Lonely Planet Poland

By Simon Richmond, Mark Baker, Marc Di Duca and 3 more

Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher

Lonely Planet's Poland is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Sample Krakow's nightlife, learn dramatic history in Warsaw and wander Gdansk's medieval lanes - all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Poland and begin your journey now!

Inside Lonely Planet's Poland:

• NEW pull-out, passport-size 'Just Landed' card with wi-fi, ATM and transport info - all you need for a smooth journey from airport to hotel
• NEW Accommodation feature gathers all the information you need to plan your accommodation
• Colour maps and images throughout
• Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests
• Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots
• Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices
• Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss
• Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics
• Covers Warsaw, Mazovia and Podlasie, Krakow, Malopolska, the Carpathian Mountains, Silesia, Wielkopolska, Gdansk and Pomerania, Warmia and Masuria, and more

The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet's Poland is our most comprehensive guide to Poland, and is perfect for discovering both popular and off-the-beaten-path experiences.

About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Release date: Mar 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781788689557

Simon Richmond

Este periodista y fotógrafo se especializó como escritor de viajes a principios de la década de 1990 y trabajó por primera vez para Lonely Planet en 1999 en la guía Central Asia. Simon Richmond ha dejado de contar el número de guías en las que ha colaborado, pero entre los países que ha cubierto figuran Australia, China, la India, Irán, Japón, Corea, Malasia, Mongolia, Myanmar (Birmania), Rusia, Singapur, Sudáfrica y Turquía. Para la página web de Lonely Planet ha escrito artículos sobre temas que van desde las mejores piscinas del mundo a los placeres del USK (boceto urbano). Se le puede seguir en Instagram, donde cuelga sus fotografías y dibujos.

Book preview

Poland

Contents

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to Poland

Poland’s Top 17

Need to Know

If You Like…

Month by Month

Itineraries

Outdoor Activities

Eat & Drink Like a Local

Regions at a Glance

ON THE ROAD

WARSAW

Sights

Activities & Courses

Tours

Festivals & Events

Sleeping

Eating

Drinking & Nightlife

Entertainment

Shopping

Around Warsaw

Kampinos National Park

Żelazowa Wola

MAZOVIA & PODLASIE

Mazovia

Łódź

Łowicz

Płock

Southern Podlasie

Białystok

Tykocin

Biebrza National Park

Kruszyniany

Białowieża National Park

Augustów-Suwalki Region

Augustów

Suwałki

Wigry National Park

Sejny

KRAKÓW

Sights

Activities

Courses

Tours

Festivals & Events

Sleeping

Eating

Drinking & Nightlife

Entertainment

Shopping

MAŁOPOLSKA

The Kraków− Częstochowa Upland

Ojców National Park

Częstochowa

The Małopolska Upland

Kielce

Świętokrzyski National Park

The Sandomierz Valley

Sandomierz

The Radom Plain

Radom

The Lublin Upland

Lublin

Kazimierz Dolny

Zamość

Zwierzyniec & Roztocze National Park

CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS

Tatra Mountains

Zakopane

Carpathian Foothills

Wadowice

Tarnów

Rzeszów

Przemyśl

Bieszczady

Sanok

Lesko

Ustrzyki Dolne

Ustrzyki Górne

Wetlina

Cisna

Beskid Niski

Krosno

Biecz

Beskid Sądecki

Nowy Sącz

Krynica

Muszyna

Pieniny

Szczawnica

Niedzica

SILESIA

Wrocław

Lower Silesia

Książ

Zielona Góra

Świdnica

Sudetes Mountains

Jelenia Góra

Szklarska Poręba

Karpacz

Kłodzko

Kudowa-Zdrój

Bystrzyca Kłodzka

Upper Silesia

Nysa

Opole

Katowice

Pszczyna

Oświęcim

WIELKOPOLSKA

Poznań

Kórnik

Gniezno

Kalisz

Gołuchów

GDAŃSK & POMERANIA

Gdańsk

Sopot

Hel Peninsula

Hel

Kashubia

Kartuzy

Lower Vistula

Toruń

Chełmno

Grudziądz

Kwidzyn

Malbork

Elbląg

Frombork

Northern & Western Pomerania

Łeba

Słowiński National Park

Słupsk

Ustka

Darłowo

Kołobrzeg

Świnoujście

Szczecin

WARMIA & MASURIA

The Olsztyn Region

Olsztyn

Olsztynek

Ostróda

Lidzbark Warmiński

The Great Masurian Lakes

Kętrzyn

Węgorzewo

Giżycko

Mikołajki

UNDERSTAND

Poland Today

History

Jewish Heritage

The Arts

Landscape & Wildlife

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z

Accessible Travel

Accommodation

Children

Custom Regulations

Discount Cards

Electricity

Food

Health

Insurance

Internet Access

Legal Matters

LGBT+ Travellers

Money

Opening Hours

Post

Public Holidays

Safe Travel

Telephone

Time

Toilets

Tourist Information

Visas

Volunteering

Work

Transport

Getting There & Away

Getting Around

Language

Glossary

Behind the Scenes

Our Writers

Welcome to Poland

Picturesque cities such as Kraków and Gdańsk vie with energetic Warsaw for your urban attention. Elsewhere, woods, rivers, lakes and hills beckon for some fresh-air fun.

A Thousand Years

Poland’s history stretches over a millennium of twists and turns and kings and castles. WWII history buffs are well served – monuments and museums dedicated to that epic, tragic conflict, and to Poland’s remarkable survival, can be seen everywhere. There’s a growing appreciation, too, of the country’s rich Jewish heritage. Beyond the deeply affecting Holocaust memorials, synagogues are being sensitively restored, and former Jewish centres such as Łódź and Lublin have created heritage walking trails.

Castles to Log Cabins

The former royal capital of Kraków is a living museum of architecture through the ages. Its nearly perfectly preserved Gothic core proudly wears overlays of Renaissance, baroque and art nouveau. Fabulous medieval castles and evocative ruins dot hilltops around the country, and the fantastic red-brick fortresses of the Teutonic Knights stand proudly in the north along the Vistula. Simple but finely crafted wooden churches hide amid the Carpathian hills, and the ample skills of the highlanders are on display at the country’s many skansens (open-air ethnographic museums).

Heart-Warming Food

Good home cooking, the way your grandmother used to make it, is the basis of Polish cuisine. Local ingredients, such as pork, duck, cabbage, mushrooms, beetroot and onion, are combined simply and honed to perfection. Regional specialities and accomplished chefs keep things from getting dull. As for sweets, it’s hard to imagine a more accommodating destination. Cream cakes, apple strudel, pancakes, fruit-filled dumplings and a special mania for lody (ice cream) may have you skipping the main course and jumping straight to the main event.

Fresh-Air Pursuits

Away from the big cities, much of Poland feels remote and unspoiled. While large swathes of the country are flat, the southern border is lined with a chain of low-lying but lovely mountains that invite days, if not weeks, of splendid solitude. Well-marked hiking paths criss-cross the country, taking you through dense forest, along broad rivers and through mountain passes. Much of the northeast is covered by interlinked lakes and waterways ideal for kayaking and canoeing – no experience necessary. Local outfitters are happy to set you up for a couple of hours or weeks.

Main Market Square and St Mary’s Basilica, Kraków | BORIS STROUJKO /SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Why I Love Poland

By Simon Richmond, Writer

Family and friend connections first brought me to Poland, nearly 30 years ago. Even in those more challenging times I remember being impressed by the country’s effort to rebuild itself, as witnessed in the amazing reconstruction of Warsaw’s Old Town and the preservation of historic locations such as Kraków and Gdańsk. Today, Poland is one of Europe’s economic star performers. Creative energy is abundant in the urban areas, but progress hasn’t come at the expense of the beautiful countryside, which, for adventurous travellers, remains a playground of forests, beaches and mountains.

For more, see Our Writers

Poland’s Top 17

Kraków

It’s easy to see why Kraków is an unmissable destination. The former royal capital beguiles with its heady blend of history and harmonious architecture. At its heart is the vast Main Market Sq (Rynek Główny), Europe’s largest medieval marketplace. Equally magnificent is Wawel Royal Castle (pictured), on a hill above the Old Town. But that’s just the start – every part of the city is fascinating, from the former Jewish district of Kazimierz and its scintillating nightlife to the communist-era concrete structures of Nowa Huta.

TTSTUDIO /SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Warsaw’s Museums & Palaces

Warsaw has a dramatic history, and its best museums reflect that complex past. Start with the Museum of Warsaw, which maps out the city’s development. Move on to powerful Warsaw Rising Museum, focusing on the darkest hours of WWII, followed by the award-winning POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews (pictured). Beautiful music can be heard at the Fryderyk Chopin Museum and communist-era eye candy shines bright at the Neon Museum. For stately charm, don’t miss Wilanów Palace, or Łazienki Park’s lovely Palace on the Isle.

M. STAROWIEYSKA, D.GOLIK/POLIN MUSEUM OF THE HISTORY OF POLISH JEWS ©

Top Experiences

Gdańsk

The colossal red-brick St Mary’s Church peers down on slender merchants’ townhouses, wedged ornately between palaces that line wide, ancient thoroughfares and crooked medieval lanes. A cosmopolitan residue of art and artefacts left behind by a rich maritime and trading past packs whole museums, and tourists from around the world compete with amber stalls and street performers for cobblestone space. This is Gdańsk; once part of the Hanseatic League, it’s now in a league of its own.

KAVALENKAU/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Wrocław

Throughout its history, Wrocław – the former German city of Breslau – has taken everything invaders could throw at it, and survived. Badly damaged in WWII, it was rebuilt around its beautiful main market square, where you’ll find the gothic Old Town Hall (pictured). Other highlights include the rococo buildings of the University of Wrocław and the Panorama of Racławice, a vast 19th-century painting exhibited in a purpose-built rotunda. The town also has a vibrant nightlife, with plenty of dining and drinking options in the narrow streets of its lively Old Town.

PIOTR BORKOWSKI/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

The Great Masurian Lakes

Sip a cocktail on the deck of a luxury yacht, take a dip, or don a lifejacket, grab your paddle and slide off into a watery adventure on one of the interconnected lakes that make up this mecca for Polish sailing and water-sports fans. Make your base one of the lakeside resorts, such as the picturesque Mikołajki (pictured) where the slap and jangle of masts competes with the clinking of glasses and the murmur of boat talk. Return to the lakes in winter to go cross-country skiing over their frozen surfaces.

EWG3D/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

Baltic Beaches

The season may be brief and the sea one of Europe’s nippiest, but if you’re looking for a dose of sand, there are few better destinations than the Baltic’s cream-white beaches. Many people come for the strands along one of the many coastal resorts, be it hedonistic Darłówko, genteel Świnoujście or the spa town of Kołobrzeg; others opt to flee the masses and head out instead for the shifting dunes of the Słowiński National Park (pictured), where the Baltic’s constant bluster sculpts mountains of sifted grains.

LUKASZ STEFANSKI/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Malbork Castle

Medieval monster mother ship of the Teutonic order, Malbork Castle is a mountain of bricks held together by a lake of mortar. This Gothic blockbuster was home to the all-powerful order’s grand master and later to visiting Polish monarchs. They have all now left the stage of history, but not even the shells of WWII could dismantle this baby. If you travelled to Poland to see castles, this is what you came to see; catch it just before dusk when the slanting sunlight burns the bricks kiln-crimson.

ITSMEJUST/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Gdańsk’s Museum of WWII

Not many museums have visitors in a daze when they leave, but you may need a sit down after a few hours in Gdańsk’s Museum of WWII. Housed at the northern end of the waterfront, in a painfully angular piece of architecture, this Gdańsk must-see marches choronologically through WWII, with exhibits mostly examining the human suffering the conflict caused. The vast concrete interior, painted almost exclusively in black and grey, creates an oppressive effect. The dark subject and the very fabric of the museum leave few untouched.

SASHK0/SHUTTERSTOCK ©; ARCHITECTURE FIRM: KWADRAT

Top Experiences

Gothic Toruń

While many of northern Poland’s towns went up in a puff of red-brick dust in WWII’s endgame, Toruń miraculously escaped intact, leaving today’s visitors a magnificently preserved, walled Gothic city by the swirling Vistula. Wander through the Unesco–listed Old Town crammed with museums, churches, grand mansions and squares, and when you’re flagging, perk up with a peppery gingerbread cookie, Toruń’s signature snack. Another treat is the city’s Copernicus connections – Poland’s most illustrious astronomer allegedly first saw the light of day in one of Toruń’s Gothic townhouses.

ALEH VARANISHCHA/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

Folk Architecture

‘Skansen’ in Polish refers to an open-air museum of folk architecture, and Poland offers plenty of them. These great gardens of log cabins and timbered chalets make for a wonderful ramble and are testament to centuries of peasant life across the country. Sanok’s Museum of Folk Architecture (pictured) in the Carpathians is the country’s biggest skansen, and includes timber churches, an early-18th-century synagogue and even a fire station. As well as these museums, you’ll find remnants of old wooden churches and other buildings sprinkled throughout the mountains.

SHEVCHENKO ANDREY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Jasna Góra Pilgrimage

In many parts of Europe, religious buildings are often little more than historical sights or curiosities. In Poland, however, many churches and monasteries remain an integral part of everyday life. Nowhere is this more apparent than at the Jasna Góra monastery (pictured) in Częstochowa. Every year millions of pilgrims come to pray in Poland’s spiritual capital. For the most impressive display of devotion, pay a visit on 15 August, when the Feast of the Assumption sees this relatively small town swamped by hundreds of thousands of worshippers.

GRABOWSKI FOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Białowieża National Park

That bison on the label of a bottle of Żubr beer or Żubrówka vodka starts to make a lot more sense once you’ve visited this little piece of pristine wood on the Belarus border. The Unesco–listed Białowieża National Park holds one of Europe’s last vestiges of primeval forest, which you can visit in the company of a guide. The bison, which was once extinct outside zoos, has been successfully reintroduced here, although your best bet for seeing these magnificent animals is the nearby European Bison Show Reserve.

VLAD SOKOLOVSKY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum

These Nazi German extermination camps were the scene of history’s greatest genocide, the killing of more than a million people. Now they form a museum and memorial to the victims. Beyond the infamous ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ sign at the entrance to Auschwitz are surviving prison blocks that house exhibitions as shocking as they are informative. Not far away, the former Birkenau camp holds the remnants of the gas chambers used for mass murder. Visiting the complex is an unsettling but deeply moving experience.

AKTURER/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Cycling in the Karkonosze

Slung between Mt Wielki Szyszak (1509m) to the west, and Mt Śnieżka (1602m) to the east, Karkonosze National Park is not only a treat for hikers. Through its leafy expanse are threaded several mountain-biking trails, covering some 450km, that are easily accessed from the mountain towns of Szklarska Poręba or Karpacz. Pick up a free bike-trail map from the tourist office, hire a bike and head on out through the trees, passing impressively lofty cliffs carved by ice-age glaciers.

DZIAJDA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Nightlife in Kazimierz

Once a lively blend of both Jewish and Christian cultures, the western half of Kazimierz is one of Kraków’s nightlife hubs. Hidden among its narrow streets and distressed facades are numerous small bars, ranging from grungy to glamorous. The centre of all this activity is Plac Nowy, a small, atmospheric square dominated by a circular central building that was once the quarter’s meat market. If Kraków’s Old Town is becoming a bit staid for your taste, a night in Kazimierz will revive your spirits.

MIKOLAJN/GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

Hiking in the Tatra Mountainss

In many ways, the Tatras are the perfect mountain range: awe-inspiring yet approachable, with peaks that even ordinary folks – with a little bit of extra effort – can conquer. That doesn’t diminish their impact, especially on a summer day when the clouds part to reveal the mountains’ stern rocky visage climbing up over the dwarf pines below. The best approach to the peaks is from the mountain resort of Zakopane, where the Tatra Park Nature Education Centre provides a good grounding in the natural history of the mountains.

TRAMPER79/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Łódź

Poland’s third-largest city has mastered the knack of transforming former industrial spaces into bold architectural projects, housing cultural, shopping and entertainment areas. For example, EC1, Łódź’ first heating and power plant, has been refashioned into a complex with a planetarium, a huge science and technology centre and a range of exhibition spaces. The Manufaktura mall (pictured) includes the MS2 Museum of Art, a zip line and an artificial beach. And don’t miss the remarkable Fabryczna railway station, an architecturally stunning work of art.

MARIOLA ANNA S/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Need to Know

For more information, see Survival Guide

Currency

Polish złoty (zł)

Language

Polish

Visas

Generally not required for stays of up to 90 days.

Money

ATMs widely available. Credit cards widely accepted in hotels and restaurants.

Mobile Phones

Poland uses the GSM 900/1800 system, the same as Europe, Australia and New Zealand, but which is not compatible with most cell phones from North America or Japan. Before bringing your own phone to Poland, check with your service provider to check if it is compatible.

Time

Central European Time (GMT/UTC plus one hour)

When to Go

High Season (May–Sep)

A Expect sunny skies in June and July, but prepare for rain.

A Museums, national parks and other attractions are open for business.

A You’ll find big crowds, especially over holidays and at weekends.

Shoulder (Mar, Apr & Oct)

A Some attractions may be closed or have shorter hours.

A April and October are cool, but there’ll be some sunny days.

A Easter weekend can be very crowded; book in advance.

Low Season (Nov–Feb)

A Snow in the mountains brings skiers to the southern resorts.

A The week between Christmas and New Year can be busy.

A Museums and castles in smaller towns may be closed.

Useful Websites

Polish Tourism Organisation (www.poland.travel) National tourism information site.

Warsaw Tourist Information (www.warsawtour.pl) Official Warsaw tourism website.

Magiczny Kraków (www.krakow.pl) Official Kraków tourism website.

Culture.pl (www.culture.pl) Fascinating cultural back-ground features on Poland.

Our Poland (www.ourpoland.com) General travel guide to the country.

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/poland) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveller forum and more.

Important Numbers

Exchange Rates

For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com.

Daily Costs

Budget: Less than 200zł

A Low-cost guesthouse or hostel dorm bed: 50zł

A Meals in milk bars and self-catering: 30zł

A Day pass for local transport: 15zł

Midrange: 200–600zł

A Room in a midrange hotel or pension: 200–400zł

A Lunch and dinner in decent restaurants: 80–100zł

A Museum tickets: 10–30zł

Top End: More than 600zł

A Double room in a top hotel: 600–800zł

A Meal in a top restaurant: 200–300zł

A Opera ticket: 200zł

Opening Hours

Most places adhere to the following hours. Shopping centres generally have longer hours and are open from 10am to 10pm on weekends. Many (but not all) museums are closed on Mondays, and have shorter hours outside high season.

Banks 9am–5pm Monday to Friday, to 1pm Saturday (varies)

Offices 8am–4pm Monday to Friday (varies)

Post Offices 8am–8pm Monday to Friday, to 1pm Saturday (cities)

Restaurants 11am–11pm daily

Shops 8am–6pm Monday to Friday, 10am–8pm Saturday

Arriving in Poland

Chopin Airport (Warsaw) Both trains (4.40zł, every 30 minutes to every hour, 20 minutes) and buses (4.40zł, every 15 minutes, 30 minutes) run to the city centre. Taxis cost 35zł to 50zł and take 20 to 30 minutes.

John Paul II International Airport (Kraków) Trains and buses run from the airport to the city centre every 30 minutes. An official Kraków Airport Taxi into the city centre should cost 70zł to 90zł and take about 30 minutes.

Lech Wałęsa Airport (Gdańsk) Trains and more frequent buses run to the main station near the Old Town (3.80zł, 35 to 40 minutes). For the train, you normally need to change at Gdańsk Wrzeszcz. A taxi should cost around 60zł.

Getting Around

Poland has an extensive and reasonably priced rail and bus network, though it’s not always terribly fast or efficient.

Train PKP InterCity trains offer affordable and fast services between major cities and on international routes. Slower PKP trains run to smaller towns around the country.

Bus Nationwide FlixBUs/Polski Bus services link big cities and can be faster than trains on some routes. Elsewhere, buses are useful for remote towns and villages that aren’t serviced by trains.

Car Handy for travelling at your own pace, but note that some Polish roads can be narrow and crowded. Cars can be hired in many towns and cities. Drive on the right.

For much more, see Getting Around

If You Like…

Castles

Wawel Royal Castle The grandaddy of them all, the mighty Kraków castle is the symbol of the Polish nation.

Malbork The mind boggles at the millions of red bricks needed to build Europe’s biggest medieval fortress.

Książ Silesia’s largest castle is a splendid edifice that holds a curious wartime secret beneath its foundations.

Krzyżtopór This evocative ruin is what you get when you cross magic, money and a 17th-century Polish eccentric.

Krasiczyn A picture of Renaissance perfection and the turreted castle of your childhood fairy-tale fantasy.

Łańcut Poland’s largest and richest aristocratic home dates back to the 15th century and is now a museum.

Museums

National Museum Several centuries of top-quality Polish art and design are gathered in the country’s largest museum.

Schindler’s Factory Evocative museum within Oskar Schindler’s former enamel factory tells the story of Kraków under German occupation in WWII.

National Maritime Museum If maritime flotsam and jetsam float your boat, you’ll love this museum complex in Gdańsk.

Fryderyk Chopin Museum A high-tech, interactive homage to Poland’s greatest composer.

POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews Impressive multimedia exhibits document 1000 years of Jewish history in Poland.

Silesian Museum Based in an ingeniously repurposed coal mine, this fascinating museum in Katowice showcases the region’s arts and culture.

Fryderyk Chopin Museum, Warsaw | PIOTRBB/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Communist Architecture

Kielce’s Bus Terminal Check out this flash, Jetsons-style bus station in a country where a handsome bus station is, admittedly, hard to find.

Palace of Culture & Science Stalin’s ‘gift’ to the Polish people continues to dominate the heart of Warsaw.

Nowa Huta This sprawling 1950s suburb makes a startling contrast to Kraków’s Old Town.

Forum Przestrzenie In a creative reuse of a 1970s eyesore, this old hotel in Kraków has been repurposed as a trendy bar and events space.

Monument to the Victims of June 1956 Dramatic monument to the Poznań workers killed in a brutal crackdown.

Katowice Check out the industrial hub’s 1970s-style Rynek (central market square), then cast your glance northward to the monolithic Hotel Katowice.

Hiking

Zakopane Just outside the door of your hotel, you’ll find Poland’s highest and most dramatic walks in the Tatras.

Bieszczady Green, clean and remote. This little corner wedged by Ukraine is as off the beaten track as it gets in Poland.

Karkonosze National Park Hike the ridge between Mt Szrenica and Mt Śnieżka in this Silesian national park for views of forests and mighty cliffs.

Góry Stołowe National Park Explore strange and fascinating rock formations in the Sudetes Mountains.

Wolin National Park Trails running through here provide hiking happiness for a day or two in the bracing Baltic Sea air.

Hiking in the Tatra National Park | VIKTORIIA GUMETSKA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Nightlife

Praga Warsaw’s ‘right bank’ is where the city goes to let down its hair.

Wrocław Thousands of university students have to have something to do on a Friday night.

Kazimierz This Kraków district is home to a plethora of cool, small bars, tucked behind attractive old facades in narrow streets.

Poznań A magnet for business people and local students, the city’s Old Town is packed with lively pubs, clubs and eating spots.

Sopot Get down by the Baltic where the fun spills out of Sopot’s many nightspots and onto the balmy beach.

Folk Culture

Sanok The Museum of Folk Architecture here is the biggest in the country, with some 120 historic buildings.

Tarnów The Ethnographic Museum specialises in the folk history of the minority Roma.

Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park Industrial Katowice is the unlikely location of this 20 hectare skansen (open-air ethnographic museum).

Kashubia This traditional region of drowsy villages and ethnographic museums provides folksy contrast to the brashness of the coast.

Olsztynek The Museum of Folk Architecture teleports visitors back to a timber past.

Month by Month

TOP EVENTS

Lajkonik Pageant, June

Jewish Culture Festival, June

Malta International Theatre Festival, June

Singer’s Warsaw Festival, August

Wratislavia Cantans, September

January

New Year’s Eve celebrations are held around the country with fireworks and drinking. The country sleeps off its hangover for the next few days then largely retreats indoors as the snow falls.

z Kraków New Year

Kraków rings in the New Year with classical music from the Kraków Philharmonic and a series of concerts and fireworks on the Main Market Sq.

2 Ski Season

Poland’s festival pulse is barely beating. A better idea is to head south for a bit of skiing, such as to the country’s main winter resort of Zakopane.

February

The winter ski season reaches its peak this month at resorts in the southern mountains. The crowds on slopes worsen about mid-month during the winter break, when schoolkids get the week off.

z Shanties

A ‘shanty’ is a traditional sailor’s song and Kraków has held this international fest celebrating the ditties since 1981 – in spite of the city’s landlocked location!

March

The first tentative signs of spring are felt towards the end of this month, but you’ll still want to wrap up well as temperatures across the country can remain bone-chillingly cold.

z Beethoven Easter Festival

Coinciding with Easter (so sometimes in April), this festival sees a series of concerts held across Warsaw celebrating the work of the great German composer.)

April

As the hours of daylight start to lengthen, trees bud and spring flowers appear. The warm, sunny afternoons promise better days ahead. Easter is a big travel weekend.

3 Remembering the Ghetto Uprising

On 19 April those who died during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 are remembered as flowers are laid at the Ghetto Heroes Monument and paper daffodil badges are distributed around the city.

5 Restaurant Week

Your chance to eat from special menus at top restaurants in 30 cities across Poland for bargain prices. This annual event (www.restaurantweek.pl) is usually held in mid-April.

2 Cracovia Marathon

Kraków’s marathon is a highly popular running event that draws more than 1000 runners to its scenic course, which heads out from the Old Town.

May

The return of reliably decent weather sees flowers in bloom, plus restaurants, cafes and bars setting up their outdoor terraces and the sound of happy students about to be freed from school.

z Sacral Music

Częstochowa is known as a Catholic pilgrimage site, but each May it shows off its ecumenical side with the Gaude Mater Festival, highlighting religious music from Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths.

z Baltic Music

The Probaltica Music & Art Festival of Baltic States in Toruń brings together traditional musicians from across the Baltic region.

z Juvenalia

This carnival in Kraków at the end of the academic year sees students take over the city for four days and three nights of fun involving live music, street dancing and fancy-dress parades.

z Orange Warsaw Festival

Top international pop and rock performers hit the stage for the Orange Warsaw Festival, the city’s premier outdoor music fest, usually held at the end of the month.

June

Summer really starts to get rolling as the weather warms up and the kids get out of school. Festivals marking Corpus Christi (usually June, but sometimes May) can be raucous. The biggest is in Łowicz.

z Lajkonik Pageant

A colourful pageant headed by the Lajkonik, a comic figure disguised as a bearded Tatar. Look for it on the first Thursday after Corpus Christi (usually in June, but possibly late May).

3 Theatre in Poznań

Poznań’s Malta International Theatre Festival is Poland’s biggest theatre and dramatic arts event. Expect a week of entertaining street theatre – and thousands of people competing for hotel rooms.

z Midsummer’s Night

In Warsaw the longest day of the year sees locals indulging in pagan rituals, including the lighting of bonfires, big fireworks displays and the floating of wreaths studded with candles down the Vistula River.

z Jewish Culture Festival

Kraków’s Jewish Culture Festival, at the end of June and start of July, climaxes with a grand open-air klezmer concert on ul Szeroka in Kazimierz.

z Warsaw Street Art

Starting at the end of June and slipping into July, Warsaw’s Street Art Festival brings five days of theatre, open-air art installations and ‘happenings’, staged in public places.

July

July is usually hot and sunny but there can also be rain showers. Resorts are crowded, but not as much as they are in August. The music-festival season kicks into high gear.

z Open’er Festival

Gdynia’s Open’er Festival of pop and indie rock is the summer event everyone in the Tri-City talks about. It’s held the first week of July at Gdynia-Kosakowo Airport.

3 Blues Express

Ride the rails between Poznań and Zakrzewo while enjoying an onboard blues concert with a view of the Polish countryside.

z Warsaw Summer Jazz Days

This series of concerts sees top international jazz stars play alongside local talent. A highlight is the open-air concert in Castle Sq.

August

Expect big crowds at the Baltic beaches as well as lake and mountain resorts, which only worsen at weekends. As compensation, you’ll get sunshine and lots of festivals.

z Dominican Fair

This top Gdańsk fair has been held since 1260. Launched by Dominican monks as a feast day, the fun has spread to streets all around the Main Town.

z Getting Down with Highlanders

Zakopane’s International Festival of Mountain Folklore draws highlanders (mountain folk) from around Europe and the world for a week of music, dance and traditional costume.

z Singer’s Warsaw Festival

Held from late August to early September, this major Jewish cultural festival includes theatre, music, films, exhibits and workshops at various city locations.

September

The first nip of autumn arrives early in the month as kids return to school and life returns to normal. However, the sunshine is fairly good, making this month perfect for enjoying crowd-free resorts.

z Four Cultures

Each year, Łódź celebrates its historic role as a meeting place of Polish, Jewish, Russian and German cultures with the suitably named Four Cultures Festival. It includes theatre, music, film and visual arts.

3 Wratislavia Cantans

The unforgettably named Wratislavia Cantans is Wrocław’s top music and fine-arts confab. The focus is on sacred songs and tunes but there’s also classical and folk music.

z Old Jazz Festival

Poznań’s Old Jazz Festival features local and international jazz performers, both old and young, at concert venues around town.

3 Archaeological Festival

This festival held at Biskupin Archaeological Reserve includes demos of ancient dances, handcrafts and food, as well as colourful re-enactments of battles between Germanic and Slavic tribes.

October

The tourist season is officially over, and castles and museums revert to winter hours or fall into a deep slumber.

z Warsaw Film Festival

The Warsaw Film Festival highlights the world’s best films over 10 days in October. There are screenings of Polish films and plenty of retrospectives.

November

The first significant snowfalls cover the mountains, though the ski season doesn’t begin in earnest until December. Elsewhere around the country, brisk temperatures and darkening afternoons herald the coming of winter.

3 All Souls’ Jazz

Cracovians enjoy the week-long All Souls’ Day Jazz Festival, which is held around All Souls’ Day (2 November). Look for performances all over town in clubs, bars and churches.

z St Martin’s Day

Polish Independence Day falls on 11 November, but in Poznań it’s also St Martin’s Day, a day of parades and general merriment, including the scoffing of special St Martin’s Day sweet croissants.

December

The air turns frosty and the ski season in the south begins around the middle of the month. The only thing keeping people going, amid the grey skies, is the coming Christmas and New Year holidays.

7 Barbican Christmas Market

Warsaw’s main Christmas market starts in late November and hits its stride in December. You can hardly get a more picturesque setting than the red-brick rotunda of the Old Town’s Barbican.

1 Kraków Christmas Cribs

December kicks off an unusual competition to see who can build the most amazing Christmas crèche. The szopki (Nativity scenes) are elaborate compositions fashioned in astonishing detail from cardboard, wood and tinfoil.

Itineraries

Essential Poland

1 WEEK

Poland is a big country with lots to see, so travellers with limited time will have to choose their destinations carefully. For first-time visitors, especially, the places to start are the capital, Warsaw, and the country’s most popular city, Kraków. For a week-long tour, budget roughly three days in each, and a day for travel.

Warsaw offers a scintillating mix of architectural styles, with mammoth Soviet-era and contemporary buildings standing alongside a lovingly restored Old Town. Leave at least a day for museum-hopping, zoning in on the equally excellent Warsaw Rising Museum, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, the Museum of Warsaw and the National Museum.

The former royal capital of Kraków is smaller than Warsaw but packs in plenty to see. Spend a day in the Old Town and the Wawel Royal Castle, a second day around the former Jewish quarters of Kazimierz and Podgórze, and a third day with a side trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mine (if you have kids in tow) or the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum.

Itineraries

The Big Three: Kraków, Warsaw & Gdańsk

2 WEEKS

This tour visits Kraków and Warsaw before heading to the ravishing Baltic port city of Gdańsk. Though the tour can be done in 10 days, adding extra days provides for a more leisurely travel time (there are long distances to be covered) and a chance to tack on some more day trips.

Allow at least four days for Kraków, one of the most perfectly preserved medieval cities in Europe. Spend the first day meandering around Kraków’s delightful Old Town. Don’t miss the Rynek Underground museum and St Mary’s Basilica. The second day will be taken up with the sights of the Wawel Royal Castle. Spend your third day exploring the former Jewish quarters of Kazimierz and Podgórze. On the last day, make a side trip to either the Wieliczka Salt Mine or Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum. Alternatively, breathe in the mountain air of the Tatras in the resort of Zakopane, two hours away by bus.

Fast intercity trains are the best way to get to Warsaw, where you should plan to stay put for another three to four days. You’ll need that time to do justice to the city’s many amazing museums as well as to enjoy the sights of the Old Town. Make sure you also take in the view from the observation deck of the Palace of Culture & Science, and go for a stroll along and across the banks of the Vistula to Praga, where there’s a great bar scene. A walk through lovely Łazienki Park is also highly recommended. For day trips consider Wilanów Palace, 6km south of the centre, and the former Nazi German extermination camp at Treblinka.

From Warsaw, take the train to Gdańsk and prepare to be dazzled by the stunningly restored Main Town, which was rebuilt from WWII ruins. Learn all about that conflict at the city’s excellent Museum of WWII. Proceed down the Royal Way and don’t miss the Amber Museum. Then there’s the waterfront district and pretty ul Mariacka.

If the weather is warm, spend your last full day on the water, at either the brash but popular beach resort of Sopot, or the quieter, more refined strand on the Hel Peninsula.

Itineraries

Along the Vistula

4 WEEKS

The Vistula is Poland’s greatest river, winding its way from the foothills of the country’s southern mountain range to the Baltic Sea. It’s played a key role in Poland’s very identity, as it passes through – or close to – many of its oldest and most important settlements. Ideally suited to roaming, this tour is for visitors who are not on a strict timetable and are looking for an unusual approach to Poland’s core. The four-week schedule assumes that you rely on buses, as train services to many of these towns are not as frequent. Naturally, if you have your own wheels, you could cover the terrain in three weeks or even less.

Begin upstream with two or three days at the former royal capital of Kraków and take a day tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum in Oświęcim. From Kraków, make your way by bus to beautiful Sandomierz, one of Poland’s undiscovered delights, with its impressive architectural variety and position on a bluff overlooking the river. From here, it’s worth taking a detour, again by bus, to the Renaissance masterpiece of Zamość, a nearly perfectly preserved 16th-century town.

Back on the path along the Vistula, stop in at the former artists’ colony – now a popular weekend retreat – of Kazimierz Dolny. Set aside several days to do Warsaw justice – the Vistula embankments in the capital offer nature, beaches, public art and lively nightlife. Next, call in at Płock, home to the finest collection of art nouveau art and architecture in the country. Follow the river into Pomerania and through the heart of medieval Toruń, another nicely preserved Gothic town that is also the birthplace of stargazer Nicolaus Copernicus.

Soon after Toruń, the river heads directly for the sea. In former times, the Vistula’s path was guarded by one Teutonic Knight stronghold after another. Today, these Gothic gems silently watch the river pass by. You can see the knights’ handiwork at Chełmno, Kwidzyn and Gniew, but the mightiest example resides at Malbork, on the banks of one of the river’s side arms. End your journey in the port city of Gdańsk, where the river meets the sea.

Itineraries

Southern Poland

1 WEEK

Poland’s southern border, lined with mountains end to end, is ideal for walkers. Though this trip can be done in a week, bus transport can be spotty in parts.

Start in the mountain resort of Zakopane, which is easily reached by bus from Kraków. Allow at least a day to see the town’s historic wooden architecture and the Museum of Zakopane Style, and another for a walk into the Tatras (or more for a longer trek).

From here you’ll have to make some tough choices. We like the Pieniny range, east of the Tatras. The spa town of Szczawnica makes a good base for hikes, as well as biking and the ever-popular rafting ride down the Dunajec River.

From Szczawnica, the medium-sized city of Nowy Sącz offers urban comforts, or opt for Krynica or Muszyna, two popular spa resorts and good jumping-off points for more hikes.

A long bus ride from Nowy Sącz brings you to Sanok, with its amazing skansen (open-air ethnographic museum) and access to the 70km Icon Trail and its wooden churches.

Itineraries

Southeastern Poland

1 WEEK

The southeastern corner of Poland is seldom explored and is a good place to see the country off the beaten path.

Begin in Lublin, whose Old Town has been much spruced up in recent years, with some great places to see and dine in. Don’t miss Lublin Castle or the chance to clamber up the Trinitarian Tower for a commanding view of the countryside.

Spend a half-day at the enormous Majdanek concentration camp on the outskirts of the city. Also use the city as a base for visiting the riverside artists’ retreat at Kazimierz Dolny, filled with museums and charming galleries. The surrounding fields and forests make for a perfect day out on a bike or on foot.

From Lublin, head south to Zamość. This perfectly preserved 16th-century Renaissance town has a lively central square, which hosts summertime concerts and music fests. From Zamość it’s an easy drive to Bełżec, where the excellent museum and memorial for the former extermination camp is moving without being bombastic.

Itineraries

Cities of the West

1 WEEK

Historic and thriving urban centres are the focus of this circuit of western Poland, a region hotly contested between Poland and Germany over the centuries.

Devote at least two days to Wrocław, the former German city of Breslau, where the architecture retains a Germanic flavour. After WWII, Wrocław was repopulated by refugees from Poland’s eastern lands lost to the Soviet Union, giving the city an added ethnic dimension.

Continue to Poznań, a thriving commercial hub where tourists rub shoulders with business people and a large student population in the city’s buzzing Old Town square. It was in Poznań that the Polish kingdom got its start a millennium ago and the town offers many historical attractions, too.

The beautifully preserved Gothic town of Toruń is a short bus or train ride away from Poznań. It has enchanting red-brick architecture and gingerbread cookies. Finish the tour in either Gdańsk or Szczecin, the latter adding a gritty contrast to the architectural beauty of the other cities.

Itineraries

Eastern Borderlands

3 WEEKS

Travelling around this relatively remote swathe of Poland will appeal to wanderers who prefer natural splendour to the hustle-bustle of the big city.

Start in Kraków for convenience’s sake, but head quickly to Sanok, with its skansen and museum, and then head deeper into the Bieszczady National Park. Turn north and take the back roads, via Przemyśl, to the Renaissance town of Zamość, as well as stopping to see the memorial for the Nazi German extermination camp at Bełżec. After a night in Zamość move on to the big-city comforts of Lublin.

Strike out north through rural backwaters to Białowieża National Park and its primeval forest and bison herd. Head north again to the provincial city of Białystok and the hamlet of Tykocin, with its unforgettable synagogue.

From here there’s a wealth of parklands: the Biebrza and Wigry National Parks, and beyond, the Great Masurian Lakes, all with excellent hiking and boating possibilities.

Plan Your Trip

Outdoor Activities

Poland is a dream destination for an activity-driven vacation. From the Baltic coast to the rugged Carpathian Mountains, you can hire a bike, grab a paddle or put on a pair of walking boots and get some fresh air in beautiful landscapes. There’s also skiing in winter.

Best Outdoor Activities

Best Hiking

Tatra Mountains, Pieniny Mountains, Bieszczady Mountains

Best Kayaking

Krutynia River, Drawa Route, Brda River

Best Mountain Biking

Bieszczady Mountains, Sudetes Mountains

Best Skiing

Zakopane, Szklarska Poręba

Best Water Sports

Great Masurian Lakes, Augustów Canal and around

Best Time to Go

June to August Summer is ideal for hiking, cycling and kayaking.

May & early September These months can be sunny, with the trails, lakes and waterways less frequented.

November to March The best time for skiing and snowboarding in the mountain ranges of the south.

Cycling

Almost every region of Poland offers well-signposted cycling routes, from short and easy circuits to epic international routes, and the situation is improving by the year. It’s possible to restrict yourself to the flatter areas of the country and travel the rest by train, but if you’re not deterred by gradients you can cycle some of the more riveting (and relatively unexplored) regions. Maps showing cycling trails can be hard to source outside Poland, but tourist offices can normally supply good cartography.

Where to Cycle

Carpathian Mountains

Some epic bicycle adventures are waiting in the Bieszczady ranges. These tracks will roll you through a montage of deep forest green and rippling meadows, opening up intermittently to postcard-perfect natural and architectural panoramas. Part of the 70km Icon Trail near the town of Sanok is accessible to cyclists and rewards pedalling with views of old timber churches and castles. The town of Sanok lies astride a sprawling network of bike-friendly roads and pathways that covers hundreds of kilometres in Poland and extends to neighbouring Slovakia and Ukraine.

The region around the Dunajec River in the Pieniny isn’t just for rafting. Szczawnica, in particular, is a great cycling centre. It’s the starting point for several rewarding rides and is blessed with numerous bike-rental outfits. One of the region’s best rides follows the Dunajec River for around 15km all the way to the Slovak town of Červený Kláštor.

SAFE CYCLING

A Where possible stay on marked cycling trails; sharing national roads with Poland’s erratic drivers can be a hair-raising experience.

A Motorists in Polish cities are rarely cycle-conscious, so don’t expect too much consideration for your space and safety. Ride defensively.

A Among the big cities, Kraków offers scenic and safe cycling routes along the river. Warsaw, too, has dedicated cycle paths, including ones alongside the Vistula.

A Even small towns have at least one cycle shop selling spare parts and offering a cheap repair service.

A Away from major routes, the roads can be poorly maintained – watch out for wheel-swallowing potholes and uneven pavements along the road edges.

A Get the best lock you can and always use it, even when storing your bike in buildings and travelling on trains. Better to be safe than cycle-less.

A If in doubt, take your bike with you into your hotel room at night. Many hotels have specially locked storage rooms that can accommodate bikes, but some don’t.

A Check that your accommodation is accessible by bike; some places may not be, owing to street layout, traffic density and road conditions.

A Drinking and cycling don’t mix: you could be jailed if you ride under the influence.

Białowieża Forest

There are some enchanting routes (starting near the village of Białowieża) through the northern part of the Białowieża Forest and the large stretches of undisturbed woods that lie to the north and west of Białowieża National Park, including detours into parts of the park itself. Pick up a map from the park’s information centre and head off. If you need wheels, try Rent a Bike.

The Northeast

Cycling in the Masuria region is rewarding, and also pretty easy as the terrain is as flat as a board. The town of Węgorzewo on Lake Mamry is a convenient base from which to access 18 marked routes ranging from 25km to 109km circuits. The Augustów Forest and the areas around Suwałki are also great biking territories. There are plenty of bike-rental outfits in Augustów.

Sudetes Mountains

The Sudetes, especially the area around the town of Szklarska Poręba, are a jackpot for mountain bikers. Stretching to the Czech border, Karkonosze National Park offers myriad marked mountain-biking trails and is popular with Polish extreme-sports enthusiasts. Some of the trails cross over into the Czech Republic. The Szklarska Poręba tourist office can help with maps and advise on rentals.

Cycling Tours

Most cyclists go it alone in Poland, but if you fancy joining an organised group, two reliable specialist companies (both UK-based) to contact are Cycling Holidays Poland %in the UK [phone]; www.cyclingpoland.com) and Hooked On Cycling %in the UK [phone]; www.hookedoncycling.co.uk).

Cycling Websites

EuroVelo (www.eurovelo.com) The European Cyclists’ Federation has a project to establish a 65,000km European Cycle Network throughout the continent. Six of the 12 routes (not all fully completed) run through Poland. The website has some great maps of the international network as it stands.

Cities for Bicycles (www.miastadlarowerow.pl) Grassroots cycling group promoting safe cycling in cities. Has slightly dated but still useful practical information for cyclists.

Cycling Holidays Poland (www.cyclingpoland.com) UK-based cycling-tour operator that caters for international tourists.

Central & Eastern European Greenways (www.greenways.by) List of trails and descriptions for the Greenways long-distance cycling and hiking routes that run through Central Europe.

TREK SAFE

To ensure you enjoy your walk or hike in comfort and safety, put some thought into your preparations before hitting the trail.

A Obtain reliable information about the conditions and characteristics of your intended route from local national-park authorities.

A Buy a suitable map from the local bookshop or tourist office.

A If possible, always inform someone of your route and when you expect to be back.

A Always check the weather forecast with the local tourist office or national-park authority.

A Weather conditions can be unpredictable in mountainous areas, so pack appropriate clothing and equipment.

A Ensure you are fit enough for and feel comfortable with the walk you choose.

A Be aware of the local laws, regulations and etiquette about flora and fauna.

A Always be ready to turn back if things start to go wrong.

A If planning to overnight in a mountain hut, try to reserve in advance or at least let someone know you’re coming. Otherwise you risk not having a place to sleep.

Walking & Hiking

Poland’s mountainous areas are a joy to explore on foot and attract thousands of hikers every year and in every season. The country’s national parks are riddled with trails, most well marked and well equipped with shelters. Nature’s repertoire of heights, gradients, climates and terrains is showcased in Poland: hiking options range from week-long treks for the hardcore hiker to hour-long rambles for the ascent averse. The PTTK, Poland’s tourist organisation, has a notoriously wonky website, but it’s still a decent resource for hiking and walking in all parts of the country. The website has a list of PTTK-run mountain huts and info centres, and lots of other useful info for planning a trek.

Where to Walk & Hike

The southern mountain ranges are best for exhilarating high-altitude hikes, but low-level walks can be found across the country.

Carpathian Mountains

The Tatra Mountains in the south are the most notable region for hiking. The West and the High Tatras offer different scenery; the latter is more challenging and as a result more spectacular. One of the most popular climbs in the Tatras is Mt Giewont (1895m). The cross at the peak attracts many visitors, though the steep slopes deter some.

The valleys around Zakopane offer walks of differing lengths (some take less than an hour) for walkers of varying fitness levels. Similarly, trails around the nearby Pieniny and the Bieszczady in the east offer exciting hiking experiences – even for those who prefer to stroll. Another great option is Beskid Sądecki, which has convenient paths dotted with mountain hostels. Muszyna and Krynica are popular bases from which to access this region.

The lower Beskid Niski mountain range offers less arduous walks and less spectacular views.

Your first port of call in each of these areas should be the local tourist information office.

RESCUE SERVICES

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Sudetes Mountains

The Karkonosze National Park offers a sterling sample of the Sudetes. The ancient and peculiar ‘table top’ rock formations of the Góry Stołowe (Table Mountains) are among the highlights of the Sudetes.

The area is easily accessed from the town of Szklarska Poręba at the base of Mt Szrenica (1362m), and there is a choice of walking trails from Karpacz to Mt Śnieżka (1603m). Further south, the village of Międzygórze is another well-kitted-out base for Sudetes sojourns. Tourist offices in Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba stand ready to point you to suitable trails and mountain hostels.

POLAND’S NATIONAL PARKS

Poland has 23 national parks featuring a wide variety of landscapes. Check national park websites for more information on hiking and cycling routes. Things change, so ask in person before you assume any route is open.

Other Regions

A The Augustów Forest in the Augustów-Suwałki region has 55 lakes and many well-paved roads and dirt tracks. Diverse wildlife can be found in various stretches of the forest. There are numerous bays and peninsulas to explore around nearby Lake Wigry in the Wigry National Park , and the 63-sq-km Suwałki Landscape Park offers drop-dead-gorgeous views from its picturesque terrain.

A The lowest mountain range in the country is in the Świętokrzyski National Park in Małopolska, near Kielce. There’s an 18km walk here that takes you past an ancient hilltop holy site that’s now a picturesque monastery.

A Roztocze National Park offers a range of light walks through gentle terrain, and the landscape park surrounding Kazimierz Dolny offers some easy but worthwhile rambles.

A Biebrza National Park is easy to get to by train and offers great hikes of a couple of hours or more.

A There’s also F in Wielkopolska, and the compact Wolin National Park in northwest Poland.

MOUNTAIN GUIDES

Two commendably practical walking guides for the Tatras are High Tatras: Slovakia and Poland, by Colin Saunders and Renáta Nározná (revised edition from 2017), and the excellent Tatra Mountains of Poland and Slovakia, by Sandra Bardwell (revised in 2015).

Walking Tours

Many local companies and individual guides operate along the tracks and trails of Poland’s wild side. UK-based Venture Poland %in the UK [phone]; www.venturepoland.eu) specialises in organised walking tours of the Carpathian Mountains.

Canoeing, Kayaking & Rafting

Choices of where to kayak in Poland flow freely: the lowlands of Masuria, Warmia and Kashubia in Poland’s north offer literally thousands of lakes and rivers to choose from. Further to the east is the Augustów Canal, and the lakes and rivers connected to it. Just south of Augustów there’s a series of seldom-visited national parks that offer more kayaking opportunities in a protected and isolated environment of river tributaries and bogs.

There’s no need to haul your kayak through airports either, as there are plenty of hire centres, where boats, paddles and life jackets can be rented for very reasonable rates, as well as numerous tour companies and guides. Local tourist offices can usually point you in the right direction.

Kayaking on the Krutynia River | POSZTOS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Where to Get Paddling

The Great Masurian Lakes

The town of Olsztyn is a handy base for organising adventures on water, particularly kayaking. PTTK Mazury here organises trips, equipment and guides. From Olsztyn it’s possible to canoe the Łyna River to the border of Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave, or spend a couple of laid-back hours floating closer to the city.

The most popular kayaking route in the Great Masurian Lakes area runs along the Krutynia River, originating at Sorkwity, 50km east of Olsztyn, and following the Krutynia River and Lake Bełdany to Ruciane-Nida. Some consider Krutynia the most scenic river in the north and the clearest in Poland. It winds through 100km of forests, bird reserves, meadows and marshes. To get a taste of the river (hopefully not literally), PTTK Mazury in Olsztyn runs kayaking tours at regular intervals from June to August, along the Krutynia, starting at the Stanica Wodna PTTK (www.sorkwity.pttk.pl) in Sorkwity. You can also do the trip on your own, hiring a kayak (30zł to 40zł per day) from the Stanica Wodna PTTK in Sorkwity, but check availability in advance.

Augustów-Suwałki Region

Less visited than the renowned Great Masurian Lakes (and arguably cooler than them, too), the lakes of the Augustów-Suwałki region are not connected, but their waters are crystal clear. The river to paddle in these parts is the Czarna Hańcza, generally from Augustów along the Augustów Canal, all the way to the northern end of Lake Serwy. This route takes in the 180-year-old Augustów Canal, the Suwałki Lake District and the Augustów Forest. Numerous tour operators cover this loop, but it is also possible to do this and other routes independently.

Close to the city of Suwałki, Lake Wigry in the Wigry National Park offers surprisingly pristine paddling. In the Augustów-Suwałki region, check in with Szot in Augustów, which offers an excellent selection of short and long trips and English-friendly guides.

South of the Masurian Lakes, the Biebrza River runs through the scenic splendour of the Podlasie region and through Biebrza National Park, with its varied landscape of river sprawls, peat bogs, marshes and damp forests. The principal kayaking route here flows from the town of Lipsk downstream along the Biebrza to the village of Wizna, for a distance of about 140km (seven to nine days). While this is longer than most people will have time for, shorter stretches are also possible and camping sites dot the river along the way to allow for overnight stops.

The Narew National Park, further south, is just as interesting as the Biebrza National Park, but not as geared towards visitors. This park protects an unusual stretch of the Narew River that’s nicknamed the ‘Polish Amazon’, where the river splits into dozens of channels. For adventures in this part of Podlasie, try the outfit Kaylon hMay-Sep) for canoeing and kayaking adventures.

Pomerania

The most renowned kayaking river in Pomerania is the Brda, which leads through forested areas of the Bory Tucholskie National Park (www.pnbt.com.pl) and past some 19 lakes.

The Drawa Route, which runs through Drawa National Park (www.dpn.pl), is an interesting trip for experienced kayakers. The Drawa Route is believed to have been a favourite kayaking jaunt of Pope John Paul II when he was a young man.

Carpathian Mountains

The organised rafting trip to do in Poland is the placid glide through the Dunajec Gorge in the Pieniny. The river snakes from Czorsztyn Lake (Jezioro Czorsztyńskie) west between several steep cliffs, some of which are over 300m high. The river is narrow, in one instance funnelling through a 12m-wide bottleneck, and changes incessantly from majestically quiet, deep stretches to shallow mountain rapids. Be advised, however, that this is not a white-water experience but a leisurely pleasure trip. For more details contact the Polish Association of Pieniny Rafters.

Skiing & Snowboarding

If you haven’t skied before, Poland is a good place to start, if only because you’ll pay less for the privilege here than in many other parts of Europe. Accommodation in ski-resort areas can range from 40zł