A Polish Christmas is very different to Christmas in the UK or USA, but it does have similarities with some other European countries. The Poles take Christmas very seriously and it is mainly focused on family, friends & food, rather than parties, however the work Christmas party is becoming more popular each year. Poland is a very popular destination for visitors from overseas during the festive period, particularly in the main cities such as Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk & Wroclaw where you will find traditional Christmas markets selling an assortment of festive products. Traditionally during Advent, families would bake Christmas gingerbread and use it to make their own decorations.

Auschwitz-Birkenau is synonymous with the Holocaust and the largest attempt at genocide in human history. More than a million Jews, and many Poles and Roma, were murdered here by German Nazis during WWII. Both sections of the camp, Auschwitz I and the much larger outlying Birkenau (Auschwitz II) have been preserved and are open to visitors. Everyone should visit Auschwitz at least once in their lives, it is a stern reminder of the horrors that human beings can inflict on each other and the only way to understand the extent and horror of the place and the atrocities that took place there.

Kraków is one of the oldest cities in Poland and is the administrative capital of the Lesser Poland (Malopolskie) region. Until 1596, the city was Poland's former royal capital, today it is a leading centre of Polish academic, economic, cultural and artistic life and a major tourist destination. Often referred to as one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Kraków’s Old Town had the honour of being declared the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the world. If you’re interested in architecture, Kraków will not let you down. The city features all of the great European architectural styles. The city is Poland’s cultural capital, it hosts a multitude of events and festivals each year.

Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Lower Silesia. It is a university city with an idyllic location on the Odra River and comprises of 12 islands, 130 bridges, riverside parks and numerous historical landmarks such as the Main Market Square, Cathedral Island and Centennial Hall, which is which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wrocław is often referred to as a mini- Kraków due to its cultural attributes and buzzing social scene; however it maintains its own unique and appealing character. The city is a major attraction for both domestic and international tourists and also a major industrial, commercial and educational centre for the region. Since 2005, the city has become well-known for its bronze dwarfs.

The Wieliczka Salt Mine is a UNESCO World Heritage site located around 14km southeast of Kraków and is one of Poland's most popular attractions, welcoming tourists since 1722. Wieliczka Salt Mine is a subterranean labyrinth of tunnels, shafts and chambers, underground saline lakes, chapels with altarpieces, majestic timber constructions and unique statues sculpted in rock salt. The size of the mine is staggering, it reaches a depth of 327m and extends via horizontal passages and chambers for over 287 km distributed over nine levels. Only a small part of the mine is open to the public. The highlight of the mine is a vast chamber housing the ornamented Chapel of St Kinga. Everything that you will see within the chamber is made from salt including altarpieces and chandeliers.

Podlasie (Podlaskie) is primarily rural and remote with the exception of a few urban centres and is located on the east side of Poland bordering Lithuania and Belarus. The voivodeship constitutes a part of the ecologically clean area known as “the Green Lungs of Poland" and is a lush expanse of forest, farmland and lakes boasting four national parks, three Landscape Parks, 88 nature reserves and 15 protected landscape areas. The most famous of the national parks is Bialowieza, which is well-known for two reasons. Firstly, it is home to Europe’s largest land mammal, the European bison and secondly, the park shelters a sizeable chunk of original lowland primeval forest; which has remained undisturbed for hundreds of years.