Kalisz

Kalisz is a mid-sized city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship in central Poland.

Understand
Kalisz (pop. 110,000) is the main city of south-eastern Greater Poland and the region's second city (after Poznań). It is probably the oldest town in Poland. Ptolemy mentions a city named 'Calisia' in his Geographia, written circa AD 142–174. Archaeological excavations after the Second World War found remains of a settlement from that time.

Kalisz got its municipal right from duke Boleslaus the Pious in appr. 1260. After the location it was developing rapidly, thanks to its location on the Amber Trail. During the Partition Time (1793-1918) for most of the time it was under Russian control, and the border with the Prussia (later-on: Germany) was just next to the city westwards - that's why we still have an enormous railway station in Nowe Skalmierzyce, where the border used to be. Present Kalisz is an important industrial centre, there are two theatres in the city, one "own" university and several branches of higher schools from Poznań and numerous secondary schools.



By plane
Kalisz is almost equally distant (120 km) from 3 airports: Poznań-Ławica, Wrocław and Łódź, travel time to each of them is appr. 2 hours. But - taking into account a very small number of connections from Łódź, use airport in Poznań or in Wrocław.

By train
Kalisz is not a railway hub. One line passes through: from Ostrów Wielkopolski to Łódź. Trains regularly run from Kalisz via Ostrów Wielkopolski to Poznań, Wrocław and Leszno. From Kalisz, several trains head to Łódź and some continue as far as Warsaw.



By bus
Because of few train connections, buses are the most important mean of travel for some destinations:
 * Jelenia Góra - 2 daily
 * Konin - 10 daily
 * Kraków - 1 daily
 * Łódź - 2 daily
 * Poznań - 12 daily
 * Przemyśl - 1 daily
 * Sieradz - 6 daily
 * Wrocław - 9 daily
 * Zakopane - 1 daily

By car
Kalisz is located on the crossing of two main roads:
 * number 12 from the western border (crossing to Germany: Łęknica - Bad Muskau) to the eastern one (crossing to Ukraine Dorohusk - Jahodyn). The road enters Greater Poland from Głogów, then passes through Wschowa and Leszno and further it leads through Gostyń, Jarocin, Pleszew and Kalisz; from there it goes eastwards to Sieradz and Piotrków Trybunalski and further through Lublin to the Ukrainian border.
 * number 25 from Strzelno located on the border between Kujawy region and Greater Poland. Further it leads through Konin, Kalisz to Ostrów Wielkopolski and further to Oleśnica, where it links to the road number 8 leading to Wrocław and Sudety Mountains.

Kalisz is criss-crossed also by regional roads:
 * number 442 from Września through Pyzdry (good access to Gniezno or to motorway A2 - crossing in Września)
 * number 470 from Kalisz to Turek and Koło (between these two towns another access to A2)
 * number 450 from Kalisz to the south to Wieruszów and Opatów, from where one can continue the journey southwards to e.g. Katowice or Częstochowa.

Get around
The lines in Kalisz and surroundings are served by Kaliskie Linie Autobusowe (Kalisz Bus Lines)

See


On the square, in front of the church - the monument of Pope John Paul II, erected in 1999, who had prayed in the temple two years before.



Events
Many of cultural events in Kalisz take place in the archeological reservation in Zawodzie.
 * The Archeological Market - in June
 * The Kupala Night - as well in June (Kupala was one of the Gods in the old Slavonic religion; the night is now called: St.John's night)
 * The Piast Feast - in August
 * The Prince's Meed production - in September

Buy
A typical must-buy in Kalisz are local traditional wafers called andruty (pronounced: androotyh) - thin, sweetish wafers, baked for over 200 years. Since 2005 they've been inscribed the list of regional products of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture, and 4 years later, in 2009, the joined the official prestige list of regional product of the European Union.



Budget

 * Bartek, 5, Mariańska str., phone: +48 62 757 60 63
 * GASTRO 19, Babina str., phone: +48 62 757 29 49
 * Bar Mleczny (Milk Bar) 2/12, Targowa str., phone: +48 62 757 53 61
 * Bar Mleczny - Maleńki, 2/3 Parczewskiego str., phone: +48 62 501 93 03
 * Bar Mleczny - Smakosz, 15, Główny Rynek Sq., (entrance from Rzeznicza str.), phone: +48 62 768 51 71
 * Osteria, 2–4, Konopnickiej str., phone: +48 62 501 20 02

Mid-range

 * Antonio Restaurant-House, 21, Śródmiejska str., phone: +48 62 757 46 90
 * Bacówka, 12, Wolności Av., phone: +48 62 503 10 35
 * Bambus, 31, Śródmiejska str., phone: +48 62 764 29 85
 * Karafka, 10, Górnośląska str., phone: +48 62 767 86 60,
 * KTW, 2, Park Ludowy str., phone: +48 62 767 42 95,
 * Marrone, 2, Wolności Av., phone: +48 62 757 07 07
 * Maguro - Sushi Bar, 20, Śródmiejska str., phone: +48 62 757 00 73,
 * Roma, 9, Chopina str, phone: +48 62 766 43 74
 * Puenta, 1B, Fabryczna str., phone: +48 62 767 86 27
 * Rendes-Vous, 3, Słowiańska str., phone: +48 62 768 01 10,
 * Szaława, 36, Rzymska str., phone: +48 62 766 11 77

Pizzeria
 * Cool Pizza, 17, Górnośląska str., phone: +48 62 502 54 52
 * Cool Pizza BIS, 5, Jana Pawła II Sq., phone: +48 62 757 47 47
 * Da Grasso, 2A, Fabryczna str., phone: +48 62 757 55 45,
 * Imperia, 5A, Sukiennicza str., phone: +48 62 767 68 86
 * Manhattan Pizza, 78A, Graniczna str., Osiedle Dobrzec Zielone Łąki, phone: +48 62 764 64 64

Splurge

 * Baja Mexico, 3, Główny Rynek Sq., (entrance from Piskorzewskiej str.), phone: +48 62 767 55 04
 * Calisia, 1–3, Nowy Świat str., phone: +48 62 767 91 00,
 * Emilia, 46, Nowy Świat str., phone: +48 62 757 58 15
 * NOT, 2, Rumińskiego str., phone: +48 62 757 47 86,
 * Europa, 5, Wolności str., phone: +48 62 757 04 33,
 * Kaliszfornia, 19, Główny Rynek Sq., phone: +48 62 760 20 87
 * Wanatówka, 6, Łazienna str., phone: +48 62 764 10 40
 * Pięterko (old-polish cuisine) 12, Zamkowa str., phone: +48 62 757 53 02
 * Piwnica Ratuszowa, 20, Główny Rynek Sq., phone: +48 62 757 05 03

Cafes

 * Belle Epoque, 1, Piskorzewska str., tel: 062 757 43 75
 * Chimera - Tea-House, 5, Złota str., tel: 062 757 60 94
 * Delicje, 2, Rzeźnicza str., tel: 062 501 90 16
 * Caffe Uno, 15, Główny Rynek Sq., tel: 062 598 35 28
 * Karafka, 10, Górnośląska str., tel: 062 767 86 60
 * Marysieńka, 32, Górnośląska str., tel: 062 757 66 21

Drink

 * Beka, 13, Piekarska str., phone: +48 62 767 73 92,
 * Browar Kaliski "Złoty Róg" (A golden Horn), 3, Wolności Av., phone: +48 62 599 71 71
 * Carski, 3, Wolności Av., phone: +48 62 767 87 60,
 * Domek Parkowego (A park-keeper's House), 7, Niecała str., phone: +48 62 757 07 00
 * Gastro, 19, Babina str., phone: +48 62 501 88 22, +48 62 757 29 49
 * Kaliszfornia, 19, Główny Rynek str., phone: +48 62 760 20 87
 * Kuźnia "U Stacha" (Stanley's Smithy), 1, Łazienna str., phone: +48 62 501 81 70,
 * Piwnica, 1–3, Nowy Świat str., (a PWSZ-school building) phone: +48 62 767 91 16
 * Piwnica "Pod Klonami" (At The Maple-tree), 14, Niecała str., phone: +48 62 757 51 85
 * Piwnica "U Roberta M.", 2, Park Ludowy str., phone: +48 62 764 29 46,
 * Pod Muzami - Klub Studencki UAM (The Poznań UAM-University students' Club), 27, Wolności Av., (entrance from Bankowa str.), phone: +48 62 757 67 19,
 * Podkowa (Horseshoe), 20, Górnośląska str.,
 * Złoty Róg (A Golden Horn), 1, Wolności str., phone: +48 62 503 15 05

Budget

 * Guest Rooms Rendez Vous, 3, Słowiańska str., phone: +48 62 768 01 10
 * Youth hostel, 30, Handlowa str., phone: +48 62 757 24 04, fax: 062 502 33 60, mailto:sosw@ecentrum.kalisz.pl
 * Students' hostel in the Orionists Christian Centre, 24, Kosciuszki str., phone: +48 62 502 53 50, fax: +48 62 502 54 18, , mailto:orionisci@poczta.onet.pl

Mid-range

 * Hotel ARENA**, 22–24, Hanki Sawickiej str., phone: +48 62 598 27 00, mailto:recepcja@arenahotel.pl
 * SEVEN Hotel, 77, Czestochowska str., tel/fax: +48 62 764 43 43,
 * ROMA Hotel, 9, Chopina str., phone: +48 62 501 75 55 mailto:roma.kalisz@gmail.com
 * Hotel Bursztyn, 29, Lodzka str., phone: +48 62 757 97 03,
 * Hotel U BOGDANA, 15–17, Legionów str., phone: +48 62 753 08 23,

Splurge

 * Hotel CALISIA***, 1–3, Nowy Swiat str., phone: +48 62 767 91 00 or +48 62 767 91 14,, mailto:rezerwacja@hotel-calisia.pl
 * Hotel EUROPA***, 5, Wolności Av., phone: +48 62 767 20 31, or +48 62 767 20 32, fax: +48 62 767 20 33,, mailto:recepcja@hotel-europa.pl
 * Hotel E.T.***, 6, Tuwima str., phone: +48 62 760 00 25 or +48 62 767 30 91 ext. 110,, mailto:recepcja@et-hotel.pl
 * Hotel Flora***, 3, Wiatraki str., phone: +48 62 757 46 50 or +48 604 177 446,, mailto:recepcja@hotel-flora.pl

Connect

 * The Polish Country Lovers' Society, Kalisz Department, 2, Targowa str, phone: +48 62 598 24 33 or (mobile) +48 509 360 171, fax: +48 62 598 24 33,, mailto:info@pttk.kalisz.pl