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Introduction
Poland (in Polish: Polska), officially the Republic of Poland (Rzeczpospolita Polska), is a country in the center of Europe. It is bordered to the west by Germany, to the south with the Czech Republic and with Slovakia, east with Ukraine and with Belarus, northeast with Lithuania and the oblast Russian of Kaliningrad, and to the north with the Baltic Sea. He is a member of the European Union.
Regions
Poland is divided into 16 voivodeships or voivodeships (województwo) that do not necessarily coincide with the historical or geographical regions:
- Greater Poland (Wielkopolskie)
- Kuyavian and Pomeranian (Kujawsko-Pomorskie)
- Lesser Poland (Małopolskie)
- Łódź region (Łódzkie)
- Lower Silesia (Dolnośląskie)
- Lublin region (Lubelskie)
- Lubusz (Lubuskie)
- Mazovia (Mazowieckie)
- Opole region (Opolskie)
- Podlachia (Podlasie)
- Pomeranian]] (Pomorskie)
- Silesia (Śląskie)
- Subcarpathian (Podkarpackie)
- Holy Cross (Poland) (Świętokrzyskie)
- Warmia and Masuria (Warmińsko-Mazurskie)
- West Pomerania (Zachodniopomorskie)
Main cities
- Warsaw (Warszawa): Main city and capital of Poland
- Krakow (Krakow): Former capital of Poland
- Wroclaw (Wroclaw)
- Toruń
- Gdańsk
- Poznań
Other destinations
- The Tatras: It is a mountain range in southern Poland that stands out between the Polish plain and Slovakia forming a natural border. Mountain area where winter sports and mountaineering are practiced, which Polish families are very fond of, being its most important city Zakopane.
- Mazury: This region, located in the northeast of the country (part of it shared with Lithuania) are a series of candidate lakes for one of the 7 natural wonders, remaining off the list.
Understand
Culture
Poland has achieved its greatest artistic recognition in the field of literature, with the 19th century being its main period. Throughout the 20th century, several novelists and poets received the Nobel Prize for Literature: Henryk Sienkiewicz (1905), Władysław Reymont (1924), Isaac Bashevis Singer (1978), Czesław Miłosz (1980), Wisława Szymborska (1996) and Olga Tokarczuk (2018). In music, the best known Polish composer is Fryderyk Chopin. To understand its music and Polish romanticism, one must visit its interactive museum in Warsaw (Zamek Ostrogskich, ul. Okólnik 1). Other famous composers are Stanisław Moniuszko, Henryk Wieniawski, Ignacy Paderewski, Krzysztof Penderecki, Mikołaj Górecki and others. Several Polish filmmakers, including Andrzej Wajda, Roman Polanski, and Krzysztof Kieślowski, reached international status after 1950.
Festivals
Poles practice "dzielenie opłatkiem" to celebrate Christmas with the family or at work parties. This involves breaking and sharing the oplatek, a thin white wafer, and wishing each other good health and prosperity for the year ahead.
Weather
The Polish climate has characteristics of the moderate climate of Western Europe and the more severe continental climate of Eastern Europe. Weather conditions are highly variable, particularly in winter. In January, temperatures range from -1 ° C (30.2 ° F) in the west to -5 ° C (23 ° F) in the southern mountains. During the summer, the average temperatures range from around 20 ° C (68 ° F) in the southeast to around 17 ° C (63 ° F) near the Baltic. During the year, the hottest temperatures can exceed 40 ° C (104 ° F), and the coldest can reach -42 ° C (-43.6 ° F).
Time zone
The same as that of continental Spain (UTC 1, and in summer UTC 2).
Electricity
230 V, continental European plug.
To get
By plane
The main airport is Warsaw-Frederic Chopin airport, in Warsaw. Other equally important airports are Krakow (Juan Pablo II International Airport), that of Wroclaw (Wroclaw-Copernicus Airport), that of Katowice (Katowice International Airport) and the airport Gdańsk (Gdańsk-Lech Wałęsa Airport).
By bus
This means is the least used to get to Poland, although the best country to depart by bus is Germany. Even so, there are bus stations in the main cities and bus stops in all localities.
By train
The first train line that was made communicated Warsaw with Vienna, from the Warszawa Centralna Station, the main train, metro and tram station in Poland. There are also other stations in Krakow, Wrocław, Poznań and Lódź.
Boat
The only ports in Poland are Szczecin and the conurbation of Gdańsk, also formed by the cities of Gdynia and Sopot, forming a "tricity". By bordering the Baltic Sea, the main sea lanes go towards Sweden, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Norway already Estonia, Latvia Y Lithuania.
By car
Poland is served by modern and good networks that link Poland with the border countries of Germany, Belarus, Lithuania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ukraine and with the oblast of Kaliningrad, belonging to Russia.
Travel
By plane
Poland has 12 international airports located in different regions of the country, the most important being the Warsaw-Frédéric Chopin airport. Other major airports are: Krakow-John Paul II Airport, Katowice International Airport, Gdańsk-Lech Wałęsa Airport, Wroclaw-Copernicus Airport, Poznań-Ławica Airport and Rzeszów Airport. Although they are only used when traveling from end to end of the country (for example from Warsaw to Krakow or from Wroclaw to Łódź), they are a fast but expensive means of transport.
By bus
There are bus stations in the main cities and bus stops in all Polish towns. The lines are regular and connect the country by the main roads of Poland.
By train
The main train network is the PKP (Polskie Koleje Państwowe), which links the whole of Poland with headquarters in Warsaw Central Station (in Polish: Warszawa Centralna).
Boat
The Vistula River is only navigable in the delta and in the Gdańsk region, so the boat is a little used medium. In the Mazury Lakes, it is the only place where this means of transport is frequently used.
By car
Most of the Polish road system is modernized. In Poland there are 93 national roads numbered from 1 to 94 (Poland has 1,342 km of motorways and 1,088 km of roads, allowing easy access to the main cities of the country.
Talk
Polish. In the north of the country, in the Kashubia region (Kaszuby), Kashubian is spoken. Various dialects of Polish are spoken especially in the region of Silesia and in the mountains.
The national language is obviously Polish, a West Slavic language very similar to Czech or Slovak. Most Poles can speak English or German, many also understand Russian because it was a compulsory language in teaching until the 90s of the last century. All the signs are only in Polish, so learning a few basic things will help you a lot and you can also win the attention of Poles, who are well known for their hospitality and good sense of humor.
The ethnic homogeneity of today's Poland hides or contradicts its long history of ethno-religious diversity. Before World War II, for example, minority groups made up almost a third of the population. The religious composition was even more diverse; 62% of the population was nominally Catholic, 15% Orthodox, 13% Protestant, and 10% Jewish (Poland had the largest Jewish population in Europe at the time).
To buy
To pay
The currency of Poland is the 'Polish zloty' ( 'ZL,' 'international abbreviation: PLN). The zloty 'is divided into 100' grosze. Even so, Poland is expected to adopt the Euro (€) in the 1920s. Currency exchange offices are very common, although it is not advisable to change at train or bus stations (they have a very bad service). There is also an extensive network of ATMs that can offer such services. The most popular credit cards to pay are 'Visa', 'Visa Electron' and 'Mastercard'. Others are usually only accepted in places (particularly big hotels, business class), but they are not popular and you should not rely on them for any payment. Checks were never particularly popular in Poland and are not used today. Local banks do not issue check stubs to customers and stores do not accept them.
To buy
Supermarkets
Supermarkets and hypermarkets are dominated by western chains: Carrefour, Tesco, Auchan, Biedronka, żaba ... Some are open 24 hours a day. It is usually found in shopping malls or in the suburbs. However Poles shop very often in small local shops for bread, meat, fresh dairy products, vegetables and fruits. Prices in Poland are considered one of the lowest in Europe.
Markets
Many cities have traditional weekly markets, similar to popular farmers' markets in the West. Fresh produce, merchandise, dairy products and meat are sold in them. It is also very common that there are markets where flowers and plants are sold. In season mushrooms and berries can also be purchased in these markets. The markets take place on Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays and are a great way to enjoy the local atmosphere.
Money
| Polish zloty exchange rates As of January 2020:
Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available on XE.com |
The legal tender in Poland is the zloty in Polish , denoted by the synbol " zł "(ISO code :: PLN). The zloty is divided into 100 groszy (see information box for more details). In 1995, 10,000 old zlotys were replaced by a new zloty. When it joined the EU, Poland promised to adopt the euro, but the current government is against it.
Private foreign exchange offices (in Polish: kantor ) are very common and offer changes in euros or US dollars at rates that are usually comparable to those of commercial banks. Exchanges at points of tourist interest, such as train stations or popular tourist destinations, tend to overcharge. Avoid Kantor "Exchange" locations, easily recognizable by their orange color; the rates they offer are very bad.
| Cash Polish has two types of plural numbers, which you are likely to encounter when it comes to currency. Here are the nominal forms to expect:
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There is also an extensive network of ATMs or ATMs (Polish: bankomat ). The exchange rate will depend on your particular bank, but it generally ends up being quite favorable and comparable to reasonably good exchange offices, but you will likely find very high "service fees" on your statement when you get home.
Credit cards can be used to pay almost everywhere in big cities. Even single-trip bus tickets can be paid for with cards in major cities, provided the passenger buys them from vending machines at bus stops. The exception would be small businesses and post offices where acceptance is not completely universal. Popular cards include Visa , Visa Electron , MasterCard Y Teacher . AmEx Y Diners' Clubthey can be used in some places (especially large business class hotels) but they are not popular and you should not depend on them for any payment. In some shops, you will be offered the option of having the card invoice you directly in Złoty or in your local currency. In the first, your bank will convert the transaction for you (subject to the currency exchange charges that you establish) while in the second, the established rates are usually worse than those used by your bank; therefore choose to be charged in zloty.
Checks were never particularly popular in Poland and are not used today. Local banks do not issue check stubs to customers and stores do not accept them.
Tips
When you pay for drinks or meals in restaurants or bars and they give you a receipt, you must give the amount you have to pay and wait for the change. If you hand over the money and say "thank you," it will be treated as a "keep the change" type of tip. This also applies to taxis. The average tip is around 10-15% of the price. It is polite to leave a tip, but it is not uncommon to ignore this practice.
Don't forget to tip the tour guides and drivers too, but only if you are satisfied with the service they have provided.
Goods
It is illegal to export goods over 55 years old that have ANY historical value. If you intend to do so, you must obtain a permit from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Shopping
Super and hypermarkets
Hypermarkets are dominated by western chains: Carrefour, Tesco, Auchan, Real. Some are open 24 hours a day and are generally found in shopping malls or suburbs.
However, Poles very often buy in small local shops for bread, meat, fresh dairy products, vegetables and fruits, products for which freshness and quality are essential.
Prices in Poland are among the lowest in Europe.
City markets
Many larger cities and suburbs have traditional weekly markets, similar to popular farmers markets in the West. Fresh produce, bakery, dairy, meat, and meat products are sold, along with everything from flowers and garden plants to Chinese-made clothing and trinkets. In season you can also buy mushrooms and berries. The markets are held on Thursdays, Fridays and / or Saturdays and are a great way to enjoy the local color. Prices are usually set, though you can try a bit of gentle bargaining if you buy more than a few items.
To eat
The food is very varied with starter soup and typical dishes with products not only vegetables, it is the case of the national dish called bigos (sauerkraut or sour fermented cabbage with pieces of meat and sausages), schabowy (breaded pork chop), kielbasa (smoked sausages with some possible vegetable garnish or with soup), żurek (typical soup), the "Polish Grill". Pierogi is also classic (between a pasta and small or not so thick but typical Polish patties, which can be sweet or salty).
As for breakfasts and even snacks, although sometimes they use it for lunch or perhaps dinner, they have a kind of bread with cereals and another called bagel of consistency and typical of the country.
Regarding the places, in the case of the towns there is a lot of diversity, being more common in the center, also in Warsaw, to cite an example, it could be near Park Kazimierzowski or in the historic center as well, to name Zapiecek and others.
Poles eat their meals following the standard continental schedule: a light breakfast in the morning (usually some sandwiches with tea / coffee), then a larger lunch (or traditionally a "dinner") around 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. , then a dinner around 19:00.
| Tip For the most part, Polish restaurants and bars do not include the tip in the total of the check, so your server will be happy if you leave a tip along with the payment. On average, you should tip 10% of the total bill. If you tip 15% or 20%, you probably should have received excellent service. Also, say " Dziękuję "(" thank you ") after you pay means that you don't expect any change, so be careful if you are paying for a 10 PLN coffee with a 100 PLN bill. All that said, many Poles may not tip, unless That the service is exceptional - Poles do not usually tip bar staff. |
It is not difficult to avoid meat, as many restaurants offer at least one vegetarian dish. Most large cities have a few exclusively vegetarian restaurants, especially near the city center. However, vegan options remain extremely limited.
Local traditional food
Traditional Polish cuisine tends to be hearty, rich in meats, sauces, and vegetables; Pickled vegetable sides are a favorite side dish. Modern Polish cuisine, however, tends towards a greater variety and focuses on healthy options. In general, the quality of "store bought" foods is very high, especially dairy products, baked goods, vegetables, and meat products. Tomato soup ( pomidorowa ) is so popular in Poland that it even has its own fan clubs.
A dinner usually includes the first course of soup, followed by the main course. Among the soups, barszcz czerwony (red beet soup, also known as borscht) is perhaps the most recognizable - a spicy and slightly bitter soup, served hot. It is usually poured over meatballs ( barszcz z uszkami or barszcz z pierogami ) or served with a fried pate roll ( barszcz z pasztecikiem ). Other rare soups include zupa ogórkowa , a cucumber soup made from a mixture of fresh and pickled cucumbers; zupa grzybowa , typically made with wild mushrooms; too, flaki or flaczki - well seasoned tripe. The most common in restaurants is the żurek, a sour rye soup served with traditional Polish sausage and a hard-boiled egg Chlodnik (cold borsht), as served in PoznańThe pierogi they are, of course, an immediately recognizable Polish dish. They are often served together with another dish (for example, with barszcz), rather than as a main dish. There are several types, filled with a mixture of cottage cheese and onion, or with meat or even berries. The gołąbki They are also well known: they are cabbage rolls stuffed with a mixture of cereals and meats, steamed or boiled and served hot with white sauce or tomato sauce.
Bigos is another unique but less well known Polish dish: a "hunter's stew" featuring various meats and vegetables, on a pickled cabbage base. Bigos tend to be very thick and filling. Similar ingredients can also be diluted and served in the form of cabbage soup, called kapuśniak . Some Austro-Hungarian imports have also become popular over the years and have been adopted by Polish cuisine. These include gulasz , a local version of goulash that is less spicy than the original, and sznycel po wiedeńsku , which is a traditional schnitzel, often served with potatoes and a selection of vegetables.
When it comes to takeout, foreign imports tend to dominate (such as kebab or pizza stands and fast food franchises). An interesting Polish twist is a zapiekanka , which is an open-sided baguette, topped with mushrooms and cheese (or other toppings of your choice) and toasted until the cheese is melted. Zapiekanki it can be found at numerous roadside stalls and bars. In some bars they are also available placki ziemniaczane (Polish potato pancakes). Knysza It is a Polish version of the burger, but it is much (much) larger and contains beef, a variety of vegetables, and sauces. Drożdżówkais a popular sweet version of food-on-the-go, which is a sweet yeast bread (sometimes in the form of kolach) or a filled cake with filling made of: poppy seed dough; Vanilla, Chocolate, Coconut, or Adolf pudding; roasted apples cocoa mass; sweet cottage cheese or fruits.
Poland is also known for two unique cheeses, both made by hand in the mountainous region [Podhale] in the south. Oscypek is the most famous: a hard and salty cheese, made from unpasteurized and smoked (or not) sheep's milk. It goes very well with alcoholic beverages like beer. The least common is bryndza , a soft cheese, also made with sheep's milk (and therefore salty), with a consistency similar to spreadable cheeses. It is usually served over bread or baked potatoes. Both cheeses are covered by the EU Protected Designation of Origin (such as French Roquefort or Italian Parmegiano-Reggiano).
Polish bread is sold in bakeries ( piekarnia in Polish) and shops and it is a good idea to ask what time you can buy hot (in a bakery). Poles tend to be very attached to their favorite bread vendors and don't mind waking up very early in the morning to get a fresh loaf. The most common bread ( zwykły ) is made from rye or rye and sourdough wheat flour and is best enjoyed fresh with butter on its own or topped with a slice of ham. Many other varieties of breads and rolls are available for purchase, and their names and recipes vary by region. The sweet bread of Pull ( chałka in Polish) is sold in many bakeries. Pączki Polish pastry shops ( cukiernia ) are also noteworthy, as there is a great tradition of eating pastries in Poland. They can be found in all cities and quite often they sell local specialties. The standard cakes and desserts that can be found in all regions of Poland are: cheesecake ( sernik ), Apple pie ( jabłecznik ), yeast fruit cakes ( drożdżówka ), especially with plums or strawberries, a variety of cream cakes ( kremówki ), babka which is a simple sweet cake, sometimes with an addition of cocoa, mazurek , fale dunaju , metrowiec , ciasto jogurtowewhich is a sponge cake filled with yogurt mousse, donuts ( pączki ) which are traditionally filled with wild rose petal jam, pszczółka - a yeast cake with coconut pudding and many others.
Polish sausages ( kiełbasy ) are sold in grocery stores or butchers ( rzeźnik ). There are dozens of different types of sausages; most of them can be enjoyed without any additional preparation. Therefore, there are sausages like biała kiełbasa (traditionally enjoyed in soup żurek or barszcz biały ) that are raw and should be boiled, fried, or baked before eating. It is recommended to fry or grill some sausages over a fire pit (which is probably as popular as barbecue). Different local sausages can be found in different regions of Poland (such as Lisiecka in the Krakow area).
Fish and chips polish ( smażalnia ryb ) can be found in most cities on the Baltic Sea coast. On the coast and in Masuria you can also find fish smokehouses ( wędzarnia ryb ) highly appreciated in Poland selling many types of local smoked fish (mainly marine fish on the coast, freshwater fish in Masuria). Smokehouses can be very difficult to find as they generally do not display advertisements and are sometimes in remote areas. It's a good idea to do some research and ask local people for directions and help with your search. Among the smoked fish offered for sale you can find: salmon ( łosoś ), Cod ( dorsz ), flounder ( flądra ), rosebush ( karmazyn ), herring (śledź ), halibut ( halibut ), haddock ( mintaj ), hake ( morszczuk ), mackerel ( makrela ), Pattern ( szprotki, szprot ), trout ( pstrąg ), brown trout ( troć ), eel ( węgorz ), pikeperch ( sandacz ) , large tent ( karp ), bandage ( sielawa ), tencz ( lin ), bream ( leszcz ), sturgeon ( jesiotr ), asp ( boleń ) and others. Be careful with smoked butterfish ( maślana) since despite being very delicious it can cause diarrhea in some people and should not be consumed by children and the elderly.
Smoked fish can be bought throughout Poland, the most popular of which is mackerel (it is recommended to buy it in a busy shop for a fresh and full taste, as it deteriorates quickly, for example, in a local market ). Also anywhere in Poland you can buy herring in vinegar or oil marinade. A Polish favorite is battered herring or other fish in a vinegar marinade.
Milk bars
If you want to eat cheaply, you must visit a milk bar (mleczny bar). A milk bar is a very basic type of fast food restaurant serving cheap Polish food. Today it is increasingly difficult to find one. They were invented by the Communist authorities in Poland in the mid-1960s as a means of offering cheap meals to people who worked in companies that did not have an official canteen. Its name originates from the fact that until the late 1980s the meals served there were primarily dairy and vegetarian (especially during the martial law period of the early 1980s, when meat was rationed) . Milk bars are often subsidized by the state. Eating there is a unique experience: it is not uncommon for you to meet people from various social classes: students, businessmen, university professors, seniors, sometimes even homeless, all eating together in a seventies-like atmosphere. Presumably, it is the quality of the food at an absolutely unbeatable price (vegetarian main courses starting at a few zlotys!) That draws people in. However, a cautionary warning should be issued: Complete nuts also dine at milk bars, so even if you go for the food, you will end up with a dinner and a show. Are you curious what the show will entail? Well, each show varies, but most of them will leave you scratching your head and require suspension of disbelief.
Drink and go out
To drink they are also varied, without as much alcohol as its neighbor Russia but its sale is very common, and above all beer is typical. In Poland it is common to go out to eat, to bars, restaurants or even go out, not only on weekends. The grzane wino is also typical, especially in winter, which has additions together with the wine that give it aroma, flavor and nutrition.
The consumption and sale of concentrated juice drinks, also typical of previous generations, is interesting. And like other countries they have the typical drinks, characterizing them the habit of going out to have fun but healthily. Poles take great care of their body and this habituates them in outings and drinks trying to avoid getting drunk in general. They also consume hot chocolate.
Poland is on the border between "vodka" and European "beer culture". Poles enjoy alcoholic beverages, but drink less than the European average. You can buy beer, vodka and wine. Although Poland is known as the birthplace of vodka, the local beer seems to hold much more appeal to many Poles. Another traditional alcoholic beverage is mead. Polish spirits and nalewka (alcoholic tincture) are essential.
You must be over 18 years old and be able to prove it with a valid ID to buy alcohol, and this is strictly enforced.
Beer
Poland's beer tradition began in the Middle Ages. Today, Poland is one of the main beer countries in Europe.
Although not well known internationally, Poland traditionally sports some of the best pilsner-type lagers in the world. The most common big brands include:
- Żywiec (pronounced ZHIV-y-ets )
- Tyskie (pronounced TIS-kyeh )
- Okocim (pronounced oh-KO-cheem )
- Lech (pronounced LEH )
- Warka (pronounced VAR-kah )
- Łomża (pronounced Uom-zha )
Microbreweries and gastro-pubs are on the rise, particularly in larger cities, and many delis or supermarkets sell smaller brands, including craft beers of many types.
Pubs generally offer one or two varieties of draft beer (draft beer), usually just pilsner-type lagers. When ordering a beer, you can choose between "grande" (duże; 0.5 liters) or "small" ( bad ; 0.3 liters). You can also order "beer with juice" ( piwo z sokiem ), then a bartender will add some sweet syrup (raspberry or ginger). The most popular snack to order with beer is French fries.
Vodka
Common brands are:
- Żubrówka (Zhoo-BROOF-ka) - vodka with flavors derived from Bison Grass, from eastern Poland.
- Żołądkowa Gorzka (Zho-wont-KO-va GOSH-ka) - vodka with "bitter" ( gorzka ) in the name, but sweet in taste. Like Żubrówka, it is a unique Polish product and you should definitely try it.
- Wiśniówka (Vish-NIOOF-ka) - Cherry vodka (very sweet).
- Krupnik (KROOP-nik) - Honey spice vodka, a traditional Polish-Lithuanian recipe (very sweet). During the winter, many bars sell Grzany krupnik (Krupnik hot), where hot water, cinnamon, cloves and citrus zest or slices are added.
- Żytnia (ZHIT-nea) - rye vodka
- Wyborowa (Vi-bo-RO-va) - one of the most popular rye vodkas in Poland. This is also one of the most common exported brands. Strong and nice.
- Luksusowa (Look-sus-OH-vah) "Luxurious" - Another popular brand and a common export alongside Wyborowa.
- Starka "Old": a vodka traditionally aged for years in oak barrels. Of Lithuanian origin
- Biała Lady (Be-AH-wa DAH-ma) is not a vodka, but a name given by drunks to cheap rectified liquors of dubious origin, best avoided if you like the view as it is.
- Sobieski : rye vodka, one of the most chosen by the Poles.
Luxury brands (more expensive) include Chopin Y Belvedere . Most Poles consider these brands to be "export brands" and generally do not drink them.
There are also dozens of flavored vodkas. Besides the traditional Polish flavors like: Żubrówka, Żołądkowa, Wiśniówka and Krupnik, you can easily buy some less obvious flavors like: pineapple, pear, blackcurrant, blueberry, grapefruit, apple, mint, lemon, herbs and others. The availability of different brands may vary in different regions of the country.
Came
Poland makes wines around Zielona Góra in Lubuskie, in Małopolskie, in Beskids and in Świętokrzyskie in central Poland. They used to be available only at the winery or at regional wine festivals, such as in Zielona Góra. But with a new law passed in 2008, this has changed and Polish wines are also available in retail stores.
En cuanto al vino importado, además de los estándares habituales del viejo y nuevo mundo, suele haber una selección de vinos de mesa decentes de Europa central y oriental, como Austria, Bulgaria, Hungría, Rumanía, Moldavia, los Balcanes y Georgia.
En invierno, muchos polacos beben grzaniec (vino caliente), elaborado con vino tinto calentado con especias como clavo, nuez moscada y jengibre. Se puede preparar una bebida similar con cerveza, aunque el vino es el método más popular.
Mead
Mead - miód pitny es una bebida alcohólica tradicional e histórica en Polonia. El hidromiel se elabora con miel y tiene un excelente sabor inusual similar al vino. El hidromiel polaco original contiene 13-20% de alcohol. A veces puede resultar muy dulce. Hoy los polacos tienen una extraña relación con el hidromiel. Todos han oído hablar de él, casi ninguno lo ha probado.
Cócteles
Los polacos están muy interesados en la cerveza y el vodka, y descubrirán que los cócteles suelen ser caros, pero se pueden encontrar en la mayoría de los bares de la mayoría de las ciudades importantes. Una de las bebidas nativas de Polonia más conocidas es la Szarlotka, hecha de vodka Żubrówka y jugo de manzana.Los polacos tradicionalmente beben té en vasos, no en tazas
Té y café
Debido a la proximidad del Imperio Otomano , con quien Polonia solía compartir frontera y libró muchas guerras, el país fue uno de los primeros en Europa en tomar café.Tira los estereotipos por la puerta. Para los polacos, uno de los alimentos básicos más importantes para saciar su sed no es el wódka o la cerveza, sino el té y el café. La bebida caliente tradicional es el té ( herbata ) mientras que el café ( kawa ), aunque conocido en Polonia desde los estrechos contactos con Turquía en el siglo XVII, se hizo más popular en los últimos veinticinco años. Es un comportamiento muy común que si visitas amigos en casa o inicias una reunión formal, en primer lugar te pregunten: "¿café o té?". Rechazar una bebida caliente en esta situación puede verse como una mala educación. Es bastante inusual hablar o encontrarse con alguien sin beber una de esas bebidas calientes.
Cuando pida un café, encontrará que se trata con un respeto que recuerda a Viena, en lugar de, digamos, a Nueva York. Es decir: obtendrá una taza fresca preparada una porción a la vez, con un servicio de mesa que asume que se sentará un rato a disfrutarlo. El café para llevar producido en masa sigue siendo muy impopular, aunque cadenas como Coffee Heaven han ido haciendo avances. Curiosamente, todavía hay pocas tiendas Starbucks en todo el país, que están ocupadas principalmente por adolescentes.
Hay cuatro tipos básicos de café que se le ofrecerán en Polonia. En pequeños bares, comida rápida o en casa de amigos (donde normalmente no tienen cafetera) puedes elegir entre café instantáneo (rozpuszczalna) o café turco (kawa po turecku or kawa sypana). El segundo es un estilo polaco muy específico, no conocido en el extranjero. Son simplemente dos cucharaditas de café molido vertidas con agua hirviendo. Una forma tradicional es servirlo en vasos. En los restaurantes, también puede pedir "un café de una cafetera" (kawa z ekspresu). Puede ser un espresso de estilo italiano muy pequeño y fuerte o uno más grande (200 ml) americano.. Durante el pedido, un camarero o un barman siempre le preguntará si quiere "uno negro". ( ¿czarna?; sin leche) o "¿con leche?" (¿ z mlekiem?).
Pedir un té, por otro lado, generalmente le dará una taza o hervidor de agua caliente, y una bolsita de té a un lado, para que el cliente pueda preparar un té que sea tan fuerte o tan débil como quiera. Esto no es infrecuente en Europa continental, pero puede requerir algunos ajustes para los visitantes. Beber té con leche no es popular, tradicionalmente los polacos agregan una rodaja de limón y azúcar (herbata z cytryną), a menos que beban té con sabor. Las casas de té con una gran selección de tés de buena calidad y un ambiente relajante están ganando popularidad. En tales lugares, obtendrá más bien una tetera con té de hojas elaborado. Curiosamente, en Polonia se cree comúnmente que beber té con leche mejora la lactancia de las mujeres.
En su mayor parte, se puede tomar un buen café por 5 a 10 PLN la taza, mientras que se puede comprar una taza de té por lo mismo, a menos que pida una tetera pequeña, en cuyo caso probablemente pagará entre 15 - 30 PLN
Agua
Beber agua con una comida no es una tradición polaca; tomar un té o un café después es mucho más común. Si desea agua con una comida, es posible que deba pedirla, y generalmente obtendrá la opción de agua embotellada con gas ( gazowana ) o sin gas ( niegazowana ), en lugar de un vaso de agua del grifo. Como resultado, el agua no es gratuita y también es bastante cara en comparación con el precio medio de una comida (hasta 4 PLN por vaso). Tenga en cuenta que, a veces, incluso el agua embotellada "todavía", aunque no esté visiblemente burbujeante, puede contener algo de dióxido de carbono.
Puede pedir un vaso de agua del grifo o un vaso de agua caliente y recibirlo gratis en la mayoría de los lugares. Por lo tanto, beber agua del grifo se considera bastante extraño en Polonia.
Las aguas minerales carbonatadas son populares y hay varios tipos disponibles. Polonia era conocida por sus balnearios de agua mineral ( pijalnia wód ) en el siglo XIX, y la tradición sigue siendo fuerte: puedes encontrar muchas aguas carbonatadas que son naturalmente ricas en minerales y sales. También puede viajar a los balnearios como Szczawnica o Krynica , que todavía están operativos.
Muchas variedades de agua mineral embotellada que se pueden comprar provienen de fuentes subterráneas (ya que las aguas de manantial domésticas casi no están disponibles). El agua mineral embotellada generalmente tiene un sabor neutro, a diferencia del agua mineral que se compra en los balnearios acuáticos, que pueden tener un sabor muy característico. Algunas aguas minerales embotelladas se consideran muy saludables debido a su alto contenido de minerales, como por ejemplo Muszynianka, Kryniczanka o todas las aguas minerales que se venden en botellas marrones.Puede encontrar alojamiento incluso en las partes más remotas de Polonia
Precios
Polonia sigue siendo uno de los países más baratos de la Unión Europea y sus precios de alimentos, bebidas y tabaco se encuentran entre los más bajos.
Sleep
Polonia se está poniendo al día con Europa Occidental en cuanto a disponibilidad y estándares de alojamiento. Después de los campeonatos de la Eurocopa 2012, la situación en las ciudades anfitrionas de la Eurocopa en particular es ahora comparable a la mayoría de las demás ciudades del norte y oeste de Europa. Muchas ciudades más pequeñas y lugares menos frecuentados por turistas todavía ofrecen muy pocas opciones de alojamiento y los proveedores existentes lo utilizan en lugar de ofrecer estándares bajos que cobrar precios exorbitantes. En las grandes ciudades, tanto en hoteles como en hostales, se puede esperar que el personal tenga un dominio razonable del inglés y, a menudo, de otros idiomas extranjeros. En lugares menos frecuentados, la barrera del idioma puede ser un problema.
Precios
Los precios de alojamiento ya no son la ganga que solían ser hace varios años; ahora son comparables a los precios europeos estándar. Para el cazador de gangas, se aplican tácticas estándar: si los precios de los hoteles son demasiado altos, busque en Internet habitaciones privadas, pensiones o apartamentos en alquiler, que a veces se pueden encontrar por un precio muy razonable. Las mejores ofertas generalmente se ofrecen fuera de temporada.
Hoteles
Solo una cadena hotelera importante tiene una cobertura decente de la totalidad del país, y esta es Accor , que se ha hecho cargo del antiguo proveedor estatal Orbis (y todavía opera varios hoteles con ese nombre a partir de 2013). En todo el país se puede encontrar una selección de hoteles que van desde el asequible ibis hasta el Novotel Y Mercure orientado a los negocios y los prestigiosos Sofitels . Tenga en cuenta que, si bien casi todos los hoteles ibis se construyeron expresamente en la década de 2000, los Novotels y Mercures a menudo son antiguos hoteles Orbis reconvertidos y pueden no ser los mejores hoteles que esas marcas tienen para ofrecer en Europa. Incluso Accor tiene lagunas en la cobertura en áreas menos frecuentadas por turistas.
Las cadenas hoteleras globales más populares (Intercontinental, Marriott, Hilton, Carlson) tienen alguna presencia en Polonia, pero ninguna puede presumir de una cobertura completa ni siquiera de las ciudades más importantes. Hay varios hoteles afiliados a Best Western, pero tampoco cubren todo el país. De particular interés para los viajeros motorizados con un presupuesto limitado es la presencia de otra cadena francesa, Campanile.
Albergues
Los albergues afiliados a la asociación nacional de hosteleros suelen ser opciones horribles para los mochileros debido a los toques de queda impuestos. Además, los albergues afiliados a Hosteling International (HI) son utilizados con frecuencia por grandes grupos escolares, lo que significa que los niños pequeños pueden estar gritando y corriendo por los pasillos. Algunos albergues privados son limpios y acogedores, pero otros pueden ser peores que los albergues HI.
Granjas de agroturismo
El turismo rural se ha vuelto extremadamente popular en Polonia en las últimas décadas. Debido a los cambios sociales y económicos en el campo polaco, muchas granjas han cambiado su enfoque de la producción intensiva de alimentos al turismo. Bajo la noción de "granja de agroturismo" (gospodarstwo agroturystyczne o simplemente agroturystyka) puede encontrar una granja real en la que los anfitriones son agricultores reales que trabajan en sus campos y, además, reciben turistas, lo que les permite echar un vistazo a su vida cotidiana en el campo. Sin embargo, por lo general, encontrará pensiones rurales para quienes el turismo es la fuente básica de ingresos.
Respect
Casi cualquier polaco no le gusta que su país se vea como uno de los tres "países del Holocausto" (los otros siendo la URSS y Yugoslavia). Hay mucho más atracciones en Polonia que solamente los campos de concentración y de exterminio. Por la misma razón, hablando de los crímenes de los Nazis y la intervención soviética durante la primera parte de la guerra son temas dolorosos para la población. Por el otro lado, muchos no tienen problemas hablando del periodo comunista después de la guerra y se ponen nostálgicos al comparar sus numerosas administraciones.
Temas delicados incluyen:
- La Segunda Guerra Mundial (incluso la gente joven sienten las cicatrices de ese conflicto).
- Relaciones ruso-polacas, germano-polacas y austro-polacas: Rusia, Alemania (entonces Prusia) y Austria-Hungría cruzaron el territorio polaco en varias ocasiones. Como resultado, Polonia desapareció del mapa político entre 1795 y 1918. Todos los tres imperios también aplastaron despiadadamente los levantamientos de 1830-1831, 1848 y 1863-1864.
- Las fronteras del País son básicamente las mismas con las cuales nació durante la Edad Media (c. 966).
- La política: los polacos tienen la fama de meterse en debates agresivos y hasta apasionantes entre ellos mismos.
- El asuntos de los derechos de personas LGBT: más del 90% de la población es católica y profundamente religiosa, sobre todo fuera de las ciudades importantes.
Etiqueta
Los polacos generalmente están anticuados en cuanto a la etiqueta de género. Es costumbre sujetar puertas y sillas para mujeres. Algunos hombres, especialmente los hombres mayores, pueden besar la mano de una mujer al saludar o despedirse. Algunos consideran caballeroso besar la mano de una mujer, pero cada vez más se considera anticuado. Los apretones de manos son aceptables; sin embargo, es muy importante recordar que los hombres no deben ofrecer su mano a una mujer; un apretón de manos solo se considera cortés si la mujer le ofrece la mano al hombre primero. Para un saludo más sincero o una despedida, amigos cercanos del sexo opuesto o dos mujeres se abrazarán y besarán tres veces, alternando las mejillas.
Una práctica bastante común es que las personas se saluden con un dzień dobry (buenos días) al entrar en los ascensores o, al menos, diciendo do widzenia (adiós) al salir del ascensor. Los hombres no deben usar sombreros en el interior, en particular al ingresar a una iglesia (todo lo contrario en el caso de las sinagogas, donde se requiere que los hombres usen sombreros). La mayoría de los restaurantes, museos y otros edificios públicos tienen un guardarropa, y se espera que las personas dejen bolsas y ropa de abrigo allí.
Es habitual llevar un regalo cuando se invita a alguien a casa. Las flores son siempre una buena opción y los quioscos de floristerías son omnipresentes. Asegúrese de obtener un número impar de flores, ya que un número par está asociado con los funerales. Los polacos suelen traer vodka o whisky, pero esto depende del nivel de familiaridad y de la preferencia de los anfitriones por el alcohol, así que tenga cuidado. Las actitudes de la gente hacia el alcohol van desde el disfrute alegre y entusiasta tanto en la práctica como en la palabra, hasta ofenderse por la idea de que los polacos de alguna manera serían más propensos al consumo de alcohol.
Es recomendable referirse a Polonia (así como a algunos otros países como la República Checa, Eslovaquia o Hungría) como Europa Central y no Europa del Este. Si bien no es muy ofensivo, si se usa, puede reflejar la ignorancia de los extranjeros y una cierta falta de respeto a la historia y la herencia cultural claramente latina de los países de la región. Los propios polacos se refieren a la "vieja" UE al oeste de sus fronteras como "Zachód" (oeste) y a los estados creados después de la desintegración de la URSS como "Wschód" (este). Geográficamente, esto se confirma al trazar una línea desde la punta de Noruega hasta Grecia y desde los Urales hasta la costa de Portugal. Para bien o para mal, Polonia permanece en la encrucijada de Europa, justo en el centro del continente. En términos globales, política, cultural e históricamente, Polonia pertenece a "
Otro pequeño paso en falso implica confundir el idioma polaco con el ruso o el alemán. Los polacos valoran mucho su idioma, ya que se mantuvo a un alto precio durante un período más largo de opresiva despolitización durante las particiones y la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Por ejemplo, esto significa no decir 'spasibo' o 'danke' en lugar de 'gracias' solo porque pensaste que era polaco o no te importaba. Si no está seguro de si sus palabras en 'polaco' son realmente polacas o no, sería muy educado preguntar. Mencionar ciudades y lugares polacos con sus antiguos nombres alemanes, al pedir direcciones (por ejemplo, refiriéndose a Breslau en lugar de Wrocław) puede causar confusión y puede considerarse ofensivo e irrespetuoso hacia el pueblo polaco.
La exhibición abierta de la estrella roja comunista y el símbolo de la hoz y el martillo, la esvástica nazi y los símbolos de las SS está prohibida por la ley. Asegúrese de que su ropa no tenga estos símbolos, incluso si es solo una broma, o en el caso de la esvástica, un símbolo religioso. Puede ser multado por ello. Realizar un saludo nazi también es un delito en Polonia.
Religion
Los polacos pueden ser el pueblo más devotamente católico de Europa, especialmente en las zonas rurales y desde que la religión en Polonia volvió a ser legal en 1989. El difunto Papa Juan Pablo II en particular es venerado aquí, y la Iglesia es en general muy estimada. Esto puede generar tensiones entre Polonia y la República Checa, en gran parte irreligiosa, y los polacos pueden sentir resentimiento hacia los checos (y viceversa). Tenga esto en cuenta si la religión se menciona en una conversación con un polaco. Además, asegúrese de vestirse con modestia si ingresa a una iglesia, especialmente durante los servicios.
El Holocausto
El Holocausto fue el genocidio de los judíos europeos. Fue un momento particularmente doloroso para Polonia. Entre las víctimas, 3 millones eran judíos polacos. Además, al menos 1,8 millones de polacos no judíos también fueron asesinados, principalmente por los alemanes, y muchos otros fueron esclavizados. Muchos miembros de grupos minoritarios, la intelectualidad, sacerdotes católicos romanos y opositores políticos de los nazis estaban entre los muertos. Entre el censo de 1939 y el censo de 1945, la población de Polonia se había reducido en más del 30% de 35 millones a 23 millones.
Mientras que algunos otros países ocupados por los nazis (como Francia y Noruega) fueron gobernados por colaboradores domésticos y mantuvieron su identidad nacional durante la guerra, Polonia dejó de existir incluso por su nombre y fue totalmente explotada por una junta militar nazi.
Usar frases como "campos de exterminio polacos" o "campos de concentración polacos" puede ofender al tener una conversación sobre la historia. Si bien no hay mala voluntad entre Polonia y Alemania en el siglo XXI, los polacos son muy sensibles a los intentos conscientes de difundir la culpa de los crímenes cometidos por la antigua Alemania nazi. Destacar a los colaboradores polacos del régimen nazi se considera menospreciar a los cientos de miles de polacos que arriesgaron sus vidas ayudando a los judíos, lo que convirtió a la nación más representada entre los homenajeados por los Justos de las Naciones.
