Poland is quickly becoming a popular tourist destination in Central Europe, especially as travelers are going beyond Austria, Hungary, and Czechia. With colorful Old Town squares, delicious pierogi food, and breathtaking nature (beaches! mountains! everything in between!), a trip to Poland should definitely be on everyone’s itinerary!
These Poland travel tips are the result of me traveling around the country in the span of two and a half months, both as a tourist (5 cities in three weeks) and as a digital nomad (the other 1.5 months).
This article is packed with things to keep in mind while traveling in Poland, from transportation to cultural tips, accommodations, shopping, food, money and more. There are even a few tips dedicated to what not to do in Poland!
I hope these little life hacks and tips will help you on your trip to Poland :)
Shops are closed on (some) Sundays…
Similar to a few other Central European countries, the majority of stores are closed on Sundays in Poland. This law was enacted in 2018 and banned shopping malls, supermarkets, and smaller shops from working on Sunday. However, restaurants, bakeries, gas stations, pharmacies, and smaller stores are open.
What I’m trying to say is, be sure to stock up on groceries and other necessities before Sunday. However, if that doesn’t work, then the next tip will be helpful. :)
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… Fortunately, there’s a workaround: Zabka!
Zabka, Zabka, Zabka… Ah, my favorite convenience chain store in the entire world! :heart emoji:
These little stores, with their glowing green logo (sometimes with an adorable smiling frog) and convenient layout, have saved me many times when I rolled up to a Biedronka or Lidl… and realized they were closed. :Sweat emoji:
The majority of Zabka stores are open on Sundays thanks to a loophole (you can check Google for the full story). However, be sure to double check the store you plan to go to ahead of time — right next top the Zabka logo on every store, there should be their hours of operation (i.e. 24/7 means they work all the time, 6-23/7 means they work from 6:00 to 23:00 seven days a week, etc.)
However, it’s important to note that Zabka takes advantage of its convenience and, as such, prices are a little higher than in other stores. Then again, you can find some really delicious stuff here, including ready-made meals, drinks, snacks, and the famous Zabka hot dog. :)
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(Psst… You’ll see Zabka Everywhere!)
Poland has a sort of cult-like obsession with Zabka, and I can definitely see why. Besides its convenience and legendary hot dogs, Zabka stores are literally everywhere.
No joke, one time in Wroclaw I saw three Zabka stores within one block of each other. :sweat emoji:
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There are a loooot of Lofts
While looking for a place to stay during our two month-long trip, I noticed that many apartment rentals in Poland were lofts (i.e. it’s a studio but they created an upper floor that’s accessible via ladder — see the photo above of the loft we rented in Krakow :)).
I’m not sure if this is a space-saving trick, or if it’s a remnant of industrial buildings, but be aware that you’ll need to climb some stairs (oftentimes steep!) in order to reach the bed.
If you have bad knees and/or are afraid of heights, I recommend looking at traditional accommodations — although, after living a month in a loft apartment, you get used to it :)
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BYOS — Bring Your Own Soap in Aparthotels!
Speaking of accommodations in Poland… This is a strange travel tip, but I was very surprised that many aparthotels (apartment-like hotels) didn’t provide soap for guests. To avoid any inconveniences, carve out a few extra minutes to stop by a Lidl or supermarket after you check into your aparthotel to buy soap, shampoo, and anything else you might need.
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Public Transportation is Super Convenient
One of the most helpful apps during our trip to Poland was Jakdojade, which is an all-in-one trip planner app. You can check how to get to your destination (within a city and between cities!), look at bus/tram/metro timetables, and buy tickets! Best of all, the app works in most large- and medium-sized cities in Poland.
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Traveling Between Cities is Seamless…
I was very surprised when I learned exactly how diverse and convenient the intercity transport network in Poland was — you can find buses, trains, Flixbus, flights, ride shares, and more!
If you prefer the romance of train travel, the state-owned PKP offers convenient and cheap rail travel around the country. For trips between medium and small cities, your best bet is FlixBus. We traveled on Flixbus about 5 times during our trip (including an international trip from Berlin to Szczecin) and were pleased at the comfort and convenience. :)
Best of all, Flixbus has more than 250 routes around Poland — click here to see them all and buy a ticket!
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… But be careful when buying tickets!
However, one small warning when buying tickets (especially on trains) — some cities sound very similar to each other!
When I was booking tickets to Wroclaw, I didn’t pay attention and ended up booking tickets to Inowroclaw instead (which, by the way, is about 300 kilometers away from our actual destination).
Thankfully, after booking tickets to the ‘wrong Wroclaw,’ I could change them on the PKP website for a small fee — but learn from my experience and don’t make the same mistake! :sweat emoji:
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You Can Get By Without a Car
To reiterate the points above, I’d like to note that Poland has excellent infrastructure for tourists, and you can visit most places without the need to rent a car.
Even some very off-the-beaten-path places, like the beautiful painted village of Zalipie (above), can be visited via public transportation (i.e. taking the train from Krakow to Tarnow and then a bus). There are also day trips and tours that go to such places like Zalipie, Zakopane, and much more :)
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An Up-and-coming Food Scene…
From Korean fried chicken to Ethiopian kitfo, tikka masala, Japanese dango, Ukrainian borsch, and more… Poland has it all!
Unexpectedly, Poland has become one of our favorite foodie destinations in Europe. We found dozens of cafes and restaurants serving dishes from around the world, including traditional favorites, street food, and pop-up cafes. Who would have thought that I’d try some of the best Japanese dango and matcha tea in the city of Poznan? :)
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…With Plenty of Local Delicacies!
While trying new international cuisine is always fun, don’t forget to enjoy some traditional Polish delicacies as well! My favorite Polish dish is, of course, pierogi, which are dumplings with dozens of different fillings, including potatoes, meat, spinach (vegetarian-friendly!), cottage cheese, cherries, and much more.
Other must-try dishes include golabki (stuffed cabbage rolls), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), Polish sausages, and zurek (a type of smoked soup with meat and eggs).
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Visit a Milk Bar!
Now that I’ve got your tastebuds drooling, let me tell you a little travel tip where you can find delicious Polish dishes on a budget — a milk bar!
Locally known as bar mleczny, these canteen-style restaurants are the best place to get hearty and budget-friendly Polish meals. While they’re typically self-serve and with a set menu for the day, milk bars also have a great assortment of typical Polish dishes that have that homemade touch.
My favorite milk bars in Poland are Różowa Krowa (above) and Krówka bar in Wroclaw; Milkbar Tomasza in Krakow; and Jagienka in Bydgoszcz. However, each city should have at least one — check Google Maps for more info :)
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Don’t Exchange Those Dollars/Euros/Pounds!
Coming from Turkey, I was pleasantly surprised to see that credit cards are accepted everywhere. In fact, I didn’t know what paper zloty looked like until I had to find the photo above. :sweat emoji:
After traveling to dozens of countries (some who were mostly cash-only, like Bosnia & Herzegovina, while others were almost fully cashless, like Sweden), it was nice to not worry about searching my purse for scrunched-up paper bills to pay for a bottle of water. Just be sure to have a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees!
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Remember the Three D’s: Dzień Dobry, Dziękuję, and Do widzenia
One of the things that warmed my heart was how friendly Polish people were. Every time we would walk into a store, restaurant, cafe, or Zakba, the people inside would always greet us with Dzień Dobry (good morning/day). After a week or so, we started to automatically say it,and after more than two months in the country, saying Dzień Dobry became second nature to me. :cry smile emoji:
Of course, you can also learn the three most important phrases in Polish, as they’ll be very helpful during your trip. You can say Dzień Dobry (dzen’ dob-rih) when greeting someone, Dziękuję (dzen-koo-yeh) when thanking someone, and Do widzenia (doh we-dzen-ya) to say goodbye.
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Tourist information centers are a treasure trove of information
Well, duh Luda, of course they are, you might say, but the tourist information centers in Poland are something else. Seriously, they’re over the top and filled to the brim with information, leaflets, maps, and some even have souvenirs (at much better prices than at the market!)
Even in the fairly off-the-beaten path city of Bydgoszcz, we met one of the most helpful and friendly information center workers, who spent at least 30 minutes talking about the city in detail, what kind of day trips there are, where we should eat, along with a bunch of fun facts about the city. He even treated us to local chocolate and a handmade magnet. :)
If you’re lost and/or want to experience Polish hospitality, then make a beeline to the nearest tourist information center.
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Go Beyond Warsaw and Krakow
While Poland may be famous for its charming historical cities, that’s not all there is to it!
In fact, did you know that Poland has 770 kilometers (480 mi) of coastline? With gorgeous sandy beaches like Krynica Morska, Jurata Beach, or Sopot, I wouldn’t be surprised if Poland eventually becomes a popular beach destination. :wink emoji:
Likewise, Poland also has 23 (!!) national parks, including the famous Białowieża National Park (the only park that’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Biebrza National Park (the largest national park in Poland), and Slovincian National Park (which has sand dunes!)
Be sure to visit the beaches and rugged coast of the Tricity area (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot), immerse yourself in the absolutely lush nature in Zakopane National Park (it’s beautiful both in winter and summer!), and enjoy the Renaissance architecture of Zamość.
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Fly to a Nearby Country
One final travel tip is to consider flying into a neighboring country (like Germany, Czechia, or Slovakia) and then make your way to Poland. You might be able to save a good amount of money and visit two countries (or more) in one trip!
I actually took advantage of this tip during our last trip to Poland and flew into Berlin (Germany) on Pegasus (a Turkish budget airline) before taking a Flixbus to Szczecin. Thanks to this, I was able to save about 30% on our airline tickets (since there aren’t many budget-friendly ways of flying from Turkey to Poland — yet, I hope :wink emoji:)