ELECTRICITY
- 230 Volts AC, 50 Hertz. European type connections, sockets/plugs are used.

EMERGENCY NUMBER
If you have a problem use the free emergency numbers to call for help. Please note - there are not many English speaking operators. POLICE 997, FIRE BRIGAOE 998, AMBULANCE 999. When using a mobile phone dial - 112.

SHOPPING
Most shops are open on weekdays from around 10.00 and close at 19.00. On Saturdays they usually close at 14.00. Most supermarkets and galleries are open 7 days a week usually from 09.00 till 22.00, on weekends till 21.00.

SMOKING
It is forbidden to smoke in public places such as railway stations, airports, department stores, shops, any forms of public transportation, cinemas, waiting rooms, bus stops (nobody respects that), banks and all places of a similar public nature.

!!! CUISINE - WHAT YOU MUST TASTE !!!

SOUPS
Polish sour rye soup (zurek) - number one and one of the culinary musts in Poland - a vegetable soup flavored with fermented bread with cooked white sausage, garlic and onions. In some restaurants it is served inside a loaf of bread.

Sauerkraut soup (kapusniak) - a typical Polish winter soup based on sauerkraut, ribs, mushrooms and onions.

Beetroot soup (barszcz) - classic beetroot soup usually served with little dumplings filled with meat or round pancakes stuffed with cabbage or meat (paszteciki) usually served as an accompaniment.

MAIN COURSES
Hunters stew (bigos) - Poland's national dish made with boiled sauerkraut, sausages, spare ribs and a variety of ingredients (some have mushrooms, while others contain apples, venison, lamb or beef)

Pierogi - do not leave Poland without trying all of them. Check the menu for flour pierogi filled with meat or cabbage (or both), potatoes with cottage cheese and onions (ruskie), or with fruit. They can be served boiled or baked with butter or other fat. Absolutely delicious.

Sausages (kielbasa) - and what a variety - they can be cold, cooked, smoked, or grilled. We have the classic sausages, or the white ones. Find the best way you like them and enjoyl

Breaded pork chops (kotlet schabowy) - a classic Polish dinner accompanied by puree, tomatoes and a side dish of hot cabbage or a mixed salad. If you drink beer with this meal you will feel very Polishl Venison (dziczyzna) - this special kind of meat which you either love or do not like is rather expensive and not so easy to find. When you are in a good restaurant try a dish of venison, the taste is quite unique.

OTHERS
Bread (chleb) - bread is important for traditional and religious Poles. Many people kiss the bread if it is dropped on the ground and never throw it into a basket. Traditionally before cutting the first slice the sign of cross was made over the bread. Bear in mind that playing with bread may offend some traditional Polish people. The wholesome and natural ingredients make Polish bread uniquely delicious. Try it just with garlic butter or as a popular every day sandwich.

lillie hoofs (kopytka) - boiled dumplings made of mashed potatoes and flour, with meats making a change from potatoes. Potato pancakes (placki ziemniaczane) - deep fried potatoe pancakes can be served with salmon and sour cream, sauces or just with a sprinkling of sugar.

WHAT TO DRINK
BEER - produced by major European companies in Poland but on nationals recipes, Zywiec, Tyskie, Lech are light, Belfast, Porter are dark. You can taste local produced beer in some restaurants and there are 2 breweries which serve beer produced from grain on location.

VODKA – Poland is producing onet of the best vodka’s in the world. The selection and variety is enormous. Wyborowa is the most popular white vodka brand. This is followed by zubrowka with that special grass to give it that wonderful, smooth taste, and colour (perfect with an apple juice chaser) or the unique Goldwasser (from Gdansk) with its flakes of gold floating about inside. Remember. To be consumed in moderation as a souvenir at home.

WHAT TO BUY
JEWELRY Amber and silver jewelry are very popular for special gifts. They are a bit more expensive but for those who like giving this kind of gift there is no better place to find something unique than in Poland. Hand made pictures often on glass or wood can be purchased from artists who sell in popular tourists spots around the city, for example in the Old Town district square.

ART AND FOLK PRODUCTS - Handmade wooden toys, wooden boxes or very special chess sets. The ornamentation varies and depends on what region the article comes from. The same goes for hand made table cloths or every kind of lacework. These are available in most touristy areas and the Cepelia shops. There are wicker baskets and larger pieces of furniture which are very interesting.

What you have to know about Poland?

Climate - temperate. Four distinct seasons of the year. Spring - full of surprises, in March and April it can just as easily be warm and sunny as cold and rainy, even snowy. Summer - warm (temperatures can go up to the thirties Centigrade), occasionally rainy, the best time of year for visiting the country. Autumn - very colourful, sunny, rainy towards the end, a good time for lovers of forest walks. Winter - temperatures hover around zero (and are often well below zero), with snow guaranteed only in the mountains. Due to the capricious nature of the weather Poles regularly watch the TV weather forecast.

Health services - better to buy insurance cover, as private treatment is expensive. There is a full range of drugs in the pharmacies. Some countries have reciprocal contracts with Poland for free treatment on the national health service for their citizens.

Churches - it is not advised to plan visits on Sundays or religious holidays. Poles are a religious nation and during masses churches are crowded. No piictures may be taken during a service. Going into a church scantily dressed (e.g. in beachwear) is frowned upon.

Telephones - the whole country is within range for mobile telephones. Fixed-line calls, especially international ones are among the most expensive in Europe.

E-mail - you can use email in Internet cafes found in all the larger towns and cities. Most companies have email and private use is becoming more and more widespread.

Safety - crime rates are among the lowest in Europe. Better, however, not to go in the evening to places tour guides and friends have warned you about. Purse-snatching doesn't really figure large, though it is necessary to be on the look-out for pick-pockets, especially in crowded trams, buses and trains. It is not advisable to leave radios or other valuables in your car.

Religious holidays
Movable feasts - Easter and Corpus Christi
August 15th - Assumption of the Virgin Mary
November 1st - All Saints' Day (the commemoration of the dead)
December 25th and 26th - Christmas

Secular holidays
January 1st - New Year's Day
May 1st - May Day (Labour Day)
May 3rd - Constitution Day (a national holiday celebrating the May 3rd 1791 Constitution)
November 11th - Independence Day (a national holiday celebrating the restoration of independence in 1918).