Stretching all the way from the Baltic Sea to the Carpathian Mountains, Poland is a wide and diverse country by European standards. The same goes also for its attractions, ranging from beach resorts in the Baltic Sea coast, large forest areas, and lake regions to well-preserved historical cities and mountainous outdoor sport resorts in the south of Poland. As a bonus to this all, the country's modern capital, Warsaw is home to diverse shopping facilities, nightlife, and cultural draws.
City destinations. Most visited city in Poland is its capital, Warsaw with its charming historical sights, Soviet-era architecture, and fascinating museums. Warsaw cherishes the old, but at the same time follows modern times, building new luxury hotels, offering elegant shops and high quality tourist services. Another popular Polish city destination and the former capital of Poland for 500 years, Krakow hosts fascinating historical and cultural attractions as well as excellent facilities for cultural activities and entertainment. Visit also the medieval city of Tórun and the beautiful Teutonic castle of Malbork. The Baltic Sea port city of Gdansk with its historical Old Town and adjacent lovely beach resorts is also well worth a visit.
Natural draws. After the cities, Poland attracts most visitors with its versatile nature. The snow-capped mountains in the south of Poland offer excellent ski slopes, forest trails, and astonishing views. The Tatra Mountains and Zakopane offer plenty of pleasure for outdoor-loving visitors. This small town also hosts charming wooden architecture which has gained worldwide reputation. In Eastern Poland, the ancient forest of Bialowieza is famous as the home of rare European wildlife, including the European bison. The lake region of Masuria (Mazury) in the northeast offers a great variety of outdoor experiences, while the Biebrza National Park in Northeastern Poland is home to a wide variety of birdlife.
How to get there. Centrally located in Central Europe, Poland is an easily reachable destination. The main airports of the country are located in Warsaw, Krakow, and Gdansk, but traveling to Poland is easy also by train or road from neighboring countries, or by ferries from Scandinavia.
Historical cities and diverse landscapes -Attractions of Poland
If Poland's attractions should be described with one word only, that word would probably be hard to find. What else can you say about a country that offers sand dune covered beaches, forested lake areas, big cities, high mountains, and fascinating historical and architectural sights?City destinations. Most visited city in Poland is its capital, Warsaw with its charming historical sights, Soviet-era architecture, and fascinating museums. Warsaw cherishes the old, but at the same time follows modern times, building new luxury hotels, offering elegant shops and high quality tourist services. Another popular Polish city destination and the former capital of Poland for 500 years, Krakow hosts fascinating historical and cultural attractions as well as excellent facilities for cultural activities and entertainment. Visit also the medieval city of Tórun and the beautiful Teutonic castle of Malbork. The Baltic Sea port city of Gdansk with its historical Old Town and adjacent lovely beach resorts is also well worth a visit.
Natural draws. After the cities, Poland attracts most visitors with its versatile nature. The snow-capped mountains in the south of Poland offer excellent ski slopes, forest trails, and astonishing views. The Tatra Mountains and Zakopane offer plenty of pleasure for outdoor-loving visitors. This small town also hosts charming wooden architecture which has gained worldwide reputation. In Eastern Poland, the ancient forest of Bialowieza is famous as the home of rare European wildlife, including the European bison. The lake region of Masuria (Mazury) in the northeast offers a great variety of outdoor experiences, while the Biebrza National Park in Northeastern Poland is home to a wide variety of birdlife.
Practical information for your trip to Poland
Most of Poland has a temperate climate with warm summers and cool winters. Temperatures here are generally warm from May to September, which is the best time to travel to Poland. However, if you bring warm clothing, also the Polish winter with occasional below zero Celsius temperatures is not that bad, not to mention spring or autumn, when many think Poland is at its best.How to get there. Centrally located in Central Europe, Poland is an easily reachable destination. The main airports of the country are located in Warsaw, Krakow, and Gdansk, but traveling to Poland is easy also by train or road from neighboring countries, or by ferries from Scandinavia.
Photo: Deutscherfriedenstifter, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
Buses and trains offer good alternatives for travelling inside Poland, but also touring with a rental car is a good choice, especially if you stay away from the biggest cities, which have heavy traffic.
Tourist services in Poland are good in most parts of the country, with multiple choices for accommodation, restaurants, and entertainment facilities available. Additionally, tourism information points where you are served in English are found in all main cities and touristic sites of Poland. What is even better, price level of these services is generally cheap by European standards. Adding the easiness of your stay, Poland is a safe destination where you can safely walk outside also after dark. However, note that pick-pocketing is not uncommon in the big cities of Poland.
Short history of Poland
Poland has a long history as an independent state. Adopting Catholic Christianity in the late 900s, the Poles formed a union with Lithuania in the late 1300s that lasted until the mid-seventeenth century. In the late 1700s, Poland was divided between Prussia, Austria, and Russia, and although the Poles revolted several times, the country regained its independence only in 1918 after the World War I. In the World War II, both Nazi Germany and Soviet Union invaded Poland causing a great deal of destruction. After the war, the Polish borders were moved to the west and Poland became a communist state. The Solidarity movement's long campaign resulted in the liberation of Poland in 1989 and to the fall of communism in Europe. Today, Poland is a relatively wealthy member of European Union and NATO.hint See also these nearby destinations: Warsaw
