Contradicting its underestimation, Poland has something to offer for all its visitors. The reason being that the nation is simply blessed with different sites catering to different moods – view of its hilly south for memorable skiing and hiking; the astonishing ancient towns of Krakow, Zamosc, and Gdansk; the nature’s home in the Bialowieza National Park; and the Great Malsurian Lakes in the north for boating refreshment.

For beach lovers, the Baltic coast on the north provides a few admirable beaches ranging over 500 km (300 miles) with bays, sheer cliffs, and dunes. On the other hand, for nature admirers, the Slowinski National Park offers unearthly forests, bogs, and wandering dunes. The Great Malsurian Lakes has hundreds of unspoiled lakes made by the thick forest as a gift to boating fans. For the history hunters, the Krakow-Wielun Highland offer caves and medieval fortresses.

Polish is the formal language of Poland. However, you will find German, English, and Russian being also spoken.

Tourists’ Attractions

• Warsaw:
  This is the capital of Poland that was almost demolished in the World War II. However, today it attracts tourists from the far corners of the world. This ancient city was then rebuilt taking into consideration its original plans and paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries. Just half a century old, it is just incredible to accept so while walking along its old-fashioned paved lanes. A famous view of the city can be taken from the 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science that is an architectural marvel gifted in 1953 from Stalin as a sign of ‘Polish-Soviet Friendship’.

• Warsaw Rising Museum:
  This museum hosts films, testimonials, slides, and artifacts.
• Chopin’s House:
  This is the mansion house marking the birthplace of Frederick Chopin in Zelazowa Wola located at a distance of 53 km (32 miles) west of Warsaw. You can expect a charming park, concerts during summer, and 19th century equipments and instruments.
• Zamosc:
  This ancient town holds the Renaissance-pattern market square along with the well-maintained 16th century town centre. This is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Auschwitz:
  Holding the memories of one the darkest events in human history, the city pay homage to the victims of the holocaust at Oswiecim-Birkenau (Auschwitz-Birkenau) concentration camp. This is at a distance of 70 km (43 miles) from Krakow offering you a soothing journey.
• Krakow Gate:
  Originally erected in the late 14th century, this monument was restyled in 1782 that is an architectural figure of Lublin. Holding a historical museum, this gate is the main door to enter the Old Town.
• Krakow:
  Considered as the country’s majestic capital, this city is a preserved architectural wonder that has survive against several wars. Listed as one of UNESCO’s 12 most noteworthy historical sites, its medieval environs will attract you. The attractions here include the central Market Square (the largest one in the continent) and the Cloth Hall in its center, which was reinstated in the 19th century using the 14th century merchants’ stands. Still more to add; visit the Jagiellonian University since 1364, former Jewish quarter, Kazimierz containing the Remuh Synagogue (1553), and Wawel Fortress holding the largest number of 16th century tapestries in the world and being the home of a gothic cathedral.
• Wieliczka Salt Mine:
  Possessing 350 km length of corridors, its 2 km (1.2 miles) corridors are only reachable by the visitors. The visitors’ journey here 64 to 135 m beneath the land that displays imposing chambers, bas-reliefs, chandeliers, and a salt chapel.
• The Black Madonna Icon:
  Famous as the magical painting of Our Lady, this icon is kept in the big Jasna Gora monastery complex at Czestochowa located at a distance of 100 km (60 miles) north of Krakow. It is alleged that St. Luke has painted it.
• Wroclaw (Breslau):
  This is the city holding 100 bridges most of which are across canals or link 12 islands of the city. Attractions for the visitors here are the 15th century Town Hall that is a historical museum today, the Ethnographic Museum enclosed in the Royal Palace, and the Cathedral on Ostrow Tumski (Cathedral Island).
• Gdansk:
  Attractions here are St. Mary’s Basilica that is the largest gothic church in the country, the beach resort of nearby Sopot with the continent’s longest jetty (500 m), the forested Hel Peninsula, the Kashubian Lakeland, and the Teutonic fortresses at Malbork and Gniew.
• Torun:
  This is the gothic walled town where visitors love to take a leisure walk. It is also the home of the astronomer Nicholas Copernicus.
• Hiking:
  Try this out in a few national parks and nature reserves – the Kampinos National Park, near Warsaw and the Bieszczady National Park – part of the Carpathian mountain range housing the brown bear, lynx, wolf, and wildcat.
• Bialowieza National Park:
  Holding 400 years old trees, this park is the last major shelter of the European bison and houses many more rare species. Nature trails, cycling, and exploring with a warden are the attractions here.

• Horse Riding:
  The Polish countryside offer many riding schools for this activity. For those who are just beginners, they might ride on a Hucul who is a rare mountain pony of Poland.
• Mushroom Picking:
  A polish tradition offering several varieties, this activity can be performed while walking in the woods in the early autumn.
• Tatras:
  This is famous for its alpine diversions.
• Zakopane:
  This is popular for its climbing and winter sports. In addition, do not miss to visit the charming valley of Koscieliska, the mountain of Kasprowy Wierch, and the glacial lake Morskie Oko.
• Beaches:
  You can find them on the Baltic Coast in north. The resorts of the Pomeranian coast, such as Kolobrzeg and Leba (white sandy beach) are popular. The beach at Leba is linked with the Slowinski National Park famous for its shifting sands.
• Hel Peninsula:
  This site is free from over population and that you can reach here by foot or on bike to relax at its beaches or spend time at a campsite.

• Malsurian Lake District:
  Offering more than 1,000 lakes, this is famous boating site that can make you visit its other several lakes and canals. Lake Hancsa is the deepest lake here. This site is just worth seeing when the local people of Mikolajki and Gizycko towns arrange festivals and vibrant events.
• Canoeing:
  This is best on the sites of Brodnica, Mysliborz lakelands, or the rivers of Brda, Czarna, Hancza, and Obra.

Enclosed by Sweden on its west, Norway on north, and Russia to the east, the state holds trees that in count are far more than its population. The 69% of the northern coniferous region itself is occupied by the pine forests, while the south and southwest are covered pine, fir, and birch. In Lapland to its far north, the spread dwarf birches take you to the Arctic tundra. Being managed from a long time, the national forests offer timber that is required for furniture, paper, fibreboards, domestic heating, and warming 1.6 million saunas.

If on one side the nation provides amazing opportunities for trekkers, mountain-bikers, cross-country skiers, and water sports enthusiasts; on the other hand, 35 national parks scattered 8,000 sq. km. offer spot birds, reindeer, elks, and bears. Finland is famous for its technological innovations, the renowned one being Nokia.

Finland Tourist Attractions

• Helsinki:
  This is the capital of Finland that offers parks, forests, and water. For the historians, its marvelous architecture exhibits its Russian and Swedish events and contemporary structures are the gift of Finnish designers. It attracts tourists with its splendid museums, better quality shopping, and the Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress listed as the World Heritage site.

• Turku:
  This is the most ancient town that stands across the Aland Sea in Sweden. Attractions here are its medieval fortress, cathedral, several captivating museums, and a boat trip in night along the Aurajoki River.
• Lakeland:
  Known as the Heart of Finland, this is an adventurous site for swimmers, canoeists, and boating. It is also famous for its serene tranquility of sunsets.
• Karelia:
  This district offers Orthodox Christian culture, conventional villages, and religious festivals whose origin dates back to centuries. The region is divided by the Russian border and is also the spiritual site of the Kalevala – an epic Finnish poem.
• Aland Islands:
  This is the region that is adjacent to Sweden culturally and geographically, this offers a pleasing sea legacy, oldest churches, and cycling and water sports in summers.
• Jyvaskyla:
  This is an attractive Lakeland university offering buildings belonging to the proud 20th century architecture – Alvar Aalto. Further, Jyvaskyla has also hosted the recent World Rally Championship.
• Savonlinna:
  After exploring the opportunities for camping, bird watching, and water sports on its forests and lakes, do visit its medieval fortress and its summer opera festival in July.

• Lapland:
  This is the Arctic North that is famous for its overwhelming wilderness, Sami culture, three amazing national parks, and some 3,00,000 reindeer.
• Inari:
  This is a miniature hamlet and capital of Sami culture in Lapland. This offers the eye-catching Siida museum of Sami culture and the wilderness church where reindeer herders meet. For trekkers and gold panners, the close by Lemmonjoki National Park is ideal and is the largest in the nation.
• Rovaniemi:
  A region to access Lapland, this is a place for children where sites are themed on the Santa Claus. Do visit the Rovaniemi’s Arktikum where you can become familiar with the ecology and anthropology of the Arctic region and explore the iced-up life of Lapland.
• Kuopio:
  This is famous for its outdoor activities in the lakes and forests, particularly, ski jumping and cross-country skiers in the winter trails at Puijo Hill.
• Kilpisjarvi:
  Lying between Sweden and Norway, just trek from this hamlet to reach the Saana or Haltia Fell – the highest peak that offers a stunning scene covering the three countries.
• Pohjanmaa:
  Located along the west coast near Vaasa, this area is also known as Ostrobothnia. Attractions here are long beaches, forested islands with elks, and pretty wooden villages such as Jakobstad and Kristinestad.
• Oulu:
  This is among the most captivating cities in Finland during summers where you are invited by the stalls full of wild berries and seasonal items. Do not forget to visit the Hailuoto Island that is situated offshore as the home of birds.
• Trekking:
  Do take your hiking boots and use them on one of finest trekking routes particularly interesting in Lapland. Do so in early autumn when trees and vegetation sprung up exhibiting multiple colors for the Ruska season.
• Skiing:
  The most thrilling time for this sport is during the icy winters when cross-country skiing is what one can look for. Offering many tracks throughout its area, Finland also has tracks in its national parks. For downhill skiing and snowboarding, access the hills of Lapland.
• Water Sports:
  These include water-skiing, jet skiing, and sailing on the superb more than 1000 lakes of the Lakeland region. Skiing is both memorable on snow and waters. All facilities are provided by several holiday cottages and outdoor centres.
• Dog Sledding:
  This is famous in the traditional and snowy Arctic region and its several centres exist in Lapland along with Harriniva. The first Arctic Barents Race will occur through Russia, Finland, Sweden, and Norway in 2010.
• Saunas:
  Lighten yourself in a typical steamy sauna experience in hotels and holiday cottages. The most famous ones are offered by the Kotiharjun public sauna in Helsinki’s Kallio district and the Jätkänkämppä smoke sauna in periphery of Kuopio.
• Polar Night Lights:
  Referring to the captivating Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), these rays reach until skies and make you feel as there is some light show going on in the sky. This occurs at the polar night (kaamos) – November to May.
• Midsummer:
  This is the time when sun seems to never go down the horizon and during which the region enjoys 24-hour daylight. Thousands of native people flock to their mokkit (summer cottages) to make holiday in outdoors.
• Festivals:
  In Oulu, air-guitarists participate in strange rock mimes, while in the Wife-Carrying World Championships in Sonkajarvi, husbands pull their wives. In Naantali, every 27th July observed as the Sleepyhead Day, the laziest inhabitant is thrown into the sea.
• Canoeing and Rafting:
  This is possible due to lakes and rivers. Best sites are Saimaa, Lake Oulujarvi, and Lake Inari for paddlers, while for white-water rafting; sites are Kukkolankoski rapids and Oulanka National Park.

• Design Tours:
  Finland is world wide popular for its designer tours of Helsinki, architectural tours, jewelry, ceramics, glassware, and traditional wooden structures tours too.