I am on a mission to visit more Eastern European countries this year. They are underrated, full of culture, and have delicious and cheap food. In June, I decided to cross Poland off my bucket list.
I recently went to Poland by myself. Pour Sama Ansari.
Poland is a country on the Baltic Sea, bordering Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Russia, and I’ve always been drawn to it because of its rustic charm and dumplings.
I spent five days in the capital Warsaw and Lublin, walking around old castles, museums, and eating as much pierogi as I could.
I felt like I had wandered into a fairy tale land of Warsaw and Lublin’s old town. Even though I was traveling alone, I always felt safe and was surprised at how cheap it was. At one point, he bought a salad for $1.
I loved my time there and would love to go again soon. I think everyone looking for a European vacation should consider visiting Poland.
Some parts felt like a time capsule. I spent hours wandering the narrow streets of the old towns in both Warsaw and Lublin.
Old town of Warsaw. Pour Sama Ansari.
Warsaw’s Old Town dates back to the 13th century, but 85% of it was destroyed during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising.
Reconstruction took 40 years and was completed in 1984 after the restoration of the Royal Castle. The aim is to recreate his 18th century appearance of the old town, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I loved walking around Warsaw Old Town. As well as being luxurious, there was so much to do including visiting museums and castles.
Poland is perfect for history buffs. The country has a tragic and significant past, from World War II to life under communism.
Rubin sign marking the site of the former Jewish ghetto, left and Majdanek concentration camp in Lublin. Pour Sama Ansari.
Before World War II, Poland had 3.3 million Jews. According to Israel’s Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem, only 380,000 people remained at the end of the war.
In Lublin, there were signs on the streets marking the site of what was once a Jewish ghetto, or segregated slum. I also visited the Majdanek concentration camp, which was widely considered to be one of six death camps operated by the Nazis during their occupation of Poland.
As tragic as it was, I was grateful to learn about it from survivors. There were also video clips in which they narrated their experiences on the day they were released.
Poland has a lot more history to explore. See retro arcade games at the Krakow Pinball Museum, and see historic aircraft on display at the Polish Aviation Museum.
It is also necessary to visit Poland for food. It’s voluminous, meaty, and cheap. The average meal, including appetizers and drinks, costs him $7.50.
I still dream of Polish dumplings. Pour Sama Ansari.
I’m a big fan of dumplings, so of course I had to try the pierogi. Pierogi are Polish dumplings usually filled with pork and vegetables. For one meal, I chose mushroom pierogi fried in butter (pictured). It was like an explosion of flavor with every bite.
We also had a hearty bowl of chicken soup (pictured on the right). Perfect for when the weather is bad.
Transportation is cheap, accessible, and reliable.
Public transport in Poland was affordable. Pour Sama Ansari.
Warsaw had frequent trains, trams and buses, and Lublin had buses and trolleybuses.
Riding the Warsaw tram was a particular favorite of mine. A one-way ticket costs 2.20 Polish złoty, or about $0.50, and can be purchased from the tram’s ticket machine. In my experience, there was no need to download a transport app as bus and tram times are clearly indicated.
If you don’t like public transportation, we found that Uber is also affordable. In Warsaw, he took an Uber to his hotel every night, and the 20-minute trip never cost him more than $5.50.
I felt very safe during the trip. People were staying home and we didn’t see any of the typical tourist scams.
I felt safe in Poland. Pour Sama Ansari.
Even though I was traveling alone in Poland, I felt very safe. I’m from London and in my experience London tourist areas often have scammers trying to take advantage of tourists. But in Poland we saw nothing like that.
Of course, I also learned to be more attentive, which made me feel more secure. I never went out late at night, I never drew attention to myself, and my family always knew where I was.
After a whirlwind five days exploring old towns, museums, and eating delicious food, I think Poland is a must-stop on your next trip to Europe.
Old town of Warsaw. Pour Sama Ansari.
Poland is one of 33 countries eligible for a Eurail pass. You can find direct flights from the US to various cities such as Warsaw and Krakow.
If you plan on stopping in Poland during your trip to Europe, you can also get cheap flights from many European cities depending on the time of year.
Correction: December 7, 2023 — An earlier version of this article incorrectly characterized the Majdanek concentration camp. It was a Nazi concentration camp, not a Polish concentration camp. The article also incorrectly stated the number of concentration camps the Nazis established during their occupation of Poland. It was widely believed that there were six death camps, including Majdanek, but there were far more concentration camps.
