Poland is a multifaceted country with layers of history and folk tradition.
Jewish history in Poland has been complicated–it’s still possible to visit many concentration camps in the country from the Holocaust, and a sobering and necessary experience to learn about that side of the country’s history.
But Poland was also where Jewish people lived for many years, and a view into the country’s folk traditions and modern progress are also worth visiting, especially in Spring.
Spring in Poland is one of the best times to visit. Fields of dandelions and rapeseed, yellow meadows, and willows moving with the wind. There’s something wild and untamed about the Polish countryside, and it comes out in full force in the months of March, April, May, and even June.
What Is Poland Like In The Spring?
Spring is the best time to visit Poland because March, April, May, and even the beginning of June are the off-season for tourism. There aren’t quite as many organized tours in the country and most of the students are still in school, so you’ll skip the crowds and even find off-season prices for hotels.
What Is The Weather Like In Spring?
March in Poland is still chilly. The weather could be snowy one day and the next day hot, and the average temperature is around 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit.
April is still a little cold, but it really does begin to feel like spring. It’s a great time to see blooming flowers and average temperatures range from 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit.
May in Poland feels like summer. The chill is over and it’s a bit hotter, around 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit.
So is Poland worth visiting during spring? We believe it does, and for that, we gathered some of the great things you can expect to do as part of your springtime travels In Poland.
Visit Poland’s National Parks And Botanical Gardens
Poland has some of the most beautiful natural spaces in the world. National parks, mountains, and urban parks dot the landscape of this majestic country.
Poland’s City Parks are a great option
You don’t even have to go far to get a taste of nature in Spring in Poland. Some of the most beautiful things to see in Poland are the parks.
Visit the largest park in Poland, located in Bydgoszcz, the Myslecinek Forest Park for Culture and Leisure. Visit a Japanese garden in Wroclaw’s Szczytnicki Park near the centennial hall.
There are beautiful parks and gardens around castles, manors, and palaces around the country. Lazienki Park in Warsaw has a beautiful park, and Arkadia Park in Nieborow is a famous English-style park. Muskauer Park, located on the Polish-German border and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the largest English-style park in Germany and Poland.
Hiking in Zakopane during spring
Zakopane is a ski and hiking destination, and in April there’s still snow on the mountains. But Spring in Zakopane is special for the tiny purple crocus flowers that bloom along the Tatras mountains. You can visit around springtime to take pictures of endless fields of purple. The best viewing spots are the Chocholowska Valley, Kalatowki, and Olczyska Valley.
If you’re really into skiing, advanced ski terrain is open until the end of April. You can also ride the Kasprowy Wierch cable car up or check out the thermal baths in the area.
Enjoy nature around Mazury
Mazury is called the Lake District. There are more than 2,000 lakes in the area, and if you go in the spring you might have them all to yourself–this is normally a summer destination for locals.
Mazury is a great spot for walking, horseback riding, sailing, or kayaking. You can also spend the day at a local spa or go shopping and get a meal in one of the nearby towns.
If you are interested in history, Hitler’s World War II military headquarters were in Mazury, and the Wolf Lair is in the forests in the area. The ruins are open to visitors.
But Mazury is especially cool to visit in the spring because the white stork population comes to the lakes area to breed in April. You can see more than 15,000 White stork couples on their migratory route and take some amazing wildlife photos.
Explore Poland’s History
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Memorial Events
The POLIN Museum, a museum on the 1000-year Jewish history in Poland, commemorates the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising every year on April 19. There are workshops, academic sessions, and an exhibit that stays open until January about the uprising.
Spring is a season of flowers, and Polish people now commemorate the event with an official commemoration and daffodils, since Marek Edelman, the last surviving leader of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, used to receive a bouquet of yellow daffodils each year and then lay them at the Warsaw Ghetto monument. Today, people wear paper daffodils on the day of the memorial.
Polish Urban Exploration
Visit Krakow
The cities are lovely to explore in Poland, but Krakow beats them all. Any other time, the city is very crowded and overbooked, but in the spring, Krakow is affordable and less crowded.
Like many European cities, Krakow comes alive in the Spring. People sit outside at cafes and restaurants, and there’s an Easter Market in the market square of the city where local artisans sell handicrafts and local foods. Folk bands perform songs and dances, and locals enjoy the melting snow and sun.
See Gdańsk
Head to this seaside city for a lovely, windswept spring day. Walk around and enjoy the architecture, or sit by the water and have a picnic.
Kayak in the sea or stroll around the old town. Take a private guided tour of the peninsula or stay within the city limits and go to the Museum of the Second World War.
Explore Bieszczady
Another great area with lovely little towns and great food, this is the perfect base if you’re into the outdoors. Check out lovely trails for hiking and take in the mountain air.
Visit the Bieszczady Starlight Sky Park for a panorama of the region, or the Bojkowie Culture Museum in Myczkow and take a ceramics workshop or observe the artifacts.
The ruins of the fortified Monastery of Barefooted Carmelites are home to wild hawks that build their nests in the towers and the Bieszczady Woodland Choo-Choo is a train that goes through the Woodland Karpaty for great views of the park.
If you like beer, the Ursa Maior Beer Factory of Bieszczady has delicious beer and a peek through a glass wall into how the brewery works, as well as local food provisions and books about the region.
Enjoy Folk Traditions
Spring is one of the best times to get to know one of the coolest parts of Poland–folk traditions!
Drowning of Marzanna
Spring begins in Poland with the Drowning of Marzanna, a folk event where a braided straw effigy in the shape of a human is decorated with traditional local women’s clothing, beads, ribbons, and other things.
The effigy represents the Slavic goddess of winter and death, so Polish people toss her into the water or set her on fire to bring Spring and a good harvest and to say bye to Winter.
The tradition dates back all the way to the pre-Christian era. The Polish Catholic church attempted to end the pagan ritual, but they were unsuccessful, and the tradition is still practiced today.
Easter Events
Spring is the season of plenty of holidays–and Easter in Poland is extremely important. Whether you celebrate Easter or not, it’s exciting to be in the country for Easter markets and fairs or to see Palm Sunday Parades.
Lyse has an Easter market and folk ensemble performances, and Lipnica Murowana has an artistic handicraft competition.
Have you thought about a special Jewish tour to Poland? It’s a great opportunity to explore the history of the country while also understanding how the country works today. Travel with experts on Jewish travel with Gil Travel Group!
