Best Places to Visit in Poland

Best Places to Visit in Poland

Warsaw Poland
Warsaw, Poland

The cities and regions described below are the country’s key tourist destinations, contain Poland’s best attractions and we recommend that you visit them during your travels in Poland.

Poland’s cities were devastated during World War II and the country’s post-war recovery was influenced in substance and style by the communist government, which remained in power for the remainder of much of the twentieth century. While Poland’s countryside is idyllic, its urban landscapes are a combination of rebuilt old towns and a mixture of functional but not quite stylistic architecture.

Unless you have a good command of the Polish language, or are going to meet relatives, we recommend that you visit Poland as a part of a tour arranged by a reputable company. (Read our article on How to evaluate tour operators.)

  • Krakow, Poland
    Krakow, Poland

    Krakow 

    • If you have time to visit just one town in Poland, it should be Krakow.  The town’s setting is attractive and its Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is well-preserved and enchanting.
      • The city’s famous merchant town surrounds a large market square and historical houses with opulent interiors abound.  See All Saint’s Square, the city’s medieval walls and gates, as well as the many fine, historic houses that grace many sections of the city.
      •  Visit the Krakow’s official tourism information website for more details on visiting

  • Warsaw

    • Warsaw’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the center of tourism in the city. Although much of the original Old Town has been rebuilt and is a modern creation, it is an attractive and interesting destination. In other areas, the city’s architecture reflects years of communist rule but new designs and impressive buildings are popping-up everywhere..
    • Visit this official website for detailed information on Warsaw tourism and the many attractions you will see when visiting this important city.

    • Gdansk

      Gdansk, Poland
      Gdansk, Poland
      • Gdansk can be visited as a day trip from Warsaw.  There is much to see in  Gdansk and it has gained notoriety as the center of the Solidarity movement. Gdansk’s colorful Old Town is quite charming. In it you will find several excellent buildings, great shopping and several inviting restaurants.
        • Check the city’s official tourism website for more information on the many attractions that can be found in Gdansk (Google’s Toolbar translator does a reasonable job).

    • Torun

      • Torun’s Old Town is,  a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is often favorably compared to Krakow.  However, it is considerably smaller, friendlier, and less touristy,  Torun was once an important trade center and part of the Hanseatic League ( a trading alliance that existed between the Late Middle Ages that dominated northern Europe)..  Its success at trade created many wealthy traders and the town’s historic buildings reflect the benefits of the excess wealth.
        • Torun is, also, famous at the birthplace of Nicholas Copernicus, a famous Renaissance astronomer (15th century) who theorized that the sun and not the earth was the center of the known universe
        • More information about Torun can be found in the city’s official tourism website.

  • Zamosc

    Zamosc, Poland
    Zamosc, Poland
    • Zamosc, yet another Polish town with UNESCO World Heritage status, is off  the radarscope of most tourists.  Its delightful Old Town deserves your attention, as it is a well-preserved example of a late-Renaissance urban environment in both plan and architecture.
    • The Old Town is said to reflect the Italian theories of what an “ideal city” should look like and its model was developed by the architect Morando from Padua, Italy during the late 16th century.

Additional Resources

Polska is the official tourism website for Poland.  The site includes additional details on our recommended best places to visit  in Poland, as well as information on locations and attractions that did not make our list.

For country facts on Poland, as well as travel information related to visas, driving rules, safety, medical conditions, visas and other travel-related information, see this page on Poland Travel from the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the U.S. State Department.  Regardless of your home country, we think you will find the information provided to be useful when planning a trip to Poland.

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