Poland Hotels Booking

Telephony

Landline phones

There is the de facto monopoly operator for landline phones - TP (Polish: Telekomunikacja Polska), a subsidiary of France Telecom, renowned for its leaving-much-to-be-desired services.

There is also a number of smaller operators (Dialog, Netia, NOM, Energis). They are mainly serving the business market.

Mobile phones

There are four mobile phone operators in Poland: Plus GSM (code 260 01), Era (260 02), Orange (260 03) and Play. The lastone is mainly using Plus GSM coverage network. Nearly all of the country’s surface is covered by the standard European GSM 900/1800 MHz network. UMTS is available in some bigger cities.

Due to the introduction of virtual brands, some operators now have two names for their pre-paid services: Plus has Sami Swoi and Simplus, Era - Heyah and Tak Tak, Orange - Pop and Orange Go.

Domestic call rates are roughly the same across all services.

Polish Telephone Numbers

All telephone numbers in Poland are 10 digits long and start with 0, though many numbers are written the old way, that is often only the last 7 digits are listed, in which case you need to prefix the number with 0 and the area code. Now:

• When calling from a landline telephone, the number starts with zero (except the emergency numbers).
• When calling from a mobile phone, the number never starts with zero. Just omit it.

There are some special numbers, notably:

• 0 800 xxxxxx - toll-free call from a landline phone and from a phone booth, but may still cost something from a mobile phone
• 0 801 xxxxxx - reduced fare, costs as much as a local call from a landline phone at most (but will cost more from a mobile phone)
• 0 70x xxxxxx - premium fare, can be very expensive - read the fine print in that advert you’ve got the number from :)

Also, texting (= sending SMSes) to:

• 7xxx - can cost quite much (again, read the fine print)
• 8xxx - is toll-free

International Calls

To call abroad from Poland:

• From a landline phone: 00 Your Country Code The Number Abroad
• From a mobile phone: + Your Country Code The Number Abroad

To call to Poland from abroad, dial the Polish country code,48, then the number without the leading 0, as if calling from a domestic mobile phone.

International and roaming calls are expensive. To reduce your bill you can:

• buy “phone cards” for international calls
• activate a Polish pre-paid account to make or receive calls (the cost can be as little as 20 zł)
• talk over the Internet

Internet

• With your mobile phone you can use: CSD, HSCSD, GPRS or EDGE, but the cost may be unattracting. UMTS is only available in some bigger cities. If your phone is not SIM-locked, you may consider purchasing a pre-paid SIM card designed for data access. Inquire for one at the mobile operators’ points of sales (hint: check PlusGSM’s SimDATA). With Polish pre-paid plans the cost may be down to 0.3 PLN/1MB.
• Wireless LAN Hot-Spots are available in distinct places - here’s a list (Płatny - Paid, Tak/Nie/Brak danych - Yes/No/No Data). Sometimes free, otherwise not very cheap. Best chances of finding one are at airports, railway stations, in cafés, and yes, shopping malls. You can ask in your hotel but prepare to pay.
• Then, there’re always those old-fashioned Internet cafés

• Be aware that in Poland and throughout Europe comma is used as decimal point, and space to group numbers. eg. 10 500,46 zł is ten thousand five hundred zlotych and 46 groszy. Occasionally dot is also used as grouping character.
• It is illegal to drink alcoholic beverages in public, though it’s often done by the locals, especially in parks, on some buses, and some of the more congested city streets

Toilets

Public toilets run by cities were popular during the communist era, but most of them were closed down after transformation as expensive. From another point of view, most of them were in such poor condition that using them was a challenge. Some of them (often built underground) were rented out and now serve as restaurants or pubs.

Some toilets available to the public are decrepit, but those that require you to pay are often clean since they are normally tended to by attendants who regularly clean the toilets, sinks, and fill soap and toilet paper. Expect to pay 1 - 2 zł to use restrooms that charge for use. If there isn’t any toilet paper in a stall ask the attendant.

Toilets for women are marked with a circle on the door, and toilets for men are marked with a triangle.

All restaurants and bars are forced by law to have toilets inside (but not all comply). It’s not a common practice to use their toilet without ordering (at least coffee), but if you ask a waiter, he wouldn’t mind in most cases. Sometimes you have to get a key to the toilet at the counter. If there seems to be a lack of public toilets you may want to try to visit McDonald’s (or another place) just to use the toilet, however, some places have implemented policies, such as requiring people to show the receipt before you can use the restroom, because of scale of that phenomenon.

In case of larger events, organizers provide so called toi-toi toilets (from one of companies that service them). They are narrow plastic booths, usually blue, not very comfortable, often not very clean, and hardly ever with water or paper.

• Almost all Poles dislike Poland being thought of as a “Holocaust Tourism Country”. There’s much more to Poland than just former Nazi concentration camps and World War II monuments. Likewise, avoid bringing up Nazi war crimes and the Soviet oppression of Poland; millions of Polish people were killed during these bleak periods - especially the war - and they are painful topics to the often-patriotic and proud Poles.
• Do not say that Polish and Russian languages are similar, like Danish and Norwegian. It’s not true, even though they are both Slavic Languages. After all, English and Swedish (both Germanic) are not similar. Also, do not say that Poles would be better off writing Cyrillic (an actual quote).
• Remember Poland is Central European country situated in centre of Europe. It is not good and true to say Eastern Europe, because it comes from communist past, and is associated with Eastern Block.
• You may find, especially in big cities such as Warsaw,Wrocław or Krakow, that people will either be very friendly (around 75%) or can be a little ‘grumpy’. You should not take the latter personally.

Touchy Topics

• World War II (mostly with the elderly people)
• Polish-Russian relations
• Religions, the Catholic Church
• Current political issues. Poland is now governed by a coalition of right of center and populist parties. Some people you will speak to you will despise the current administration which may lead to a heated debate.

Visiting Catholic Churches

The rules are the same as everywhere in the world:

• Do not sight-see during services
• Dress appropriately (no uncovered shoulders or thighs)
• Men should remove headgear before entering the church
• Do not shout/answer phone calls etc. inside the church

The dress appropriately rule is often relaxed but the others are rather non-negotiable.

Uncommon Customs

• Take off your glove/mitten, stand up, and take your other hand out of your pocket before you shake hands with somebody (this also applies in many other countries).
• Some men kiss (rather than shake) women’s hands to greet them or fare them well.
• Some people will ask you to take your shoes off when you come to their home. Others will never let you do this even if you come in mid-winter bringing in all the snow on your boots. Use common sense and follow your host’s practices.

The European unified emergency number 112 is being deployed in Poland. By now, it certainly works for all mobile-phone calls and most landline calls. There are also three “old” emergency numbers that were in use previously and are now operating paralelly. These are:

• Ambulance: 999 (Pogotowie, dziewięć-dziewięć-dziewięć)
• Firefighters: 998 (Straż pożarna, dziewięć-dziewięć-osiem)
• Police: 997 (Policja, dziewięć-dziewięć-siedem)

Pickpockets operate in larger cities, especially in public transport or rail station areas. The Warsaw bus route 175 running between the airport and the city centre is notorious for pickpockets operating there.

• Keep an eye on your belongings when travelling on a bus or train.
• Don’t display any bags, valuables or your car radio if you leave your car parked in the streets. Use guarded parking lots whenever possible.
• Use common sense.

Walking around is usually safe, particularly in city centres. It may be unsafe to walk in the suburbs, depending on the time of day, your dress and behaviour (that is, how obvious it is that you are a foreigner) and other factors. Again, use common sense.

Watch out for the Polish equivalent of chavs, called dresiarze — young people with shaved heads, usually dressed in counterfeit Adidas tracksuits (and sometimes with a leather jacket on top of that). These are the young generation of the Polish underclass, best avoided.

Many hotels, hostels, motels and apartments of various quality (from no star to 5 stars) are available.

Obviously the majority of those are to be found in big cities and near popular tourist destinations, and that eastern part of Poland is less developed (and so has lower average density of hotels and such), and star rating and prices are a reasonable guide to their quality. An increasing number of those places can be found on the Internet.

Some camping sites are also available, but in the South they are opened only during summer months. In September they are already closed.

Another option for budget stays are private homes whose owners rent rooms to travellers. It is similar to Bed and Breakfast but often without the meals. Prices are usually lower than at youth hostels. In major tourist destinations like Kraków and Zakopane you will see people on the streets with signs with the words “pokoje” (rooms).

Poland is on the border of European “vodka” and “beer culture”. Poles enjoy alcoholic drinks at least as much as other Europeans. You can buy beer, vodka and wine. Although Poland is known as the birth place of vodka, local beer seems to have much more appeal to many Poles. Another traditional alcoholic beverage is mead. Polish liqueurs and nalewka (alcoholic tincture) are must a mention.

Officially, in order to buy alcohol one should be over 18 years old and be able to prove it with a valid ID.

Beer

Poland’s brewery tradition comes from far middle ages. Today Poland is one of TOP beer countries in Europe. Although not well known internationally, Poland traditionally sports some of the best pilsner-type lagers worldwide. The most common brands include:

• Żywiec (pronounced ZHIV-y-ets)
• Tyskie (pronounced TIS-kee)
• Okocim (pronounced oh-KO-cheem)
• Warka (pronounced VAR-kuh)
• Lech (pronounced LEH)
• Łomża (pronounced Uom-zha)
• Tatra
• Van Pur

Vodka

• Żubrówka - vodka with flavors derived from Bison Grass, from eastern Poland.
• Żytnia - rye vodka
• Żołądkowa - bitter vodka
• Wyborowa
• Biała Dama

Deluxe (more expensive) brands include Chopin and Belvedere. Expect to pay about 70 złoty a bottle (2004 prices). Most Poles consider these brands to be “export brands”, and usually don’t drink them.

Wine

Poland does make a few quality wines around Zielona Góra, the Southeast, in the Beskids and Central Poland. You usually can buy them only at the places where they are produced or at wine festivals, like in Zielona Góra. There are also popular Polish fruit wines. They are sold in much of shops, also actively exported. As for imported wine, apart from the usual old and new world standards, there is usually a choice of decent table wines from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania or Moldova available. It the winter time, many Poles drink “grzaniec”(loosely translated as something that warms), a beverage consisting of hot red wine, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. It can also be made using beer, although wine is the most popular method.

Drinkable mead

Drinkable mead - Miód Pitny is a traditional and historical alcohol drink in Poland. Mead is brewed from honey and has excellent unusual taste similar to wine. Original Polish drinkable mead contain 13-20% alcohol.

Cocktails

Poles are very keen on beer and vodka, and you’ll find that cocktails are often expensive but can be found in most bars in most major cities.

Tea

Black tea is traditionally a popular non-alcoholic hot drink. It is usually served plain with a slice of lemon, with or without sugar. Although drinking tea with milk is known to Poles, you will usually get odd looks in most establishments asking for it. For many Poles, tea with milk is considered to be a drink for pregnant women (as it is considered to be healthier). Of course, its popularity will no doubt increase with the number of Poles spending time in the UK.

For those that believe pouring boiling water on to a tea bag is the way to make a good cup of tea, beware! When ordered in a cafe or restaurant, it is common practice in Poland (and some other mainland European countries) to receive a cup of hot (not boiling) water, with a tea bag on the side. Perhaps also accompanied by a small carton of lemon juice. It is then the customer’s job to make the tea. Add to this that the majority of tea bags are weaker than the UK equivalents, and this can be one area of Polish ‘tradition’ that the average UK tea drinker may be not be taken aback by. Still, fortunately, Poland has a great deal more to offer than this.

Water

Most Polish people will tell you not to drink the tap water in Poland, regardless of where you are. Almost all Poles drink bottled spring water or boil water to filter it. Foreigners should note that drinking water with a meal is not a Polish tradition; you will almost always have to ask for water with your meal. Some Westerners will be surprised to discover that most Poles drink carbonated water, although non-carbonated bottled water is generally widely available. The phrase “woda niegazowana” (”non-carbonated water”) works well. Poland is known for its mineral waters. You can buy it in every shop, or try real mineral water with salts in “pavilions of water” (Pijalnia wód) in mountain resorts, where this water is produced. For example resorts of Szczawnica or Krynica.

Other

Interestingly, a very wide variety of fruit juices is available, with choice rivaling - and often surpassing - those of many other countries. The same applies to mineral water. Bottled ice tea is getting increasingly popular, although the choice is limited. Coffee bars, although thankfully not Starbucks, are becoming prevalent and are popular as well.

It is no longer difficult to avoid meat, with many restaurants offering at least one vegetarian dish. Also many major cities such as Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, Łódź and Wrocław have vegetarian restaurants, especially near the city centre.

If you want to eat cheaply, you should visit [bar mleczny] (milk bar). Bar mleczny is a typically Polish kind of a fast food restaurant. It was invented by the communist authorities of Poland in mid-1960s as a means to offer cheap meals to people working in companies that had no official canteen. Its name originates from the fact that until late 1980s the meals served there were mostly dairy-made and vegetarian (especialy during the martial law period of the beginning of the 1980s, when meat was rationed). The milk-bars are usually subsidized by the state. Eating there is a unique experience - it is not uncommon that you will encounter people from various social classes - students, businessmen, university professors, elderly people, sometimes even homeless, all eating side-by-side in a 1970s-like environment. Presumably, it is the quality of food at absolutely unbeatable price (veggie main courses starting from €0.50!) that attracts people.

There is a list of Polish milk bars available on the Internet.

Restaurants and other types of food service are generally inexpensive for those accustomed to price in Western Europe or the United States. Finer restaurants are on par with the best in those regions but cost two or three times less.

The legal tender in Poland is the Polish złoty (zł, PLN). Poland is expected to adopt the common European currency Euro (€) in ca. 2010 but it can be used to pay in many bigger shops (”hypermarkets”) even now. Remember to always check the conversion rates though!

• 1 zł (złoty, pl. złote (2, 3, 4, then 22, 23, and so), or złotych (5-21 then 25, 26 and so)) = 100 gr (grosz, pl. grosze or groszy as above)

Private exchange offices in Poland usually offer better rates than commercial banks. They are called Kantor and are very common, especially in places like railway stations. Be cautious about those in tourist hot-spots, such as the Warsaw Old Town, since they may overcharge.

Plastic money can be used to pay almost everywhere in the big cities. Popular cards include Visa, Visa Electron, MasterCard and Maestro. AmEx and Diners’ Club can be used in a few places (notably the big, business-class hotels) but are not popular and you should not rely on them for any payments. There is an extensive network of cash machines (ATMs) - here’s an unofficial list of them.

Cheques were never particularly popular in Poland and they are hardly used nowadays. You’re likely to accumulate several hundred single grosz (1/100th of a złoty), while the grosz is legal tender many vendors and stores will refuse to accept them, but they have no problem giving you grosz as change. You’ll want to be sure to always have a larger groszy coins to satisfy the vendors that refuse the single grosz coin.

It is illegal to export goods older then 55 years that are of ANY historic value. If you intend to do so you need to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage

The official language of Poland is Polish.

Non-Polish speakers will find that most of the younger generation (35 and under), speak, or at least understand, English reasonably well. Since English is taught at a very young age (some start as early as 4 years old), only Poles who grow up in isolated towns or communities will not be given English lessons. Older Poles, however, especially those outside the main cities, will speak little or no English at all. Most probably, they will know German or Russian.

A few phrases go a long way in Poland. Contrary to some other tourist cities where natives will often scoff at how bad a foreigner’s use of the native language is, Polish people generally love it when foreigners learn Polish, even if it’s only a few phrases. Younger Poles, however, will jump at the chance to practise their English as well.

Do your homework and try to learn how to pronounce the names of places. Polish has a very regular pronunciation, so this shouldn’t be a problem. Although there are a few sounds unknown to most English speakers, mastering every phoneme is not required to achieve intelligibility. It’s rather about catching the spirit: practice asking for driving directions to Szczebrzeszyn.

Poland’s history has made it a very homogenous society. Outside of the very, very touristy areas of the major cities, you’ll find that there are few, if any, foreigners. Most of the immigrants in Poland (notably Ukranians and Vietnamese) stay in the major cities for work. Be advised that if you are heard speaking English in a public setting you will get looks; many people will listen in to practice their understanding of English. However, speaking English loudly in public also marks you immediately as a tourist, which can be dangerous in certain areas of the cities. Use common sense!

Hitchhiking in Poland is (on average) OK. Yes, it’s slower than its Western (Germany) and Eastern (Lithuania) neighbours, but your waiting times will be quite acceptable!

Not necessarily a thumb but waving an extended hand is a much better recognized sign that you need a lift in Poland. Use a cardboard sign and write the city name on it.

Do not try to catch a lift where it is forbidden to stop. Look on the verge of the road and there should be a dashed line painted there, not a solid one.

As in any country, you should be careful, there are several reports of Polish hitchhiking trips gone awry, so take basic precautions and you should be as right as rain.

Use only those that are associated in a “corporation” (look for phone number and a logo on the side and on the top). The unaffiliated drivers are likely to cheat and charge you much more. Be especially wary of these taxis near international airports and train stations (but then, shouldn’t one be wary of them everywhere?). They are called the “taxi mafia”.

Because of travellers advice like this (and word of mouth), taxis with fake phone numbers can be seen on the streets, although recently this seems to have decreased, possibly the police have taken notice. Fake phone numbers are easily detected by locals and cater for the unsuspecting traveller. The best advice is to ask your Polish friends or your hotel concierge for the number of the taxi company they use and call them 10-15 minutes in advance (there’s no additional cost). That’s why locals will only hail taxis on the street in an emergency.

You can also find phone numbers for taxis in any city on the Internet, on municipal and newspaper websites. There are also stands, where you can call for their particular taxi for free, often found at train stations.

Never negotiate the fare with the driver as you will probably end up paying more than you should. Just make sure that the driver turns the meter on and sets it to the appropriate fare (taryfa):

• Taryfa 1: Daytime within city limits
• Taryfa 2: Nights, Sundays and holidays within city limits
• Taryfa 3: Daytime outside city limits
• Taryfa 4: Nights, Sundays and holidays outside city limits

When crossing city limits (for example, when traveling to an airport located outside the city), the driver should change the tariff at the city limit.

Every taxi driver is obliged to issue a receipt when asked. You can ask the driver for a receipt (rachunek) before you get into cab, and resign if his reaction seems suspicious or if he refuses.

Polish road network is below par by Western European standards, but quite functional and dense. The biggest problem is that there is no intercity highway system and most of the country is linked only with single-carriageway roads, which are not suitable for the traffic volume they are experiencing. The roads are generally well-signed but various surface defects, most notably ruts, are commonplace.

As long as you keep by the main roads, you should get to where you want fairly easy. But estimate twice as much time and exhaustion compared with driving in countries like Germany or France. When travelling between cities or towns, you should always add about 30 minutes for every 100 km that you travel to leave time for getting stuck behind slow moving vehicles.

Poles drive aggressively, which means that they usually disrespect the speed limits and overtake recklessly. Drunk driving is a problem, despite heavy penalties. Poland has more deaths on the roads per capita than most Western European countries. On the other hand Poland has less deaths on the roads per capita than the USA. And the situation has been improving every year since 1997.

Some peculiarities of driving in Poland include:

• Speed limits are: 50km/h in city (60km/h at night), 90km/h outside city, 10km/h more if directions are separated, 100km/h on car-only roads (white car on the blue sign), 10km/h more if directions are separated, and 130km/h on highways.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious offence. BAC limits are: up to 0.02% - not prosecuted by law, up to 0.05% - an offence, above 0.05% - criminal offence (up to 2 years in jail). Despite the strict laws, DUI’s are a serious problem in Poland. Be especially careful during (and after) national holidays and on the small roads in the countryside.
• There is no right turn at a red light. Exception is when there is green arrow signal in which case you still have to come to a complete stop and yield to pedestrians and cross traffic (although the stop rule is seldom respected by Polish drivers). All above does not apply if right turning traffic has separate (red-yellow-green) signals.
• On T-crossing or crossroads without traffic signs, traffic at the right always has right-of-way unless your road is a priority route, shown by a road sign displaying a yellow diamond with a white outline.
• After turning into a crossing street, driver can select any lane.
• Driving with lights on is obligatory at all times.
• When driving in the countryside, other drivers (sometimes those approaching from the opposite direction too) may expect you to evade to the verge of the road to facilitate overtaking. This is a custom, not a law so you are not obliged to follow it. Before you do it, make sure there is a hard shoulder and it is safe to do so.

Some drivers flash their headlights to warn those approaching from the opposite direction of a police control nearby (you are likely to encounter this custom in many other countries). So if you see somebody flashing their headlights, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is something wrong with your car or sth.

Historically, some people also used to flash the warning lights (all indicators simultaneously) once or twice as a way of saying “thank you”. This is now outdated, the proper/modern way of saying “thank you” being a right/left/right indicator sequence, or similar. The usage of warning lights is the same as in Western Europe nowadays.

Most of Europes major airlines fly to and from Poland. Polands national carriers are LOT Polish Airlines, and a low cost airline Centralwings (owned by LOT). There are several low cost airlines that fly to Poland including WizzAir, SkyEurope, EasyJet, Germanwings, Norwegian and Ryanair.

Apart from direct air connections from many European cities there are also direct flights from United States and Canada. LOT operates direct flights from Toronto, New York and Chicago, however tickets for those flights are far from cheap and most people with limited budgets fly with other airlines which stopover in major European airports.

International airlines fly mainly to Warsaw’s Frederic Chopin Airport (WAW) in Okęcie. Other major airports in Poland are: Kraków-Balice (KRK), Katowice-Pyrzowice (KTW), Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport (GDN), Wrocław Copernicus Airport (WRO), Poznań-Ławica (POZ), Szczecin-Goleniów (SZZ), Rzeszów-Jasionka (RZE), Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport (BZG) and Łódź-Lublinek (LCJ).

Domestic flights operated by LOT (under Eurolot brand) connect Warsaw with Bydgoszcz, Katowice, Kraków, Gdańsk, Poznań, Łódź, Szczecin and Wrocław. Other smaller cities don’t have airports with facilities that would allow commercial airlines to operate internationally, however there are often charter flights available - of course, these are for people with thick wallets.

As the number of flights and passengers has significantly increased since 1990, a new terminal has been opened at the Okęcie airport which will significantly increase the airport’s capacity. Also airports in Kraków, Wrocław and Poznań have been expanded to increase their standards and capacity.

As Poland is a member of the European Union, citizens of the EU and of the countries belonging to the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), as well as Swiss nationals, can enter Poland with a valid passport or identity card.

Beside the countries outlined above, citizens from the following countries may travel to Poland for tourism and business purposes with a valid passport and without a visa if their planned stay does not exceed 90 days: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Georgia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, USA, Uruguay, Vatican and Venezuela. Citizens of all other countries must obtain a visa in order to enter and stay in Poland legally. Always check with the local Polish Embassy or on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for updates as this can change.

Regular Visas are issued for travelers going to Poland for tourism and business purposes. Regular visas allow for one or multiple entries into Polish territory and stay in Poland for maximum up to 90 days and are issued for the definite period of stay. When applying for a visa, please indicate the number of days you plan to spend in Poland and a date of intended arrival. Holders of regular visas are not authorized to work.

Ukrainian citizens do not require visa for transit through Poland if they holding Shenghen or UK visa/

• Częstochowa – The Jasna Góra Monastery is a Pauline Fathers monastery in the City of Częstochowa, Poland. The monastery has been a pilgrimage destination for hundreds of years, and it contains the most important icon of the Virgin Mary in this part of Europe. The icon, depicting the Mother of God with the Christ Child, is known as Black Madonna of Częstochowa or Our Lady of Częstochowa, which is widely venerated and credited with many miracles[citation needed]. Among these, it is credited with miraculously saving the Jasna Góra monastery during a siege that took place at the time of The Deluge, a 17th century Swedish invasion, the events of which changed the course of the war. Shortly thereafter in the cathedral of Lwów, on April 1, 1656, Jan Kazimierz, the King of Poland, solemnly pronounced his vow to consecrate the country to the protection of the Mother of God and proclaimed Her the Patron and Queen of the lands in his kingdom.
• Gdansk/Danzig – one of the most beautiful European cities. Although it was destroyed in World War II, it has been perfectly rebuilt.
• Krakow – historical center, countless ancient monuments, the largest European medieval market-place (with free WiFI :) ); plenty of magical pubs and cafes; Nowa Huta district – unique entirely planned and built socialist-realist city; great starting point for trips of any kind.
• Łódź – once renowned for its textile industries, the Polish Manchester has the longest walking street in Europe, the Piotrkowska Street is full of picturesque 19th-century architecture.
• Lublin – largest city in eastern Poland. Has well preserved old town with typical Polish and at the same time unusual architecture.
• Poznan/Posen – a merchant town and a host city of the famous international trade shows. The Town Hall is one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings worldwide.
• Szczecin/Stettin – maritime port city with unusual urban planning.
• Toruń – the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus has hundreds of fine buildings from the Middle Ages in its Old Town. There is a beautiful panorama of Toruń from the left side of the Vistula river.
• Warsaw – Poland’s capital city is one of the most historical and important cities in Europe and has become one of the EU’s thriving new business centers.
• Wroclaw/Breslau – a perfect mixture of gothic and baroque architecture, it was also destroyed and successfully rebuilt. It has more bridges than any other European town except Hamburg (2500), Venice, Amsterdam and Saint Petersburg.
• Zakopane – Poland’s winter capital with outstanding atmosphere, the best starting point for hiking trips.
• Zamość Old Town – built in the late Polish Renaissance style. Jan Zamojski, the founder, invited people from the whole Europe to settle there. It is one of the most beautiful Renaissance cities in Europe.

Over the past several years, you see more and more automated cash dispensers and use of credit cards, especially in the cities. Rural areas are less familiar with this practice and it is not as common to find cash dispensers. If you plan to take a trip into the mountains, it is better to take cash with you.

All popular credit cards are accepted in most large centres in Poland as it becomes more common and accepted to find automated banking and credit card facilities. The most commonly accepted cards are: Access/Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club, Eurocard, JCB and the most popular card, Visa. Most banks in Poland also offer the choice of obtaining a cash advance on your credit card. Additionally, most automated bank machines also offer the option of a credit card cash advance.

The polish ZŁOTY (zł / PLN) – the polish monetary unit which came into existence around the year 1500, was made of silver and was upon par with a golden ducat. Since 1924 the Złoty (1zł = 100 groszy) has been the fundamental monetary unit of Poland.

In 1995 a devaluation was carried out on the bank notes and coins, in order to „to strike out four zeros“, which in effect carried out a devaluation of the currency and normalized the liquidity of the Złoty and helped develop it on the money-market. This had the effect of raising it’s status and making it more of an interchangeable monetary unit up to international standard.

The Polish National Bank is the central bank of the Republic of Poland, and works toward increasing the stability of the national monetary unit. The Bank operates and realizes the strategy of the money policy on an annual basis. The primary aim of the PNB is to facilitate a stable money policy.

The coins, which are distributed by the Polish National Bank, are divided in two groups. The first group are coins which are distributed in large quantities and circulate publicly, with a fixed nominal value. The second group are coins for collectors which are produced in small limited quantities. These coins are intended to be used by local and the foreign collectors.

Polish bank-notes have a nominal value of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Złoty. All the bank-notes have portraits of former Polish rulers and have special signs for visually impaired people. Moreover the bank-notes of 100 and 200 Złoty have special holograms.

There are 16 voivodships in Poland, which are divided into districts or counties (powiats). All the voivodships were established on January 1, 1999, pursuant to the local government reorganisation act.

Western-Pomerania - is situated in the north-west of Poland. This voivodship includes the whole of historic “East Pomerania” and a small part of “West Pomerania”, an area at the west-side of the river Oder, including a part of the island Uznam or “Usedom”. The surface of this province amounts to 22,902 km², land and water, and has 1,69 million inhabitants (2003). It is a rather thinly inhabited area, with Szcezecin as the capital city, a large and important seaport on the Baltic Sea. This voivodship has 18 “powiats”, the so-called counties and three citycounties. Other important cities are Stargard Szczecinski, Świnoujście, Golenoiw en Kolobrzeg.

Pomeranian Voivodship - is a fusion of the former voivodships Gdansk en Słupsk, and large parts from Elbląg. This province includes several historic parts of Pomeranian and also parts from “West Prussia”and “East Prussia”. The surface of this voivodship totals 18,293 km², is situated in the north-west of Poland and has approximately 2,19 million inhabitants (2004). The capital city is Gdansk. This province has 16 “powiats”, the so-called counties and four citycounties.Warmian-Masurian Voivodship - is situated in the north-east of Poland, and is a fusion of the former Olsztyn voivodship and parts of Suwałki and Elbląg. The province lies at the southern border of Russia’s Oblast Kaliningrad, an enclave inside the European Union. The name of this voivodship recalls the region’s two historic lands, Warmia and Masuria. The surface of this province totals 24,193 km² and has about 1,43 million inhabitants (2004). The capital city is Olsztyn with about 177,000 inhabitants (2004). Another important city in this area is Elbląg. This voivodship has 19 “powiats”, the so-called counties and two citycounties.

Podlasie Voivodship - is situated in the north-east of Poland, and is a fusion of the former voivodships Białystok, Łomża and a part of Suwałki. It is a rather thinly inhabited area. In this province is also situated the forest of Białowieża, the last primeval forest of Europe. The largest part of this forest lies in Russian territory. The surface of this voivodship amounts to 20,180 km² and has about 1,22 million inhabitants (2003). The major cities are Białystok with approximately 300,000 inhabitants (2003), Łomża and Suwałki.

Lubusz Voivodship - amounts to 13,984 km² and is situated in the west of Poland with very important cities such as Zielona Góra and Gorzów Wielkopolski. This voivodship was created out of the former voivodships which have the same names as both towns. The number of inhabitants in this province totals 1,0 million (2004). It is interesting, that the name of this voivodship refers to the “historic land of Lubusz”, a medieval Polish province. This province has 12 “powiats”, the so-called counties and two citycounties.

Greater Poland Voivodship - is situated in the west of Poland, precisely between seven other voivodships. This voivodship was created by a fusion of the former Poznań, Kalisz, Konin, Piła and Leszno provinces. Greater Poland is seen, with the historic royal cities like Poznan and Gniezno, as the germ-cell from Poland. The surface of this voivodship amounts to 29,826 km² and has about 3,36 million inhabitants (2004). This province has 31 “powiats”, the so-called counties and four citycounties. The most important cities are the capital city Poznań with approximately 574,000 inhabitants (2004), Konin, Leszno and Kalisz.

Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodship - is a fusion of the former voivodships Bydgoszcz, Turuń en Włocławek and is situated in central-northern Poland. The surface of this province amounts to 17,969 km² and has about 2,06 million inhabitants (2004). The voivodship’s name recalls the two historic regions of “Kujawy” and “Pomorze”. This province has 19 “powiats”, the so-called counties and four citycounties. The most important cities are Bydgoszcz, Grudziądz, Włocławek and Toruń.

Mazowsze Voivodship - is a fusion of the former voivodships Warszawa, Płock, Ciechanów, Ostrołęka, Siedlce and Radom. The capital city of this province is Warsaw, with 1,69 million inhabitants (2003), and is at the same time the greatest voivodship of all the voivodships, the surface amounts to 35,598 km², and has more than 5,13 million inhabitants (2003). From a historical point of view, this voivodship was the starting-point of the long history of Poland with duke Mieszko I, who converted in the year 966 A.D. to Christianity and united the different Slavonic tribes on the low-lying plain between the rivers Oder and Wisła. This province has 37 “powiats”, the so-called counties and five citycounties. These cities have the names of the former voivodships.

Lower Silesia Voivodship - is a fusion of the former voivodships Legnica, Wałbrzych and Jelenia Góra, and is situated in the southwest of Poland. The surface of this voivodship amounts to 19,948 km² and has approximately 2,9 million inhabitants (2003). This voivodship is at the northwestern part of the historic and geographic region of “Silesia”. The capital city of Lower Silesia is Wrocław (Breslau) with about 638,000 inhabitants (2003). Other important cities are Wałbrzych, Legnica, Jelenia Góra, Lubin, Głogów and Świdnica. The province has 26 “powiats”, the so-called counties and three citycounties.

Lódź Voivodship - is a fusion of the former voivodships Lódź, Siradz, Piotrków- Trybunalski, Skierniewice and a part of Płock. The surface of this province amounts to 18,219 km² and is situated in the centre of Poland. The number of inhabitants totals 2,59 million (2003). The voivodship is named after the capital city Lódź with about 778,000 inhabitants (2003). Further important cities are Piotrków Trybunalski, Pabianice, Tomaszów Mazowiecki and Bełchatów. The province has 24 “powiats”, the so-called counties and three citycounties.

Lublin Voivodship - this province amounts to 25,114 km² surface and is situated in the south-east of Poland with Lublin as the capital city. The number of inhabitants in this province totals 2,19 million (2003). Further important cities are Chełm, Biała Podlaskie, Zamość, Puławy, Kraśnik and Świdnik. The province has 20 “powiats”, the so-called counties and four citycounties.

Opole Voivodship - was created out of the former voivodships Opole and large parts of Czestochowa. The surface of this province amounts to 9,412 km², and has 1,04 million inhabitants (2005) and lies in the south-western part of Poland. The name “Opole” has the same name as the capital city with about 135,000 inhabitants (2005). Further important cities are Kędzierzyn-Koźle with 103,000 and Nysa with 147,000 inhabitants (2005). Not forgotten are the cities Brzeg, Prudnik, Strzele Opolskie, Kluczbork and Krapkowice.This voivodship has 11 “powiats”, the so-called counties and one citycounty.

Silesia Voivodship - lies in the south of Poland, bordering the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The surface of this province amounts to 12,294 km² and has 4,83 million inhabitants (2004). It is a densely populated, industrial area. The capital city of this region is Katowice with about 321,000 inhabitants (2004). Moreover there are many important cities in this area with between 40,000 and 250,000 inhabitants. This voivodship has 17 “powiats”, the so-called counties and nineteen citicounties.

Holy Cross Voivodship - lies in the centre of Poland. The surface of this province amounts to 11,691 km² and has approximately 1,29 inhabitants (2003). The name of this voivodship is called after the mountainregion Góry Świętokrzyskie and means literally “Holy Cross”. The capital city is Kielce with 213,000 inhabitants (2003). Further important cities are Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Starachowice and Skarżysko-Kamienna. This voivodship has 13 “powiats”, the so-called counties and one citicounty.

Lesser Poland Voivodship - was created out of the former voivodships of Kraków, Tarnów, Nowy Sącz and parts from Bielsko-Biała and Katowice. The surface of this province totals 15,108 km² and has about 3,25 million inhabitants (2003). This voivodship lies in the south-east of Poland. The most important city is Kraków with about 745,000 inhabitants (2003). Further big cities are Tarnów with a population of 125,000 and Nowy Sącz with 82,000 inhabitants. This voivodship has 19 “powiats”, the so-called counties and three citicounties.

Subcarpathian Voivodship - is a fusion of the former voivodships Rzeszow, Przemysl, Krosno, parts of Tarnow and Tarnobrzeg. The surface of this province amounts to 17,926 km² and has 2,09 million inhabitants (2004). This voivodship lies in the farthest south-eastern part of Poland. The name is a reference to the geographic location of the voivodship adjoining the Carpathian Mountains. The capital city is Rzeszόw with a population of 165,000 (2004). Large cities in this area are Stalowa Wola with 72,000, Przemyśl with 69,000 and Mieliec with 64,000 inhabitants (2004). The province is divided into 21 “powiats”, the so-called counties an four citicounties. At the same time there are 159 “gmima”, the so-called municipalities.

The provinces - a voivodship was originally described as a dominion ruled by a duke and is under existing circumstances the denomination of the sixteen regions of Poland, the “Województwa” (singular: the Województwo), from which a Woiwode the highest governour is.

The term woiwode (also: wojewode) goes back to the Slavonic term “voj-voda”, literally “army commander”. The title is considered to be at the same level as a duke.

The old kingdom of Poland had voivodships, but also the sovereigns from Moldavia and Wallachia were “voivods”. The name of the region Vojvodina in the north of Serbia, means nothing else than voivodship.

There are 16 voivodships or provinces in Poland. All these voivodships were founded on January 1, 1999, pursuant to the local government reorganisation act.

The republic - Poland is a republic with many parties. The republic has a “two” chamber parliaments and elections are held every four years. The foundations of the statute laws of Poland are embedded in the constitution of the Polish Republic from April 2, 1997.

The president - as stated in the constitution, the president is the highest representative of the Polish authority. He must guarantee continuity of the imperial authority and he representatives the highest seat of the state within the reach of the Executive. From December 23, 2005 – Lech Kaczyński. The president of Poland, who is elected by general democratic elections, serves a term of five years from the day he is sworn in.

The parliament - the « Sejm », consist of a “Lower House” with 460 representatives, who are elected via general elections. The term of the parliament is four years. The “Upper House”, the senate, consist of 100 senators and the term served is also four years. The Premier is in many countries the head of the Government. The official name of the Prime Minister in Poland is the “Premier”. Since October 2005, Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz has served as the Prime Minister. He was succeeded on July 10, 2006 by Jaroslaw Kaczyński, a twin-brother of the president.

Territorial partition of Poland - there are 16 provinces (voivodships) which are divided into 315 districts or counties (the so-called powiats). In these districts there are 2.489 municipalities (the so-called gmina).