I’d just arrived into Poland on an overnight train. I hadn’t splurged on a sleeper, so I was essentially bleary-eyed and exhausted – not the best for arrival into a new city. Still, I managed to find my way to the hostel and was able to leave my bags there until my bed was available.
It was nearly 7am on a Saturday when I stumbled into the main square to a bustling market, expecting to find a few sleepy locals in my desperation for a cup of coffee.
The market was just coming to life, and families were starting to emerge. There was a long table at one end where elderly ladies were offering coffee and fresh baking to the crowd. Always a sucker for free items, I meandered over.
After my lovely breakfast, where I tried out my ‘good morning’ and ‘thank you’ in my…extensive…polish vocabulary, I grabbed a seat on a bench to people watch.
Suddenly a band started to play in the corner of the square. They were playing rousing marches, beautiful lyrical pieces and traditional polish repertoire. I knew this because not ten minutes after I sat down a woman about my age approached me, asking ‘English?’
I responded with an enthusiastic ‘yes!, thrilled to have a potential local acquaintance.
We had a brief conversation after she learned that it was my first morning in the city; and that I had no ideas about what to see and do. She was full of suggestions about restaurants to check out, museums, and all sorts of local activities happening around town (like the marching band in the square!)
After she left, I meandered around the edge of the square, enjoying the atmosphere and the amazing architecture. At least once every few minutes or so, I had a local approach me, wanting to make sure that I was welcomed in their city; that I knew where I was going, that I had a personal recommendation on the best perogi (dumpling) restaurant for lunch. Some wanted to practice English (apparently I didn’t blend in as well as I’d hoped!), some just wanted to say hello. Not a single one pressed me to buy anything, to book any tours, or made me question their motives as anything other than genuine.
I followed up one of the locals’ suggestions for lunch. It had been a family who told me about a nearby restaurant. They promised that if I told the manager that they had sent me, that I would be treated like family. Doing this, I was seated at a beautiful window-side table, brought the most delicious plate of dumplings I’d ever had, and at the end of the meal, they refused to accept any payment, only insisting I enjoy my time in their beautiful country.
To this day, I’ve never received a more perfect welcome in any town or city.
While I only spent just over a week in the country, it was enough time to make a serious impression on my travels, and whenever I’m asked where I would visit again, Poland consistently tops the list.
It’s extremely inexpensive, from 5$ beds in hostels, to 3$, 3-course meals and 1$ local beers. Many tourist attractions are free. Perhaps most importantly, the locals are incredibly friendly and welcoming, not yet frustrated with tourists inundating their markets and streets.
Traveling between cities and towns is easy via an extensive rail network (tickets can be purchased a month to six weeks ahead of time online or at the train stations), and European coaches travel frequently between the larger centres.
Finally, even the largest cities (Warsaw, Kraków, Gdansk), feel very safe, even late at night. Locals are out and about, especially in summer evenings, and I never felt worried about walking back to my accommodation after dark.
Have you been to Poland? How was your experience?
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