Geographical Position
Poland lies in the very heart of Europe, at an equal distance from the Urals and from the Straits of Gibraltar. It's bordered by the Baltic Sea from the north, by Germany to the West (partly along the river Oder), the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the south (along the Sudeten and Carpathians ranges), Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania to the east and Russia to the north east. It is roughly square in shape and covers an area of about 313.000 square kilometers (121.000 sq. ml - 8th largest in Europe).
Its population passed the 38 million mark (the 6th largest in Europe). Its highest peak is Mt. Rysy in the Tatra Mts. - 2.499 meters (8.199 ft) and the lowest point is in the Vistula delta near Elblag, at 1.8 meters (5.9 ft) below the sea level.
Owing to its position and to the fact that it is a junction for major air, rail and road traffic routes, Poland occupies an important place in the economic and political life in Europe. More than once Europe's history has been influenced by Poland.
Climate
Poland has a temeperate European climate, with temperatures averaging 68o F (20o C) in the summer, and 26o F (3,3o C) in the winter. It is strongly influenced by the continental climate from the east and the maritime climate from the west.
Hence, the weather tends to be very changeable, both from day to day and from year to year. Winter usually begins at the turn of November and lasts until March. Some days it can be very snowy and quite severe, some days the temperatures are moderate and there is hardly any snow, except for the mountains. Similarly, the summer weather changes from quite hot in some years to rather cool in others. The rainiest month is usually July, especially in the mountains to the south of the country.
Public Holidays
01 January - New Year's Day
March/April* - Easter Sunday & Monday
03 May - Labor Day
June (Thursday)* - Corpus Christi
15 August - Assumption of the Virgin Mary
01 November - All Saints' Day
11 November - National Day
25 - 26 December - Christmas
* (The dates vary from year to year. Please consult www.polishtravel.com.pl for the exact dates for the following years)
UNESCO World Heritage in Poland
- The Primeval Bialowieza Forest.
- The Crakov's Historic Center - the extensive medieval Old Town district that survived the Second Word War almost intact. The biggest medieval Market Square.
- The Wieliczka Salt Mine, over 700 years old (and partly working), with the world's largest underground chapel over 100 m below the ground surface. It is listed among the world's greatest monuments, such as the Pyramids and Versailles.
- Auschwitz - Birkenau Concentration Camp of the Second World War
- The Warsaw's historic Old Town, thoroughly reconstructed after the Second World War
- The Old Town of Zamosc - a pearl of Renaissance urban architecture and layout.
- The medieval Old Town of Torun - the birthplace of Copernicus. One of the two important Polish cities (along with Krakow) that managed to survive the Second World War with its historic buildings and monuments miraculously intact.
- The Teutonic Castle in Malbork - the greatest Teutonic strongold, a magnificent example of the medieval castles.
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska - the famed pilgrimage center, a Mannerist complex designed after the Jerusalem's urban pattern and depicting Christ's Passion in the Polish religious tradition.
Useful information
- Water - Is basically safe, but it tends to be highly chlorinated. You may prefer to drink mineral water, which is easily available in hotels and shops.
- Cloakrooms - Are very common in Poland. It is the custom to leave your coats when entering restaurants, theatres or museums. There is usually a small charge (or customary tip) but you can rest assured that the cloakrooms are safe.
- Toilets - There is a charge for toilets, even in restaurants. The charge is normally about 1,00 zloty. Gentlemen's toilets are indicated by a triangle, Ladies' by a circle.
- Telephone - You can easily call any destination from your hotel room. Public telephones require special telephone cards available from newsagents or cloakrooms in your hotel.
- Stamps - These also can be bought at hotels or post offices.
- Tips - It is normal practice to give a tip. This may be 10 per cent of the total bill. Good service may be rewarded with the tip.
- Electricity - Voltage is 230 V. Frequency 50 Hz and you are advised to bring an international travel plug. Transformers may be necessary for equipment used in America.
Changing money & chopping
Polish currency is "zloty". 1 zloty = 100 groszy.
It is possible to pay in foreign currency at shops, restaurants etc. in Poland, and it is very easy to exchange money because nearly all major international currencies are accepted in exchange offices and banks. Moreover, most of venues accept major international credit cards such as VISA, American Express, Euro - Card, Master - Card, JCB and Diners.
Travelers' cheques may be exchanged for local currency at Kantors, especially near commercial centers and tourist areas. Obviously, if the exchange office is not available at the moment, the hotel will be helpful in changing foreign currency or traveler cheque.
Not least among Poland's many surprises is a variety of the goods on display in the shops and markets. For many visitors the amber and silver shops, with the very reasonable prices, are an Alladin's cave. Leather and wooden goods, as well as linen and silk, are worthwhile seeking out and there is a surprising range of men's suite and ladies fashions.
For a gourmet, caviar is still a good buy, as are other Polish specialties such as sausages, "sliwki w czekoladzie" ("plums in chocolate") or a bottle of typical Polish vodka.
n galleries and markets unexpected antique treasures as well as the work of modern artists make the browsing time very rewarding. Poster art is a specialty and many bookshops now offer a wide range of art books in many languages.
Souvenirs are easy to come by in the main cities and local craft and folk art are readily available.
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