poland travel tips - practical advice for traveling in poland

8/18/2019 Poland Travel Tips - Practical Advice for Traveling in Poland

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4/9/2016 Poland travel tips - practical advice for traveling in Poland.

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> TRAVEL TIPS

When preparing for holidays, numerous issues and questions arise. When is the best time to visit Poland? Will I need

visa? What to bring with me…? This section is designed to answer to your pressing queries and help you get ready for

your perfect worry‐free vacation. The following travel tips provide essential information about travelling to Poland.

They include advice on safety, weather, money, public holidays, passport and visa requirements and many other

practical issues. Read “Poland travel tips”, pack, come and enjoy the best travel experience!

WHEN TO COME

Poland is a country that can be visited all year round. There are six seasons of the year in Poland – in addition to the

four typical such as spring, summer, autumn/fall and winter, there are also two seasons described as early spring and

early winter. The best time to come is late spring, summer and early fall as the weather is nicest then. The tourist

season falls on that period too – normally it starts in May and ends in October. The summer months of June, July and

August are the warmest ones. Winter time (December to February) is usually cold and days are short, however it may

be really delightful with snow all around.

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TRAVEL TIPS

WHEN TO COME

Polish climate and weather.

Weather forecast in Poland.

VISAS

Visas and passport

information for Poland. List of

foreign embassies.

SAFETY

How safe is it to travel in

Poland?

MONEY

Polish currency, forms of

payment and exchange rates.

PRICES

Sample prices of food and

services in Poland. Cost of

living.

SHOPPING

Best things to buy in Poland.

Souvenirs, local products.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

List of all national and public

holidays in Poland in 2014.

OPENING HOURS

Commercial opening hours:

shopping centers, restaurants

& bars.

TIPS

Gratuities and tipping

practises. How much do you

tip in Poland?

ENG. LANGUAGE

Poles speaking English. Will

you be able to communicate

in English?

WHAT TO BRING

Things to bring on a trip to

Poland – travel packing list.

FOOD TO TASTE

Traditional food and Polish

cuisine. Tastes that you

should absolutely try.

SAVOIR VIVRE

Polish etiquette. What to do

and not to do in Poland.

ELECTRICITY

What you need to know

about Polish electricity; plugsand adapters.

PUBLIC TOILETS

How to find your toilet?

Restroom signs in Poland.

Even the longest journey begins with one step

Photo gallery Terms & conditions Customer comments Cultural calen

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VISAS

Since May 1, 2004, Poland is part of European Union and since December 21, 2007, is part of the Schengen Area – a

zone without passport controls on internal borders. It allows for free travel between the 28 countries: Austria,

Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia,

Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican.

Two members of the EU are not members of the Schengen Agreement: Great Britain and Ireland.

Third‐country nationals may enter Poland if they are in possession of a valid travel document and a visa (if required).

Your passport should be valid for at least three months (90 days) beyond the period of stay.

Citizens of the following countries are not required to be in possession of a visa when entering Poland for less than

90 days:

Albania, Andorra, Antigua Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria

Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria

Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic

Denmark

El Salvador, Estonia

Finland, France

Germany, Greece, Guatemala

Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary

Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy

Japan

Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg

Macao, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moncao, Montenegro

Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway

Panama, Paraguay, Portugal

Romania

Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden,

Switzerland

Taiwan

United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay

Vatican, Venezuela

Source: http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/travel_to_poland/entering_poland/visa_free/visa_free_countries

For further information on visas and entry requirements to Poland please visit:

http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/travel_to_poland

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SAFETY

Poland is as safe as any other European country. It is not dangerous for tourists. Economic situation is stable and the

country is not a target for worldwide terrorism. In general, people are friendly and welcoming. The really basic rule to

be applied when travelling is to obey general regulations and use a certain amount of common sense. Special care

should be taken of your belongings in crowded places as pick‐pocketing occurs in popular tourist destinations, train

stations, buses, museums, etc. Don’t leave your belongings unattended while travelling by bus, train or tram.

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MONEY

Our currency is Polish zloty (zl, PLN). In most places it is impossible to pay with euro or US dollars. Only some hotels

and few shopping malls would accept euro. There are numerous ATMs in larger towns so you won’t have any problem

with finding one and drawing Polish money. The other option is to use exchange offices. Majority of shops and

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restaurants accept credit cards. The most popular are VISA, MasterCard and Maestro. American Express and Diners

may not be accepted. Do not bring traveller’s cheques as they are not accepted.

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PRICES

Poland is a relatively inexpensive country, especially for tourists coming from the West. Cities are certainly more

expensive than rural areas, with Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk and Wroclaw being the most expensive ones.

Sample prices of selected goods and services in Poland:

Goods and services PLN

Petrol (95), 1 litre 5,70

Double room in a ***hotel 350

Taxi, 1 km 2,20

Bus ticket, single fare 4

Lunch in a popular restaurant 25

Three‐dish dinner in a popular restaurant 50‐70

Pizza in a popular fast food restaurant 25

Coffee in a bar 5‐10

Beer in a pub, 0,5 litre 10

National museum ticket 20

Cinema ticket 20

Theatre ticket 50‐120

Train ticket Warszawa – Krakow, Intercity 1st class 135

Mineral water, 1,5 litre 2,5

Milk, 1 litre 2,5‐3

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SHOPPING

There are shopping malls, supermarkets and local stores in all big cities and smaller towns. Numerous souvenir shops

are located in the streets of the historic old towns.

Among typical Polish products the ones worth recommending are:

– amber jewellery (made of amber from the Baltic Sea)

– articles of folk handicraft such as needlework or pottery (e.g. Boleslawiec pottery)

– Christmas and Easter ornaments (Christmas tree balls, Easter eggs, etc.)

– gingerbread cookies

– Polish chocolate (we recommend the Wedel b rand)

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– liquors: the most famous brands being Zubrowka (bison vodka) or different kinds of mead

These, of course, don’t close the list…

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PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

In Poland we celebrate the following public holidays (non‐working days):

January 1st New Year’s Day

January 6th Epiphany

April 21nd Easter Sunday

April 22nd Easter Monday / “Smigus Dyngus” – on this day young people throw water at

each other and have water fights.

May 1st Labour Day

May 3rd Constitution Day

June 19th Corpus Christi

August 15th Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary & Polish Armed Forces Day (celebrating

the battle of Warsaw in 1920)

November 1st All Saints’ Day

November 11th Independence Day

December 25th Christmas Day

December 26th St. Stephen’s Day

Other holidays and special days:

January 21st Grandmother’s Day

January 22nd Grandfather’s Day

February 14th Saint Valentine’s Day – on this day lovers express their love by sending

Valentine’s cards, presenting flowers or small gifts to each other.

February 27

Fat Thursday – a day dedicated to eating sweets and cakes, especially “pączki” –

donuts filled with rose marmalade, and “faworki” – crisp pastry fingers sprinkled

with powdered sugar

March 4th Shrovetide / “Ostatki” – end of the carnival when big parties are thrown

March 5

Ash Wednesday – beginning of Lent; on this day people go to churches and

during a special holy mass have their heads sprinkled with ash as a symbol of

penance

March 8th Women’s Day

March 21st Truant’s Day – first day of spring; many students illegally leave lessons and have

fun

April 1st April Fools’ Day / Prima Aprilis – on this day people play jokes and hoaxes on

each other

May 2nd Flag Day

May 26th Mother’s Day

June 23rd Father’s Day

June 23rd/24th

St. John’s Night / “Noc Swietojanska” – beginning of summer; celebration

relates to summer solstice when nights are the shortest; there are open‐air

parties, concerts, barbecues; girls let wreaths with lit candles float on water

June 1st Children’s Day


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October 14th Day of National Education / Teacher’s Day

November 30th

St. Andrew’s Day / “Andrzejki” – on this day people are making prophecy by

pouring candle wax by key hole to water and guessing what the wax shape

means and what the nearest future will bring

December 6th St. Nicholas Day / “Mikolajki” – on this day Santa Claus is giving small gifts to

children

December 24th Christmas Eve

December 31st New Year’s Eve / “Sylwester” – on the last night of the year we celebrate the

coming of a new year

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OPENING HOURS

The opening hours of offices and shops are not formally set and may vary. Shopping centers are open Monday –

Sunday, usually from 10 am to 9 pm. Local shops open early in the morning (7‐8 am) and close at around 6‐7 pm.

Restaurants tend to open between around 11 am to 11 pm. Bars stay open until late at night, especially on weekends.

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TIPS

Tips are not mandatory in Poland but they are quite common and always appreciated. You should only give tips if you

are satisfied with the service received. In restaurants standard tip is 10% of the bill and it usually means rounding the

figure of the bill. In some restaurants a service fee is automatically added to the bill.

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ENG. LANGUAGE

English language has been commonly taught in Polish schools for many years and majority of people, especially in

tourist sites, speak English better or worse. You should have no problems with communicating in English, especially

with young people. Our guides speak fluent English and drivers have at least basic knowledge of the language.

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WHAT TO BRING

You should be aware that most of our tours involve quite a lot of walking so bringing a pair of comfortable shoes willbe strongly recommended. The type of clothes to take depends on the time of your travel. Anyway, the weather in

Poland can be a bit fitful so you should also bring some warmer clothes as well as a rain coat.

You do not need to take too much cash with you; there are numerous bank machines (ATMs) easily accessible and

handy.

If you take any medicines, you should consider taking them with you.

Don’t forget to take your travel documents and travel insurance. It is always a good idea to make a copy of your

passport and pack it separately or keep a scan in your email box. A plug adapter may be useful if your plug has a

different shape. Electricity in Poland is 230 Volts, 50 Hertz. If your device doesn’t accept these parameters, you will

need a voltage converter. Outlets in Poland only accept plugs with two round pins. And most important – bring a good

mood!

Here’s a helpful list of items that you’ll find useful and necessary on your tour: Packing checklist

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FOOD TO TASTE

Polish cuisine is varied and rich in flavors. Surely, during your holidays you will have many opportunities to taste

traditional Polish food and local delicacies. Make sure you don’t leave Poland without trying at least some of the

following:

Apetizers:

– kielbasa – Polish sausage as well as cold meats are very po pular and one of Polish favorites.

– ogork i kiszone – Polish‐style pickled cucumbers are commonly used as appetizers. The best ones are of course the

home‐made.

– oscypek – smoked cheese made of salted sheep milk is a regional product. It is produced by shepherds in Polish

mountains and is a must taste when you visit Tatra mountains.

Soups:

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– zurek [‘ʒurɛk] – Polish sour rye soup served with sausage and boiled egg, sometimes served in a bowl made of

bread.

– barszcz czerwony [barʃʧ ̑ ʧ ɛ̑r’vɔ ñɨ] – beetroot soup served with “uszka” – liĥle dumplings stuffed with meat or

mushrooms.

– flaki [‘flaki] – spicy Polish beef tripe soup is traditional and tasty, although its name meaning “guts” in Polish may be

quite off‐putting.

Main dishes:

– pierogi [‘pʲjɛrɔɟi] – dumplings stuffed with var ious fillings: cheese & potatoes, meat, mushroom & cabbage, sweet

curd cheese, fruit, etc. It is definitely one of the best recognizable Polish food.

– gołąbki [ɡɔ’wɔmpki] – cabbage rolls stuffed with meat, served in tomato sauce. Other ingredients include groats or

rice, onion and spices. – bigos [‘bʲiɡɔs] – Polish hunter’s stew made from cabbage, diced sausage, dried mushrooms, onion and spices. Very

traditional.

– kotlet schabowy [‘kɔtlɛt sxa’bɔvɨ] – Polish pork schnitzel is one of the most popular and usual dinner dishes in

Poland. It is a pork cutlet in a coating, served with potatoes and vegetables.

– placki ziemniaczane – potato pancakes is a simple dish made from grated potatoes fried in fat. Usually, they are

served with sugar or jam. A bigger version served with meat, beef sauce and vegetables is called “placek po

zbójnicku” (brigand’s pancake).

Desserts and sweets:

– pączki [‘pɔ ñ ʧ͇ k̑i] – Polish donuts are one of the most typical pastries and most favorite. They are round deep‐fried

pieces of dough filled with jam, pudding or other sweet filling, served covered with powdered sugar, icing or bits of

dried orange peel. A singular form of “pączki” is “pączek” [‘pɔ ñ ʧ͇ ɛ̑k].

– sernik [‘sɛrʲɲik] – cheesecake with dried fruit, raisins and/or crumble topping can be made in different ways; baked

in the oven or prepared without baking. It is made of sweet curd cheese; served hot or cold.

– piernik [‘pʲj ɛrʲɲik] – ging erbread is a dark hard aromatic cake. It comes in a form of a big piece of cake or small tasty

cookies.

– sekacz [‘sɛ k̃aʧ ]̑ – tree cake is a regional delicacy from Podlasie region. It owes its name to its characterisĕc

appearance and light and dark layers resembling growth rings of a tree trunk (“sęk” means “knot” in Polish).

Drinks:

– kompot [kɔ m̃’pɔt] – compote is a drink made in summer from fresh fruit and sugar. It is served cold and is a common

drink during dinner in Polish homes.

– wodka [‘vutka] – vodka is known as Polish national alcohol. Although its consumption h as been decreasing, it is stillquite popular and comes in many varieties.

– piwo [pʲivɔ] – beer is the most popular and favorite alcoholic drink in Poland. Brewing traditions here date back to

medieval times. Nowadays, numerous local micro‐breweries produce multitude of different types of beer.

– nalewki [na’lɛfki] – liqueurs made of fruit, spices or herbs are the stronger drinks. They have distinctive taste and are

perfect aid to digestion.

– miod pitny [mʲjut pʲitɲi] – mead is traditional Polish alcohol p roduced by fermenting a solution of honey and water.

It may be flavored with spices and herbs.

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SAVOIR VIVRE

The rules of Polish etiquette are not especially exotic or extraordinary. However, always some differences can be

found in customs and conventional behavior between people of different cultures and it is useful to know some of

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them. Below you will find a piece of advice:

‐When greeting someone, you can just say “Good morning” or “Hello”. People also shake there hands or kiss each

other on the cheeks – one or three times.

‐Kissing a woman on the hand is considered an old‐fashioned custom and is more common among older generation.

‐When visiting someone at home, guests usually bring small gifts for a hostess such as flowers, chocolates or a bottle

of wine.

‐When buying flowers, remember to buy an odd number, because an even number is bought for funerals.

‐When entering someone’s house, guests usually take their shoes off. Guest slippers can be offered to wear instead.

‐Men do not wear hats or caps indoors.

‐A meal does not start without a host.

‐It is the host who offers the first toast. The most common one is “Na zdrowie” which means “To your health”.

‐Elderly people are treated with respect.‐Younger passengers should give up their seat to elderly passengers or a pregnant woman on public transportation.

‐When greeting you should wait for the older person to extend their hand first. When addressing an older person, use

titles or surnames and wait to be invited before moving to first names.

‐Gentlemen give way at the door and open it for women and let them walk first.

‐Asking some personal questions is considered impolite. Do not ask questions such as ‘How much money do you

earn?’, ‘How much do you weigh?’ or ‘Why aren’t you married?’

‐When yawning or coughing, always cover your mouth with your hand.

The rules may seem numerous, however remember that Polish people are rather tolerant and friendly so they will

rather laugh at your faux pas than hold a grudge.

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ELECTRICITY

Electricity in Poland is 230 Volts, 50 Hertz. If your device doesn’t accept these parameters, you will need a voltageconverter. Outlets in Poland only accept plugs with two round pins. A plug adapter must be used if a plug has a

different shape.

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PUBLIC TOILETS

Public toilets in Poland are marked different ways. Sometimes, the signs on doors can come as a surprise for

foreigners and leave them puzzled. To prevent a dilemma which door to use, remember that the women’s bathrooms

are labeled with a circle and the men’s with a triangle.

Not all bathrooms in Poland still use those symbols. Many switched to universally recognized pictograms of a woman

and a man.

Usually, when using a public toilet there is a small fee (around 2 PLN). Often, the charge is to be paid before using thefacilities. Free toilets are to be found in most gas stations and in shopping malls.

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