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Poland
Land of the Fields
Nie ma tego złego, co by na dobre nie wyszło
Why
The Why, When & How to visit...
Known as the Land of Fields, Poland is fairly flat aside from some mountain ranges to the South and the Baltic Sea to the North, but filled with loads of trees. Some may visit Poland for its WWII history, others for the charming historic Old Towns, or the Polish comfort food & original vodka. Others may visit for the Winter holiday markets. Some maybe for just a stopover on the way elsewhere. Or in my case to experience where my ancestors came from over a century ago. Whatever the reason, Poland has a lot to offer to entice a variety of visitors seeking a pleasant Central European country considered to be clean, safe & budget-friendly too.
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This Poland Guide focuses on the two largest cities of Poland - the capital & largest city of Warsaw and the former capital & second largest city of Krakow with options outside of Krakow too.
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*Currency: Poland's currency is the Polish Zloty. 100 Zloty was equal to ~$27 USD as of October 2025.
When
How
Poland has two main international airports in its largest cities of Warsaw & Krakow. Its national airline LOT operates direct flights to these cities from NYC, CHI, MIA, FLL, LA & TOR and most major cities in Europe & Asia. Cities within Poland are then connected by train or flight.
Poland doesn't typically get particularly hot with a relatively consistent amount of rain year-round. Summer is a nice time to visit for the warmest weather. Around Easter and Christmas are popular times for holiday celebrations & events, including Christmas Markets for which Poland excels.
Where
to stay...
In Warsaw:
1) Hotel Verte - Part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, Hotel Verte is in an 18th century baroque palace in Old Town Warsaw. The hotel opened in December 2023 with 94 guest rooms featuring modern decor. The hotel has a beautiful courtyard terrace, two restaurants & stunning bar, plus a high-end spa. The hotel is conveniently located on the edge of Old Town. More details with the ability to book is accessible here.
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2) PURO Warszawa - There are two PURO Warszawa hotels - Centrum opened in 2019 and Stare Miasto that opened in February 2025. Both are stunning & incredibly well-designed hotels with Stare Miasto featuring an earthy, minimal Scandinavian design with a neutral color palette & wood accents and Centrum with more color & pizzazz. More details on the hotels, along with the ability to book is accessible for Centrum here and Stare Miasto here.
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In Krakow:
3) H15 Palace - Part of Marriott's Luxury Collection, H15 Palace is located in the historic Lubomirski Palace across from Krakow's central square. The hotel was most recently renovated in late 2024 and features that Old World glamour with a modern twist. The hotel has 70 lovely guest rooms of varying sizes, a stunning spa, including an indoor pool, fine dining restaurant with a large outdoor courtyard, casual bistro, & gorgeous cocktail lounge. More details on the hotel, along with the ability to book is accessible here.
4) The Crown Krakow - Part of Accor's boutique Handwritten Collection, The Crown is a beautiful, mid-priced, 4-star boutique hotel located a 20 minute walk from Krakow's Old Town. The hotel opened in Summer 2023 with a beautiful modern design with a neutral color palette with marble & gold accents. The hotel has 44 rooms, a restaurant & bar. It also has the most wonderful breakfast often included with the room rate. More details on the hotel with the ability to book is accessible here.
What
Do
to...
1) Explore the City Old Towns - Both Warsaw & Krakow have quaint Old Towns to explore filled with restaurants & shops to fill up on tasty Polish food and souvenirs from the trip. There are inexpensive guided walking tours of the Old Towns like this 2 hour guided walking tour in Warsaw that provides context to the area & its history to have a better appreciation for the place. In Krakow, can also venture over to the Kazimierz historic Jewish district for some cool restaurants & bars.
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2) Visit the Wieliczka Salt Mines - The Wieliczka Salt Mines are one of the oldest operating salt mines in the world that date back to the 13th century spanning ~250 miles of underground tunnels. The mines feature incredible statues, murals & chandeliers all made of rock salt carved by the miners in their free time. Located a 25 minute drive SE of Krakow, the mines can be visited on your own or guided tour with transportation from Krakow like the one here. Tickets can be purchased on the official website here or through a tour company like this well-rated one providing transportation to & from the salt mines & your accommodations or pick-up point. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, and clothes for ~ 65 degrees F, as the tour involves a lot of walking, including walking down several hundred steps. ​​​
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3) Enjoy a Traditional Folk Show & Dinner - Enjoy a 3-hour dinner & traditional Polish folk show in a traditional Polish cottage-style restaurant outside the Krakow city center. Dinner includes traditional Polish dishes with unlimited drinks (beer, wine & soft drinks) and round-trip transportation from the Krakow city center. Reservations are available nightly and can be made through Viator here.
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4) Attend a Chopin Piano Concert - Frederic Chopin is the most famous composer from Poland, whose music is still celebrated to this day. Piano concerts are hosted featuring Chopin's music at the historic Chopin Gallery built in the 15th century in Krakow's Old Town nightly for an hour starting at 7:30pm with tickets available for purchase through Viator here. ​
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5) Visit Zakopane - Zakopane is one of the most popular places to visit in Poland for views of the Tatra Mountains. It's a cutesy, but fairly commercial ski town with some cozy restaurants and loads of souvenir stalls featuring sheep's wool products and other items. There's a cable car to ride to the top of the mountain for panoramic views of the mountains (on a clear day). Zakopane is also known for its famous Oscypek smoked sheep's milk cheese, which is a delight for any cheese lover. Zakopane is a 90 min drive due south of Krakow close to Slovakia and can be visited on a day trip from Krakow by train or small group tour.
Eat
Pierogis (dumplings stuffed with a variety of filling options), borscht (beet soup), golabki (stuffed cabbage), kielbasa (sausage), veggie salads, & herring. I loved the zurek (creamy rye soup with a hard boiled egg and some sausage).
Drink
Polish beer, hot mulled wine & Polish vodka. Vodka originated in Poland with many flavored vodka options available with flights offered at the Wodka Cafe Bar that has 2 locations in Krakow.
*If of legal drinking age to drink responsibly
Wear
Smart Casual
Watch
The Pianist by
Roman Polanski
Listen
"Polish Polka"
by The Polka Band
Gift
Check out Gift & Souvenir ideas here!