Poland

SAFETY: excellent
The whole country is generally considered safe. No particular risks are reported other than petty crime (city outskirts, large cities, etc.).

TRANSPORT SYSTEM: very good
Good, frequent air links between the main cities and the capital. There are also bus and rail services connecting the smaller towns. The road network is being modernised: there are only a few stretches of motorway and a dense network of ordinary roads, not always in good condition, so careful driving is advised. Summer sailing along the Baltic coast, cruises on the Vistula and the Oder and on the Masurian lakes. Ferry services to Sweden and Denmark.

Main airports: Warsaw (Fryderyk Chopin), Gdańsk, Katowice, Kraków, Poznań, Rzeszów, Szczecin and Wrocław.
Main ports: Gdańsk, Szczecin.

HOSPITALITY: very good
The country offers a wide choice of accommodation of every kind, category and price. The international classification (one to five stars) applies, alongside farm stays, B&Bs, guesthouses, hostels and campsites. The range of restaurants, bars and related services is also varied.

COUNTRY FACTS: Full name: Republic of Poland – Location: Central Europe. Borders: Germany to the west, the Czech and Slovak Republics to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, Lithuania and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad to the north-east, the Baltic Sea to the north– Time zone: UTC +1, the same as Italy, with daylight saving time – Area: 312,000 km² – Capital: Warsaw – Population: 38,500,000 – Religion: Catholic 90%, Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3% – Languages: Polish (official) – Measurements: metric system.

CURRENCY: New Złoty (PLN). There are no restrictions on bringing in currency; sums of more than 10,000 euros must be declared at the border when leaving–Credit cards: the major credit cards are accepted –Exchange: bring euros, which are easy to exchange.

ELECTRICITY:220 V and 50 Hz (as in Italy) – Electrical sockets: two- and three-pin types, bring an adapter.

DOCUMENTS: an identity card valid for travel abroad is sufficient (Schengen) – Driving: Italian driving licence – Car: Italian third-party motor insurance or Green Card.

COMMUNICATIONS AND TELEPHONES: Int. dialling code: 0048 – GSM: extensive network covering the whole country. Standard: GSM 900/1800 (as in Italy). Local operators: Polkomtel, Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa, PTK Centertel/Orange, P4 – Internet: widespread service of good average quality – Web domain: .pl – Emergency numbers: 112, ambulance/emergency medical service 999, police 997, fire brigade 997, roadside assistance 981.

RULES, LAWS AND CONDUCT: as regards the laws on the use or trafficking of drugs, prostitution and offences against minors, criminal penalties including arrest and imprisonment are in force.

HEALTH: no vaccinations are required. Health conditions are good, with public health facilities and private clinics of a good standard. Pharmacies are widespread and well stocked.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS: 1 January, New Year’s Day; Easter; Corpus Christi; 1 and 3 May; 15 August; 1 November; 11 November; 25 and 26 December, Christmas.

OPENING HOURS: Post offices: Mon-Sat 8-12 and 14-18 – Banks: Mon-Fri 9-17, Sat 9-14 – Shops: Mon-Sat 9-19, shopping centres 9-21 – Museums: 10-17, mainly Tuesday to Sunday –Closing day: Sunday.

CLIMATE: typically continental, with frequent rainfall and winters that are on average harsh and snowy. Spring brings mild temperatures and very frequent rain. The summer season, from June to August, has temperatures between 20 and 30 °C and very little rainfall. The rainiest regions are the southern mountain areas, where annual rainfall can reach 1,300 mm, while in the rest of the country the figure is half that.

Monthly min/max temperatures (in °C)

Rainy days (at least 1 mm of rain)/monthly mm

 
USEFUL ADDRESSES IN ITALY

Embassy of Poland
Via Rubens Pietro Paolo 20 – 00197 Rome – Tel. 06 3620420 – Fax 06 3217895 – Web: http://rzym.msz.gov.pl/it/ – E-mail: ambaroma@msz.gov.pl

Consular office
Via di S. Valentino 12 – 00197 Rome – Tel. 06 36204302 – Fax 06 3223990

Consulate General
Via Monte Rosa 6 – 20149 Milan – Tel. 02 48018978 – Fax 02 48020345

POIT – Polish Tourist Office
Via G.B. Martini 6 – 00198 Rome – Tel. 06 4827060 – Fax 06 4817569 – Web: www.polonia.travel/it/ – E-mail: turismo@polonia.it

USEFUL ADDRESSES IN POLAND

Italian Embassy
Plac Dąbrowskiego 6 – 00055 Warsaw – Tel. 0048 22 8263471 – Fax 0048 22 8271821 – Web: www.ambvarsavia.esteri.it – E-mail: ambasciata.varsavia@esteri.it

POT – Polska Organizacja Turystyczna (Polish Tourist Organisation)
Ul. Chalubinskiego 8 – 00613 Warsaw – Tel. 0048 22 5367070 – Fax 0048 22 5367004 – Web: www.polska.travel/it / www.pot.gov.pl – E-mail: pot@pot.gov.pl