What Is Poland Famous For?

From pierogi and vodka to the most famous Poles– we’ve covered it all. If you wonder what is Poland famous for or you are want to see Poland in a nutshell, you are in the right place.

Keep on reading to get to know Poland and Poles better. If you have any questions, be sure to join our Poland Travel Support Facebook Group, we will be happy to help you!

Pierogi!

what is poland famous for- pierogi

When you are thinking about what is Poland famous for, the first thing that should pop into your head is pierogi!

Pierogi are delicious and soft dumplings that come with different fillings. The most popular are:

  • pierogi ruskie (with mashed potatoes and cottage cheese)
  • pierogi z mięsem (with ground meat)
  • pierogi z kapustą i grzybami (with cabbage and mushrooms)

Traditionally, they are served with fried onion and melted butter. Pierogi are recognized as the best food of all time by CNN.

Turbulent History

Did you know that Poland was one of the most powerful countries in Europe in the Middle Ages?

It has all changed throughout the ages. Here are two main reasons why:

  • Poles have cared about their personal interest more than about their country
  • Polish neighbors (Russia and Germany) have always done their best to steal the land of Poland

After the turbulent fights, Poland has disappeared from the world maps for 123 years! While many nations would give up the dreams of freedom, it wasn’t the case in Poland.

Finally, after more than 3 generations passed, the country became free again in 1918.

It wasn’t long (21 years) until Polish neighbors attacked again in 1939, which was the beginning of World War 2nd.

After 6 years of fights, Poles hoped to finally get their freedom back. Sadly, the country was forced to accept Russian influence and communism.

Poland has truly become independent more than 30 years ago which means we can only expect the country will grow stronger with time.

Vodka

what is poland famous for- vodka

One of the most famous Polish drinks, vodka is well-known all around the world.

For many, it’s better than the Russian one. Widely consumed in Poland, the national drink is a must-served at every Polish wedding or birthday party.

Read the full post about the best vodka in Poland (follow the link).

Straightforwardness And Diligence

What is Poland famous for? Its people are pretty unique. Hire a Pole and you won’t regret it. Poles are hard-working, self-willed, and creative.

They are also brutally honest which may be considered as being rude by some nations. If you ask a Pole a simple question, expect to hear the truth, even though it’s not convenient.

Marie Sklodowska Curie

If you and your loved ones have been fighting cancer and won- you can thank Marie Curie-Sklodowska for that.

She, together, with her husband Piotr Curie, has discovered the radioactivity that is used in cancer treatment nowadays.

Marie was also the first woman in history who won the Nobel prize.

Emigres

what is poland famous for- emigres

It is estimated that 20 million Poles are currently living abroad.

Poles are the largest or the second-largest national minorities in the following countries:

  • United Kingdom
  • Germany
  • Iceland
  • Norway

The highest number of Poles abroad is currently living in the United States.

While in the past, emigration was a way to a better living, it’s changing now. The government is getting more and more supportive, and that’s why many Poles decide to come back to their homeland.

Krystyna Skarbek

When you read the story of the most famous woman spy, Krystyna Skarbek, you can get a general idea of how Poles have been treated by Brits for many years.

She was a British spy during World War 2nd. It’s believed that Vesper Lynd, a fictional character from the James Bond book was inspired by her.

Even though she helped in setting many prisoners free, she served the United Kingdom as much as she could, and she received just… 100 pounds severance pay, while an average annual salary during this time was 3,000 pounds.

Add to that the humiliation of Polish aircraft in the Battle of Britain and you will get the image of how much Poles have been (and still are) underestimated.

Hospitality

“Gość w dom, Bóg w dom” is a popular Polish saying. It means that when you accept guests in your home, it’s like you were hosting God himself.

When you visit a traditional Polish home, you will be welcomed with tons of food and drinks.

It’s believed that the table should never be empty. That’s why Poles always have leftovers from the parties to eat the next day.

There are many beautiful places in Poland that’s why the country is becoming more and more popular among foreign travelers every year!

The Pope

what is poland famous for- the pope

Karol Wojtyla is probably the most famous Pole of all time. He was the first non-Italian Pope to be elected to lead the Catholic church.

John Paul II has been fighting with communism, he was the first pope to travel that much. He also began the ecumenism movement that brings different divisions of Christianity together.

Robert Lewandowski

One of the best football players in the world, Robert Lewandowski was born and raised in Poland.

He is currently playing in Bayern Munich and lives in Germany with his daughter and wife Anna Lewandowska that is also an athlete.

Fryderyk Chopin

what is poland famous for- chopin

What is Poland famous for? Frederick Chopin! One of the greatest composers and pianists of all time was born and raised in Poland.

He emigrated to France at the age of 20, where he continued his career.

The Witcher

One of the most famous games in the world, one of the most popular TV series on Netflix in 2019– it’s hard to not know the Geralt of Rivia.

“The Witcher” is a series of novels written by the Polish author- Andrzej Sapkowski. Based on his fantasy books, the team of Polish programmers has created one of the best RPG games of all time.

Last year, Netflix decided to make a TV show about the Geralt of Rivia. Even though it was released on the 20th of December, it went straight to the top of the most frequently watched series in the entire year!

Concentration Camp

what is poland famous for- auschwitz

The world’s biggest Nazi concentration camp- Auschwitz Birkenau was located in Poland, a short drive from Krakow.

Over one million people died there during World War 2nd.

Contrary to what some may say, it is NOT a Polish concentration camp. It was built by Nazis on the Polish territories that were occupied during that time.

Poles have not killed Jews. In fact, many of them were risking their lives to help their Jewish neighbors and friends. Almost 7,000 Poles were awarded the Righteous Among the Nations by the State of Israel.

Difficult Language

The Polish language is considered one of the most difficult in the world.

The spelling is often different than writing, there are many sounds specific only to this country. If you are a foreigner (not born in a Slavic country), you will never be able to speak Polish like a native.

Entrepreneurship

Poland has been recognized as one of the best countries to run a business in 2019.

Low labor costs, highly-qualified people, good economy are the factors that convince foreigners to invest in Polish start-ups.

Beautiful Girls

what is poland famous for- polish girls

Polish women and Slavic girls, in general, are considered the most beautiful women in the world.

A typical Polish girl has light skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. She is curvy but not fat, she has rosy cheeks and a big smile on her face.

Of course, it’s only an ideal model, there are women of different skin, eyes, and hair colors in Poland. 

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Did you enjoy reading my post about what is Poland famous for? Share your thoughts in comments!

16 Responses

    1. Yes and Polish tenacity. Poles never gave up their deep-rooted Catholic beliefs inspire of the Germans or Russians persecuting Poles for it.

  1. Tho the nations bird is the polish eagle, it could very well be the phoenix, rising from ashes, never defeated, always rising again.

  2. I grew up in upstate NY in the United States. Both my parents grew up in Erie, Pa where they had grandparents that came from Poland. As a child, we sent many packages to Poland with supplies. I recently did Ancestry genealogy and discovered I have a 2nd cousin. Her Mom was in a polish concentration camp.
    My Mom would bake and cook a lot of polish food and we continued with polish traditions. My Mom passed away 4 years ago. She is sadly missed. My Dad was telling me of a sour cream prune pie/tart recipes that his aunt used to make. I want to surprise him if I can ever locate one. Do you have a recipe like this? I would kindly appreciate you sharing it if so. Thank you, Kimberly Skrypek-Sarver

    1. Thanks for your comment, Kimberly! I am sorry but I don’t have a recipe like this. This doesn’t really sound Polish, as tarts are not typical to Poland. We also rather use plums than prunes in the cakes.

      If you want to search for Polish recipes, you may visit my Polish food blog for some inspiration
      https://polishfoodies.com/

      I hope that helps!

    2. Don’t ever write „Polish” concentration camp please! It can be misleading or confusing for many ignorant people in the world.

  3. I loved the sweet and sour cabbage served at Polish Weddings but can’t find a recipe to duplicate it. As a child we would attend a polish wedding then go to breakfast (coffee, sweet rolls, etc) then lunch, lastly dinner (mushroom or chicken soup, chicken, breaded pork chops, mashed potato and gravy plus a vegetable and salad) then we would polka the night away. So much fun.

  4. Thank you for reminding us of all the good things and people that have come out of Poland. I hope to visit Poland in the near future. I love polish food, especially Perogi, Polish hamburgers, and Golaki. My grandparent on my mother’s side were the first to immigrate to the US. My mother could speak, read, and write Polish but she never taught me and my sister.

  5. There are several comments on the internet about Christopher Columbus being the son of a Polish king

  6. I love the work you do for the love of Poland , at university of California, Berkeley, in the ‘70’s I had the privilege to study with Czesław Miłosz! And Martha Stewart is 100 per cent Pole! Thank you for you work preserving Polish heritage, I miss the ‘ old ways’!

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My name is Karolina, I was born and raised in Poland. I love my homeland. Even though I’ve been to 50+ countries in the world I’ve never hesitated to make Poland my base!

My mission is to show you the beauty of Poland and help you plan your trip!

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