Overrun countless times by marauding aggressors, subjugated to overbearing foreign rule for centuries, and now told their beloved vodka can be made from anything, the Polish nation has endured a lot. Yet Poland is shaking off the last vestiges of forced slumber to warmly welcome the 21st century.

Despite the country's push towards the future, its past cannot be ignored - confronting you at every turn. Warsaw may be embracing new world cuisine, cafe culture, and clubs that never close, but you'll still encounter peasant women selling flowers in its beautifully reconstructed Old Town.