Poland, one of the oldest countries, was formed in the 10th century. Situated in Central Europe, most of Poland is covered in flat plains with mountains in the south. Warsaw, the country’s capital, was completely destroyed during World War II. Since then, Warsaw has been completely rebuilt. Some major attractions in Warsaw include the Royal Castle of Warsaw, which was among those buildings that were rebuilt after the war. The open air theater and the monument of Chopin at The Lazienky Palace is also a major tourist attraction. The second largest city in Poland is Crakow, which contains a large amount of architecture from the medieval era. Because of the Poles love of music and theater, Poland is home to many theaters and opera houses. In the Tatra Mountains to the south, climbing and skiing are popular activities. Poland is famous for cuisine such as kolaczki which are fruit-filled (usually apricot) folded cookies, pierogi which are dumplings which are filled with various things such as potatoes or cheese, and kielbasa which is sausage. Poland has a temperate climate with four seasons. Winters in Poland can often be severe and summers are often hot.
There are approximately 38.5 million people living in Poland, most of which speak the national language of Poland known as Polish. When meeting a Pole for the first time, a handshake is customary. It is considered polite to bring flowers when visiting a Pole at their home. Poles dress casually, but conservative, on a day-to-day basis. Poles will dress formally, however, at formal events or when going to a fancy restaurant. Tipping at restaurants and hotels is customary and is generally 10-15%. Smoking is against the law in many public buildings, so it’s important to check before lighting up. The voltage coming from electrical outlets in Poland is 230 volts which a frequency of 50 Hz, so it’s important to have the proper converters and adapters before plugging in any electronics that are not from Poland (or countries with similar voltage.)
For those traveling by air, LOT Polish Airlines is the preferred airline as it is Poland’s national airline. However, many other major airlines fly into Poland. Most tourists fly into Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport as it is the largest airport in the country. The airport is located six miles from the city, making transportation to and from the airport easy. For those interested in traveling to Poland by sea, there are ferries that connect Poland to Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. Many tourists come into Poland by rail which is serviced by Polish State Railways. The railways and Poland can take visitors to all the large cities of Poland from many locations around Europe.
Duty free items differ based on where travelers are from. For those from countries other than those in Europe up to 250 cigarettes or 250g tobacco or 50 cigars and one liter of wine and one liter of spirits any perfumes, medication, and cosmetics for personal use as well as gifts up to €175 in value can be taken from Poland without paying duty. For those from European countries can take up to 800 cigarettes or 200 cigars or one kilogram of smoking tobacco and ten liters of spirits, 90 liters of wine and 110 liters of beer, and any perfumes, medication and cosmetics for personal use, as well as any gifts up to €175 in value can be taken without paying duty.
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