Guide to Poland
Customs, social norms and daily life — read before you ask.
🤝 Greetings & politeness
- Say “Dzień dobry” when entering shops, lifts and doctor's waiting rooms.
- Use Pan (Mr) / Pani (Ms) with strangers and older people until invited to first names.
- Handshakes are firm with eye contact; close friends may kiss on the cheek (often three times).
- Take your shoes off when entering someone's home — hosts often offer slippers (kapcie).
🏠 Visiting a Polish home
- Bring flowers (odd number, not chrysanthemums — they're for graves), chocolates or wine.
- Expect lots of food; refusing seconds politely is fine, but try a bit of everything.
- Toasts with “Na zdrowie!” — wait for the host before drinking.
🛒 Daily life
- Most shops close on most Sundays (trading ban); small shops like Żabka stay open.
- Card and BLIK phone payments are everywhere; carry a little cash for markets.
- Tap water is safe in most cities, though many locals filter it.
- Keep the number 112 for any emergency.
🚋 Public transport
- Buy tickets before boarding (app, machine or kiosk) and validate them in the vehicle.
- Fines for no ticket are steep; inspectors are plain-clothed.
- Give your seat to elderly, pregnant or disabled passengers — it's expected.
- Jakdojade is the go-to app for routes and tickets in most cities.
🍺 Tipping & eating out
- Tip about 10% for good table service; saying “dziękuję” when paying can mean “keep the change”.
- Lunch (obiad) is the main meal, usually around 13:00–16:00.
- Try a bar mleczny (milk bar) for cheap, traditional Polish food.
🕯️ Holidays & traditions
- 1 November (All Saints' Day): families visit graves with candles; most shops close.
- 11 November is Independence Day with marches and celebrations.
- Christmas Eve (Wigilia) is the main event: 12 meatless dishes, the first star, sharing opłatek wafer.
- Easter: blessing baskets (święconka) on Saturday, water-splashing Śmigus-dyngus on Monday.
💬 Social norms
- Poles can seem reserved with strangers but are very warm once you know them.
- Directness is normal — it's honesty, not rudeness.
- Drinking alcohol in public spaces (parks, streets) is generally illegal.
- Name days (imieniny) are celebrated like birthdays.