If not mountains, then what? We advise you where to go for your winter holidays in Poland

According to statistics, over 25 percent of Poles want to go on winter break. Some of them will probably go to the mountains, which guarantee a lot of excitement in winter, especially if someone skis or snowboards. However, from year to year, the prices of services in our native mountains are getting higher, and tourists from other parts of Poland are discouraged by crowds. Fortunately, this is not the only destination that can provide unforgettable holiday memories. You can also spend time during the holidays attractively by the sea, in Podlasie or by the lakes. Large cities are also organizing winter attractions more and more often.

Sea air and cheaper hotels

Instead of spending your traditional holidays in the mountains, you can go to the seaside. It will be a trip not only full of attractions, but also health-promoting. Winter is the time when the sea air is saturated with iodine, which has a positive effect on the respiratory tract of children. Winter holidays at the seaside are a time for long walks, building a snowman on the beach or a sleigh ride near the sea waves. This is also the time when you can enjoy water parks by the sea and other attractions for families with children, avoiding the crowds. Please remember that in winter, spending a holiday at the seaside is also worth it because it is cheaper than a holiday in the mountains. Most resorts and hotels by the sea lower their prices, making relaxation in a luxury hotel or spa within reach.

Additionally, in Sopot, for example, you can use the ice rink right next to the pier. Tourists are also attracted by Kołobrzeg, primarily with its beautiful old town, well-kept beach and developed hotel base. In winter, you shouldn’t have a problem finding a hotel place here. In Kołobrzeg you can go to the aqua park, the Amber Museum or the Wax Museum. The latter contains figures depicting famous personalities, including the most popular athletes and actors.

There are also numerous winter attractions in the Tricity. There are museums, an aqua park, renowned restaurants and the popular Gdynia Aquarium. In turn, Łysa Góra, located near Sopot, allows you to enjoy skiing. There are also ski slopes nearby in Sulęczyno, Trzepowo, Przywidz and Wieżyca. Throughout the 2023 holidays, you can also count on a rich cultural offer in Tricity. You can choose from, among others, concerts, artistic shows and cabaret performances.

It is also worth visiting the Hel Peninsula, where you can see the “beginnings” of Poland in peaceful conditions. There will be no crowds, and the peninsula itself is as stunning in winter as at any other time of the year. On this 30-kilometer long spit you can enjoy beautiful beaches and pine forests. You will be able to hear turbulent water in the background. On the Hel Peninsula you will also find attractions for the whole family, e.g. a sealarium and a brick lighthouse.

Podlasie Narnia and peace in Masuria

Another interesting alternative to winter holidays in the mountains may be a holiday in Masuria. In winter, this region of Poland looks truly picturesque – ice-covered lakes and snow-covered nature create a fairy-tale landscape. This is an ideal place for snow sports. There are also family-friendly ski resorts in north-eastern Poland. You can enjoy winter madness on the slopes of Piękna Góra in Gołdap or Góra Czterech Wiatrów in Mrągowo or go cross-country skiing on designated routes.

The Białowieża Forest is also recommended for cross-country skiing. It is a forest complex with an area of ​​approximately 1.5 thousand square meters. km. It is a dense, almost wild forest, some of whose trees remember the times of Władysław Jagiełło. According to many tourists, it is in winter that this area looks like something out of a fairy tale and captivates with its majesty. A famous pastime in the Białowieża Forest is tracking the king of the forest, the bison. It takes place under the supervision of a specialist, an employee of the local national park, and in winter this entertainment is easier because the traces left by animals are more visible in the snow. In the middle of a dense forest lies Białowieża, a village that has become the tourist center of this region. There you will find a museum, an Orthodox church, as well as hotel and catering facilities.

The advantage of Masuria, as well as Podlasie, is that we can spend our holidays here at up to half the price than in the Polish mountains.

Saint’s Village Nicholas in Bałtów Switzerland

You can also spend unforgettable moments with your children during the holidays in Bałtów Switzerland. In winter, tourists can visit the magical village of St. Nicholas, which requires at least one day to visit. The youngest will find the saint’s hut there, where well-behaved children receive gifts. For the naughty, there is… a special grinder for grinding sins. Those who want to learn the secrets of elves’ life will have the opportunity to visit their settlement and see how they live and work. Sharp-eared elves will help you prepare Christmas decorations: painted angels, hand-decorated gingerbread or sand pictures. While there, you must definitely skate on the ice rink, look inside the huge igloo hiding the Fairytale Frozen Land, and visit the animals in the nativity scene and the dinosaurs in the Jura Park and the Ice Age museum. To take advantage of all the attractions that Bałtów has to offer, it is worth staying there for a few days. Szwajcaria Bałtowska is a great place for active recreation and… the best ski resort in the province. Świętokrzyskie. For those looking for winter fun, there are 6 ski slopes and a snow park.

African climate in the middle of winter

Or maybe an African climate in the middle of winter, without going outside Poland? It is possible. All you need is a visit to Wrocław, or more precisely to the local Africarium. Almost 15 million liters of water, over 7 thousand animals, 19 aquariums and swimming pools and a million visitors in just over half a year. Africarium is not only the most popular attraction of the famous Wrocław Zoo, but also the most frequently visited ticketed place in the country. The success of this place was determined primarily by the modern approach to the concept of an oceanarium and the unusual idea of ​​gathering animals from only one continent in such a place. It is one of the few in Europe where you can walk through a glass tunnel under sharks, rays and octopuses swimming above your head, come face to face with an amusing manatee or watch agile penguins swimming underwater. We will also meet many other interesting creatures from Africa, such as crocodiles, hippos, mongooses and the smallest antelopes in the world – similar in size to dik-diks.

If that’s not enough for someone, they can go to Łódź to the Orientarium. It is the most modern complex in Europe dedicated to Asian fauna and flora, and therefore an ideal place for a winter weekend for families with children. The modern pavilion houses 7 ocean and 3 freshwater tanks. This place offers many attractions and creates unique conditions to see 35 species of land animals and as many as 180 species of impressive fish, representatives of Southeast Asia. The biggest attraction of the facility is the longest in Poland, a 26-meter underwater tunnel, from inside which you can observe the coral reef, rays and real sharks. An important element of the space is also exotic vegetation straight from Laos, Australia, India, Japan and the Philippines. In addition to the swimming pools and gardens, the Orientarium also has an enclosure for Indian elephants, clouded leopards, Malayan bears, gibbons and aviaries for hornbills and Balinese starlings.

Space travel

Space, stars and futuristic vehicles of the future, in short: a real constellation of attractions for small and large explorers. To discover it, you do not need to look into the future, but visit the Copernicus Science Center in Warsaw, the Space Popularization Center “Planetarium Toruń” or the Experyment Science Center in Gdynia. At the Warsaw Copernicus Science Center, in addition to a wonderful, interactive science exhibition during which you can learn while having fun, you will also find animators who will show you interesting tricks, e.g. how to light a fire without using matches. When visiting the Copernicus Science Center, it is worth planning a visit to the Heavens of Copernicus Planetarium, where you can admire the monumental sky – thanks to a special star projector, you can see up to 20 million stars. At the same time, you can visit the capital and see the light parks that appear there every winter.

The Space Popularization Center “Planetarium Toruń” is the only place in Toruń where you can get away from the Earth for many hours and soar towards the stars. Thanks to special equipment, you can feel exactly as if you were drifting in space. The spatial images consist of animations and slides displayed in two systems: 360-degree panoramas and all-sky. However, looking up is only part of the experience. The shows in the projection room were expanded to include interactive exhibitions – Geodium and Orbitarium. In Toruń, it is also worth visiting the old town and going for the local gingerbread.

At the Experyment Science Center in Gdynia, you can see how a solar plane works or how to drive a car of the future. During the exhibition titled “It’s so simple”, you can also jump on the Memo electronic floor, use the VR station or play the role of engineers of a special machine that neutralizes dangerous substances released from a meteorite. In addition, we can learn what tricks the illusion can do and learn the basic principles of physics in a fun way.