Car Hire Poland - Mini guide to Poland

Situated in the heartland of Europe, Poland has been both a bridge and a front line between Eastern and Western Europe. Today, Poland is a multifaceted country.

Although founded late in Polish history (at the beginning of the 14th century), centrally located Warsaw has been Poland's capital on and off since 1611. Long a cultural and industrial center, Warsaw was one of central Europe's most beautiful and sophisticated cities until it scooped the prize for worst-ravaged in WWII.

The city is divided by the Vistula River into two very different parts. The western, left-bank sector includes the city center and the Old Town to the north. Almost all attractions are featured on this side of the river. Warsaw offers an extensive and swiftly growing array of restaurants all over the Old Town, serving traditional Polish and international food.

The Old Town was rebuilt from the foundations after the war, taking place between 1949 and 1963. It has successfully restored it to the height of its renaissance, the 17th and 18th centuries. Warsaw's main north-south boulevard is the Royal Way, running from the Royal Castle to Lazienki Palace, the royal summer residence.

The Tatras are the highest of all the Carpathians and Poland's only alpine range, consisting of towering peaks and steep rocky cliffs plunging hundreds of meters into glacial lakes. Winters are long and summers are short and not steamy enough to melt all the snow. Late spring and early autumn are the best times to visit.

Being richly endowed with nature, Poland is an outdoor haven with activities to suit all tastes and preferences. Though the most popular hiking routes are those in the Tatra Mountains, the Pieniny, the Bieszczady or the Karkonosze are all alternative options.

The Krutynia and Czarna Hancza rivers, both in Masuria, are almost untouched and have some of the best kayaking in the country. The Masurian lakes are ideal for sailing and, not surprisingly, they are crowded with hundreds of boats in summer. It's possible to hire a sailing boat in Gizycko, Mikolajki or several other Masurian resorts.

A two-hour drive south of Gdansk is the birthplace of Copernicus, the man who 'stopped the sun and moved the earth'. Torun is a quaint medieval town dating back to the 13th century when the Teutonic Knights set about transforming it into one of their early outposts.

As Poland's capital, Warsaw is a busy terminus for flights, trains and buses, both domestic and international. There are trans-Atlantic flights and rail connections to cities throughout Europe.