Poland’s weather varies across the country. Gdansk shares the mild weather of the Baltic States, with summer highs generally in the upper 60s to low 70s, and winters likewise cool. Further inland, the weather fluctuates more, with summer highs generally in the mid 70s, although Zakopane, being a mountain resort, is almost always a bit cool. We recommend visiting from mid-April to mid-October, keeping in mind that May and September are peak season, when European tourists flock to Poland to take advantage of its weather.

Polish food is hearty, with an emphasis on meats and vegetables (often pickled). Good vegetarian meals aren’t hard to find, but vegan ones can be, outside of larger cities. In addition to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Poles often have a hobbit-like second breakfast, and teatime. If you’re been to other Slavic countries, some foods will look familiar. Pierogi, dumplings filled with meat or vegetables, are popular street food, and are sold in nearly every restaurant. Soups are important, especially Barszcz (the Polish take on Borscht, the Ukrainian beet soup) and Zurek (a sour soup). Bigos, also known as hunter’s stew, is also popular, a mixture of sauerkraut, shredded fresh cabbage, and chopped meats. If you’re looking for a savory snack, we recommend trying a Kabanos (also known as Cabanossi), a long, thin sausage folded in half, akin to a less dry German Landjaeger.

There are many sites of religious significance in Poland that you could visit on your custom Polish tour. John Paul II was Archbishop of Krakow and his hometown of Wadowice just a few miles away attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and tourists each year. Poland’s most famous pilgrimage site is Jasna Gora monastery in Czestochowa. The country’s most important religious relic, the Black Madonna, is displayed there. Czestochowa is usually visited on a day trip from Krakow, or as a stop on a private transfer from Krakow to Wroclaw.

Poland has good connections between major cities, but if traveling off the beaten path, highways can be poorly maintained, and trains slow. Warsaw is linked to Krakow, Gdansk, and Poznan by the same modern high-speed trains that Germany and Italy use, making this an excellent way of getting around. Buses are common and cheap, but can take time-consuming, and bus stations are not always as central as train stations. Warsaw aside, Polish cities tend not to have so much parking so we recommend either taking a train between cities, or going by private transfer, which lets you visit places in between, such as Torun or Czestochowa.