Malbork

The small town of Malbork some 60km south of Gdańsk on the main railway line between Warsaw and the coast offers visitors not only the world's biggest brick castle, but a number of other poignant and occasionally bizarre sights and sensations to boot. A delightful mix of medieval architecture, grey communist-era monstrosities and a handful of fascinating churches and monuments, Malbork is on closer inspection more than the sum of its Unesco-protected fort. A wide range of accommodation possibilities and one or two better than average places to eat and drink make an overnight stay, which up until now has never really been an option for visitors, an attractive choice for those whose tourism philosophy extends beyond the indignity of spending a few hectic days hurtling around the country and being herded on and off a tour bus.