Cities and Towns in Europe

The Old Town of Poznan is not unlike Krakow, just smaller but with way less tourists. The central market square is lined with cute pastel coloured houses and the beautiful Town Hall is lite up at night. When the Town Hall clock strikes noon, two mechanical goats come out and butt heads. But Poznan also has a vibrant young vibe due to the huge student population. The bar scene is thriving and can rival that of Krakow's - just without the tourists.

Płock is perched on a ridge with great views over Vistula River. It's one of the oldest towns in Poland and was once the capital, but all that is not particularly evident today. There is a pretty cathedral and some handsome historical buildings, but nothing to keep you for more than a couple of hours.

The posh seaside town north of Gdansk is a strange mix of tacky holiday kitsch along with fine dining and sophisticated clubs. You only need to walk a few streets away from the nice beach promenade before the houses are a bit less elegant and less immaculate. Out of season, Sopot can feel a bit deserted with closed restaurants and empty beaches, but it's never dead.

For a long time Szczecin was an important town on the shore of Oder River. Today, it's still one of the largest cities in Poland, but its rich past is not so evident any longer, as many of its historical buildings were destroyed during WWII. However, the small Old Town square still has a handful of colourful traditional Polish townhouses. Other sights are the Castle of Pomeranian Dukes, underground tunnels from WWII, and the Cathedral Basilica of St James. The thriving student population gives the city life and a pulse, which is further enhanced by the trickle of day trippers from Berlin.

Poland has many elegant medieval Old Towns, but some are more magnificent than others. UNESCO-listed Old Town of Toruń is extraordinary rich in historical buildings, since the fine walled city was mostly spared during WWII. Remarkably, it's also spared today from the tourist hordes, since nobody outside Poland seems to know about charming and authentic Toruń. The best way to explore the Old Town is to just wander the cobbled streets and turn back, when you hit the modern part. It will be evident to any visitor to Toruń, that the famous scientist Nicolaus Copernicus was born here.

Warsaw might not impress at first sight. Though the tourist-haunted old town is UNESCO enlisted, most buildings needed to be rebuilt after WWII. Outside the Old Town, Warsaw is an odd mix of imposing 19th centuries mansions, Soviet-era 'masterpieces', tired workers' apartment blocks and sparkling new glass'n'steel business towers. Nowhere is this more evident than around the 'Palace of Culture and Science' which was a hard-to-decline present from the USSR. Its 231 m still make it the tallest building in Poland, but the modern skyscrapers around it are getting higher and higher every year. The amount of black luxury SUVs in the streets indicate that many are surfing the capitalism wave, leaving solidarity to the past. But Warsaw is still raw and full of lovely places with cheap beers, vodka and hearty food served through a hole in the wall.

You might wonder how a gem like Wroclaw can go under the radar for so long. Wroclaw is a smaller version of Krakow – smaller in size, but equal in charm and grandeur. There are old townhouses, a market square only second in size to Krakow's, and several islands on the Odra River with beautiful cathedrals. For great views of the old town, follow one of the many trails along the river, which will eventually cross some of the town's many bridges. For a 'uh' experience, visit the monstrous concrete exhibition complex, Centennial Hall, which is an UNESCO site. Just to top it off, the town also has a great young vibe (thanks to the many students) and therefor plenty of cheap bars to choose from.

At the foot of the Tatra Mountains lies Zakopane. During winter it’s ski resort town and during summer a base for mountain activities like hiking and mountain biking. The main stretches are lined with hotel chatels and more are getting build. Even in off season Zakopane is bustling with visitors in colourful lycra. If you don't want to hike too much, you can always take the cable car to the summit of mt. Kasprowy Wierch (1,987 m) and enjoy the views effortless. Or take the funicular up to mt. Gubalowka (1,123 m) on the other side of the valley. At the top you will have a cluster of small shops and bars - besides the amazing views over Zakopane.

Łódź (pronounced "Woodge") is an old industrial city which is under transformation. There are still lots of drap concrete blocks, but artsy murals are shooting up and old industrial buildings are putting into new use. The "OFF Piotrkowska" area is a wonderful example. Here the dilapidated factory buildings with iron framed windows are turned into hipster barber shops, bars, gastro pubs, alternative music venues, and studios. Manufaktura is another old factory complex which has been transformed, in this case to a shopping mall. Many will probably prefer the vibrant OFF Piotrkowska over the polished Manufaktura.

Braga is the third largest city in Portugal (after Lisbon and Porto) and like the other ones, has a lovely historical centre. However, the old town of Braga isn't as compact as some other Portuguese medieval towns, and contemporary concrete buildings and shopping malls have seeped in between the fine churches (there are lots) and the old dilapidated houses. Nevertheless, the city still has its fair share of faded decayed houses with crooked balconies that Portugal is so famous for.