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Poland has had a tumultuous history. The 20th century was particularly tough, but things are looking up. The strong national identity and resilience of the Poles is in evidence in the painstaking reconstruction of Warsaw's old city. As the economy strengthens, Poland is no longer than bargain basement travel destination it formerly was, but still represents great value for long weekends and mini-breaks from Western Europe. For those with a bit more time, there are several itineraries which will showcase Poland's geographical diversity, from the charming old city of Krakow, to the fun mountain resort of Zakopane, to the sandy beaches of the north. With bargain flights on airlines such as ryanair.com, there's no real excuse not to check it out!

 

Driving in Poland
Driving in Poland can be more challenging than in other parts of Europe. Not all roads are well made or clearly signed, and standards of driving and road courtesy can be very poor. BE very alert and approach all intersections and traffic lights with caution. While driving your own vehicle in Poland will allow you to get off the beaten track and see things at your own pace, you must remember to drive on the right hand side of the road, everyone should wear seatbelts, avoid using your horn if possible (it's mostly illegal!) and children under 10 must sit in the back seat.

 

Do have a good grasp on the names of places where you're going. Some regions and areas have a number of places with similar names, or names which share a common component. If you only have a rough grip on your destination's name, you could end up well off track by following signs. Of course, one good option is to indicate you want a GPS unit at the time of making your Poland car rental, and then having a clear understanding of how it works before you set off from the pick depot. Also, make sure someone at the depot has switched it to English, so you can understand the programming instructions! Then, also be very careful about stray 'w's and 'z's, and take note of accents when searching for place names.

 

Car theft can be a major problem in Poland, and not just in major cities. Give serious thought to paying for guarded parking in well-secured car parks or in your hotel, rather than just relying on street parking.

 

Sights and Attractions
A great beginning is in Warsaw, where the reconstructed old town is pretty and quaint. However, the bustling new city gives a good picture of Poland on the move. The Warsaw Rising Museum helps put all that you see in the context of a tough history, and understand how today's achievements are so remarkable.

Everyone's favourite Polish destination is the lovely Krakow. This town is ridiculously picturesque and charming, from its stunning town square and cloth hall, to the imposing Wawel Hill and the magnificent castle. The square and town are incredible in December, when the early evening, Christmas markets and good cheer make the whole scene like something from the front of a Christmas card.

 

About 90 minutes drive from Krakow is Auschwitz (Oswiecim) and Birkenau. The complexes are easily reached by road or bus from Krakow, and there are English language tours from the gate of Auschwitz several times per day. There is a 15 minute video presentation screened regularly through the day, and the museum exhibits, labelling and preservation of some buildings is sensitive and thoughtful. It's not at all necessary to take a guided tour from Krakow. Drive your own Poland car rental out there, or take one of the frequent buses. That way, if it gets too much, you can escape when you need to, but if you want to linger and reflect, you have that option as well.

 

Wroclaw is also a very attractive town with a lovely old town centre. Despite massive damage throughout WWII, the mixture of baroque and gothic architecture has been sensitively restored. Particular highlights are the town square, town hall and St Elizabeth's church. The town has a buzzing night scene, with students and travellers alike getting right amongst it. The food and cafe scene in Wroclaw can be better than much of Poland as well.

 

Zakopane and the Carpathian mountains are great year round, but particularly for the winter sports season if you're a skier. It can be a bit over-touristy and over-priced in winter, but off season has a lovely laid back vibe. People do tend to go for a day and end up staying longer! You can also take a cable car up into Mt Kasprowy Wierch, (depart from Kuznice, 3km from Zakopane), to where the high-altitude border between Poland and Slovakia is guarded by some serious young men, who will nonetheless generally turn a blind eye to you standing with one foot in Poland and one foot in Slovakia.

 

Climate
Poland in winter is cold, cold, cold. December can see temperatures hovering around zero degrees Celsius, but all those Christmas markets, steaming hot drinks and good will make everything seem cheery. The (occasionally) deep snows of January can be a lot less fun. There can be significant variation in weather between different parts of Poland. Summer can be warn and dry, or cool and damp depending on where you're going. Winter months can unfortunately see high levels of industrial and home-coal-generated pollution in larger towns. Check out the conditions before you go!

 

We have 24 pick up locations in Poland (See below). Please select your car rental pick up location from our booking engine or by clicking on the 'Book Now' link above.

 

Kielce | Lodz | Szczecin | Warsaw | Warsaw - Airport | Wroclaw - Airport | Poznan | Wroclaw | Bydgoszcz | Biala | Bialystok | Olsztyn | Lublin | Katowice - Airport | Gdansk | Szczecin Airport | Rzeszow | Katowice | Gdansk - Airport | Krakow | Krakow - Airport | Poznan - Airport | Rzeszów - Airport | Lodz Airport | Bromberg - Airport

 

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