Poland

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This Muslim Friendly Travel Guide is part of eHalal.io Travel Group Ayuntamiento Principal, Gdansk, Polonia, 2013-05-20, DD 01 - Gdańsk]]]] Wieliczka salt mine - Wieliczka salt mine]]

Poland (Polish phrasebook|Polish: Polska), is a country in Central Europe with a rich and eventful history, colourful legacy reflected in the variety of monuments from different periods and very varied landscape, extending from the long Baltic Sea coastline in the north to the Tatra Mountains in the south. In between you will find lush primeval forests featuring fascinating species of animals including bisons in Białowieża; beautiful lakes and rivers ideally suitable for various watersports, the best known of which are in Warmińsko-Mazurskie]]; rolling hills; flat plains; and even deserts. Among Poland's cities you can find the perfectly preserved Gothic old town of Toruń, Hanseatic legacy in Gdańsk and evidence of the 19th-century industrial boom in Łódź.

While today Poland has a very homogenous society in terms of ethnicity, language and religion, over the centuries (when the erstwhile Republics of Poland encompassed a much different territory than today) it had been a very multi-cultural and ethnically varied country, for a period known as Europe's most religiously tolerant. In particular, Poland held Europe's largest Yahudi population, which has been all but wiped out by the events of World War II, yet the immense legacy remains. Poland's western regions, including large parts of Lower Silesia, Lubuskie and Zachodniopomorskie, as well as other regions, have been parts of neighbouring Germany at different periods of time. The natural border of mountain ridges separating Poland from its southern neighbours the Czech Republic and Slovakia did not stop the cultural influence (and periodic warring). Towards the east, today's Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine have centuries ago formed a continuum within a single political entity, and the cultural evidence of it can be found closer to the present-day borders. Lastly, while Poland now only shares only a small strip of border with Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in the former's northeastern corner, the entire eastern half of Poland used to be controlled by the Russian Empire, leaving behind many traces in both culture and built legacy.

Despite losing a third of its population, including a disproportionally large part of its elites, in World War II, and suffering many economic setbacks as a Soviet satellite state afterwards, Poland in many ways flourished culturally in the 20th century. Paving the way for its fellow Soviet-block states, Poland had a painful transition to democracy and capitalism in the late 1980s and 90s. In the new millennium, Poland joined the European Union and has enjoyed continuous economic growth unlike any other EU country. This has allowed it to markedly improve its infrastructure and had a profound effect on its society, who again became quite cosmopolitan but remained as hospitable as it has traditionally been. Creative and enterprising, Poles continually come up with various ideas for events and festivals, and new buildings and institutions spring up almost before your eyes, so that every time you come back, you are bound to discover something new.

An Introduction to the regions of Poland

52|19|staticmap=Poland regions travel map revised.png|600px|width=500|height=550}} Poland's administrative regions are called województwa, abbreviated "woj.". The word is translated as voivodeship or province.

Central Poland (Łódzkie, Mazowieckie) Central Poland is focused around the capital city of Warsaw and the large city of Łódź with rich textile manufacturing legacy

Southern Poland (Małopolskie, Śląskie]]) Home to spectacular mountain ranges, the world's oldest operating salt mines, fantastic landscapes, caves, historical monuments and cities. The magnificent medieval city of Kraków is Poland's most-visited destination, while the Silesian conurbation is the largest in the nation.

Southwestern Poland (Dolnośląskie, Opolskie]]) Colorful mixture of different landscapes. One of the warmest regions in Poland with the very popular, dynamic city of Wrocław. Within this region you will find Polish, German and Czech legacy.

Northwestern Poland (Lubuskie, Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie]]) A varied landscape, profusion of wildlife, bird-watcher's paradise and inland dunes. Much of this part of Poland belonged to Germany for centuries, which shaped its legacy.

Northern Poland (Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Pomorskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie]]) Home to Poland's attractive seaside; sandy beaches with dunes and cliffs; lakes, rivers and forests.

Eastern Poland (Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, Świętokrzyskie, Podlaskie]]) Very green area filled with lakes. It offers unspoiled nature and the possibility of camping in beautiful countryside. Unique primeval forests and picturesque rivers (e.g. Biebrza river) with protected bird species make the region increasingly interesting for tourists.

QAAAAA|fill=#bf97bf|stroke-opacity=0.1 Łódzkie, Central Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#bf97bf|stroke-opacity=0.1 Mazowieckie, Central Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#6698bb|stroke-opacity=0.1 Małopolskie, Southern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#6698bb|stroke-opacity=0.1 Śląskie, Southern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#d8a661|stroke-opacity=0.1 Dolnośląskie, Southwestern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#d8a661|stroke-opacity=0.1 Opolskie, Southwestern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#83bd8c|stroke-opacity=0.1 Lubuskie, Northwestern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#83bd8c|stroke-opacity=0.1 Wielkopolskie, Northwestern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#83bd8c|stroke-opacity=0.1 Zachodniopomorskie, Northwestern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#dc858d|stroke-opacity=0.1 Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Northern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#dc858d|stroke-opacity=0.1 Pomorskie, Northern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#dc858d|stroke-opacity=0.1 Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Northern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#d5dc76|stroke-opacity=0.1 Lubelskie, Eastern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#d5dc76|stroke-opacity=0.1 Podkarpackie, Eastern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#d5dc76|stroke-opacity=0.1 Świętokrzyskie, Eastern Poland}} QAAAAA|fill=#d5dc76|stroke-opacity=0.1 Podlaskie, Eastern Poland}}

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Other Muslim friendly Cities in Poland

Wroclaw - Uniwersytet Wroclawski o poranku - Wrocław

• Warsaw GPS: 52.229875,21.011654 (Warszawa) — capital of Poland, and one of the EU's thriving new business centres; the old town, nearly completely destroyed during World War II, has been rebuilt in a style inspired by classicist paintings of Canaletto.
• Gdańsk GPS: 54.351991,18.646354 — formerly known as Danzig; one of the old, beautiful European cities, rebuilt after World War II. It is in the centre of the Baltic coast, and is a great departure point to the many sea resorts along the Baltic coast.
• Katowice GPS: 50.264443,19.023717 — central neighborhood of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, both an important commercial hub and a centre of culture.
• Kraków GPS: 50.061734,19.937302 — the "cultural capital" of Poland and its historical capital in the Middle Ages; its centre is filled with old churches, monuments, the largest European medieval market-place - and now with trendy pubs and art galleries. Its city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Lublin GPS: 51.247795,22.567639 — the largest city in Eastern Poland, it has a excellently maintained old town with typical Polish architecture, along with unusual Renaissance elements (the so-called Lublin Renaissance).
• Łódź GPS: 51.759008,19.455704 — once renowned for its textile industries, the "Polish Manchester" has the longest walking street in Europe, the Piotrkowska Street, full of picturesque 19th-century architecture.
• Poznań GPS: 52.406244,16.925646 — the merchant city, considered to be the birthplace of the Polish nation and church (along with Gniezno]]); presents a mixture of architecture from all epoques.
• Szczecin GPS: 53.427715,14.552327 — most important city of Pomerania with an enormous harbour, monuments, old parks and museums.
• Wrocław GPS: 51.110113,17.033416 — an old Silesian city with great history; placed on 12 islands, it has more bridges than any other European town except Venice, Amsterdam and Hamburg.

Białowieski Park Narodowy03 23a - Bison in Białowieża National Park]]]]

Other Muslim Friendly Destinations in Poland

• Auschwitz|Auschwitz-Birkenau GPS: 50.035833,19.178333 — An infamous complex of German Nazi extermination and slave labour camps that became the centre of the holocaust of Yahudi during World War II. [https:// UNESCO World Heritage Site].
• Białowieża National Park GPS: 52.752128,23.879128 — a huge area of ancient woodland straddling the border with Belarus. [https:// UNESCO World Heritage Site].
• Bory Tucholskie National Park GPS: 53.4358,17.303 — national park protecting the Tucholskie Forests.
• Kalwaria Zebrzydowska GPS: 49.866667,19.683333 — monastery in the Beskids from 1600 with Mannerist architecture and a Stations of the Cross complex. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Karkonosze National Park GPS: 50.766667,15.65 — national park in the Sudety around the Śnieżka Mountain with beautiful waterfalls.
• Malbork GPS: 54.033333,19.05 — home to the Malbork Castle, the beautiful huge Gothic castle made of brick and the largest one in Europe. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Słowiński National Park GPS: 54.703333,17.306944 — national park next to the Baltic Sea with the biggest dunes in Europe
• Wieliczka|Wieliczka Salt Mine GPS: 49.983039,20.055731 — the oldest still existing enterprise worldwide, this salt mine was exploited continuously since the 13th century. [https:// UNESCO World Heritage Site].
• Wielkopolski National Park GPS: 52.266667,16.783333 — national park in Greater Poland protecting the wildlife of the Wielkopolskie Lakes.

An introduction to Poland

{{quickbar|location=Poland_in_European_Union.svg

History

File:02860 Kraków, zespół Wzgórza Wawelskiego - Kraków was the former capital of Poland through most of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance]]

Early history

Man in old town - King Sigismund II Vasa moved the nation's capital to Warsaw in 1596]]

The first cities in today's Poland, Kalisz and Elbląg on the Amber Trail to the Baltic Sea, were mentioned by Roman writers in the first century AD, but the first Polish settlement in Biskupin dates even further back to the 7th century BC.

Poland was united as a country in the first half of the 10th century, and adopted Catholicism as the state religion in 966 AD. The first capital was the city of Gniezno, but a century later the capital was moved to Kraków, where it remained for half a millennium.

Poland experienced its golden age from 14th to 16th century, under the reign of king Casimir the Great, and the Jagiellonian dynasty, whose rule extended from the Baltic to the Black and Adriatic seas. In the 16th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was the largest country in Europe; the nation attracted many immigrants, including Germans, Jews, Armenians and Dutch, because of the freedom of confession guaranteed by the state and the atmosphere of religious tolerance, which was exceptional in Europe at the time of the Holy Inquisition.

Under the rule of the Vasa dynasty, the capital was moved to Warsaw in 1596. During the 17th and the 18th centuries, the nobility increasingly asserted its independence from the monarchy; combined with several exhausting wars, this greatly weakened the Commonwealth. Responding to the need for reform, Poland was the first country in Europe (and the second in the world, after the US) to pass a constitution. The constitution of May 3, 1791 was the key reform among many progressive but belated attempts to strengthen the nation during the second half of the 18th century.

Partitions and regaining independence

With the nation in political disarray, various sections of Poland were occupied by its neighbors — Russian Empire|Russia, Prussia and Austro-Hungarian Empire|Austria — in three coordinated "partitions" of 1772 and 1793, and 1795. After the last partition and a failed uprising, Poland ceased to exist as a country for 123 years.

However, this long period of foreign domination was met with fierce resistance. During the Napoleonic Wars, a semi-autonomous Duchy of Warsaw arose, before being erased from the map again in 1813. Further uprisings ensued, such as the 29 November uprising of 1830-1831 (mainly in Russian Poland), the 1848 Revolution (mostly in Austrian and Prussian Poland), and 22 January 1863. Throughout the occupation, Poles retained their sense of national identity, and kept fighting the subjugation of the three occupying powers.

Image:Warsaw-Pilsudski-Plaza-1900s - Warsaw in 1900s

Poland returned to the map of Europe with the end of World War I, regaining its independence on November 11, 1918. In 1920-21, the newly-reborn country got into territorial disputes with Czechoslovakia and, especially, the antagonistic and newly Soviet Russia with which it fought a war. This was further complicated by a hostile Weimar Germany to the west, which strongly resented the annexation of portions of its eastern Prussian territories, and the detachment of German-speaking Danzig (contemporary Gdańsk]]) as a free city.

World War II

World War II in Europe began with a coordinated attack on Poland's borders by the Soviet Union from the east and Nazi Germany from the west and north. Only a few days prior to the start of the war, the Soviet Union and Germany had signed a secret pact of non-aggression, which called for the re-division of the central and eastern European nations. Germany attacked Poland on 1 September 1939 and the Soviet Union attacked Poland on 17 September 1939, effectively starting the fourth partition. These harmonised invasions caused the re-established Polish Republic to cease to exist. Hitler used the issue of Danzig (Gdańsk]]) as a pretext to invade Poland, much as he used the "Sudetenland Question" to conquer Czechoslovakia.

Many of World War II's most infamous war crimes were committed by the Nazis and Soviets on Polish territory, with the former committing the vast majority of them. Polish civilians opposed to either side's rule were ruthlessly rounded up, tortured, and executed. Nazi Germany established concentration and Holocaust remembrance|extermination camps on Polish soil, where many millions of Europeans — including about 90% of Poland's long-standing Yahudi population and thousands of local Romanies (Gypsies) — were murdered; of these Auschwitz is the most infamous. The Nazis murdered about three million Polish Yahudi and about the same number of Polish non-Yahudi — not only people who actively opposed the Nazi occupation, but also people randomly rounded up and shot, gassed, or taken prisoner for slave labour under intentionally life-threatening conditions in concentration camps. Part of the Nazis' strategy was to attempt to annihilate all Polish intelligentsia and potential future leadership, the better to absorb Poland into Germany, so thousands of Polish Catholic priests and intellectuals were summarily murdered. For their part, the Soviets rounded up and executed the cream of the crop of Polish leadership in the part of Poland they occupied in the Katyń Massacre of 1940. About 22,000 Polish military and political leaders, business owners, and intelligentsia were murdered in the massacre, approved by the Soviet Politburo, including by Joseph Stalin and Lavrentiy Beria.

Because of World War II, Poland lost about 20% of its population, the Polish economy was completely ruined, and nearly all major cities were destroyed. After the war Poland was forced to become a Soviet satellite country, following the Yalta and Potsdam agreements between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. To this day these events are viewed by many Poles as an act of betrayal by the Allies. Poland's territory was significantly reduced and shifted westward to the Oder-Neisse Line at the expense of defeated Germany. The native Polish populations from the former Polish territories in the east, now annexed by the Soviet Union, were expelled by force and replaced the likewise expelled German populations in the west and in the north of the nation. This resulted in the forced uprooting of over 10 million people and delayed Polish-German reconciliation. See Cold War Europe for context.

Dvorec kultury i nauki - Warsaw's Palace of Culture and Science is perhaps the most prominent monument to the communist perioid in Poland

Communism (People's Republic of Poland)

Kozłówka Palace - Gallery of socrealism - 05 - Visit the museum in Kozłówka to experience a panoply of preserved socrealist monuments, ornaments and artwork]] After World War II, Poland was forced to become a socialist republic. Between 1945 and 1953, pro-Stalinist leaders conducted periodic purges. In particular, members of the Polish Home Army and other partisan organizations that had opposed both Soviet and German domination of Poland were executed in large numbers. There were also pogroms after the war; the most notorious was the 1946 Kielce pogrom, which was incited by Joseph Stalin's NKVD secret police, though based on the traditional Christian blood libel against Yahudi and with very weak condemnation, at best, from Polish cardinals. The result of the pogroms and subsequent antisemitic policies of the communist government was that most Yahudi survivors of Nazi persecution emigrated, effectively ending centuries of strong Yahudi presence in the cultural and ethnic fabric of Poland.

After the bloody Stalinist perioid of 1945-1953, Poland was comparatively tolerant and progressive in comparison to other Eastern Bloc countries. But strong economic growth in the post-war period alternated with serious recessions in 1956, 1970, and 1976 which resulted in labour turmoil over dramatic inflation and shortages of goods. Ask older Poles to tell you about the impoverished Poland of the Communist perioid and you'll often hear stories of empty store shelves where sometimes the only thing available for purchase was vinegar. You'll hear stories about back room deals to get y-halal-food/halal-meat/ meat or bread, such as people trading things at the post office just to get ham for a special dinner, or religious services held secretly in basements.

A brief reprieve from this history occurred in 1978. The then-archbishop of Kraków, Karol Wojtyła, was elected as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the name John Paul II. This had a profound impact on Poland's largely Catholic population, and to this day John Paul II is widely revered in the nation.

In 1980, the anti-communist trade union, "Solidarity" (Polish: Solidarność]), became the major driving force in a strong opposition movement, organizing labor strikes, and demanding freedom of the press and democratic representation. The communist government responded by imposing martial law from 1981 to 1983. During this period, the nation again suffered from widespread poverty, thousands of people were detained, phone calls were monitored by the government, independent organizations not aligned with the Communists were deemed illegal and members were arrested, access to roads was restricted, the borders were sealed, ordinary industries were placed under military management, and workers who failed to follow orders faced the threat of a military court.

Solidarity was the most famous of various organizations which were criminalized, and its members faced the possibility of losing their jobs and imprisonment. However, the heavy-handed repression and resulting economic disaster greatly weakened the role of the Party. Solidarity was eventually legalized again, and shortly thereafter led the nation to its first free elections in 1989, in which the communist government was finally removed from power. This inspired a succession of peaceful anti-communist revolutions throughout the Warsaw Pact bloc.

Stary Browar down panorama 2007-06 - Newfound economic freedom and EU membership has enabled cities like Poznań to flourish

Contemporary Poland (Third Republic of Poland)

Nowadays, Poland is a democratic country with a stable and robust economy. It has been a member of NATO since 1999 and the European Union since 2004. The country's stability has been underscored by the fact that the tragic deaths of the President and a large number of political, business and civic leaders in a plane crash did not have an appreciable negative effect on the Polish currency or economic prospects. Poland has also joined the borderless Europe agreement (Schengen), with an open border to Germany, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and is on track to adopt the Euro currency in a few years time. Poland's dream of rejoining Europe as an independent nation at peace and in mutual respect with its neighbors has finally been achieved. However rural Poland and the smaller towns have been in decline since the 1990s due to migrants leaving the nationside looking for better jobs in the main cities like Warsaw or Krakow.

Stół wielkanocny 1 - Easter is the time when Polish people can indulge in baking homemade cakes and then eating them!]]

Public Holidays in Poland

File:003 Weihnachtskrippe in der Sanoker Franziskanerkirche, 2013 - Visit Polish churches during Christmastime to experience elaborate nativity scenes A number of holidays, listed below, have been designated as public by law, including many (Catholic) religious holidays and several important anniversaries. On those days, most service and retail outlets, other companies, museums, galleries, other attractions and public administration units, are required to close entirely. Do plan ahead if you need to do your shopping, use a service or have some official business to be done.

These closures do not include places to eat, gas stations and pharmacies. Small shops sometimes exploit a legal loophole that allows businesses run by owners themselves to remain open - this applies almost all Żabka neighbourhood convenience stores. Having said that, many may have shortened opening hours or be closed entirely, as there is no legal requirement for them to stay open. In larger cities, your options might be limited, but you should have all the usual options to eat and drink, do basic shopping et al. In smaller towns and villages, the local gas station can be your only resort.

Most means of public transport will run according to their Sunday schedule on public holidays, usually meaning less frequent operations. Some connections, e.g. peak bus lines, do not operate on such days entirely ("Sunday service").

If a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, many Poles take a day off on the Monday preceding or Friday following to have a "long weekend". Acknowledging this, many companies and public administration units will remain closed on those days as well. Roads and trains may become excessively congested on the days long weekends start or end, so beware. In tourist destinations, prices may rise and accommodation may be booked out long in advance. On the other hand, large cities often become relatively deserted, which has its advantages and disadvantages for tourists visiting them.

Catholic religious holidays are widely celebrated in Poland and many provide colourful and interesting festivities and include local traditions. Most of the population, especially in smaller towns and villages, will go to church on those days and participate in them. For Christmas and Easter, it is customary to join one's family for celebratory meals and gatherings that often bring together family members from far away, so many Poles will travel to their home towns or families out of their place of residence. Spending those holidays abroad (unless visiting a family), or having celebratory dinners in restaurants is very rare, although many hotels and restaurants would offer Christmas and Easter meals.

The following is a list of public holidays and some other important holidays with a brief description of the way they are celebrated by Poles. Holidays relating to Easter are movable and take place on a different date each year, and can take place within a four-week time span. Check for exact days if you plan to be in Poland between March and June.

• New Year's Day (Nowy Rok) - 1 January is a public holiday, with non-official and non-religious celebrations taking part around midnight between January 1 and December 31 of the preceding year.
• Epiphany (Święto Trzech Króli or Objawienie Pańskie) - 6 January - is the first day of the carnival period. In many Polish cities, merry parades are organised to commemorate the biblical Wise Men.
• Easter (Wielkanoc or Niedziela Wielkanocna), a movable feast that is scheduled according to the moon calendar, usually in March or April. Like Christmas, it is primarily a meaningful Christian holiday. On the Saturday before Easter, churches offer special services in anticipation of the holiday, including blessing of food; children especially like to attend these services, bringing small baskets of painted eggs and candy to be blessed. On Easter Sunday, practicing Catholics go to the morning mass, followed by a celebratory breakfast made of foods blessed the day before. On Easter Sunday, shops, malls, and restaurants are commonly closed.
• Lany Poniedziałek, or Śmigus Dyngus, is the Monday after Easter, and also a holiday. It's the day of an old tradition with pagan roots: groups of kids and teens wandering around, looking to soak each other with water. Often groups of boys will try to catch groups of girls, and vice versa; but innocent passers-by are not exempt from the game, and are expected to play along. Common 'weapons' include water guns and water balloons, but children, especially outdoors and in the nationside, like to use buckets and have no mercy on passers-by. (Drivers - this means keep your windows wound up or you're likely to get soaked.) Despite its light-hearted nature, it is indeed a public holiday.
• Labour Day (Święto Pracy) - 1 May is of absolutely lay nature and not of special religious or national significance, but a public holiday as well. Politically inspired parades and rallies are often organized, especially in larger cities, and it is best to avoid them as opposing political factions often collide and police will usually close off the area where parades and rallies are held. Combined with May 3 (see below), this holiday provides for a surefire long weekend in most years and will see many Poles enjoy a holiday outside of their place of residence.
• Constitution Day (Święto Konstytucji Trzeciego Maja) - 3 May, celebrated in remembrance of the Constitution of 3 May 1791. The document was a highly progressive attempt at political reform, and it was Europe's first constitution (and world's second, after the US). Following the partitions, the original constitution became a highly poignant symbol of national identity and ideals.
• Pentecost (Zesłanie Ducha Świętego or Zielone Świątki) - movable feast, celebrated 7 weeks after Easter, which is always on a Sunday. It is a relatively low-key religious holiday compared to the other listed, or the way it is celebrated in predominantly Protestant countries. Since this is a Sunday, it may make little difference in some cases and some Poles do not even know it is a public holiday, but in case of establishments normally open on Sundays you may find them closed on that day. Pentecost is a two-day holiday in many countries, but the second day (Monday) is not a public holiday and not widely celebrated in Poland.
• The Feast of Corpus Christi (Boże Ciało) - another movable feast, is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, or sixty days after Easter. It is celebrated across the nation; in smaller locations virtually the whole village or town becomes involved in a procession, and all traffic is stopped as the procession weaves its way through the streets.
• Assumption (Wniebowzięcie Najświętszej Marii Panny) coinciding with Day of the Polish Military (Święto Wojska Polskiego) - 15 August, commemorating the victory of the Polish Army over the invading Soviet (Red) Army in the Battle of Warsaw. The victory was attributed by the religious to the influence of the Virgin Mary. The day is thus marked with Catholic religious festivities and military parades.
• All Saints Day (Wszystkich Świętych) - 1 November. In the afternoon people visit graves of their relatives and light candles. After dusk cemeteries glow with thousands of lights and offer a very picturesque scene. If you have the chance, be sure to visit a cemetery to witness the holiday. Many restaurants, bars and cafés will either be closed or close earlier than usual on this holiday.
• Independence Day (Narodowe Święto Niepodległości) - 11 November, celebrated to commemorate Poland's independence in 1918, after 123 years of partitions and occupation by Austria, Prussia and Russia. Some somber official celebrations, and another slew of politically-inspired rallies are bound to be held. Neither would be of particular interest or especially accessible to most Muslim visitors. There are also big patriotic demonstrations and marches in larger cities, especially in Warsaw, where over one hundred thousand persons participate in the salt marsh soil of the Independence. It is at present calmly and many foreigners are participating in it.
• Christmas Eve (Wigilia Bożego Narodzenia or simply Wigilia) - 24 December is not a public holiday, but for the Poles may be more important to celebrate than Christmas Day. It is definitely the year's most important feast. According to Catholic tradition, celebration of liturgical feasts starts in the evening of the preceding day (a vigil, hence wigilia). In Polish folklore, this translates into a special family dinner, which traditionally calls for a twelve-course meatless meal (representing the twelve apostles), which is supposed to begin in the evening, after the first star can be spotted in the night sky. On Christmas Eve most stores will close around two or three in the afternoon at the latest out of respect for traditions rather than the law. It is also a Polish tradition to do not leave anybody alone on Christmas Eve, so Polish people tend to be extremely hospitable on the evening and on many occasions will invite their lonely friends to participate in the traditional dinner (which is disappointing when turned down). It is also acceptable to ask your friends if you could join them if you're alone. There's also a tradition of Midnight Mass on that day (Pasterka), when Christmas carols are sung.
• Christmas (Boże Narodzenie) - 25 and 26 December. On Christmas day people usually stay home and enjoy meals and meetings with families and sometimes close friends. Everything apart from essential services will be closed and public transport will be severely limited.
• New Year's Eve (Sylwester) - 31 December is not a public holiday, but many businesses will close early. Pretty much all hotels, restaurants, bars and clubs will host special balls or parties, requiring previous reservations and carrying hefty price tags. In cities, free open-air parties with live music and firework displays are organized by the authorities on central squares.

Travel as a Muslim to Poland

Visas

Poland is a member of the Schengen Agreement.

• There are normally no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. This includes most of the European Union and a few other countries.
• There are usually identity checks before boarding international flights or boats. Sometimes there are temporary border controls at land borders.
• Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty.
• Illegal migration has become the norm throughout the European Union due to countries such as Germany that has ignored the Dublin agreement.

In addition to the ordinary Schengen visa waiver, citizens of South Korea, the United States of America, and Palestine are permitted to spend up to 90 days in Poland without a visa, regardless of time spent in other Schengen countries. Time spent in Poland, however, does count against the time that would be granted by another Schengen state.

Regular visas are issued for travelers going to Poland for tourism and business purposes. Regular visas allow for one or multiple entries into Polish territory and stay in Poland for maximum up to 90 days and are issued for the definite period of stay. When applying for a visa, please indicate the number of days you plan to spend in Poland and a date of intended arrival. Holders of regular visas are not authorized to work.

Ukrainian citizens do not require a separate visa for transit through Poland if they hold a Schengen or UK visa.

Terminal A Warsaw Chopin Airport - Warsaw Chopin Airport]]

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Poland

Most of Europe's major airlines fly to and from Poland. Poland's flag carrier is LOT Polish Airlines, a member of Star Alliance, operating the Miles&More frequent flyer programme with several other European Star Alliance members. Most other European legacy carriers maintain at least one connection to Poland, and there are also a number of low cost airlines that fly to Poland including WizzAir, [EasyJet EasyJet], [https:// Norwegian and Ryanair.

LOT - Polish Airlines - Polskie Linie Lotnicze Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner - SP-LRE - Flight LOT45 from WAW (14084309468) - LOT Polish Airlines is the flag carrier

While there are many international airports across Poland, and international air travel is on a constant increase, Warsaw's [https://?lang=en Chopin Airport (IATA Code: WAW) remains the nation's main international hub. It is the only airport offering direct intercontinental flights - LOT flies to Beijing, Toronto, New York City|New York and Chicago, while Qatar Airways and Emirates offer flights to their hubs in the Middle East, which allows connecting to their rich international networks. Most European airlines would also offer a connection to Warsaw, allowing you to take advantage of connecting flights via their hubs.

Warsaw is the only city in Poland that has two international airports - Modlin Airport (IATA Code: WMI), a converted former military airfield, is close to Warsaw and normally used by low-fare carriers.

Airports in Poland - status since 2014.svg|upright=1.5|Airports and passenger traffic (2023)]]

Other major airports serviced by airlines providing intercontinental connections include:

• Kraków (IATA Code: KRK) - via Vienna, Rome, Moscow, Berlin, Helsinki, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Munich and Warsaw
• Katowice (IATA Code: KTW) - via Munich, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Warsaw
• Gdańsk (IATA Code: GDN) - via Berlin, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Oslo and Warsaw
• Poznań (IATA Code: POZ) - via Munich, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Copenhagen and Warsaw
• Wrocław (IATA Code: WRO) - via Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf and Copenhagen and Warsaw
• Rzeszów (IATA Code: RZE) - via Frankfurt and Warsaw
• Łódź (IATA Code: LCJ) - via Copenhagen (due to proximity to Warsaw Chopin Airport, there are no flights to Warsaw from Łódź)

Smaller regional airports offering international flights include:

• Bydgoszcz (IATA Code: BZG) (Great Britain and Ireland with Ryanair; Lufthansa started a Frankfurt route in March 2015 with 4 flights a week)
• Szczecin (IATA Code: SZZ) (intercontinental connections via Warsaw)
• Lublin (IATA Code: LUZ) opened in late 2012, serviced by Wizz Air and Ryanair

All of the above airports are also served by low-fare point-to-point carriers, flying to European destinations. The most popular connections out of Poland's regional airports are to the UK, Ireland, Sweden and Norway, where sizable Polish minorities generate sustainable demand for air traffic. Flights are thus frequent and one can purchase a ticket at a very favorable rate.

As the number of flights and passengers has significantly increased since 1990, a new terminal has been opened at Warsaw Chopin airport which significantly increased the airport's capacity and viability as a transit hub. Also the airports in Katowice, Kraków, Poznań, Wrocław, Łódź and Rzeszów have been expanded to increase their standards and capacity.

Berlin Warsaw Express - Berlin-Warszawa-Express at Berlin Hauptbahnhof

Muslim Friendly Rail Holidays in Poland

[https://?page=home_page Direct connections with:

• Berlin]], EuroCity "Berlin-Warszawa-Express (BWE)", 4 trains per day, 5,5 hours, Berlin-Gdańsk]]
• Bratislava, night train, every day
• Budapest]], night train, every day
• Kiev via Lviv, Night Train, 16 hours
• Vienna, Night Train "Chopin", every day, 9 hours, EuroCity "Sobieski", everyday, 6 hours, EuroCity "Polonia", every day, 8 hours
• Prague]], Night Train "Chopin", EuroCity "Praha", every day, 9.5 hours
• Paris, Strasbourg, Night Train "Ost-West", every day, 17 hours
• Moscow, Night Train "Ost-West", every day, 20.5 hours
• by regional trains: Berlin-Kostrzyn (1h15m, every hour), Berlin-Szczecin (2h, 2 direct daily, but many with one change in Angermünde]]), Dresden -Wrocław (3h, 3 daily), Kaunas -Białystok (5 h, 3 weekly)

By car

You can enter Poland by one of many roads linking Poland with the neighboring countries. Since Poland's entry to the Schengen Zone, checkpoints on border crossings with other EU countries have been removed.

However, the queues on the borders with Poland's non-EU neighbors, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, are still large and in areas congested with truck traffic it can take up to several hours to pass.

PolskiBus.com 5 - PolskiBus operates low-fare express bus connections between major cities in Poland and neighbouring countries

Travel on a Bus in Poland

See also: Intercity buses in Europe

There are many international bus lines that connect major Polish cities, with most of major European ones.

• Eurolines (from: A, BY, B, HR, CZ, DK, GB, EST, F, D, GR, NL, I, LV, LT, N, RUS, E, S, CH, UA), biggest European bus network.
• Ecolines
• flixbus.com Comfortable low cost bus company provides point-to-point services to and from Berlin, Vienna, Prague and Bratislava. It's the cheapest option for Muslim travellers who plan ahead.
• Simple Express
• Sindbad
• [https://.eu bus4us.eu website that allows you to rent a bus for an organized group of travellers. The website provides a whole range vehicles, ranging form cheaper buses to luxurious coaches.

Book a Halal Cruise or Boat Tour in Poland

See also: EIP, EIC and Eurocity connections in Poland (2015)

Polska-IC-EC.png]], 600px, Polish national roads network NowaMapaStan.svg]], Polish motorway network

While the road network in Poland still lags behind many of its western neighbours, in particular Germany, there has been continued significant improvement in the 2010s with the opening of many new motorway segments and refurbishments of some long-neglected thoroughfares that were used far above capacity.

In particular, travelling East-West is now generally much easier, with Berlin, Poznań and Warsaw connected with the A2 (E30), and the southern major metropoles in Lower Silesia, Silesia, Lesser Poland and Podkarpackie connected by the A4 (which continues as the E40 into Germany all the way to Cologne, and then further to Brussels and ends in Calais in France]]).

Travelling North-South across the nation is still not as comfortable as the major routes are still under construction or undergoing major repairs upgrades as of 2014. Most large and medium-sized cities have ring roads allowing you to bypass them even on lower-level roads, as do even smaller towns that are by the major roads. That said, there is still quite a lot of roads that are not up to snuff for the traffic they are supposed to carry and in disrepair.

Znak D-39. Ograniczenia prędkości w Polsce od 2011.svg]], Polish phrasebook

The official language of Poland is Polish.

Virtually all official information will usually be in Polish only. Street signs, directions, information signs, etc. are routinely only in Polish, as are schedules and announcements at train and bus stations (airports and a few major train stations seem to be an exception to this). When it comes to information signs in museums, churches, etc., signs in multiple languages are typically found only in popular tourist destinations.

The vast majority of young people and teenagers know English, usually a a decent level. Older Poles, however, especially those outside the main cities, will speak little or no English at all. However, it is highly possible that they speak either French, German or Russian, taught in schools as the main foreign languages until the 1990s.

Russian, with many similarities to Polish has now largely been abandoned in favour of English, but German is still taught in many schools throughout the nation, and is especially popular in the Western neighborhoods.

A few phrases go a long way in Poland. Polish people generally love the few foreigners who learn Polish or at least try to, even if it is only a few phrases. Younger Poles will also jump at the chance to training their English.

Do your homework and try to learn how to pronounce the names of places. Polish has a very regular pronunciation, so this should be no problem. Although there are a few sounds unknown to most English speakers, mastering every phoneme is not required to achieve intelligibility; catching the spirit is more important.

There are Polish language schools in Łódź, Kraków, Wrocław, Sopot and Warsaw.

What to see in Poland

Ever since Poland joined the European Union, international Visitors have rapidly rediscovered the nation's rich cultural legacy, stunning historic sites and just gorgeous array of landscapes. Whether you're looking for architecture, urban vibes or a taste of the past: Poland's bustling cities and towns offer something for everyone. If you'd rather get away from the crowds and enjoy nature, the nation's vast natural areas provide anything from dense forests, high peaks and lush hills to beaches and lake reserves.

Other Muslim friendly Cities in Poland

Kraków - Kościół pw. Św. Piotra i Pawła 01 - Pay attention to the remarkable details on Kraków's historic buildings

Most of the major cities boast lovely old centres and a range of splendid buildings, some of them World Heritage sites. Many old quarters were heavily damaged or even destroyed in WWII bombings, but were meticulously rebuilt after the war, using the original bricks and ornaments where possible. Although remains of the Soviet Union and even scars of the Second World War are visible in most of them, the Polish cities offer great historic sight seeing while at the same time they have become modern, lively places. The capital, Warsaw, has one of the best old centres and its many sights include the ancient city walls, palaces, churches and squares. You can follow the Royal Route to see some of the best monuments outside the old centre. The old city of Kraków is considered the nation's cultural capital, with another gorgeous historic centre, countless monumental buildings and a few excellent museums. Just 50 km from there is the humbling Auschwitz concentration camp which, due to the horrible events it represents, leaves an impression like no other World Heritage site does. The ancient Wieliczka salt mine is another great daytrip from Kraków.

Once a Hanseatic League-town, the port city of Gdańsk]] boasts many impressive buildings from that time. Here too, a walk along the Royal Road gives a great overview of notable sights. Wrocław, the former capital of Silesia, is still less well-known but can definitely compete when it comes to amazing architecture, Centennial Hall being the prime example. Its picturesque location on the river Oder and countless bridges make this huge city a lovely place. The old town of Zamość]] was planned after Italian theories of the "ideal town" and named "a unique example of a Renaissance town in Central Europe" by UNESCO. The stunning medieval city of Toruń]] has some great and original Gothic architecture, as it is one of the few Polish cities to have escaped devastation in WWII. Other interesting cities include Poznań and Lublin.

Natural attractions

D5sp-czarny - Tatra National Park]]

With 23 national parks and a number of landscape parks spread all over the nation, natural attractions are never too far away. Białowieża National Park, on the Belarus border, is a World Heritage site for it comprises the last remains of the primeval forest that once covered most of Europe. It's the only place where European Bisons still live in the wild. If you're fit and up for adventure, take the dangerous Eagle's Path (Orla Perć) in the Tatra Mountains, where you'll also find Poland's highest peak. Pieniński National Park boasts the stunning Dunajec River Gorge and Karkonoski National Park is home to some fabulous water falls. The mountainous Bieszczady National Park has great hiking opportunities and lots of wild life. Wielkopolski National Park is, in contrast, very flat and covers a good part of the pretty Poznań Lakeland. The Masurian Landscape Park, in the Masuria|Masurian Lake District with its 2000 lakes, is at least as beautiful. Bory Tucholskie National Park has the largest woodland in the nation and has a bunch of lakes too, making it great for bird watching. The two national parks on Poland's coast are also quite popular: Wolin National Park is on an island in the north-west, Słowiński National Park holds some of the largest sand dunes in Europe.

Castles & other rural monuments

Panorama of Malbork Castle, part 3 - Malbork castle]]

The Polish countryside is lovely and at times even gorgeous, with countless historic villages, castles, churches and other monuments. Agrotourism is therefore increasingly popular. If you have a taste for cultural legacy, the south western parts of the nation offer some of the best sights, but there's great stuff in other areas too. The impressive Gothic Wawel Castle in Kraków may be one of the finest examples when it comes to Poland's castles, but most of the others are in smaller countryside towns. The large, red brick Malbork]] castle (in northern Poland) is perhaps the most stunning in the nation, built in 1406 and today the world's biggest brick Gothic castle. The castle of Książ in Wałbrzych is one the best examples in historic Silesia, which also brought forward the now semi-ruined Chojnik castle, on a hill above the town of Sobieszów and within the Karkonoski National Park. After surviving battles and attacks for centuries, it was destroyed by lightning in 1675 and has been a popular tourist attraction since the 18th century. The picturesque Czocha Castle near Lubań originates from 1329. A bit off the beaten track are the ruins of Krzyżtopór castle, in a village near Opatów. The Lesser Poland|Wooden Churches of Southern Lesser Poland are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage, just like the Churches of Peace in Jawor and Swidnica. The Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa and the beautiful, World Heritage listed Kalwaria Zebrzydowska|Kalwaria Zebrzydowska park]] are famous pilgrimage destinations. The lovely Muskau Park in Łęknica, on the German border, has fabulous English gardens and is a UNESCO listing shared with Germany. Poland also shares a world legacy site with Ukraine; the Wooden tserkvas of the Carpathian region. 8 of 16 of these churches are in southeastern Poland, in the Lubelskie, Podkarpackie and Malopolskie regions.

2014 Pole uprawne w Raszkowie - Poland was traditionally an agrarian country, and Poles hold a particular affinity to the nationside

Countryside

The countryside throughout Poland is lovely and relatively unspoiled. Poland has a variety of regions with beautiful landscapes and small-scale organic and traditional farms. Travelers can choose different types of activities such as bird watching, cycling or horseback riding.

Culturally, you can visit and/or experience many churches, museums, ceramic and traditional basket-making workshops, castle ruins, rural centers and many more. A journey through the Polish countryside gives you a perfect opportunity to enjoy and absorb local knowledge about its landscape and people.

Best things to do in Poland

Travel one of the European Cultural Routes that cross Poland: for example Cisterian Route .

Study as a Muslim in Poland

Studying in Poland can be an incredible experience for foreigners. Foreign students can finance a B.A. education for as low as 24,000 zł and a M.A. education for as low as 20,000 zł.

There are many international schools and great universities in Poland and of them the Jagiellonian University in particular is renowned as member of the Coimbra Group and is also a core member of the Europaeum. The University of Warsaw is the top ranked public university in Poland. National Film School in Łódź is the most notable academy.

Private universities exist, and have been successful enough that several private institutions are competing with the major public universities in terms of quality. Private universities may actually be cheaper for foreign students, who are not entitled to a free education at one of Poland's public universities.

How to work legally in Poland

TEFL courses (that's Teaching English as a Foreign Language) are run in many cities across Poland. Even if you don't have a working visa or Polish citizenship, it should be no problem for you to offer private lessons. In general students, private and in classes, are very friendly toward their teachers, inviting them for dinner or drinks, and sometimes acting quite emotional during their last lesson. Post your services on telephone poles and bus stops with an email or phone number, or use Gumtree, Poland's version of Craigslist. Gumtree Polska is useful for finding students, and accommodations.

[https:// Ekorki is good if you're looking for longer term teaching gigs. It's more formal than Gumtree, and used by serious employers. It is a little bit like Monster.com in the US.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Poland

Money Matters & ATM's in Poland

Polish-Banknote-100zl - upright=1.3|Polish 100 zł banknote]]

The legal tender in Poland is the Polish złoty, denoted by the synbol "zł" (ISO code:: PLN). The złoty is divided into 100 groszy (check the box to details). In 1995, 10,000 old złoty were replaced by one new złoty. Poland is expected to adopt the euro sometime after 2019.

Private currency exchange offices (Polish: kantor) are very common, and offer euro or US dollar exchanges at rates that are usually comparable to commercial banks. Exchanges in tourist hot-spots, such as the train stations or popular tourist destinations, tend to overcharge. Avoid "Interchange" Kantor locations, easily recognized by their orange color; the rates they offer are very bad.

{{cautionbox|Cash|Polish has two types of plural numbers, which you are likely to encounter when dealing with currency. Here are the noun forms to expect:

• Singular: 1 złoty, 1 grosz
• Nominative plural: 2 - 4 złote, grosze, then 22 - 24, 32 - 34, etc.
• Genitive plural: 5 - 21 złotych, groszy, then 25 - 31, 35 - 41, etc.

There is also an extensive network of cash machines or ATMs (Polish: bankomat). The exchange rate will depend on your particular bank, but usually ends up being pretty favorable, and comparable to reasonably good exchange offices, but you will probably find very high "service fees" in your bank statement when you get home.

Credit cards can be used to pay almost everywhere in the big cities. Even single bus ride tickets can be paid for by cards in major cities provided the passenger buys them in vending machines at bus stops. The exception would be small businesses and postal offices where acceptance is not completely universal. Popular cards include Visa, Visa Electron, MasterCard and Maestro. AmEx and Diners' Club can be used in a few places (notably the big, business-class hotels) but are not popular and you should not rely on them for any payments. In some merchants you will be given an option to have the card bill you in Złoty or your home currency directly. In the former, your bank will convert the transaction for you (subject to the foreign exchange charges it sets) whereas in the latter, the rates set are usually worse than what your bank uses; hence choose to be charged in złoty.

Cheques were never particularly popular in Poland and they are not used nowadays. Local banks do not issue cheque books to customers and stores do not accept them.

Tipping

When you're paying for drinks or a meal in restaurants or bars and you are handed a receipt, you should give the amount you have to pay and wait for the change. If you give the money and say "thank you" it will be treated as a "keep the change" type of tip. This also goes for taxis. The average tip is around 10-15% of the price. It's polite to leave a tip, but it's not uncommon to ignore this training.

Don't forget to tip tour guides and drivers too, but only if you are happy with the service they have provided.

Goods

It is illegal to export goods older than 55 years that are of ANY historic value. If you intend to do so you need to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage .

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Poland

Super and hypermarkets

Hypermarkets are dominated by western chains: Carrefour, Tesco, Auchan, Real. Some are open 24 hours a day, and are usually in shopping malls or suburbs.

However Poles shop very often at local small stores for bread, meat, fresh dairy, vegetables and fruits - goods for which freshness and quality is essential.

Prices in Poland are some of the lowest in Europe.

Town markets

Many towns, and larger suburbs, hold traditional weekly markets, similar to farmers' markets popular in the West. Fresh produce, baker's goods, dairy, y-halal-food/halal-meat/ meat and y-halal-food/halal-meat/ meat products are sold, along with everything from flowers and garden plants to Chinese-made clothing and bric-a-brac. In season wild mushrooms and forest fruit can also be bought. Markets are held on Thursdays, Fridays and/or Saturdays and are a great way to enjoy the local colour. Prices are usually set though you can try a little good-natured bargaining if you buy more than a few items.

Halal Restaurants in Poland

Note: Tipping

The Holocaust was the genocide of European Jewry. It was a particularly painful time for Poland. Among the victims, 3 million were Polish Jews. Additionally, at least 1.8 million non-Yahudi Poles were also murdered, mostly by the Germans, and many others were enslaved. Many members of minority groups, the intelligentsia, Roman Catholic priests, and political opponents of the Nazis were among the dead. Between the census of 1939 and the census of 1945, the population of Poland had been reduced by over 30% from 35 million to 23 million.

While some other Nazi-occupied countries (such as France and Norway) were ruled by domestic collaborators and maintained their national identity through the war, Poland ceased to exist even by name, and was totally exploited by a Nazi military junta.

Using phrases such as "Polish death camps" or "Polish concentration camps" can give offence while having a conversation about history. While there is no ill-will between Poland and Germany in the 21st century, the Polish are very sensitive to conscious attempts to spread the blame for crimes committed by the erstwhile Nazi Germany. Highlighting Polish collaborators of the Nazi regime is seen as belittling the hundreds of thousands of Poles who risked their lives aiding Jews, which made the nation most represented among the Righteous Amongst the Nations honorees.

Telecommunications in Poland

Mobile phones

There are four mobile phone operators in Poland: Plus (code 260 01), T-Mobile (formerly ERA) (260 02), Orange (260 03) and Play (260 06). About 98% of the nation is covered by the standard European GSM 900/1800 MHz network, the remaining 2% are wildlife reserves or high mountains. 4G is available in almost every town. LTE networks have been deployed by Plus and Cyfrowy Polsat [https:// Due to the introduction of virtual brands, some operators now have two names for their prepaid services: Plus has Plush and Simplus, T-Mobile has Heyah and Tak Tak, while Orange operates Pop and Orange Go. Domestic call rates are roughly the same across all services.

Prepaid starter kits with SIM card (called starter in Polish) are widely available in reasonable prices (5-20zł, most of which is available for calls), in most shops, supermarkets and news agents. Ask for starter and be sure to name the network you want. Accounts are valid for outgoing calls for few days, so it is good to fill them up for, lets say, 20zł ("doładowanie" [do-wa-do-vanye in Polish, be sure to give the value you want). From 25th July 2016, prepaid SIM cards need to be registered. It means the SIM card must be assigned to the proof of identity. This can be done in the majority of prepaid SIM card retailers, or on the gas stations, postal offices and cellular stores.

Just about every shopping centre has at least one independent cellphone shop, the guys who run them are usually knowledgeable and have a range of affordable handsets which you can use as a local/travel phone. This may be a good option since juggling SIM cards is always a pain.

Polish telephone numbers

All phone numbers in Poland are 9 digits long, and never start with 0 — although they used to do so. Sometimes numbers are written the old way, that is often only the last 7 digits are listed, in which case you need to prefix the now obligatory area code (e.g. 22 — Warsaw, 61 — Poznań, 12 — Kraków) OR a 0 is included in the beginning, in which case it must be skipped. It does not matter whether you call from a land-line or a mobile.

There are some special numbers, notably:

• 800 xxxxxx — toll–free call from a land-line phone and from a phone booth, but may still cost something from a mobile phone
• 801 xxxxxx — reduced fare, costs as much as a local call from a landline phone at most (but will cost more from a mobile phone)
• 70x xxxxxx — premium fare, can be very expensive — read the fine print in that advert you've got the number from :) On the other hand, affordable international calls can often be made through special numbers beginning with 708.

Also, texting (= sending SMSes) to:

• 7xyy(y) and 9xxyy(y) — Premium SMS, x is cost in Złoty plus 23% tax, e.g. 72yy costs 2.46 zł, 70yy is 0.50 zł + 23% VAT = 0.62 zł, 910yy = 12.30.
• 8xxx — is toll–free

When calling abroad, use 00, or +, and then country code.

Adolphe Bitard - Téléphone cropped1-2 - Hallo, Copenhagen]]?]]

International calls

To call abroad from Poland:

• From a landline phone: 00 Country code Local number
• From a mobile phone: + Country code Local number

To call to Poland from abroad, dial 48, then the number 'without' the leading 0, as if calling from a domestic mobile phone.

International and roaming calls are expensive. To reduce your bill you can:

• buy "phone cards" for international calls
• activate a Polish pre-paid account to make or receive calls (the cost can be as little as 20 zł)
• talk over the Internet

Skype and other free internet communicators are also massively popular in Poland.

Internet Cafe's in Poland

If you're bringing a laptop, Wireless LAN Hot-Spots are available in distinct places, sometimes free, otherwise not very cheap. Best chances of finding one are at airports, train stations, in cafés, shopping malls, libraries, central spots of some cties and universities. You can ask in your hotel, but be prepared to pay. For those who need to connect at an Internet-cafe, fear not, because Poland's major cities have Internet-cafes. Most coffee shops and restaurants have wi-fi available for customers - usually password-protected. Residential estates are full of wi-fi, a lot of it open, but there is anecdotal evidence of cyber crime so it is best to be careful.

With your mobile phone you can use: CSD, HSCSD, 3Gor EDGE, but the cost may be unattractive. UMTS/HSPA is available in almost every big and mid-size cities. If your phone is not SIMonday - locked, you may consider purchasing a pre-paid SIM card designed for data access. Every mobile operator offering his own pre-paid internet offer. You may purchase Era Blueconnect Starter, iPlus Simdata, Orange Free na kartę or Play Online na kartę. Internet service from Era, Plus and Orange covers all country area with GPRS/EDGE technology. In almost every big, medium and some small size cities it's possible to receive 3G/3.5G signal.

If you have an internet-enable device that is not a phone but which has full audio capabilities (such as an iPod touch) you can of course use Skype, etc., in a wifi spot.

• T-Mobile - Blueconnect Starter - cost: 25 zł - 2GB data included - 0.30 zł/1MB [1]
• Plus - iPlus simdata - cost: 15 zł - 1GB data included - 0.03 zł/1MB
• Orange - Orange free na kartę - cost: 20 zł - 1GB data included - 0.10 zł/1MB /view/orange-free-na-karte]
• Play - Play Online na kartę - cost: 19 zł - 1GB data included - 0.03 zł/1MB Play network does not cover the entire country. You can use internet service only in cities listed on this map .

Cope

• In Poland the comma is used as a decimal point, and the space to group numbers. So, for example, 10 500,46 zł is ten thousand five hundred złoty and 46 groszy. That said, the period is increasingly often used as the decimal point, especially on price tags and bills. Occasionally a dot is also used as a grouping character.
• It is illegal to drink alcoholic beverages in public, though it's often done by the local residents, especially in parks, on some buses, and some of the more congested city streets. Doing it puts you at risk of a small fine (from 50 to 100 zł), being scoffed at by the City Guards, and losing your booze.
• It is illegal to be drunk in public. If you are drunk and disorderly, you may be taken to a special place (izba wytrzeźwień) to sober up. If you are taken there, you will be treated as an alcoholic and won't be released until sober. And you'll have to pay 250 zł for the experience.
• Possession of drugs is illegal and a criminal offense. ANY amount.
• Since 2010, it is forbidden to smoke in restaurants and generally in public buildings. It is also forbidden to smoke at or near bus stops. This rule, made to protect non-smokers, doesn't apply to smoking rooms. If you break the rule, you may have to pay 500 zł!

Toilets

The situation is not much different from other European Union countries. In large cities, particularly centres, one should have no problem finding accessible public toilets. It can become tougher in smaller towns and away from tourist destinations. While standards may vary in terms of quality and age of fittings and cleanliness, there is always a sit-down flush toilet (squat toilets, prevalent in many post-Soviet countries, are almost unheard of in Poland), a sink with running water, toilet paper, soap/hand detergent and something to dry your hands with (paper towels and/or electric dryers). In some places with extremely heavy traffic or little maintenance, supplies may run out - it is best to have a pack of tissues handy, as any prudent traveller would.

Some public toilets require a small fee, 1 or 2 złoty, but more publicly accessible toilets are free of charge than in some other European countries. Relatively few toilets would have an attendant collecting the payment, which is the norm in some Western European countries like France, Portugal and Spain.

There are toilets at larger train stations and bus terminals (but not very small ones, so beware), but they are often not very clean, in poor condition and, despite all that, will generally charge fees for use. Toilets at airports are generally free, both air- and landside, and in much better condition than at train or bus stations. Toilets can be found on board all long-distance and some modern local trains, as well as on board of some long-distance buses, e.g. those operated by Polski Bus. In older train cars, toilets have often not been modernized since the cars went into use, but provide an acceptable experience (and toilet paper, soap and paper towels, except for very long routes when the train can run out of them before the staff gets a chance to restock at the end of the line).

All sit-down eating places are required to provide a toilet for their patrons, and most do so without any extra charges. While signs usually clearly indicate those are for (paying) customers only, the staff would usually make no problems if you inquired politely if you could use it without ordering anything. In some popular places, like McDonald's, you may need a key or a code to access the toilet. Ask the staff for either (in fast food outlets, the code is often at the bottom of your bill). There are also free public toilets in large shopping centres and hypermarkets, but smaller establishments (supermarkets, street-level shops) do not provide such facilities at all.

In case of larger events, organizers provide so called Toi-Toi portable toilets (from one of companies that service them). They are narrow plastic booths, usually blue, not very comfortable, often not very clean, and hardly ever with water or paper.

There are also toilets at all but the smallest gas stations. Whether they are free of charge, as well as their standards, may vary greatly, but on the road those may be your only option.

There are relatively few free-standing public toilets in cities, unlike in many other European countries. It is a better option to look for any of the above establishments than for a free-standing public toilet. Usually you can also use a toilet in cafes, pubs, libraries or any other buildings open to the public. You should ask for permission (if anybody is there) and in many cases will be guided to the right door.

Toilets for women are marked with a circle on the door, and toilets for men are marked with a triangle. The polish word for "toilet" is toaleta (t'o-ah-let-ah), and most people would understand the word "toilet" anyway. Also, the abbreviation WC is commonly used.

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