A scenic Baltic beauty

Poland is slightly underrated as a tourist destination but with the influx of budget flights, things are on the up - and rightly so. The country has a lot to offer - from the striking scenery of the mountainous south, to the beautiful Malsurian lakes of the north. There are delightful historic towns such as Gdansk and Krakow and with a 300-mile Baltic coastline, there is a plethora of excellent sandy beaches – some say the best in northern Europe. Poland is surrounded by a number of countries - Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, Kaliningrad, Czech Republic, Germany and the Slovak Republic. This location has led the country to be invaded and subjugated numerous times, but it has always bounced back. Poland is still an interesting mix of old world and new. In cities such as Warsaw and Poznan you can be sipping a latte in a swanky cafe one minute and being offered flowers by a peasant woman the next.

Why Go?
Go for the rustic charm of the countryside, the excellent hiking, the wonderful historic cities, and the interesting but moving museums dedicated to those who were in Poland’s concentration camps. Travel to Poland for the country’s beautiful scenery with its 1200 nature reserves, 22 national parks, and 400 protected areas.

When to Go?
The best months to visit Poland tend to be May, June and September when the weather is warm and pleasant. Rain falls throughout the year, but in some areas, such as Warsaw, July tends to be the wettest month. From December to April snow falls in the mountainous south of the country. 

How to get there
There are direct flights from across the UK to a number of Poland’s airports, including Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, Katowice and Gdansk. Popular routes include Krakow Balice John Paul II Airport, which has flights from Liverpool, London Stansted, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, London Luton, London Gatwick, and Edinburgh. Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport operates flights from London Stansted, Bristol, Birmingham, and Edinburgh. Flights from the UK to Poland take around 2- 3 hours.

Must see
Go hiking in one of Poland’s National Parks including the Bieszczady and Kampinos parks. Head to the stunning Tatra mountains – otherwise known as the Polish Alps – for great skiing from December to May, and hiking from May to September. Sun yourself on one of the beaches. Leba has beautiful white sand, but head down the beach away from the resort to get the best of it. Visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, 45 miles from Krakow.  It is estimated that one million Jews died here at the hands of the Nazis and a visit to its museum is a deeply moving experience.