The Polish Women’s National Team performed excellently, reaching the semifinals at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November in Malaga.
Magda Linette, Magdalena Fręch, Katarzyna Kawa, and Maja Chwalińska have been appointed as Ambassadors of Poland around the world, just like Hubert Hurkacz – the best Polish tennis player. The five of them are participating in the campaign “Promoting Poland through Sport,” carried out by the Polish Tourism Organization, as well as the Polish Tennis Association.
Year after year, Poland is becoming increasingly attractive as a tourist destination and more popular too. Over 80% of visitors come from Europe. Foreign guests come to Poland not only for holidays but are also more and more often visiting the country for events such as cultural or sports activities. Poland is a modern country, but one that values tradition and folklore. Friendly, family-oriented, safe and competitive in many respects when it comes to tourist attractions.
A promotional spot was created for the campaign in which Magda Linette, Magdalena Fręch, Katarzyna Kawa, and Maja Chwalińska talk about the tourist virtues of Poznań, Szczecin, and Łódź.
Hubert Hurkacz has already encouraged people to visit Zakopane in Lesser Poland and his hometown of Wrocław in Lower Silesia.
Poznań, Szczecin, Łódź. These large cities are connected to some of the best Polish tennis players either through family ties, sport, or simply because they enjoy visiting them.
The spot begins with a trip alongside Magda Linette. Magda encourages to visit the Old Market Square in her hometown (which has just been renovated). This is where she most often strolls, also in search of the best restaurants serving traditional regional and Polish dishes. She is a fan of excellent Polish cuisine.
When in Poznań, in the Greater Poland region, it’s definitely worth trying pyry z gzikiem (potatoes with cottage cheese), plyndze (potato pancakes), and szare kluchy (gray dumplings). These are traditional dishes from Greater Poland, which are worth reading about and, of course, trying for yourself.
And for dessert… a true “must-have” is a rogal świętomarciński (St. Martin’s croissant). This unique Poznań delicacy has its own museum on the Old Market Square, dedicated to the tradition of making it, which dates back over 150 years. Poznań’s Rogale Świętomarcińskie are special pastry filled with white poppy seed paste.
Alright, let’s return to active recreation surrounded by beautiful views. To cycle and run like Magda Linette, it’s worth heading to Lake Malta, renowned for hosting some of the world’s most significant water sports events, or to Porta Posnania. The latter, also known as the ICHOT Gate of Poznań, is an interactive heritage center in Poznań dedicated to the history of Cathedral Island (Polish: Ostrów Tumski), whose main attraction is a multimedia exhibition showcasing the history of the island, the beginnings of the Polish state, and the story of Poznań.
The next stop featured in the spot is Szczecin. Katarzyna Kawa and Maja Chwalińska invite you there, where both athletes trade their rackets for bicycles. One of the most beautiful cycling routes in Poland is around the Szczecin Lagoon and Wolin Island. This area offers a fantastic playground for amateur bird photographers. The Szczecin Lagoon region is home to one of the highest densities of white-tailed eagles in Poland and possibly all of Europe. And white-tailed eagles are just the beginning of the rich list of bird species living here.
For those who love spending time by the water, Szczecin has so much more to offer!
The West Pomeranian Sailing Route is a network of marinas located on the waters surrounding the Szczecin Lagoon and in the western part of Poland’s Baltic coast. This route partly overlaps with the main waterway connecting Germany’s capital, Berlin, through the Baltic Sea to Scandinavia.
Szczecin beautifully combines maritime tradition with modernism. Speaking of modernism, one of the most fascinating landmarks in the city is the modern edifice of the Szczecin Philharmonic. Resembling the peak of an iceberg, the structure has won numerous architectural awards and accolades. It’s also worth taking a stroll along the Chrobry Embankment. It is one of the most beautiful observation decks in Europe, offering a wide panorama of the Oder River and the port. The embankment stretches 500 meters in length and is situated 19 meters above the riverbank. At the upper section of Chrobry Embankment, you’ll find the Maritime University and a building that houses the Contemporary Theatre and the National Museum.
Last but not least! In the third part of the spot, Magdalena Fręch invites you to Łódź. She was born in Łódź but has been training for a long time in Bytom, located in Silesia.
Łódź is home to the longest pedestrian street in Europe – Piotrkowska Street, situated in the heart of the city. For many years, it has been featured in the annual report by the American company Cushman & Wakefield, ‘Main Streets Across The World,’ which highlights around 500 of the most exclusive shopping locations on Earth.
It is here, on Piotrkowska Street, that the Polish equivalent of Hollywood’s ‘Walk of Fame’ – the Łódź Walk of Fame – was created to emphasize the city’s connection to the history of Polish film and cinema. With over 90 stars already adorning the walkway, it keeps growing.
Piotrkowska Street is also the host of the Light Move Festival. This annual cultural event attracts art, light, and modern visual installation enthusiasts from all over the world. During the festival, the center of Łódź transforms into a magical theater full of artistic inspiration.
For a glimpse of buildings that have been given a second life, EC1 is a must-visit. It was the first municipal power plant in Łódź, and now, a home to Poland’s most advanced planetarium, the National Center for Film Culture, the Center for Comics and Interactive Narratives, and the Science and Technology Center—the largest facility of its kind in the country in terms of area. EC1 also offers a rich selection of unique spaces for hosting all kinds of events.
Which city will you visit? Poznań, Szczecin, or Łódź? Or perhaps you’ll come to Poland for a longer stay and explore them all? “Poland. More than you expected.”