Malbork Castle alone makes Poland worth the trip

I'll be honest — I went to Poland primarily to see Malbork Castle, and it delivered beyond what any photo prepares you for. But the surrounding region surprised me just as much. Poznań has a character I didn't anticipate, and wandering without a plan for an afternoon turned out to be one of the highlights.

The food is extraordinary. zapiekanka sounds simple but here it's done with real craft. moving WWII history added another layer to the experience. Spent 15 days and honestly could have used a week more.