Some of the Polish customs are absolutely unique; others resemble those of other Central and Eastern European countries… An essential part of Polish tradition is hospitality – which the visitor will experience thoroughout their stay in Poland as they will be met with a warm welcome everywhere. The tradition of hospitality is also part of the company culture at New Poland, a leading DMC in Poland.
Impossible to escape the country’s traditions during your trip to Poland. Starting with the main cities and their legends: the siren of the Old Town Market Square in Warsaw is none other than Sawa, who fell in love with Wars the fisherman (hence the Polish name of the city, Warszawa); in Krakow, the statue in front of the Wawel hill recalls the dragon that terrorised the city until a brave cobbler apprentice delivered it using an ingenious trick… Traditions are particularly visible during religious holidays. Easter brings specially decorated eggs and the dyngus – a game which consists in throwing water at each other by surprise (receiving a few drops if one’s lucky, or a bucketful if one is not). Christmas is synonymous with traditional carols, beautiful decorations and szopkas – elaborate nativity scenes (the festival in Krakow showcases particularly beautiful ones). Other holidays are often accompanied by colorful processions.
The variety and richness of Polish folklore reflect the historical and cultural diversity of the regions of Poland. Specific traditional dresses, dialects with sometimes very strong particularities, unique customs, regional food specialties, music and songs, crafts… Regional dances are a good example of this diversity: Poland has no less than five national folk dances (two of which became famous thanks to the genius of Chopin: the polonaise and the mazurka). The region of Podhale, near the Tatra mountains, is probably the one where the folklore is the most alive in Poland today. The Podhale mountaineers have preserved their traditions in everyday life, especially with their lively music, practiced by many local ensembles. In other areas the folklore can still be found in the countryside.