LOT Polish Airlines is reinstating flights to Athens. LOT Polish Airlines aircraft will be flying to the capital of Greece all year round.
16.11.2023 - 00:01 / euronews.com / Rebecca Ann Hughes
A stray cat in Poland made international headlines earlier this year after being voted the best tourist attraction in the city of Szczecin.
The animal named Gacek - meaning long-eared bat in Polish - had lived for years in a wooden box on Kaszubska Street.
Dubbed ‘King of Kaszubska Street’, he became a global sensation after receiving thousands of reviews and five-star ratings on Google Maps.
But after becoming a little too chunky, the feline has now been given a new home and a healthier lifestyle.
Gacek first rose to fame in 2020 after being featured in a video by local news outlet wSzczecinie. The clip has since amassed over five million views.
Earlier this year, his story circulated in the global media after the feline beat historic sites like the 14th-century Pomeranian Dukes' Castle to become the top-rated city attraction.
A listing for Gacek attracted almost 500 reviews and an average five-star rating in just 48 hours. The rotund black and white cat had almost 2,500 glowing reviews on Google Maps before his listing was removed, according to local reports.
Gacek’s fame soon led to concerns for his health, however, after he received too many treats from tourists, some of whom had travelled specially to see him.
In April, Szczecin’s Animal Welfare Association (TOZ) intervened after finding that the cat was suffering from teeth and joint problems, according to a post on the organisation’s Facebook page.
A post shared by Gacek (@kotgacekeveryday)
He received treatment but still needed to lose 4-5 kilogrammes. As such, the famous feline was adopted and moved to a new home where his diet could be controlled.
Despite acting in the cat’s best interests, TOZ was criticised by some city residents over its actions.
Locals called for Gacek to be returned to the streets and claimed the shelter was attempting to profit from the cat’s celebrity status, news website Gazeta.pl reports.
“It was very hard on us,” TOZ wrote on Facebook in September. “A bucket of hate was poured on us from many sides.”
The shelter recently shared photos of the feline looking trimmer and healthier. The post also announced the cat’s new name.
“From now on, call me George…George Clooney in cat version, yes that’s the new me,” it reads. “I’m fit and I feel good about it. I run up the stairs, and jump on countertops.”
The feline’s fame is also being used to help other creatures in need. The shelter has asked people to donate food for fellow street cats in honour of the black and white feline.
People can also contribute to a crowdfunding campaign called “Gacek buys food for the homeless,” where donations have already topped the original target.
The only downside? With a new home, new name and much healthier lifestyle, Gacek no longer has a listing on
LOT Polish Airlines is reinstating flights to Athens. LOT Polish Airlines aircraft will be flying to the capital of Greece all year round.
New ship now sailing home, increasing Carnival’s capacity from Galveston as Carnival adds fifth of six new ships to fleet since 2021.
I professed my love for Carnegie Diner in this column more than two years ago. Today, my fondness for the restaurant is as strong as ever and perhaps even more.
The holidays are nearly here and students heading home for the season can now score flights for just $25 thanks to a partnership between Amazon Prime and StudentUniverse.
If most of us had to write a bucket list for travel experiences, chances are that seeing the northern lights would be pretty near the top. But the unearthly spectre of the aurora borealis is just one in a myriad of charms the dark skies of the Highlands and islands will boast this autumn. We spoke to seven local residents to get their tips for how to broaden your horizons – while scanning them for shooting stars and delving into the awe-inspiring mysteries of the Milky Way.
Lakeside at Wynn Las Vegas has this week introduced a unique dry-aged fish program to its extensive seafood menu. The program marks the first of its kind on the Las Vegas Strip.
Donghu Ecological Park, located in capital city Wuhan of central China’s Hubei Province, has received 21.39 million tourists, ranking the country’s 6th 5A level scenic attractions during the October holiday season, with income of 5.7 billion yuan RMB (about 800 million US dollars), according to the park management committee. Known as the “City of wetlands”, Wuhan is home to 165 rivers, 166 lakes and about 162,000 hectares of wetlands, accounting for 18.9% of the city’s total land coverage. Donghu (“East Lake”) showcased the city’s efforts in ecological civilization construction over the past decades.
Frontier Airlines is doubling down on Chicago, with plans to reopen a pilot base that will serve both major airports in the Windy City.
Alongside new technology, Westward Look Resort introduces a leadership bench stacked with industry professionals, promising an even greater guest experience.
Smart gating technology keeps American moving during its busiest-ever Thanksgiving season.
Beyond Epoka’s grand, neo-Renaissance facade, a theatre-inspired interior welcomes diners. And the show begins swiftly. Within minutes of entering the landmark restaurant that overlooks Warsaw’s elegant Ogród Saski (Saxon Garden), I’m enjoying the pleasant bitterness of a cynar negroni and admiring plush velvet booths in shades of blue and green. Chef Marcin Przybysz approaches my cosy seating, accompanied by a giant bowl overflowing with fresh produce. He shows me some garden-fresh lettuce, a piece of wasabi root and honey so local it comes from beehives on the roof of the building.
Thailand expects 3.4-3.5 million visitors from China this year, which is below its target, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said on Friday, despite rolling out a visa-free program to attract Chinese tourists.