Poland Tours & Holidays
Scenic, historic and surprisingly cheap – Poland should feature on every traveller's list.
The heart of Poland is in a town’s rynek – the central market square where locals converge and travellers can take the temperature of this European gem. Beyond city limits, it’s a country blessed by Mother Nature; of forest and lakes, snow-capped peaks and rolling hills changing colour with each season. There’s a melting pot of traditional cuisines, hearty and heartfelt food that is being reinvented for a new audience. Wander through Poland’s living history: cultural Krakow, maritime mecca Gdansk and the post-war rebuilt capital of Warsaw. Every adventure here is distinct, but one thing remains the same – this under-discovered nation that’s eager to be explored.
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Highlights of Southern Poland
Highlights of Southern Poland
Highlights of Southern Poland
Highlights of Southern Poland
Highlights of Southern Poland
Articles of Poland
Poland at a glance
CAPITAL CITY
Warsaw (population approximately 1.75 million)
POPULATION
Approximately 38.5 million
CURRENCY
PLN
LANGUAGE
Polish
TIME ZONE
(GMT+01:00) Sarajevo, Skopje, Warsaw, Zagreb
CALLING CODE
+48
ELECTRICITY
Type C (European 2-pin) Type E (French 2-pin, female earth)
Learn more about Poland
Culture and customs
Despite Poland’s turbulent political and wartime past, traditional Polish culture and customs thrive throughout the country. More than three quarters of Poles are Roman Catholics – almost half of whom are regular church attendees. There’s still a Jewish influence, including buildings and symbolism, here too. Many of Poland’s public holidays follow the Roman Catholic calendar, and Christmas and Easter are big festive celebrations.
On important occasions – including folk festivals, weddings, religious holidays – traditional folk costumes called stroje ludowe are worn, The costumes represent different regions of Poland, with colourful fabrics, patterns and decorations.
Some of Poland’s customs and traditions are a little bit unusual, so if you find yourself near a burning effigy on the first day of spring or struck by a water balloon around Easter, don’t worry, it’s all part of bonding with the locals.
Much of Poland’s culture is reflected in its architecture, so a walk along the cobbled streets of Krakow or Warsaw will reveal both history and local charm at building-level.
Top 5 heritage spots of Krakow
- Collegium Maius
This 15th-century building, the oldest in Jagiellonian University, has hosted such famous students as revolutionary astronomer Copernicus and spiritual leader Pope John Paul II. A visit here is an object lesson in art, science, history and architecture. - Wawel Cathedral
Over a thousand years old, this imposing edifice is where Pope John Paul II conducted his first Mass. If that's not impressive enough, add a crypt holding the bodies of some of Poland's most influential leaders and public figures, and you've got one of Poland's most interesting buildings. - Wawel Royal Castle
Sitting on the edge of the Vistula River, this remarkable Gothic-style building acted as a home for Poland's royal family centuries ago. Featuring a valuable collection of historic paintings, tapestries and murals, this is a top spot to delve into European treasures and classic architecture. - Remuh Synagogue
While this small, elegant synagogue may not be the grandest in scale or design, its historic value is unquestionable. Founded in 1553, it remains a place of worship for the local community and a place of pilgrimage for the world's Jewish people. - Cloth Hall
Krakow's Renaissance-style Cloth Hall is a splendid building with a retail heritage. Once used as trading post for textiles and cloth in the 14th century, nowadays the building houses shops, cafes and a museum. Visit the city's Main Square at night to see this historic piece of architecture lit up.
History and government
Polan to Poland
During the Early Middle Ages, pre-Slavic settlers made their way to what was then East Germania, prospering during the Iron Age. However, it was the Western Polans who dominated the region from the fifth to eighth centuries and gave Poland its name.
Making friends, and losing them
The first Polish state was established in the late 10th century AD, and in 1025 the Kingdom of Poland was founded. In the 13th century, tensions between pagan Prussians and the central powers saw German knights dominate northern Poland and construct fortress strongholds, including the epic castle at Malbork.
Peace was restored, and in 1569 this region became the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. At the time, it was one of the largest countries in Europe. The 18th century saw this relationship weaken, so an effort was made to reform, but it was too little, too late. Poland was already being invaded from all sides by Russia. Poland continued to exist as a political and cultural community, despite Russian efforts to supress education and commerce. Although no Polish states existed from the 1790s until 1918, strong resistance movements operated.
Stuck in the firing line
In the 20th century, Poland was forced into battle with occupying forces. Central Powers (Austria-Hungary, Germany and Prussia) and Russia (plus Western Allies) fought World War I, with conflicts occurring on Polish soil. Since no Polish state existed, no one was fighting for Poland – they were conscripted by both sides and fought one another. An estimated one million Poles lost their lives, but amid this loss, Poland regained independence and began to rebuild. The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 awarded Poland the western part of Prussia.
A nonaggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union was signed in August 1939, but little did Poland know that this also contained protocol to split the Polish state in two. Weeks later, World War II began with a massive German invasion of Poland. Hitler’s policy was to eradicate Poland, with almost three million Jews and one million Poles perishing in German extermination camps.
The War changed dramatically in June 1941 when Hitler attacked the Soviet Union and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin turning to Poland for help. The Soviet army moved westward, and with Hitler’s defeat at Stalingrad in 1943, the war was all but over. Poland lay in ruins, with six million people, or 20% of the pre-war population losing their lives. The Polish Jewish community declined from three million to less than 90,000. Soviet control continued in Poland, with new borders established and a government set up in 1945. Soon after Stalin died in 1953, the ‘Sovietisation’ of Poland weakened until it was almost non-existent. Traditional Polish values began to be revived.
Power to the people
During the second half of the 20th century, dissatisfied with living and working conditions in the country, Polish workers began to organise and unite. Industrial action, including strikes, led to the formation of a national trade union movement called Solidarity who pushed for workers’ rights and democratic governance. But it took until 1989 for semi-free elections to be held in Poland, when Solidarity succeeded in controlling the Senat (upper house). Communism began to collapse, and in January 1990, Poland’s political system was reformed with a return to territorial self-governance. Political instability followed, but in 1997, an alliance of Solidarity-linked political parties formed a coalition, putting an end to communist rule.
Today, Poland still finds itself in testing times politically and economically, with nationalist voices louder than ever. But the nation has been shaped into a peaceful and resilient nation by the toughest of situations.
Eating and drinking
Poland’s cuisine is a unique blend of influences from its neighbours, regional traditions and times of flourishing trade followed by years of restricted imports. Varied and versatile, it certainly is. Be sure to offer a ‘na zdrowie’ when raising a glass and wish everyone ‘smacznego’ – the Polish ‘bon appetit’ – before tucking into your food.
Here are some hearty essentials to keep a look out for when travelling around Poland.
- Pierogi
What’s a country without its version of a dumpling? Pierogi are found all across Central and Eastern Europe, but many assert Poland is the birthplace of this interpretation. These meat, potato, onion and cheese-filled morsels will warm you up on even the coldest of Krakow evenings. - Bigos
Bigos is a stew of mixed chopped meat, sauerkraut and fresh cabbage, other vegetables and spices all together in a large cast iron pan. Known as hunter’s stew, it originated in Medieval times and is as hearty as it gets. - Rosol
This one’s a Polish staple, the most popular version of which is a comforting chicken noodle soup, not just an antidote for the common cold but also for the dreaded (and also common – see number 10 on this list!) hangover. The meat is slowly cooked in a classic clear broth before thin noodles, sliced vegetables and a garnish of herbs are added. - Barszcz czerwony
Poland may have a convoluted name for it, but their version of borscht is simply delicious. It’s a sour soup with a vibrant purple colour, coming from its key ingredient – beetroot. Traditionally served on Christmas Eve, it’s probably wise not to wear white while you slurp a bowl of it up. - Kanapki
Take out a ‘k’ and you’ve nearly got the word canape. Funny that, because these open sandwiches resemble that bite-sized evening snack, but aren’t always that bite-sized. Poles have an open sandwich obsession, so they’re an option for every meal, usually with a bottom layer of pate or spread, topped with meat or pickled vegetables and boiled egg slices to top it off. - Kopytka
Europeans know what’s up with food, and definitely know how to prepare a potato. Kopytka is a Polish take on Italian gnocchi, and is often sautéed in a pan for a crispy outer layer, then sprinkled with fried onions and bacon bits. - Golabki
Another European dish Poland has added its own twist to is the saucy golabki. It’s the Polish name for cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling of minced pork or beef, plus onions and rice (or barley). They’re a special occasion food, often served at Christmas and weddings, but we reckon they’re good enough to have all year round. - Paczki
It’s not a fun cuisine if there isn’t a doughnut thrown into the mix. Paczki is a fried, round dough covered with icing sugar or dried orange zest or glazed, with sweet fillings including jam, cream and custard. If they’re not filled and are ring-shaped, these Polish delights are known as oponki. - Sernik
Poland’s version of a cheesecake is a simple dessert made with a dry-curd ‘farmer’s’ cheese (similar to cottage cheese or quark), and usually without a bottom layer of biscuit. It’s baked for around an hour and comes out set but still moist, to be enjoyed with a dollop of plum jam and cream. A modern version using American-style cream cheese is referred to as Sernik Philadelphia! - Beer
This is mainly a food list, but it’s hard to leave this beverage off. Beer is abundant in Poland, with around a hundred craft breweries producing distinctive brews, and they’re usually dirt cheap. The most popular varieties are pilsners, pale ales and porters, and the top brands to look out for are Zywiec, Okocim and Tyskie. Pair a local ale with a plate of pierogi.
Geography and environment
Located in Central Europe, Poland shares borders with Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Russia (Kaliningrad). Poland also has a stretch of coastline along the Baltic Sea, featuring two natural harbours. The coastal regions are marked by dunes and lakes, while the north and central parts of Poland have lowlands and plains, interrupted by rivers and valleys. Segments of the Carpathian Mountains mark the south-east part of the country, while the Tatra Mountains act as a natural border between Poland and Slovakia.
Around 90 per cent of the country sits less than 300 metres above sea level, but the south has mountains that bring with them relatively cold winters. The northern reaches of Poland are graced with sandy beaches stretching out to the Baltic Sea, as well as the Masurian Lakes District – an area with over 2000 lakes dotted through dense forest. Storks, eagles, bison and wolves are all found in the 23 national parks around Poland, and much of the flora and fauna in the country is under natural protection.
Shopping
From local wares and crafts in town ryneks to global brands in malls dotted around the cities, Poland’s got all the shopping you need. The main places to shop in Krakow are Shevska, Florianskaya and Grodskaya streets. In Warsaw, Plac Trzech Krzyzy (Three Crosses Square), Mokotowska Street and the Old Town all offer a wide range of places to shop.
In recent years, Poland has implemented a restriction on Sunday shopping trading on almost all stores for all but seven Sundays in the year (exceptions are those which fall before Easter and Christmas periods). There are also some exceptions for certain types of stores and those located in airports and train stations. Keeping this in mind is important when considering travel plans in Poland, as you may not be able to find what you’re looking for if travelling on a Sunday.
As with most countries, Poland adds a goods and services tax to many of its products. Poland’s VAT (PTU in Polish) is calculated at 23%, 8% or 5% depending on the type of product, and is normally included in the marked price.
Festivals and events
Alongside the major religious and cultural celebrations in Poland, this Central European nation gets together and celebrates in a whole range of ways. And some of them are pretty unusual.
Drowning of Marzanna
Marzanna is the Slavic goddess associated with death and rebirth. Traditionally, in early spring (around Easter), a straw effigy of Marzanna is ritually burned and ‘drowned’ as an offering to ward off death (aka winter) and welcome in the new season. These days, Marzanna is carried past every house in a village and dipped in each puddle or stream she passes. Superstitions still persist with Marzanna: if you touch the effigy once it’s in the water, your hand will wither; looking back at the drowning effigy when walking home may cause an illness; and stumbling or falling may lead to a relative’s death in the next year.
Smigus-dyngus
Traditionally held on Easter Monday in Poland, Smigus-dyngus – roughly translated as ‘Wet Monday’ – involves boys throwing water at girls, using water balloons, pistols or buckets. In return, girls provide a ‘ransom’ of painted eggs, or pisanki, which brings good fortune and harvests. In reality, it’s a big water fight with everyone getting involved.
Juwenalia
Calling all higher education students: this festival is for you. Juwenalia is an annual holiday for students that takes place before summer exams in May or June. It celebrates three days of no lectures. The tradition started in the 15th century in Krakow, but now most universities in Poland organise their own Juwenalia, usually with some type of music festival attached to it.
Wianki
Also known as the Midsummer Solstice festival, this event held annually in Krakow involves telling fortunes, floating handmade wreaths, jumping over bonfires and burning herbs. Wianki began as a Slavic fertility festival honouring the goddess of harvest and love – Kupala – but when Christianity came to Poland, efforts were made to ‘christianise’ the pagan rites and rebrand the holiday as St John’s Eve. Despite this, Wianki celebrations today are pretty similar to traditional summer solstice festivities.
St Dominic’s Fair
Started in 1260, this outdoor festival in Gdansk has become one of Europe’s biggest open-air trade and cultural festivals. From mid-July to mid-August, the fair hosts 20 days of markets, music and theatre, Kashubian food, a strongman competition and a fireworks display at the closing ceremony. All the ingredients for a Polish spectacular.
Public holidays that may impact travel include:
Labour Day
Constitution Day
- Independence Day
Please note that the dates of Poland's public holidays may vary.
Further reading
For inspiring stories to prepare you for your Poland adventure, check out these books:
- Push Not the River – James Conroyd Martin
- The Pianist – Wladyslaw Szpilman
- The Beautiful Mrs Seidenman – Andrzej Szczypiorski
- No Greater Ally – Kenneth K. Koskodan
- The Diary of Mary Berg: Growing up in the Warsaw Ghetto – Mary Berg
- House of Day, House of Night – Olga Tokarczuk
- Chasing the King of Hearts – Hanna Krall
Poland travel FAQs
Poland offers travellers different experiences depending on the season, so pack sensibly and choose your adventure.
Late June to August offers the warmest temperatures and long days but tourist numbers are high, the heat can sometimes be quite intense, and thunderstorms are surprisingly common in the mountainous areas.
The shoulder season of April-May is a great time to visit Poland – long hours of sunlight, cooler temperatures and spring flowers in full bloom. The autumn months of September and October offer beautiful scenery, leaves changing colour and average temperatures around 12°C during the day.
If snow sports are your thing, head to southern Poland, particularly Zakopane, in late December and early January for a winter wonderland and mountain resorts in full swing. Poland is a charming place to visit in Christmas, with winter markets, decorations along the city streets, outdoor nativity scenes and carollers singing at night.
Generally, you will not need a visa to travel to Poland for a period of up to 90 days. Citizens of Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Japan and many other countries can spend 90 days in the wider Schengen area, including Poland and other countries in the EU. EU citizens can travel around the Schengen area indefinitely.
Other nationalities should check with their local Polish embassy or on the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. Entry requirements can change at any time, so it's important that you check for the latest information. Please visit the relevant consular website of the country or countries you’re visiting for detailed and up-to-date visa information specific to your nationality. Check the Essential Trip Information section of your tour itinerary for more information.
While not mandatory, a tip of around 10–15% is considered a polite recognition of good service in Polish restaurants and cafes. Tipping service workers in high-end establishments such as luxury hotels is also encouraged.
At smaller establishments or when taking a taxi it’s acceptable to round up to the nearest PLN 5 or 10.
Poland is very well connected – most hotels, hostels and some public spaces offer wi-fi (pronounced ‘vee-fee’), usually free of charge but sometimes for a small fee. Many bars, cafes and restaurants also offer wi-fi, so keep a look out for the international symbol for wi-fi.
Major cities like Warsaw have many wi-fi hotspots and cyber cafes to choose from, while rural areas will generally have less reliable options to get online.
Mobile phone coverage is generally very good in Poland. Poland uses the GSM 900/1800 system, which is the same as Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Mobile networks are usually not compatible with cellphones from North America or Japan; however, if you’ve got a multiband GSM system, it should work.
If your mobile phone is unlocked, your cheapest option to call and text on the go is probably with a local SIM card. These can be picked up from a phone shop, which are located all throughout the country. This is also likely the cheapest option for a mobile data plan in Poland.
If you wish to use your current SIM and phone plan in Poland, ensure global roaming is activated before you arrive, and be sure to check in with your service provider for costs, as often this can be extremely expensive.
Flushable toilets are the standard in Poland, although public toilets are quite scarce. Public toilets are labelled with ‘dla panow’ or ‘meski’ and a downward-pointing triangle symbol for men, and ‘dla pan’ or ‘damski’ and a circle symbol for women.
Expect to pay a small fee when visiting public toilets (around PLN 2) and carry small denominations with you, as change is often not available.
Tap water is considered safe to drink in Poland unless marked otherwise.
For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying bottled water. Fill a reusable water bottle or canteen with filtered water instead.
Major credit cards are widely accepted by stores and hotels in Poland. Smaller cafes and shops may not accept credit cards, so ensure you carry enough cash to cover minor purchases. It’s also a good idea to carry small change to make tipping easier and to cover public toilet charges.
ATMs that accept international cards are common in Poland, so finding one won't be a problem in most towns and cities. Our tip is to go for internationally recognised banks and avoid ATMs labelled ‘Euronet’, as these often give a much poorer rate of exchange than other banks’ machines.
Poland’s climate is mostly temperate, with some slight weather differences between the oceanic north and the landlocked south. July is Poland’s hottest month, averaging around 22°C throughout the country, with some temperatures rising to the mid-30s Celsius, especially in Lower Silesia (southwest Poland).
Winters are often drier than summer, and range between -6°C and 1°C, with the northeast of the country near the borders with Belarus and Lithuania experiencing the coldest temperatures. Snow can be found around Poland in the depths of winter, usually in January.
Homosexuality is legal in Poland, and in major cities like Warsaw and Krakow there is generally a liberal attitude towards LGBTQIA+ communities. That being said, the wider LGBTQIA+ scene in Poland is fairly discreet. Warsaw and Krakow are the best places to experience Poland’s gay scene, with a small number of bars and clubs dotted around the city. The seaside resort city of Sopot also has a number of gay bars and clubs. Same-sex marriage is not officially recognised in Poland.
Recently, with the rise of the ruling far-right Law & Justice (PiS) party in the Polish political system, anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiments in Poland have grown. Many Polish residents hold conservative and religious views, which are reflected in much of the current political discourse. While in most contexts there’s equality of legal rights for all residents regardless of sexuality or gender identity, there are still no protections against discrimination in education and health, hate crimes and hate speech.
Around 30 symbolic ‘LGBT-free’ zones have been declared in the south-eastern reaches of the country, and although unenforceable, these zones are said to represent a move to stigmatise and exclude LGBTQIA+ residents in rural parts of Poland.
For more detailed and up-to-date advice, we recommend visiting Equaldex or ILGA before you travel.
If you are travelling solo on an Intrepid group tour, you will share accommodation with a passenger of the same gender as per your passport information. If you don’t identify with the gender assigned on your passport, please let us know at time of booking and we’ll arrange the rooming configuration accordingly. A single supplement is available on some tours for travellers who do not wish to share a room.
As Poland has many medieval towns and cobbled lanes, travellers with mobility issues may find travelling difficult, but doable. Newer buildings are designed with accessibility in mind, and many popular older buildings are retrofitted with ramps, lifts and wider entrances. Poland’s public transport system is designed to accommodate wheelchairs.
Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. We’re always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.
If you do live with a visual, hearing or other impairment, let your booking agent or group leader know early on so they’re aware and suitable arrangements can be made. As a general rule, knowing some common words in the local language, carrying a written itinerary with you and taking to the streets in a group, rather than solo, can help make your travel experience the best it can be.
What you should wear in Poland will depend on what season you decide to travel. Poland’s mild climate and distinct seasons make it a little bit easier to know what to wear, so check out the weather in advance to get an idea of what to pack.
In summer, be sure to stay cool with looser clothing and some short sleeve t-shirts and shorts, plus a light sweater or jacket for cooler evenings. In winter (as well as the shoulder seasons), pack some extra warmth, long pants and wind-breaking outer layers. If you’re travelling to Poland in snow season, pack thermal layers and insulated jackets. Gloves (or mittens) and a beanie will also come in handy.
Depending on the adventure you’re after, you’re likely to do a lot of walking, so a pair of sturdy walking shoes is a must. You might also like to pack a smaller backpack or satchel to use as a day pack when travelling around Krakow or Warsaw.
Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.
For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance
Intrepid takes the health and safety of its travellers seriously and takes every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and enjoyable for everyone. We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure:
From Australia?
Go to: Smart Traveller
From Canada?
Go to: Canada Travel Information
From the UK?
Go to: UK Foreign Travel Advice
From New Zealand?
Go to: Safe Travel
From the US?
Go to: US Department of State
The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.
Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.
Eden Reforestation Projects
Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe.
Find out more or make a donation
World Bicycle Relief
World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilise school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most.
Find out more or make a donation