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Germany

Poland and Germany

Matthew Alfred Jones

• 7 min read
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Poland and Germany
Photo by Nick Herasimenka / Unsplash

Well, it was time to go to Poland, and this trip was a lot less planned than Japan was, but I did get to do most of what I wanted to do.

Flying to Poland

29th July

Close-up selfie of a person wearing glasses and a straw hat, making a peace sign while seated in a café area at Manchester Airport, with warm lighting and a curved ceiling overhead.
Ready for departure at Manchester Airport, taking a moment to relax before the flight to Poland.

First off, the flight and the Schengen zone. This was my first trip to Europe by myself to be honest and it was quite a fun one and flying to Krakow John Paul II International Airport was quite a nice easy trip with Lufthansa.

First hop was from Manchester to Frankfurt starting at 6:05 in the morning and landing at 8:50, where I have a 3-hour layover to deal with. During the 3 hours, I entered the Schengen zone and left the airport in search of breakfast, before coming back to catch my 11:50 flight to Krakow.

Exterior view of Kraków John Paul II International Airport, showing the modern glass-fronted terminal building, passenger drop-off area and vehicles under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.
Kraków Airport's modern terminal building on a sunny summer afternoon, marking the start of a visit to southern Poland.
Blue parking and exit signs outside Kraków Airport, including bilingual Polish and English directions, with the terminal building and a bright blue sky in the background.
Bilingual signage outside Kraków Airport directs drivers to parking areas and the exit, reflecting the airport's international role as a gateway to southern Poland.
A hire car in Kraków provided a convenient way to explore southern Poland, from the city centre to attractions such as Energylandia and the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
Black Toyota Yaris parked in a city car park, with reflections of nearby buildings and clouds visible across the bonnet and windscreen.

Rest day

30th July

To be honest, after all the travelling the day before to Poland and then driving to the border, it was time to have a rest day.

Zagan and Gorlitz

31st July

Żagań is the town where Stalag Luft III was and for anyone who doesn't know what it was, it was a POW camp during WW2 that was made famous by the Great Escape. I went to the museum there, which is also where Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson went to, when they did there Eurocrash Grand Tour special. The museum was informative, has a replica of one of the old watchtowers and a replica of the mine cart, track and pulley system they used in the tunnel that they built.

Brown roadside sign for Stalag Luft III pointing towards the Great Escape tunnel site known as “Harry”, located 1 kilometre away, with a second sign directing visitors to the Wooden Horse Escape site.
Roadside signage near the former Stalag Luft III prisoner-of-war camp directs visitors to key locations associated with the famous Great Escape and Wooden Horse escape attempts during the Second World War.
Reconstructed wooden barrack at the former Stalag Luft III prisoner-of-war camp, standing in a clearing surrounded by pine trees beneath a bright sky.
A reconstructed prisoner barrack at the former Stalag Luft III camp offers visitors a glimpse into the living conditions endured by Allied prisoners of war, including those involved in the Great Escape.
Scale model of the North Compound at Stalag Luft III, showing rows of prisoner barracks, watchtowers, perimeter fencing and camp buildings arranged within the former prisoner-of-war camp.
Scale model of the North Compound at Stalag Luft III, showing rows of prisoner barracks, watchtowers, perimeter fencing and camp buildings arranged within the former prisoner-of-war camp.
Replica wooden guard tower beside a museum sign for Stalag VIII C and Stalag Luft III, standing among pine trees near the site of the former prisoner-of-war camps.
A reconstructed guard tower marks the entrance to the Stalag Luft III Museum, preserving the history of the prisoner-of-war camp best known for the Great Escape of March 1944.
Reconstructed escape tunnel exhibit at the Stalag Luft III Museum, showing a narrow underground passage with timber flooring and rail tracks extending towards a distant opening.
A replica escape tunnel at the Stalag Luft III Museum demonstrates the cramped conditions faced by Allied prisoners of war who secretly dug tunnels for escape attempts, including those connected to the Great Escape.
Memorial marking the entrance to Tunnel Harry at the former Stalag Luft III camp, with commemorative wreaths and candles beside a long stone marker extending through a pine forest towards the tunnel site.
The memorial at the entrance to Tunnel Harry commemorates the prisoners of war who took part in the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III in March 1944, one of the most famous escape attempts of the Second World War.

Originally there were 3 tunnels, called Tom, Dick and Harry, but the first two were discovered by the Germans and destroyed. The completed Harry tunnel was about 100 meters in length, was about 9 meters deep and out of the 76 brave POWs that managed to escape, only 3 managed to make it to freedom.

Memorial stones marking the exit of Tunnel Harry at the former Stalag Luft III prisoner-of-war camp, featuring engraved inscriptions, remembrance candles and small commemorative crosses.
The memorial at the exit of Tunnel Harry commemorates the Allied airmen who escaped from Stalag Luft III during the Great Escape of March 1944, honouring one of the most famous prisoner-of-war escape attempts of the Second World War.
Memorial at the former Stalag Luft III camp featuring engraved stone plaques, remembrance wreaths, candles and tributes, set within a pine forest clearing.
The Great Escape Memorial at Stalag Luft III honours the fifty Allied airmen who were recaptured and executed after escaping from the camp in March 1944, commemorating one of the most significant prisoner-of-war stories of the Second World War.

I decided that same evening that I would cross into Germany to Gorlitz (the town opposite the river from Zgorzelec) as I wanted to check out the Germany side of the town as well. Because it is all part of the Schengen zone, it surprised me with how easy it was to walk over a bridge from the Polish side to the German side, though I could compare it to going from England to Scotland. While I was over on the German side, I stopped by a pub and got some proper schnitzel, and it was delicious.

The Old Town Bridge linking Zgorzelec, Poland, and Görlitz, Germany, with a blue shared pedestrian and cycle path sign in the foreground and historic town buildings visible beyond under a bright summer sky.
The Old Town Bridge spans the River Neisse between Zgorzelec and Görlitz, reconnecting the historic city divided between Poland and Germany after the Second World War.
View from the Old Town Bridge over the River Neisse between Zgorzelec and Görlitz, showing historic riverside buildings reflected in the calm water beneath a clear blue sky.
Looking along the River Neisse from the Old Town Bridge, which links Zgorzelec in Poland with Görlitz in Germany, reconnecting the historic city divided after the Second World War.
Historic riverside building with a terrace café overlooking the River Neisse in Görlitz, Germany, viewed from the Old Town Bridge on a sunny day.
A picturesque view along the River Neisse from the Old Town Bridge, with the historic riverside architecture of Görlitz and its waterside cafés reflecting the city's well-preserved heritage.
St Peter's Church in Görlitz, Germany, viewed from a cobbled street, with its twin Gothic spires rising above the historic city centre against a clear blue sky.
The twin towers of St Peter's Church dominate the skyline of Görlitz, reflecting the city's rich medieval heritage and well-preserved historic architecture.
Large breaded schnitzel served on a patterned plate with chips, a lemon wedge, herb butter and a small side salad.
Large breaded schnitzel served on a patterned plate with chips, a lemon wedge, herb butter and a small side salad.

One thing to also note, is that because Germany and Poland and both part of the Schengen Zone, it is very easy to pop between the two with no border checks and stuff, just like in the video below. It was definitely a foreign concept to me, living in the UK, but I supposed thinking about it, it is just like going from England to Scotland or Wales like I do every now and then.

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Getting ready to cross the Old Town Bridge from Zgorzelec to Görlitz.

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Showing how easy it is to cross the border from Zgorzelec, Poland to Görlitz, Germany as they are both in the Schengen Area.

Driving Back to Krakow

1st August

The day after I drove back from the Traditional hotel I was staying at back to Krakow, but like in any country, there had been an accident, and I got stuck on the Express way.

Traditional timber-framed buildings at Zagroda Kołodzieja in Zgorzelec, Poland, featuring historic Lusatian architecture, landscaped gardens and a sign for the hotel and restaurant beneath a clear blue sky.
Zagroda Kołodzieja in Zgorzelec, my hotel during a visit to the Polish–German border region, is a beautifully restored Lusatian farmhouse complex showcasing traditional local architecture.
Traffic queue on the E40 motorway near Jarostów, Poland, with cars and lorries lined up on the carriageway and motorists standing beside their vehicles during a lengthy delay on a sunny day.
Heavy traffic on the E40 near Jarostów while travelling back to Kraków, with long queues of cars and freight vehicles causing significant delays along the route.

Back in Krakow, the place I stayed in was a very nice apartment, with everything I needed, tram links nearby and an Aldi within walking distance.

Modern apartment bedroom in Kraków near Borek Fałęcki station, featuring two single beds, a wall-mounted television, air conditioning, a desk area and luggage, with contemporary furnishings and neutral décor.
My apartment in Kraków near Borek Fałęcki station provided a comfortable base for the final part of the trip, with convenient transport links and easy access to the city.
Modern apartment kitchen in Kraków near Borek Fałęcki station, featuring grey cabinets, wooden worktops, a dining table, microwave, kettle, induction hob and exposed brick-effect wall.
The apartment's well-equipped kitchen and dining area near Borek Fałęcki station in Kraków provided a comfortable space to relax and prepare meals during the final part of the trip.
Modern apartment living area in Kraków near Borek Fałęcki station, featuring a compact kitchen with grey cabinetry, a breakfast bar with stools, a red sofa, exposed brick-effect wall and contemporary lighting
The open-plan living and kitchen area of my apartment near Borek Fałęcki station in Kraków, offering a comfortable space to relax after exploring the city and surrounding region.

Well, there is more to come from my adventure in Poland, including a Theme park. See you all next time!!!