Poland Itinerary
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 62
Poland Itinerary
Visiting Poland the first time in June.
Proposed itinerary:
4 nights Warsaw
3 nights Gdansk
3 nights Wroclaw
4 nights Sakopane
4 nights Krakow
Train or rental car?
Any must see areas (nature, culture) that we missed?
Length of time we propose?
SIM card for data suggestions
Other thoughts and tips are appreciated.
Proposed itinerary:
4 nights Warsaw
3 nights Gdansk
3 nights Wroclaw
4 nights Sakopane
4 nights Krakow
Train or rental car?
Any must see areas (nature, culture) that we missed?
Length of time we propose?
SIM card for data suggestions
Other thoughts and tips are appreciated.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
Actually, look into PolskiBus (www.polskibus.com). I find them much easier (and cheaper) to use than PKP's train services. And I personally wouldn't bother with the costs and hassles of renting a car in Poland. As for your itinerary. Do you like the mountain outdoors a lot? Otherwise, a couple of days in Zakopane should do fine.
#3
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Malaga, Spain
Posts: 1,077
'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it'
George Santayana
In my view a visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum should be compulsory. Easy to reach from Krakow
George Santayana
In my view a visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum should be compulsory. Easy to reach from Krakow
#4
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
As already suggested, you could plot a visit to Auschwitz during your stay in Kraków, touching but definitely worth it. You could also perhaps spend an extra day in Trójmiasto (i.e. Gdańsk, Sopot & Gdynia), a few days on the seaside instead of Warszawa/Kraków (where the absurd level of air pollution is probably only second to Beijing) could kick things off nicely for you (unless it starts snowing like yesterday). As for transport, you could also look at flights, with Ryanair often offering ridiculously low fares (~€5) between Gdańsk & Warszawa, for instance, otherwise trains (relatively cheap for western standards and with the big plus being the high speed rail service, introduced back in 2014), but I wouldn't bother with coaches (cheap, true, but road works, traffic etc. would personally put me off). There are countless things you could see in the above mentioned places, though if you could be a tad more specific we would surely come up with a decent list.
G
G
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 62
Thanks for the replies and suggestions. Auschwitz is certainly on our list. We also enjoy the "off the beaten track" places in cities, where we meet locals and get to see places through their lenses. Mountains/outdoors a must.
#6
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
G
#8
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Programs: Mainly Hilton Hhonors, SAS Eurobonus
Posts: 1,981
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/europ...ps-warsaw.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/europ...ps-krakow.html
#9
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: WAW
Programs: A3(*G), Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,534
Good tips from AliCorporateUK - he knows whereof he speaks.
I can also give you some advice for WAW (and KRK also) but it's probably better to PM by this stage.
BTW, when you go to Sopot be aware that locals call the main drag (Monte Cassino) the 'monciak'. So if you hear this word that's what they're referring to. No surprises that there are considerably better options for seafood in and around the Tri-city than for all the other places on your list, so for dining I'd concentrate on seafood/fish during your time there.
Even in the capital, WAW, the seafood options will be mostly terrible if you don't know the city well.
I can also give you some advice for WAW (and KRK also) but it's probably better to PM by this stage.
BTW, when you go to Sopot be aware that locals call the main drag (Monte Cassino) the 'monciak'. So if you hear this word that's what they're referring to. No surprises that there are considerably better options for seafood in and around the Tri-city than for all the other places on your list, so for dining I'd concentrate on seafood/fish during your time there.
Even in the capital, WAW, the seafood options will be mostly terrible if you don't know the city well.
#10
Join Date: May 2017
Location: GDN
Programs: Miles&More
Posts: 5
I also suggest you to check Ryanair - now it's a promo, you can find RT flight for 6EUR (with cabin luggage only) OR pay extra 15EUR per 15kg of luggage (OW).
You can easy use train (WKD) S2 or S3 from/to WAW (going to/from Warszawa Centralna - Main Station) OR 175 bus (going to Krakowskie Przedmieście - Old Town BY Central Station). You can also buy 24 horus ticket for 15PLN (1EUR = 4,50PLN) - it's valid within 1st zone (all Warsaw - bus, tram, train, etc.)
SimCard - Play. You can buy in (for example) Złote Tarasy - near the Main Station in Warsaw. Cost? 1...2...3EUR (depends from included money on).
You can easy use train (WKD) S2 or S3 from/to WAW (going to/from Warszawa Centralna - Main Station) OR 175 bus (going to Krakowskie Przedmieście - Old Town BY Central Station). You can also buy 24 horus ticket for 15PLN (1EUR = 4,50PLN) - it's valid within 1st zone (all Warsaw - bus, tram, train, etc.)
SimCard - Play. You can buy in (for example) Złote Tarasy - near the Main Station in Warsaw. Cost? 1...2...3EUR (depends from included money on).
#11
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: The County, Maine
Posts: 829
I arrive in Krakow in July for a 4 day stay. I really want to avoid the all day tour buses to Auschwitz and have researched hiring a private car with driver for 100 Euros. Has anyone else done this? Comments provided pro or con or a particular company they would recommend would be appreciated. Thanks.
#12
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA, UA lowly commoner
Posts: 780
I arrive in Krakow in July for a 4 day stay. I really want to avoid the all day tour buses to Auschwitz and have researched hiring a private car with driver for 100 Euros. Has anyone else done this? Comments provided pro or con or a particular company they would recommend would be appreciated. Thanks.
#14
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 380
I arrive in Krakow in July for a 4 day stay. I really want to avoid the all day tour buses to Auschwitz and have researched hiring a private car with driver for 100 Euros. Has anyone else done this? Comments provided pro or con or a particular company they would recommend would be appreciated. Thanks.
Going by car is, of course, far more convenient as the driver collected us from our apartments and drove us between Auschwitz and Birkenau. We went by car as an elderly grandmother was with us. From memory we paid about 80-90 zloty each (this was a few years ago), so 100 Euros would be quite similar.
The train was slower and slightly more complicated - but a fraction of the price. It really depends on you.
Another place I found really interesting in Krakow is Nowa Huta. Built as a new city by the communists as an 'ideal' city. Very gritty and local with stunning architecture.
I'd be tempted to knock a night of Zakopane and add one to Krakow - unless you want to focus more on hiking/ mountain relaxation.
I'd also add a recommendation for Polskibus as PKP trains can be very slow. Also, don't take a hire car to Krakow as it is impossible to park in the centre without a resident's permit.
#15
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA, UA lowly commoner
Posts: 780
Going by train from Krakow to Auschwitz is more complicated than going by minibus, and not to be recommended. As for getting between Auschwitz and Birkenau, there is a free shuttle bus that operated every ten minutes in the summer (I just checked the frequency online). The shuttle bus might be crowded in summer, though--I don't know, as I went in late September and it wasn't.