Destination: Poland

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When to Go

The tourist season runs roughly from May to September, that is, from mid-spring to early autumn. Its peak is in July and August, the months of school and university holidays, and also the time when most Polish workers and employees take their annual leave. The Baltic beaches are taken over by swarms of holiday makers, resorts and spas are invaded by travellers, the Masurian lakes are crowded with hundreds of sailing boats, and mountains can hardly be seen for walkers.

In that period, transport becomes more crowded than usual, and can get booked out in advance. Accommodation may be harder to find, and sometimes more expensive. Fortunately, a lot of schools, which are empty during the holidays, double as youth hostels, as do student dormitories in major cities. This roughly meets the demand for budget accommodation. Most theatres are closed in July and August.

If you want to escape the crowds, the best time to come is either late spring/early summer (mid-May to June) or the turn of summer and autumn (September to mid-October), when tourism is under way but not in full flood. These are pleasantly warm periods, ideal for general sightseeing and outdoor activities such as walking, biking, horse riding and canoeing. Many cultural events take place in both these periods.

The rest of the year, from mid-autumn to mid-spring, is colder, darker and perhaps less attractive for visitors. This doesn’t mean that it’s a bad time for visiting city sights and enjoying the cultural life as it’s no less active than during the tourist season. Understandably, hiking and other outdoor activities (apart from skiing) are less prominent in this period. Most camp sites and youth hostels are closed at this time.

The ski season runs from December to March. The Polish mountains are spectacular, but the infrastructure (hotels and chalets, lifts and tows, cable cars, transport etc) is still not well developed. Zakopane, Poland’s winter capital, and the nearby Tatra Mountains have some of the best ski facilities.

Travelling to Poland?
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