Polish Autumn is the Favorite Time By Raymond Rolak

Autumn in Poland is a great time for tourism. The weather is pleasant and there are many harvest festivals. In the cities, summer hotel pressure is finished and the crowds have diminished. In the resort areas from Sopot to Gdansk (Baltic sea-shore) traffic has diminished. In the interior and rural areas there is a saying. It is now the “Golden Time”.

There is a short period of time every autumn in Poland called ‘Golden Polish Autumn’. According to custom the phrase comes from Wincenty Pol’s poem, “In the Autumn”.

Na jesieni

Coraz ciszej – wrzesień, wrzesień,
Słońce rzuca blask z ukosa
I dzień krótszy, chłodna rosa –
Ha, i jesień, polska jesień
O! Jesieni złota nasza!

Golden Polish Autumn, (Złota Polska Jesień) – that’s the phrase commonly used to describe this season. Summer is gone, the winter is approaching but the weather is great and it is time to celebrate and enjoy the colors. The trees are golden and rusty.

The Golden Polish Autumn is a period of few days sometime between the end of September and the beginning of October, when fewer sunny days come after the initial drop of temperature. The Golden Autumn lasts less than two weeks in Poland. The Dozynki Festivals in Poland are truly bardzo piękne (very beautiful). From Kraków to Tarnów to Rzeszów the drive is full of color. In Krakow, the giant Jordana Park is a do-not-miss as the changing colors are at their peek. It should be on a ‘bucket list’.

The giant star Arius is bright and directly overhead and in Poland, astronomical autumn is beginning. The ‘Autumnal Equinox’ has commenced and the passage from Summer to Fall is beginning.

The farmers are starting the Dozynki. Harvest festivals that celebrate gratitude for nature’s bounty and winter preparations are all in full swing. The Polish harvest festivals are a custom of many centuries and little has changed. The traditions continue. The festivals celebrate the work of the farmer. Music, dancing, great food and colorful apparel, any Dozynki is worth attending. In America many social organizations and Polish churches have Dozynki Festivals.

One of the best regions to see during Golden Polish Autumn is Zakopane in southeast Poland. The region and folk charm in that area is a sight to see. Find a ‘milk bar’ to enjoy. Inexpensive ‘A’ frame cabins are available to rent. The highlanders of the Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains regions have attractive and lively customs. The area is an avid hiker’s heaven.

So, for preparation …….this year…….next year……anytime soon, the Golden Polish Autumn is a great time to plan a visit or plan a Dozynki party.

(Raymond Rolak is a Michigan based sports broadcaster)