10 Interesting Facts About Poland

Every country has its own charm, but Poland smells of pierogi, milk bars and great air. Yes, you read that right, although it is not a bar where you can drink milk. In fact, it is a type of restaurant where the menu and dishes are served at (very) low prices. There are many places to discover in Poland on foot, by bus or by train. You just have to choose which areas attract our attention the most. Getting lost in Gdansk, Warsaw or Krakow are probably the most “traditional” options, but there are many routes. Whatever you decide, there are interesting facts about Poland that are universal.

The ninth largest country in Europe

wawel-royal castle-krakow-poland

Eighth, if Russia is not included. Poland may be a country that flies under the radar, but it is not small. In fact, it is one of the largest. It is larger than Italy and the UK.

The name of Poland (Polska) has a meaning

state-flag-of-poland-with-coat-of-arms-of-arms

It comes from the name Polanie, which means "people living in open areas."

The city has been almost completely restored.

Warsaw, Poland panorama

Warsaw is a city of contrasts. The Old Town that you can see is not the real old town before the war. The original was completely bombed in the 1940s, and the Poles rebuilt it using special paints. That's why it looks like it's from the 14th century, not the 20th.

Marie Curie was actually Polish

Image of the embankment of the city of Szczecin, Poland.

Marie Curie, the woman who discovered polonium and radium, was not French, but Polish. Her name was Maria Sklodowska before she married Frenchman Pierre Curie. She was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, the first and only woman to win it twice, and the only person to win the Nobel Prize in two different sciences.

The heaviest animals in Europe live in Poland

Wild flowers at sunset in the mountains. Poland

The Belovezhskaya Pushcha, with an area of 150,000 hectares, is the oldest forest in Europe. It is home to about 800 European bison, the heaviest in Europe.

They are celebrating their name day.

Waving Polish flags.

In addition to birthdays, Poles also celebrate name days, or saint's days. The names associated with each day appear in all Polish calendars, so name days are often more important than birthdays because everyone remembers them.

Mushroom picking is a family activity in Poland

Lublin in Poland

Going into the forest and picking mushrooms is a popular activity for many people in Poland.

Lunch at the oldest restaurant in Europe

Delicious traditional Eastern European vareniki (dumplings) with cheese.

Piwnica Swidnicka, located in Wroclaw, is the oldest restaurant in Europe, opened since 1275.

Typical traditional food that is not official

Szczecin city center, Poland.

A casserole is a baguette cut in half, topped with cheese and mushrooms, drizzled with garlic and mayo... and lots of tomato sauce.

Poland is one of the most religious countries in Europe

Krakow is a city in Poland

In Poland, 92% of the population declare themselves believers. 90,46% of the country's population profess Christianity.