Visa
Poland is in the Schengen area and also in the EU so those requirements hold.
Money
The currency is not the euro, it is the zloty and the euro can be used in some places but what I have read is that the exchange rate is not very good. Evidently it is better to have the “PL“, zloty, to get the better prices. But there are many ATMs wherever you go so you shouldn’t have a problem getting cash. And the exchange windows for tourist seem to be fairly acceptable rates if you want to change cash.
Transport
Public transport is extremely good I have found, on time and very efficient and clean. Trains run to many places and tickets can be purchased online and through apps. So all you need to do is to show the conductor the QR code after you’ve bought the ticket online or from an app. Everything works very well. On the trains senior citizens over 60 get a 30% discount. In the cities seniors over 70 ride for free. Check the different discounts and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised if you’re a senior citizen.
Food
I didn’t have much Polish food but there seems to be a lot of variety some which is similar to German food with a lot of pork, pickled vegetables, sausages and potatoes. In general I found the food is very high-quality but it seems that even in the marketplace food is a little bit more expensive than Germany or the Baltic states.
Hotels
There are a lot of very good hotels and the service seems to be very good with people working in hotel hotels with generally very positive attitudes and very nice. But since the country was able to break away from Russian influence the cities outside of Warsaw have not had enough time to build sufficient hotels for the number of tourists so Airbnb and other booking sites will provide very nice apartments and other accommodations very suitable for whatever you need. The nice thing about having an apartment is the ability to do your own cooking. That’s a good budget saver.
People
People are very friendly, open and kind and extremely helpful. You will find that many people will want to talk with you or help you if you look like you don’t know where you’re going. Poland is a fairly informal place and the people seem to want to speak English with visitors or maybe another language. I think you will very much enjoy meeting the people in Poland.
Language & Communication
My understanding is the Polish language is extremely complicated and difficult to learn but again a few phrases can’t hurt. But English seems to be fairly prevalent so you shouldn’t have a problem and almost everybody seems to be very flexible and positive when it comes to trying to communicate effectively.
Excursions (Entry fees)
Entry fees to museums and different places with excursions are not too expensive. There are some such as Auschwitz which are recommended to do in groups, picking you up at your designated points in Krakow. Since the public transportation is pretty good you can do most things on your own. But it doesn’t seem to be too expensive getting a guide to take you around if you’re interested in more detail then you can gather just walking by yourself.
Shopping
You can get some pretty good deals if you shop where local people shop. Poland has every kind of designer store you would want but I recommend getting off the main tourist streets to find some more interesting and local design things probably of better quality as well.
Environment
The country has extensive farming/countryside which is very beautiful and maybe you would want to rent a car to drive around to see smaller cities, getting away from the tourist traffic. The cities are very clean, well organized and easy to get around with many electric cars cutting down on the pollution. Recycling is a big thing in Poland and other parts of the eastern EU so be aware of the segregation for different kinds of trash.
Be Careful
There are many places in the cities without crosswalk lights. When you don’t see crosswalk lights you will notice the traffic stopping when people get into the crosswalk and this is the way it works. But just watch and make sure the cars will be stopping for you. I didn’t notice any concerns about pickpockets or illegal activities and people seem to show good respect for other people and are very polite so you shouldn’t have any issues.