Poland

Types of trips: Historical, Outdoor and Active, Nature, Adventure, City Tourism, Cultural

Best known for: Kielbasa, Pierogi, Czernina, WWII History, Marie Curie, Chopin

Why Go?: Although it is an unpleasant one, Poland is home to some of the most fascinating and revealing insights into WWII and will make for a fantastic learning opportunity. Besides that, this beautiful country has a broad range of things to offer, from the big cities to beautiful national parks and stunning castles.

Fact File

Population: 38,200,000

Capital: Warsaw

Language(s): Polish

Ties to the UK?: Good relationship as after the Cold War the UK was one of the only countries to give Polish workers equal rights

Landscape: Lake Districts, Mountains, Hilly Regions, Lakes, Rivers, Forests, Sand dunes

Climate/Seasons: Summers are warm, winters are cold. Drier in the winter, the eastern regions has the most rainfall

When to Go: Poland is a year-round destination but gets more visitors during the summer due to the hotter weather. This means there are more things to do in the summer with summer events, open-air festivals and other warm-weather activities

Reasons to Visit: This historical country offers a wealth of activities, and being within Europe travel arrangements are made easier.

How to Get There: Flying is a good choice as flights to Krakow and Warsaw are frequent and relatively inexpensive

Places to Go: Krakow, Warsaw, Gdansk, Wawel Castle, Auschwitz, Wielliczka Salt Mine

Famous People: Fredeeric Chopin, Roman Polanski, John Paul II, Marie Curie, Copernicus

Natural Wonders/Wildlife: Masurian Lake, Sniardwy, Tatra National Park (pictured above), Dunajec River Gorge

History: The Age of Partitions, Cold War, WWII

Architecture: St. Mary’s Basilica, Wroclaw Town Hall, Corcpus Christi Basilica

Culture: Jozef Chelmonski, Chopin, Folk music

Sport: Speedway, Track & Field, Basketball, Boxing, Fencing, Football

Events: New Year's Day Children's Concert, Jewish Culture Festival, Warsaw International Film Festival

Watch Out For: Make sure to stamp bus and tram tickets before travel, and only cross the road in designated places

Medical Issues: No mandatory vaccinations required

Watch this video about visiting Poland!