Poland Travel [#11] - Weekend Tourism

Weekend tourism, or the trend of short trips

Recently, there has been a significant rise in the number of people who go on trips just for the weekend. The most interesting places in Poland are particularly crowded from Friday to Sunday. What is the reason for this? And can you visit a city well in such a short time? 

Why are short trips so popular?

Several years ago, it was fashionable among Poles to organise renovations over free weekends or to take care of matters that often could not be addressed during the week due to a lack of time. This way, people were constantly busy, and they had little time for well-deserved rest. Nowadays, they have started to think more about themselves and the necessity of spending every free moment with family. Additionally, the increase in salaries has also contributed to the development of the short trip trend. People are increasingly willing to spend their savings on trips, as the memories from them are undoubtedly priceless.

Where do we prefer to go?

The most commonly chosen destination for a weekend trip is the Baltic Sea, Masuria, Kraków, and Zakopane. These are undeniably some of the most popular places in Poland. The sea and Masuria are perfect for those who prefer passive forms of relaxation. For those who are more active, a trip to the mountains would be the best option. For history enthusiasts and those interested in visiting numerous monuments, Kraków or another city would be an ideal choice. The distance to the location greatly influences the choice. Places that are usually the closest are preferred. This makes sense since no one wants to waste too much time travelling, especially since the trip itself lasts only two days. A longer journey also comes with higher costs, which everyone would prefer to avoid. A significant distance to cover also affects the level of fatigue (no one will feel like sightseeing, beach walks, or mountain climbing after a long journey).

Combining the necessary with the useful, and thus something about business trips

A large number of people are currently often sent on business trips (including during weekends). Many people associate such trips solely with business meetings or company presentations. However, it should be noted that these meetings do not last from morning until evening. Therefore, it is worth allocating free time for something beneficial for oneself. If business meetings take place in a city with interesting monuments, we should definitely go and see them.

Is a weekend enough time for sightseeing and relaxation?

It might seem that two days (Saturday and Sunday) is definitely too little time to visit, for example, a city. However, in reality, it is more than enough. Most people leave on Friday afternoon (for example, after work), which allows them to start sightseeing right away on Saturday morning. However, weekend trips are generally not about seeing all the possible attractions of a given place, but rather about spending as much time as possible with family or simply relaxing. If someone wants to see as much as possible, it is advisable to plan a detailed itinerary in advance and become familiar with the area map.

Author of the text: Łukasz Stachurski