Why Poland
Warsaw was eighty-five per cent destroyed in 1944 and its old town was rebuilt identically from Canaletto's paintings: it is World Heritage listed not for its age but for that reconstruction. Kraków, by contrast, was not bombed and its medieval centre is intact.
The country is one of the cheapest in Europe for a high standard of service, and its food and cultural scene has changed dimension in fifteen years. It is no longer a budget destination by default, it is a destination.
Getting around
The intercity train links the major cities at good speed and moderate cost, with compulsory reservation on the fast lines. Kraków–Warsaw takes two and a half hours.
Long-distance coaches cover the rest, including cross-border routes, for a few euros. In the city, trams are the main mode; tickets are validated and checks are frequent.
Money
Poland has not adopted the euro: the zloty remains the currency, and ATMs often offer a conversion at an unfavourable rate — decline it and pay in zloty.
Everything is paid by card, including small amounts and transport. Tipping runs at around ten per cent in restaurants. Beware a common formula: saying "thank you" while handing over the money means "keep the change".
Before you go
Auschwitz-Birkenau is visited from Kraków and entry is free, but booking a time slot is compulsory and goes weeks in advance in season. A guided visit is required at certain hours. Allow a full half-day, and nothing after it.
The Wieliczka salt mine, also near Kraków, is visited only with a guide and involves eight hundred steps down: the way back up is by lift.
The churches remain much-used places of worship: visits are interrupted during services, which are numerous on Sunday.