Exploring Our Ancestry in Beautiful Poland | Family Travel Vlog – Ep 44
🇵🇱 Finding Our Roots in Poland | Lublin, Warsaw, & Auschwitz | Family World Travel
This episode is one of the most meaningful chapters of our entire journey around the world.
After months on the road across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, we arrive in Poland — not just as travelers, but as a family stepping into our own history. With our mom leading the way, we travel to Lublin, the city where her great-grandparents lived before immigrating to the United States just before World War I.
Walking the streets of Lublin felt surreal. Cobblestone roads, medieval gates, colorful old-town architecture, and a quiet beauty that instantly pulled us in. Even though we couldn’t locate the exact home where our ancestors lived, simply being there — standing in the same town, walking the same streets — was incredibly powerful for all of us, especially for our kids.
We spend a full day exploring Lublin’s Old Town, visiting Lublin Castle, climbing towers for views of the old and new city, and wandering through museums filled with Polish history, art, and culture. Along the way, we experience some of the best Polish food we’ve had in Europe — comforting, soulful dishes that go far beyond pierogies, including rich soups, tender meats, handmade casseroles, and even a homemade Polish liquor tasting that brought back memories from our mom’s childhood.
Between coffee shops, pastries, traditional pączki, music stores, and unexpected moments — including watching an elderly crowd dance joyfully to a DJ in the park — Lublin surprised us in the best way.
From there, we continue west toward Warsaw, taking the scenic route (even when the kids roll their eyes). We explore local markets filled with fresh produce, flowers, eggs, pickles, mustards, and foods that smelled unbelievably fresh. These are the moments we love most — stepping into places where locals shop, eat, and live everyday life.
One of the most emotional moments of the trip comes with a visit to Auschwitz. This was something our mom had always hoped to see — not as tourists, but to honor history and remember those who suffered. We approached this part of the journey with care, respect, and intention, choosing thoughtfully which of our kids would visit. Walking through such an important and painful place was heavy, emotional, and unforgettable — a reminder of why remembering history matters.
Poland surprised us deeply — with its beauty, kindness, culture, food, and the way it helped us connect to our roots in a way we never expected. This wasn’t just another stop on the map. It was personal.
Thank you, Poland, for welcoming us so warmly. We’re leaving with full hearts — and heading west to our next destination: Prague 🇨🇿
▶️ WATCH MORE FROM OUR JOURNEY
🌍 Tousleys En Route – World Travel Vlogs:
https://www.youtube.com/@UC0eUcANsEvtWO5BnBVPuVhw
🚗 Europe Road Trip Episodes:
https://www.youtube.com/@UC0eUcANsEvtWO5BnBVPuVhw
🎒 Full Travel Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/@UC0eUcANsEvtWO5BnBVPuVhw
❤️ JOIN THE CONVERSATION
We love your recommendations — especially local, non-touristy places.
Drop them in the comments and help shape our next adventures.
#PolandTravel #Lublin #Warsaw #Auschwitz #FamilyTravelVlog #WorldTravelFamily #HeritageTravel #EuropeanTravel #SlowTravel #tousleysenroute
42 Comments
W NIEMIECKICH obozach koncentracyjnych na terenie Polski, jak i innych krajów europejskich, mordowani byli ludzie RÓŻNEGO pochodzenia, nie tylko Żydzi. Budowę Auschwitz rozpoczęto na początku 1940 r. Do 1942 r. więźniami byli Polacy. A w 1942 r Auschwitz stało się także miejscem niemieckiej eksterminacji Żydów przywożonych z całej Europy także Romów, Rosjan i oczywiście nadal Polaków. Warto wiedzieć, iż kilkanaście krajów europejskich, które współpracowały z Niemcami w czasie II WW a teraz mienią się obrońcami ludzkości, dobrowolnie i w sposób usystematyzowany, wydawały swoich żydowskich obywateli i wysyłały ich do obozów koncentracyjnych. Przodowały w tym Słowacja, Francja, Belgia, Holandia, Luksemburg, Rumunia, Chorwacja, Bułgaria, Norwegia, Włochy, Litwa, Łotwa, w pewnym stopniu też Węgry. Strażnikami w obozach koncentracyjnych i sojusznikami w zbrodniach Niemiec byli też Ukraińcy. Polska nigdy się tym nie splamiła, nigdy. Kraje Europy zachodniej nie zdają sobie sprawy jak bardzo różniła się okupacja niemiecka w zachodniej Europie od okupacji niemieckiej w Polsce, gdzie panował zbrodniczy terror, masowe mordy na ludności cywilnej, wywożenie do obozów koncentracyjnych i głód, ruiny, zniszczenie i grabież polskiego majątku narodowego. A za pomoc Żydom Niemcy stosowali na Polakach karę śmierci – mordowano całą rodzinę, często mieszkańców całego domu lub całej wsi. Mimo to Polacy za cenę własnego życia ukrywali Żydów, czasami przez lata. świat powinien o tym wiedzieć zamiast słuchać cynicznych kłamstw. Pozdrawiam serdecznie piękną rodzinę podróżników po Polsce.
Pozdrawiam! What a wonderful family you have! 😄 If you’re interested in genealogy, you can look for traces of your ancestors in parish records (if they’ve survived) 😉
You're a very nice family. It's great that you've fulfilled your mother's dream of coming to Poland.
I hope you'll visit us more often than once every 100 years. We cordially invite you, especially those with ties to us and to Poland.
🌀Poland in a nutshell: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hv8slix2Izc
U were so close to the amazing attraction – Wieliczka Salt Mine (just close by Kraków) – and another one Bochnia Salt Mine. Another sad place near by Lublin – Majdanek – former German Nazi Concentration Camp – similar to Auschwitz…………… And many other places to see – Toruń, Gdańsk, Wrocłąw, Poznań, Zakopane, and many more………. at least 2 weeks needed to see all of it.
"my mom always wanted to visit concentration camp" thing to say… especially by older person…
that's my hometown 🙂 gorgeous place
If you like museums, the next time you're in Warsaw you got to check out Polin Jewish History Museum. It's not just about WWII, one of the best museums out there.
Polish people don't move too much. One could find relatives in these places if that's where your family is from.
That's where I come from and I love Lublin too- greetings from England! Lublin is such a safe and beautiful place to visit
spierdalać ze spalonym ohydnym ścierwem w Polsce tylko biali mogą być
One thing that needs to be addressed: there is no such thing as "pierogies." Pierogi is already plural. The singular is pieróg.
Wspaniale było z Wami odbyć tą krótką podróż po Polsce. Dużo szczęścia dla całej pięknej rodziny😊❤PL❤
Tak rozumiesz bycie polakiem
Dziękujemy za miłe słowa 🙂 W Polsce Pączki są uwielbiane. Każdego roku w Lutym jest dzień o nazwie "tłusty czwartek" eng. Fat Thursday. Wszyscy Polacy tego dnia jedzą pączki bez wyrzutów sumienia. Pączki są rózne. z czekoladą, maliną, truskawkami, toffi itd. W roku 2026 ten dzień wypada 12 lutego. Pozdrawiam 🙂
Przepraszam uprzejmie a w Krużewnikach był haha?
W Lublinie też był niemiecki obóz koncentracyjny. Jest darmowy i również robi wrażenie.
Are you American? Which tribe are you from, Navajo, Sioux, or Cherokee? 😎
your mum looks realy happy in lublin .. by polish law you can get citizenship becouse your mom and grand parents" Confirmation of Citizenship" and involves providing documentation of direct, uninterrupted lineage, such as birth, marriage, and citizenship records
Your videos are so easy to watch. You are a very respectful and warm family. i loved seeing your reactions to our country. You are welcome to come back anytime 🙂
Incredible people, so you are. I wish you all the best 🎉
Love from Poland
Go to Gdańsk and Wroclaw most beatiful city in Poland
Łódź is nice city
Amazing video. Greetings from Poland 😁👍
I live in Warsaw and I am 46 yrs old. How this country changed is ultraaaaa!!! 😮 No one could say it three decades aho, not to mention four.
I’m born and raised in Lublin but living for the last 15 years in Edinburgh Scotland
It’s great to see that my people from my town succeed over see and create such a wonderful family
I hope you guys have a great time in the rest of your trip and also happy life after
Pozdrawiam bardzo miło że podoba się wam Polska❤❤❤
5:06 if u smoke weed before watching dont do that H@H@H@@
Poland is incredibly beautiful — the landscapes, the cities, everything 🇵🇱❤
Many groups are trying to distort history. It's important to remember that the concentration camps were German, not Polish. They existed only in German-occupied Poland.
Witamy w domu…💪😎🇵🇱❤️🔥
Welcome to my hometown and I am glad that you have enjoyed it. I grew up on Rybna Street in the old square.
Most of my family emigrated to USA before 1914, after 100 years we did reunion with direct descendants in Lublin and in many places in Poland. Thanks to our American Genealogist Mike. He helped many US families to find relatives in Poland
Po odwiedzeniu Muzeum w Aushwitz/Oświęcimiu już nikt nie będzie taki sam.A jednak Rosja urządza teraz krwawa łaźnię Narodowi Ukraińskiemu .Polacy powinni nienawidzieć Ukraińców,wymordowali /UPA /na Wołyniu 100.000 Polaków,kobiety i dzieci,byli strażnikami zewnętrznymi/na ochotnika/ prawie wszystkich obozów koncentracyjnych Aushwitz,Treblinka,Sobibór,gett minn w Łodzi miasta z którego pochodzę ,Niemcy by zatrzeć dowody burzyli i zrównali z ziemią obozy zagłady ,a strażników którzy im pomagali i byli świadkami po prostu też wymordowali.Mimo to kiedy Naród Ukraiński został zaatakowany przez faszystów z Kremla ,Polacy stanęli murem za Ukraińcami,wiemy co to jest wojna i Wasza niepodległosć jest naszą niepodległoscią.Sława naszym bohaterom II wojny światowej,Chwała bohaterom Ukrainy obecnie.
Sa tez pomniki ku chwaly bohaterow wojen… Tam wypadaloby byc chwile w ciszy, nie walic selfie bo bylem w Polsce… Jesli planujesz weekend albo urlop w Polsce zacznij od tego, czego nigdzie indziej nie znajdziesz.. Od naszej historii… Wiem, mamy wspaniala kuchnie, ale oprocz jedzenia pokaz nasza kulture, nasze dziedzictwo, ktore jest na mapie od tak niedawna… ❤❤❤❤❤❤
great family, you are really great people. God Bless
And no gun violence… We walk freely on the street, without being worried that you might get shot. Take note US.
I was just in Lublin, last week. I am a first generation Polish-American, but my Mom was born and raised in Lublin. Beautiful City!
Love your videos, just amazing to experience, feelings. And you have a loving family, what an amazing, loving Mom you have, as well
Thank you for this video and all other videos
One comment – Jews weren't impacted the most by concentration camps . Poles were . There is no such nation as Jews . Each Jew that was living in Poland had Polish, not Jewish nationality .
pomalujcie te obdrapane domy dopiero wtedy bedzie to miasto piekne narazie obciach
Usa nie dorasta nam do pięt
It's also your family country 😉
It takes a lot of courage to see the concentration camps built by the Germans. There are many of them in Poland. It's very unfair that people around the world refer to them as Polish camps.
People mainly say that Jews are the victims of this war, which is not true – 6 million Poles, 3.5 million of whom were Jews. I don't know if you saw all the things they took from people – including little children. It was a nightmare.