When I decided to visit Poland, my plans were to first travel to Warsaw then make my way to Krakow, I also managed to visit two more cities Gdansk and Poznan. I would recommend anyone travelling to Poland to put on their list less popular cities like Poznan which have their own charm and are worth the visit. I hope this short summary of Poland will help you plan your next trip.
Best Time to Visit
Poland Summers tend to be mild and warm and temperatures drop a few degrees below freezing during the winter months, Because of this Poland can be visited all year round.
Things to do and see
- Morskie Oko: Is located within the Tatra National Park and is known as the largest lake in the Tatra Mountains. It’s a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains and worth visiting.
- Auschwitz: Is a symbol of the Jewish Holocaust in Poland. It was established in 1940 by the Third Reich by the Nazis who named the place Auschwitz. The tours of Auschwitz include a visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, and the Auschwitz concentration camp.
- Krakow: Is a great city in the South of Poland, for a few hours in the afternoon or evening you can go on a food tour to discover the culinary delights around the town.
Food
Poland’s cuisine integrates elements from its neighbors in the Balkans. And there are also many recipes of Jewish origin. The restaurants serve Italian, French, Asian, Turkish, vegetarian and food from around the world. Three traditional polish dishes to try when in Poland are; Pierogi which is little dumplings filled with potato, meet and cheese. The second dish is bigos a meat stew with rice. The third dish is a dessert which there are so many great desserts to try like the polish doughnuts.
Transportation
Air: LOT Airlines operates a comprehensive network of domestic flights between Warsaw Gdańsk, Katowice, Kraków, Poznań, Rzeszów, Szczecin and Wrocław. Poland has 12 international airports connecting Poland to the rest of the world. Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport is the largest airport in Poland.
Roads: The roads in Poland are well maintained and constantly improving.
Rail: Poland’s train network is extensive and reasonably priced. It’s the most reliable means of transport for covering long distances. However, in smaller cities you may need to use a combination of buses and trains for long distance travel. Poland also has an international rail service EuroCity which connects Poland to the rest of Europe.
Taxi: Taxis are widely available and not too expensive. the amount of luggage doesn’t affect the fare.
Ferry: Poland has one coastline on the Baltic Sea, all ferries to Poland come from Scandinavia, because of the short distance. There are also many ferries connecting different parts of the country.
Bus: Most cities in Poland offer excellent public transport, not all cities have trams, but most do. Warsaw is the only city with a metro. Public transport normally operates daily from around 5am to 11pm. Weekend service is less frequent. Timetables are usually posted at stops but are not always accurate.
Visa
Visas are not required for all E.U, U.S, Canadian and Australian nationals for stays of up to 90days over a 6month period.
Language
The official language spoken in Poland is Polish. However German, Kashubian and Russian are also spoken throughout the country. English is also spoken in tourist areas.
Money
The official currency in Poland is the Polish zloty (PLN) ATMs accept all major credit and debit cards. Credit cards are also accepted at some sit-down restaurants and most bars and bus stations.
Tipping
10-15% tip is common for good service.
Social etiquette
Most of the Polish population is Roman Catholic.
Adaptor
There is one plug associated with Poland the standard Type F plug with the two-pins
Wi-Fi
There are many Internet cafes throughout Poland, most hotels and restaurants provide free Wi-Fi also.
Ruth’s Lonely Planet 