Poland

Nature lovers will enjoy the golden sand of the Baltic coast beaches in the north and the rocky crags of the Tatras in the south. There is a wonderful network of the Great Mazurian Lakes for water sports fans and the green wilds of the Bieszczady Mountains for those who enjoy hiking trips. Meet the free roaming European bison- Europe's largest animal- in the Bialowieska Forest, enjoy photo-safari in the unique Biebrzanskie Marshes, take a raft run down Dunajec River gorge, or watch the shifting sand dunes of the Slowinski National Park.

Understanding The Geography

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country located in Central Europe. It is bordered by Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania, and Russia (in the form of the Kaliningrad Oblast exclave) to the north. Poland shares a maritime border with Denmark and Sweden in the Baltic Sea

The Polish landscape consists almost entirely of the lowlands of the North European Plain, at an average height of 173 metres (568 ft), though the Sudetes (including the Karkonosze) and the Carpathian Mountains (including the Tatra mountains, where one also finds Poland's highest point, Rysy, at 2,499 m or 8,199 ft) form the southern border.

Several large rivers cross the plains; for instance, the Vistula (Wis?a), Oder (Odra), Warta the (Western) Bug. Poland also contains over 9,300 lakes, predominantly in the north of the country. Masuria (Mazury) forms the largest and most-visited Lake District in Poland. Remains of the ancient Bialowieza Forest still survive.

Climate Conditions

Poland's long-term and short-term weather patterns are made transitional and variable by the collision of diverse air masses above the country's surface. Maritime air moves across Western Europe, Arctic air sweeps down from the North Atlantic Ocean, and subtropical air arrives from the South Atlantic Ocean. Although the Arctic air dominates for much of the year, its conjunction with warmer currents generally moderates temperatures and generates considerable precipitation, clouds, and fog. When the moderating influences are lacking, winter temperatures in mountain valleys may drop to -40 °C.

Spring arrives slowly in April, bringing mainly sunny days after a period of alternating wintry and springtime conditions.

Summer, which extends from June to August, is generally less humid than winter. Showers and thunderstorms alternate with dry sunny weather that is generated when southern winds prevail.

Early autumn is generally sunny and warm before a period of rainy, colder weather in November begins the transition into winter.

Winter, which may last from one to three months, brings frequent snowstorms but relatively low total precipitation.

Understand The Culture

Polish culture has a rich thousand-year history influenced by both west and east. Today, we can see these influences in Polish architecture, folklore and art. Poland's culture has also been influenced by countries such as Italy, Ottoman Empire, France and USA.