Poland is located in the north-central part of Europe, between
Germany and Russia. The country is bordered by the Baltic
Sea to the north, Belarus, Russia and the Ukraine to the east;
Lithuania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south and Germany
to the west. The terrain is mostly flat plains with the
Carpathian and Tatra Mountains along the border to the south. Poland
has several rivers, including the Warta, Bug, Vistula, Oder and
Notec.
Travel Insurance for Poland:
Area: Europe *
Know Before You Go:
FCO Country Advice for Poland
The population is comprised of mainly Polish, with some German,
Belorussians, Ukrainian and others. Polish is the official
language but many residents speak English, French or German. The
dominant religion is Roman Catholic with some Eastern Orthodox,
Protestant and others.
Poland has produced some famous people, including Copernicus,
the composer Chopin, and Pope John Paul II. Poland
also has produced many famous Nobel Prize winners, including
the first woman to win the prize, Maria Curie, and Lech Walesa.
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall Poland has become a popular
destination for visitors. It has plenty of history and
interesting towns and cities, scenic beauty, and a nice Baltic
coastline as well as the old port of Gdansk. Many
people will remember Poland as the place where the former Soviet
Union first acknowledged the independent political movement of
the people and the Solidarity trade union which was established
following the strikes at the Gdansk shipyard in 1980. Poland
achieved Eastern Europe’s first post-Communist government
in 1989 and has since joined the E.U. in 2004.
For nature lovers the northern Baltic Coast offers approx.
300 miles of sandy beaches where you may be lucky to find a piece
of real amber. Poland’s many lakes also provide
plenty of activities for river rafting and other water sports. The
Mieszczady mountains and other ranges offer good hiking, mountain
biking and other activities such as river rafting.
Located east of the centre of the country, the capital city,
Warsaw, was almost totally rebuilt following the Second World
War. The Royal Castle, built for the kings from the 17th century
on, was completely destroyed during WWII but has been rebuilt
to its former glory and is now a popular museum. The old
capital, Krakow, escaped destruction during the war and has many
historic buildings of interest. Other large cities in Poland
include, Wroclaw, Szczecin, Gdansk, Lodz and Poznan.
The southern mountain areas of Poland are popular for their health
spas. Some of the spas date back to the 12th century
and have long been sought after for their health benefits.
Gdansk, located on the Baltic Coast, is famous for its magnificent
monuments and sights, including the Old Town area, and the northern
fort of Westerplatte where the local population resisted the
Nazi invasion in 1939, Sopot is a health resort by the sea which
is popular and busy during the summer, especially the Pier area.
In southern Poland there is the interesting Tatra mountain
town of Zakopane which attracts hikers and artists in summer
and skiers in the winter. In Wieliczka you can visit the
old Salt Mines. Poland has a long winter sports season
offering many activities such as skiing, cross country skiing,
snowboarding and ice fishing.
Poland has a surprising variety of beautiful landscapes, lakes,
forests, marshlands and mountains offering all that you would
expect in the way of activities and ways to enjoy them. Great
for yachting, fishing, horseback riding and swimming in clear
waters, The forest areas and marshlands offer good bird-watching,
and there are also natural bison plus biking and hiking trails. |
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