Tourism in Poland

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Main market in Krakow
Warsaw old town
Wroclaw
Danzig
Dolina Gąsienicowa in the Tatras
Dunajec

The Tourism in Poland is one of the most important economic sectors of the country .

For tourists in Poland on the one hand the cities with their cultural offerings, on the other hand the untouched nature are very attractive. But Poland also offers many opportunities for those who want to spend their vacation actively in sports, especially in the area of ​​water, landscape and winter sports.

Recreational areas and health resorts can be found in the south and north of Poland, in the Voivodeships of Warmia-Masuria , West Pomerania , Pomerania , Kuyavian-Pomerania , Lesser Poland , the Subcarpathian and Lower Silesia . You can do water sports on the Baltic Sea , the lake districts and some mountain rivers, v. a. Dunajec , San , Poprad , Pilica , Glatzer Neiße , Bober and their reservoirs. The mountain regions Tatry , Beskydy , Kraków-Czestochowa Jura , Świętokrzyskie Mountains , Sudetes with the Giant Mountains in the first place invite you to go on a skiing and hiking holiday. Zakopane is the winter sports capital of Poland .

Among the most famous cultural events in Poland include International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw , Warsaw Autumn and Sopot Festival . The cultural centers in Poland include Warsaw, Krakow , Poznan , Wroclaw , Gdansk , Łódź , Katowice , Lublin , Szczecin and Toruń .

In the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 of the World Economic Forum, Poland ranks 46th out of 136 countries.

Visitors

In 2010, Germans (25.86 million), Czechs (9.24 million), Slovaks (6.01 million), Ukrainians (5.03 million) and Belarusians (3.09 million) visited the country .).

The following table gives an overview of the development of the number of arrivals by international guests since 1995. International guests include all people who arrive from abroad and spend the night in the country at least once. The expenses incurred by these guests are also given (calculated in US dollars).

year Number of international guests revenue
1995 19,215,000 $ 6.927 billion
2000 17,400,000 $ 6.128 billion
2005 15,200,000 $ 7.161 billion
2010 12,470,000 $ 10.037 billion
2011 13,350,000 $ 11.649 billion
2012 14,840,000 $ 11.888 billion
2013 15,800,000 $ 12.432 billion
2014 16,000,000 $ 12.924 billion
2015 16,728,000 $ 11.355 billion
2016 17,471,000 $ 12.052 billion
2017 18,258,000 $ 14,083 billion

country

Poland is located in Central Europe . The territory of Poland consists of five geographical areas. To the northwest is the from the Pomeranian to the Gulf of Gdansk reaching the Baltic Sea coast , which is characterized by numerous spits, inland waters and dunes. The largely straight coastline is interrupted by the Szczecin and Fresh Lagoon and the Putziger Wiek . In the north and center, the lowland formed by the Ice Age joins the Central European Plain, in which there are four large lake districts ( Masurian Lake District , Kashubian Lake District , Pomeranian Lake District and Greater Poland Lake District ), the numerous waters of which are embedded in a hilly moraine landscape (cf. Kashubian Switzerland ). South of the lowlands lie the landscapes of Silesia and Mazovia, which are shaped by the glacial valleys of the great rivers . In particular, the Lublin region on the middle Vistula with its loess soils is strongly characterized by ravines. To the south of it are the Polish low mountain ranges, the Kraków-Czestochowa Jura , the Heiligkreuzgebirge , the Beskids , the Forest Carpathians and the Sudetes . The highest point, the Tatra Mountains , are geologically very diverse high mountains.

Regions

Poland is divided into 16 voivodeships .

Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship

Mikołajki

Warmia-Masuria ( Województwo warmińsko-mazurskie ) - region in northeastern Poland, with numerous lakes and crusader castles made of brick. Is considered the center of water sports in Poland, especially the area around the Great Masurian Lakes . The kayak route along the Krutynia or Wyszka on the Śniardwy is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Europe. But hiking, cycling, gliding and balloon rides are also very popular. Sailing boats and houseboats can go on the Masurian waterways from Angerburg to Johannisburg. A connection to the Baltic Sea does not yet exist.

Olsztyn-Mazury Airport is located in the region , there are rail connections to Warsaw , Gdansk , Toruń and Białystok and the European route 77 crosses the area.

Greater Poland Voivodeship

Arch-Cathedral of Gniezno

Greater Poland Voivodeship ( Województwo wielkopolskie ) - a historical region around Poznan, is considered the Polish heartland, with settlements from the Bronze Age and the cradle of the Polish state around Gnesen , Kruszwica and Ostrów Lednicki . There are many Romanesque buildings around Gniezno and many baroque palaces around Posen. In Licheń Stary there is one of the largest churches in the world - modeled on St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The Wielkopolska Lake District is ideal for water sports.

The region is well connected with the surrounding area. The main railway junctions are Ostrów Wielkopolski , Piła , Krzyż Wielkopolski and Poznan Central Station , which has the main connections to Warsaw ( Warszawa – Poznań railway ), Berlin ( Frankfurt (Oder) –Poznań railway ), Stettin ( Poznań – Szczecin railway ), Toruń ( Poznań – Toruń railway line ), Wroclaw , Katowice and Kołobrzeg . The main roads are Europastraße 30 , Europastraße 261 and Europastraße 67 . The Lawica Airport is located within the city limits.

Holy Cross Voivodeship

Castle ruins from the 13th / 14th centuries Century in Chęciny

Świętokrzyskie ( Województwo świętokrzyskie ) - Region one of the oldest mountains in the world, the Holy Cross Mountains in south-central Poland. In Ujazd there is one of the largest castle ruins in Europe - Krzyżtopór , and the stalactite cave Raj is considered the most beautiful in Poland. In Chęciny , near Kielce , are the ruins of the castle from the 13th / 14th centuries. Century. Sandomierz is one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Central Europe.

Most of the connections are with Warsaw , Krakow , Łódź and Częstochowa .

Subcarpathian Voivodeship

Subcarpathian Voivodeship ( Województwo podkarpackie ) - a region in the extreme south-east of Poland with the "wild" mountains of Bieszczady and Beskid Niski . The Bieszczady Mountains have a special charm with the deserted high meadows. The brown bear, the wolf and the lynx still live here. Water sports are possible at the Solina reservoir, which is surrounded by mountains . Numerous Renaissance palaces, especially in Łańcut , Baranów Sandomierski and Krasiczyn and beautiful Renaissance towns of Przemyśl , Jarosław , Leżajsk .

The European route E40 into the region from the west and east and European Route 371 - from the north and south. Rzeszów has Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport and rail connections, including from Kraków and Warsaw.

Lesser Poland Voivodeship

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Lesser Poland Voivodeship ( Województwo małopolskie ) - probably the most beautiful region of Poland, in the south with five national parks and five world heritage sites. Here are the highest mountains, High Tatras , Western Tatras , Gorce , Pieninen , Babia Góra , Beskids and the Kraków-Częstochowa Jura . The former capital Krakow is considered the most beautiful city in Poland and was European Capital of Culture in 2000. The old town complex with the Wawel complex is on the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. There are also numerous monasteries, castles, renaissance palaces and Krakow's nightlife with its numerous student cellars is legendary.

Zakopane is known as the winter sports capital of Poland with the best après-ski. Szczyrk , Żywiec , Zawoja , Krynica-Zdrój and Rabka-Zdrój are other important ski resorts. Water sports are possible at the reservoirs near Czorsztyn , Żywiec and Tarnów . Raft and kayak tours in the Dunajec Gorge in the Pienines are a special experience. Another must-see is the 800-year-old Wieliczka Salt Mine .

Transport routes Europastraße 40 , Europastraße 77 and Europastraße 75 (via Upper Silesia ) lead to Lesser Poland. Krakow has good rail links and flights from many European cities - John Paul II Airport Krakow-Balice .

Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship

Kayak tour on the Brda

Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship ( Województwo kujawsko-pomorskie ) - A region on the lower Vistula River characterized by the brick Gothic . After Krakow, Toruń has the largest number of listed buildings in Poland. The kayak tour on the Brda is popular . Włocławek and the spa town of Ciechocinek are worth seeing. In Włocławek there is a special brick Gothic route, a wide range of museums and a reservoir.

The region has Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport Bydgoszcz and the rail connections z. B. to Poznan , Piła , Warsaw , Łódź , Olsztyn and Danzig . The main railway hubs are Bydgoszcz ( Bydgoszcz Główna station ), Toruń and Inowrocław . The region is located on European route 75 , European route 261 and national route 10 - the connections with Gdansk, Łódź, Poznan, Warsaw and Szczecin .

Lubusz Voivodeship

Warta Estuary National Park

Lubusz Voivodeship ( Województwo lubuskie ) - region on the central Oder, on the border with Germany. An outstanding example of the German-Polish reconciliation in this area is the Muskauer Park , which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The largest wine-growing region in Poland is also around Zielona Góra .

The region has good transport links to Berlin , Dresden , Stettin , Wroclaw , Poznan and Warsaw (e.g. A2 motorway ( Europastraße 30 ) and expressway S3 ( Europastraße 65 )) and Rzepin train station - the intersection of two important main lines: the Frankfurt ( Or) –Poznań and the Wrocław – Szczecin railway line . In Zielona Góra is the Zielona Góra-Babimost airport .

Łódź Voivodeship

Łódź Voivodeship ( Województwo łódzkie ) - Region in central Poland around the secession city of Łódź . Łowicz is considered the center of Polish folklore.

This region has z. B. Motorway A2 , Motorway A1 and Expressway S8 and also Władysław Reymont Airport Łódź . The main railway hubs are Łódź , Kutno , Łowicz and Koluszki . Main railway lines run from Warsaw via Skierniewice, Koluszki and Piotrków Trybunalski to Katowice and Vienna and from Warsaw via Łowicz and Kutno to Poznan and Berlin .

Lublin Voivodeship

Zamość

Lublin Voivodeship ( Województwo lubelskie ) - region in eastern Poland on the border with Ukraine and Belarus. Numerous renaissance cities testify to the wealth of the Polish-Lithuanian aristocratic republic in the early modern period. B. Kazimierz Dolny , Zamość , Lublin . There are numerous traces of Jewish culture. Castles and castle ruins are in Puławy , Kozłówka , Lublin, Kazimierz and Janowiec . The landscape of the Roztocze National Park is ideal for long hikes along the Tanew .

The region has Lublin-Świdnik Airport , the rail connections z. B. to Warsaw , Radom , Siedlce , Przemyśl and Skarżysko-Kamienna and is on the European route 372 and European route 373 .

Masovian Voivodeship

Fryderyk Chopin's birth house in Żelazowa Wola

Masovian Voivodeship ( Województwo mazowieckie ) - region in the center of Poland, around Warsaw - a vast landscape characterized by endless fields and avenues with weeping willows , which shaped Chopin's music, with numerous typical mansions of Polish aristocrats from the 18th century and romantic landscape parks in Arkadia and Nieborów , water sports on the Zegrze reservoir near Warsaw and on the Narew , with numerous baroque and classicism palaces and gardens in Warsaw as well as with modern architecture in the capital, which is considered one of the highest cities in Europe, and nightlife in Warsaw.

The most convenient means of transport are:

The other main railway lines run from Warsaw to Gdansk , Białystok , Lublin , Terespol (and further Brest , Minsk and Moscow ) and to Krakow via Włoszczowa or Radom and Kielce . European routes 30 , 67 , 77 and 372 intersect in Warsaw . The other main routes are state road 12 from Łęknica via Leszno , Kalisz , Piotrków Trybunalski , Radom and Lublin to Ukraine and state road 10 from Płońsk near Warsaw via Toruń , Bydgoszcz and Piła to Stettin .

Lower Silesian Voivodeship

Aula Leopoldina , University of Wroclaw

Lower Silesian Voivodeship ( Województwo dolnośląskie ) - a region in southwestern Poland with the main Sudeten ridge ( Giant Mountains , Jizera Mountains , Kłodzko Snow Mountains , Heuscheuer Mountains ) and numerous baroque buildings. The ski resorts Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba in the Giant Mountains are easy to reach from Germany . Wroclaw has an interesting night life and numerous sights in the old town, many palaces, monasteries, castles, forts and ruins along the Oder.

Motorway A4 ( Europastrasse 40 ) and Autobahn A18 ( Europastrasse 36 ) lead from Germany to Breslau . The other main routes are European route 65 , European route 67 and European route 261 . The main railway junction is Wrocław Główny Railway Station with connections e.g. B. after Zielona Góra , Rzepin , kostrzyn nad odrą and Szczecin ( railway Wroclaw-Szczecin ), Jelenia Góra , Wałbrzych ( railway Wroclaw-Wałbrzych ), Kłodzko and Międzylesie ( railway Wroclaw-Międzylesie ), Legnica , Węgliniec , Posen , Kalisz , Warsaw , Kluczbork , Opole and Katowice . The railway junctions at the German-Polish border are Węgliniec station and Lubań Śląski station . Wroclaw Nicolaus Copernicus Airport is in Wroclaw .

Opole Voivodeship

Opole Voivodeship ( Województwo opolskie ) - a region in the south of Poland on the Oder with numerous wooden shot churches and historic towns.

The region is on Europastrasse 40 . The main railway junction is Opole Główne station with connections z. B. to Wroclaw , Kluczbork , Posen , Lubliniec , Częstochowa , Katowice , Kędzierzyn-Koźle and Kłodzko .

Podlaskie Voivodeship

Branicki Palace in Białystok

Podlaskie Voivodeship ( Województwo podlaskie ) - the "wild east" of Poland, with the last primeval forest in Central Europe. This is where the last European bison live in the wild. Moose, wolves and brown bears can also be found. Numerous evidence of Jewish culture and the wealth of the Polish magnates . The Branicki Palace in Białystok is considered the Polish Versailles. The renaissance synagogue in Tykocin is considered to be the most beautiful in Europe. Polish Muslims also live here - the Tatars together with Orthodox and Catholic Poles. Probably the most beautiful Orthodox church in Poland is in Supraśl . The kayak route along the Czarna Hańcza is one of the most attractive in Poland. There are excellent opportunities for water sports around the Wigry lake complex in the far north-east of Poland. The lake Hańcza , which belongs to it, is over 100 m deep in Poland and the entire northern European lowlands from France to Estonia.

The region has rail connections to Warsaw and is on European route 67 from Prague , Wroclaw and Warsaw to Lithuania , Latvia , Estonia and Finland .

Pomeranian Voivodeship

Hel Peninsula

Pomeranian Voivodeship ( Województwo pomorskie ) - region in the north of Poland - after Lesser Poland, probably the most beautiful voivodeship in Poland around the Tricity - Gdansk , Sopot and Gdynia , with endless sandy beaches on the Baltic coast , with the desert-like sand sea of ​​dunes in the Slovinty National Park , with Gdansk as Mannerist gate of Poland, with numerous crusader castles, with the Marienburg order castle on the Nogat as the largest castle in the world and with lake plateaus in Kashubian Switzerland . Water sports (surfing, wreck diving, sailing) are available in Gdańsk Bay , especially on the Hel peninsula .

Gdansk and Gdynia have good rail connections with Warsaw , Poznan , Szczecin and Olsztyn . European route 28 via Szczecin and European route 75 via Łódź lead to Gdansk. Gdansk and Gdynia have connections to Sweden and Finland through the Baltic Sea . In Gdansk is Gdansk Lech Wałęsa Airport .

Silesian Voivodeship

Barania Góra

Silesian Voivodeship ( Województwo śląskie ) - region in the south of Poland - most populous agglomeration around Katowice with a rich cultural offer , winter sports in the Silesian Beskids in Ustroń and Wisła and the Jura with its numerous castles. The castle ruins of Ogrodzieniec are considered one of the most beautiful in Europe. The most important place of pilgrimage is the baroque monastery on the Light Mountain in Częstochowa , one of the largest in Europe.

The region has Katowice Airport and is well connected with:

West Pomeranian Voivodeship

City Hall in Myślibórz

West Pomeranian Voivodeship ( Województwo zachodniopomorskie ) - region in northwest Poland on the Baltic Sea , with numerous water sports on the coast, the Szczecin Lagoon and the Pomeranian Lake District . The kayak route along the Drawa is very varied. The most beautiful beaches can be found on the islands of Wolin and Usedom ( Międzyzdroje , Świnoujście ) and at Kołobrzeg . The Wolin National Park is located near the German-Polish border .

Szczecin offers a diverse cultural program, e.g. B. in the castle of the Pomeranian dukes . German-Polish cultural events are organized in various border towns - for example in Stettin, Świnoujście , Police , Gryfino and Nowe Warpno . Some cities in West Pomerania belong to the European Route of Brick Gothic .

The climate is characterized by mild winters. The largest number of hotels can be found on the Baltic Sea coast , including Koszalin and the surrounding area, as well as in Szczecin . Stettin and Świnoujście can be reached via the federal motorway 11 from Berlin ( Europastraße 28 ) and the federal motorway 20 from Lübeck / Rostock . The Szczecin Central Station (Szczecin Główny) offers rail connections to Poznan ( Poznań – Szczecin line ), Wroclaw ( Wrocław – Szczecin line ), Berlin ( Berlin – Szczecin line ), Pasewalk ( Bützow – Szczecin line ), Police and Trzebież ( Szczecin. – Trzebież line) Szczeciński ), Świnoujście ( Szczecin Dąbie – Świnoujście railway ), Kołobrzeg ( Koszalin – Goleniów railway ) and Danzig ( Stargard Szczeciński – Gdańsk railway ). Świnoujście ( European route 65 ) and Kołobrzeg offer ferry connections to Sweden and Denmark . The Szczecin-Goleniów airport is located near Szczecin on the outskirts of Goleniów .

Cities

The cultural offerings in the Polish metropolises are varied and affordable even for the less well-off visitor.

Many cities that were destroyed in World War II were rebuilt in exemplary fashion by the Polish restorers. These include above all Warsaw, Poznan, Wroclaw and Gdansk. The former royal city of Krakow is often considered the most beautiful city in Poland, it was visited by around 12 million tourists in 2005.

The pub culture and nightlife are particularly attractive for young guests in the large student cities of Krakow, Warsaw , Wroclaw and Poznan .

The most varied opportunities to spend time are offered in the largest cities and in these cities that are located in special places, such as in Świnoujście , Kołobrzeg and Sopot by the sea or Karpacz , Zakopane and Krynica-Zdrój in the mountains.

Warsaw

Warsaw - the capital with an old town , which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, with numerous baroque and classical castles, palaces, gardens and parks. A modern skyline stretches across the city center.

Krakow

Wawel

Krakow - the former capital, with numerous architectural monuments from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles. The Wawel , the former royal castle with a cathedral that towers over the city, deserves special attention . The old town was built around the largest medieval market square in the world and is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Wroclaw

Multimedia fountain in Wroclaw

Wroclaw - Gothic-Baroque city with a beautiful market square and Gothic cathedral island. European Capital of Culture 2016.

The Gut Bier Festival takes place every year on the second weekend in May .

Poses

Poznan - baroque center with Gothic cathedral island , renaissance town hall and baroque Jesuit church, leisure area Malta.

Łódź

Łódź - secession city with the boulevard Piotrkowska and the largest Jewish cemetery in the world.

Danzig

Gdansk - Mannerist city in the Vistula Delta, well-preserved old town around the Long Market and the largest brick church in the world.

Szczecin

Szczecin

Szczecin - port city in West Pomerania with the castle of the Pomeranian dukes , museums and the Philharmonic of Szczecin .

Toruń

Toruń - Gothic buildings (hometown of Nicolaus Copernicus ) with numerous architectural monuments, in particular the Gothic town hall.

Lublin

Lublin - renaissance city in the east of Poland with many buildings with typical “Polish attics”, baroque churches, Russian chapel.

Bydgoszcz

Bydgoszcz - Speicherstadt on the Drawa . Center for culture on the border between Kuyavian and Pomeranian.

Włocławek

Włocławek ( Leslau ) is a city in Kujawy ( Kujawy ) in central Poland. There is an interesting route to churches and other sights (brick Gothic), u. a. with the famous cathedral, museums and a reservoir.

Further

Jasna Gora
Sandomierz

Poland also has a large number of beautiful, historically shaped small towns with a picturesque townscape. Many survived the Second World War unscathed, many were rebuilt true to the original after its destruction. They are an alternative for tourism in the big cities. These cities function as regional or local cultural centers. They usually have good places to stay. The most beautiful small towns include:

Among the very small towns they stand out from Cittàslow , they stand out by a peaceful way of life. You are e.g. B. Gołdap , Lidzbark Warmiński , Olsztynek , Reszel , Ryn , Murowana Goślina and Prudnik .

Villages

The most interesting tourist villages are:

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

There are a total of 13 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Poland :

National parks

Drawa National Park
Pieniny National Park

In Poland there are still animals that have become extinct in large parts of Europe, such as B. bisons in the primeval forest of Białowieża and Podlachia as well as brown bears in Białowieża, in the Tatras and in the forest Carpathians, wolves and lynxes in the various forest areas, elk in northern Poland, beavers in Masuria , Pomerania and Podlachia. In the woods you also meet low and big game ( deer , roe deer and wild boar ). There are also large forest areas in the Tatra Mountains. Poland is an important resting place for migratory birds .

Many attractive natural treasures are protected in 23 national parks:

Biosphere reserves

The UNESCO has the following biosphere reserves in Poland under the program Man and the Biosphere ( Man and Biosphere ) protect typical cultural landscapes from.

climate

The climate is temperate and becomes more and more continental towards the east and south-east. Summers are generally warm with mean temperatures between 16 and 19 ° C and winters are cold, with mean temperatures around 0 ° C in the northwest and down to -5 ° C in the southeast. Precipitation falls mainly in spring and autumn, with the amount of precipitation decreasing towards the east.

coast

The Polish Baltic Sea coast is 491 km long and extends from Świnoujście on the islands of Usedom and Wolin in the west to Krynica Morska on the Fresh Spit (also known as the Vistula Spit) in the east. The Polish coast is largely a sandy compensation coast, which is characterized by the steady movement of the sand due to the current and the wind from west to east. As a result, many cliffs, dunes and spits form, which create many inland waters after they hit land, such as B. the Jezioro Łebsko in the Slowinzischen National Park near Łeba . The most famous spits are the Hel and the Fresh Spit . The only Polish island in the Baltic Sea is Wolin.

The largest port cities are Gdynia , Gdansk, Stettin and Świnoujście .

The best-known seaside resorts are Sopot , Międzyzdroje , Kołobrzeg , Łeba, Władysławowo and Jurata .

Lakes

Drawsko Lake , part of the Pomeranian Lake District in western Poland

Poland is, with the Masurian and Pomeranian Lake District , a country rich in lakes. You can go sailing, diving, swimming, surfing and kayaking, especially in northern Poland, but also on the reservoirs in the southern mountains. The largest lakes with an area of ​​over 100 km² are Śniardwy ( Spirdingsee ) and Mamry ( Mauersee ) in Masuria and the Jezioro Łebsko ( Leba Lake ) and Jezioro Drawsko ( Dratzig Lake ) in Pomerania. In addition to the lake districts in the north (Masuria, Pomerania, Kashubia, Greater Poland) there is also a large number of mountain lakes in the Tatras, of which the sea ​​eye ( Morskie Oko ) is the largest in terms of area. The deepest lake, over 100 m deep, is Hańcza Lake in the Wigry Lake District , east of Masuria in the Podlaskie Voivodeship . It is followed by the Tatra mountain lake "Great Polish Lake" in the "Valley of the Five Polish Lakes". The Wielkopolska Lake District was one of the first lakes whose banks were populated.

The pile dwelling settlement of Biskupin , which was inhabited by more than 1000 people, was founded before the 7th century BC. BC members of the Lausitz culture . The ancestors of today's Poles, the Polans , built their first castles on the lake islands (Polish: Ostrów ). The legendary Prince Popiel is said to have ruled from Kruszwica am Gopło ( Goplosee ) in the 8th century . The first historically documented ruler of Poland, Duke Mieszko I , had his castle on an island in the Warta in Poznan.

Rivers

In addition, the Polish rivers offer kayakers and anglers many water sports. The longest rivers are the Vistula with 1047 km, the border river Oder with 854 km, the Warthe with 808 km and the Bug with 772 km. The Vistula and the Oder flow into the Baltic Sea, as do numerous smaller rivers in Pomerania. Love and Angrapa flow over the Pregel and the Czarna Hańcza over the Memel into the Baltic Sea. In addition, some smaller rivers, such as the Iser in the Sudetes, drain over the Elbe into the North Sea. The Orava from the Beskydy flows over the Waag and the Danube as well as some smaller rivers from the Forest Carpathians over the Dniester into the Black Sea. The mountain rivers Dunajec , San , Poprad , Bober and the meandering rivers Drawa , Krutynia , Czarna Hańcza , Biebrza and Narew are particularly suitable for kayaking trips lasting several weeks. The Polish rivers were used for shipping very early on. Even the Vikings used their dragon boats on their raids through Europe on the Vistula and the Oder.

Mountains

Poland has 21 mountains over 2000 m high, all of which are in the Tatra Mountains. The Tatras, consisting of the High and Western Tatras on Polish territory, represent the highest mountain range in Poland and the entire Carpathian Mountains. The highest mountain Rysy with its high-lying lake Morskie Oko lies in the High Tatras at 2,499 m . The second highest mountain range in Poland are the Beskids with Babia Góra (1725 m) as the highest peak. They are followed by the Giant Mountains , whose Schneekoppe, at 1602 m, is the highest point in the Sudetes. The Forest Carpathians in the extreme southeast of the country are among the most beautiful mountains in Poland, the highest of which in the Polonina is the Tarnica at approx. 1300 m. The Low Beskids (approx. 1000 m), the Gorce (approx. 1300 m) and the Pieninen (approx. 1000 m) are also known among tourists, each of which is protected by a national park.

The lowest point at 2  m below sea level is at Raczki Elbląskie near Elbląg in the Vistula Delta. The geological structure of Poland is shaped by the plate collision of the continents Africa and Europe during the last millions of years on the one hand, and by the glaciation of Scandinavia, the Carpathians and Sudetes during the ice ages on the other. Both processes formed the Carpathian Mountains and the Sudetes. The moraine landscape of northern Poland mostly has sandy and clay soils, while the southern glacial valleys often have loess soils. The Jura, the Pienines and the Western Tatras are made of limestone, while the High Tatras, the Beskids and the Giant Mountains are largely made up of granite and basalts. The Heiligkreuz Mountains are one of the oldest mountains on earth.

architecture

Castles

There are hundreds of castles and their ruins in Poland. Of particular interest are the eagle's nest castles in the Jura between Kraków and Czestochowa (e.g. Ogrodzieniec , Mirów , Pieskowa Skała ) as well as Kasimir the Great's castles in Lesser Poland and southeastern Poland ( Niedzica , Czorsztyn , Nowy Wiśnicz ), the castles in Silesia ( Bolków , Książ , Guhlau ) and the brick crusader castles in northern Poland ( Marienburg , Kwidzyn ). The highlight, however, is certainly the Wawelburg in Krakow. The castles of the Dukes of Pomerania are in Szczecin and Darłowo , among others .

Palaces

There are many aristocratic palaces in Poland, Warsaw alone has over a hundred. The rich Polish nobility diligently built huge residences during the Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism periods. So was z. For example, the Krzyżtopór Palace in Ujazd before Versailles was the largest palace in Europe. Many of these palaces are now in the Ukraine, Belarus or Lithuania. The Warsaw palaces are among the most important in Poland: Royal Palace , Presidential Palace , Łazienki , Wilanów , Krasiński , Sapieha , Potocki etc., as well as the palaces in Białystok , Rogalin , Nieborów , Kozłówka , Łańcut , Krasiczyn , Baranów .

Gardens and parks

Pleasure gardens have been laid out in Poland since the Renaissance. These can be found e.g. B. in Brzeg, Krakow, Pieskowa Skała . There are baroque gardens in French style in Wilanów, Warsaw, Białystok. In the 18th century, especially in Mazovia, several romantic gardens in the English style were built, especially "The Baths" - Łazienki in Warsaw, Arkadia , Puławy etc.

Zoological gardens


Churches

In Poland in the Middle Ages and in the early modern period, believers of different religions and denominations lived peacefully side by side, and the Polish kings and sejme guaranteed them religious freedom, which in Poland achieved constitutional status for the first time worldwide in 1572. Churches, synagogues and Tatar mosques throughout Poland and in all architectural styles bear witness to this cultural diversity. The largest church is likely the Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń , the most beautiful probably the Wawel Cathedral in Krakow. The largest synagogue is likely to be the Old Synagogue in Kazimierz (Cracow), the most beautiful - the Synagogue in Tykocin . The largest mosque is likely to be in Gdansk, the most beautiful are likely to be the wooden mosques in Podlasie.

Museums

art

Despite the devastating losses during World War II, Polish museums are still rich in art treasures by Polish and foreign masters. First and foremost here are the Krakow museums. The most important painting is likely to be the Lady with an Ermine ( Czartoryski Museum ) by Leonardo da Vinci, which, along with the Mona Lisa by the same master, is considered the most valuable painting in the world. Cracow also has the largest Gothic altar ( Veit Stoss ), along with over two million other works of art. The museums of Warsaw, Poznan, Wroclaw and Danzig are also worth seeing.

Events

Music festivals

Film festivals

Sporting events

traffic

plane

The largest airline is the Polskie Linie Lotnicze (LOT), which has subsidiaries such as Eurolot .

By far the largest and most important airport in Poland is Warsaw Chopin Airport , followed by those in Krakow , Gdansk , Katowice and Wroclaw . Other airports with less international air traffic are Warsaw-Modlin , Posen , Rzeszów , Stettin-Goleniów , Bydgoszcz , Łódź , Lublin-Świdnik , and Zielona Góra-Babimost .

train

The rail network in Poland is very dense and covers 22,560 km. It is operated by the state railway PKP . The rail network is star-shaped with Warsaw as the center. Other important transport hubs are Poznan, Gdansk, Szczecin, Wroclaw, Katowice and Krakow. There is a new line ( Centralna Magistrala Kolejowa ) from Warsaw to Katowice / Cracow as well as to Poznan, Łódź and Wroclaw .

The most important cities are connected by intercity trains; suburban train systems similar to S-Bahn exist in the metropolitan agglomerations mentioned. For some train classes (Express, EC, IC ) reservations are required .

bus

Despite growing individual traffic, an extensive intercity bus network in Poland still serves very important public transport. In addition to the public bus lines PKS, there is a wide range of private providers.

Public transportation to many cities also supports neighboring towns and villages, e.g. B. in Upper Silesia (the area around Katowice ) and Agglomeration Szczecin (the area around Stettin and Police ).

automobile

The road network has a total length of 364 697 km. There are relatively few motorways, but they are being systematically expanded.

Existing highways:

No. European
roads 		From
(north or west) 		Via To
(south or east) 		Total
length 		In operation Under construction In the
tender 		In concrete
planning a
A1 E75 Danzig Grudziądz  - Włocławek  - Toruń  - Łódź  - Piotrków Trybunalski  - Częstochowa  - Bytom  - Zabrze  - Gliwice  - Rybnik  - Żory Symbol: border Czech RepublicCzech Republic CZ / Gorzyczki 0568 km 0478.3 km 084.2% 89.7 km
A2 E30 Symbol: border GermanyGermany DE / Świecko Poznan  - Konin  - Łódź  - Skierniewice  - Warsaw  - Siedlce  - Biała Podlaska Symbol: border BelarusBelarus BY / Kukuryki 0622.2 km 0476.6 km 076.3% 014.6 km 25 km 108 km
A4 E40
E462 		Symbol: border GermanyGermany DE / Jędrzychowice Legnica  - Wroclaw  - Opole  - Gliwice  - Ruda Śląska  - Chorzów  - Katowice  - Mysłowice  - Jaworzno  - Kraków  - Tarnów  - Rzeszów  - Przemyśl Symbol: border UkraineUkraine UA / Korczowa 0672.5 km 0670.0 km 100%
A6 E28 Symbol: border GermanyGermany DE / Kołbaskowo Szczecin Symbol: KN Rzęśnica 0029 km 0025.5 km 087.9% 003.5 km
A8 E67
E261 		Symbol: KN Wrocław-Poludnie Wroclaw Symbol: KN Wrocław- Psie Pole 0022.4 km 0022.4 km 100.0%
A18 E36 Symbol: border GermanyGermany EN / Olszyna Symbol: KN Krzyżowa 0078.8 km 0007.0 km 009.0% 33.5 km 16.2 km 021.5 km
total 1992.9 km 1679.8 km 084.3% 0141.3 km 41.2 km 129.5 km

As of September 28, 2019

aPlanning sections with DŚU (abbreviation for pol .: D ecyzja o ś rodowiskowych u warunkowaniach , German about: environmental impact decision )

bicycle

Cycle paths in cities tend to be an exception, and cyclists often use the sidewalks. Cycle routes are often signposted along side roads and unpaved paths that can become muddy when it rains.

ship

There are 3812 km of navigable waterways in Poland. The main seaports in Poland are in Gdansk, Gdynia, Świnoujście and Szczecin.

The following regular ferry connections exist:

Sailing and houseboat

You can go sailing or houseboat on the navigable rivers and lakes and also spend your vacation. The Masurian Lake District , the Augustow Canal, Warta, Vistula and Oder are particularly popular . The Masurian Lake District is navigable in the north from Angerburg to the south near Johannisburg. There is still no connection to the Baltic Sea for houseboats. The waterways are now being revitalized and are already an important branch of tourism, there are a number of boat rental companies. The waterways can be navigated with a houseboat , for example, as part of a houseboat holiday .

language

German is often spoken near the German border and in the cities, otherwise you can get quite far with English in the big cities. In rural areas away from the main tourist regions, it is difficult to communicate with German and English. Knowledge of other Slavic languages ​​can be helpful, although Russian can still have negative connotations for many Poles to this day. Although the Polish language is relatively difficult to learn, most Poles treat foreigners who try their hand at it very benevolently.

Currency and shopping

The national currency is the zloty (PLN). One euro equals 4.3971 PLN, one CHF - 4.081214 PLN. There are many exchange offices in the big cities, where the exchange rate is usually cheaper than z. B. at the airport or in banks. In Poland there are no restrictions on shop opening hours (except for public holidays), but only a few hypermarkets in the outskirts of the major cities are open around the clock, otherwise the regular opening hours of many shops are Monday to Sunday between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

kitchen

Polish cuisine has many specialties, such as bigos , pierogi , barszcz , uszka , gołąbki , flaki , Żurek, etc. Polish meat products enjoy a high reputation worldwide.

The best-known Polish beer brands include Żywiec, Tyskie , Lech , Warka , Leżajsk, EB , Bosman and Piast.

The vodka either becomes clear, e.g. B. Chopin , Belvedere , Wyborowa , Sobieski, or with aromas, e.g. B. Żubrówka , Żołądkowa offered. Drinking honey is an old Polish specialty.

The bar mleczny , the Polish milk bar, an institution that flourished under socialism, offers traditional Polish dishes.

Going out

Men and women can have a good time, especially in the big cities. The pub culture and nightlife are particularly attractive for young guests in the large student cities of Krakow, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Łódź and Poznan. Krakow, in particular, as a city with around 150,000 students and hundreds of pubs, cellars and bars in the old town and in the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, has made a name for itself as a top European destination for nightlife. At the market square - the largest medieval one in the world - it will be difficult to find a building with a bar or disco without a basement. Warsaw and Łódź, on the other hand, have large discos and dance palaces. But there are also very good opportunities for going out in Warsaw's old town and around Łazienki Park . Other student cities such as Wroclaw, Poznan, Gdansk, Stettin, Lublin and Katowice also have an intense nightlife.

overnight stay

Youth hostels and hikers' huts are z. B. operated by PTTK . These are usually relatively large and anonymous, often with separate rooms for the sexes. There are also youth hostels that are always open. There are campsites across the country. But wild camping is also tolerated. There is also no lack of luxurious hotels and castle hotels.

Learn

Polish universities maintain exchange programs, e.g. B. Erasmus, with universities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The oldest university in Poland and the second oldest in Central Europe is the Jagiellonian University in Krakow from 1364.

Polish courses for foreigners are offered by various organizers (including universities) in several cities. B. in Krakow and Warsaw.

public holidays

January 1st New Year ( Nowy Rok )
March April Easter Sunday ( Niedziela Wielkanocna )
March April Easter Monday ( Poniedziałek Wielkanocny )
1st of May May Day ( Święto Państwowe 1 Maja )
May 3rd Constitution Day of May 3, 1791 ( Święto Konstytucji Trzeciego Maja )
7th Sunday after Easter Pentecost ( Zielone Świątki )
9. Thursday after Easter Corpus Christi ( Boże Ciało )
15th of August Assumption of the Virgin Mary ( Wniebowzięcie Najświętszej Maryi Panny ), which is also the Day of the Polish Army
November 1st All Saints' Day ( Wszystkich Świętych )
November 11th Independence Day ( Dzień Niepodległości )
25 December 1st Christmas Day ( pierwszy dzień Bożego Narodzenia )
December 26th 2nd Christmas Day ( drugi dzień Bożego Narodzenia )

health

Medical care is good, especially in small towns and rural areas, but not always comparable with the quality in Western Europe. So there is, especially in the density of care with specialists and hospitals z. Some gaps and the standard of many public hospitals can still be improved, often for financial reasons. Most health insurances cover the costs of emergency treatment in Poland. In cities, some pharmacies always have night duty, and the supply density with pharmacies is generally good.

The bathing waters are regularly of good quality, especially in the north. Tick ​​bites can be problematic in Masuria. A vaccination against TBE or regular body scanning is recommended. In Masuria, a mosquito repellent should not be missing, but it can also be bought cheaply on site.

Telecommunication and Post

Poland is well covered with landline connections and the mobile network is well developed and usually offers good connections even in rural areas. Telephone booths are numerous and work with phone cards, tokens, or coins. There are numerous internet cafés in the cities. The first WiFi hotspot in Europe was on Kraków's Market Square . The Polish Post is represented in almost every place. Letters and postcards usually arrive quickly, parcels usually take a little longer. Parcels are also carried by private providers.

See also

Portal: Poland  - Overview of Wikipedia content on Poland

literature

  • Alfred Döblin: Journey to Poland . German Taschenbuch-Verl., Munich 2000, ISBN 3-423-12819-4 , pp. 375 .
  • Peter-Matthias Gaede: Poland . Gruner + Jahr Geo-Mairs, Hamburg 2004, ISBN 3-570-19455-8 , pp. 162 .
  • Friedhelm Pelzer: Poland: a geographic country study . Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 1991, ISBN 3-534-09160-4 , pp. 438 .
  • Tomasz Torbus: Poland: Travel between the Baltic Sea coast and the Carpathian Mountains, Oder and Bug . DuMont Reiseverlag, Cologne 2002, ISBN 3-7701-5287-5 , p. 424 .
  • Thomas Urban: Poland: The Germans and their neighbors . Beck, Munich 2011, ISBN 978-3-406-57852-6 .

Web links

Wikivoyage: Poland  Travel Guide
Commons : Tourism in Poland  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2018 .
  2. ^ Arrivals of foreigners to Poland in 2010 by countries. ( Memento of the original from January 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Institute of Tourism @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.intur.com.pl
  3. ↑ International tourism, number of arrivals. Retrieved January 13, 2019 .
  4. ↑ International tourism, receipts (current US $). Retrieved January 13, 2019 .
  5. ↑ 10 Most Beautiful Cities in Poland. March 13, 2019, accessed April 18, 2020 (American English).
  6. ↑ * The number at the beginning of each line indicates the year the site was included in the World Heritage List.
    • Sites of the world cultural heritage are marked with a " K ", sites of the world natural heritage with an " N ".
    • Monuments that belong to both the world cultural and the world natural heritage bear a " K / N ".
  7. ↑ The list of UNESCO biosphere reserves.
  8. ↑ Polish Baltic Sea - Top travel tips for Poland's Baltic coast. In: off to the vacation magazine. Retrieved April 18, 2020 .