3 reasons why winter is the best time of the year in Poland

It is axiomatic that Poland is in fact Europe's winter wonderland. Located in the cultural and geographical center of Europe, Poland is a great place to live or visit any time of the year. However, wintertime brings out the very best in this unique and amazing country.

1. During the winter the temperatures tend to be very comfortable in Poland. Because of this, people spend a lot of time outdoors ice skating, horseback riding, skiing, building snowmen, ice fishing, and enjoying the fresh, clear winter air. The air pollution which occurs in some areas is almost non-existent in the winter. Also, during the winter nobody is concerned with the lack of air conditioning. Many Polish people wish that winter would last all year long.

2. Poland’s tremendous beauty is magnified in the winter months. The ice and snow on the trees and bushes illuminate the landscape. The hills and mountains sparkle and shine in the bright winter sunlight. Even the buildings seem to radiate the splendor and vitality of winter’s glory. An example of this is the stunning wintertime facade of Poland’s most sensational building: The Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw. Towering over Poland’s capital city like an invincible Soviet Trojan horse, the Palace of Culture and Science seems almost surreal when viewed against the backdrop of the dazzling Polish wintertime landscape. Indeed, so much of the uniqueness of the world-famous Polish architecture is enhanced by each icicle which dangles so delicately from the most innocuous of origins –an evacuated balcony, a rusty gutter, an inactive flower pot, a forgotten shovel resting idly on the edge of a rooftop - transforming metal, glass, and stone into a breathtaking scaffolding of Slavic beauty and artistry. The most otherwise uninspiring commieblock residential buildings seem to vibrate with life when decorated by winter’s paintbrush.

3. Poles wear their most fashionable and memorable clothing during the winter. A wide variety of fur coats can be seen on the happy babcie (mad as Hell) wandering the streets. Fox, rabbit, chinchilla, mink, ermine, and sable coats are not only comfortable and economical, but they make one appear to radiate with an enchanting beauty which must be seen to be fully understood. Consider the wide variety of stylish boots that can be seen in the wintertime. The snow and ice reveal footprints of white boots, suede boots, leather boots, yellow boots, red boots, snakeskin boots, and black boots, among others. Polish women fill their closets with their boots and keep the rest in the kitchen next to the kiełbasa rack. White boots are very common in Nowy Sącz and Kraków. In Wrocław as well as in the villages of southwestern Poland, black leather jack boots are particularly common among the gentlemen. This, of course, is a tradition reflecting their noble Silesian heritage. Between Christmas and Ash Wednesday, shiny red boots can be seen adorning the women in Lublin and the Lublin Voivodeship. After Ash Wednesday, however, the shiny red boots are put in storage and are replaced by thigh-high black leather boots. Definitely do not overlook footprints in the snow (and their origins) when spending the winter in Poland.

As we have seen, Poland’s many magnificent features are even more majestic when experienced during the winter. Can you think of additional reasons why winter is the best time of the year to experience Poland?

WTF??

You are romanticizing and describing a Poland that is not 90% of the country. Most of it is miserable during the winter. Sure anyone can look at an idyllic mountain post card view and say it's nice but that's not the day to day reality.

You must be wired oddly if you think the winter temperatures tend to be "comfortable".

1. The big mountain of rubbish just outside of Warsaw is covered in snow making it more pleasing on the eye

2. I get to wear my padded ski trousers even if i,m not skiing

3. The local council in the miss,s district erect a free covered ice skating rink that I haven,t used in 4 years

Poland the cultural center of Europe? I think you have a severe case of wishful thinking. And besides: eastern Europe ... too close to Siberia .. too cold ... ;)

Well, there's a bit of both. Snow brings a nice look to things and covers some ugly buildings ;) ;) However, it is treacherous underfoot for old folk. I wear shoes with grip and I still hit ice patches. It took the council a day and an age to put grit down and they did nothing to combat the slippery sludge that followed the slight thaw.

Still, the ski slopes are pretty but Scotland offers much of the same, albeit on a smaller scale. I imagine the Nordic countries to offer a lot by way of alpine sports and let's not forget that Austria, Italy and Switzerland have more challenging ski slopes than Poland. Let's just say that Poland is very nice and idyllic in winter but drop the 'winter wonderland' and implication of the best, crap.

1. snowboarding
2. most diseases are frozen and killed
3. lots of soup and casseroles by the fire watching films
4. you can get warm in the winter but its hard to be cool in the summer

1) Lots of places to eat those warm foods that WB referred to. Esp chaty.

2) I get to look like the Michelin man, wearing my big jackets that puff up my build ;) ;)

3) I get cooled down nicely after sweating my a** off running around a really warm gym.

Yer rite, you tell that to the big Q of people outside of the 24hour Abteka,s in Warsaw

Actually most are not killed when frozen...they just go dormant and can come back alive when warmed up. See another reason winter in Poland sucks ;)

Besides more disease gets spread around in winter in Poland because people are in such close quarters. And for some reason Poles do not cover themselves when sneezing and coughing in public. I guess they think it's fine to spread their disease all over everyone else around them. Anyone who has lived there has gotten the wet mist on the back of their neck on the metro...worse yet right in your face. Savages.

PolishNutjob

I can,t stop crying through laughing so much.

Winter is the dead time of year in Poland.

oh, my sides; its killing me !!!

Please, please..... no more !!!

Tickled Pink get out while you can. There is a whole world outside of Poland full of smiling people and 30 day exchange policies on defective goods. I cried a lot too when I lived there. Stepping off the plane on departure was like the world's best antidepressant :))

Ah, but it is 'axiomatic' that it is the winter wonderland, LOL ;)

The market squares are dead and people suffer from SAD due to the nights drawing in early. Maybe that's why he called it a 'wonderland' ;)

It looks like he has managed to cut&paste the content from a book. Happy babcie? Now I know he is on drugs or having a laugh.

Where was the mention of the yellow snow? Or the red snow after nights out?

Commie blocks never come alive. Tell your GF to switch off the multiple vibrators ;)

I'm just waiting for those icicles dangling over you to drop and then we'll see how magnificent they are as multiple 'kurwas' are shouted.

After all who wouldn't love to step in a deep puddle of ice water that was hidden under the ungroomed snow while the wind is howling at you blowing your hat off? Who could resist the charms of brown slush smeared all over the floors of all shops and having to walk 100m to find a path through the parked cars and mountains the snow plows piled up blocking all normal ways across the road? How could ANYONE not love sweating their arses off inside all the shops as they turn the heat up 3 times the normal room temperature making it a balmy 80C inside? Sounds like heaven :)

I think winter is good cause mosquitoes get dead.

Alternatively, there is a remedy for those who are burdened by the temperate wintertime climate in Poland. Simply huddle around the kiełbasa rack in your pursuit of warmth and solace.


Perhaps sadly - untrue.


Neither.
The observations are based on serious, painstaking anthropological and ethnological research. Be advised that this research is both assiduous and ongoing.

Now let us examine the context of the happy babcie reference: " ... the happy babcie (mad as Hell) wandering the streets."

The beloved babcie are simultaneously "happy" and "mad as Hell." This is a point which cannot be overemphasized. Failure to grasp this is to neglect the underlying pathology of these wandering, fur-clad matriarchs. As living testaments to the glory and grandeur of the Polish triumph, these dignified grand dames wandering the streets ooze the essence of what it is to be Polish from every pore of their weather-beaten bodies.

Appreciate them.
Cherish them.
Without them we wouldn't have the Poland that we treasure and embrace today.

I think you fooled even yourself with that one ;) ;)

So it's all about the babcias, is it? Wow, talk about going nowhere fast.

geez, there are at least 100 reasons why Winter is no good at no time, lol

Ha ha,polish babcias are so funny.Damn.When they comment on sth and have this polish expression.I like babcias.

so, when was the last winter that you have survived in Poland? and where?

I lived in a building with mostly old folks. In the beginning when I didn't really speak any Polish I was always getting stuck in the lift with a few of them chattering away. I just smiled and shook my head "yes" a lot and it seemed to work because they smiled back and just kept talking. They either thought I was the nicest yank in the world or the dumbest.

One reason is because less British stag parties want to run around naked in -25.

LESS being the predominant word here.

Is it still the best time of year ?????

YAWWWWWWWWWN !!!!!!!!

Wake me up in the spring.

3 reasons why spring is the best time of year in Poland :

1. winter has ended

2. no snow

3. you can see the potholes again

Rubbish, all my Polish friends cover their mouths when the sneeze.

Being cold is better than being hot but I don't think Poland temperatures are "Comfortable" in the winter.

Winter 2010 here, in Poland:
At beginning -35*C, 40 centimeters of snow, now [today] +9*C, so all that snow turn to water and go to our basements :)

I forgot about that one. Anyone tried taking defective goods back to M1, they look at you like you have two heads!

None of your friends must ride public transport in Warsaw because I can assure you most there do not cover.

Warsaw and public transport was not mentioned, a slight reference to the metro was.

Poles in public places was stated.

My friends are in Lodz, I have one friend in Warsaw who covers her mouth on the metro if she sneezes.

You would have to be purposefully obtuse to not get my intent. So I can conclude you just wish to argue. You need to find someone else to do that with sorry.

I'm not wanting to argue.

I stated that my friends cover up because Warsaw was not mentioned. I only saw the Metro reference when I re read the post to see what i missed.