Poland

 Are you interested in Poland? Would you like to learn more about this country and its culture?
Are you planning to come to Poland as a tourist or you want to study or work in here?

Then please, read on. A Warsaw-born Polish will give you an insider information about Poland and especially Warsaw.

Have a nice stay in Poland.

Flag of Poland

Poland is a Central European democratic country, member of the European Union and a home to around 38.5 mln of people, just few percent of them aren't originally from Poland. The official language is Polish, English being the most popular foreign language taught at school, required at work, etc. You are advised to learn some Polish language, tho. English might be the most popular, but it doesn't mean it's popular.

Coat of Arms

 Warsaw, the capital city of Poland, is also the largest city, having officially around 2 mln of citizens. Some of the other large cities include: Cracow (Kraków) - former capital city of Poland, Gdańsk, Poznań, Katowice, Łódź.




Currency

The currency is złoty (meaning: golden), often shortened to zł on price tags or refered as PLN (Polish New) in official settings. 1 zł = 100 groszy (cents).  1 zł is around 0,32 USD/0,24 EUR/0,2 GBP/2 CNY/30 JPY/3.230 IDR (calculated on 29.07.2013, using XE currency converter).

Broadly accepted for paying is only Złoty, some big shops may allow you to pay in Euro, but you will get the rest in Złoty. Visa and Mastercard cards (also debit) are commonly used in shops or in ATM. Be warned that in shops sometimes there is a minimum limit (which may go up to 30 zł) for paying with cards so it's advised to have cash.

Administration System and Geography

Poland is divided into 16 provinces (called województwa in Polish), and Warsaw is a part of Mazovia province (województwo mazowieckie).

In the north there is a seaside, in the central Poland there are many lakes and in the south there are mountains (including the highest peak of Rysy, around 2500 m). 

Climate

Poland has 4 seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter. The climate is mostly temperate. The average yearly temperature is up to 9°C, depending on the region. Sometimes in summer can be over 30°C, sometimes in the winter, it can be -30°C. It can rain through the year, most often in summer or autumn.

For people who aren't used to low temperatures it's best to come between May and September, but nobody will guarantee you that you won't have cold days during your stay. The weather in Poland can be quite unpredictable. If you'll be coming back to your place late in the evening or at night it's better to get warm clothes with you.


Transportation and Travelling to Poland

There are several airports (lotniska) in Poland. Major ones are lotnisko im. Fryderyka Chopina (Frideric Chopin Airport) commonly referred as "Okęcie" or "Lotnisko Okęcie" from a name of the district IN WARSAW where it's located, lotnisko Balice for Kraków and  lotnisko im. Lecha Wałęsy in Rębiechowo near Gdańsk.

Poland is a member of the European Union and of the Schengen Area. It means that to/from most countries in the European Union and some additional like Norway and Iceland, it's easy to travel without formalities. As a member of Schengen area country, ID issued in one of the countries is enough to cross the border, no need for passport. The flow between the countries is mostly free. 

Tourists (only tourists!) from non-Schengen area countires traveling on a Schengen Visa  can travel to any (or all) member countries using one single visa, avoiding the problem of obtaining individual visas for each country. So, why not come and see Poland if you go to Greece, France, Spain, or Germany? I can guarantee it'll be a fun trip. Please note that Great Britain and Ireland aren't part of Schengen Area. Warsaw is the only city in Poland to have underground. Public bus transportation is common in the cities around Poland. The bus line are used during the day and  the night but the lines and routes are separate. Each town can have it's own way of marking the night buses. In Warsaw, they're labeled as NXX, N stands for nocny (nightly).

Some cities (for example Warsaw)  use rail transportation like tramways or trains inside the city.

To go to towns near the major cities, mini buses and  buses can be used. Sometimes special lines of trains.

For the long trips you can use "tourist buses" or trains. Of course, going by car (your own or rented) is possible.


History and government system

Poland used to be a kingdom before in the late 18th century disappeared completely from the maps of Europe. For over 120 years Poland was divided by 3 occupying countries: Germany, Austria and Russia. Poland gained independence after the First World War (11.11.1918) just to be invaded by Hitler and Stalin in September 1939 (Second World War).

After the Second World War Poland became a satellite country of the Soviet Union. This is the period referred in Polish as PRL (People's Republic of Poland in English).

Poland became democratic country in 1989. The first democratic President of Poland was Lech Wałęsa, a leader of Solidarity movement. The Parliament in Poland consist of two houses: Sejm (the lower house) and Senat. The Prime Minister is the head of goverment in Poland. Currently, from 2006 it's Donald Tusk from Civic Platform (Platforma Obywatelska). The current President of Poland is Bronisław Komorowski, also originally from the Civic Platform.

On 1st May 2004 Poland became a part of European Union.

The closest elections in Poland will be: local government and European Parliament elections in 2014, Polish Parliament and Polish President elections in 2015 meaning 4 separate elections in the next two years.

Religion

Dominant religion in Poland is Roman Catholicism. Some sources say that over 80% of Polish are Catholics, but don't let that confuse you. It's mostly artificial. Less than 40% of Catholics are going to the mass. 

The followers of other religions are minority, but they can follow their religion in the designated places of worship. Muslim ladies, please be aware that the Muslim community is small and ladies covering their hair is not common.

It might be difficult to find kosher or halal restaurants, even in Warsaw. If needed, there is a lot of vegetarian and vegan bars and restaurants available in larger cities.