Seasons of Poland
Poland in the Autumn	The Tatra mountains
	Picturesque Landscape of Poland
5(Click on the Picture for an Enlargement) 5

The Capital - Warszawa(Warsaw)
The Castle Square with it's tall column of Sigismund III Vasa	The old Town Square
Kraków
The Barbican	The Market Place
Wieliczka
The Wieliczka Salt Mine
Czestochowa
The icon of the Black Madonna from the Chapel of the Miraculous Picture - Czestochowa Monastery.

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Accommodation of various types is readily available. Most native city dwellers live in blocks of relatively small apartments. Houses tend to be considerably more expensive. There are many real estate agencies all over Poland, offering a wide range of properties. In Warsaw alone there are well over a hundred real estate agencies in operation. The rental agreements follow well-established principles found in other countries, and the rental contract is subject to stamp duty.

Poland offers a whole range of accommodation from modern hotels to bed-and-breakfast in private houses. The best hotels offer excellent rooms, restaurants and room service, but just as everywhere they tend to be expensive. Reservations can be made through travel agencies or directly with a chosen hotel. There are several hundred travel agencies that provide accommodation, transport and other logistical services.

Most worldwide best-selling foreign newspapers are on sale in Poland as well as Polish periodicals published in foreign languages, such as the weekly "The Warsaw Voice", and "Warsaw Business Journal".

In some larger cities there are schools for foreign children, where lessons are taught in a language other than Polish.

Most of the cities offer a well-developed bus and tram system. Tickets must be bought beforehand and punched or stamped in the bus/tram (or the underground) to validate them. Crowded in peak hours, they tend to run quite frequently until ten, or eleven in the evening. Bus and tram routes are shown on most city maps. The number of cars in Warsaw, as well as in other major cities, has been rapidly increasing over the past few years and traffic jams are everyday reality now. Inter-city train connections are good and reliable.

The private medical sector is booming with many small and medium-sized private clinics opening throughout the country at a rapid rate. Some of them provide a fully comprehensive service supported by English speaking staff. Home visits are among the variety of health care services designed to give foreign guests reassurance while staying in Poland.  It is advisable to carefully examine insurance policies to find out exactly what risks are involved and to find a provider whose services cover prevention and cure.

Poland has regular direct air connections with most European countries as well as some intercontinental connections provided by the national airline LOT and foreign carriers. Charter flights to more popular holiday destinations are available. Competition in this sector is steadily increasing, with private Polish airlines entering the market and prices falling. There are also direct flights from Warsaw to other major cities in Poland.

Visitors travelling by car can enter Poland through many border crossings. Rent-a-car services are at hand; cars can be rented in major cities or at the airports. Generally, to rent a car one has to be 21, hold a driving license, a passport and a credit card.

A foreigner must register within 2 days of crossing into Poland. However, individuals staying in a hotel are relieved from this responsibility, as it is done for them by the hotel. The procedure is simple and requires only a few minutes of time. The registered person receives an official document of registration, which is required upon leaving Poland at the border. In the case of longer trips, exceeding two months, the red tape is slightly more complex and requires some more time, as well as the assistance of the person having legal title to the accommodation where the foreigner is staying. The registration takes place in the Office of the Commune (Urzad Gminy) in which the foreigner is staying, in the Division of Citizens' Affairs.

Opening hours vary, but generally shops are open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Some groceries are open round the clock. Shopping is easy. Everything is now more or less available. Payment is usually possible in cash only. Some shops, especially the foreign owned hypermarkets, accept cheques and credit cards such as Visa, American Express, MasterCard or etc. Their opening hours are usually longer, too. Credit cards stickers are displayed at all places that accept them and the use of credit cards is becoming increasingly popular.

Warsaw is certainly cheaper for foreigners then New York, Moscow and St. Petersburg but probably more expensive than Prague and Budapest. Everything depends on what one wants to do, and how.

After a hard day at the office, a little relaxation is very welcome. Restaurants of various cuisine, charm and quality abound. Polish traditional food is delicious. The number of pubs is growing rapidly and they are often very good, though tend to be rather expensive. The best (and rather high-priced) restaurants accept credit cards, though nowadays it is possible to pay by card in many smaller places, too. This, however is true for large cities. In the country it is considerably more difficult to do without cash, but the prices are substantially lower. This general rule applies to all other purchases as well.

Cinemas have a good and up-to-date repertoire, and they are all non-smoking. Films are usually shown in their original version, with Polish subtitles. There are also many theaters worth visiting. The "Teatr Wielki" (Grand Theatre) in Warsaw has an impressive ballet and opera programme, and there are often very good concerts at the Warsaw Philharmonic and in the summer time outdoors at the Chopin monument in the beautiful Lazienki Royal Park.

Living in Poland presents its own difficulties as do all different cultures. There are many contradictions in Polish society, but with persistence it is easy to be accepted and make many lasting friendships. Everything considered, Poland is a very nice place to live.

Poland, a country of nearly 40 million consumers situated in the heart of Europe, at the crossroads of the main North-South and East-West routes, is one of the world's most dynamically growing markets and has an almost unlimited growth potential. However, despite spectacular macro-economic results and many advantages, Poland and its capital, Warsaw face a number of problems. Underground parking lots, financial, shopping, recreational and exhibition centres as well as residential space are still insufficient. The road network, though quite extensive, with very little highways and surface needing major repairs significantly slows your car travel. Companies, Polish and foreign alike, often complain of the ever-changing legal environment and less than clear executive provisions and administrative procedures. Still one must remember that this is a country in transition and a changing legal and institutional framework as well as shortcomings in the local infrastructure are to be expected. All these problems pose a challenge to investors, but at the same time surmounting them promises considerable rewards.

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Practical Information

• Currency, arrival: you must fill a currency declaration form and have it stamped by a customs officer, if you are bringing in cash and cash equivalents of an amount exceeding EUR 2,000.

• Currency, departure: upon departure you are allowed to export your personal belongings, souvenirs and foreign currency up to a total amount of EUR 2,000 as well as foreign currency imported to Poland with a currency declaration form confirmed by the customs authorities.

• Money exchange: in Poland you can change money either at a bank or at currency exchange offices, labelled "Kantor". You can find them at the airports and most hotels, but usually you can find better rates at the independent exchange offices that can be found almost everywhere.

• Credit cards: Visa, American Express, Diner's Club and MasterCard are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops.

• Transport from Okecie airport in Warsaw: buses Okêcie Airport - Warsaw (10km) - a special AirportCity line to: Central Railway Station (Warszawa Centralna), downtown, and hotels: Novotel, Sobieski, Marriott, Polonia, Metropol, Forum, Bristol, Europejski and Victoria. Operating every half an hour or so 6 am. - 11pm. Some hotels offer their own minibus service to and from the airport.

• Taxi: at Okecie Airport beware of taxi drivers stopping you in the airport hall, they are very likely to charge you excessive rates. You can safely order a taxi from one of the desks at the front of the arrival hall, they are licensed by the airport. As far as other trips are concerned, a list of telephone numbers of reliable taxi corporations can be found in the most popular newspaper in Poland: "Gazeta Wyborcza", or just ask for advice. These will pick you up at no extra charge from any place in Warsaw, usually within a few minutes of your call.

• Rent a car: some Europe’s largest rent a car companies have their offices in the arrival halls of Polish airports as well as in some hotels.

• Electricity: 220 volts / 50 cycles.

• Public phones: there are two kinds: card and token phones. Both cards and tokens (of different values) are available at local kiosks.

• Emergency numbers:

  • Ambulance: 999

  • Fire-brigade: 998

  • Police: 997

However, do not count on them to speak any foreign language.

An overview of the Country

Poland can satisfy the needs both of the tourist who wants to spend a long holiday here and the traveller who is looking for an interesting place to spend one or more weekends. One can enjoy the country during every season and whenever you come, you are bound to find something new.

The Castles call to mind the stormy history of Poland. The most important ones are the Wawel Royal Castle in Cracow and the Royal Castle in Warsaw, destroyed during World War II and rebuilt afterwards. The old quarters of Warsaw, Cracow, Gdañsk, Lublin, Poznañ and Wroclaw have witnessed centuries of history.

A thousand years of Catholic religion in Poland is reflected in numerous churches, chapels and monasteries. The shrine of Jasna Góra in Czêstochowa, where the image of the Black Madonna each year attracts millions of pilgrims from all over the world and Church of St. Mary in Cracow are among the most famous. However, hundreds of sanctuaries and rural churches, some of them built of wood, are also full of mystic atmosphere and well worth visiting.

Poland is one of these rare countries that offer a great variety of landscapes. The southern part of Poland is surrounded by the Sudetic and Tatra Mountain ranges, perfect for walking all year round, and for winter sports during the season. Trekking and excursions are possible in all seasons and are especially recommended in summer and autumn, when the country is in full bloom. In winter you can go skiing, for example to Szczyrk and Zakopane, tourist resorts famous for their mountain folklore.

Moving from the mountains to the north, one will find large plains and there, nests of storks in spring, small rural villages and forests, with the most famous one the National Park in Bialowieza, close to the eastern border, which with its unique charm is home to the European bison. All in all there are 23 National Parks in Poland, covering approximately 300 thousand ha, or 1% of the country's surface area. Horse riding and hunting addicts will discover numerous opportunities in Poland to follow their favourite hobby.

Further north there are lakes, among them the Mazurian Lake District, also known as "the country of the thousand lakes", a series of lakes stretching for more than 750 km. It is possible to sail through its rivers and a network of canals for days. This is a paradise for these who enjoy water sports and fishing, thanks to the clear waters of the lakes, the green landscape and its wilderness. Moreover in winter, as the temperature often drops to well below 0° C, the frozen lakes are often suitable for ice-sailing.

Finally, the northern frontier - the Baltic coastline. A very long strip of golden sand, beaches and dunes, Rozewie promontory, Hel peninsula, the gulf of Gdansk and Wolin island are just some of the countless views which will fascinate any tourist travelling along the coast. Furthermore, in this region you can enjoy the saline thermal baths and the healing mud-baths, particularly in the town of Kolobrzeg, all year round.

Polish Cities, Art and Culture

Polish art and culture has always been a part of Western Europe, though at the same time it is a bridge to the East.

Among the most famous Polish contributions towards European culture, are the genius of Copernicus, the science of Marie Sklodowska-Curie, the art of Chopin, the music of Krzysztof Penderecki, the movies of Andrzej Wajda and Krzysztof Kieslowski, the theatre of Tadeusz Kantor, the poetry of Adam Mickiewicz and of the Polish Nobel prize-winners, Czeslaw Milosz and Wislawa Szymborska.

Besides, Poland houses the works of artists from all over Europe, such as the Italian painter Bernardo Bellotto (Il Canaletto), the architects Bernardo Morando and Domenico Merlini, the German sculptor Veit Stoss (Wit Stwosz), and the Dutch architect Tylman van Gameren.

There are many cities in Poland worth visiting, most of them well described in the leading tourist guides. Here we will limit ourselves to just a brief outline of Warsaw and Cracow, undoubtedly the most famous cities in Poland.

Warsaw is the capital of Poland. You need to keep in mind that Warsaw, which was one of the most lively and cosmopolitan cities in Europe before the Second World War, was destroyed in 1945 and 90% of it was completely dilapidated. It was rebuilt after the War, arising from the ruins thanks to the determination and sacrifice of its surviving citizens.

Although sightseeing the centre of the city will let you take a look at some modern architecture, one can discover the best of Warsaw only through exploration of the old town, where besides the old restored buildings and villas, here and there the pre-war architecture miraculously survived. Walking about the old town and plunging into the magic atmosphere of the past, thanks to an amazing reconstruction which took place in the fifties and which brought to life again the Warsaw of the XVII and XVIII centuries is a truly remarkable experience. There is an enchantment in its parks and gardens, the wide course of the Vistula River and the rich cultural life of this city, cosmopolitan without losing its particular, native charm.

While visiting the Royal Castle one can admire its interiors and its works of art, including some works of the world’s finest painters. Another "must see" is the Polish portrait gallery in Wilanów Palace, a beautiful Baroque residence of Jan III Sobieski. Then there is the Grand Theatre, a remarkable example of classicist architecture, the Lazienki Park, a beautiful 18th century park, one of the favourite places for everyone to have a stroll and rest from all the excitement, the National Museum, featuring precious collections of Polish art and much, much more.

The uniqueness of Cracow is primarily due to the rare cultural heritage embodied within the city’s walls. Here, the residential Royal Castle, presently housing the crown jewels and the collection of Flemish tapestry, was constructed on the Wawel Hill, becoming the site for the coronation and burial of kings, as Cracow was the capital of Poland for hundreds of years, from the 11th to the 17th century. Here in 1364, the Cracow Academy was established, the first Polish University (today known as the Jagiellonian University).

The city image has changed during the past centuries. During the Middle Ages, Cracow was a safe, rich, fortified city surrounded by walls with 55 towers (fragments of the city fortification have been preserved to this day). During the Renaissance, Cracow became the centre of progressive ideas, with a culture that concentrated the most outstanding humanists, writers, architects and musicians.

City life focuses around the Market Square, the second largest in Europe, after St. Mark’s Square in Venice. Tradition interlaces with modern times nearly everywhere you go, and it can truly be said that each stone has its own history. There is a multitude of architectural monuments, estimated at 6,000 buildings and structures. Furthermore, there are approximately 2.5 million artefacts collected and displayed in museums, churches and other public places. In 1978, thanks to this extraordinary accumulation of cultural heritage, the city's historic centre was registered as the first of the 9 Polish sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Tourist Information:

Polish Tourist Organisation
Website: www.poland-tourism.pl

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