When people think of holidaying to Poland, especially from the UK, what they're usually thinking of is the price. It is so easy to book weekend away to places like Kraków for buttons, but it doesn't mean you're skimping on your holiday quality! Although the exchange rate for the GBP is great (seriously, I was getting by on £20 a day - with change!) there are a lot more reasons why Poland should be part of your holiday bucket list.
Architecture
Whether you're interested in a short city break or a trip to the Polish countryside, you'll be in no shortage of beautiful structures to ooh and aah over. The tall, colourful buildings lined up together in Kraków looked like they'd jumped straight out of a postcard, but it isn't just the older buildings that are admirable. Modern builds, like Sky Tower in Wrocław, have certainly earned their place in the cityscape. Venturing out of the city, there are many interesting buildings to see - such as Moszna Castle pictured above. Have you ever seen a more fairy-tale like castle? It certainly is a work of art.
Art
Speaking of art, it must be something the Poles love. Whether you're admiring street graffiti, searching for Wrocław's mini leprechaun sculptures or admiring the insides of one of many beautiful cathedrals, there's always something interesting to see just around the corner.
Food
I regret not taking more pictures of my food in Poland, because it's some of the best food I've ever tasted (move over Rome and Paris!). I hadn't turned vegetarian or vegan before Poland, so I got to sample a lot of the local cuisine. The Polish love cabbage. Love it. Most of my meals had cabbage in it in some way and, for someone who isn't a huge fan of it, I thoroughly enjoyed each and every way. Really, it's in soup, salads, pastas, on top of meat, in wraps, used to wrap... and it's actually tasty! Congratulations Poland, you done what I thought was impossible. But if you aren't getting so excited hearing about cabbage, don't worry! Poland will serve you up many delicious dishes you won't have thought of before. Did you know the English word "dumplings" can apparently be translated into three different things in Polish? Apparently we were too lazy to give the extra two dishes a different name. Sounds like us.
Also, here's some advice: hot chocolate in Poland is not what hot chocolate is in Scotland. Hot chocolate is a thick, chocolate mouse and hot coco is the chocolate drink. Just letting you know as I ordered a cheesecake and hot chocolate and my stomach almost burst trying to finish both of them.
Scenery
I don't know if I was just lucky, but wherever I seemed to end up in Poland there was always gorgeous views as a backdrop. The Polish countryside in particular really stuck with me: in contrast to Scotland's green, wet and hilly glens, the Polish countryside I travelled through was wide, open and flat as far as the eye could see.
Culture
One of my absolute favourite things about travelling is experiencing new cultures. Admittedly I only managed to visit Poland for a short while, but as soon as I woke up on my first day it was go go go. There always seemed to be stuff going on, especially in the city. I remember walking into a square full of music and dancing, and as I looked around just about everyone had a smile on their face. I also visited an old Polish town that had been built hundreds of years ago and got to find out about Poland's interesting but tragic history.
Also, the Polish people were so kind and helpful, especially when they seen that I didn't speak the language. I was also lucky enough to have my great friend, Anna, showing me around as Poland is her home country. She was basically my tour guide/translator for the holiday! Even her family were lovely to me, even though I'd just jumped into their house for the week and stole a bedroom!
Anyone who knows me will know how much I rave about this country now, and I can't wait for the next time I manage to visit. So I'd like to give a little shout out again to Anna, for inviting me and hosting me in this wonderful country. If you're looking for somewhere interesting to visit this year, please give Poland a thought. You won't regret it!
Ps. Keep up with me on Instagram here.
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