Where to buy in Poland

Poland lies in Europe's very heart. It is full of history, its culture enriched by about a dozen ethnic peoples. It also has natural diversity, from the sea to the mountains and lakes to the sand dunes. Warsaw's capital still bears the scars of World War II, not the most beautiful city in Europe. Drab building blocks and social-realistic architecture from the Soviet post-war period take up much of the skyline. But in the six years since Poland joined the European Union, new glitzy luxury hotels have come into being and it is always worth visiting in the richly historic city of Stare Miasto. discount

The incredible cultural and natural wealth of Poland is a unique combination from the historical treasures and beautiful architectural sites of Cracow to the spectacular Tatra Mountains to the South.

The country has one of the best preserved collections of medieval wooden architecture. It's mainly roman Catholic in sacred architecture and has some of the orthodox and Jewish traditions. Polish villages are almost open air museums in rural areas and provide insights into the old customs and lifestyles. There are also terrible memorabilia of the past, such as Auschwitz's Nazi concentration camp and Jewish ghettos in some cities.

Subterranean salt mines, dense wild life-rich forests and mountain range with river valleys and pristine lakes are the magnificent natural resources of the country. Any nature lover will be astonished at how the country has balanced its industrialized and urban centers with natural areas and urban parks.

Poles are legendary for their drinking skills, but they like to have long conversations in cafés and enjoy hearty sausages and bread. They can be friendly and hard-working, too. Most of them are Roman Catholic, but some are Orthodox and some are Jews.

The invasion of Poland by Germany is generally thought to have begun World War II in 1939. A few days later the Soviet Union also invaded it, and its territory was divided into two occupied areas, one under Nazi Germany and the other under the Soviets. Several towns suffered heavy bombing by the Allies and the Axis and Poland lost more than six million people, some half of whom were Jews; this was one of the highest death rates in any country in the war. Soon after the war was over, the country became part of the Soviet government until the Solidarity trade union led by Lech Walesa led the Communist regime's pacific end in the 1980s.

Poland has since become an outstanding history of successful democratic transition and economic progress. In 2004, the nation became one of the largest economies in central Europe, with further growth that improved the standard of living of the country.

The government is fiscal-conservative, and Poland remains stable and potentially strong. Most investment properties available for foreigners would be available to the main cities of Warsaw and Cracow or, with their international trade fairs, to the lesser-known but equally dynamic Poznan and to the province of Wroclaw. Gdansk's coastal town has a rich history. It is also the entrance to other places on the coast of the region.

The country has been divided into 16 provinces since 1998, called voivodeships.