I travel to see more.
I write so that others can see more.
First comes curiosity. Then comes the journey. Finally, the story. It seems this blog post is the end of this cycle.
But that's not true. It's the beginning! The beginning of subsequent journeys, which begin with a sentence you read here, a piece of information you find, a map you find, or the spark of an inspiring idea.
My journey ends here. Yours is just beginning…
Jacek.
Where did Gancarczyk.com come from?
My name is Jacek Gancarczyk and I am the author of this blog.
Gancarczyk.com was founded in 2007 as a travel photo gallery, which I transformed into a travel blog in 2019. To this day, there's a post on the blog explaining, why I decided to make this changeI had no idea then that my passion for planning and traveling, which has lasted for over 20 years, would grow so much.
I like to know where I'm going, what's worth seeing, how best to plan my route, and how much time each destination actually requires. I've always created my own itineraries, but only for myself. When friends started asking about them and borrowing them, I thought maybe others would find them useful too? It's a huge convenience, because gathering and organizing the necessary information often takes longer than the trip itself. I reached back to my own itineraries (which I'd personally tested) and began shaping them into practical guides, ready for publication online.
I organize the trips I write about myself. Before leaving, I research attractions, connections, parking, tickets, and car rental options, then try to arrange everything into a logical itinerary. I'm interested not only in what's worth seeing, but also in how to translate a list of attractions into a realistic multi-day itinerary. How much time is needed for a given place? What can be combined in a single day? Where's the best place to park? What's worth booking in advance? Details like these often determine whether sightseeing is a pleasure or becomes a logistical exercise.
What you will find on the blog
This is the essence of Gancarczyk.com. Here you'll find my own sightseeing plans , attraction maps , interactive NaviG PDF maps created and drawn by me from scratch, route suggestions , and practical information to help you prepare your own trip. I don't use pre-made templates. I develop each material individually, based on my travel experiences and what's actually useful during your visit. I strive to make each material more than just a description of attractions. I want it to be easy for you to start planning your own trip after reading it: choosing places, arranging your visits, and figuring out what's worth paying attention to.
I'm not interested in creating another catalog of places where every photo is beautiful and every attraction is "a must-see." I'm much more interested in what happens between each point on the map: how to get there, how much time is worth allocating, whether a car is necessary, where to park, and how to connect them into a sensible route. It's these practical details that often prove most useful later, during the trip itself.
see: list of maps and guides I have developed
How my materials are created
My own trips and experiences are the foundation. When traveling, I pay attention to things that are difficult to assess based solely on photos or a brief description in a guidebook. I want to know if a given route makes sense and which information I researched before my trip actually works in practice.
After returning, I try to compile these experiences into as organized a resource as possible, so they can also be useful to someone planning their trip. Some information requires additional verification and comparison, so before publishing, I go back to details that may be relevant to the overall trip plan. This makes the blog not just a record of what I saw, but also an attempt to answer questions I had before setting off.
How I travel
I'm not a professional guide, and I don't pretend to be. I also don't believe there's one perfect way to travel. Some people want to see as much as possible in a few days, while others prefer to slow down and leave more room for serendipitous discoveries. I like to plan my trip well, but I also have no problem occasionally putting aside my plans and simply seeing where the road takes me.
That's why I design my routes as suggestions rather than as step-by-step instructions. They're meant to be a helpful tool for organizing and a starting point for your own plan, not just another obligation during your vacation. They can be shortened, extended, or completely changed. The most important thing is that they fit your own pace, abilities, and travel style.
Why am I doing all this?
I run Gancarczyk.com as a hobby, in my spare time after work, so creating new content takes time. It's my second world, something I love devoting my free time to. It makes the trip I've just returned from last much longer. I take my time. I reflect on the events, revisit the photos, and write. I truly enjoy doing this, and sometimes I think I'm lucky. Not only do I get to do what I love, but I also experience immense gratitude from the people who benefit from this work. You often write to me in the comments under my guidebooks that thanks to them you've experienced wonderful moments, beautiful holidays, and... that you'll be back on your next trip with me.
I love this. Keep writing like this! And know that every time I read it, I smile!
This makes my blog more than just a collection of articles. It's a record of my travels, the places I've visited, my own experiences, and ideas for future trips. My greatest satisfaction comes when the material I've prepared ceases to be just text on a screen and becomes part of someone's actual journey.
I'm not interested in convincing you that every place I describe is a must-see on any trip. I'm much more interested in showing you what to expect and how to best incorporate it into your own itinerary. If one of my posts saves you a few hours of research, helps you plan your route better, or leads you to a place you hadn't considered before, then that's proof that this blog is worthwhile.
I hope that this is how you will use Gancarczyk.com – as a place where you can find information, real-life experiences, maps and ready-made ideas, and then translate them into your own journey.
…because right here, where my journey ends, yours begins!
Co dalej?
If you want to plan your trip, check out my map and guide directory
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Jacek