There is so much more to Poland than its image of being a cheap stag and hen night destination. It's the cradle of famous figures like Chopin and Copernicus after all!

Cities

People often underestimate the sheer size of Poland and the number of cities within. In fact, there are many more to discover than just Krakow and Warsaw.

Gdansk, on the shores of the Baltic Sea is becoming an increasingly popular destination. As an ancient port city, its historic riches are still very visible in the architecture of the Old Town and surrounding areas. Attractions worth discovering include the Maritime Museum, St Mary's Street, and the Golden Gate.

Wroclaw is a sprawling city in western Poland, boasting gorgeous colourful houses and lively city centre squares. Landmarks include Wroclaw Palace, Centennial Hall, the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Museum of Architecture.

Krakow, Poland's second largest city is a student heaven. Its quaint Old Town streets are lined with exciting bars and clubs, as well as excellent restaurants. Visitors could simply spend days on end wandering around the city, admiring its darling architecture.

Warsaw isn't the prettiest of cities but once you learn more of its sad history, you'll learn to see it in a different light. Due to its history, there are many attractions to see that cause most visitors to get quite emotional. These include Warsaw Rising Museum and Powazki Cemetery.

Cafe culture is booming in Poland's cities. Make sure to spend at least one afternoon sitting back with a coffee or beer, watching the world go by.

Nature

The Tatra mountains in the south can be enjoyed all year round, whether you're a fan of hiking or snow sports. Zakopane is the area's key town with all the amenities tourists could wish for.

Beautiful valleys stretch far and wide, and the hills are dotted with pine trees, among which wildlife lives happily.

The Masurian Lake District in the north of Poland has been nominated to become one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. It's a stunning area of over 2,000 lakes set in 52,000 square kilometres.

Visitors can indulge in an array of water sports from the more traditional ones like rowing and angling to kite surfing. Hotels and guest houses are scattered around the region with the tourist hub being the town of Augustow.

Cuisine

Polish cuisine is traditionally quite heavy with lots of carbohydrates. Most traditional dishes contain meat in some form or other, from smoked ham to chicken breasts. The use of winter vegetables such as cabbage is also widespread.

Favourite dishes include the cabbage-based stew, Bigos, stuffed dumplings or Pierogi, and sauerkraut with ham or mushrooms.

A traditional Polish cheese is Oscypek, whish is smoked and, as such, has a very distinct flavour and texture.

General Tips

Poland is yet to join the Eurozone. The currency used locally is the Zlot. This is readily available in banks and bureaux de change throughout the UK.

Due to the large Polish community in the UK, language classes are easy to find. Why not attend one to learn the basics of Polish? It's always nice to be able to gree and thank people in their native language.

To be able to quickly and easily sort out accommodation, travel and tours, arrange for a cheap calls to Poland service.