Poland's weather varies across the country. Gdansk shares the mild weather of the Baltic States, with summer highs generally in the upper 60s to low 70s, and winters likewise cool. Further inland, the weather fluctuates more, with summer highs generally in the mid 70s, although Zakopane, being a mountain resort, is almost always a bit cool. We recommend visiting from mid-April to mid-October, keeping in mind that May and September are peak season, when European tourists flock to Poland to take advantage of its weather.

Polish food is hearty, with an emphasis on meats and vegetables (often pickled). Good vegetarian meals aren't hard to find, but vegan ones can be, outside of larger cities. In addition to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Poles often have a hobbit-like second breakfast, and teatime. If you're been to other Slavic countries, some foods will look familiar. Pierogi, dumplings filled with meat or vegetables, are popular street food, and are sold in nearly every restaurant. Soups are important, especially Barszcz (the Polish take on Borscht, the Ukrainian beet soup) and Zurek (a sour soup). Bigos, also known as hunter's stew, is also popular, a mixture of sauerkraut, shredded fresh cabbage, and chopped meats. If you're looking for a savory snack, we recommend trying a Kabanos (also known as Cabanossi), a long, thin sausage folded in half, akin to a less dry German Landjaeger.

Poland’s main cities are all known for their specialties. If you’re in Krakow, we recommend trying the Zapiekanka, open-faced sandwiches made of baguettes sliced in half, and topped with mushrooms, cheese, and other ingredients. In Poznan, we recommend the St. Martin's Croissant, which is served as part of the walking tour we offer there. This croissant is folded 81 times, with a paste composed of poppy seeds, nuts, raisins, almonds, sugar, and butter, inserted between the folds. The whole thing is naturally covered with icing, and yet more nuts and sugar! If you want to eat cheaply, seek out a milk bar, a kind of diner dating back to the communist area, and often little changed since the 70s. Milk bars primarily serve vegetarian and dairy products, and are usually subsidized by the state. Their low prices attract people from all social classes, providing a unique experience.

The Poles are rightfully proud of their "Polish wine," vodka. Poland produces some of the world's best, most of which goes down smoothly. If interested, we recommend trying Zubrowka, vodka blended with bison grass. Polish water is safe to drink.

European Union citizens do not need a visa, as Poland is part of the EU and the list of countries whose citizens do not require a visa covers most countries that our guests come from. This includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Visa and custom requirements can be found on the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Tipping isn't as prevalent in Poland as the US and Poles don't tip much themselves but it is widely expected for foreigners to tip in restaurants or bars. A rule of thumb is roughly 10% in appreciation of satisfactory service, 15% if service is excellent. Leave cash on the table or round up the bill, saying "Raeshty nye chaeba" ("Keep the rest"). If you say "Thank you" when you hand over payment that will also be taken as "keep the rest". Tipping in cash is much preferred to adding the tip to a card payment. If you take a tour and are happy with it, you can tip the tour guide if you wish. Taxi drivers don't necessarily expect a tip but if the ride is smooth, speedy and the cabbie makes an effort to converse, you will probably want to tip in the region of 10%.

Poland's 16 UNESCO World Heritage Sites include several of the country's old towns with market squares, castles, forests, mines, the Auschwitz concentration camp, and several religious sites. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is a unique site close to Krakow and makes for an easy day trip.

There are many sites of religious significance in Poland that you could visit on your custom Polish tour. John Paul II was Archbishop of Krakow and his hometown of Wadowice just a few miles away attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and tourists each year. Poland’s most famous pilgrimage site is Jasna Gora monastery in Czestochowa. The country’s most important religious relic, the Black Madonna, is displayed there. Czestochowa is usually visited on a day trip from Krakow, or as a stop on a private transfer from Krakow to Wroclaw.

Poland is quite safe, with even major cities like Warsaw and Krakow seeing less crime than many cities in Western Europe. As usual, be alert for pickpockets in crowded areas, especially by tourism hotspots. Krakow’s police are known for frequently ticketing jaywalkers, so be wary of shortcuts, even if you’re in a hurry! Poland has historically been infamous for anti-Semitism, but has belatedly been coming to terms with this heritage, especially as many Poles discover their own Jewish roots. Krakow now hosts the largest Jewish festival in Europe, and some areas, such as Krakow, attract large numbers of Jewish tourists.

Unlike with a group tour run by one of the mass-market tour operators, on a JayWay tour you get to decide when you start, which destinations you want to include, how long you want to spend there and what you want to do each day. If you want, you can have some unguided days and just enjoy your free time. Our custom-tailored Poland vacation packages are designed to give you the exact Poland travel experience you want.

It's always a good idea to get travel insurance to cover any eventualities that might occur. Medical costs, though much more reasonable in Europe, are usually not covered by your regular health insurance plan.

Poland has good connections between major cities, but if traveling off the beaten path, highways can be poorly maintained, and trains slow. Warsaw is linked to Krakow, Gdansk, and Poznan by the same modern high-speed trains that Germany and Italy use, making this an excellent way of getting around. Buses are common and cheap, but can take time-consuming, and bus stations are not always as central as train stations. Warsaw aside, Polish cities tend not to have so much parking so we recommend either taking a train between cities, or going by private transfer, which lets you visit places in between, such as Torun or Czestochowa.

Usually, our custom tours of Poland are not escorted. Having a dedicated tour guide and driver available to you for several days isn't cost-effective for a couple or small family group. All our guests traveling in Poland are supported by our on-the-ground staff throughout their trip, by email and cellphone. They, along with our network of trusted drivers and local guides ensure that everything runs smoothly. If you have a larger group of 8 or more then we can arrange for a tour director to make sure your group's itinerary is executed flawlessly.