Myth #24: Poland is a cold and grim place

Most people associate Eastern Europe (actually Poland is in Central Europe, see Myth #46) with grey skies, icy winds, and blizzards. The number of times I’ve told people in the UK that I live in Poland and get the response “Brrrr, it must be chilly over there!” Well, it is in the winter yes, but they’re always astonished to hear that I’m luxuriating in 30-something-degree temperatures for four months of the year while they’re shuffling around in the perpetual drizzle that masquerades as the British summer. For some inexplicable reason most British people imagine that Poland is somewhere in the Arctic and therefore more or less perpetually under six feet of snow. Weird. Polish summers are lovely, especially down here in the south. You can depend on long stretches of hot sunny weather from late May until late August, and often beyond. When rain does fall it usually does so all at once in evening thunderstorms, which clear up quickly leaving the air fresh and cleansed.

It’s called a continental climate people; hot dry summers and cold snowy winters. Look it up.

Shockingly grim

Brrrrr, ear muffs and fleecy hat weather

More myths? We’ve got a million(ish) of ’em!