Poland Travel [#10] - 4 best ideas for the May holiday - where to relax and avoid the crowds

4 Best Ideas for the May Bank Holiday – Where to Relax and Avoid Crowds

The long May weekend is one of Poles' favourite times for trips. This year, you only need to take 3 days off work to enjoy 10 days of relaxation. The long day and high temperatures that usually occur around this time of year encourage many people from our country to head towards holiday resorts. This results in traffic jams on the roads, and hotel and restaurant owners rub their hands together, counting their earnings. The high interest in trips during the May holiday is also connected with the fact that holiday locations are incredibly overcrowded at this time. What can you do to relax and simultaneously avoid the crowds? Below are a few tips on how to achieve this.

1. Discover the Local Area

Poland is a beautiful country with plenty of picturesque places, extending beyond Sopot, Kraków, and Zakopane, where you will encounter tourist crowds regardless of the season. It is worthwhile to study a map and explore the tourist attractions located in the nearest vicinity. For example, residents of Lower Silesia, instead of heading to Śnieżka, which is overcrowded during the May holiday, should consider a trip to the Rudawy Janowickie to visit the Colourful Lakes or to the Valley of Palaces and Gardens, where the residences of prominent former families can be found. There are hundreds of such places across the country, and they are much less frequented than the most popular cities. This kind of journey also offers an educational benefit, as you can learn about the history and traditions of the nearby area.

2. Relax in Nature

Nowadays, people are much more comfortable than earlier generations. Technological advancements have led us to live in unimaginable prosperity compared to just a few decades ago. We have become accustomed to the convenience of being able to purchase everything at our fingertips, travelling by car, and having mobile phones that provide answers to all our questions. Perhaps it is worth taking a backpack, tent, and a travel guide this warm May weekend and heading out for an adventure. There are many regions in our country that are perfect for this kind of trip. Mazury (Masuria), areas in Podlasie, and numerous mountain ranges in the south come to mind first. Of course, you don’t have to give up all the conveniences provided by modern technology. It's a good idea to have a mobile phone with you just in case you need to call for help in the event of an unfortunate accident. Not only will such a trip allow you to explore interesting places, but it will also help you avoid the crowds of tourists that will be filling most holiday destinations at this time. It’s a very good way to mentally recharge and refresh your mind.

3. Travel Abroad

The long May weekend is a holiday celebrated solely in our country. Poles tend to travel en masse during this time, while foreign tourists do not do the same. The May holiday in other countries is simply a typical weekend, unremarkable in any way. When going abroad to avoid the crowds, one should keep in mind that many other residents of Poland will likely have the same idea. Therefore, it’s best to skip the most popular destinations such as Prague, Vienna, Dresden, or Budapest. These cities will definitely be crowded with tourists from Poland. It is worth coming up with something unconventional and less popular among our countrymen. This could include areas in eastern Ukraine, the Baltic States, or Romania. In these places, we should not encounter crowds of Polish tourists.

4. Home Sweet Home

It is possible to enjoy the May holiday while avoiding crowds without leaving your home. You can have a barbecue in the garden and invite family and close friends. This way of spending the long May weekend will allow you to feel a greater connection with your relatives and bring you closer together. Aside from Easter and Christmas, there aren’t many occasions throughout the year to gather the whole family and friends. It’s worth taking advantage of this free time in such a way.

There are probably as many ways to spend the May holiday as there are people. Above, we have presented ideas for avoiding crowds during this time.

Author: Łukasz Stachurski