Visit Poland in early May

The photograph on the left shows the main pedestrianised centre of Zakopane at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains in southern Poland.

A popular tourist centre and ski resort, people come from within Poland and from outside to enjoy the mountain air, views, shopping, nightlife and skiing.

The snowy skiing season is essentially New Year until the end of March.

May is an excellent time to visit Poland when trees and flowers are blooming and the weather is pleasantly warm during the day, cooler at night.

Lots of blossom

The trees are in blossom. Wildflowers galore. May is a good time for a nature holiday in Poland.

Pavement Cafes and restaurants in Poland

One of the great pleasures on holiday is eating out. Places such as Krakow and Zakopane, popular with tourists, have a wide array of pavement cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy people watching and the early May sunshine.

Independent Travel to Poland

It's very easy to organise your own trip to Poland.

Book a flight then plan your trip. People from outside Europe may need to obtain visas to enter Poland.

There is lots of accommodation in the form of rooms to rent - absolutely everywhere. Signs for 'noclegi' mean rooms to rent.

Hire a car for the freedom to roam and visit places of particular interest to you in Poland. Driving yourself will give you the opportunity to stop and examine the places that attract your attention.

Places to visit in Southern Poland:

Poland is an enormous country, mainly rural, covered in extensive forests. It takes a day to cross from one side to the other so its good to know where you would like to focus your attention.

The south of Poland or Malopolska is hilly leading up to the Carpathian Mountains and very scenic.

There are rivers and good fishing, quiet paths and roads for horse riding, mountain bikes and quad bikes.

Relaxing in the countryside

Have a relaxing holiday in May in Poland, doing as much as you want or very little.

The weather is perfect for the best walking holiday you can find, with unfenced countryside, lots of national parks, forest and woodland, hiking centres and economically priced food and accommodation.

• Nature holidays in south Poland