Poland Overview Country Overview Poland shares borders with the Baltic Sea, the Russian Federation, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany. Warsaw, the capital, was completely destroyed during World War II, but the Old Town has been completely rebuilt. The reconstructed Royal Castle is well worth seeing. The Lazienki Palace is set in a lovely park with an open-air Greek theatre and a monument to Chopin. Krakow, Poland’s second city, still retains its charming medieval air, having largely escaped destruction during the War. In the centre is the Cloth Hall built in the 14th century. Opposite is St Mary’s Church, famous for its wooden altar carved by Wit Stwosz. Gdansk, formerly known as Danzig, was also destroyed in World War II, but has also been restored to its former beauty. Sights include the Town Hall, the 17th-century Golden Gate and the largest Gothic church in Poland. Popular dishes include zrazy zawijane (mushroom-stuffed beefsteak rolls in sour cream) served with boiled kasza (buckwheat) and pigs’ knuckles. Poland has strong theatrical and musical traditions. Warsaw and the main cities have theatres and opera companies that put on a whole range of musical and cultural programmes for both locals and visitors. General Information Area: 312,685 sq km (120,728 sq miles). Population: 38,646,000 (2000). Population Density: 123.6 per sq km. Capital: Warsaw. Population: 1,618,500 (1999). GEOGRAPHY: Poland shares borders to the east with the Russian Federation, Belarus, Ukraine and Lithuania, to the south with the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic and to the west with Germany. To the north lies the Baltic Sea. The Baltic coast provides over 500km (300 miles) of sandy beaches, bays, steep cliffs and dunes. Northern Poland is dominated by lakes, islands and wooded hills joined by many rivers and canals. The Mazurian Lake District to the northeast is particularly beautiful. Lake Hancza, the deepest lake in Poland, is located in this district. The River Vistula has cut a wide valley from Gdansk on the Baltic coast to Warsaw in the heart of the country. The rest of the country rises slowly to the Sudety Mountains, which run along the border with the Czech Republic, and the Tatra mountains, which separate Poland from the Slovak Republic. To the west, the River Oder, with Szczecin at its mouth, forms the northwest border with Germany. Government: Republic since 1918. Head of State: President Aleksander Kwasniewski since 1995. Head of Government: Prime Minister Leszek Miller since 2001. Language: Polish is the official language. There is a small German-speaking community. English and Russian are also spoken. Religion: More than 90 per cent Roman Catholic; other religions include Polish Autocephalous Orthodox, Russian and Greek Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim. Time: GMT + 1. Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; continental sockets. Communications:   Telephone Full IDD is available. Country code: 48. Outgoing international code: 00. Cheap rate on long-distance calls is available from 1600-0600. Telephone cards can be purchased from post offices, newsagents and hotel receptions for local calls. Mobile telephone GSM 900 and 1800 networks cover the whole country. Internet ISPs include SuperMedia (website: www.supermedia.com.pl). Telegram Services are provided at all main post offices and by phone. Post Service to Western Europe takes up to four days. Poste Restante facilities are available at post offices throughout the country. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800. Press Independent publications are flourishing following the changes in the political system; about 100 newspapers are now available. The principal dailies are Gazeta Wyborcza, Rzeczpospolita and Zycie Warszawy. English-language publications include The Warsaw Voice (weekly). BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 17.64 12.10 9.410 6.195 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 15.21 11.82 9.760 1.197 Passport/Visa   Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required? British Yes 1 No Australian Yes Yes No Canadian Yes Yes No USA Yes 2 No OtherEU Yes 1 No Japanese Yes 2 No PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least six months beyond date of arrival required by all. VISAS: Required by all except the following: (a) 1. nationals of the UK for visits not exceeding six months and all other EU nationals for 90 days; (b) 2. nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Hungary, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Israel, Japan, Korea (Rep), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, Norway, Macau (SAR), Panama, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uruguay and the USA for visits not exceeding 90 days; (c) nationals of Bulgaria, Estonia, Romania and Singapore for visits not exceeding 30 days; (d) nationals of Hong Kong (China) with a British Overseas Passport only for stays of up to 14 days; (e) nationals of Ukraine for up to 180 days. Types of visa and cost: Tourist and Business: £30 (single-entry), £60 (multiple-entry). Transit: £14 (single-entry), £28 (double-entry), £41 (multiple-entry). Work: £53. Student: £23 (single-entry). Certain nationals will have to pay more for visas. Reduced prices are available for students aged under 26 with appropriate identification and for children. Visas can be issued the next day for an express service fee of £17. Contact Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy) for further details. Validity: Tourist and Business visas are valid up to three months from date of entry. Extensions can be arranged in Poland through the district passport office. Multiple-entry business visas are valid for three months. Transit visas are valid for up to 48 hours and are not required by passengers continuing their journey to a third country on the same day without leaving the transit area. Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section for details. Application requirements: Tourist: (a) Passport (must be valid for three months after planned departure from Poland). (b) Completed application form. (c) One passport-size photo. (d) Evidence of immigration status in country of residence, endorsed in current or previous passport (if applicable). (e) Fee, payable by cash/postal order. (f) Details of travel itinerary, accommodation booking or invitation from friends or family. The invitation should be entered in the register of invitations in a Regional office (for multiple-entry tourist visa only). Business: (a)–(e) and, (f) Letter from applicant’s company or organisation. For multiple-entry visas, a letter from the applicant’s Polish partners. Self employed persons should produce an invitation from the business partner from Poland. Transit: (a)–(e) and, (f) The visa for country of destination. Note: Applications submitted without these requirements will not be considered by the Consular offices and will be returned to the applicant. All visitors must possess sufficient funds to cover the cost of their stay. Working days required: Three. For some passport holders it may take up to ten days. Express visas can be processed within 24 hours. Postal applications may take up to two weeks. Temporary residence: Apply to Consulate. Money Currency: Zloty (Zl) = 100 groszy. Notes are in denominations of Zl200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. The new coins are in denominations of Zl5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 groszy. Currency exchange: Foreign currency can be exchanged at all border crossing points, hotels and bureaux de change, some of which are open 24 hours. Cash can also be obtained from Visa credit cards at banks. Credit & debit cards: American Express, MasterCard, Visa and Diners Club are accepted in larger establishments. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available. Travellers cheques: Readily exchanged. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in Pounds Sterling. Currency restrictions: The import and export of local currency is prohibited. The import of foreign currency is unlimited, provided declared on arrival. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on arrival. Exchange rate indicators The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Zloty against Sterling and the US Dollar: Date May ’02 Aug ’02 Nov ’02 Feb ’03 £1.00= 5.95 6.37 6.22 6.17 $1.00= 4.08 4.19 3.93 3.87 Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1600, Sat 0900-1300 in main cities. In smaller towns, banking hours are more limited. Duty Free The following items may be imported into Poland by persons of 17 years of age and over without incurring customs duty: 250 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco; 1l of wine and 1l of spirits; goods up to the value of €70. Prohibited items: The export of all articles of artistic, historical or cultural value is subject to special regulations. Parrots, although in special cases, permission is obtainable from the Ministry of Agriculture. Public Holidays Jan 1 2003 New Year’s Day. Apr 21 Easter Monday. May 1 Labour Day. May 3 National Day. Jun 19 Corpus Christi. Aug 15 Assumption. Nov 1 All Saints’ Day. Nov 11 Independence Day. Dec 25-26 Christmas. Jan 1 2004 New Year’s Day. Apr 12 Easter Monday. May 1 Labour Day. May 3 National Day. Jun 10 Corpus Christi. Aug 15 Assumption. Nov 1 All Saints’ Day. Nov 11 Independence Day. Dec 25-26 Christmas. Health   Special Precautions Certificate Required Yellow Fever No No Cholera No No Typhoid and Polio No N/A Malaria No N/A Food & drink: Mains water is normally chlorinated, and whilst relatively safe may cause mild abdominal upsets. Bottled water is available and is advised for the first few weeks of the stay. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat. Other risks: Hepatitis A, B and diphtheria occur. Freshwater fish from the Baltic Sea area could contain fish tapeworm, causing diphyllobothriasis. Tick-borne encephalitis occurs in forested areas. Vaccination is advisable. Campers and trekkers should wear long trousers when walking near long grass in order to avoid tick bites. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix. Health care: There are reciprocal health agreements with most European countries for hospital treatment and medical expenses. The agreement with the UK allows free emergency medical treatment (including hospital treatment) and some free dental treatment on presentation of an NHS card. UK citizens must, however, pay a call-out charge as well as 30 per cent of the cost of prescribed medicines obtained at a public pharmacy. Travel - International AIR: Poland’s national airline is LOT Polish Airlines (LO). Other airlines serving Poland include Aeroflot, Air France, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, El Al, Lufthansa, SAS and Swiss. Approximate flight times: From Warsaw to London is 2 hours, to Frankfurt/M is 1 hour 50 minutes, and to Prague is 1 hour 20 minutes. International airports: Warsaw (WAW) (Okecie) is 10km (6 miles) southwest of the city (travel time – 20-40 minutes by bus; 20-30 minutes by taxi). Full duty-free facilities are available. Airport facilities include post office (Mon-Fri 0800-2000, Sat 0800-1400), banks and bureaux de change, bars and restaurants, left-luggage facilities (24 hours), tourist information services and car hire (Avis, Budget, National, Thrifty and Hertz). Kraków (KRK) (Balice John Paul II) is 16km (10 miles) west of the city centre. Buses and taxis are available. Airport facilities include bar, bureau de change (0600-2200) and car hire (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Ann and Hertz). There are duty-free facilities in the departure hall. Wroclaw (WRO) (Strachowice) (website: www.airport.wroclaw.pl) is 8km (5 miles) from the city centre. Airport facilities include a bank, duty-free shop, post office, restaurants and shops. Buses, taxis and car hire are also available. There is a daily connection to Frankfurt/M and twice weekly (Thurs and Sun) to Düsseldorf. Katowice (KTW) is 34km (21 miles) from the city. There are connections to Copenhagen, Frankfurt/M and Munich daily. Gdansk (GDN) (website: www.airport.gdansk.pl) is the most common entry point into northern Poland. Departure tax: None. SEA: Pol Ferries operates between Poland and Sweden, Denmark and Finland. For further information contact the Polish National Tourist Office (see Contact Addresses section) or Pol Ferries, ul. Chalubinskiego 8, 00-613, Warsaw (tel: (22) 830 0930; fax: (22) 830 0071; e-mail: mbp.varszavam@polferries.com.pl). Tickets can also be purchased from travel agents or the ferry terminal (tel: (58) 343 1887). RAIL: Polish State Railways (PKP) (website: www.pkp.pl) operates EuroCity trains between Poland and a number of major European cities. All services from Western Europe to Poland pass through Germany, the Czech Republic or the Slovak Republic. The main routes link Warsaw with Berlin and Cologne, Vienna, Budapest and Prague. There is a car-sleeper service from the Hook of Holland to Poznan/Warsaw. ROAD: Poland is best reached from Germany and the Czech Republic or the car-sleeper rail service from the Hook of Holland to Poznan/Warsaw. There are extensive bus and coach services. Eurolines, departing from Victoria Coach Station in London, serves destinations in Poland. For further information, contact Eurolines (4 Cardiff Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, L41 1PP; tel: (08705) 143 219; fax: (01582) 400 694; website: www.eurolines.com or www.gobycoach.com). Travel - Internal AIR: All internal airlines are operated by LOT Polish Airlines and there is a comprehensive network linking all major cities. RAIL: Cheap and efficient IncterCity trains are operated by Polish State Railways (PKP) (website: www.pkp.pl) and link all parts of the country in a network radiating from Warsaw. There are two classes of travel. The ‘Polrailpass’ (and ‘Junior Polrailpass’ for travellers under 26) is available for 8, 15, 21 or 30 days. This pass is available from travel agents and international rail ticket outlets, as well as from railway stations and travel agents within Poland. Children under four years of age travel free. Children aged four to ten pay half fare. ROAD: Traffic drives on the right. Poland has a dense network of filling stations. Unleaded petrol is available in most of the petrol stations. Most filling stations located along international routes are open 24 hours a day. The Polish Automobile and Motorway Federation Polski Zwiazek Motorowy (PZM) can be called on 9637 nationwide for assistance. Starter emergency breakdown service can be called on (0801) 122 222. For further information, contact Polski Zwiazek Motorowy, Kazimierzowska 66 Warsaw (tel: (22) 849 9361; fax: (22) 848 1951). Bus: There are good regional bus and coach services operated by Polish Motor Communications (PKS) as well as the Polski Express connecting most towns. Car hire: Self-drive cars are available at the airport or through various car rental offices in town centres. The minimum age is 21. Charges are usually based on a daily rate plus a kilometre charge. Regulations: Speed limit is 60kph (40mph) in built-up areas, 90kph (57mph) on major roads and 110kph (69mph) on motorways. Seat belts and warning triangles are compulsory. Trams have the right of way. From 1 October to 1 April all vehicles should have their lights switched on at all times. Documentation: Tourists travelling in their own cars should have car registration cards, their national driving licence (driving licences of EU nationals are accepted) and valid Green Card motor insurance. An International Driving Permit is also required. URBAN: Bus: There are good services in all towns, with additional trams and trolleybuses operating in a dozen of the larger urban areas. Warsaw has bus, tramway and rail services. A flat fare is charged and there are pre-purchase tickets and passes. Tram: Weekend and seven-day tourist tickets can be purchased. Most public transport operates from 0530-2300. Taxi: These are available in all main towns. They are usually found at ranks or can be ordered by phone. There is a surcharge from 2300-0500 and for journeys out of town, as well as at weekends. Taxi drivers may insist on payment in hard currency. Tipping is welcomed. TRAVEL TIMES: The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Warsaw to other major cities/towns in Poland. Air Road Rail Kraków 1.40 4.00 2.35 Poznan 1.00 4.00 3.00 Wroclaw 1.15 6.00 4.35 Gdansk 1.00 6.00 3.40 Szczecin 2.00 8.00 5.40 Katowice 1.30 4.30 2.35 Lódz - 2.00 1.40 Accommodation HOTELS: Most major international hotel chains are represented in Poland. International Student Hotels offer better facilities than youth hostels and are inexpensive, comfortable and pleasant. Grading: Hotels in Poland are graded in five categories: luxury, 4-star, 3-star, 2-star and 1-star. In addition there are tourist hotels, boarding houses and motels, each graded into three or four categories. For further information, contact the Polish Hotel Association, Ul. Nowogrodzka 44 m 2, 00-695 Warsaw (tel: (22) 622 6991-3; fax: (22) 622 6992). GUEST-HOUSES: Three categories are available in all towns and run by regional tourist boards. Reservations can be made from local offices. CAMPING/CARAVANNING: There are many campsites in Poland, nearly 75 per cent of which are fitted with 220-volt powerpoints and several with 24-volt points for caravans. Facilities also include washrooms, canteens and nearby restaurants and food kiosks. The main camping season is June to August. Holders of an international camping card (FICC) qualify for a ten per cent rebate on rates. Grading: There are two categories. Category I sites cover an area of 100 sq m (10,764 sq ft) and have 24-hour reception and lighting. For more information contact the Polish Association of Camping and Caravanning (Polska Federacja Campingui I Caravaningu), Ul. Grochowska 331, 03-838 Warsaw (tel/fax: (22) 810 6050). YOUTH HOSTELS: There are about 446 hostels in Poland. Addresses can be found in the Youth Hostel Handbook published by the Polish Youth Hostels Association. For further information contact the Polish Youth Hostels Association (Polskie Towarzystwo Schronisk Mlodziezowych), Ul. Chocimska 28, 00-791 Warsaw (tel: (22) 849 8128; fax: (22) 849 8354 or 642 8133). Introduction Poland is now one of the major destinations for travellers. Its beauty can be admired in both its old cities and in the wild scenery of 22 national parks, about 1200 nature reserves, more than 100 landscape parks and 400 protected areas. The country’s regions are largely divided into horizontal bands: the Baltic Coast and the hilly post-glacial lake district. Central Poland is split into northern lowlands and southern uplands, including the Kraków-Wielun Upland with its limestone areas, caves and medieval castles. The Carpathian Mountains, including the Tatras, lie in the extreme south; their mountain scenery, folklore and sports facilities are important parts of their charm. Warsaw Spanning both banks of the River Wisla (Vistula), Poland’s capital and largest city was almost completely destroyed during World War II. Following massive and painstaking reconstruction, Warsaw’s Old Town (Stare Miasto) on the west bank was authentically reconstructed from original plans and is, today, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Polish capital plays an important role in the country’s cultural life and there are over 20 museums. One of the best is the Warsaw Historical Museum, which traces Warsaw’s history and shows films shot by the Nazis showing their systematic destruction of the city. The National Museum has a superb collection of art and archaeology. Zamek Królewski, the reconstructed Royal Castle, is now an important museum of fine and applied arts. The Wilanów Palace has a spectacular collection of old paintings and furniture; its Orangerie holds the new Museum of Posters. The enormous Palace of Culture and Science was an unwelcome gift from Josef Stalin; however, it offers wonderful views over the whole city. The Lazienki Palace is set in a lovely park with an open-air Greek theatre and a monument to the famous Polish composer Frederic Chopin. The National and the Polish are the most renowned of the city’s many theatres. Zelazowa Wola, 53km (32 miles) west of Warsaw, is an attractive park in which stands the manor house where Chopin was born. Nature enthusiasts can visit the nearby Kampinos National Park, where it is possible to see wild boar and elk. The East Lublin is a charming medieval university city 164km (102 miles) southeast of Warsaw. Still further east on the banks of the River Labunka is Zamosc, founded at the end of the 16th century and once an important centre on the trade route linking Northern and Western Europe to the Black Sea. Its Old Town has recently been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its focal point is the Market Square; the old and new Lublin Gates indicate the city’s former role as an important regional fortress. Lublin is given a southern flavour through the many buildings designed by Bernardo Morando of Padua, and by the many Armenians and Greeks who settled here. The Bialowieza National Park, an area of primal forest straddling the border with Belarus, is the last major refuge of the European bison as well as being home to many other rare forest-dwelling species. The South KRAKÓW: Poland’s second city also stands on the banks of the River Wisla (Vistula), but far to the south in the wooded foothills of the Tatra Mountains. It still retains its charming medieval air, having largely escaped destruction during World War II; it is one of UNESCO’s 12 most significant historical sites. In the middle of the central Market Square – the largest in Europe – is the Cloth Hall, which was reconstructed in the 19th century from 14th-century merchants’ stalls; this houses the art and sculpture galleries of the National Museum. Opposite is St Mary’s Church with its world-famous wooden altar carved by Wit Stwosz. The Jagiellonian University, founded in 1364, is one of the oldest in Europe. After many years of neglect, Kraków’s former Jewish quarter, Kazimierz, is reviving; the Old Synagogue (1557) the oldest surviving in the country. Also in Kazimierz is the country’s largest Ethnographic Museum. Kraków was Poland’s capital until 1596. Overlooking the city is Wawel Castle, with its marvellous 16th-century tapestries and, beside it, the Gothic Cathedral, where many Polish kings are buried. The Czartoryski Palace houses the city’s best collection of ancient art, European paintings and crafts. EXCURSIONS: Another of Poland’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites is the cathedral-like salt mines at Wieliczka, 13km (8 miles) from Kraków. The subterranean route spans 4.5km (2.8 miles) leading to the oldest part of the mine through 14th- and 15th-century chapels and crystal caves. Seventy kilometres (43 miles) from Kraków lies the site of the Oswiecim-Birkenau (Auschwitz-Birkenau) concentration camp in which four million people were killed by the Nazis. The camp area has been designated as a memorial monument and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Other important nearby locations include the Bledowska Desert, perhaps the only true desert in Europe; Wadowice, the birthplace of Pope John Paul II; and the icon of the Black Madonna in the huge Jasna Góra monastery complex at Czestochowa, 100km (60 miles) north of Kraków (reputed to have been painted by St Luke). Bieszczadski National Park is part of the Carpathian mountain range and contains the surviving fragments of the Great Bieszczady Forest, home to the brown bear, lynx and wildcat. Tatry (Tatras Mountains) Although the 80km of the Tatras in the extreme south are only a small part of the entire range, they attract over 1.5 million visitors every year, with high peaks for climbing, excellent trails, cable cars and superb wintersports facilities. Zakopane, about 112km (70 miles) south of Kraków in the foothills, is a charming resort and wintersports centre. There is a fairytale atmosphere here, with its ‘gingerbread’ wooden cottages and many inhabitants who still wear national dress. There are four National Parks in the Tatras: Babiogórski, Tatrzanski, Gorczanski and Pieninski (also with the beautiful mountain gorge of the River Dunajec). Camping is not allowed in the parks; climbing is, but only with a guide. Organised trips are available to the Koscieliska Valley, through beautiful countryside; the mountain of Kasprowy Wierch by means of a cable car offering spectacular views; and Morskie Oko, the glacial lake which is one of the Tatras’ main attractions. The West (Silesia and Wielkopolska) The principal city in the southwest and the capital of Lower Silesia, Wroclaw (Breslau) can claim to be the cradle of the Polish state: it was here that the Polanie tribe built their first fortified settlement (on Ostrow Tumski Island). During the 14th century, the city fell under the rule of Bohemia, followed by the Hapsburgs in the 16th century, and later the Prussians and the German Third Reich. At the end of World War II the town was a Nazi stronghold, ‘Festung Breslau’; the German population was forced to leave and large numbers of displaced Poles from Lwów (now L’viv) in the Polish Ukraine were encouraged to move there. The mingling of the inhabitants of these two great cities has greatly shaped Wroclaw’s culture. The modern city is threaded with 90km (56 miles) of canals and tributaries of the River Oder and there are more than 100 bridges. Important sights include the 15th-century Town Hall, now the Historical Museum; the Ethnographic Museum in the Royal Palace; and the Cathedral on Ostrow Tumski (‘Cathedral Island’). The 120m (400ft) by 15m (50ft) tall painting, Panorama of the Battle of Raclawice, remains the city’s best-loved sight; painted in 1894, it celebrates the Russian army’s defeat by Tadeusz Krsciuszko’s people’s militia. Within easy travel from the city are the spas and health resorts of the Klodzko Valley, the rugged Stolowe Mountains, the ski resorts in the Karkonosze Mountains (part of which is a national park) on the border with the Czech Republic, and the many picturesque medieval (and earlier) towns in the region, such as Swidnica, Boleslawiec and Paczkow. Wielkopolska is the core of the original Polish nation. Poznan, the sedate regional capital, stands beside the River Warta in the middle of the flatlands north of Silesia. Important sights include the Italianate Town Hall in the Old Market Square, the Gorki Palace, the 12th-century Church of St John and Przemyslaw Castle, once the seat of the Grand Dukes of Poland. The National Museum houses one of the country’s few displays of old master paintings. Watersports can be enjoyed in and on the many lakes in the woods surrounding the city. The Poznan International Trade Fair is held here every year in June. The North Formerly known as Danzig, the important Baltic port of Gdansk has had a troubled history. The Order of Teutonic Knights took it from the Poles in the 14th century and later lost it to the Prussians. In the 20th century, it lost its status as a free city when it was attacked and occupied by Nazi Germany in 1939. Its Lenin Shipyards were the birthplace of Solidarnosc (Solidarity) and thus of today’s democratic Poland. Almost the entire city was destroyed in World War II, but was restored to its former glory. The city is now a provincial capital at the mouth of the Wisla (Vistula) and Motlawa rivers and a commercial, industrial and scientific centre. The city has the largest Gothic church in Poland – and possibly the largest brick building in the world – the Church of the Virgin Mary (Kosciol Mariacki). The 17th-century Golden Gate and the Court of the Fraternity of St George can be viewed along the spectacular Royal Way, one of Gdansk’s most historic streets. The National Art Museum has an excellent collection of Gothic art and sculpture. The beach resort at nearby Sopot has Europe’s longest pier (500m/1640ft). Within easy reach are the forested Hel Peninsula, the Kashubian Lakeland, and the Teutonic castles at Malbork (Marienburg), Gniew and elsewhere. There is also a narrow-gauge railway that runs along the Vistula Spit offering an attractive way to see part of the Baltic coast. Spread across the northeast is Mazuria, a huge, thinly populated area of lakes, dense forests and swamps. It is rich in wildlife, including wild bison and Europe’s largest herd of elks, and offers every form of outdoor pursuit – sailing, canoeing, camping – even mushroom-picking. In the heart of the Mazurian forest, at Ketrzyn (Rastenburg), is the site of Hitler’s ‘Eagle’s Nest’, the concrete bunker where members of his High Staff attempted to assassinate him in August 1944. The medieval walled town of Torun, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the banks of the River Wisla (Vistula) south of Gdansk, was the birthplace of the astronomer Copernicus (Mikolaj Kopernik). The most notable historic sites include St Mary’s Church, St John’s Church (where Copernicus was baptised); the striking Gothic Town Hall and the Granaries (which helped to make Torun a prosperous trade town). Important museums are the Town Museum with the wonderful stained glass for which the town was known, the Copernicus Museum, and the Ethnographic Museum. Szczecin, 60km (37 miles) upstream from the mouth of the River Oder, is the largest port on the Baltic Sea. Formerly known as Stettin, it was the capital of Pomerania and its sights include the Pomeranian princes’ 14th-century Palace and the 12th-century Cathedral. The city was largely rebuilt in the last century taking Paris as a model, and has a spacious feel to it with many wide, tree-lined boulevards. It is easy to escape the cities of the north for the beach resorts of the Pomeranian coast, such as Kolobrzeg (large and fashionable) or Leba (a quiet resort with a beach of fabulous white sand), or the beech woods and islands of the Wolin National Park. Slowinski National Park is known for its giant ‘wandering sand dunes’ which can shift several metres each year. Sport & Activities Wintersports: The Tatra Mountains are Poland’s main skiing destination, the most popular resort being Zakopane (see also Resorts & Excursions section). The season is from November through to May. The densely wooded Bieszczady Mountains in the southeast are highly rated for cross-country skiing. Another popular wintersport is ice-boating on Poland’s frozen waterways. Sleigh rides used to be popular with the Polish gentry and ‘traditional’ rides are available in most resorts. Watersports: Poland’s Baltic coast stretches for some 528km (330 miles), with long sandy beaches. Pollution levels in the Baltic sea are relatively high, particularly in the Bay of Gdánsk. Water temperatures are fairly cold, rising to a maximum of 20ºC (68ºF) during summer. Cleaner and safer swimming is available in the Mazurian Lake District (consisting of approximately 3000 lakes), also a favourite angling destination. Poland’s rivers (such as the Rega, Parseta and Stupia) are particularly good for bull trout. Tourists need to buy a fishing licence. For sailing, the Mazurian, Ilawa and Augustow lakes are best. Canoeists may also head to the Mysliborz and Brodnica lakelands, or the rivers Czarna Hancza, Brda and Obra where canoeing trips lasting up to 12 days can be undertaken. However the main waterways are pretty polluted. Hang gliding: Both hang gliding and paragliding are popular in the Sudety, Bieszczady and Beskid mountains. The town of Leszno is Poland’s main gliding centre. Other: Poland’s national parks and nature reserves offer a variety of hiking trails through different types of landscapes ranging from dunes, beaches, rivers and lakes to deep forests and high mountains. Nature and wildlife enthusiasts can observe elks in Poland’s marshes and European bison in the Bialowieza forest. Poland is also reputed to have Europe’s largest population of storks. All the parks are open to visitors, though some may only be entered on foot and others, such as the Bialowieza National Park, may only be toured with a guide. Accommodation and catering facilities are available either within or near all parks. Different types of cycling routes are available throughout the country. Special cycling lanes are provided around larger cities. Cycling tours (notably through the Great Mazurian Lake District) are offered by specialist tour operators. Mountain biking is popular in the Bieszczady and Karkonosze mountains. Horses have traditionally been popular in Poland and horseriding enthusiasts have a large choice of riding schools to choose from. Polish stud farms are internationally renowned and welcome guests; board and lodging is provided and many stables also offer riding instruction. Horse auctions are held at Poznan, Janów Podlaski, Walewice and Racot. The main horseracing tracks are Warsaw (Sluzewiec), Sopot, Raculka (near Zielona Gora), Bialy Bor (near Slupsk) and Ksiaz (near Walbrzych). Inexperienced riders may prefer riding a Hucul – a very rare Polish mountain pony. Social Profile Food & Drink: Poland has a distinctive cuisine, with typical ingredients being dill, marjoram, caraway seeds, wild mushrooms and sour cream, which is frequently added to soups, sauces and braised meats. The national dish of Poland is bigos, made with sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, onions and any variety of leftover meat. Polish meals start with przekaski (starters), such as pike in aspic, marinated fish in sour cream, salted and rolled herring fillets with pickles and onions, kulebiak (a large mushroom and cabbage pasty) or Polish sausages such as the long, thin and highly spiced kabanos or the hunters’ sausage (mysliwska) made with pork and game. Soups play an important part at mealtimes and are usually rich and very thick. Soups such as barszcz (beetroot soup, excellent with sour cream) or rosol (beef or chicken bouillon) are often served in cups with small hot pasties stuffed with meat or cabbage. Popular dishes include zrazy zawijane (mushroom-stuffed beefsteak rolls in sour cream) served with boiled kasza (buckwheat) and pig’s knuckles. Poland is also a good country for fish (ryba) such as carp served in sweet-and-sour jellied sauce, and poached pike with horseradish in cream. Herring (sledz) is particularly popular and is served up in countless different ways. Pastries (ciastka) are also very good. Table service is the norm in restaurants. Vodka (wódka), the national drink, is drunk chilled. Wyborowa is considered the best standard vodka, but there are many flavoured varieties such as zubrowka (bison grass), tarniowka (sloe plum), sliwowica (prune) and pieprzowka (vodka with ground white pepper). Western drinks, such as whisky, gin or brandy, can be obtained in most bars but are expensive. Wine is available but, again, is imported and expensive. The best bottled beer is zywiec, a fairly strong lager-type beer. Bars have table and/or counter service. Coffee shops are very popular in Poland and are the favourite places for social meetings from early morning to late at night. They do not close during the day and have the same function as do pubs in the United Kingdom. Alcoholic drinks are available throughout the day. Nightlife: Warsaw also reflects the strong theatrical and musical traditions of Poland, with about 17 theatres and three opera companies. Cinemas in Poland show both Polish and foreign films. There are some discos in Poland, as well as a growing number of nightclubs and music bars in Warsaw. Shopping: Special purchases include glass and enamelware, handwoven rugs, silverware, handmade jewellery with amber and silver, dolls in regional costumes, woodcarvings and clay and metal sculptures. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0600-1800/1900, shorter hours on Saturday and Sunday. ‘Night shops’ open 2000-0800. Supermarkets and department stores open Mon-Sat 0900-2000. Bookshops open Mon-Fri 1100-1900. Special Events: For a full list, contact the Polish National Tourist Office (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of major events taking place in 2003: Apr National Memorial Day, Pawiak. May International Sacred Music Festival, Warsaw; Juvenalia Student Festival, Kraków. Jun Mozart Music Festival, Warsaw; Festival of Folk Bands and Singers, Kazimierz; Lajkonik Festival (medieval pageantry festival), Kraków; Summer Jazz Festival, Kraków. Aug 4 Dominican Fair (one of Poland’s oldest festivals), Gdansk. Sept/Oct Warsaw Marathon; Beit Hadesh (Jewish festival), Kraków. Oct Warsaw Film Festival; Jazz Jamboree, Warsaw; Henryk Weiniawska International Violin Competition. Nov/Dec Old Music Festival in the Royal Castle, Warsaw. Note: The Cultural Information Centre publishes Karnet, a bilingual cultural monthly publication with details of cultural events. Contact the tourist board for further information. Social Conventions: Poles are friendly, industrious people and foreigners are usually made very welcome. There are vast contrasts between urban and rural life and the Polish peasantry is very religious and conservative, maintaining a traditional lifestyle. Roman Catholicism plays an important role in daily life and criticism or jokes about religion are not appreciated, despite the general good humour of the people. Music and art are also important aspects of Polish culture. Shaking hands is the normal form of greeting. Normal courtesies are observed when visiting private homes and it is customary to bring flowers. Fairly conservative casual wear is the most suitable attire, but dress should be formal when specified for entertaining in the evening or in a smart restaurant. Smoking is restricted in some public buildings. Photography: Military installations such as bridges, ports, airports, border points etc should not be photographed. Tipping: Ten to 15 per cent is customary in restaurants and cafes. Tipping in self-service restaurants is not expected. Tips for porter’s services in hotels and train stations are customary but amounts are at the traveller’s discretion. Business Profile Economy: As the largest economy in ex-Soviet eastern Europe, the fate of Poland was and is central to that of the whole region. The economic contribution of the traditionally agricultural sector declined steadily throughout the 1990s and now accounts for just three per cent of GDP; it remains an important employer, with 27 per cent of the workforce. Livestock and meat are major export earners. Rye, wheat, oats, sugar beet and potatoes are the main crops. The coal mining industry has been scaled down in recent years. The main industries are shipbuilding, textiles, steel, cement, chemicals and food processing. With the collapse of the communist system at the end of the 1980s, Poland adopted the ‘big bang’ strategy of rapid transition to a market economy: price controls (including subsidies) were removed at a stroke; production, distribution and trade were deregulated; large parts of the economy were privatised using a voucher system; the tax and fiscal systems were overhauled; and the national currency (the Zloty) was made fully convertible. The shock of these measures and the collapse of the Comecon trading system threw the economy into temporary crisis. Yet by the mid-1990s, the economy was growing strongly. Those parts of the economy previously under state ownership – including several important industrial enterprises – have been privatised. Western approval of Poland’s economic policies has guaranteed steady financial support from the IMF and the World Bank. Poland’s foreign debt (once a serious obstacle to growth) has been steadily managed downwards. Foreign investors, including a number from the Far East, found Poland an attractive environment. Since the end of 1999 it has become apparent, however, that Poland’s boom was at an end. During 2001 and 2002, growth barely reached one per cent and unemployment, a constant problem for the Polish economy, had increased to 17 per cent. An estimated 15 per cent of the workforce now operate in the 'grey', informal economy. Several Asian countries (notably South Korea) are investing in Poland and elsewhere in Eastern Europe. Poland has signed an association agreement with the EU and is due to become a full member with the next batch of ten entrants in 2004. The recent economic downturn has somewhat undermined popular acceptance of the EU – especially the large number of small farmers worried about the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy – but a majority of Poles still support membership. Poland’s main trading partners are Germany and its fellow members of the ‘Visegrad Group’ – Hungary and the Czech and Slovak Republics – who are Eastern Europe’s most advanced economies. Trade with other members of the EU, including the UK, has grown substantially. Business: Men are expected to wear a suit and tie at business meetings. In Poland a formal approach is favoured and it is therefore advisable to give plenty of notice of an intended visit. Employees in state organisations do not take a lunch break, but they have their main meal after 1500. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1600. Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Polish Chamber of Commerce (Krajowa Izba Gospodarcza), PO Box 361, Trebacka 4, 00-074 Warsaw (tel: (22) 630 9600; fax: (22) 827 4673; e-mail: infodata@kig.pl; website: www.kig.pl). Conferences/Conventions: The most popular conference venues are in Warsaw. Events are also hosted in Kraków, while Wroclaw, Gdansk and other towns are used occasionally. Climate Temperate with warm summers, crisp, sunny autumns and cold winters. Snow covers the mountainous area in the south of Poland (mid-December to April). Rain falls throughout the year. Required clothing: Light- to mediumweights are worn during warmer months. Medium- to heavyweights are needed during winter. Rainwear is advisable all year. History and Government History: For much of the medieval and early modern period, Poland was one of the largest states in Europe, although generally cut off from the mainstream of European life. By the 18th century, however, the combination of an antiquated social structure, the emergence of powerful neighbours, a king with no real power and a parliament that was able to veto any legislation if so much as one member voted against it (the Liberum Veto) had reduced Poland to the role of little more than a confused buffer state between Austria, Prussia and Russia. One observer commented on how the Polish state had ‘legalised anarchy and called it a constitution.’ The situation was finally resolved between 1772 and 1795, when – as a result of three partition treaties signed by Austria, Prussia and Russia – the country was carved up. A small area around Warsaw briefly enjoyed a form of independence between 1807 and 1831 – as the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and Congress Poland – but subsequently became a province of Russia. Poland did not re-acquire independence until 1918. In 1926, a military regime ousted the civilian administration and governed Poland until the country was once again dismembered by its powerful neighbours, Germany and the Soviet Union, after the 1939 Anti-Aggression Pact between the two. Prior commitments by Britain to defend Polish sovereignty led the former to declare war on Germany and initiate World War II. In 1941, Germany drove the USSR out of Poland, to be ejected, in turn, by the Soviets four years later. At the end of World War II, the Soviet-backed Polish Workers’ Party formed a coalition government under Wladyslaw Gomulka, until he was dismissed for ‘deviationism’ in 1948. In the same year, the Polish Workers’ Party merged with the Polish Socialist Party to form Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza (Polish United Workers’ Party, PZPR). In 1956, three years after Stalin’s death, Gomulka returned amid growing unrest to implement a plan of gradual liberalisation of society and the economy. Following disturbances in the industrial port of Gdansk, Gomulka was replaced as First Secretary of the party by Edward Gierek. Opposition to the regime was, significantly, led by elements of the industrial work force – in contrast to movements elsewhere in Eastern Europe which were led by intellectuals, such as Charter 77 – and supported by the Catholic Church, a major political force in Poland that the communists had never been able to suppress fully. This was a vital factor in the rapid growth of the Solidarnosc (Solidarity) labour movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The PZPR’s initial response to this challenge was confused. Gierek was forced into retirement (through illness). His successor, Stanislav Kania, proved no more able to stop the growth of Solidarnosc or the declining prestige and influence of the PZPR. In December 1981, with the backing of Moscow, the former army chief-of-staff, General Wojciech Jaruzelski, who had replaced Kania two months earlier, imposed martial law and established a Military Council of National Salvation to run the country. Solidarnosc was banned and its senior figures detained, including its leader, shipyard electrician Lech Walesa. The restrictions of martial law were gradually eased as the situation stabilised over the next few years, but it was clear that some accommodation between the government and Solidarnosc was inevitable. The changes in the Soviet Union from 1985 onwards made this task easier. In 1988, following the near-collapse of the economy, the PZPR government resigned and was replaced by an interim Council of Ministers, which included several non-PZPR members, although it remained communist-dominated. It held serious negotiations with Solidarnosc on economic and constitutional reforms. Solidarnosc was finally legalised in 1989, to pave the way for elections to the new bicameral National Assembly (see below) in June of that year. Solidarnosc swept the board in the one-third of seats it was allowed to contest. It subsequently formed a coalition government with two smaller parties, with Tadeusz Mazowiecki becoming the first non-communist Prime Minister of a Warsaw Pact country. General Jaruzelski was re-elected as president. The government was almost immediately faced with a deep recession, which it tackled by introducing market reforms. This was the high-water mark for Solidarnosc. The 1990s saw the movement go into steady decline, beginning with a deep split in the movement between Walesa and Mazowiecki, mainly over economic policy. The first wholly free presidential election was held in November 1990; Walesa and Mazowiecki, respective leaders of their factions, both stood. Walesa won, with Centre Alliance backing. Mazowiecki was replaced as prime minister by Jan Krysztof Bielecki. October 1991 saw elections to the National Assembly. In all, 29 parties, including the Friends of Beer, gained representation in the Sejm (lower house of the national assembly). The introduction of a five per cent threshold has since sharply reduced this number and made stable government a more feasible proposition. The bitter and closely fought 1995 presidential campaign pitted Walesa against the ex-communist and government negotiator with Solidarnosc, Alexander Kwasniewski, standing for the Democratic Left Alliance. Against most predictions, Kwasniewski was victorious in the head to-head run-off against the former trades union leader. Walesa’s defeat surprised many in the West who failed to appreciate how unpopular he had become at home. Kwasniewski also comfortably won the most recent presidential poll in 2000. The Sejm elections of 1997 saw the right recover and take control of the government. In November that year, the new government adopted a programme that included as priorities accelerated privatisation and rapid integration with the EU and NATO – which Poland had joined in July that year, along with Hungary and the Czech Republic. EU negotiations have since proceeded apace, with the main problems concerning subsidies for Poland’s substantial agricultural sector, free labour movement and the country’s poor record on pollution. However, the problems have been largely overcome and Poland is almost certain to join the EU, along with nine other countries, at the beginning of 2004. There are still doubts, especially in rural communities, about the consequences of membership. At the most recent Sejm poll held in September 2001, the Democratic Left Alliance, under Leszek Miller, had successfully tapped into this reservoir of uncertainty. The ruling centre-right coalition was all but wiped out. Another notable feature of the election was the rise of a new far-right party, Samoobrona (Self Defence), which espouses a populist, xenophobic platform. Government: Under the new constitution, which came into force in October 1997, legislative power in Poland is vested in a bicameral national assembly. The 460-seat lower house is the Sejm, while a new 100-seat Upper Chamber has been created with the power of veto over all legislation put forward by the Sejm. Elections are by proportional representation. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.