Poland travel guide

Getting there

Warsaw Chopin Airport is the main international gateway, with many flights also serving Kraków, Gdańsk, Wrocław and Katowice. Poland has land borders with Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad region, and ferries cross the Baltic to Scandinavia.

Best time to visit: May–Sep – warm weather; Dec for Christmas markets; Jan–Mar for skiing.

Tougher months: No bad time – winters from December to February are cold and dark, but Christmas markets and skiing in the mountains have their own charm.

Weather by month in Warsaw

• 0°J●
• 2°F●
• 7°M●
• 14°A●
• 19°M●
• 23°J●●
• 25°J●●
• 24°A●
• 18°S●
• 12°O●
• 6°N●
• 1°D●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Europe/Warsaw. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 93 of 198 other passports can enter Poland without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 0 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 105 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of the Schengen Area (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (U.S. Department of State, updated 2025-06-05). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Poland travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Poland are based around Kraków, Warsaw or Gdańsk. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$35–55 for a backpacker and US$90–160 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Poland page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: C, E. Voltage: 230 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +48.

Mobile data: read the eSIM for Europe before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Kraków (Lesser Poland · historic city): Poland's cultural capital, with a magnificent medieval core, the Kazimierz Jewish quarter and vibrant nightlife.
• Warsaw (Masovia · capital): A dynamic capital mixing a rebuilt old town, excellent museums and a growing food scene.
• Gdańsk (Pomerania · Baltic port): A handsome port city with Hanseatic architecture and important modern history.
• Wrocław (Lower Silesia · riverside city): A picturesque city of islands, bridges and a beautiful market square.
• Zakopane and the Tatras (Southern Poland · mountains): A lively mountain town and gateway to dramatic peaks, lakes and ski slopes.
• Malbork Castle (Pomerania · castle): A vast Gothic fortress and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Białowieża Forest (Eastern Poland · primeval forest): One of Europe's last ancient forests and home to the European bison.
• Toruń (Kuyavia-Pomerania · Gothic town): Copernicus's birthplace, famous for its medieval architecture and gingerbread.

Things to do

• Explore Kraków's Old Town. Wander the vast Main Market Square, the Cloth Hall and the royal Wawel Castle above the Vistula.
• Visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. Pay respects at the former Nazi German concentration and extermination camp, now a powerful memorial and museum.
• Descend into Wieliczka Salt Mine. Walk through underground chambers and chapels carved entirely from salt.
• Hike the Tatra Mountains. Trek to alpine lakes such as Morskie Oko from the mountain resort of Zakopane.
• Stroll Warsaw's rebuilt Old Town. See how a city destroyed in WWII was lovingly reconstructed into a UNESCO-listed historic centre.
• Discover Gdańsk. Admire colourful merchant houses along the Long Market and learn about Solidarity's birthplace.
• Eat pierogi. Try Poland's beloved dumplings with fillings from potato and cheese to forest mushrooms and berries.
• Hunt for Wrocław's dwarfs. Search the streets for hundreds of tiny bronze dwarf statues scattered across the city.

Source: full Poland guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Pierogi – dumplings filled with potato, cheese, meat or fruit
• Żurek – sour rye soup with sausage and egg
• Bigos – hunter's stew of cabbage and meat
• Oscypek – smoked sheep's cheese from the mountains

Source: RoamSun Poland guide

Money and safety

Currency: Polish złoty (PLN). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Around 10%; saying 'thank you' when paying can mean 'keep the change'.

Emergency numbers: 112 general · 997 police · 999 ambulance · 998 fire.

• Poland uses the złoty, not the euro; cards and contactless payments are accepted almost everywhere.
• Use bank ATMs rather than standalone ones, which can charge high fees, and decline dynamic currency conversion.
• Poland is generally very safe; watch out for pickpockets on crowded trams and at tourist sites.
• Use official taxis or ride-hailing apps rather than unmarked cars, especially at night.

Source: RoamSun Poland facts