Key To Poland

24/01/2022

Where are your daydreams taking you today?

Today, we find ourselves reminiscing over a sunny afternoon spent at Zamek Karpniki • Schloss Fischbach drinking tea and eating cakes!

21/01/2022

What do you think about this news?

🥾 A man in Kraków plans to become the first person to walk every street in the city!

The idea began when his plans for taking a few months off to go trekking fell through. Instead, he came up with the idea to walk the entirety of Kraków, which consists of over 3000 streets totally over 1400 kilometers (870 miles)! He started this challenge two and half years ago and he estimates he will finish within the next three years.

Other fun facts - this gentleman is known also for running the Kraków Marathon backwards and for riding a bicycle for 24 hours straight - but sitting backwards. Pretty incredible!

Read more about his story here https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/krakow-man-looking-to-become-first-person-in-history-to-walk-up-every-street-in-historic-city-27254

19/01/2022

❄️ Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

☃️ When you think of Poland, snowy winter hiking is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. In a country that is known for its magical forests, it would be a shame to only see them in the summer! In southern Poland, there are established hiking trails that are used year round and many lead to a viewing tower that allow panoramic mountain views!

Read more about the many different activities you can do in Poland on our blog https://keytopoland.com/post/planning-an-active-vacation-in-poland

17/01/2022

🌟 Monday Inspiration! Which part of this resonates with you the most?

"This is your LIFE. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don't like something, change it. If you don't like your job, quit. If you don't have enough time, stop watching TV. If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be waiting for you when you start doing the things you love. Stop over analyzing, life is simple. All emotions are beautiful. When you eat, appreciate every last bite. Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people, we are united in our differences. Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them. TRAVEL OFTEN; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once, seize them. Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them so go out and start creating. Life is short. Live your dreams and share your passion."

The Holstee Manifesto

14/01/2022

Looking to spice up your weekend? Grzaniec is what you need!

🍷 Grzane Wino is a Polish mulled wine that is served warm and very popular during the chilly winter months. It's the perfect treat after a day spent outdoors skiing, on a winter kulig (sleigh ride), or for a cozy night in!

Find Key to Poland's very own house recipe for grzane wino in the article below. Be sure to share this with others who could use a warm, mid-winter pick me up!

Na zdrowie! 🥂

https://keytopoland.com/post/grzaniec-the-traditional-polish-winter-drink

Grzaniec is a traditional Polish drink enjoyed during the winter season. It is very similar to mulled wine and mulled beer. Find the best Grzaniec recipe here.

13/01/2022

🌎 What destination is on the top of your travel bucket list this year? Share in the comments! ⬇️

30/11/2021

🕯️ Andrzejki (Saint Andrew's Day) is observed in Poland on November 30th, though most festivities begin in the evening on November 29th.

During this time it is believed that certain rituals can be performed in order for a young woman to see into their future and predict their future husband!

🍎 Andrzejki has been a significant day for centuries in Poland, especially for young unmarried women, as it was believed that Saint Andrew would provide information about their future husband. Many traditional games were played throughout the evening in attempt to find out who the young woman’s future beau would be.

Some of these celebrations still take place today though they are practiced more lightheartedly and not taken as seriously as they once were.

🗝️ The most famous ritual is the melting of candle wax through the hole in an old skeleton key. In this tradition, a girl will melt the wax from a candle through the hole of an old fashioned, skeleton key. The wax will land into a bowl of cold water and the cooled wax will take shape.

The wax is then taken and held in the light where it will cast a shadow upon the wall. The shadow is studied to look for signs of the girl’s future husband’s appearance or characteristics. Today this is sometimes still performed as a game for fun, but centuries ago this ritual was taken very seriously.

Feel free to share!

Read our new article "Celebrating Andrzejki in Poland" to learn about some of the rituals and activities that are performed on this night!

https://keytopoland.com/post/celebrating-andrzejki-in-poland

11/11/2021

🇵🇱 Happy Independence Day Poland!! 🇵🇱

https://keytopoland.com/post/all-about-independence-day-in-poland

Independence Day in Poland is celebrated on the 11th of November. Celebrate this holiday like a local

10/11/2021

Who's ready for tomorrow?? 🥐 🥐 🥐

https://keytopoland.com/post/celebrating-saint-martin-s-day-in-poznan

Saint Martin's Day is celebrated in countries around the world, but in Poland, the biggest celebration is in Poznań. Celebrate this holiday and learn most interesting facts.

09/11/2021

🇵🇱 🇵🇱 On November 11th, Poland celebrates Independence Day, otherwise known as Narodowe Święto Niepodległości.

What is Polish Independence Day?
Poland’s Independence Day commemorates the anniversary of when Poland regained its sovereignty from the German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empires in 1918.

Few people know that Poland actually disappeared from world maps for 123 years! From 1772, Poland was under attack by Russia, Prussia and Austria, which resulted in Poland being partitioned into three pieces. Due to their perseverance and dedicated fight, Poles finally regained their independence at the end of World War I.

Poland’s Independence Day was established in 1937 and was only able to be celebrated twice before World War II began.
From 1939 to 1944, Poland was under N**i occupation.

Therefore, all signs and displays of Polish culture was forbidden. Subsequently, Poland fell under control of the USSR, forbidding patriotic celebrations. After the fall of communism, Poland’s Independence Day was reinstated and celebrated once again beginning in 1989.

Feel free to share!

Read our article Independence Day in Poland: History and Celebrations, to learn more about how Poles celebrate this important day and what to keep in mind if you are traveling in Poland on this holiday. 🇵🇱 🇵🇱

https://keytopoland.com/post/all-about-independence-day-in-poland

05/11/2021

🥐 One of the tastiest holidays in Poland is coming next week!

🥐 Saint Martin’s Day is celebrated in Poland on November 11th (the same as Poland’s Independence Day). Though this day is observed in many countries around the world, the best celebrations are in the Polish city of Poznań!

🥐 Saint Martin was one of the most popular Catholic saints. He is the patron saint of many things including children, innkeepers, hat makers, blacksmiths, and more.

🥐 In the city of Poznan, Saint’ Martin’s Day has been celebrated since the Middle Ages. The celebrations are colorful and fun and feature the famous pastry, the rogal świętomarciński aka Saint Martin Croissant.

🥐 A rogal świętomarciński, otherwise known in English as a Saint Martin Croissant, is a croissant filled with almond paste and white poppy seeds.

🥐 Read a ton of fun information about this holiday on our blog!
https://keytopoland.com/post/celebrating-saint-martin-s-day-in-poznan

04/11/2021

🧀 Oscypek is a traditional smoked cheese made of salted sheep milk hailing from the highland Tatra Podhale region of Poland.

🐑 This cheese is made with milk from a breed of sheep called Polish Mountain Sheep that roam the highland pastures in the Tatra Mountains.

🛖 The process begins with pouring the sheep milk through a linen cloth into a wooden bucket where dried rennet is added. The curdled substance is then squeezed from the whey and formed by hand into a spindle shape. The cheese is decorated by placing it in a beautifully carved wooden mold called an oscypiorka. The oscypek is then dipped in a brine and placed beneath the rood of the mountain hut that the shepherds reside in. The cheese is smoked by the cold smoke coming from a small fire within the hut.

🧀 In 2008, this cheese was protected under the EU’s Protected Designation of Origin. This means that when purchasing oscypek you are guaranteed it is authentic and meets very specific requirements. If it does not, the cheese is simply called serki góralskie or Highlander cheese.

🧀 Traditionally this cheese is grilled and eaten with a side of lingonberry jam, but it is also often added to salad or pasta dishes. Cheese making in this region dates back to the 12th century though the first recorded recipe for oscypek dates to 1748 and it has remained unchanged since this time.

https://keytopoland.com/post/oscypek-traditional-polish-highland-cheese

03/11/2021

Dreamy autumn morning over the hills in our neighborhood in Poland.

📸 Check out Marcin Jagiellicz Fotografia for more photos of Lower Silesia.

Jesienny poranek w Rudawach Janowickich. Tak jak lubię :)

02/11/2021

🍂 Did you know the Polish word for the month of November is listopad? Listopad comes from the word liście meaning leaves and padać meaning to fall. Combined this month means falling leaves. Pretty poetic!

Learn more about the words for months in the Polish language here ⬇️
https://keytopoland.com/post/a-guide-to-months-in-polish

01/11/2021

A peaceful evening visit to the cemetery on All Saint's Day in Poland 🕯️

01/11/2021

💐 November 1st, Poland celebrates All Saints Day (Wszystkich Świętych). On this day, Poles travel across the country to visit the cemeteries where their relatives rest. People bring decorative candles (known in Polish as znicze) and flowers such as chrysanthemums (of all colors) to lay on the graves of their loved ones.

https://keytopoland.com/post/all-saints-day-in-poland-history-and-traditions

All Saints Day is a holiday in Poland where people visit the graves of deceased family members and loved ones to pay their respects. Learn more about the history and traditions of this special holiday.

30/10/2021

🕯️ 💐 Obviously you’ve heard of Halloween in the United States. And maybe you’ve learned about Día de Mu***os in Mexico. But do you know about All Saints Day in Poland?

All Saints Day, known in Polish as Wszystkich Świętych, takes place each year on the 1st of November. This is a day of remembrance. On this day, Poles travel across the country to visit the cemeteries where their relatives rest.

Traditionally on this holiday, people bring decorative candles 🕯️ (known in Polish as znicze) and flowers such as chrysanthemums 💐 (of all colors) to lay on the graves of their loved ones. By the end of the day, there are millions of candles glowing in cemeteries across the country that will shine for up to a week.

Find out more about the history and traditions of All Saints Day in Poland here ➡️ https://keytopoland.com/post/all-saints-day-in-poland-history-and-traditions

29/10/2021

👻 🎃 🦇 Halloween is almost here and with that we want to share with you some of the spookiest places in Poland we have discovered!

Poland has had a long and bumpy history, which has inevitably resulted in some mysterious stories and eerie places. Here's one haunted story...

Medieval castles are structures that have always been associated with legends and scary stories. It is no different in the case of Zamek Ogrodzieniec, which recently gained world fame as a location from the tv series “The Witcher,” produced by Netflix.

The fortress, built in the 15th century, has many legends that locals don’t like to joke about. One of the stories tells about a terrible black dog 🐾 that appears after sunset in the courtyard. It is said to wear a thick chain, which makes a loud clinking sound that echos throughout the castle. 🏰

One local who didn’t believe this story, decided to spend the night at the castle. During the night, he heard loud sounds of growling and a clinking metal chain. Panicked, he decided to leave the castle as soon as possible, but still had the feeling he was being followed. On his way out, he jumped into a pond he found along the way and saw a huge black head staring at him from the water. Luckily, sunrise came and the sun rays chased the creature away and the man survived.

Who’s up for a night at the castle? 🌙

Press the share button to share this ghost story with others on Facebook!

Read about more spooky places in Poland here
https://keytopoland.com/post/top-8-spookiest-places-in-poland

27/10/2021

Colorful buildings on the Market Square 🌈

25/10/2021

🛖 Have you ever slept in a yurt??

🌲 This week we had the pleasure and joy of staying at Kryjówka. Kryjoówka is the Polish word for hiding place, which perfectly describes this peaceful place. Kryjoówka is home to three modern yurts nestled into the hillside on a forested property with a beautiful landscape view.

🎪 These three yurts - green, red, and gray - are named for the colors that adorn their outer layer. Though many people equate staying in a yurt to something like Glamping, we can assure that the yurts in Kryjoówka are so much more.

🛖 For those of you who are unfamiliar with yurts, this style of shelter originated thousands of years ago in Central Asia. A yurt is round in shape with lattice walls, a central compression ring, and fabric covered exterior.

🚪 Each yurt on the property is like a cozy cabin. It is complete with a full kitchen (stove, refrigerator, kettle, utensils), a bathroom (shower, toilet, sink), a full bed, a loft with an extra sleeping space, electricity, hot water, and a quick and easy to use wood stove. There are also two French doors that open up on to a large porch with a breathtaking view. The yurt has everything you could possibly need for a peaceful and relaxing getaway.

🧺 In addition to staying the night, you can also order a basket that comes filled with delicious local foods that will supplement your meals during your stay. Our basket came complete with homemade bread, farm fresh eggs, a mixed salad, a smoked tofu spread, homemade blueberry jam, local honey, a homemade rhubarb pie, an assortment of local fruit and vegetable produce, and three different kinds of local cheese. In addition to this you will also find coffee, loose tea, and hot chocolate provided in the yurt!

🔥 If this isn’t enough, you can also soak in an outdoor tub heated by wood fire or build an outdoor fire. We were only here for thee nights, but we easily could have stayed here a month (or a lifetime!).

⛰️ The yurts are locate in the village of Leszczyniec, which is on the road and close to the mountainous area of Karpacz and Jelenia Gora. There are lots of outdoor activities in this area including hiking, biking, rock climbing, and skiing.

Read more about yurts in Poland on our website!
https://keytopoland.com/post/yurts-in-poland

22/10/2021

Learned a new Polish word today - Jesieniara. It means, a woman who is obsessed with autumn 🍁 😜

21/10/2021

🍂 Autumn is in full swing in Poland on this blustery day.

🎥 Landscape view from our beautiful yurt at Kryjówka

18/10/2021

🍂 Is autumn the right time to visit Poland? We're here to tell you YES.

And why is the right time exactly?
🍂 Autumn colors (obviously)
👯‍♀️ Fewer visitors
💸 Better prices
☀️ Ideal temperature
☕ Cozy cafes
🍎 Seasonal flavors

Still need to find out if autumn is the right time for you to visit Poland? Head on over to our article about Autumn in Poland to find out more!

https://keytopoland.com/post/6-reasons-why-you-need-to-visit-poland-in-the-autumn

15/10/2021

🌳 What Polish apple recipe are you making this weekend?

🍎 Szarlotka (Polish apple pie)
🍏Jabłecznik (Polish apple cake)
🍎 Racuchy z Jabłkami (Polish apple pancakes)
🍏 Ryż z Jabłkami (rice with apples)
🍎 Surówka z Jabłka i Marchewki (apple and carrot salad)

Find the recipes in the link below!!
https://keytopoland.com/post/polish-apple-recipes

Recipes from: Polish Your Kitchen, Polish Housewife, Polonist, Polish Foodies

Photo: The beautiful apple trees at Villa Greta

14/10/2021

🐐 Do you know the legend of the Poznań Goats? 🐐

If you have spent anytime in Poznan, you know that the town is crazy about goats! As you walk through the market square (rynek) in Poznan, you will immediate notice the stunning Town Hall (ratusz) located in the center of the market.

This building dates back to the 13th century when its construction began after the founding of the city of Poznan in 1253. This building has undergone a number of reconstructions over the centuries, but today the building stands beautifully in the center of the city.

What makes the Poznan Town Hall especially famous is, the goats. At the top of the building you will notice two small doors. Hiding behind these doors are a pair of billy goats!

These mechanical billy goats make their appearance daily at noon with a cute display of butting heads 12 times to mark the mid-day hour. While it is fun to watch, many people are curious as to what is the story behind the famous goats of Poznan!

In the city of Poznan, there was a huge fire which ended up destroying the Town Hall building. The mayor ordered the Town Hall to be rebuilt with a special clock added to the front. The town council held a large party to celebrate the opening of the new building. They invited many guests from the region and planned an elaborate dinner.

There was a young cook named Pietrek who was placed in charge of the main dish - venison leg. While the meat was cooking, Pietrek took a break to step out and have a look at the new clock on the Town Hall building. When he returned to his roast, he discovered that the meat had fallen into the fire, burned, and was completely inedible!

The young cook was desperate. There was no more venison to be found in the kitchen, so he took off in search of something to use as a replacement. He ran to a nearby field where many towns people kept their animals. Here, Pietrek stole two billy goats and brought them to the Town Hall kitchen.

Once they arrived in the kitchen, the goats escaped from Pietrek and took off in the direction of the stairs and reappeared from the Town Hall turret. On the market square below, many important guests were gathered to celebrate the festivities. All of a sudden, they looked up at the top of the Town Hall to witness the two billy goats fighting and butting heads. Everyone in attendance, including the mayor, found this event hilarious!

Thankfully, mayor ended up pardoning Pietrek. He found the whole ordeal so humorous, that he asked that a pair of goats be added to the clock (similar to a cuckoo clock). The mechanism on the clock was designed to activate everyday so at noon, the two goats appear and butt heads 12 times to mark the mid-day hour. At noon, trumpeter appears at the top of the Town Hall and plays a bugle call, which is when the two goats appear!

It is thought that the goats were first installed on the tower in the year 1551. In 1675, the tower was badly damaged and the goats had a long break until 1913, when they were restored to the clock.

🐐 Feel free to share!!

Read the full story on our website: https://keytopoland.com/post/story-of-the-poznan-goats

13/10/2021

📚 Book Alert! 📚

🇵🇱 Some of you may know that while we write about, promote, and share all things Polish here, we actually live in Alaska!

❤️ To make a long story short, Damian is from Poland and Elizabeth is from Alaska. We met back in 2015 while we were both living in Iceland and the rest is history!

📚 The last few years we have been living in Alaska, while frequently traveling back to Poland to be with Damian's family. Since the travel business pretty much closed up shop during the pandemic, Damian took the time to write a book about Alaska.

🐻 Today is the release date of Damian's book Alaska: Przystanek Na Krańcu Świata (Alaska: The Stop At The End Of The World). This is not a guidebook, but rather an all-encompassing book about Alaska including history, climate, culture, and more, also including glimpses into our life in Alaska.

📘 Unfortunately, for many of our Key To Poland friends, this book is only being released in Polish. (Though you should note the photos in the book are incredible, and you don't need Polish for those!) For those of you who do speak Polish, this book will be available at bookshops in Poland today, as well as an e-edition that you can purchase via Empik, and hopefully soon an audiobook! The book will also be available in a number of Polish bookshops in the United States and Canada.

✈️ In addition to being an author, Damian also runs a travel company that works with Polish clients in Alaska. To find out more about the book or traveling to Alaska, visit his page Kierunek Alaska!!

Thanks for being part of our international adventure. We're so glad to have you here! ❤️

12/10/2021

🐐 Last week we spent several days in the city of Poznań and it was a dream! This colorful city is not only rich in history and culture, but also full of friendly and fun people. We discovered a number of interesting stories while we were there including:

👑 Poland's first kings are buried here in a cathedral that dates back to the 10th century
🥐 Poznan is word famous for its sweet croissant - rogal świętomarciński aka Saint Martin's Croissant
⛷️ There is a ski slope in the center of the city
⚽ Fans of the Poznan soccer (football) team are known for their cheer
🐐 Goats have become a popular symbol for the city, follow the link below to find out why!

🌟 Feel free to share!

https://keytopoland.com/post/poznan-11-fun-facts-to-know-before-you-visit

08/10/2021

🥟 Spinach pierogi? Yes please! These spinach pierogi are savory and flavorful and the perfect dish for your Friday night!

Enjoy this recipe for spinach pierogi from Polish Housewife!

Read more fun facts about pierogi on our blog! https://keytopoland.com/post/5-fun-facts-about-pierogi

https://polishhousewife.com/spinach-pierogi/

Spinach Pierogi - a creamed spinach filling in tenerder pierogi dough, serve them with sauteed onions for a winning flavor combo!

08/10/2021

⛪️ The Poznań Cathedral is located on Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island), an island on the Warta River in the center of Poznan. The Poznań Cathedral is one of the oldest Polish cathedrals, dating back to the 10th century! The cathedral is the burial place of some of Poland’s earliest rulers including Mieszko I (the guy on the 10 złoty note!).

www.keytopoland.com

07/10/2021

🥟 If you've never had blueberry pierogi, you NEED to try them. They are tart, sweet, and juicy. What more can you ask for! 🫐

Check out this recipe for blueberry pierogi from Polish Your Kitchen!

Read more fun facts about pierogi on our blog! https://keytopoland.com/post/5-fun-facts-about-pierogi

https://www.polishyourkitchen.com/polishrecipes/blueberry-pierogi-pierogi-z-jagodami/

Any time of the year is a good time to cook pierogi in a Polish home. Winter time, it's a lot of "heavier" versions, like sauerkraut and mushrooms or meat