Poland is one of Europe's most underrated travel destinations — a large country with a rich, often painful history, remarkable cities, and landscapes that range from Baltic beaches to Tatra mountain peaks. It has been rebuilt, reinvented, and reopened to the world over the past few decades, and it rewards travelers who go beyond the obvious.
The two unmissable cities are Warsaw and Krakow. Warsaw, utterly destroyed in World War II, was painstakingly reconstructed and is now a dynamic European capital. Krakow escaped wartime destruction and remains one of Central Europe's great medieval cities, with a stunning Old Town square, a hilltop castle, and the former Jewish quarter of Kazimierz. Both cities are worth at least two or three days each.
Beyond the cities, Poland offers an enormous amount. Gdansk on the Baltic coast has one of the most beautiful waterfronts in Northern Europe and the history of Solidarity. The Tatra Mountains around Zakopane offer serious hiking and skiing. The Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow is genuinely astonishing. Auschwitz-Birkenau at Oswiecim is a necessary, sobering visit.
Poland is also excellent value. Prices for food, transport, and accommodation are significantly lower than in Western Europe, even in the major cities.
