Poland Holidays

Good to know before your Poland holidays

Before setting off on your Poland holidays, it’s worth knowing a few practical tips to make your trip as smooth as possible. From currency and customs to transport and weather, here's what to expect when you arrive.

Currency and spending

Weather and seasons

Language and etiquette

Getting around

Plugs and power

Whether you're heading to historic Kraków, the lively streets of Gdańsk or the mountain trails of Zakopane, a little preparation goes a long way in making the most of your Poland holidays.

Best things to do in Poland

Many of Poland's cities have been through a process of major reinvention, opening flashy new museums, laying out new parks and brushing up their heritage with a spate of renovation. But there's awesome nature too, from the drifting dunes of the Baltic coast to the magnificent mountain chains that mark the country's southern borders.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Krakow's Ko≈õciuszko Mound: For breathtaking views of the city, climb this grassy mound built in honour of Polish national hero Tadeusz Ko≈õciuszko; on a clear day, you can even make out the Tatra Mountains.

• Guba≈Çowka Hill: At the summit of Guba≈Çowka Hill the panorama of the Tatras' jagged peaks to the south is quite splendid.

The best districts

• Ulica Dluga, Gda≈Ñsk: A stroll down one of Poland's most beautiful set-piece streets will take you past a string of opulent townhouses, recalling the mercantile dynasties that once made Gda≈Ñsk great.

• Praga, Warsaw: Praga retains its gritty sense of otherness; cobbled streets and former factories contribute to a post-industrial aesthetic, and the area's cafés and pubs still seem a touch more underground than those elsewhere.

• Kazimierz, Krakow: The old Jewish quarter of Krakow, now the centre of a burgeoning bar scene, buzzes with visitors day and night.

Museums

• European Solidarity Centre, Gda≈Ñsk: Commemorating the Solidarity protest movement of the 1980s, this museum is an absorbing and inspiring tribute to non-violent revolutions everywhere.

• POLIN Museum, Warsaw: This fine building takes the fittingly dramatic form of a four-storey cube rent down the middle by a huge, cave-like fissure. Inside, slogan-like captions fill entire walls, and models and reproductions bring past epochs to life.

• Zajezdnia History Centre, Wroclaw: One of the finest of Poland's new-generation history museums, providing numerous insights into social, cultural and family history alongside the hard narrative of political events.

Parks and gardens

• ≈Åazienki Park: Known as the Royal Baths Park, this is the most elegant of Poland's urban parks, crisscrossed with oak-lined promenades.

• Oliwa Park, Gda≈Ñsk: Surrounding the cathedral complex is the old palace park, an appealing spot with exotic trees, hanging willows and a stream meandering through the middle.

Historical monuments

• Wawel Castle, Krakow: One of the most striking royal residences in Europe and a potent source of national and spiritual pride.

• Wooden churches: An age-old form of folk architecture still preserved in rural corners of the country. One of the most incredible examples is at Kwiato≈Ñ in the Beskid Niski.

• Malbork Castle: The Teutonic Knights lorded it over northern Poland for over 200 years, and this rambling complex of fortifications is their most imposing monument.

• Oliwa Cathedral, Gda≈Ñsk: A remarkable sight, its towering main facade combines twin Gothic brick towers peaked with Renaissance spires and dazzling Rococo stuccowork to striking effect.

Day trips in the region

• Katowice: The ugly duckling of Polish tourism is suddenly its brightest up-and-coming star thanks to a post-industrial cocktail of repurposed coal mines, new museums, lively nightlife and big-hitting festivals.

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum: The infamous Nazi death camp, on the outskirts of O≈õwiƒôcim, is a compelling memorial to man's inhumanity.

• Silesian mines: Upper Silesia's industrial heritage has been put to good use at spectacular show mines such as the Guido coal mine at Zabrze and the Museum of Silver Mining at Tarnowskie Gory.

Activities for families in Poland

Poland is a fantastic destination for families, with activities that cater to all ages. From beach days and other outdoor adventures to hands-on learning experiences, there's plenty to keep everyone entertained.

• Beaches: Poland's Baltic shores are characterised by miles and miles of white sand, perfect for lazy family outings. Join the crowds in chic Sopot, or stroll the endless strands of ≈Åeba or Hel.

• Castles: What kid doesn't love exploring a good castle? And here in Poland they come in all shapes and from all epochs. Malbork is perhaps the best known, although the hillside-hugging Pieskowa Ska≈Ça, the abandoned Krzy≈ºtopor and the refined aristocratic seat of KsiƒÖ≈º all possess an undeniable aura of their own.

• Interactive museums: One of Europe's boldest hands-on family attractions is the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw. If you've got kids, it's worth a visit to the city for this alone.

Free things to do in Poland

Holidays to Poland offer plenty of free activities, making it an affordable destination for budget-conscious travellers. From cultural events to scenic walks, you'll find ways to enjoy the country without spending a złoty.

• Night of the Museums (Noc muzeow): In mid-to-late May, museums and galleries all over Poland open up in the evening for free, generating an atmosphere of cultural carnival.

• Free events: On Midsummer's Eve (Wianki) in towns and cities across Poland, the night is traditionally celebrated by virgins throwing wreaths into rivers while bonfires are lit on the water's edge.

Nature and outdoor activities in Poland

For many, it's the wide range of outdoor pursuits Poland has to offer that constitute the country's chief lure. Most obvious of these are the hiking opportunities provided by the extensive national parks, but there's skiing, fishing and rafting too.

• Hiking: Poland has some of the best hiking country in Europe, especially in the mountainous Tatras region, which offers anything from easy-going valley-bottom strolls to calf-straining high-mountain scrambles.

• Skiing: Poland's mountainous southern rim provides some good skiing opportunities, seized on, in season, by what can often seem like the country's entire population. The best and most popular ski slopes are in the Tatras, the highest section of the Polish Carpathians.

• Fishing: A hugely popular activity, especially in the outlying regions of the country. The best fishing areas include the Mazurian lakes (pike and perch), the Bieszczady, notably the River San and its tributaries (trout), and the southeast in general.

• Rafting: Tourists have long been rafting down the waters of the River Dunajec; a two- to three-hour rafting trip provides a gentle and thoroughly enjoyable version of the experience.

Local dishes in Poland

Poland has a distinctive national cuisine, with trademark dishes like pierogi, potato pancakes, pork chops and roast joints of poultry ensuring that there's plenty to work your way through while you're here.

Some typical dishes

• Borsht: Arguably Poland's most famous dish, a reddish beetroot-flavoured broth with a mildly sweet-and-sour taste.

• Pierogi: A small parcel of dough stuffed with a variety of savoury or sweet fillings. Pierogi ruskie come with potato and soft white cheese, while pierogi z kapustƒÖ I grzybami are filled with cabbage and mushrooms.

Meat dishes

• Bigos: A filling stew comprising a mixture of meats, cabbage, mushrooms and spices.

• Go≈ǃÖbki: Cabbage leaves stuffed with rice and meat, this is a popular domestic dish, although served in many restaurants too.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Herring: Served a variety of ways – pickled, in cream or with onions – herring is a staple of Polish cuisine.

• PstrƒÖg: Grilled or pan-fried freshwater trout from mountain regions like Zakopane is superb.

Street food

• Zapiekanka: A baguette-like piece of toasted bread topped with cheese, mushrooms and a choice of other toppings.

Sweets and desserts

As far as desserts are concerned, cheesecake (sernik) and apple pie (szarlotka) both have the status of national culinary institutions, while pancakes (nale≈õniki) filled with a variety of sweet fillings also crop up on pretty much every menu.

Local drinks

• Vodka: Very much the national drink, varieties include ≈ªubrowka, made in eastern Poland and flavoured with the local bison grass, and ≈ªo≈ǃÖdkowa Gorzka, an amber-coloured herbal vodka that is relatively sweet in taste. Wi≈õniowka (cherry vodka) is another popular shot.

• Polish beer (piwo): The mass-market breweries (such as ≈ªywiec, Tyskie and Lech) are being increasingly challenged by characterful ales and craft brews made by small, local producers such as Trzech Kumpli and Pinta.