is it? Either someone loves to fight or to contemplate works of art. Federico loved both. And was amazingly good in it! Long story short: after he won few wars with neighbor dukes he became very rich. And instead of loosing his money on vanity he was determined to immortalized his love towards beautiful objects. He decided to construct a palace like no other. And he was very successful in it. Watching it today I can easily believe that this was a stunning piece of architecture in his own times. Artists Urbino, in times of Duca Federico, was full of artists. The best artists of renaissance worked here: Piero della Francesca, Giovanni Santi (father of famous Raphael), Luciano Laurana, Perugino, Signorelli, Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Bramante and so many others. At some point every ambitious artist must have spent part of his artistic life in Urbino. What is really sad about it is that paintings and sculptures created by these artists are scarce in Urbino. Although Palazzo Ducale was turned into National Gallery of Marche there are few popular objects exhibited here. Not even famous portrait of Duca Federico and his wife that was taken to Galleria Uffizi. Palazzo Ducale I spent in this museum few hours and was able to visit only one floor. Although the museum does not have the most renown paintings of Italian renaissance it is still worthy to pay a visit. Rooms, corridors and stairs, everything immersed in Italian light make great impression. Following the itinerary you will experience for yourself the greatness of the duke. Starting from relatively modest and small rooms you proceed through the larger ones, up to his own apartment with amazing ‘study room’. A huge ball room with large windows and lovely celling is a cherry on the cake. What I appreciated the most was a very elegant details and ornaments. This particular interior design still keeps its beauty: modest but carefully crafted and with prefect proportions. I enjoyed my stay in this museum very much even though it has no new technologies employed. The building itself is stunning and walking in these rooms was a great experience. I really hope to get back to Marche as soon as possible. I would love to visit Urbino again, participate another truffle hunt, taste new wines or just sit under an olive tree. Thanks again my awesome hosts from Marche Holiday whose services I sincerely recommend and see you next time! So it’s not really a ‘good bye’, rather a ‘see you soon’! See previous posts here! For the record: I have recently started to work with City of Poznan – My Home City – so stay tuned for a series of posts from here! Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

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Wang Church is the main touristic attraction of a little mountain village Karpacz. It is situated in southern Poland just at the foot of an old mountain range Karkonosze. This whole place is way off the beaten track of foreign tourists and hikers and I bet that most of you have never heard about it. Continuing my story of a week spent on hiking there this spring let me tell you few things about this church. This church is extraordinary: not only very old but also originally Norwegian. Surprised? I think most people are. Especially if you think how few of these churches last until today in Norway! It was constructed in 12th century in a small norwegian village called Vang from where it took its name (Wang in Polish). The history of this little wooden church until 19th century was pretty straightforward: it stood where it was constructed and served the local community for worship purposes. But then, in 19th century, something went differently than the ordinary. It was too small for the community and it was decided to be relocated so it could be used somewhere else. To make a long story short the edifice was taken to pieces and shipped in boxes, first to Szczecin, then transported to Berlin and finally reconstructed in Karpacz (in 1849). Apart of being an important touristic attraction in the area it is used by the local Lutherans until today. There are many curious details of this outstanding piece of architecture, like as it was constructed without a single nail, which is so hard to believe! Most of all, however, it is striking how different it is when compared with all other buildings in the area. It is bizarre. Even though the traditional houses around are also wooden these norwegian architectural details (lions, winged dragons, runes) are striking. It is carefully crafted and very well conserved so this is quite a treat for fans of norwegian architecture. If you are interested in norwegian architecture check this post by Jeff. He goes in depth of these marvelous constructions. What I love the most about this church is its smell. It is very special for two reasons: its age and my memories. As the construction is out of norwegian pine and the elements lasted for about 8 centuries the smell is very particular and – obviously – hard to describe. Try to think about old wooden buildings, like a mill or a barn. All years passed, all violent seasons’ change, everything marked it so the current smell consists of impossible to identify ingredients. For me it was also very special because it reminded me my childhood. It is an amazingly powerful experience: to smell the same smell after 25 years. Literally! THE SAME! 25 years is nothing when compared to 8 centuries so it hasn’t changed a bit! If you are curious what is the smell of the Wang church you need to visit it for yourself! Photo gallery from Karkonosze is here.  

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