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When to go
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Spring
is arguably the ideal season for some serious hiking in Poland's mountainous border regions, as the days tend to be bright - if showery - and the distinctive flowers are at their most profuse.
Summer
, the tourist high season, sees plenty of sun, particularly on the Baltic coast, where the resorts are crowded from June to August and temperatures are consistently around 24°C. The major cities can get pretty stifling at these times, with the effects of the heat compounded by the influx of visitors; accommodation can be tricky in the really busy spots, but a good network of summer hostels provides a low-budget fall-back.
Autumn is the best time to come if you're planning to sample the whole spread of the country's attractions: in the cities the cultural seasons are beginning at this time, and the pressure on hotel rooms is lifting. In the countryside, the golden Polish October is especially memorable, the rich colours of the forests heightened by brilliantly crisp sunshine that's often warm enough for T-shirts.
In
winter
the temperatures drop rapidly, icy Siberian winds blanketing many parts of the country with snow for anything from one to three months. Though the central Polish plain is bleak and unappealing at the end of the year, in the south of the country skiers and other winter-sports enthusiasts will find themselves in their element. By mid-December the slopes of the Tatras and the other border ranges are thronged with holiday-makers, straining the established facilities to the limit. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Poland |