Poland, a country of striking contrasts, where contemporary city slickers fill the capital Warsaw, whilst in the countryside horse-drawn carts negotiate peaceful lanes where the new millennium is still just a rumour. Nestled in the heartland of Europe, Poland has been both a bridge and a front line between eastern and western Europe. Today the country has bounced back from the turmoil of the 20th century and reinvented itself as a must do fixture on every traveller's map.

Best time to visit

May to June (late spring) and September to mid-October (autumn) - or the 16th century, Poland's golden age.

Essential experiences

Watching Warsaw change before your eyes; exploring Krakow's beautiful old town and staying up late to hit the cellar bars; strolling around Gdansk's historic streets and then heading up to the haunting sands of the Baltic Coast; visiting Auschwitz and praying that such tragedies will never happen again.

In a few words Poland is

Communist buildings, Pope John Paul II, heroic goalkeepers and shipbuilders.

Did you know?

Poland has some of Europe's best mountain, costal and lake scenery and the nation is staunchly Catholic.