Poland is one of Europe's most underrated travel destinations. A country with a profound and often tragic history, extraordinary medieval architecture, beautiful natural landscapes, and a vibrant contemporary culture, it offers experiences that are genuinely unlike anywhere else in Europe. From the perfectly preserved Old Town of Krakow to the rebuilt grandeur of Warsaw, the amber coast of Gdansk, and the wild forests of Bialowieza, here's the best of Poland.
Best Things to Do in Krakow
Main Market Square (Rynek Glowny) — One of the largest medieval market squares in Europe, the Rynek Glowny is the heart of Krakow. The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), St Mary's Basilica (with its extraordinary Gothic altarpiece by Veit Stoss), and the surrounding townhouses make it one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. The hourly trumpet call (hejnal) from St Mary's tower is a Krakow tradition dating back to the 13th century.\n\nWawel Castle and Cathedral — The royal castle of Poland's kings, perched on a limestone hill above the Vistula River. The State Rooms, the Royal Private Apartments, and the Cathedral (where most Polish kings are buried) are all worth visiting. Allow a full morning.\n\nKazimierz (Jewish Quarter) — Krakow's historic Jewish district, once home to one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe. The synagogues, the Jewish cemetery, and the atmospheric cafés and restaurants of Szeroka Street tell the story of a community that was almost entirely destroyed in the Holocaust. The Jewish Culture Festival in late June/early July is one of the most important cultural events in Poland.\n\nAuschwitz-Birkenau — The former Nazi concentration and extermination camp, 70km west of Krakow, is one of the most important historical sites in the world. A visit is sobering, essential, and deeply moving. Book guided tours in advance — the site is very busy in summer. Allow a full day.
Best Things to Do in Warsaw
Warsaw was almost entirely destroyed in World War II — 85% of the city was reduced to rubble. The postwar reconstruction of the Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is one of the most remarkable acts of cultural restoration in history.\n\nWarsaw Old Town (Stare Miasto) — The reconstructed medieval old town, with the Royal Castle, the Cathedral of St John, and the colourful townhouses of the Old Town Market Place. The reconstruction was so faithful to the original that UNESCO granted it World Heritage status.\n\nWarsaw Rising Museum — One of the finest museums in Europe, dedicated to the 1944 Warsaw Uprising — the largest single military operation by any European resistance movement in World War II. Deeply moving and brilliantly presented.\n\nPOLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews — An extraordinary museum in the former Warsaw Ghetto, telling the 1,000-year history of Jewish life in Poland. One of the best museums in Europe.\n\nŁazienki Park — Warsaw's most beautiful park, with the Palace on the Water, open-air Chopin concerts on Sunday afternoons in summer, and peacocks wandering the grounds.
Gdansk and the Baltic Coast
Gdansk is one of Poland's most beautiful and historically significant cities — a Hanseatic port city with a stunning medieval old town, a rich maritime heritage, and the birthplace of the Solidarity movement that helped end Communist rule in Poland.\n\nLong Street (Ulica Dluga) and Long Market — The main street of Gdansk's old town, lined with beautifully restored merchant houses in a riot of colours and architectural styles. The Golden Gate, the Green Gate, and the Neptune Fountain are the highlights.\n\nEuropean Solidarity Centre — A world-class museum dedicated to the Solidarity movement, built on the site of the Lenin Shipyard where the movement was born in 1980. One of the most important museums in Poland.\n\nAmber — Gdansk is the amber capital of the world — the Baltic coast produces 90% of the world's amber. The Amber Museum and the amber shops along Mariacka Street are worth visiting.
Polish Food and Drink
Polish cuisine is hearty, flavourful, and deeply satisfying — built on pork, potatoes, cabbage, beetroot, and dairy.\n\nPierogi — Poland's most famous dish — dumplings filled with potato and cheese (ruskie), meat, mushroom and sauerkraut, or sweet fillings. Available everywhere and genuinely delicious.\n\nBigos — Hunter's stew — a slow-cooked mixture of sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, various meats, and mushrooms. The national dish of Poland.\n\nZurek — A sour rye soup served in a bread bowl, often with hard-boiled egg and white sausage. A Krakow speciality and one of the most distinctive soups in European cuisine.\n\nPolish vodka — Poland is one of the world's great vodka-producing nations. Zubrowka (bison grass vodka), Belvedere, and Chopin are the most famous brands. Try it neat, chilled, as the Poles do.
