Poland

Souvenirs from Poland

The Republic of Poland offers history and charm to its visitors, along with heaping dishes of hearty food and beautiful landscapes. Polish souvenirs are, quite often, a mix of these traits, intermingling them into lovely crafts and tasty culinary jewels. As in common in many Eastern European countries, you will find a large assortment of handiwork, made from wood, ceramic and textiles. Popular motifs are delicate flowers in green fields, figures dressed in traditional Pole costume, and woodland scenes. Poland is host to a large reserve of amber, a golden fossilized tree sap that often contains insects or plants. You'll most often see it set into jewelry, although you may find larger pieces shaped into paperweights or small carvings. Another popular souvenir from Poland is a bottle of vodka, especially when in an ornate bottle. Antique books and maps, vintage glassware, vibrantly printed postcards and refrigerator magnets and resin key chains are a few more pieces of memorabilia to consider.

The Geography of Poland

Poland has many varied and unique geological features, including a sandy desert, one of only 5 naturally occurring ones in Europe. The Bledlow Desert, measuring 32 sq km, was created thousands of years ago by a melting glacier. Winds have created high dunes reaching up to 32 meters high. Conversely, there are over 10,000 lakes in the country, making Poland one of the most water rich nations in the world. Lake Hanzca is the deepest of these bodies of water, going down 100 meters. Biskupin, a stilt-house settlement on the shores of the Greater Polish Lake District, has been continuously inhabited since the 7th century BC. There are also many mountain ranges in Poland, such as the tall Tatras that have the tallest point in the country at Rysy, coming in at 2,499 meters. The Juras are some of the oldest mountains on the planet, while tourists are very fond of the Gorce Mountains.