Poland: Central European Gem

For many a tourist visiting Europe in the past it's been a case of West is best and East is least. Changed days now as gems such as Prague, Tallinn and St. Petersburg have well and truly made it onto the must-see map. Today Krakow in Poland is giving Paris and Rome a run for their money.

Indeed Poland like many of the now newly joined EU countries is well serviced by budget airlines from across Europe, and that coupled with an attractive exchange rate makes Poland the place to go.

You may have heard of some of the country's more famous natives including the astronomer Copernicus, film director Roman Polanski, footballer Ziggy Boniek, composer Chopin and scientist Marie Curie (yes she was Polish).

Gone are the days of widespread poverty, Soviet-era housing, over zealous officials and a diet that would clog up your arteries before you can say DZIEKUJE (thank you). You can still order beetroot soup though if you really want to.

Today's Poland is a modernising country with a thoroughly rich sense of history and pride. The people have a long tradition of migrating across the globe, but nowadays more and more are returning to the country of their forefathers. If you're ever fortunate enough to visit even the smallest Polish town then you'll know why. Striking architecture, business opportunities, a burgeoning cafe culture and an increasing wealth (Warsaw has some of the most expensive office space in the world) are some of the reasons.

Mastering the Polish language is near impossible. It is related to both Czech and Slovak, though thankfully there is no need to polish up on your Polish as many of the younger generation speak English, French and German. It is considered offensive to speak Russian, however the simple cry of NA ZDROWIE (cheers) as you're sharing a Zywiec beer or Bison grass vodka should help endear yourself to the locals.