Poland Travel Guide

Set in the heart of Europe, Poland is a multifaceted country where the Capital and medieval towns are trawled by contemporary city slickers, and where horse-drawn carts negotiate country lanes in areas where the new millennium appears to have got lost somewhere down the road. The country has a long Baltic Sea coastline and is bordered by Belarus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast), Slovakia, and Ukraine.

Poland's history is a turbulent one with countless agressors leaving their mark. From the tales of romantic medieval knights and battles, kings and magnificent castles, to the terror, horrors and destruction of World War II. Yet Poland, a country crushed so many times, has become indestructible and now stands determined against communism with a booming economy and modern outlook.

Despite the country’s forward thinking, its past can't be ignored, particularly when it reminds you at every corner. Warsaw may be embracing the New World cuisine, café culture and clubs, bars that are open all night long, but you’ll still see peasant women selling flowers in its tastefully and beautifully reconstructed Old Town. Drive across the country’s north expanse and you’ll experience a string of 14th-century Gothic castles, such as the magnificent example at Malbork, the last remains of the once powerful Teutonic Knights. Catch a cheap flight to Kraków or Wrocław and you’ll arrive in delightful medieval centres. Or choose almost any major city, from Poznań to Lublin– and many of Poland's small towns – and you’ll experience the fragility of freedom with the extermination camps created by Nazi Germany, derelict Jewish cemeteries, and dark political prisons, all a horrific reminder of the earlier part of the 20th century.

Now a fully fledged member of the EU, Poland is enjoying the rewards and relishing the challenges. Money has begun to flow into the country, allowing for repairing of roads, erection of new shopping malls and beautiful streets. For many however, the changes aren't quick enough with Poland still having an unemployment rate twice as high as some of its EU compatriots, and its young, educated citizens are leaving in droves for pastures new and more prosperus.

While the country experiences rapid modernisation, Poland's countryside continues to retain its rustic appeal. The southern end of the country is dominated by tree-clad mountains and horse-drawn carts farming the fields is a common sight. Countryside life spreads from the outskirts of urban centres as far as the eye can see, and sections of primeval forest in the NE shelter herds of wild bison. The crystal clear waters of the Great Masurian Lakes provide an irresistible playground for kayakers and sailors, whilst the long sandy beaches of the Baltic coast provide ample opportunity for summer seaside holidays or weekend breaks.

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