A fantasy literature-inspired trip around Poland

Poland has made significant contributions to the literary world, with five Nobel laureates in Literature and a strong cultural reverence for writing. Ranging from a wealth of fiction and fantasy to historical reportage, memoirs and commemorative prose, many of the country’s finest literary works lean on its spellbinding landscapes and history for inspiration.

Plan a trip around Poland with these books in hand, and explore the places that first brought them to life.

Masuria and Biebrza – The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski

Both the Masurian Lake District and the Biebrza National Park served as the alleged inspiration for one of Poland’s most celebrated fantasy series, The Witcher. Spanning six books (and two short story compilations), the plot follows a ‘witcher’ (a genetically enhanced monster hunter) who is hired as a mercenary to protect the people from evil forces (though as it turns out, it’s really the people not the monster that prove to be the baddies). It’s a commentary on the relativity of good and evil, and a tour de force in travelling and adventure.

One of the fantasy worlds that the witcher heads to is ‘Velen’ – a nod to the real world regions of Masuria and Bierbza. It’s here where barren swamplands cut through the land and trees lean wearily over murky waters. The author also describes a world of lakes, emerald forests, swamps, snaking canals and foggy riverbanks. For travellers looking to recreate a bit of the ghostly drama, go canoeing along the lakes and through the labyrinth of channels in either region. Retreat to the warm hearth at Zagroda Kuwasy.

Malbork – The Knights of the Cross by Henryk Sienkiewicz

One of the world’s most captivating castles and also the world’s largest, Malbork is the archetypal medieval fortress and one that siege fantasies are made of. A monastery of the Teutonic Knights, it featured in the historical fiction novel, The Knights of the Cross (also known as The Teutonic Knights) by Henryk Sienkiewicz.

Malbork forms the home of the dastardly ‘knights’ and the base that the novel’s antagonists use to hold people hostage. The story follows the decline of the Order, while creating a world of romance, fantasy and melodrama along the way. Explore the looming red brick wings and hallowed halls of this centuries-old citadel. Stay at the neighbouring Apartment Luna.

Krakow – The Yellow Slippers by Antonina Domańska

Kraków has a long-standing association with the mythic – folk legend has it that the city was founded after the defeat of the tyrannical Wawel dragon. And in Antonina Domańska’s novel, The Yellow Slippers, historical Kraków institutions such as St Mary’s Basilica play fodder for fantasy. In a fictional take on historic events, the book recasts the story of how a yellow slipper was once found lodged in the Basilica’s altar – a sculptural masterpiece built in real life by sculptor, Veit Stoss.

The plot follows a young boy who dreams of becoming a sculptor, and later decides to head to Krakow upon learning that Veit Stoss is working on a major altarpiece. The boy becomes Stoss’s student and later receives a pair of yellow slippers from a princess. One day, however, the boy climbs up the wooden scaffolding and one of his shoes falls off, ending up behind the altarpiece – lost for hundreds of years. It’s a story of friendship, artistry and whimsy but more than anything, it’s an exploration of the former Polish capital and its innately magical cityscape. Visit the Basilica and feast on the golden, wooden spectacle that is Stoss’s masterpiece and one of Poland’s national treasures. Stay nearby at this apartment.