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Pole position
FASCINATING architecture, a lively and metropolitan cultural scene, friendly family restaurants and a river (crossed by over 100 bridges) winding between a dozen islands - you could be in Amsterdam or Venice.
But this is Poland, and a weekend break in Wroclaw won't cost the earth - at least for now.
Pronounced "Vrostwaf", and known as "The Meeting Place" because of all the events hosted in the city and the amount of business being attracted to the area, Wroclaw has been undergoing a cultural and economic boom since Poland entered the European Union.
It's the fourth-largest as well as one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in the country.
Low-cost airline Ryanair recently launched flights to Wroclaw from Bournemouth, a mere two hours away, meaning this hidden gem will soon be much better known.
Set on the Oder River, the capital of Lower Silesia has a population of around 700,000 - a fifth of that number being students at Wroclaw's 10 universities and various other private colleges.
The students here have a saying that "the weekend starts on Thursday", and the nightlife is vibrant, with plenty to occupy younger tourists.
The buzzing centre of Wroclaw is the market square, known as the Rynek. It's one of the biggest town squares in Europe, lined on all sides with photogenic and interesting buildings.
The Rynek is the centre of tourist activity and has a mass of restaurants and bars catering for all price ranges and tastes, a well as a 24-hour flower market.
The Square also has a picturesque fountain and is very busy at the weekends when tourists and locals mix in the pleasant atmosphere.
There is a variety of Polish beers to try, including famous brews like Tyskie, Zywiec and Lech, as well as the local beer, Piast. The average price of a beer is about seven zlotys for half a litre, or about £1.60 a pint.
Poland hosts the next European football championship, in 2012, along with Ukraine, and there will be a new stadium in Wroclaw to host several matches.
Poland intends to adopt the Euro before then and, as with other East European cities, prices will inevitably rise as more tourists flock to the area.
If you fancy trying something a bit different in Wroclaw, then Jazzda could be the bar for you, where salsa dancing is common most evenings on a multi-coloured chessboard dance floor - it's the sort of place where Austin Powers would have felt right at home.
If you haven't come for the nightlife, then the city's history is almost as fascinating as the buildings that line its streets - and the past is very much evident in the architecture.
A thousand years ago, Wroclaw was originally a Czech city, then Austrian, then Polish, then German (when it was known as Breslau) and then it became Polish again after the Second World War.
Wroclaw was almost totally destroyed during the war, so everything in the centre has been rebuilt since 1945.
Forty per cent of the city is green, including the beautiful Japanese Gardens at Centennial Hall in the outskirts, as well as the Botanical Gardens and Zoo, both found nearer the centre.
A popular attraction is the Panorama of Raclawice, a gigantic cylindrical building accommodating a panoramic painting - 120 metres wide and 15 metres high - representing a famous battle between the Poles and Russians, (which the Poles won, of course.) It's worth seeing - although in the summer months tickets are often sold out weeks in advance.
A short distance from the centre is Magnolia Park, a huge, newly built retail and leisure complex with 250-plus shops.
There's plenty here for a weekend break. Personally, I'd be quite happy sitting in the main square, sipping a beer and watching the world go by.
factfile
Getting there - Ryanair flies from Bournemouth to Wroclaw. Fares from £19.98. For more information, visit ryanair.com
Staying there - Hotel Patio, in the town centre, from £58 per person per night for standard single room and breakfast
Panorama of Raclawice - admission costs about £4.70 per person. Discounts available.
See Saturday's Daily Echo magazine for travel stories, great features and seven-day TV listings.
12:57pm Saturday 5th July 2008
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