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If you’ve been playing with our newly launched Traveler Dashboard lately, the indispensable tool for Americans going abroad, you’ve probably realized that amid the turmoil and chaos Europe has been seeing lately, there’s an unlikely black sheep in the family.
Although bordered to the West by Germany, a country currently engulfed by sectarian violence and rising social distrust, and to the East by Ukraine (obviously!!!), where a literal three-year war still rages on, Poland is surprising… cold.
Safe, welcoming and affordable, with a lower crime rate than the Paris metropolitan region alone – let alone France – with zero terror plots in recent years, and an excellent track record of keeping the borders well closed and secure regardless of geopolitical developments.
When you walk the streets of Poland, be it a big city or a small village in Northern Pomerania, hooded thugs with kitchen knives are the last of your worries. And to be honest, the occasional angry-looking Polish babcia at her Sunday harvest market is threatening enough.
But you’ve probably heard of Warsaw and Krakow before. We are not here to repeat another tourist cliché.
Being here 5 truly underrated gems to explore right now in one of the safest countries in Europe. Places that make you wonder why people still care about Western Europe.
Gdańsk
Located on the Baltic Sea, in one of the most beautiful, yet less visited regions of Europe – hello Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn – Gdańsk is a fourth regional capital of its kind. It currently exists among Poles, but it was once German, at some point. even a powerful city-state on itself.
Although badly damaged during the Second World War, it has recently undergone a complete makeover, with much of the beautiful medieval center restored to its former glory.
We’re talking about those beautiful skinny townhouses, three to four stories high, covered in colorful German motifs, winding streets with decorated verandas spilling out onto the cobblestones, and a monumental red-brick church, St. Mary’s, rising above the gabled roofs.
The cityscape here really seems to come closest a storybook scene in real life.
For culture vultures, don’t miss the Żuraw, Europe’s best preserved medieval crane, located on the banks of the Motława River. Fan of the Second World War? Westerplatte, on the outskirts of the city, happens to be where it is located all began, where the Germans first invaded and started the war.
Longing for that lively milk bar atmosphere, with delicious pierogi and malt-rich draft beer? Check out the canteen-style Bar Turystyczny. Yes, it’s literally called Tourist Bar, but it’s the best tourist trap you’ll ever encounter, and psst… do you want to know a secret? Even the locals secretly love it.
The entry rules for Poland are changing
Poland is changing its entry requirements this year in accordance with new European Union guidelines. Soon enough, Americans will have to have their fingerprints taken and digitally registered upon arrival in Poland.
Later this year, a mandatory Electronic Travel Authorization (ETIAS) will come into effect, meaning you can no longer travel completely visa-free to Poland or the wider EU.
Stay informed about the travel rules that apply to Poland using the Entry Requirement Checker.
Torun
I’m not sure about you, but given his Latin-sounding name, I once thought Nicolaus Copernicus might have been born somewhere in Italy. I was way off.
He actually comes from Toruń, a picturesque Polish town overlooking the fast-flowing Vistula, with one of Poland’s best-preserved medieval architectural ensembles. The real dealnot another reconstruction after the Second World War.
Unlike most Polish cities that were completely destroyed by war, Toruń remained virtually untouched, and that makes it special (and a UNESCO World Heritage SiteI think so).
Everything you see, from the Hanseatic style brick walls that surround the city, to the timeless cobbled streets, to the (quite large) Grote Markt, home to a Gothic town hall.
Do you remember Copernicus? You can even visit his medieval house made of old brick with a stepped roof at Kopernika St. 15/17. Whether you’re here to simply admire the virtually intact 15th-century dwelling, or to indulge in the whole ‘Earth goes around the Sun’ thing, it is that one place you absolutely cannot miss.
Did you know that Poland’s most famous gingerbread comes from here? Not just a boring souvenir package for wide-eyed Americans, Toruńs pierniki is baked using the same recipe from the 16th century, and if you find the original spiced bread bland, you can try a variety of modern flavors.
Just go to a bakery on the street corner in the old town.
Poznan
We like to call this the mini Krakow, with perhaps about a third of the latter’s maddening crowds.
Poznań shows off what is probably the most beautiful square in the entire countryso big that it has room for some medieval monuments you’ve probably never heard of. For starters, there’s the towering Renaissance town hall, with its mechanical clock and castle-like modesty.
Every day at exactly noon, two animated goat figures emerge from the main tower, bump their heads twelve times and retreat to mark the hour.
They are Poznań’s most famous symbol and an ode to the city’s watchmaking tradition.
Immediately next to it is the Lakenhal, a row of aesthetic wall-to-wall buildings painted in bright pastel colours, sitting above arcades with charming café terraces behind them.
Just a few steps from the beautiful square is Fara Church, a baroque masterpiece of pink stone with opulent interiors. Gilded altars, heavenly frescoes and impressive stuccowork… and no, it’s not the cathedral.
The 1,000-year-old Episcopal See of Poznań is located on Cathedral Island, a leisurely 20-minute walk along a scenic riverbank. A bit out of the way, sure, but the contiguous Gothic towers, imposing main portal and spooky interior are well worth a visit.
By the way, if you’re wondering how safe is Poland nowadaysGiven the ongoing war in Eastern Europe and the volatile state of geopolitics, you’ll be happy to know that travelers locally report very few, if any, crime-related incidents:
Szczecin
In case you’re wondering how that’s even supposed to sit on your lips: it’s like Sh-tsh-eh-cheen.
Yet another love child of Germany and Poland, Szczecin is bisected by the Oder River, which flows directly into the Baltic Sea. Just like Gdańsk, except even more unusual.
Once a Prussian (aka German) maritime hub before falling into Polish hands, it is distinctly different from the average Polish city, with wider boulevards, a radial street plan reminiscent of Paris or Milan, and an imposing castle dominating the skyline.
That is the castle of the Dukes of Pomerania, a whitewashed beauty overlooking the maze-like Old Town and the riverbank.
Krakow’s Wawel Castle gets all the hype, but the lesser-known medieval stronghold of Szczecin is even more visually striking.
Think multiple Renaissance-era wings, massive brick walls, sturdy towers and endless refined courtyards.
In the heart of the old town, St. James Cathedral is just as picturesquewith a huge Gothic brick tower that you can climb for panoramic views of the city. The nearby Old Town Market Square is surrounded by colorfully restored mansions and quirky coffee shops.
If you’re visiting soon, come in summer: the terraced riverbank of Chrobry Embankment, with picnic areas and winding paths, captures the soul of this Hanseatic powerhouse.
