Tourism in Poland

Tourism in Poland
Poland is a part of the global tourism market with constantly increasing number of visitors. Tourism in Poland contributes to the country's overall economy. The most popular cities are Kraków, Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Poznań, Szczecin, Lublin, Toruń, Zakopane, the Salt Mine in Wieliczka and the historic site of Auschwitz – a German Nazi concentration camp in Oświęcim. The best recreational destinations include Poland's Masurian Lake District, Baltic Sea coast, Tatra Mountains (the highest mountain range of Carpathians), Sudetes and Białowieża Forest. Poland's main tourist offers consist of sightseeing within cities, historical monuments, natural monuments, business trips, agrotourism, bicycle touring, qualified tourism, mountain hiking (trekking) and climbing among others.
Overview
In the 21st century, Poland is one of the safest countries in Europe, frequently visited by tourists.
Poland, especially after joining the European Union in 2004 and acceding to the Schengen Agreement in 2007, became a place frequently visited by tourists. Most tourist attractions in Poland are connected with natural environment, historic sites and cultural events.
According to Tourist Institute's data, Poland was visited by 15.7 million tourists in 2006, and by 15 million tourists in 2007, out of the number of arrivals 66.2 million. In 2012, Poland was visited by 13.5 million foreign tourists (those who came during Euro 2012, but did not stay overnight, were not included in official statistics). In 2013, Poland was visited by 15.8 million tourists. In 2016, the number of arrivals to Poland amounted to 80.5 million. 17.5 million of this number are arrivals considered for tourism purposes (with at least one night's stay). In 2019, Poland was visited by 21.4 million tourists, making it the 18th most visited country in the world.
History
The first Polish tourists were pilgrims traveling to shrines both within Poland and abroad. The development of commercial tourism began in the 19th century. The most popular regions were mountains, especially the Tatra Mountains, explored for example by Tytus Chałubiński. In 1873, the Polish Tatra Society and in 1909 the Polish Sightseeing Society were established to organize and develop tourism. The 19th century was also the time of the rapid appearance of spa resorts, mostly in Sudetes, Beskids and along the Baltic Sea coast, with some of them associated, since 1910, with the Polish Balneology Association. After Poland regained independence in 1918, Polish tourism boomed, and was encouraged by the government. The first professional Polish tour operator, Orbis, was founded in Lwów in 1923, followed in 1937 by Gromada tourist organization and tour operator.
After World War II all tourist organizations were nationalized by the new communist government. The Polish Tatra Society and Polish Sightseeing Society were combined into Polish Tourism-Sightseeing Society (PTTK) and most of the tourist infrastructure was handed over to the newly created Workers Vacations Fund (FWP). Tourism was limited to the Comecon countries. This was the era of governmentally-founded tourism, characterised by mass but low-standard tourism. A typical sight was a holiday campground with small bungalows managed by one of the state-owned companies. Holidays for children and teenagers were organized by Juventur.
After the fall of communism much of the infrastructure was privatized, although many company-owned resorts were downgraded because of their unprofitability. The early 1990s saw the foundation of many new tour operators. Some of them prevailed and strengthened their position on the market, being able to compete with multinational tour operators.
Natural environment
Poland has a diversified natural environment, which is relatively unaffected by human development. There are 23 national parks in the country that meet the criteria of the IUCN. Visitors are attracted by mountains, sea-coast with wide sandy beaches, and forests, lakes, rivers. Among the most popular destinations are: Tatra Mountains, in which is the highest peak of Poland (Rysy) and the famous Orla Perć (old trail in the style of via ferrata); Sudetes with Main Sudetes Trail (440 km from Świeradów Zdrój to Prudnik), Karkonosze, Table Mountains, Owl Mountains; Białowieża Forest, Lower Silesian Wilderness, Bieszczady, Dunajec River Gorge in Pieniny, Pojezierze Mazurskie and many others.
Popular tourist destinations
The Royal Road of Kraków
Tourist attractions in Warsaw
Wrocław Zoo (most frequently visited attraction in Poland)
Hunting on the Wrocław's dwarfs
Wrocław Old Town including Ostrów Tumski with Wrocław Cathedral; Market Square with Wrocław Old City Hall; Centennial Hall, Wrocław Opera
Old Town in Gdańsk
Modernist Center of Gdynia
The Royal-Imperial Route in Poznań
Jewish Heritage Trail in Bialystok
European Route of Brick Gothic
Białowieża National Park
Dunajec River Gorge
Tatra Mountains
Karkonosze Mountains
Kraków Old Town
Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
Krasiński Palace
13th century Wieliczka Salt Mine
Medieval Town of Toruń
Old City of Zamość
Wilanów Palace
Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa
Cistercian Lubiąż Abbey
Cistercian Krzeszów Abbey
Royal Gniezno Cathedral
Wooden Churches of Southern Little Poland
Wooden Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica
Sanctuary in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
Poznań Old Town and its Ostrów Tumski, Poznań
Mount Ślęża in the Sudetes
Kłodzko Fortress complex
Pszczyna Palace
Augustów Canal with sluices
Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec
Muskau Park shared with Germany
Palace on the Isle
Frombork Cathedral
Łańcut Palace
Kozłówka Palace
Historic town of Sandomierz
Kazimierz Dolny
National Museum in Warsaw
Seaside resort of Sopot
Branicki Palace
Historic town of Kłodzko
Elbląg Canal
Spa town of Kudowa-Zdrój
Palace of the Kraków Bishops in Kielce
Historic town of Wadowice
Czartoryski Museum
National Museum in Wrocław
National Museum in Poznań
Święta Lipka Basilica
Historical town of Przemyśl
Seaside resort of Kołobrzeg
Juliusz Słowacki Theatre
Ląd Abbey
Historic town of Jelenia Góra
Zakopane; known as "the winter capital of Poland"
Spa town of Karpacz
Royal Baths Park
Collegiate Church of St. Mary and St. Alexius in Tum
Pławniowice Palace
Project Riese
Wolf's Lair
WUWA
Castles
Wawel Royal Castle
Royal Castle in Warsaw
Niedzica Castle
Malbork Castle
Baranów Sandomierski Castle
Książ Castle
Nowy Wiśnicz Castle
Czocha Castle
Moszna Castle
Ujazdowski Castle
Imperial Castle, Poznań
Grodziec Castle
Krasiczyn Castle
Pieskowa Skała
Lidzbark Warmiński Castle
Kwidzyn Castle
Gołuchów Castle
Kliczków Castle
Golub-Dobrzyń Castle
Krzyżtopór
Ogrodzieniec Castle
Rzeszów Castle
Dunajec river castles
Chojnik Castle
Kórnik Castle
Bobolice Castle
Będzin Castle
Pomeranian Dukes' Castle, Szczecin
Bytów Castle
Tenczyn Castle
Bolków Castle
Czersk Castle
Ciechanów Castle
Lublin Castle
Uniejów Castle
Darłowo Castle
Bielsko-Biała Museum and Castle
Sanok Castle
Dzików Castle
Cultural events
Warsaw
International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition
Warsaw Autumn Music Festival
Warsaw International Film Festival
Jazz Jamboree
Orange Warsaw Festival
Ursynalia – Warsaw Student Festival
Festival of Jewish Culture in Warsaw
Warsaw Jewish Film Festival
Warsaw Comic Con
Parada Równości
Kraków
Live Music Festival
Kraków Film Festival
Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków
Conrad Festival
Floating of the Wreaths (Wianki)
Kraków Szopka Nativity Crèche Festival
International Film Festival Etiuda&Anima
International Festival of Independent Cinema Off Plus Camera
Kraków Equality March
Wrocław
Wratislavia Cantans
New Horizons Film Festival
Festival of Good Beer
American Film Festival
Poznań
ANIMATOR (festival)
Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition
Malta Festival
Poznań International Fair
Short Waves Festival
Off Cinema Film Festival
Ale Kino! International Young Audience Film Festival
Tricity
St. Dominic's Fair in Gdańsk
Sopot International Song Festival
Open'er Festival in Gdynia
Gdynia Film Festival
Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival
Łódź
Transatlantyk Festival
International Festival of Comics and Games
Soundedit Festival
Łódź Design Festival
Łódź Biennale
Katowice
Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors
Off Festival in Katowice
Other
Camerimage Film Festival in Toruń
Pol'and'Rock Festival in Kostrzyn nad Odrą
National Festival of Polish Song in Opole
International Cycling Film Festival
Szczecin Festival of Contemporary Painting
Two Riversides Film and Art Festival in Kazimierz Dolny
Tourist resorts
There are dozens of sea resorts on the coast of Baltic Sea like Wolin Island, located close to the German border and the coast of Pomerania. In southern Poland there are resorts for skiing and hiking in the Karkonosze mountains, which is part of the Sudetes mountain range. Karkonosze includes the tourist centres of Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba. Other famous resorts for skiing and hiking include in Carpathian Mountains: Zakopane in the Tatra mountains; Szczyrk, Krynica-Zdrój, Ustroń, Wisła in the Beskids or Szczawnica and Krościenko in Pieniny mountains.
In the vicinity of Low Beskids lies a tourist resort that offers a blend of mountainous terrain and an aqueous environment, with Lake Rożnów in the centre.
Christian pilgrimage
It's estimated that 13% (of the 1.8 million in 2005) of visitors of the Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń arrive from abroad. Jasna Góra Monastery was visited by 3.6 million of pilgrims from 78 countries in 2014.
Transport in Poland
Tourist infrastructure and facilities are abundant, especially in larger cities and in major tourist resorts. In large Polish cities, urban public transport is very well developed.
The biggest cities (Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk and Szczecin) have international airports with connections with many European cities and with the Frédéric Chopin International Airport in Warsaw, which is the main hub of LOT Polish Airlines.
Intercity connections are offered by PKP Intercity, Polregio, Arriva RP, Leo Express, RegioJet, local trains (Koleje Dolnośląskie, Koleje Śląskie, Koleje Małopolskie, Szybka Kolej Miejska, Pomorska Kolej Metropolitalna, Koleje Mazowieckie, Łódzka Kolej Aglomeracyjna, Koleje Wielkopolskie) and PKS's and many bus companies. There are also coach connections to other countries provided by various companies.
Connections by ferry to Sweden and Denmark through the Baltic Sea are for example from Gdańsk, Gdynia and Świnoujście (inter alia Polferries).
See also
Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society
Mountain Volunteer Search and Rescue
Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue
Crown of Polish Mountains
List of spa towns in Poland
References
Poland national tourism office
Useful information site about Poland
Poland's Official Travel Website
Visiting Poland – All in One Travel Guide
Further reading
Kaszynski, Tadeusz, Through Europe to Poland by Car, 1st and rev. ed., New York City, 1968
Poland