Valentine’s Day in Poland is celebrated with joy and excitement, just like anywhere else! This day in Poland focuses on love, romance, appreciation and friendship. Chocolates, heart shaped candies and other gifts are given to loved ones. The holiday is known as Walentynki!

Image by Bianca Mentil from Pixabay

Many hotels, resorts and restaurants offer special packages for romantic getaways. One of the most popular places to visit on Valentine’s Day in Poland is Chełmno, also known as “City of Lovers”.

Every year on February 14th thousands of Poles (and not only) visit Chełmno to celebrate Valentine’s Day together! So why is this city so popular on that day and how did it get it’s nick name?

Chełmno, Poland. Image by Dariusz Staniszewski from Pixabay

The reason is that for hundreds of years Chełmno has been home to an incredible relic: small bits of skull belonging to St. Valentine! The relics were believed to bring miracles and the city’s residents received them with great excitement. St Valentine was a bishop of Terni, close to Rome, and was a Christian martyr. He is the patron of affianced couples, epilepsy and the mentally ill. According to one legend, he defied an order of Emperor Claudius and secretly married couples, for which he was thrown into prison. Another legend says that Valentine had healing powers and people whom he helped were happy to be baptized by him. This was regarded as a dangerous act and he was arrested and sentenced to death. His execution is said to have taken place on February 14th 269. Soon thereafter Valentine developed cult status and in the 4^th century Pope Julius 1 ordered a basilica to be built in his honor.

Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay

Chełmno is popular not only on February 14th! The New Planty Park with flowery carpets in the shape of hearts and the Park of Memory and Tolerance are both popular locations for open-air weddings and walks. Couples are able to sit on specially designed benches, the most popular of which – containing padlocks of love – is in New Planty. The benches opposite of the City Hall allow visitors to send “live greetings”. All you need to do is sit down and invite the person you want to greet to visit www.chelmno.pl, which transmits an image captured by a camera pointed at the bench!❤️❤️

I never had a chance to visit this wonderful city in Poland, but would love to hear from those of you who have!