|Poland - A country with Diversified Interests
Poland lies in the central part of the European continent, the geometrical centre of which is near Warsaw. This is where the lines from Nordkyn in Norway to Matapan in Greece, and from Cabo da Roca in Portugal to the central Urals intersect. The boundary between the East and West European continental masses also runs through Poland. It has a long Baltic Sea coastline and is bordered by Belarus, the Czech Republic Germany Lithuania, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) Slovakia and Ukraine.
Poland is considered to have one of the healthiest economies of the post-communist countries and is currently the fastest growing country within the European Union.
Poland is a part of the global tourism market with constantly increasing number of visitors. The most popular cities are Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, Poznan, Lublin, Torun, including the historic site of the Auschwitz concentration camp near Oswiecim. Popular destinations include northeast Poland's Mazury lake district and Bialowieza Forest. Poland's main tourist offers are sightseeing within cities and out-of-town historical monuments, business trips, qualified tourism, agrotourism, and mountain hiking, among others.
There are a lot of big cities in Poland that are worth seeing. Most of them have a flourishing medieval history.
- Warsaw — the biggest city and capital of Poland, and one of the EU's thriving new business centers. The old town, demolished during World War II, has been rebuilt in a style inspired by classicist paintings of Canalletto.
- Katowice — the largest city in Polish Silesia which is both an important commercial hub and a centre of culture.
- Krakow — the "cultural capital" of Poland, and its historical capital during its formative years in the Middle Ages. In modern times Krakow became one of the largest tourism centers in Europe. The historical center is filled with old churches and many monuments, the largest European medieval market-place, and plenty of magical pubs and cafes; all attract millions of visitors from around the world each year. Its location is a great starting point for trips of any kind.
- Lodz — once renowned for its textile industries, the "Polish Manchester" has the longest walking street in Europe, the Piotrkowska Street, full of picturesque 19th-century architecture.
- Wroclaw — the old Silesian city; it was also destroyed during World War II and successfully rebuilt. Placed on 12 islands, it has more bridges than any other European town except Venice, Amsterdam and Hamburg (which has more than the other two combined).
- Poznan — the merchant city, considered to be the birthplace of the Polish nation and church (along with Gniezno). Presents a mixture of architecture from all epoques : from pre-romanesque to modern buildings. Vibrant night life and many historical monuments make it an interesting stop for tourists.
- Gdansk — one of the old, beautiful European cities, right on the Baltic coast. Although it was destroyed in World War II, it has been perfectly rebuilt. The city is a good departure point to the many sea resorts along the north coast.
- Szczecin — one of the most important cities in Pomerania since the Middle Ages. An enormous harbour, monuments and old parks in the centre, museums, etc.