For the majority of Vietnamese people, Poland is familiar for its long-standing relationship with Vietnam but for those who witness such a traditional friendship, the Central European country is much more than that. 
Poland flag. Photo: Shutterstock
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Geography: Located in the Central Europe, the Republic of Poland is bounded on the west by Germany and shares border with Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, Lithuania and RussianKaliningrad Oblast to the northeast, and the Baltic Sea to the north.
Covering an area of 312,696 square kilometers which is almost equivalent to Vietnam’s (331,210 sq.km), Poland has a largely temperate seasonal climate.
With more than 3,500 kilometers of land border, Poland is “open” to the world, mostly after the country became a member of the European Union (EU) in 2004. Since then, its border crossings with Slovakia, Lithuania, Germany, and the Czech Republic (fellow EU countries) were removed, following provisions of the Schengen Agreement.
Tatra National Park. Photo: Poland.pl
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Landscape: Poland, however, has everything you might want to visit -- from beautiful forests, impressive mountain ranges, to the idyllic seaside and amazing lakes.
Poland appears to be a country with extraordinary landscapes with famous mountains in the south, like Tatra, Beskidy, Bieszczady, and Karkonosze, and fantastic forests and lakes in the north.
In addition, the country is home to fantastic historical cities like Krakow, Wroclaw, Poznan, Gdansk, Warszawa, Zamosc, Lancut, Lodz, Lublin, and many more.
Warszawa. Photo: EUstartups
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Warsaw, Krakow and Gdansk are the top-of-mind destinations. Warsaw is known for high-end shopping, Krakow as the backpackers’ favorite, and Gdansk for sight-seeing and other old towns. Meanwhile, you will find colorful buildings in Wroclaw and Wieliczka providing you with salt mines. If you have more time, go outside the cities and hike up the mountains, forests and lakes in the countryside.
Krakow. Photo: Hello magazine
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Among attractions, Krakow is known as the pearl on the crown, jewel of Poland and of central Europe. It is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland and a former capital of one of Eastern Europe’s largest countries. For centuries, Krakow has been a leading center of Polish cultural, academic, and economic life. It is a city not to be missed when visiting Europe, according to Travellingking.
Poland is described to contain the combination of medieval and modern traits with its enchanting castles, trade squares, and salt mines together with a modern European flair made up by shopping areas and trendy nightclubs.
Wawel castle in Krakow. Photo: Shutterstock
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If you’re looking for a romantic getaway destination, Poland offers many options. Krakow charms visitors with its historical landmarks, craft shops, cozy cafés, and picturesque cobbled streets.
International visitors admit that one of the best things about Poland is its scenic walks. Expect to find colorful establishments, cobblestone roads, bustling town squares, towering castles, and green parks dotted with flowers in full bloom.
Gdansk. Photo: The Independent
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Sovereignty defense: What makes Poland different is its bravery that was proven through more than 1,000 years of state history – the history of glory and defeat. In the long history of founding and defending sovereignty, Poland regained its independence after more than 120 years in 1918.
Wroclaw. Photo: Poland.pl
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Language: Polish is a difficult language full of exceptions and strange pronunciation. American famous writer Henry Miller said one thing he likes about the Poles is their language as Polish once spoken by intelligent people puts him in ecstasy.
“The sound of the language evokes strange images in which there is always a greensward of fine spiked grass in which hornets and snakes play a great part”
“They hissed their long polychromatic words through tiny, sensual mouths whose lips were soft as geraniums. These furious sorties with adders and rose petals made an intoxicating sort of music, a steel−stringed zithery slipper−gibber which could also register anomalous sounds like sobs and falling jets of water,” the famous writer described.
Culture: Poland is rich in culture. The country has 16 UNESCO World Heritage Sites including 15 cultural ones.
Polish. Photo: Historica
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People: With more than 38.5 million people, Poland is the sixth most populous member state of the EU.
Notably, Poland gave birth to 17 Nobel Prize winners and other world-renowned personalities in science and religion.
Marie Curie and Nicolas Copernicus are both from Poland, alongside other Nobel Prize winners in literature like Henryk Sienkiewicz, Władysław Reymont, Wisława Szymborska, Czesław Miłosz, and Lech Wałęsa. Pope John Paul II is also of Polish descent.
Polish are hospitable and some of the most generous and accommodating people. They’ll feed you until you can’t fit in your pants anymore.
Polish people know how to party. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a summer music festival, a regular Friday night, or a friend’s wedding, people always find a good reason to celebrate.
For many visitors, Polish men are romantics, saying that they’re the last species on Earth who still keep the habit of kissing women’s hands. The gesture is also done as a greeting and seen as a deep sign of respect, friendship and compassion for a woman.
Meanwhile, Polish women are “always ravishingly beautiful, the blonde houri type garnered centuries ago during the Crusades,” Henry Miller had exclaimed.
