Poland: Kraków, Warsaw and Gdańsk — Where to Go and What to Try

Kraków: the old town and Wawel

Kraków is one of the most beautiful cities in Central Europe. Here you'll find the vast Main Market Square with the Cloth Hall and St. Mary's Basilica, Wawel Royal Castle on a hill above the Vistula, and the old Kazimierz quarter with its cafés and galleries. Not far from the city lies the Wieliczka Salt Mine, with underground halls and chapels carved right into the salt.

Warsaw: a capital rebuilt from scratch

Warsaw's Old Town was almost completely destroyed during the war and rebuilt from old paintings and drawings — today it is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Royal Route, Łazienki Park with its Palace on the Isle, modern museums and the Vistula riverfront make the capital a pleasure to explore on unhurried walks.

Gdańsk and the Baltic Sea

Gdańsk is a port city with colourful merchants' houses along the Long Market and the Motława waterfront, where the medieval wooden port crane stands. Nearby is the resort town of Sopot, with its long wooden pier and the sandy beaches of the Baltic.

Zakopane and the Tatras

In the south of the country rise the Tatra Mountains. The small town of Zakopane is famous for its wooden architecture and mountain cuisine. From here, trails lead to mountain lakes, the best known of which is Morskie Oko, and in winter the ski slopes open.

What to try

Polish cuisine is hearty and very homely.

• Pierogi — dumplings filled with potato and curd cheese, meat, cabbage or berries.
• Żurek — a tangy soup made with soured rye, served with sausage and egg.
• Bigos — cabbage stewed with fresh and smoked meats.
• Oscypek — a smoked sheep's cheese from the Tatras, often served with cranberry jam.
• Pączki — fluffy filled doughnuts from the pastry shops.
• Sausages and smoked meats from local markets.

Good to know before you go

Poland is a friendly country that's easy for travellers, and a few simple tips will help you feel at ease.

• Many shops are closed on Sundays — mostly only small shops, cafés and station shops stay open.
• Enter churches in clothing that covers your shoulders and knees, and don't disturb services.
• On city public transport, validate your ticket as soon as you board.
• In the mountains the weather changes quickly — take warm clothes and a raincoat.
• Many streets have cycle lanes — it's best not to walk on them.

Staying connected

In Poland you need the internet from the very first minutes: to open a map, buy a train ticket, call a taxi, or show your hotel booking. You can install your eSIM at home over Wi-Fi, so after landing you won't have to hunt for a SIM card at the airport or stand in queues. When a plan's validity begins is shown on the checkout page before you pay: for some plans it starts at the first connection in the destination country, for others on installation or right after purchase. Your main number stays in your phone, and calls and messages to it keep arriving as usual, under your carrier's terms.