Poland > The castle of Marienburg

Poland - The lower castle of Malbork

After getting up, we first head to the parking meter for the car. On Monday morning, payment is required. Last night we had already collected some coins, but it turns out this wasn’t necessary. Contactless payment with a card works in Poland as well. We take it easy today—a welcome break after two intense travel days. We walk to the quay of the Motlawa River and order breakfast at a terrace. Delightful in the sunshine. Around eleven o’clock, we load the luggage and drive out of Gdansk. The first destination of the day is Malbork Castle (Slot Marienburg) in Malbork. This castle is the largest medieval castle in Europe. It was built in 1274 from bricks in Gothic style and is now on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Through a well-organized audio tour, we explore the entire castle. It’s fascinating to see how the different defensive lines were designed—from the outer ring to the central castle area. We walk across the footbridge to the opposite side of the Nogat River, where we have a beautiful view of the castle. After the tour, we continue to Olsztyn, a drive of about two hours. Along the way, the provincial road is being converted into a highway, with construction everywhere. The road runs through the construction zones. On the narrow two-lane roads, overtaking is difficult, so when we’re behind a truck, we just accept it—safety first. Upon entering Olsztyn, the navigation system leads us through narrow streets. Unfortunately, one street is closed, so we have to turn around in the tight lanes.

Poland - Olsztyn Castle rises high above the city

Through a maze of one-way cobbled streets, we finally reach our hotel. The hotel is right next to Olsztyn Castle. The red-brick castle was built in the 14th century and is one of the few buildings that survived the massive fire in 1945. The city has been fully restored in its old style. The old city gate has also been preserved; it served as a prison for many years. Behind the gate stands the new town hall, built in the traditional style. The Gothic interior of the nearby St. Jacob Cathedral is beautifully decorated—far more impressive than the cathedral in Potsdam. At the central square of Olsztyn, we order a drink and some fries as a snack. We realize that we haven’t eaten lunch at all. The view of the central square is very pleasant. We also place our order for dinner here. Afterward, we walk along the river back to the hotel.