Szydlowiec, Poland

​As a first generation Polish American and a child of immigrants, I spent a few summers with family and friends in my parents' childhood hometown, Szydlowiec. This is a little town that sits about an hour and half south of Warsaw in the flatlands that were historically used for farming. Growing up, I learned a lot about Poland both from personal experience and the stories my family would tell. But here is the readers' digest version:

Poland sits at the heart of Europe. It is a country with a variety of landscapes including seaside, flatland and mountainous views. From Baltic Amber, to Europe's most ancient forest, the salt mine Wieliczka, and of course pierogi, Poland has a lot to offer when it comes to uniqueness.
Poland's history is a rich one, that includes the country disappearing from the map for 123 years (alongside Lithuania during the Russian, Austrian and Prussian partitions from the late 1700's until 1918) and it's specific religious and cultural traditions in Catholicism that blend its strong pagan roots with the medieval introduction of an organized religion. The name Poland comes from the migrant people that eventually settled the plains of Poland around 800 C.E., the "Polanie" or people of the plain. These plains, in other words flatlands, were the reason for the numerous times Poland was ultimately invaded, conquered and occupied. Throughout history the "heart of Europe" was a blessing and a curse that offered a fertile land to grow food, but also a very susceptible area to be attacked and invaded.

​All in all, between the Tatra mountains and the Baltic Sea, Poland is a country that has seen the best and the worst times, and has made a comeback. If you have the opportunity to stop in, I'd highly recommend checking out Krakow, Zakopane, Poznan, Torun, Gdansk and Katowice. But be warned, Polish food and hospitality are not to be rivaled with, so prepare to arrive hungry and curious only to leave well-fed and highly entertained.