We got up early to see all the bunkers at Wolfs Lair. We said goodbye to Amanda and Graham Munro who we spent last night with and were heading off this morning. 

We then went to get our audio guides and made our way around the hotel which used to be the guard and security building for the Wolfs Lair complex. The audio guides are essential as they tell you the stories behind everything abd are activated by location. So it’s like having your own personal guide.

We arrived on the path round the bunkers.

There are a huge number of bunkers that were all destroyed by the Nazis before the Russians arrived so they are all caved in in the middle. 

They were constructed the same way as the Mamerki Bunkers. 

There are mostly only 2 rooms and a corridor inside with a huge amount of concrete and metal on top making them enormous. Moss and vegetation are still growing on them. They would have been well hidden with the camouflage nets. 

All the top Nazis had a bunker here.
We arrived at Hitler’s bunker.

He spent around 800 days here at Wolfs Lair during WWII. Every morning he would get up late and walk his dog around the complex. His first meeting would be at midday. He would then work till evening when he would eat in his bunker. He was a vegetarian and didn’t drink. He would either sit in the bunker with his entourage or might go to the tea house where everyone would have to listen to his stories even though they had heard them many times before until 2 or 3 in the morning. He liked modest furniture as he wanted to be the same as everyone else.
His bunker had been renovated in 1944. He spent only 12 days in it before being forced back to Berlin due to the approaching soviet forces.

There was a small museum with artifacts that were found and comparing the effect on all countries in WWII.

An amazing statistic is that over 75 million people died during WWII with the Soviet Union, Germany and Poland taking the brunt.

Again there was a lot of information about the von Schauffenberg assassination attempt. There was a mock-up of where it took place.

Mussolini arrived that afternoon and there are photos of Hitler showing him the wreckage.  

The last bunker was where the attempt took place.
Before:

There’s not much left now!

After lots of heavy information we needed a coffee so went to the cafe near the vans for good coffee and cheesecake. 

We then got organised and headed off to our next destination via a bit of shopping in Action – our favourite discount shop here for accessories – and then Lidl for food.

We then arrived in Swieta Lipka to see the huge highly decorated Basilica. It has been an attraction for pilgrims to come here. 

There were 2 buses already here. One of the bus drivers told us to go in quickly as an organ concert was just starting. The church was full. There were a few classical pieces played on the organ which is huge and very decorated.  It has moving parts while being played of a star, angels blowing trumpets and another couple of figures. 
You can play a snippet here:

The church itself is quite spectacular.

Harvest festival sculptures in the cloisters were quite interesting as were the gates.

We then drove on to Lidzbark Warminski where there is a free motorhome area next to the castle. We parked up and wandered around the old town which was a mix of nice old houses and large communist blocks plonked in the middle.

The old city gate was impressive. 

We then went for dinner at Allegria restaurant in the cellars under the castle. It is an excellent restaurant in a very atmospheric place. 

We started by sharing duck dumplings which were excellent. Then I had roast duck in plum sauce red cabbage and barley which was delicious. 

Glenn had Pork schnitzel, Lisa had beef cheeks and Sean had a special of veal meatballs. I was so full I could only manage a spoonful of Glenn’s panacotta for dessert. 

However I did manage a cherry vodka that was served in a frozen glass. I was joined by Glenn and Sean and we all found it a highly appropriate way to end the dinner. All vodka in Poland is served neat in shot glasses so you have to find one that tastes good. 

We walked the short distance back to the vans and had a quiet night.