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Poland’s beauty hidden in literature

Choosing a holiday destination, we often seek emotional, positive inspiration. Book Lovers Day is an excellent opportunity to set off on a journey that follows the lead of exciting literature by famous writers. Where to? Poland, of course!

We begin our tour with the magical Sudetes, the mountain range that Olga Tokarczuk, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature for 2018, has made her place on earth. The magical Włodzickie Hills and Owl Mountains are packed with attractions and mysterious tales. Tokarczuk expressed their absolutely unique character in the novel Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, subsequently adapted for the screen by Hollywood director Agnieszka Holland in the film Spoor. The region features not only an enchanting natural mountainous landscape cut across by river gorges, but also famous castles, Fort Srebrna Góra – an official Historic Monument, and the Walim Adits, i.e. the Rzeczka part of the famous Riese complex.

Other, equally beautiful mountainous terrain has been described by famous Polish writer Andrzej Stasiuk. His books Tales of Galicia, White Raven and Dukla take us to the incredibly enchanting Low Beskids, where the author once made a living as the caretaker of a little tserkva. Often called the land of gentleness, the region is famous for its natural, almost wild, nostalgic landscapes virtually untouched by commercialisation. It is great for fulfilling dreams of slow leisure combined with exploring historical cultures and sites. The Wooden Architecture Trail features delightful old tserkvas, while the picturesque valleys running between gently sloping mountains hide many Lemko villages that once teemed with life.

Finally, our literary tourist journey could not bypass Warsaw. The Polish capital is the main character in Leopold Tyrmand’s famous novel The Man with White Eyes. Like no other writer, this author knew how to convey the city’s mysterious and defiant spirit. Touring Warsaw in Tyrmand’s footsteps is a must on any literary tourist trip to Poland. It is the best way to explore those unique smells, moods, feelings and thoughts, and to discover the city’s different aspects, including its history-filled streets, squares, parks and cafés. See you in Poland!