Poland became part of the newly expanded European Union in May 2004 and is a member of NATO. It covers an area of about 312,685 sq.km with a Baltic coastline to the north with many nice beaches, the Carpathian mountains to the south and plenty of picturesque and enchanting towns and cities in between. It's bordered by Belarus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia, and the Ukraine.The Polish climate is temperate with cold winters and mild summers.

General Information on Poland and related resources like travelling and staying in Poland. You will find that Polish people are very hospitable and welcoming. You cannot enter someone's home without a tray of food and some vodka being offered to you. Just go with the flow and enjoy!
With Poland joining the EU british citizens can stay in poland for up to 6 months. To stay longer you will need to get a 'karta pobytu' which is easy to apply for.

Getting to Poland:
Probably the best way to get to Poland is by one of the many discount Airlines, the ones below all fly to various destinations in Poland. Flight times are approx. 2 hrs. 15 mins. from the UK. There are no Visa requirements. If you want to travel by Coach (average time 30 hrs) then check our Polish Links section for Co's that operate services to Poland eg. London Victoria Coach Station is one place where Coaches travel to and from Poland.

www.ryanair.com

www.wizzair.com

www.easyjet.com

www.skyeurope.com

www14.centralwings.com/index.en.shtml

www.ba.com

www.lot.com

Staying in Poland:
Try this site for Hotel bookings www.poland-bookings.com/country/hotel-poland&s=uk or www.yourpoland.co.uk
Roads in Poland:
Generally speaking Poland still has a long way to go to develop its own modern motorway network which will happen in time, once further EU and government investment kick's in.
Although some parts of Poland's road network have been updated with short stretches of motorway, much of it is still single lane 'A' type roads where you may share the road with the local farmers horse-drawn cart or, the big juggernauts, which frequently leave big ruts in the road when the roads soften in the hot summer sun! In winter you must excercise more caution as only the main roads will usually be free of snow and ice, side roads and minor roads may not be gritted.

Trams in Poland:
The best way to travel around cities in Poland is by tram eg. Warsaw, Krakow. You can buy tickets from street kiosks, from some shops, or in some cities there are machines in the city centre. Remember to cancel your ticket in the machines on the tram. Inspectors in plain clothes ride the trams and frequently carry out inspections - a fine awaits you if you don't have a ticket or have one and haven't cancelled it.

Trains in Poland:
Trains are a relatively cheap way of transport, and run on time. I would advise buying a 1st Class ticket (bilet -pierwsza klasa) as its still much more cheaper than the equivalent journey in the UK and the seats are more comfier than 2nd Class. You will be offered smoking or non-smoking carriages and can pay by cash or credit card. The inter-city service will usually have a buffet carriage and even a trolley that runs through the corridors selling hot and cold drinks, sweets and basic snacks to buy.
Poland has well developed rail network. Major cities within Poland are connected by Intercity express trains runing between European cities. The national railway network is administred and serviced by Polish State Railways (Polskie Koleje Panstwowe - PKP). Buses - coach services are operated by the state (PKS) and private bus companies throughout the whole country.You can get to Poland by train or bus from most European destinations.

The Metro:
Currently still under construction in Warsaw, with some stations already working.

Polish Currency:
The national currency is the Zloty, with 100 Groszy = 1 Zloty. Check the latest exchange rates here www.ratesfx.com/rates/rate-converter.html. You can exchange your foreign currency in Poland at a KANTOR so look for that sign, but check what rates are on offer.
There will be two rates displayed, one for buying and one for selling, with the major Currencies shown.
Such places can be found in most cities and towns, and even in larger train stations. Exchanges in airports usually give the worst rates.
I have even seen currency exchanges in some UK airports selling the Zloty.

Polish Banks:
Many banks in Poland are now foreign owned. I was able to open up a normal polish bank account which includes a debit card, with just my UK Passport and UK address. The bank in question was called Millenium Bank with a large branch network within poland. You can then get Internet account details also set up or request it at the the time of opening and get it posted to you, just like with a UK bank. I was lucky as I speak fluent Polish, but ask around and you might persuade a polish national to help you.

Polish Language:
Get to grips with a few basics, (see our Polish Language section). Many young polish people speak English at various levels, the older generation less so, as they were most likely to have been taught Russian when at school.

Polish Food:
Food in Poland has been influenced by the cuisine of it's neighbouring countries of Austria, Germany, Hungary and Russia.
Meat (especially pork, ham and sausages) is eaten with vegetables, dumplings (pierogi), noodles, buckwheat (kasha) and rye bread. Beetroot and cabbage are used in salads, soups and stews. Soured cream is often used in cooking. Pickled foods such as vegetables and fish are popular.
Hunter's stew (bigos), made with five or six types of wild game, is a national dish.
Desserts include honey cake (piernik), strudel, pancakes and doughnuts (ponczki).
Tea is consumed without milk, often with a slice of lemon and sugar. Coffee is also a daily drink. Mineral waters are produced in the spas and Polish fruit juices include apple and blackcurrant. Poland produces its own beer,(eg.Zywiec) and vodka in many different flavour's (eg.Zubrowka flavoured with the grass that Bison feed on and Zytnia or Wyborowa, a clear vodka). Just go into any big grocery shops or supermarkets in Poland to see the wide choice of alcohol.

Polish Public Holidays:
Public holidays include New Year's Day, Christmas Day and Easter. Other days which are celebrated are Labour Day (1 May), Polish Constitution Day (3 May), Corpus Christi (14 June) the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (15 August), All Saints Day (1 November) and Independence Day (11 November)