It is axiomatic that Poland is in fact Europe's winter wonderland. Located in the cultural and geographical center of Europe, Poland is a great place to live or visit any time of the year. However, wintertime brings out the very best in this unique and amazing country.
1. During the winter the temperatures tend to be very comfortable in Poland. Because of this, people spend a lot of time outdoors ice skating, horseback riding, skiing, building snowmen, ice fishing, and enjoying the fresh, clear winter air. The air pollution which occurs in some areas is almost non-existent in the winter. Also, during the winter nobody is concerned with the lack of air conditioning. Many Polish people wish that winter would last all year long.
2. Poland’s tremendous beauty is magnified in the winter months. The ice and snow on the trees and bushes illuminate the landscape. The hills and mountains sparkle and shine in the bright winter sunlight. Even the buildings seem to radiate the splendor and vitality of winter’s glory. An example of this is the stunning wintertime facade of Poland’s most sensational building: The Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw. Towering over Poland’s capital city like an invincible Soviet Trojan horse, the Palace of Culture and Science seems almost surreal when viewed against the backdrop of the dazzling Polish wintertime landscape. Indeed, so much of the uniqueness of the world-famous Polish architecture is enhanced by each icicle which dangles so delicately from the most innocuous of origins –an evacuated balcony, a rusty gutter, an inactive flower pot, a forgotten shovel resting idly on the edge of a rooftop - transforming metal, glass, and stone into a breathtaking scaffolding of Slavic beauty and artistry. The most otherwise uninspiring commieblock residential buildings seem to vibrate with life when decorated by winter’s paintbrush.
3. Poles wear their most fashionable and memorable clothing during the winter. A wide variety of fur coats can be seen on the happy babcie (mad as Hell) wandering the streets. Fox, rabbit, chinchilla, mink, ermine, and sable coats are not only comfortable and economical, but they make one appear to radiate with an enchanting beauty which must be seen to be fully understood. Consider the wide variety of stylish boots that can be seen in the wintertime. The snow and ice reveal footprints of white boots, suede boots, leather boots, yellow boots, red boots, snakeskin boots, and black boots, among others. Polish women fill their closets with their boots and keep the rest in the kitchen next to the kiełbasa rack. White boots are very common in Nowy Sącz and Kraków. In Wrocław as well as in the villages of southwestern Poland, black leather jack boots are particularly common among the gentlemen. This, of course, is a tradition reflecting their noble Silesian heritage. Between Christmas and Ash Wednesday, shiny red boots can be seen adorning the women in Lublin and the Lublin Voivodeship. After Ash Wednesday, however, the shiny red boots are put in storage and are replaced by thigh-high black leather boots. Definitely do not overlook footprints in the snow (and their origins) when spending the winter in Poland.
As we have seen, Poland’s many magnificent features are even more majestic when experienced during the winter. Can you think of additional reasons why winter is the best time of the year to experience Poland?
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