Guide to Poland

Situated in the heart of Europe Poland is one of the largest countries of Europe. Poland is bordered by the Baltic Sea, Russia, Germany, Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine, the Slovak Republic, and the Czech Republic. The capital is Warsaw.

The climate is temperate with cold winters and mild summers.

The entry in Poland is simple. For the European Union nationals only a valid passport is required. Tens of daily flights connect in two hours the airport of Warsaw (Okecie) with the most important European capitals Paris, Brussels, London and Berlin.

Inside Poland, it is preferable to travel by car but the train is faster between Warsaw and big cities such as Cracow, Katowice, Wroclaw, Poznan or Gdansk.

Poland is rich of natural attraction such as the amber beaches of the Baltic Sea, many lakes and rivers, beautiful mountains and deep forests where you can find rest, relaxation, adventure and diverse tourist attractions. The rocky crags of the Tatras are in the south of Poland. The free roaming European bison (Europe's largest animal) can be seen in the Bialowieska Forest. The adventurers shall go to the unique Biebrzanskie Marshes to make photo-safari. A raft run down Dunajec River gorge or the shifting sand dunes of the Slowinski National Park are another attractions that the country offers.

There are several sea resorts on the coast of the Baltic Sea like Wolin island located close to the German border, and the coast of Pomerania. Another resorts are Sopot, , Jurata, Kolobrzeg, Hel, Krynica, Morska and Swinoujscieto name just a few.

In southern Poland there are a lot of resorts for skiing and hiking in the Karkonosze mountains, part of the Sudeten mountain, and in Carpathian Mountains. The touristical centres in Karkonosze mountains are Karpacz and Szklarska Poreba. If you want to do skiing and hiking you can also go to Zakopane in the Tatra mountains, Szczyrk, Krynica in Beskides or Szczawnica and Kro¶cienko in Pieniny mountains.

Those with a taste for history are invited to the many restored old town centers, the Royal Castle in Warsaw, and to the old palaces built by Polish magnates. Many museums are open and they bring to mind the memory of past centuries, including such notable museums as the Nicolaus Copernicus Biographical Museum in Frombork or the medieval, underground salt-mine in Wieliczka.

The Royal Castle in Warsaw (Zamek Królewski), is the royal palace and official residence of the Polish kings. The personal offices of the monarchs, as well as the administrative offices of the Royal Court of Poland were situated there until the Partitions of Poland. The period between 1918 and World War II made the palace to be the seat of the Polish president.

This Baltic coastal village Frombork prides itself as the hometown of Nicolaus Copernicus, the astronomer and scientific who showed that the Earth revolved around the sun. There's a Copernicus museum and a Copernicus altar; even the tower that was carefully preserved. Recently, a team of archaeologists reported a breakthrough: a skull below the flagstones of the 14th-century Frombork Cathedral was found. Thanks to the help by fresh historical research and a high-tech police lab, the specialists have concluded that the skull of an approximately 70 years old man with a broken nose is indeed that of Copernicus.

The mine museum in Wieliczka is one of the biggest museums of that kind in Europe. It is situated in Wieliczka in original underground excavations of 700-year-old Salt-mine, placed by UNESCO in the List of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

For the admirers of the Arts we recommend a long list of artistic events in the homeland of Penderecki and Chopin: the two well-known throughout the world competitions - the Chopin Piano and the Wieniawski Violin Competitions. Tourists can enjoy also the Warsaw Autumn Festival of Contemporary Music, the International Jazz Jamboree and many cultural events for youth and folklore festivals.