4 Underrated Destinations To Visit In One Of Europe’s Safest Countries
If you’ve been toying with our recently-launched Traveler Dashboard lately, the must-have tool for Americans going abroad, you’ve probably realized that, in the midst of the turmoil and chaos that is Europe lately, there’s an unlikely black sheep in the family.
Though it is bordered to the West by Germany, a country currently being engulfed by sectarian violence and rising tides of social distrust, and to the East by Ukraine (of all places!!!), where a literal three-year-long war is still raging on, Poland is surprisingly… chill.
Safe, welcoming, and affordable, with a lower crime rate than the metropolitan region of Paris alone—let alone France—zero terror plots in recent years, and a stellar record of keeping its border tightly shut and secure, regardless of geopolitical developments.
If you’re walking on the streets of Poland, be it a large city or some small village in Northern Pomerania, hoodied thugs wielding kitchen knives are the last of your concerns. And to be fair, the occasional angry-looking Polish babcia on her Sunday market haul is menacing enough.
But you’ve probably heard of Warsaw and Krakow before. We’re not here to flog a tourist cliché, again.
Here are 5 truly underrated gems to explore in one of Europe’s safest countries right now. Places that, you know, make you wonder why people even bother with Western Europe still.
PLUS: We’ve built an interactive quiz for you at the end of this article to find your perfect match!
Gdańsk
Straddling the Baltic Sea, on one of the most beautiful, yet lesser-visited regions in Europe—hello Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn—Gdańsk is a fourth regional capital of the sorts. It currently exists under Poland, but it was once German, at one point, even a powerful city state in its own right.
Though severely damaged in World War II, it saw a complete makeover in recent times, with much of the beautiful medieval center being restored to its former glory.
We’re talking those beautiful skinny townhouses, three to four storeys tops, covered in colorful German motifs, winding streets lined with decorated front porches that spill onto the cobblestones, and a monumental red-brick church, St. Mary’s, towering above gabled roofs.
Truly, the townscape here looks like the closest thing you can get to a storybook scene in real life.
To the culture buffs out there, don’t miss the Żuraw, Europe’s best-preserved medieval crane, perched on the banks of Motława River. WWII enthusiast? Westerplatte, on the outskirts of town, just happens to be the place where it all started, where Germans first invaded and kickstarted the war.
Craving that lively milk bar vibe, with delicious pierogi and malt-rich draught beer? Check out the canteen-style Bar Turystyczny. Yep, it’s literally called Tourist Bar, but it’s the best kind of tourist trap you’ll ever walk into, and psst… want to know a secret? Even locals secretly love it.
Poland Entry Rules Are Changing
Poland is changing its Entry Requirements this year in line with the European Union’s new directives. Soon enough, Americans will need to get fingerprinted and registed digitally upon arriving to Poland.
Later in the year, a mandatory Electronic Travel Authorization (ETIAS) will be enforced, meaning you can no longer travel to Poland, or the wider EU, completely visa-free.
Stay up to date with travel rules applying to Poland using the Entry Requirement Checker.
Toruń
I’m not sure about you, but given his Latin-sounding name, I once believed Nicolaus Copernicus would have been born somewhere in Italy. I was way off-mark on this one.
He actually hails from Toruń, a quaint Polish city overlooking the fast-flowing Vistula, boasting one of Poland’s best-preserved medieval architecture ensembles. The real deal, not another post-WWII reconstruction.
Unlike most Polish cities that were completely ravaged by war, Toruń was left pretty much untouched, and that’s what makes it special (and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I guess).
Everything you see, from the Hanseatic-style brick walls surrounding the city, to its timeless stone-paved thoroughfares, to the (rather-large) Main Square, host to a Gothic Town Hall.
Remember Copernicus? You can even visit his aged-brick, step-roofed medieval house over at Kopernika St. 15/17. Whether you’re here simply to admire the practically-intact 15th-century abode, or geek out with the whole ‘Earth goes around the Sun’ thing, it’s that one spot you absolutely cannot miss.
By the way, did you know Poland’s most famous gingerbread is from here? Not just another bland souvenir package for wide-eyed Americans, Toruń’s pierniki is baked using the same recipe from the 16th-century, and if you find the original spiced loaf bland, there’s a whole myriad of modern flavors to try.
Just hit up any street-corner bakery in the Old Town.
Poznań
We like to call this the mini Kraków, with maybe about less than a third of the latter’s maddening crowds.
Poznań boasts what’s probably the prettiest square in the entire country, so big it has room for a number of medieval monuments you’ve probably never heard of it. For starters, there’s the soaring Renaissance Town Hall, with its mechanical clock and castle-like demure.
Every day at noon sharp, two animated goat figures throttle out of the main tower, butt their heads twelve times, and retreat to mark the hour.
They’re Poznań’s most-recognized symbol, and an ode to the city’s clockmaking tradition.
Right beside it, the Cloth Hall is a row of aesthetic wall-to-wall buildings painted in bright pastel colors, sitting above arcades with charming café terraces tucked behind them.
Only a few steps from the stunning square, the Fara Church is a pink-stone Baroque masterpiece with a lavish interior. Gilded altars, heavenly frescoes, and impressive stuccowork… and no, it’s not the cathedral.
Poznań’s 1,000-year-old Bishop’s seat sits on Cathedral Island, a leisurely 20-minute walk along a scenic riverfront. A bit out of the way, sure, but its twinning Gothic towers, imposing main portal, and haunting interior are definitely worth a visit.
By the way, if you’re wondering how safe is Poland these days, considering the ongoing war in Eastern Europe, and the volatile state of geopolitics, you’ll be glad to know travelers on the ground report very few, if any crime-related incidents:
Szczecin
Just in case you’re wondering how that should even sit on your lips, it’s something like Sh-tsh-eh-cheen.
Yet another lovechild of Germany and Poland, Szczecin is cut through by the Oder River, which empties straight into the Baltic Sea. Much like Gdańsk, except even more offbeat.
Once a Prussian (a.k.a. German) maritime hub before it fell into Polish hands, it’s markedly different from your average Polish city, with wider boulevards, a radial street plan reminiscent of Paris or Milan, and an imposing castle dominating the skyline.
That’s the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle, a whitewashed beauty overlooking the maze-like Old Town and its riverfront.
Wawel Castle in Kraków gets all the hype, but Szczecin’s lesser-known medieval stronghold is even more visually striking.
Think multiple Renaissance-era wings, massive brick walls, sturdy towers, and endless refined courtyards.
In the Old Town’s heart, St. James Cathedral is just as picturesque, with a massive Gothic brick tower you can climb for panoramic city views. Nearby, the Old Town Market Square is ringed by colorful restored townhouses and quirky coffeeshops.
If visiting soon, come in summer: Chrobry Embankment’s terraced riverside, with picnic spots and winding paths, captures the soul of this Hanseatic powerhouse.
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