POLAND

  • Capital: Warsaw
  • Form of Government: Republic
  • Area: 312,696 km2
  • Religion: Christanity 90%
  • Phone number: +48
  • Language: Polish
  • Time difference: – 1
  • Population: 38,286,000 (2020)
  • Currency: Złoty (PLN)

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Finnair flies direct from Helsinki to Warsaw and Gdansk. Wizz Air flies from Turku to Gdansk cheaply.

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PKP Intercity is responsible for train connections. On the routes between major cities (Warsaw – Katowice – Krakow – Poznan – Szczecin), trains are fast and the fleet is modern.

bussi

For journeys of less than 100 km, buses are a very good option. English-language timetables include both bus and train options.

Kuva: Flickr – Klearchos Kapoutsis

embajada

Embassy of Finland, Warsaw Address: Ul. Fr. Chopina 4/8 00-559 – Tel: +48 22 598 9500 Email: sanomat.var@formin.fi – Website: http://www.finland.pl

  • Poland: Travel bulletin from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Traveling is largely safe. The biggest risk is traffic. The EU Health Insurance Card provides basic service, but travel insurance is recommended. Read more
Night panorama of Old Town in Warsaw, Poland

WARSAW (CAPITAL)

 

Warsaw is a mixture of relaxing green spaces, historic sites and vivid modernity. Discover the charming Old Town, Wilanów Palace and amazing Lazienki Park, where you can watch free Chopin concerts every Sunday during the summer. Experience a few of the dozens of interactive museums, including the Warsaw Uprising Museum, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the Copernicus Science Centre.

Aerial view on the central square and Sukiennice in Krakow. Market Square from the tower of the church of St. Mary. Poland. Cloth Hall.

Krakow’s Rynek Glowny Central Square

Address: Rynek Główny, 31-422 Kraków, Poland

 

Huge 10-acre square, the largest in any of Europe’s medieval cities, features the 16th-century Renaissance Cloth Hall and the splendid 14th-century Gothic Basilica of the Virgin Mary.

Night panorama of Old Town in Warsaw, Poland

Warsaw Old Town (UNESCO 1980)

Location: Warsaw, Mazovia Province, Poland

 

After being leveled when the Nazis left, this whole neighborhood of cobblestone Gothic streets and alleyways, baroque palaces, numerous churches and tiered burghers’ houses were masterfully reconstructed to reflect the atmosphere of bygone days.

High angle view of Gdansk town the shore of the river Motlawa

Gdańsk Old Town

 

Stare Miasto AKA Old Town is the real pride of Gdansk. Partially reconstructed after the demolition of WWII, the area has a strong scent of Hanseatic harbour town and here is visible Gothic, Baroque and Hanseatic styles side by side in harmonic jumble.

Most full architectural experience gives the tendon of the Stare Miasto, pedestrian street Dlugi Targ between the Green Gate and Targ Weglowy. Along this route stands the same kind of buildings as in South German and Dutch towns. The Green Gate is a former royal residence, which today houses the National Museum.

Krakow - UNESCO World Heritage Site is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Each year Krakow hosting over 9 million tourists from all over the world.

Wawel Royal Castle

Address: Wawel 5, 31-001 Kraków, Poland

 

Built on the hill in the 14th century, this Gothic castle was the center of Polish royal regime for centuries. It is one of the most important sites of Polish history and culture and includes e.g. a notable art museum. Notable attractions are Polish Crown Jewels, Smocza Jama cave and collection of Italian Renaissance paintings. The castle museum also holding oriental art includes the largest collection of Ottoman tents in Europe. Guided tours available.

Muzeum Lazienki Krolewskie

Muzeum Łazienki Królewskie

Address: Agrykola 1, 00-460 Warszawa, Poland

 

Former royal summer residence with 18th-century neoclassical buildings, gardens & exhibitions.

Underground chamber with balconies in the Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland

Wieliczka Salt Mine (UNESCO 1978)

Address: Daniłowicza 10, 32-020 Wieliczka, Poland

 

This salt mine produced table salt from the 13th century until 2007 and is one of the oldest of its kind in the world. The mine’s attractions include dozens of remarkably beautiful statues and four chapels that have been carved out of the rock salt. The mine is one of Poland’s official national historical monuments and has been one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1978.

Polish part of Baltic Sea coast has most beautiful sandy beaches among all countries with access to this body of water.

Sopot Beach

 

Located on the northern coast of Poland near Gdansk, Sopot Beach is famous for its white sands, nearby shops, restaurants, and other cultural happenings. The Baltic isn’t known for its warm waters, but can be temperate in the late summer/early fall months.

Malbork castle

Malbork Castle (UNESCO 1997)

Address: Starościńska 1, 82-200 Malbork, Poland

 

These idyllic and old Pomeranian townhouses approx. 38,500 residents and is well-known for its 13th-century castle built by the Teutonic Order. Other notable sights are the Malbork Welcome Centre, the Gothic town hall and the 16th century Jerusalem Hospital.

Fresh deciduous stand of Bialowieza Forest in summer with broken old oak and misty mixed forest in background

Białowieża Forest (UNESCO 1979)

 

Poland has more to offer than skyscrapers and historical architecture. Those who want to relax in nature’s embrace should head to the Białowieża Forest. Białowieża means “White Tower”, and the forest got its name from the Białowieża village, where Władysław II Jagiełło, a former Polish king, built a white hunting mansion. The forest extends into Belarus to the east, and a part of the Białowieża Forest is a Polish natural park. The park is a popular tourist attraction and guided tours by foot, bike or horse-drawn carriages are available to the protected parts of the forest. The area is excellent for birdwatching or for seeing the local European bison that live there. Historical buildings can also be found in and around the forest, as well as hotel rooms and other services. This area with its primeval forests was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

More information about Poland

Kutna Hora, Czech Republic  - November 11, 2018: Ceiling at Cemetery Church of All Saints "ornamented" with Human bones and skulls in the Ossuary at Kutna Hora, Czechia

Skull Chapel

Address: Stanisława Moniuszki 8a, 57-350 Kudowa-Zdrój, Poland

 

This remarkable ossuary-like chapel in the peaceful Silesian countryside was built in 1776. It is a mass grave of those who died in several wars, famines and plagues between the 17th and 18th centuries. Walls of this small, baroque church are filled with three thousand skulls, and there are also bones of another 21 000 people interred in the basement. This site is the only such site in Poland, and one of six in Europe.

Gasienicowa Valley with abandoned in the 40's the shepherd huts, Tatra Mountains, Poland

Zakopane

 

Known as ”winter capital of Poland”, this city housing approximately 28,000 residents is located on the foot of the High Tatra Mountains. Here are great facilities for skiing, snowboarding and mountaineering. The most popular spots for skiing are Kasprowy Wierch, Nosal and Gubałówka Hill.

"Szczawnica, Poland - August 17, 2011: The river tour across Dunajec gorge. Raftmens and turists sitting on special rafts and admiring beauty of Pieniaski National Park in unusual and fascinating way. The river tour lasts from 2 to 3 hours."

Szczawnica

 

This unique spa town offers many kinds of activities. Due to the presence of alkali sorrel springs and favorable climatic conditions, therapeutic spa centers offer special treatments for lung diseases and asthma,  while there is also a chance to hike in mountains or take a guided horse-riding trip. There are also chances for snowboarding and skiing. Very attractive place for visitors with better health and physical exercise.