Tourism in Poland

Dolina Gąsienicowa in the High Tatras

Poland is a part of the global tourism market with constantly increasing number of visitors, particularly after joining the European Union. Tourism in Poland contributes to the country's overall economy. The most popular cities are Warsaw, Kraków, Gdansk, Wrocław, Poznań, Lublin and Toruń, including the historic site of the nazi Auschwitz concentration camp in Oświęcim. The best recreational destinations include Poland's Masurian Lake District, Baltic Sea coast, Tatra Mountains – the highest mountain range of Carpathians, Sudetes and Białowieża Forest. Poland's main tourist offers consist of sightseeing within cities and out-of-town historical monuments, business trips, qualified tourism, agrotourism, and mountain hiking (trek), climbing among others. Poland is the 14th most visited country by foreign tourists.

Białowieża Forest

UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve

History

Malbork Castle

Royal palace at Wawel, from the Vistula river

The first Polish tourists were pilgrims traveling to shrines both within Poland and abroad. The development of commercial tourism began in the 19th century. The most popular regions were mountains, especially the Tatra Mountains, explored for example by Tytus Chałubiński. In 1873 the Polish Tatra Society and in 1909 the Polish Sightseeing Society were established to organize and develop tourism. The 19th century was also the time of the rapid appearance of spa resorts, mostly in Sudetes, Beskids and along the Baltic Sea coast, with some of them associated, since 1910, with the Polish Balneology Association. After Poland regained independence in 1918, Polish tourism boomed, and was encouraged by the government. The first professional Polish tour operator, Orbis, was founded in Lwów in 1923, followed in 1937 by Gromada tourist organization and tour operator.

After World War II all tourist organizations were nationalized by the new communist government. The Polish Tatra Society and Polish Sightseeing Society were combined into Polish Tourism-Sightseeing Society (PTTK) and most of the tourist infrastructure was handed over to the newly-created Workers Vacations Fund (FWP). Tourism was limited to the Comecon countries. This was the era of governmentally-founded tourism, characterised by mass but low-standard tourism. A typical sight was a holiday campground with small bungalows managed by one of the state-owned companies. Holidays for children and teenagers were organized by Juventur. After the fall of communism much of the infrastructure was privatized, although many company-owned resorts were downgraded because of their unprofitability. The early 1990s saw the foundation of many new tour operators. Some of them prevailed and strengthened their position on the market, being able to compete with multinational tour operators like TUI, or Neckermann und Reisen with branches in Poland.

Tourist attractions of Poland

Poland, especially after 1989 and joining of the European Union on 2004, became a place frequently visited by tourists. Most tourist attractions in Poland are connected with natural environment, historic sites and cultural events. They draw millions of tourists every year from all around the world. According to Tourist Institute's data, Poland was visited by 15.7 million tourists in 2006, and by 15 million tourists in 2007..

Natural environment

See also: List of national parks of Poland

Poland has a diversified natural environment, which is relatively unaffected by human development. Visitors are attracted by mountains, sea-coast, and the lake reserves. Among the most popular destinations are: Tatra Mountains, which is the highest peak of Polish, and the famous Orla Perć; Karkonosze, Białowieża Forest, Bieszczady, Dunajec River Gorge in Pieniny, Pojezierze Mazurskie, Kampinos National Park and many others.

Historic buildings and places

The main nave of the Jasna Góra Monastery basilica in Czestochowa

See also: List of World Heritage Sites in Poland

• Buildings and Places
  • Centennial Hall in Wrocław
  • Wrocław Fountain
  • Wrocław Old Town: Ostrów Tumski, Market Square
  • Mount Ślęża
  • Wooden Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica
  • Kraków (Cracow) Old Town
  • 13th century Salt mine in Wieliczka
  • Wooden Churches of Southern Little Poland
  • Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa
  • Sanctuary in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
  • Wilanow Palace and Warsaw Old Town
  • Gniezno Cathedral
  • St. Roch's Church in Białystok
  • Toruń Old Town in Toruń
  • Gdańsk Old Town in Gdańsk
  • Zamość
  • Lublin
  • Augustów Canal
  • Muskau Park

• Polish villages:
  • Chochołów, Lesser Poland Voivodeship
  • Bączal (near Biecz known as little Kraków)
  • Srebrna Góra, Lower Silesian Voivodeship
  • Krzeszów, Lower Silesian Voivodeship
  • Legnickie Pole
  • Gogołów, Lower Silesian Voivodeship (near Świdnica with World Heritage Churches of Peace)
• Castles:
  • Wawel Royal Castle
  • Książ Castle
  • Chojnik
  • Czocha Castle
  • Grodziec castle
  • Niesytno Castle
  • Malbork Castle

Cultural events

Further information: Culture of Poland

• International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition
• Warsaw Autumn Music Festival
• Jazz Jamboree, Warsaw
• Sopot International Song Festival
• Events in Kraków (arranged by month)

• Wratislavia Cantans
• Open'er Festival in Gdynia
• Camerimage Film Festival in Bydgoszcz
• National Festival of Polish Song in Opole

Tourist resorts

There are dozens sea resorts on the coast of Baltic Sea like Wolin Island, located close to the German border and the coast of Pomerania. In southern Poland there are resorts for skiing and hiking in the Karkonosze mountains, which is part of the Sudetes mountain range. Karkonosze includes the touristical centres of Karpacz and Szklarska Poreba. Other famous resorts for skiing and hiking include in Carpathian Mountains: Zakopane in the Tatra mountains, Szczyrk, Krynica-Zdrój in Beskides or Szczawnica and Krościenko in Pieniny mountains.

Transportation in Poland

Main article: Transportation in Poland

Since the fall of communism transportation in Poland has been improving. There is acceptable tourist infrastructure, especially in larger cities and in major tourist resorts. Most major Polish cities have airports with connecting services with the Frederic Chopin International Airport in Warsaw. Intercity travel includes the PKP's intercity or euro city train, PKS's overland bus service, and PKP longdistance or local trains and numerous coach services.

See also

• List of Polish airports
• PTTK
• Tourism
• Polskie Towarzystwo Turystyczno-Krajoznawcze
• Górskie Ochotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe

References

• Poland national tourism office
• Discover Poland magazine about Poland
• Useful information site about Poland

Further reading

• Kaszynski, Tadeusz, Through Europe to Poland by Car, 1st and rev. ed., New York, 1968