Do you want to visit Poland? It’s a destination that’s becoming more and more popular among tourists, and after I had traveled around the country for 1 month, I totally understand why.
Poland is awesome in so many ways, and there are lots of beautiful places without massive hordes of tourists, and the people are fun and lovely.
Poland is a big country, so to make it easier for you to plan a trip and know where to go, I’ve made this list of 55 reasons why I think everyone should visit Poland at least once in their life!
1. Polish food
If you travel for food, you’ll be happy to visit Poland. There are countless of delicious dishes available, and restaurants have reasonable prices. Portions are often large as well, so you won’t go hungry.
Below you can see some of the famous Polish dishes you should try:
- Pierogi
- Bigos
- Rosół
- Gołąbki
- Placki ziemniaczane
- Łazanki
- Czarnina
- Zurek
- Grochowka
- Zupa pomidorowa
2. Krakow
This charming city is the perfect weekend destination in Europe. There are various of attractions scattered just a short ride from the city, and within the city itself, there are plenty of things to do and places to see!
And it’s so beautiful with all the old buildings and quarters!
3. Bialowieza Forest
Part of the Unesco heritage site list, and home to about 800 European bisons as well as being the last remaining primeval forests and home to 500-year old oak trees.
It’s a lush forest that any nature lover should write down on their list of places to explore!
Photo: Jacek Karczmarz
4. Gdansk
This town became quite famous in Sweden a couple of years ago when Ryanair offered flights from just 2 Euros, and after visiting I also agree that this is one of the most beautiful cities in Poland.
Rich in history, close to the sea, nice restaurants, and beautiful old buildings. Gdansk is definitely a good reason to visit Poland!
5. Polish girls are known for being beautiful
Polish girls are known for their beauty worldwide, and they’re always on top of lists with the most attractive people in the world.
Here is Magdalena Bieńkowska, Miss Polski 2015.
6. Paczki
Polish donuts are definitely another good reason to visit Poland as they’re simply delicious.
7. Spa
Want to pamper yourself with some nice spa-treatments? Then you definitely have a good reason to visit Poland! Treatments are of high-quality and reasonably priced.
There are various facilities and almost every city has a great Spa you can go to.
8. Polish vodka
While Russia is famed for vodka worldwide, Polish vodka is just as good or even better in some cases. It’s also very cheap compared to other countries in Europe.
So, when you visit you should definitely follow along on a vodka-tasting tour.
9. Torun
This charming medieval town is situated in the middle of the country. It’s famous as the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus, and it’s also a Unesco Heritage site.
Torun is often nicknamed the Krakow of the North as it has been an important trade center since medieval times.
10. Warsaw
The capital of Poland is a beautiful and modern city with lots of charming and cool places to see. The Palace of Culture and Science is especially beautiful and also the tallest building in the country.
In Warsaw, you can enjoy some of the best nightlife scenes in Europe, eat at first-class restaurants, go shopping for hours, visit the cool artsy metro stations or just take a nice stroll in the old town.
Visiting Warsaw is always a good idea, even though Poland has a lot of other beautiful places to experience as well!
11. Ojcow National Park
A perfect place to go for a day trip from Krakow. It’s a small national park that is characterized by rock formations and limestone cliffs.
12. Sliwka w czekoladzie
This type of candy shouldn’t be missed out on when you visit Poland! Sliwka w czekoladzie is basically plum covered in chocolate, and they’re delicious!
13. Wieliczka Salt Mine
One of the oldest salt mines in the world, and definitely one of the coolest ones!
14. Polish desserts and pastries
If you have a sweet tooth, the polish desserts and pastries are yet another good reason to visit Poland!
- Sernik (Cheesecake)
- Makowiec
- Budyn
- Sekacz
15. Slowinski Sand Dunes
Welcome to the desert of Poland!
16. St. Paraskevi Church, Radruż
One of the Polish UNESCO heritage sites. This is a particular church that is situated in the village of Radruz in the Carpathian region.
What’s cool about it is the unique architecture and wooden structure.
17. Musical heritage
Did you know that Frederic Chopin was Polish? He and many more composers, pianists and musicians come from Poland.
Nowadays you will find almost any genre and each year various music festivals are held throughout the country.
18. Kamieńczyk Waterfall
A beautiful waterfall in the Southwestern part of the country.
19. Masurian Lakeland
With more than 2000 lakes in the region of Masuria, the nature lover will find a peaceful place here.
20. Rich history
Poland is an old nation that goes way back in time, and it has been part of various rulers and eras. While not everything is intact, you can definitely see the various influences of the different epochs.
A lot of the rich history can still be seen and experiences today in museums and old towns throughout the country.
21. Ptasie Mleczko
22. Malbork Castle
A very well-preserved castle that belonged to the Teutonic Order in Malbork. It’s also one of the Unesco heritage sites and yet another good reason to visit Poland!
Just look at this enormous castle, not something you get to see every day.
23. Autumn colors
Forests and nature cover a big area of the country, and when the summer is over and the foliage season starts with the amazing colors, you’ll be met by wonderful scenery and landscapes!
24. Museums
- National Museum
- Oskar Schindler’s factory
- Stained Glass Museum
- Krakow Pinball Museum
- Lost Soul’s Alley
- Live Museum of Gingerbread
- Copernicus Science Centre
- Hydropolis (Environmental education museum in Wroclaw)
25. It’s affordable for tourists
Tourists who come to Poland will get lots of value for their money. Grocery stores, restaurants, public transportation, and activities are all cheaper than most other European countries!
26. Karpacz
A lovely ski resort in the Karkonosze Mountains of Southwestern Poland. But tourists who go here might also be interested in the Fairytale park and Kingdom of the Mountain Ghost museum.
27. The Handicrafts
Polish handicrafts are often well-made and can be everything from traditional lace and the Lemko glass bead collar to weaved baskets and clothing.
It’s probably cheaper in your home country, and they can also be bought as a nice gift or souvenir.
28. Poznan
To be honest, I only went here because the flights were super cheap from Sweden, but I was happily surprised of Poznan.
I didn’t know much about this place, but we spent 2 days here, and I could go back in the future. The old town is so charming and beautiful.
29. The Ogrodzieniec Castle
This stunning castle ruin is situated just a short ride from Krakow or Katowice!
30. White Sandy Beaches
Yes, Poland has some amazing beaches! And in the summertime, they can get pretty crowded, but they are still gorgeous, and could easily compare to more tropical sand beaches.
The beaches of Poland are situated in the northern parts.
31. Krowki
This is Polish fudge. Translated into English, Krowki would be the same as “little cows”. They’re actually sold worldwide, but of course, you’ll enjoy them the most while you visit Poland!
32. Tatra National Park
Easily one of the most beautiful national parks in Europe! Magical scenery awaits the visitors of Tatra mountains, and here you can also see the highest mountain in Poland, called Rysy.
33. Wroclaw
The 4th largest city in Poland built back in medieval times. It was named as the cultural capital of Europe 2016, and rightly so.
It’s one of my favorite cities with lots of beautiful old buildings in various colors.
34. Polish people know how to party!
Poles are pretty famous for being able to drink much and party all night long, and they definitely know how to party!
35. Szczecin
One of the larger cities in Northern Poland with more than 400 000 inhabitants.
A lot of the city got destroyed during world war II, but you can for example still see the Gothic town hall and the 13th-century castle that belonged to a Pomeranian Duke.
It’s a cool city that I think more tourists should visit!
36. Zamosc
Yet another lovely Polish town that can pride itself as being part of Unesco’s world heritage site list. Zamość was built in the 16th century by the architect Bernardo Morando according to Italian ideas of how the “ideal town” should be.
It’s quite close to Lublin with just a little more than 1-hour driving.
37. Prince Polo
I love to try candy when I travel, and while Prince Polo is available in other neighboring countries as well, it will always be the best to try it in Poland where it originates from!
38. Łeba
Here you’ll find one of the best beaches in all of Poland.
39. Sopot
A renowned Spa-destination with sandy beaches and great treatments. Sopot is great to combine when you visit Gdansk as it’s very easy to go between these two cities.
It’s more of a summer city, so don’t expect it to be crowded other times of the year.
40. Gdynia
Another port city on the Baltic coast and part of the Gdansk-Sopot-Gdynia tourist route. It differs from many other Polish cities as you will mostly see modern buildings here rather than a mixture.
41. Wawel Castle
While Krakow is already mentioned on the list, this stunning castle deserves its own place!
42. Rzeszow
A smaller city in the Southeastern part of the country that deserves more visitors. Tourists might find the underground cellars interesting as well as the Lubomirski summer palace and the gothic parish church just to mention a few attractions.
43. European Bison
This endangered species can be seen in the wilderness of Poland where about 1/4th of the total population lives.
44. Bialystok
Another historical city with plenty to see for tourists. Some of the buildings to see is without a doubt the Branicki Palace and Lubomirski Palace.
45. Auschwitz-Birkenau
A horrible place with a very important lesson to future generations.
What happened here shall never (hopefully) happen again, and even though it’s not a fun tourist attraction, it’s definitely an important place to learn from.
46. Katowice
An upcoming city that is currently reinventing itself after a long industrial past.
47. Obwarzanek Krakowski
A delicacy that you have to try when visiting Krakow! Especially the ones with cheese.
48. Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza
This waterfall is located in Lysa Polana, in the southern parts of the country.
49. One of the best countries in the world for vegan foodies
Affordable vegan/vegetarian restaurants are plenty, and there are lots of dishes to choose from. Also, the Polish cuisine has some delicious vegetarian dishes to try!
50. Bydgoszcz
A cosmopolitan city with about 400 000 people living there. Bydgoszcz is a buzzing city with several universities and an important cultural center with one of Poland’s best concert halls.
Here are plenty of buildings from the 1800’s and 1900’s, and is beautifully situated along the Wisla and Brda river as well as the Bydgoszcz canal.
51. Spring flowers
Flower lovers should visit Poland during spring when they are in full bloom. It’s very beautiful, especially in mountain areas such as the Tatra national park.
52. Rich culture and folk traditions
With a rich history, rich culture and folk traditions almost always follow, and Polish culture has indeed a lot to offer. I really like that they keep traditions and are proud of their heritage.
53. Lublin
Another well-preserved medieval town in Poland with plenty of attractions to see. It’s not one of the common tourist spots, but if you have time for it, you might be surprised by everything that Lublin has to offer its visitors.
54. Piernik gingerbread
I think i will just say that these are delicious, and most likely you haven’t tried something like this before!
Photo: Marcin Floryan
55. The people and their hospitality
When traveling around here, you’ll be met with great hospitality. A lot of Poles are noble and traditional, but they’re also original and progressive in many ways.
I like the polish people because they are not afraid to speak up, but at the same time, they’re friendly and knows how to take care of their guests!
I would suggest tourists to learn a few words in Polish, not because you have to, but rather to show respect and appreciation.
It’s a lot nicer if you say “Siemka” or “Dziękuję” instead of hello and thank you. Learn the most common phrases and words, and I will assure you that you’ll be having the best time ever in Poland!
Photos from Poland on my Instagram
Check out my Instagram if you want to see some more photos from Poland and my travels.
Flights to Poland
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Of course, there are more than 55 Reasons to visit Poland, and if you know about some other good reasons why everyone should visit Poland, feel free to share in the comment section below.
Wukko
Thursday 13th of December 2018
I think that Auschwitz-Birkenau is still an obligatory point. It should be in the lead. It is a very important place for Poles who shows how huge their tragedy was.
Justyna
Monday 28th of May 2018
Wrocław, gamma- city, a global city according to GaWc in the 33rd place?! It's a very subjective list.
Alexander Waltner
Sunday 10th of June 2018
Justyna, the list is not in any particular order. The numbers is just a reference to the 55 reasons, not for ranking purposes. Wroclaw is one of my favorite cities in Poland!
Iwona
Saturday 21st of April 2018
You did not mention zapiekanka! Especially, in Krakow.
Anna
Thursday 19th of April 2018
Cool post! Thanks.
Katarzyna
Monday 16th of April 2018
56. Vineyards ;) http://portalenoturystyczny.pl/eng/