Mazovia & Podlasie

Łódź (pronounced woodge) is a red-brick city that grew fabulously wealthy in the 19th century on the back of its massive textile industry, then went into decline after WWII. Since 2000 it has been gradually reinventing itself as a modern metropolis (it is Poland's third-largest city) and rebuilding its once-crumbling city centre.

The rejuvenation of ul Piotrkowska, the main pedestrian thoroughfare, and the creation of malls and business centres within the decaying husks of old industrial complexes has been followed by the construction of the impressive EC1 complex and the striking reconstruction of the main Łódź Fabryczna train station.

Łódź today is a city famous for its architecture (both historic and modern), its colourful street art, its Jewish heritage, its many fine museums and art galleries and its swinging, affordable nightlife. It is also the centre of Poland's film industry.

Two excellent collections in one large museum: on one side there's a stunning array of art nouveau furniture, decorative items, paintings and glassware that attest to Płock's prewar wealth. Exhibits show the influence of both the florid Parisian style of art nouveau as well as its sterner, more geometric Viennese cousin, Secession. On the other side is a comprehensive history of the region, from an enormous model of 18th-century Płock to the struggles of the communist era.

This grand former residence of Jan Klemens Branicki is surrounded by Park Pałacowy. Though he lost to his brother-in-law Stanisław August Poniatowski in the 1764 royal elections, he built a luxurious palace on a scale to rival the king's. Burned down in 1944 by the retreating Germans, the exterior was restored to its 18th-century form, although the interior was largely modernised. The palace now houses a medical university, but you can learn more at two museums.

Close to the Belarusian border to the east and northeast of Białystok, Kruszyniany (kroo-shi-nya-ni) is noted for its timber mosque, which, coupled with the one in Bohoniki, are the only surviving historic mosques in Poland. Both were built by the Muslim Tatars who settled here at the end of the 17th century.

The village is an atmospheric setting for the mosque and nearby cemetery. The few streets are quiet, which lets you hear the rustling of the leaves in the birch trees. A good restaurant rewards those who linger. Nearby roads offer beautiful driving through the pastoral countryside.

Green, lush and mysterious, Białowieża National Park covers an area of about 105 sq km and is part of a bigger forest known as the Białowieża Forest (Puszcza Białowieska), which straddles the border between Poland and Belarus. Białowieża (byah-wo-vyeh-zhah) park is famous for two reasons. First, it's home to the European bison, the continent's largest land mammal.

Second, the park shelters what's considered to be Europe's largest swath of original lowland forest, known in Polish as puszcza (primeval forest). Much of the park has been undisturbed for centuries, leaving a fascinating mix of old- and new-growth forest. It's been designated both a Unesco World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve.

These days, the village of Białowieża is a popular summer weekend destination. People come mainly for the chance to hike, bike and, possibly, spot a bison (aside from the one on the label of a bottle of Żubr beer).

On the northern edge of Augustów Forest, Wigry National Park is home to a Podlasie highlight: Lake Wigry. At 21 sq km, the lake is the largest in the region and one of the deepest, reaching 73m at its greatest depth. Its shoreline is richly filigreed, forming numerous bays and peninsulas, and there are over a dozen islands on the lake. The national park's dense forest and many smaller lakes make it popular among for kayakers, cyclists and hikers.

The Suwałki Landscape Park is a cluster of pristine lakes and rugged hills that's worth a detour. Covering some 63 sq km, the park encompasses land that was formed in the late Ice Age. The result are dozens of startlingly clear Nordic lakes amid rolling hills and valleys. It's a perfect escape for walking or cycling. The village of Smolniki, 20km north of Suwałki, is the most convenient base for the park, which is about halfway between Suwałki and the Lithuanian border.