POLAND
Rzeczpospolita Polska
Poland is a country in Central Europe. It is the 71st largest country in the world and the 9th largest in Europe.It is known for its medieval architecture, Jewish heritage and hearty cuisine.
- Capital : Warsaw
- Official Languages : Polish
- President : Andrzej Duda
- Currency : Zloty
- Conversion Rate : 1 Polish Zloty = 17.02 INR
LET'S GET A LITTLE PUMPED UP BEFORE WE GET INTO BUSINESS! HERE ARE A FEW FUN FACTS ABOUT POLAND
FUN FACT #2
Poland shares its borders with no less than seven countries! These are Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, Slovakia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Germany.
FUN FACT #3
In Poland, pizza bases do not have tomato or Napolitana sauce on. Tomato sauce is served separately and put on top of the pizza, and very often it is basically ketchup!
FUN FACT #4
Marzanna is a Polish tradition where people weave straw dolls, and then use ribbons to decorate them. These dolls represent winter, so when the snow starts to melt, the Marzanna dolls are thrown into a river, symbolizing the ‘killing’ the winter.
PLACES YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY CHECK OUT!
Krakow
Krakow might be described as a rags to riches city, since it went from being a seventh century village to the second most important city in Poland, being known for its cultural, artistic, academic and economic activities. During World War II, the Nazis herded Poles and Jews alike into the Krakow Ghetto where they were later sent to concentration camps; the movie Schindler’s List centered around one man’s efforts to save the ghetto residents from extermination.
Warsaw
The capital of Poland might aptly be compared to a Phoenix rising from the ashes. Founded around the 12th century,Warsaw was pretty much destroyed during World War II, but has rebuilt itself into a thriving historical and cultural center, complete with a restored Old Town.Travelers of all ages will enjoy a visit to the Copernicus Science Center where hands-on activities abound.
Wroclaw
Located on the Oder River, Wroclaw is the largest city in western Poland.Main attractions include the market square and the impressive Old Town Hall, St, Elizabeth’s Church with its observation deck overlooking the city, and the largest zoo in Poland. Sailing on the Oder River is a relaxing way to get a feel for this medieval city.
Tatra National Park
Travelers who crave scenic beauty will find it in Tatra National Park, located in southcentral Poland. Established in 1954, the park is mainly forests, meadows and numerous rock formations covering the Tatra Mountains. Spelunkers may enjoy touring six of the park’s 650 caves that are open to the public.
Bialowieza Forest
The Bialowieza Forest is a large remnant of the primeval forests that once covered much of Europe. The forest straddles the border between Poland and the Republic of Belarus, and there are border crossings for tourists on foot or on bicycles. The Bialowieza Forest is the only place where European Bison still remain free and living in the forest as they once did throughout Europe. Wolves, Lynx, Red Deer, Wild Boar, Elk and Roe Deer are among its other inhabitants
Malbork
The medieval town of Malbork, perhaps better known by the German name of Marienburg, is most well-known for its castle, which was ordered built in the 13th century by the Knights of the Teutonic Order as their headquarters, Europe’s largest Gothic fortress is named after the Virgin Mary, the patron saint of the city and castle. It took 230 years to build the castle, a majority of which was destroyed during World War II.
A PLACE IS KNOWN FOR ITS FOOD, SO LET'S CHECK OUT POLISH CUISINE!
Polish cuisine is rich in meat, especially pork, chicken and beef (depending on the region), winter vegetables (cabbage in the dish bigos), and herbs. It is also characteristic in its use of various kinds of noodles the most notable of which are kluski as well as cereals such as kasha. Polish cuisine is hearty and uses a lot of cream and eggs. The traditional dishes are often demanding in preparation.
Pierogi (Polish dumplings)
Dumplings are made of thinly rolled-out dough filled with a variety of fillings. The most popular fillings are meat, sauerkraut and mushrooms, seasonal fruit (blueberries, strawberries and cherries), buckwheat, sweet cottage cheese or boiled potatoes with fried onions (called Russian dumplings).
Kotlet schabowy (breaded pork cutlet)
Kotlet schabowy is one of the most delicious and the oldest Polish foods. The pork breaded cutlet coated with breadcrumbs (served with bones or without) can be perfectly served with buttered potatoes and cabbage salad. If you don’t like pork meat, try to eat chicken cutlet made the same way as the pork one.
Polish croissant cookies
If you feel like having something sweet for your snack time, you can try traditional Polish croissant cookies. They are filled with jam and made of puff pastry or yeast
WE'VE SEEN THEIR PLACES AND THEIR FOOD , NOW LET'S SEE THEM I.E THEIR CULTURE
Painting
Czwórka (Four-in-Hand) by Józef Chełmoński, 1881
Architecture
Polish cities and towns reflect the whole spectrum of European styles. Poland's Eastern frontiers used to mark the outermost boundary of the influences of Western architecture on the continent.
Music
Artists from Poland, including famous composers like Karol Lipiński, Frédéric Chopin or Witold Lutosławski and traditional, regionalized folk musicians, create a lively and diverse music scene, which even recognizes its own music genres, such aspoezja śpiewana. Today in Poland you can find trance, techno, House music, and heavy metal.
SO , THERE MUST BE A PRICE TO ALL OF THIS RIGHT?
Accommodation fare varies depending upon the project that you choose , it might be free or might cost you a little.
Food , again depends upon the project , some provide one meal a day or two or even three or some might not even provide food.
Air travel fare - The minimum fare , round trip (i.e two way) is approximately INR 48,000. If luck shines,this summer you can get some discount as well.