Boleslawiec Pottery

Boleslawiec sits on clay that fires hard, and potters here have worked it for centuries. The look most people know came later: a white or cream body stamped with patterns cut into small sponges, dipped and pressed by hand one mark at a time, with the peacock eye the pattern that travels furthest. The ware is fired high enough to go in an oven or a dishwasher, which is why it ended up in kitchens rather than cabinets. Several factories and many small workshops operate in and around the town, most with their own shop, and seconds are sold at a discount. In August a pottery festival fills the centre with stalls and demonstrations.

What you actually see

• The stamping - patterns pressed on one sponge mark at a time, watched in a workshop.
• The factory outlets - first quality and seconds sold at the works, cheaper than in the cities.
• The pottery festival - stalls, kilns and demonstrations in the town centre in August.
• The paint-your-own sessions - workshops where visitors stamp a piece and have it fired.

When to go

Any time, since the outlets are indoor and open all year, though most close on Sundays and some on Saturday afternoons. The August festival is the liveliest week and also the busiest, with parking difficult and the good stock picked over early. Workshop sessions need booking, particularly for groups and in school holidays.

Honest expectations

The town itself is plain and there is little to do beyond shopping for pottery. Prices at the outlets are not always the bargain people expect, and genuine seconds have visible flaws. Plenty of similar-looking ware sold elsewhere is not made here at all. Pieces are heavy and awkward to carry home, and shipping costs more than the plates.

Nearby

Wroclaw is an hour and a half east, and the Karkonosze mountains lie to the south.