Poland Holidays

How to reach Poland

Flight time: Flights to Poland from London take between 2 and 3 hours, depending on your destination. Warsaw, Kraków and Gdańsk are the most popular arrival points.

Transfer time:

• From Warsaw’s Frederic Chopin airport, the centre is just 20 minutes away by train, while the bus runs to Warsaw Old Town in about half an hour.

• From Kraków’s John Paul II Airport, the train gets you into town in 20 minutes, with buses and taxis taking around 30 minutes.

• For Gdańsk, it’s a 20–25-minute journey by train or taxi.

Price:

• Public transport from Warsaw Chopin Airport costs PLN 5 (about £1).

• In Kraków, bus fares are similar, while trains cost slightly more at PLN 10 (£2).

• Taxi rides to city centres range from PLN 60 to 75 (£12–15), depending on traffic and time of day.

Best time to visit Poland

Think about what you want to do during your Poland holidays. While the weather is more pleasant during the spring and summer, autumn and winter have their own particular attractions.

March to May:

• Spring breathes fresh life into Poland, with temperatures gradually climbing from 6°C in March to a mild 15°C by May.

• Rainfall varies from 25mm to 60mm, and sunshine hours increase from 4 to 8 daily.

June to August:

• Summer is peak tourist season when outdoor café life takes over the cities, the countryside is vividly colourful and Poland’s unspoilt lake and mountain areas are ripe for exploration.

• Temperatures range from 18°C to 24°C on average and you can expect around 10 hours of sunshine daily.

September to November:

• Autumn can be a spectacular time to tour the countryside, with the rich colours heightened by brilliantly crisp sunshine.

• Temperatures range from 15°C in September to 5°C in November, with rainfall between 40–70mm and 4–7 hours of sunshine.

December to February:

• In winter the temperature drops rapidly, with icy Siberian winds and snow blanketing many parts of the country for anything from one to three months.

• It can be a magical time to visit cities, thanks to Christmas markets and a seasonal party atmosphere.

• In the mountains, skiers and other winter sports enthusiasts will find themselves in their element.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: Polish is the official language but English is widely spoken in cities and major tourist areas.

• Local habits and customs: Poles of all ages tend to be warm, hospitable and helpful towards strangers when approached. Tipping is customary, with 10 percent considered standard in restaurants. Traditionally, visitors to Polish churches are expected to dress modestly – no shorts for men, no bare arms for women.

• Currency: Poland uses the złoty (PLN). Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in cities, and ATMs are easy to find. Cash is handy for smaller shops and rural areas.

• Getting around: Poland’s transport infrastructure has undergone considerable improvement in the past decade. Faster intercity rail services, new highways and an improved choice of long-distance buses have all made travel easier. In Warsaw, a single metro, tram or bus ride costs around PLN 4 (£0.80), with day passes for about PLN 15 (£3). Long-distance trains connect major cities, with fares ranging from PLN 50–150 (£10–30) depending on the route. Taxis are available but use apps like Bolt or Uber to avoid overpaying.

• Electricity and plug types: Poland uses standard European 220-volt power with two-pin plugs. UK travellers need a continental adaptor.

• Time zone: Poland is on Central European Time, 1 hour ahead of GMT, and observes Daylight Saving Time.

Best things to do in Poland

Many of Poland’s cities have been through a process of major reinvention, opening flashy new museums, laying out new parks and brushing up their heritage with a spate of renovation. But there’s awesome nature too, from the drifting dunes of the Baltic coast to the magnificent mountain chains that mark the country’s southern borders.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Kraków’s Kościuszko Mound: For breathtaking views of the city, climb this grassy mound built in honour of Polish national hero Tadeusz Kościuszko; on a clear day, you can even make out the Tatra Mountains.

• Gubałówka Hill: At the summit of Gubałówka Hill the panorama of the Tatras’ jagged peaks to the south is quite splendid.

The best districts

• Ulica Dluga, Gdańsk: A stroll down one of Poland’s most beautiful set-piece streets will take you past a string of opulent townhouses, recalling the mercantile dynasties that once made Gdańsk great.

• Praga, Warsaw: Praga retains its gritty sense of otherness; cobbled streets and former factories contribute to a post-industrial aesthetic, and the area’s cafés and pubs still seem a touch more underground than those elsewhere.

• Kazimierz, Kraków: The old Jewish quarter of Kraków, now the centre of a burgeoning bar scene, buzzes with visitors day and night.

Museums

• European Solidarity Centre, Gdańsk: Commemorating the Solidarity protest movement of the 1980s, this museum is an absorbing and inspiring tribute to non-violent revolutions everywhere.

• POLIN Museum, Warsaw: This fine building takes the fittingly dramatic form of a four-storey cube rent down the middle by a huge, cave-like fissure. Inside, slogan-like captions fill entire walls, and models and reproductions bring past epochs to life.

• Zajezdnia History Centre, Wroclaw: One of the finest of Poland’s new-generation history museums, providing numerous insights into social, cultural and family history alongside the hard narrative of political events.

Parks and gardens

• Łazienki Park: Known as the Royal Baths Park, this is the most elegant of Poland’s urban parks, crisscrossed with oak-lined promenades.

• Oliwa Park, Gdańsk: Surrounding the cathedral complex is the old palace park, an appealing spot with exotic trees, hanging willows and a stream meandering through the middle.

Historical monuments

• Wawel Castle, Kraków: One of the most striking royal residences in Europe and a potent source of national and spiritual pride.

• Wooden churches: An age-old form of folk architecture still preserved in rural corners of the country. One of the most incredible examples is at Kwiatoń in the Beskid Niski.

• Malbork Castle: The Teutonic Knights lorded it over northern Poland for over 200 years, and this rambling complex of fortifications is their most imposing monument.

• Oliwa Cathedral, Gdańsk: A remarkable sight, its towering main facade combines twin Gothic brick towers peaked with Renaissance spires and dazzling Rococo stuccowork to striking effect.

Day trips in the region

• Katowice: The ugly duckling of Polish tourism is suddenly its brightest up-and-coming star thanks to a post-industrial cocktail of repurposed coal mines, new museums, lively nightlife and big-hitting festivals.

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum: The infamous Nazi death camp, on the outskirts of Oświęcim, is a compelling memorial to man’s inhumanity.

• Silesian mines: Upper Silesia's industrial heritage has been put to good use at spectacular show mines such as the Guido coal mine at Zabrze and the Museum of Silver Mining at Tarnowskie Góry.

Activities for families in Poland

Poland is a fantastic destination for families, with activities that cater to all ages. From beach days and other outdoor adventures to hands-on learning experiences, there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained.

• Beaches: Poland’s Baltic shores are characterised by miles and miles of white sand, perfect for lazy family outings. Join the crowds in chic Sopot, or stroll the endless strands of Łeba or Hel.

• Castles: What kid doesn’t love exploring a good castle? And here in Poland they come in all shapes and from all epochs. Malbork is perhaps the best known, although the hillside-hugging Pieskowa Skała, the abandoned Krzyżtopór and the refined aristocratic seat of Książ all possess an undeniable aura of their own.

• Interactive museums: One of Europe’s boldest hands-on family attractions is the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw. If you’ve got kids, it’s worth a visit to the city for this alone.

Free things to do in Poland

Holidays to Poland offer plenty of free activities, making it an affordable destination for budget-conscious travellers. From cultural events to scenic walks, you’ll find ways to enjoy the country without spending a złoty.

• Night of the Museums (Noc muzeów): In mid-to-late May, museums and galleries all over Poland open up in the evening for free, generating an atmosphere of cultural carnival.

• Free events: On Midsummer’s Eve (Wianki) in towns and cities across Poland, the night is traditionally celebrated by virgins throwing wreaths into rivers while bonfires are lit on the water’s edge.

Nature and outdoor activities in Poland

For many, it’s the wide range of outdoor pursuits Poland has to offer that constitute the country’s chief lure. Most obvious of these are the hiking opportunities provided by the extensive national parks, but there’s skiing, fishing and rafting too.

• Hiking: Poland has some of the best hiking country in Europe, especially in the mountainous Tatras region, which offers anything from easy-going valley-bottom strolls to calf-straining high-mountain scrambles.

• Skiing: Poland’s mountainous southern rim provides some good skiing opportunities, seized on, in season, by what can often seem like the country’s entire population. The best and most popular ski slopes are in the Tatras, the highest section of the Polish Carpathians.

• Fishing: A hugely popular activity, especially in the outlying regions of the country. The best fishing areas include the Mazurian lakes (pike and perch), the Bieszczady, notably the River San and its tributaries (trout), and the southeast in general.

• Rafting: Tourists have long been rafting down the waters of the River Dunajec; a two- to three-hour rafting trip provides a gentle and thoroughly enjoyable version of the experience.

Local dishes in Poland

Poland has a distinctive national cuisine, with trademark dishes like pierogi, potato pancakes, pork chops and roast joints of poultry ensuring that there’s plenty to work your way through while you’re here.

Some typical dishes

• Borsht: Arguably Poland’s most famous dish, a reddish beetroot-flavoured broth with a mildly sweet-and-sour taste.

• Pierogi: A small parcel of dough stuffed with a variety of savoury or sweet fillings. Pierogi ruskie come with potato and soft white cheese, while pierogi z kapustą I grzybami are filled with cabbage and mushrooms.

Meat dishes

• Bigos: A filling stew comprising a mixture of meats, cabbage, mushrooms and spices.

• Gołąbki: Cabbage leaves stuffed with rice and meat, this is a popular domestic dish, although served in many restaurants too.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Herring: Served a variety of ways – pickled, in cream or with onions – herring is a staple of Polish cuisine.

• Pstrąg: Grilled or pan-fried freshwater trout from mountain regions like Zakopane is superb.

Street food

• Zapiekanka: A baguette-like piece of toasted bread topped with cheese, mushrooms and a choice of other toppings.

Sweets and desserts

As far as desserts are concerned, cheesecake (sernik) and apple pie (szarlotka) both have the status of national culinary institutions, while pancakes (naleśniki) filled with a variety of sweet fillings also crop up on pretty much every menu.

Local drinks

• Vodka: Very much the national drink, varieties include Żubrówka, made in eastern Poland and flavoured with the local bison grass, and Żołądkowa Gorzka, an amber-coloured herbal vodka that is relatively sweet in taste. Wiśniówka (cherry vodka) is another popular shot.

• Polish beer (piwo): The mass-market breweries (such as Żywiec, Tyskie and Lech) are being increasingly challenged by characterful ales and craft brews made by small, local producers such as Trzech Kumpli and Pinta.