Check here the most accurate and up to date exchange rate for Polish zloty:
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If you are an expat or a foreigner thinking of living in Poland PESEL number is one of a these things that you are going to need if you want to stay in Poland for longer than a few months, irrespective of being an EU citizen or not. The law regarding the PESEL number has changed multiple times in the last few years with the last modifications being into effect since the beginning of 2018. The good news is that the process of obtaining the PESEL number by foreigners got simplified and in most of the cases it’s automatic.
The PESEL number is an identification number given to every Polish citizen when they are born and registered in Poland. Moreover, expats that meet certain criteria or apply for it also can get the PESEL number.
Every PESEL number consists of eleven digits:
RRMMDDPPPPK
The first 6 digits signify the person’s date of birth
RR – the last two numbers of the year that a person was born in
MM – month
DD – date
The next 4 numbers contain the gender of a given person
PPPP – if the last number of this section is an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), the PESEL belongs to a male, if it is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8) it belongs to a female.
K – the last number is random and is generated by an algorithm so every PESEL number is unique
If you are planning to live in Poland for at least a few months, sooner or later you are going to need the PESEL number. You definitely will be asked to provide it in government offices and when you try to open a bank account in a Polish bank. When you try to register at your local doctor the PESEL number also needs to be provided (of course you can rely on the private healthcare or EHIC card if you are an EU citizen but it’s better to have options). Also in more surprising circumstances, you will need to have a PESEL number. For example when you decide to join a gym or when you try to enter a football stadium.
Additionally, the PESEL number will be crucial when it comes to your work life. You can be hired without the PESEL number, however, the employer will need it at some point to fulfil their obligations of paying your insurance and taxes and they will need to have your PESEL number to do so.
It’s safe to say that a life in Poland means a life with the PESEL number.
As mentioned previously, most expats will obtain their PESEL number automatically as a result of fulfilling a legal obligation of registering their place of living (zameldowanie) in the local City Council (Urząd Miasta). In Poland, every person who decides to stay in Poland for longer is obliged to register where they live. However, Polish and EU citizens have 3 months to register their new place of living and non-EU citizens need to fulfil this obligation within 30 days from the moment they arrived in Poland. Once that obligation is fulfilled the local government automatically creates the PESEL number and sends the document to the provided address.
Before the law has changed in 2018 only EU citizens and non-EU citizens who met certain criteria were granted the PESEL number automatically. This has changed and now anyone who registers their address will be granted this important identification number.
In a very rare situation, when a person is not living in Poland, but needs a PESEL number (e.g. wants to be a chairman in a Polish company or conducts business in Poland) they can apply for it by: filling out the PESEL number form and bringing in to the local council that is assigned to the area that the company is registered in. If the company doesn’t have an address the form can be sent to Urzad Dzielnicy Śródmieście in Warsaw (Nowogrodzka 43 street).
You can download the PESEL number form here (it is available only in Polish).
Obtaining the PESEL number is free, similarly to the registration of the address of stay in the local government office. It can take usually up to 30 days. However, in case your situation is complicated and you need legal help with the process you can receive support from our legal team.
If you require any further legal advise for your PESEL number application you can contact us via our legal advise form.
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The program ‘Rodzina 500 plus’ was one of the flag promises given by the Law and Justice party during the elections in 2015 aimed at increasing the number of children being born in Poland and improving the general well-being of families with children. The new law was adopted in February 2016.
There are a lot of nuances to the whole scheme, but the most important thing is that a lot of expats living in Poland are eligible to receive the money and can benefit from the program.
‘Rodzina 500 plus’ is, fittingly, a governmental benefit in the amount of 500 PLN paid monthly to support families who:
1. Have at least two minor children
2. One child and the family income per capita is lower than 800 PLN after tax
3. One disabled child and the family income per capita is lower than 1200 PLN after tax
Every next eligible child is supported with another 500 PLN. That means that for example, a family of 5 (2 parents and 3 children) can receive 1000 PLN a month.
It’s important to note that in Poland a minor is defined as a child younger than 18 years old. When the child reaches the age of maturity the status of the ‘first child’ goes to the oldest under-aged child.
Let’s look at a complicated case of a family of 4, 2 parents and 2 kids age 22 and 14. Their monthly income is 3000PLN net per month. Normally, the family wouldn’t be eligible to receive the benefit as there is only one minor child, but because of the income (3000PLN is less than 800PLN per capita), they can receive the benefit. When the oldest child turns 25 is no longer taken into account in the family income calculations and the family loses their status and no longer can get the support.
The last thing to be mentioned is that the marital status of parents is irrelevant. Any type of family is eligible to receive the support (married couples, cohabiting parents, single parents, foster families, etc.). Divorced parents who equally share their custody of the child can both apply for a benefit for their term of custody.
Apart from the Polish citizens, ‘Rodzina 500 plus’ is a benefit that can be obtained by the following 4 groups of people:
1. EU and EEA citizens
All EU and EEA countries are subject to the common regulations and coordination of social security system. Thanks to that EU and EEA citizens can apply for the benefit.
2. Citizens of countries that signed special bilateral agreements with Poland: Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, United States, Ukraine, Serbia and South Korea.
3. EU Blue Card holders
Holders of the EU Blue Card (which is an approved EU-wide work permit) are entitled to apply for the benefit no matter of their citizenship.
4. People who can legally work in Poland
If your ‘Karta pobytu’ has an annotation ‘DOSTĘP DO RYNKU PRACY’ meaning that you can legally work in Poland and:
— your work permit is given for longer than 6 months
– your residence permit was not obtained for studies
– you have not been working in Poland on the basis of a visa
you are eligible to apply for the ‘Rodzina 500 plus’ benefit.
People staying in Poland on the basis of their refugee status, subsidiary protection or consent for stay issued won’t have this annotation. However, if you’re allowed to work in Poland you can still receive the support but it may more difficult to apply for it and you may require legal assistance.
The 500 PLN that you receive from the government is not taxed so you will receive the full amount which equals to 6 000 PLN annually per eligible child.
Money from ‘Rodzina 500 plus’ is not included in the income when establishing your entitlement to other benefits: social assistance, alimony fund, family benefits, housing allowance and scholarships for students.
Importantly, families who receive a similar type of benefits from other EU country are not eligible to apply for the ‘Rodzina 500 plus’.
The program is divided into annual reference periods starting from the 1st of October and ending on the 30th of September. To receive the benefit you need to apply for it every year.
It’s important to note that you can join the system at any time. The benefit will be paid starting from the month when you applied.
The current reference period will end on the 30th of September 2018. The applications for the new reference period can be submitted either online from the 1st of July 2018 or in the local council from the 1st of September 2018.
The application ‘Rodzina 500 plus’ is only available in Polish and can be found here. As the form is long and complicated the best would be to fill it out with a native Polish speaker.
The application is always based on the previous tax year, therefore for the new period, you should take into consideration your income from 2017. Please, note that you need to attach a proof of your income.
Last but not least, the application can be submitted to your local council, by post or online.
What is the first place that comes to your mind when you think of Poland? Krakow? Warsaw? Perhaps Gdansk or Tatry? Most of the tourists go to the same places and don’t explore Poland further. But there is so much more to see and visit. Not only you can experience something different, but you can do it without the crowds, rush and for less money.
Here is the list of 5 not so obvious places in Poland that should be on your bucket list.
If you’re looking for a one or two day getaway in a historic town with beautiful views Kazimierz Dolny is a perfect choice. This small city has gained over the years the proud title of the most beautiful little town in Poland and attracts both tourists and people living nearby.
Perhaps its, because Kazimierz has it all, amazing landscape and views, lively, beautiful main square and enough tourists attractions to keep you busy, but not to stressed that you won’t see everything that you wanted.
The town is also considered by many an art centre of Poland as painters like to retreat there to paint and sell their work. Galleries can be found in almost every street, offering for sale sculptures, stained-glass, folk art, and fine art.
Stolowe Mountains (also knows as the Table Mountains) are built of horizontally layered sandstones shaped in unusual huge tables that can be seen from the distance. When getting closer those “tables” are in fact enormous stone labyrinths. The whole region is part of the national park.
The two most often visited places in Stolowe Mountains are rock maze called Błędne Skały (Errant Rocks) and Szczeliniec Wielki, the highest peak of the Table Mountains. Errant Rocks can be explored within 30 minutes hike during which you will walk through narrow paths created by unusually shaped sandstone rocks. It’s both, fun and exciting, especially for kids. From that point, you will be able to reach the Szczeliniec Wielki. The hike is not very challenging and thanks to natural stone steps created by the rocks is accessible to most of the people, even if they usually spend most of their days on the sofa. The view from the top is breathtaking and absolutely worth the effort. And you can always reward yourself with a cup of coffee and cake at the beautifully located cafe.
Ciechocinek is a spa town located 20 kilometres from the city of Torun. The history of Ciechocinek’s saline springs goes back to very ancient times and this lovely town has been the main Polish retreat place for decades. If you are looking to rest and rejuvenate rather than party Ciechocinek is a great choice.
One of the main touristic attractions that can be found in Ciechocinek is the longest in Europe brine towers. These wooden structures were constructed to evaporate water from salt-rich spring water. They are worth visiting not only because of the architectural qualities but mainly because of the health benefits that come with the air that surrounds the whole structure. People with lungs, asthma and sinus problems can benefit greatly from breading the air enriched by the brine towers.
Just a small warning, the average age of people visiting the town is quite high, as lots of pensioners come to Ciechocinek to rest and receive health treatments. If you don’t mind hanging out with 60-year-olds pack your bags!
If you are interested in history and want to get some idea how people lived in the iron age prepare yourself for a real treat as Biskupin is one of the oldest and best preserved archaeological sites in Europe.
Biskupin is a life-size model and remains of an Iron Age fortified settlement of Lusatian culture near lake Biskupin from around 3 thousand years ago. There are some reconstructions of settlements even from further back in time (even 8.000 BC) exactly at the same spots where they were originally constructed.
All the information is available in English and Polish and there are also guided tours available. It’s worth booking at least 4-5 hours to fully enjoy this unique spot.
Despite the name indicating flat land (Beskid Niski means Lower Beskid), this region of Poland offers gentle slopes and hills that extend for approximately 85 km. It may not be the most exciting place to visit for professional mountain climbers, but it is the perfect place for families with kids, older people or just someone who is looking for more relaxing hikes.
Baskid Niski is worth visiting not only for its tranquillity and natural beauty but also because of dozens of wooden Orthodox and Catholic churches that can be found while hiking. Additionally, there are a few amazing First World War cemeteries that will interest history buffs.
Nowadays famous car manufacturers such as Fiat, Opel, Volkswagen and Volvo produce the majority of their cars in Poland (fun fact: the car manufacturing industry accounts for around 11% of the total industrial production in Poland). Not many people know though that not so long time ago Poland had its own car brands. And not any brands, but brands loved and cherished by most of Poles (it could be due to the communistic times and being limited to what was produced in the east, but nevertheless everyone dreamt about having those cars).
If you ever wanted to become an expert in Polish manufacturing history or more likely you want to simply impress your Polish mates this is your chance. These are the most famous Polish cars that the names and history you should know:
The Polish mass car manufacturing history all started with the Warszawa. Also known as the Pobieda, the Warszawa became the first new Polish car that saw mass-production in Poland after World War II. Well known for its curvy design the Warszawa has been developed in several models to accommodate the different needs of the Polish citizens. The manufactured FSO, that manufactured the Warszawa from 1951 to 1973, put for example a station wagon, pick-up truck and Ambulance of the Warszawa on the market making it one of the most diverse models in Polish car making history. With a top speed of 105 kmh it was a highly popular car and no one else than Polish born Pope John-Paul II owned one before he became the pontiff.
Produced in a car factory in Nysa, the like-named Nysa was built for one purpose, commercial transportation. This light commercial vehicle was produced for over 35 years and over 380.000 vans have seen the light of day. The absolute summit of its popularity was in 1970 in which a stunning 18.200 vehicles rolled out of the factory. This was mainly due to the popularity of the Nysa abroad. A large part of the produced Nysa vans were meant for the export market and shipped to China and Germany amongst others.
First exhibited at the Poznań Trade Fair in 1955, a total of over 521.000 Syrena’s rolled out of the factories between 1957 and 1972. This popular small two-door sedan was commissioned by the Central Committee of the Polish Communist Party and especially created for the upper class or as the Communist Party stated: “rationalizers, shock workers, activists, scientists and leading representatives of the intelligentsia”. In addition to the sedan, the Syrena has been produced in two other models: A van called Syrena Bosto and a pick-up R-20.
As a successor of the first large size saloon the Warzsawa, the Polski Fiat 125p became a popular car during the late 60’s. The four-door large-bodied saloon was produced by FSO who started producing the Polski Fiat 125p in 1967 and manufactured it, under different names, until 1991. In 1983 the license agreement between Fiat and FSO changed and so did the names of the Polski Fiat. The Polski Fiat 125p was a state-of-the-art vehicle in the second half of the sixties and was exported to a large extend to Britain.
By far one of the most popular cars ever produced in Poland, the Polski Fiat 125p was a true people’s car. Small in execution but grand in performance the Polish Fiat 125p was produced under licence from the Italian company Fiat. The Polski Fiat 126p was manufactured from 1973 to 2000 by FSM. The popularity of the Polski Fiat 126p earned him the nickname ‘Maluch’ which can be translated as the little one. FSM managed to produce a total of 4.7million 126p’s which makes this small car still a frequently seen car in and outside Poland. Due to its low price the Polski FIat 126p was highly demanded by other countries and almost half of the produced cars ended up abroad. One of its most famous owners is actor Tom Hanks was so fund of this little car that he decided to buy one himself.
Also produced in the well known manufacturing district of Poznan, the prototype of the Tarpan Truck was created by the Fabryka Samochodów Rolniczych (Farming Vehicles Works) or FSR and designed as a all-terrain pickup truck. Available in two models the truck came as a hard top with room for 10 persons, and a pickup with room for up to 3 people. The Tarpan truck has never been produced in large numbers and is perhaps best known as the light truck used by the Polish Army and the KGHM company who uses the Tarpan to transport its miners underground.
After the Polski Fiat 125p has seen exceeded its expiry date it was time for the car manufacturer FSO to bring a new saloon on the market. The replacement came in the form of very popular Polonez of which over 1 million models were produced between 1978 and 2002. The novelty of this car was mostly in the body as FSO still used the chassis of the Polski Fiat 125p. The five-door hatchback retrieved his name via a readers’ vote conducted by the now-defunct newspaper Życie Warszawy, and originated from a Polish dance the Polonaise. The polonez became so popular that FSO even transformed the hatchback into a Coupé version. Nowadays, the Polonez Coupé is a great and much sought-after rarity.
For some Poles and other nationals, the Syrena Sport counts as the most beautiful Polish car ever made. The two seater sports car was a prototype designed by FSO engineers in 1957 to 1960 and looked like the little brother of the in the States popular Chevrolet Corvette. Sadly, the communist authorities of the time didn’t appreciate the Syrena Sport as this vehicle’s style didn’t correspond to their ideology, in which there was no room for flashy cars. The car has never been intended for mass-production as it was only meant as a test-platform for new production technologies for the communist desired Sedan. It is a real shame that this car has never seen production as it is truly an eye candy. Luckily the Polish entrepreneur Rafal Czubaj started working on a new Syrena sport edition that hopefully will one day see light of day. We can’t wait.
Let’s face it, every country has its own quirks and weird customs but actually, this is what makes it special and fun to travel and live in another place. Poland is no different – sandwiches that never close, medieval way of drying laundry or wearing ‘guest’ slippers, just to name a few. For many expats who decided to live in Poland, the following list will be probably very familiar. But do you know them all? And do you know why Poles developed those funny behaviours?
Here is the list of the funniest and odd Polish customs and habits.
If you ever watched foreign films when you lived at home you must be used to subtitles. What you are going to experience in Poland is next level. All films that are shown in TV have a lector who reads the translation over the original voices. The weirdest part is that the translation is read by only one person, usually a man with a deep, monotone voice. Imagine a woman pleading for her life and the lector reading all the lines in a flat, emotionless intonation. This is the Polish TV for you.
One would think that celebrating someone’s birthday would be enough, but that is not the case in Poland. Actually, older people (women to be exact) prefer to celebrate their name day (imieniny) so they don’t have to mention their age publicly. This tradition has Catholic roots and originated from the custom of naming children after saints.
Imieniny often involve socialising with friends and family at the celebrant’s home, as well as eating cakes and sweets at the workplace.
If you want to join Poles and start celebrating your name day, pick up the nearest calendar, it should contain the names celebrated on any given day. And if you are not lucky, check out messages displayed in your local bus, usually it shows the time, date and the names that should be celebrated that day!
Talking about name days and birthdays, have you noticed that in Poland the Happy Birthday song is sung at many occasions? ‘Sto lat’ meaning literally ‘hundred years’ is the same song people in Poland sing for weddings, anniversaries and official national days. I guess it’s easier for foreigners, one song rules them all!
In Poland, a sandwich might not necessary be how you picture a classic sandwich (you probably imagine a delicious BLT or bacon and egg between two toasts). Sandwich (in Polish kanapka) is a piece of bread with some toppings, somehow a cousin of the traditional sandwich. Some call them open sandwiches, others call them a cheat. If you are not Scandinavian you will struggle with this concept.
If you are planning going to the local store make sure you have some change on you. You can be sure to be asked by the cashier if you have ’32 groszy on you’ so she can give you a round number of coins back. Some think this custom is a result of not enough change going around, but it could also be down to the efficient nature of Polish people.
When you enter a Polish household, it is customary to remove your shoes at the door. That wouldn’t be surprising as it’s a custom for many different cultures but what you may not expect is that you will be offered a pair of used slippers. Many other guests may had a pleasure of wearing those before you, but if you refuse, your host will be worried about your health (it’s unthinkable to walk barefoot in a Polish household!). Some Polish people bring a pair of their own slippers with them so they don’t have to deal with the situation.
This one is quite a simple one, Poles don’t use electric clothes dryers and stick to the drying racks. Perhaps it’s because washing machines are usually kept in the bathrooms rather than kitchens or separate utility room (so there is not enough space for a dryer). One could argue though that nowadays washing machines have also the drying function so it can’t be the case of space.
Any Italian person would probably get a heart attack if they were served a pizza with ketchup or garlic sauce to dip (or worse, smothered all over the top). But In Poland, this is the most obvious way of eating this very popular dish. Garlic sauce is the king!
‘Home Alone’ (translated in Poland as ‘Kevin alone at home’) is played on national television every year and watched by over 5 million people. It became so important to Poles that one year when the TV channel announced to broadcast a different movie, thousands of people wrote letters of protest. Since then, no one ever tried to change it and ‘Home Alone’ is part of Christmas celebrations, the same as presents and Christmas dinner.
If you are a Polish kid you have tens of aunties and uncles who are not related to you at all but nevertheless you refer to them as they were. It could be because of the Polish language itself – if a person is older than you, you should refer to them as miss or mister. That would be quite awkward if they are friends of your parents so aunty seems like a good solution.
If you have ever been to the Polish seaside you know what we are talking about. Windbreaks are everywhere! Windbreaks allow to secure the best spots on the beach and give a bit of privacy. Thanks to them you can make sure that no one will seat too close to you. We bet the windbreak was created by a Pole!
Check out facts about Poland.
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First of all, you need to be aware that in Poland paying the national insurance contributions is the legal obligation of every person who is self-employed or is running a business. The Institution responsible for managing this process is called ZUS (the Polish Social Insurance Institution) and you can read more about it here.
ZUS will be aware of your business as soon as you fill out the CEIDG-1 form when you apply to be self-employed. A copy of this form will be automatically sent to the organisation so you don’t have to do anything else just to make sure you pay ZUS on time. Before we focus on when to pay ZUS let’s look closer at the contribution split, rates and how the calculations are managed.
The national insurance contribution consists of:
The self-employed social insurance rate is adjusted every year based on the average monthly income of all self-employed citizens in Poland. Then ZUS calculates the rates by taking 60% of the monthly average. In 2018 the estimated average monthly income was set at 4 443 PLN which gives us 2 665,80 PLN (60%) base.
| Insurance contribution | Percentage of the contribution | Without the voluntary sickness fee | With the voluntary sickness fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social insurance fee | 31,77% | 781,61 PLN | 846,92 PLN |
| Retirement fee | 19.52% | 520,36 PLN | |
| Health insurance fee | 9% | 319,94 PLN | |
| Disablement benefit fee | 8% | 213,26 PLN | |
| Sickness fee | 2,45% | 0 PLN | 65,31PLN |
| Emergency fee | 1.80% | 47,98 PLN | |
| Labour fund fee | 2,45% | 65,31 PLN | |
| Together | 1 166,87 PLN | 1 232,18 PLN | |
The Polish government, in order to support entrepreneurship and growth of small businesses, offers small companies 2-years national insurance preferential rates, however not all new business are eligible to receive this support.
You can benefit from the preferential contributions only if you:
| Insurance contribution | Percentage of the contribution | Without the voluntary sickness fee | With the voluntary sickness fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social insurance fee | 31,77% | 184,72 PLN | 200,15 PLN |
| Retirement fee | 19.52% | 122,98 PLN | |
| Health insurance fee | 9% | 319,94 PLN | |
| Disablement benefit fee | 8% | 50,40 PLN | |
| Sickness fee | 2,45% | 0 PLN | 15,44 PLN |
| Emergency fee | 1.80% | 11,34 PLN | |
| Labour fund fee | 2,45% | 0 PLN | |
| Together | 504,66 PLN | 520,09 PLN | |
You can make sure that you get the most out of the preferential rates if you register your company on the 2nd and any later day of the month as ZUS calculates the rates based on the business status on the 1st day of the given month. For example, if you register your business on the 1st of June 2018 you will pay the preferential rate for the 24 months until the 31st of May 2020. However, if you register your company on the 2nd of June 2018 the preferential period extends until the 30th of June 2020.
Until 2017 in Poland business owners had to make three different bank transfer into three different ZUS accounts in order to pay for the National Insurance contribution. Thankfully that has been changed and from 2018 there is only one bank account that the payment has to be made to.
Every self-employed person has it’s own bank account number that the contribution should be transferred on. As a part of the business set up process, ZUS will send you a mail with your number. However, if you haven’t got it or you lost it you can always go to your local ZUS office to confirm it or alternatively, call the helpline (phone number: 22 560 16 00). Your individual bank account will be made of 26 numbers and it will include your National Insurance ID number and your NIP number (the last 10 numbers).
If you are self-employed your ZUS contribution has to be paid by the 10th of every month.
Probably every person thinking of moving to Poland wonders about the salaries in Poland. How much money can I earn in Poland? Is it going to be enough for a good life? What is my standard of living in Poland going to be? These question are more than understandable and looking at average salaries in Poland can help answering some of them. However, keep in mind that the average salary doesn't mean the salary you are going to get. Income in Poland varies greatly between the cities (as everywhere else the capital and bigger cities offer much higher wages), the industry you will work in and the company that hires you, just to name a few. The below data should be treated just an indication.
2018 numbers from GUS (Polish Central Statistical Office) are much more positive than previous years but they may still be a bit disappointing for West-European citizens. The average income before tax in Poland is heading towards 4900 PLN a month, which is around 3530 PLN after tax (shy of 830 Euro). If that number sounds disappointing to you, then it's good to take into consideration that the average living cost in Poland is substantially lower compared to most west-European countries. Have a quick look at the cost of living in Poland and find out yourself that your flat, food and entertainment are much cheaper in Poland compared to West-European countries so at the end of the day you may not be worse off.
In Poland, similarly to other countries, the average income depends very much on the industry and the discrepancies can be quite significant. Here are the average salaries in different sectors based on the data from February 2018:
Business sector - 4600 PLN
Construction industry - 4482 PLN
IT sector - 8379 PLN
Trade industry - 4392 PLN
Hospitality - 3414 PLN
Administration sector - 3342 PLN
Real estate sector - 4734 PLN
The highest wages can normally be found in big cities and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that city of Warsaw and the surrounding region offer the highest average income in Poland. A useful rule of thumb is that the east side of Poland earns less than the west side. The below illustration clearly show this difference in average wages between the different regions of Poland.
The minimum salary has increased in 2018 to 2100 PLN before tax which is around 1598 PLN after tax (380 Euro). This is the lowest wage that a full-time employee must be paid per month of work.
The minimum hourly rate is 13.70 PLN and this is the amount that must be paid to a person hired based on a contract.
Everything depends on your skills and the languages you can speak. Native speakers can make really good money in teaching English, German or Spanish (average hourly rate is around 50 PLN, but can be much higher). That’s almost 4 times more than the minimum hourly rate!
If you work in the IT sector you can earn very decent money that, even comparing to west-European income standards, won’t be disappointing. The same goes for your own business.
At the same time, if you are planning to work in a pub or restaurant, you need to take into consideration that you will earn 13.70 PLN per hour plus some tips. Is that enough? It can be, but of course, everything depends on what life you are planning to have.
You can check the up to date exchange rates for Polish zloty here.
Check out 7 the best cities to live and work in Poland.
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Torun, one of the oldest cities in Poland, is largely known for two things: Nicolas Copernicus and gingerbread but there is plenty more to do and see in this lovely medieval town. The city earned the UNESCO status for its preserved street pattern and well maintained, 13th century brick buildings. The old city center makes a perfect spot for people watching and relaxing with a cup of coffee or glass of wine. Mix of culture, science, architecture and amazing history attracts thousands of tourists every year. If you want to spend your weekend somewhere amazing Torun is definitely worth your consideration.
Length of the visit: depends on you
Price: free
Imagine seating in the middle of a lovely medieval old town, surrounded by beautiful buildings and vibrant cafes, bars and restaurants. You can relax completely and immerse in the Torun’s atmosphere or be a bit more adventurous and climb about 180 steps to the top of the Town Hall Tower and see the city from the above.
The city centre it’s quite compact, but the side streets hide many exciting buildings and monuments so you will need at least 2-3 hours to fully experience the old town. If you love your coffee and snacks you may need the whole afternoon. Either way, it’s going to be time well spend.
Address: Bulwar Filadelfijski
Opening times: you can visit any time, especially great at night
Length of the visit: depends on you
Price: free
First of all, to explore this attraction wear comfortable shoes as most streets are paved in cobble stones (which itself is a medival feature!). Take a stroll through the Old Town’s narrow streets and admire the defence walls that deterred the enemy from conquering the city and protected Torun for centuries. This activity is especially enjoyable at night when the buildings are nicely lit.
Address: Bulwar Filadelfijski
Opening times: 10 am – 6 pm, the attraction is closed between 16.10.2017 and 15.04.2018
Length of the visit: 20 mins
Price: 4 PLN
Prepare yourself for something different but only if you have a sense of fun and adventure. If ever wondered how people felt during II WW this is your chance to explore it on your own skin. Yes, it does involve going into a bunker and yes it’s going to be scary. It’s quick and fun activity, but not for the faint hearted.
Address:Przedzamcze 3
Opening times: 10 am – 6 pm
Length of the visit: as long as you like
Price: 9 PLN
From the outside it may seem that there is not much remaining of the castle, but don’t be deceived by the looks! The castle is larger than it first appears and there are “underground” rooms and an upstairs gallery.
The history of the castle and its Knights is shown in the underground chamber in the form of a film (in Polish with English subtitles). It is a must-see attraction.
Address:Rynek Staromiejski 1
Opening times: January – March 10 am – 4 pm, April – June 10 am – 6 pm, July – September 10 am – 8 pm, October – December 10 am – 4 pm
Length of the visit: depends how quickly you can climb the steps
Price: 11PLN adult/ 7 PLN children
If you are looking for a nice view over the old town the Town Hall Tower building is your best bet. A word of warning, you will have to climb 187 steps of this impressive 14th century building, but it’s absolutely worth it. Once you get to the top spend some time to look at the fine brickwork and beautiful stained glass windows. And if you can’t be bothered to go to the top just stay outside and admire the building itself, it looks equally good in the day and illuminated at night.
Address:Pod Krzywa Wieza 1
Length of the visit: 15 minutes should be enough
Price: 11PLN adult/ 7 PLN children
The leaning Tower is one of many architectural delights that can be spotted during a walk in the medieval part of the city. The building has a long and interesting history. It was built as part of the defensive city walls to be later used as women’s prison and at some point it became a… shop. Now it’s one of the main city landmarks, visited by thousands of tourists a year. So why go to Pisa when there is a perfectly good leading Tower in Torun?
Address: Ducha Swietego
Opening times: you can visit it any time
Length of the visit: depends on you
Price: free
The Monastery Gate is your chance to see well maintained and impressive entry to the old town. For many it’s just a gate but it is also one of the main landmarks of Torun and it doesn’t take much time or effort to see it. While you are taking a walk by the Vistula river watch the city walls and you will be able to spot the gate with no problem. Take a picture, walk through it and move on.
Address: Zeglarska 16
Opening times: quite interesting to visit on Sundays during the mass
Length of the visit: depends on you
Price: free
Even if you are not religious the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist is a place worth visiting for its architecture and beauty. This is a magnificent house of worship with a number of altars and works of art. It’s possible to club the tower and photography is permitted.
Address: Lazienna 16
Opening times: May – September 10 am – 6 pm, October – April 10 am – 4 pm
Length of the visit: it’s up to you, but 2-3h is recommended
Price: 15PLN adult/ 11 PLN children (including the 3d film)
If you are going to visit just one museum in Torun this should be on top of your list. Torun History Museum covers the past of the city and surrounding area from the earliest days to the modern times in visual presentations, artefacts and films. There are multiple different exhibits with Polish, English and German captions and audio-visuals. The museum is perhaps better suited to adults, but children can also find something for themselves as there is a special room where they can build houses of different epochs and enjoy opening drawers to find household artefacts from various eras.
Address: Mikolaja Kopernika 15/17
Opening times: 10 am – 6 pm
Length of the visit: it’s up to you
Price: 33PLN adult/22 PLN children
House of Nicolas Copernicus Museum is the actual place where Nicolas Copernicus was born. Nowadays this beautiful building is a reconstruction of a medieval house of Copernicus’s days. If you are a fan or a student of science, mathematics or history you should definitely visit this museum. If not, then perhaps you may find this attraction quite boring. In the end it is just a period house that happens to be the place of birth one of the most famous astronomers of all times.
Address: 9 Rabiańska Street, Toruń
Opening times: 10am – 6 pm
Length of the visit: 80 minutes, on avarage
Price: 15PLN adult/10 PLN children
As you may be well aware by now, Torun is famous for its gingerbread, but probably you will be surprised to know that there is a whole museum established in Torun to celebrate this humble treat. You can learn there about every ritual connected with baking gingerbreads, see the original German machines (which initially were used to bake gingerbread) and finally learn about the tradition of baking gingerbreads in Torun. The museum is interactive and interesting for both, adults and children.
Address: Szeroka 35
Opening times: 10 am – 6 pm, shows start at every full hours
Length of the visit: 35-45 minutes, on depending on the number of visitors
Price: 12PLN adult/ 9.5 PLN children
If you ever got bored in a museum prepare yourself to be amused. In the House of Legends in Torun you will be able to literally immerse yourself in the history of the region. This will be an interactive journey into the past of Torun that will leave you excited and cheerful. This is an ideal place to visit with kids, but adults tend to enjoy it too.
