Mark Baker - Lonely Planet Poland

Chic medieval hot spots like Krakw and Gdask vie with energetic Warsaw for your urban attention. Outside the cities, woods, rivers, lakes and hills beckon for some fresh-air fun.

Polands roots go back to the turn of the first millennium, leaving a thousand years of twists and turns and kings and castles to explore. History buffs of the WWII vintage are well served. Tragically, Poland found itself in the middle of that epic fight, and monuments and museums dedicated to its battles and to Polands remarkable survival can be seen everywhere. Theres a growing appreciation, too, of the countrys rich Jewish heritage. Beyond the deeply affecting Holocaust memorials, synagogues are being sensitively restored, and former Jewish centres such as d and Lublin have set up heritage trails so you can trace this history at your own pace.

The former royal capital of Krakw is a living lab of architecture over the ages. Its nearly perfectly preserved Gothic core proudly wears overlays of Ren-aissance, Baroque and Art Nouveau, a record of tastes that evolved over the centuries. Fabulous medieval castles and evocative ruins dot hilltops elsewhere in the country, and the fantastic red-brick fortresses of the Teutonic Knights stand proudly in the north along the Vistula. At the other extreme, simple but finely crafted wooden churches hide amid the Carpathian hills, and the ample skills of the countrys highlanders are ondisplay at the regions many skansens (open-air ethnographic museums).

If youre partial to good home cooking, the way your grandmother used to make it, youve come to the right place. Polish food is based largely on local ingredients like pork, cabbage, mushroom, beetroot and onion, combined simply and honed to perfection. Regional specialities like duck, goose, herring and even bison keep things from getting dull. As for sweets, its hard to imagine a more accommodating destination. Cream cakes, apple strudel, pan-cakes, fruit-filled dumplings and a special national mania for lody (ice cream) may have you skipping the main course and jumping straight to the main event.

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 that are ideal for kayaking and canoeing no experience necessary. Local outfitters are happy to set you up for a couple of hours or weeks.

Kluszkowce, Carpathian Mountains ()
PETER ADAMS/CORBIS

CURRENCY

Polish zoty (z)

LANGUAGE

Polish

MONEY

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

VISAS

Generally not required for stays up to 90 days. Some nationalities will need a Schengen visa.

MOBILE PHONES

Local SIM cards can be used in European, Australian and some American phones. Other phones set to roaming.

TRANSPORT

Mostly trains for long-distance travel; buses and minibuses within regions.

When to Go

HIGH SEASON (MAYSEP)

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

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

Prepare for crowds, especially at weekends.

SHOULDER (MAR & APR, OCT)

Some attractions may be closed or have shorter hours.

April and October are cool, but expect some sunny days.

Easter weekend can be very crowded; book in advance.

LOW SEASON (NOVFEB)

Snow in the mountains brings skiers to mountain resorts.

The week between Christmas and New Year can be crowded.

Museums and castles in smaller towns may be closed.

Your Daily Budget

BUDGET LESS THAN 140Z

Hostel dorm room or low-cost guesthouse: 50z

Meals in milk bars and self-catering: 40z

Train/bus tickets: 30z

Sundries: 10z

MIDRANGE: 200240Z

Room in a midrange hotel or pension: 100120z

Lunch and dinner in decent restaurants: 60z

Train/bus tickets: 30z

Sundries: 15z

TOP END OVER 350Z

Room in the best place in town: 200z

Lunch and dinner in the best restaurants: 80z

Train/bus/taxi: 50z

Sundries: 20z

Websites

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

Polish National Tourist Office (www.poland.travel) Official tourist site.

Experience Poland (www.experiencepoland.com) Wide range of useful info.

New Poland Express (www.newpolandexpress.pl) Overview of top news.

Warsaw Voice (www.warsawvoice.pl) Covers Polish current affairs.

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

Exchange Rates

Australia	A$1	3.12z
Canada	C$1	2.98z
Europe		4.15z
Japan		3.78z
New Zealand	NZ$1	2.47z
UK		4.70z
USA	US$1	2.90z

For current exchange rates see www.xe.com

Important Numbers

When calling between cities, its no longer necessary to first dial 0.

Ambulance	999
Fire	998
Police	997
Emergency from mobile phone	112
Country code	48

Arriving in Poland

Warsaw: Frdric Chopin Airport

City bus 2.80z; bus 175 to the Old Town

Taxi about 60z; 20 minutes to the Old Town

Krakw: John Paul II Airport

Train 10z; 18 minutes to Krakw Gwny station

Taxi about 80z; 20 minutes to the Old Town

Gdask: Lech Wasa Airport

Airport bus 10z; 35 minutes to the centre

City bus 2.50z; bus 110 to the suburb of Wrzeszcz

Taxi about 70z; 30 minutes to the centre