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POLAND
Poland lies in the heart of Europe - the geometric centre of the continent is right here. Warsaw is not far from other European cities: Paris and London are 2 hours away by plane, Vienna and Berlin not much more than an hour. You can get here quickly by international roads and railway connections. Half a million places to stay, thousands of restaurants, hundreds of forms of leisure and entertainment - they're all waiting for visitors. Poland is a country that is safe and friendly for visitors from abroad, a statement confirmed by official international statistics. In figures concerning access to cash machines, for instance, Poland is 8th in Europe. Mobile phone networks cover 94% of the country.
You can find more or less everything in Poland: alpine mountains, wide beaches, clean lakes, deep forests, world-class historic monuments, and friendly people. The climate is temperate, and the people warm and hospitable. Polish cities with a thousand-year history invite their visitors to encounters with culture, and Poland's villages and small-time towns offer the opportunity to get away from the bustle of modern life. And all this comes with a backdrop of breathtaking natural landscapes, because Poland's greatest attraction is nature. Wild, untouched, more diverse than in most countries either in Europe or the world and, what's more, easily accessible. Tourists value this greatly and their number is constantly increasing.
Poland is a paradise for the active tourist who doesn't just sit around and loves to be on the move, whether on foot, by bike, or canoe. The best time to come is the spring and summer months, between May and August; or September and October, which are usually warm and dry, and known as the "golden Polish autumn".
The Land of a Thousand Lakes and the Polish Amazonia
Mountains and Dales
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Poland 's coastline is one of the longest in Europe. The beaches are wide and sandy with no nasty pebbles. There's a lot of diversit, with alternating picturesque sometimes very high cliffs and broad, low-lying dunes. The coastal air has curative properties thanks to the stretches of sappy pine forest and the iodide it produces, which is why visitors come all year round to the numerous Baltic spa resorts. One of the most popular is Kołobrzeg, where you can also find salt-water springs (in use since the 7th century AD). Every visitor will find something to interest him or her on the Baltic beaches. There are beaches with lifeguards, water slides, beach volleyball courts, and places to rent jet-skis, water-skis, canoes, sailboats and windsurfing equipment, as well as colourful seaside promenades with cosy little bars and fish restaurants. There are also wild, uninhabited corners where, in the early morning, the fortunate few will find real treasures - pieces of amber. The picturesque ports and old lighthouses are open to visitors, and there are also long, wooden piers stretching out into the sea - the most famous, and one of the longest in Europe, is in Sopot.
Jewels straight from the Baltic Amber has been prized for centuries. The trading route known as the Amber Road led from ancient Rome to the Baltic coast. Amber was believed to keep you young, beautiful, and healthy; carvings, amulets and jewellery were made from it, and it was effective in treating fevers, headaches, insomnia and stomach disorders.
Amber is much older than the Baltic - it was formed ca. 40 million years ago. It is the sap of a little-known prehistoric conifer. It consists mainly of carbon (79%), but also oxygen, hydrogen and sulphur. When rubbed, it attracts pieces of paper and when dropped into brine it floats to the surface. It's best to go looking for amber after a storm with strong a north-easterly wind, at four or five in the morning. The most valuable pieces amber are those containing embedded animals or plants.
It's best to go looking for amber after a storm with strong a north-easterly wind, at four or five in the morning. The most valuable pieces amber are those containing embedded animals or plants. Międzyzdroje, Ustronie and Mielno - fashionable, lively resorts, await tourists on the Baltic coast. There are old cities and towns, such as Szczecin, Gdańsk, Sopot, and Kamień Pomorski, and also small, charming villages, which have preserved their traditional fishing industry.
There are two National Parks on the Polish coast worth visiting. The Wolin Park occupies Poland's largest island, Wolin. It protects the beautiful cliffy shoreline and the white-tailed sea eagles that live there. In the Słowiński National Park (on the UNESCO list of World Biosphere Reserves) you can see the largest shifting sand dunes in Central Europe, the highest of which go up to 40 m. Propelled by the wind, the sand forms long ripples, mounds, hillocks and rounded hollows. The most active dunes can travel up to 10 m a year. The region's main tourist centre is Łeba, whose original site, dating back to the 13th century, was destroyed by storms and engulfed by sands in the 16th century. A new settlement had to be built. Łeba makes a perfect starting-point for the exciting ramblers' walks across the sands.
Another special region is the Hel Peninsula. Water laps this narrow strip of land (on average 200 m wide) on both sides, which has given rise to two microclimates: the northern side, whichn is exposed to strong winds, is popular with windsurfers, while the bay on the southern side, screened by a line of dunes and forests, is calm and peaceful.
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The Land of a Thousand Lakes and the Polish Amazonia
South of the coastal zone there's a vast stretch of lake districts - a paradise for boaters, canoeists, anglers, and mushroom-pickers; not to mention enthusiasts of bathing, walks in the forest, and tranquillity.. Masuria, Land of the Lakes, is renowned for its natural beauty. A quarter of Poland's lake water is here - of thousands of lakes; among them the largest in Poland, Lake Śniardwy (113 sq. km), which looks like a small sea. Connected by a network of rivers and canals, they make up the most popular boat-course in Poland, the Great Masurian Lake Trail.
To many Poles "Masuria" is a magic word associated with summer, broad blue expanses of waters dotted with white sails, and the dense green Pisz Forest (Puszcza Piska ).with foresters' cottages hidden in the woods and isolated farms by the lakesides, hillocks coloured yellow by rapeseed, and storks' nests on the rooftops. Masuria is also the summer bustle of anchorages in Mikołajki, Giżycko and Węgorzewo, and jolly taverns with their own atmosphere created by the great summer shindigs of the "sailors' brotherhood", sporting events, and shanty festivals.
The Suwałki Region is remarkable for the beauty of its post-glacial landscape. Mother Nature has generously endowed the Suwałki Region with undulating moors, forested hills, scores of lakes with pretty shorelines, numerous rivers and streams, deep gorges and thousands of huge boulders. This is where you'll find the deepest lake in Poland, Lake Hańcza (108.5m), with its exceptionally clear water, and also Lake Wigry, unusually beautiful and surrounded by a National Park. A common sight here are beavers building their lodges; and other delights are the unusual boreal (northern) flora and climbing up to the summit of Cisowa Mountain, the Fujiyama of the Suwałki Region. back to top
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From here, it's not far to the largest stretch of forest in Poland, the Bory Tucholskie ( Tuchola Forest - 1,170 sq km). The pine forests generate a particularly wholesome microclimate. You can cover 30 km on a bike here along a forest trail without seeing a soul or passing a single cottage. back to top
National Parks and Nature Reserves
There are 23 national parks in Poland. They protect the charm and natural uniqueness of areas by the sea and lakes, and also the invaluable primeval forests, the river estuaries unlike anything else in Europe, the chalk cliffs and limestone caves, and the mountains. Eight of the parks - the Słowiński, Białowieża, Kampinos, Babia Góra, Karkonosze, Tatra, Bieszczady, and Polesie - have been entered on the UNESCO list of World Biosphere Reserves. The parks are all accessible to tourists, and visiting is possible thanks to 2,500km of signposted tracks and trails for walkers, riders, cyclists, and canoeists. A symbolic entrance fee is charged, and the regulations are quite liberal: you must stay on the path and camp only in the designated areas; you mustn't leave litter; and hunting is prohibited, but you can watch the wildlife with a camera. Poland has over a hundred natural landscape parks and over a thousand nature reserves. Particular attractions are the natural wildlife reserves: in Białowieża and Międzyzdroje, you can see bison, boar and deer in their natural environment, and in Popielno and Kadzidłowo in Masuria there are Polish ponies, beavers and wolves. back to top
Two river estuaries, the Narew and the Biebrza, form a region known as the Polish Amazonia, and all you need to do to understand the justification for this name is to visit it. Bird-watchers won't find many places like this in Europe. The Biebrza Valley, which has the largest and one of the best-preserved stretches of peat bogs in Europe, has not only been turned into a National Park, but has also been awarded the European Diploma and placed under the protection of the 1971 Ramsar Wetlands Convention, which protects especially valuable areas particularly important to water- and marsh-fowl. 270 species of birds live along the Biebrza and 200 along the Narew. During their spring and autumn migrations, the birds congregate here. The Park may be visited by boat, by bike or on foot, and you can observe pied-billed grebes, corncrakes, aquatic warblers, which are threatened by extinction, ruffs, seldom seen in Europe, wild geese, snipes, terns, eagles, herons, cranes, and storks black and white. It's not difficult, either, to spot an elk, which has its biggest sanctuary in Poland here - over 500 live along the Biebrza.
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You can practise all kinds of water sports on Poland's lakes. There are well-organised bathing areas, and a network of rental outlets covers the whole region. A "quiet zone" protects just a few lakes - they're a no-go area for motorboats, jet-skis and excursion boats, but perfect for yachtspeople, devotees of small boats and pedalos, for watching the waterfowl such as the large colonies of cormorants. They're also fabulous places for anglers who, if they're patient, might catch a Northern pike or European catfish weighing up to 50kg. On Lake Necko in Augustów, one of the great attractions is a water ski-lift, instead of the raucous motorboats. There are only a few mechanisms like it in Europe.
The most popular canoeing course in Poland is the Masurian Krutynia Route. The river is almost 100 km long and flows through many scenic lakes. The Krutynia is a relatively easy route, a favoutrite for its charm. You can follow the whole route or just try a section - your journey could take anything from a couple of hours up to 10 days. It's true to say it's a heavily commercialised route - every other building is a canoe hire outlet, an inn, an overnight stopping place or a shop. But there are also uninhabited areas here, some say the most enchanting corners of Masuria.
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If you love mountains, you absolutely must come to Poland. The Carpathian and Sudetan Mountains gird the south of the country. There are ten national parks here. Ramblers' walks are perfectly laid out and you won't see any hamburger stands, asphalted roads or walled-off gardens. All you need is a backpack full of food, good boots, and a bit of daring. back to top
The highest range in the Carpathians is the Tatras. To appreciate their beauty there's no need to scale the summits, a stroll along one of the valleys will suffice - perhaps the Kościeliska Valley, the Chochołowska, or the Rybi Potok. The Polish Tatras are divided into two groups - the High Tatras and the Western Tatras. The High Tatras are for the more experienced, but once you've traversed the Orla Perć (Eagle's Path), climbed Kościelec, Świnica or Rysy (at 2,499m the highest peak), you'll want to come back again and again.
Here you'll see the highest waterfall in Poland - Wielka Siklawa (70m) - and scotrs of enchanting post-glacial lakes with emerald and blue surfaces. The largest , and at the same time the most easily accessible for tourists, is Morskie Oko ( 34.9 hectares), but with a little more effort you could see the watery miracles of nature called Dolina Pieciu Stawów (the Valley of Five Polish Lakes) and the Gąsienicowa Valley.
The Western Tatras are safer and more accommodating, there's more space and greenery, not to mention the caves and potholes. With a stroke of luck, you will see protected animals such as the alpine marmot and kozica (chamois) on any trail in the Tatras. In the mountains, people still continue the century-old custom of greeting passing travellers. On the way, you can take a break in peaceful spots amid the mountain pines or in grand mountain lodges.
back to top The Beskidy, Gorce, and Pieniny Mountains
The Carpathians also have other ranges. The rounded hills of the Beskidy and Gorce, with their gentle slopes covered by forests, will please those who prefer long, tranquil strolls. In the Pieniny Mountains, you can take part in a raft trip down the beautiful valley of the Dunajec. Narrow, wooden poles are lashed together in fives to make rafts that are steered by Highland rafters. For over a hundred years they've been carrying tourists along the impressive route through the heart of the Pieniny. The river goes round three colossal bends in the space of 15 km, winding through the narrow gorge between the mountain slopes.
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Horse-riding
It's even more exhilarating to see Poland from the saddle. Riding is very common here and no wonder, horses have always been close to Polish hearts. They've served the people of Poland for travel, hunting, and on the battlefield. Poles were renowned for their riding, and equestrian skills have a respected tradition in Poland. In olden Poland, the horse was so popular that its definition in one of the first Polish encyclopaedias in 1746 said: "Horse - everyone knows what it is like". Today, Polish stables are famed all over the world. The leading world breeders come to the Arab horse auctions. A network of stables, riding schools and private equestrian centres covers the whole country. They are set ideal riding terrain. There are also trails where excellent treks are organised, lasting from a couple of days to several weeks. Examples are the Wilczy Szlak (Wolf's Trail) in central Poland ( 240 km), the Transjurajski Szlak Konny (Trans-Jurassic Horse Trail) in the Pogórze (250km) and the longest - the Transbeskidzki Szlak Konny (Trans-Beskid Horse Trail), which runs for 600 km. You can cover the Bieszczady National Park on gentle and resilient Hucul ponies (a wild, indigenous breed). Whether on tracks or mountain trails, these horses won't be frightened by cars and they can drink in the pure lakes and streams. Equestrian meetings take place throughout the year: you might take part in a real hunt. There are also events transplanted to Poland from other countries: the St. Hubert's Hunt, cowboy cattle round-ups, or rodeos. back to top
The Sudetan Mountains, in the southwest of the country, are not at all difficult to climb - you don't so much hike through them as stroll. The Sudetan region is, without doubt, one of the best-organised parts of Poland in terms of tourist infrastructure. It's a mosaic of mountain ranges of divergent character: from the massive Karkonosze through the fantastical Góry Stołowe ( Table Mountains), to the low broad hills of the Izerskie, Bialskie and Złote ranges. Here you can admire waterfalls hidden in the forests and great post-glacial coombs, delve into rocky labyrinths, photograph mouflons (wild sheep) and find precious minerals. At one time, the Sudetan Mountains were known as "treasure house of Europe", and the stones exported from these peaks adorn more than one historic building in France and Italy. And even today, among the rocks you may come across rock crystal, agate, amethyst, jasper, garnet, topaz, and nephrite. back to top
The Świętokrzyskie (Holy Cross) Mountains
The Świętokrzyskie Mountains are among the oldest in Europe. They're 650 million years old and their impressive age is almost tangible. The peaks are not very high, covered in scree, and overgrown with the preserved remains of two primaeval forests, the Jodłowa and Świętokrzyska. In the National Park and the Nature Reserves there are as many as 670 natural monuments such as trees and stones. You can visit the famous Łysa Góra ( Bare Mountain), legendary location of witches' Sabbaths. Archaeological excavations have confirmed that centuries ago,this used to be the site of pagan religious worship dedicated to the Slavonic gods. The Świętokrzyskie peaks are surrounded by younger rock formations, including limestone, so there's no shortage of caves and potholes. Here you'll find the most striking Polish cave, Raj ( Paradise).
Poland 's mountains guarantee more than purely natural attractions. In the valleys there are charming towns, settlements and holiday resorts. Most of them have preserved their old, wooden cottages, and historic churches (Roman and Eastern-rite). In many places people still keep up their old traditions. The Podhale and Zakopane, areas neighbouring on the Tatras, are special in this respect.
What's more, in the Polish highlands there's no shortage of popular European-class spas with curative waters. In the Pieniny region, there's the attractive Szczawnica, and Szklarska Poręba, Polanica and Kudowa Zdrój in the Sudetans . Health-giving springs that are hidden in forests and parks are freely accessible - all you need is a cup or a bottle. One very special spa is Polańczyk in the Bieszczady region, situated on a peninsula and surrounded on three sides by the waters of Lake Solińskie. The climate is very mild here - the great distance from the Baltic and the Black Sea means that it's the most continental location in Poland. Here you can get treatment for respiratory and nervous disorders. Polańczyk is also a big centre for water sports - anyone exhausted by the Bieszczady hiking trails can climb into a sailing boat, canoe or motorboat, or strap on some water-skis. The water in Lake Solińskie is pure; you can bathe and swim safely. back to top
The pride of the Polish flora are the powerful ancient oaks - our natural monuments. Their trunks measure up to 13m in circumference. They can be admired in various parts of Poland. The most famous are the millennial Bartek, in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, and the 700-year-old Chrobry (named after the first Polish king) in the Lower Silesian Forest. Europe's largest cluster of old oaks is in Greater Poland, near Rogalin - there are almost 1000 of them here: the oldest are over 600 years old, and the best-known are the three sibling oaks, Lech, Czech & Rus. Poland's mineral world comes in delightful forms - the Table Mountains, for instance: an incredible tangle of rocky mushrooms, points, arches, drops, cracks, great terraces and a rocky labyrinth with an area of 20 hectares. Near Cracow, in the limestone landscape of the Ojców National Park, there is a 20m rock soaring up to the sky in the shape of a club called Maczuga Herkulesa (Hercules' Club. There are 400 cavesin the vicinity . But the most beautiful caves are Raj (Paradise) in the Świętokrzyskie Range and Niedźwiedzia (Bear) in the Sudetan Mountains.
In both, you can admire the unearthed bones of Pleistocene animals - mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, bear and cave lion, and also bone tools - the work of Neanderthal man living 40-50 thousand years ago. The tracks that pass through the caves are easy and manageable even for small children. You'll see stalactites, stalagmites, columns, flowstones, waterfalls and underground lakes emerging from the darkness. In the Raj cave there are as many as 200 stalactites hanging from every square metre of the ceiling. There are also worldwide rarities like anthodites (cave pearls - spherical deposits) here.
Source: http://www.poland.gov.pl back to top |
