With so many regions and cities to explore, you are assured of a thrilling vacation when you visit Poland. Explore the land of castles and exquisite beauty as you traverse the length and breadth of the country. Learn about its Communist history and the effects that the Second World War had on this country through the many historic sites. Here you will find folk culture in its truest form and experience the religious atmosphere in the many wooden churches that dot the landscape. Enjoy the beauty and recreational opportunities of the Tatra Mountains or go river rafting down the Dunajec Gorge during the spring. Visit Torun, which is an authentic town of Old Poland or the breathtaking castle in Lublin.

Attractions

Visit the Jewish concentration camp of Treblinke and explore Niesborow, just outside of Warsaw. If you like visiting castles, then you have your work cut out for you in Poland with three of them alone in the Maloposka region.

Krakow

Krakow is the city of legends dating back to the death of dragon, whose bones are reputed to still lie in the Royal Castle. Visit some of the religious sites, such as St. Andrew?s Church, the Church of the Holy Cross or the Mariaki Church, which dates back to 1222. The remnants of the 11th century are still visible in the Wawel Cathedral, where there is something for visitors of all ages. The medieval market in the Old Town Square is an experience you don?t want to miss and if you get tired of walking, you can take a horse and carriage ride through the city. The museum in the Royal Castle contains one of the largest collections of Polish modern art and you can get a glimpse of the archaeology and history of the country at the Museum of Archaeology. Enjoy the sounds of the symphony and travel outside the city to the concentration camp at Auschwitz or the Wieliczka Salt Mines, which is truly one of the wonders of the world.

Warsaw

Take the Royal Route to see the palaces of the city and the most important monuments of Warsaw. A wealth of museums awaits you in this city covering culture, history and art. Some of the religious sites you can visit here include the Metropolitan Orthodox Church, the Church of the Holy Cross and the Last Synagogue, standing as a reminder that the country was once home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the world. There are monuments to Polish heroes and martyrs throughout the city. You can also engage in numerous recreational activities, such as golfing, swimming and tennis. Rent a bike and explore the surrounding villages to get a true taste of the Polish culture.

Travel to Poland

You can drive to Poland, but you do need a few more documents that just a passport. Of the vehicle is not registered in Poland, you need to show proof of insurance and you may need to have a tourist Visa when crossing the border. The lines may be slow in the summer, with lines of up to two km. long and two day waits.

The easiest way to travel to Poland is by air. There are two international airports ? Warsaw and Krakow ? where airlines arrive from all over the world. Ferries also travel to Poland from Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

Travel Within Poland

You can travel within the country by land, sea or air. You can take a bus or a taxi, but if you take a taxi from one of the airports, you will pay a very high fare. There are also domestic trains throughout the country with reasonable rates and there are also passes that you can purchase.

Language

The official language of the country is Polish and it is a rather difficult language to learn. The people really do appreciate visitors trying to attempt a few words in their language. Two of the most important phrases are

• jen koo ja -- Thank you and
• prosze -- Please.

Food and Drink

Smaaczmego is a traditional Polish meal. You will have to forego dieting because the food of this country is rich in calories with hearty portions on the plate. Soup, served both cold and hot, is popular is made with meat and vegetables, usually beet. Enjoy a stew of cabbage, sausage, meat and mushrooms and pierogi, similar to ravioli, is very popular.

The favorite drink is vodka, which comes in many varieties. If you don?t want non-alcoholic drinks, then mineral water, tea and coffee are widely available. You need to be prepared, though, because your first mouthful of hot tea or coffee will appear to be gritty. Since Poles don?t add milk to tea and coffee, you will have to ask for it.

Visa

You can travel to Poland without a Visa if you have a passport that will be valid for six months, so that you can easily stay the allowed three months. You get your passport stamped at the airport when you arrive.

Safety

As a rule, Poland is a safe country for tourists. You do have to be careful at the airports and train stations where thieves are always on the lookout for unsuspecting travellers.

Shopping

Shop in the small stores along the streets of the cities and towns, in specialty boutiques or open air markets. The Polish merchants love to bargain and you will have to learn about the differences in Polish sizes. If you want to buy items that are unique to Poland, look for wood carvings, posters, amber and linen and lace embroidery. There are stores that stay open 24 hours a day, but for the most part the stores in Poland, shopping centers open at 11;00 and close about 6:00. Food stores and markets open at 6 in the morning and close for lunch at noon. All stores are closed on Sunday.

Entertainment

All of the major cities have many nightclubs where you can enjoy a variety of music and dancing. In Warsaw, you can drop in at the Loch, the only nightclub in the city catering to actors and showbiz personalities.