We traveled the first days of December on a long weekend. When we arrived, the first thing we did was buy bus tickets to go to the city center. They cost about 33 zlotys (8,25€).
We stayed at Hampton Inn by Hilton, a beautiful, modern, and well-maintained hotel, and ate dinner at Portretowa in the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage. The food and service were excellent; they only had about 7 or 8 tables.
We ate at Zapiecek restaurant, which specializes in “Pierogi,” a traditional Polish food. They are like large ravioli or small pies with various fillings. The most famous is the “Ruskies.”
We visited the Royal Castle and needed to be early. It is now a museum but was once the residence of the kings of Poland. We can see the works of art saved from World War II hidden before the Germans arrived. You can see two Rembrandts: “The Girl in a Frame” and “The Father of the Jewish Bride.”
Legend has it that there were two mermaids, one headed for Copenhagen and the other for Warsaw. A merchant locked the mermaid up and earned money from the mermaid's songs. But, a Polish fisherman fell in love with the mermaid and set her free.
The castle square has an ice skating rink around the little mermaid statue and the Christmas market square stalls.