Poland: The Ultimate 4 day Road Trip, Kraków to Wrocław
Poland is a seemingly quiet country which hosts a wide variety of multicultural restaurants, colourful picturesque towns and the breathtaking High Tatra mountains. The number of tourists visiting Poland each year has been slowly on the rise over the last decade from not just neighbouring countries but now international visitors and it’s clear to see why.
Tragically Poland found itself in the middle of WWII with monuments and museums scattering the country paying respect to those who lost their lives and celebrating Poland's remarkable survival. On this speedy road trip through southwest Poland, we spread our time across Kawkow, Wroclaw and the ever-important visit to Auschwitz. We uncovered delicious food, saw market squares that Disney would be proud of and gained a greater understanding of the country's harrowing history.
The Basics
Location - Central Europe
Currency - Polish złoty
Language - Polish
Religion - Predominantly Catholic
Drive Side -
Right-hand
Plug - C + E
Short on time?
2 nights- Spend the afternoon of your arrival and morning of departure day exploring Kraków and the full day visiting Auschwitz
Have extra time?
5 nights - Start your trip in Wrocław and fly home from Kraków but add 2 nights in between for the mountainous area of Zakopane
6 nights - Start in Wrocław and end in Warsaw by getting a 2.5 h train from Kraków
Driving -
We found the condition of roads on this trip to be in excellent condition with polite road users
Day 1:
If you're heading to Poland for a long weekend from the UK you are most likely going to land around midday. If you are planning on spending your time in Kraków alone there is a direct train for only €2/£1.80 from the airport taking around 20 minutes into the city centre. Alternatively, if you are planning on following our mini road trip it's time to pick up your hire car. By the time you have checked in lunch will be your next priority before an afternoon of site seeing. We headed out for some traditional Polish food at Pierwszy Stopien which included vegetarian versions of all the polish classics such as Pierogi, soup, Zrazy and Golabki. We were unsure what to expect, especially as polish cuisine is heavily meat-based, but the food was an excellent way to start the trip.
Stomachs full it's time to walk it off and head to the Old Town. On your way there you will most likely pass Wawel Caste and Cathedral which is well worth a stop. Perched on a small hill it consists of several structures from different periods situated around the Italian-styled main courtyard. You can walk around the courtyard for free and take in the views of Kraków or you can pay to view different areas of the castle such as the Royal apartments, state rooms and galleries. The price for this varies depending on what you want to see and current exhibitions.
No trip to any European town would be complete without spending time in the traditional marketplace. Once leaving the castle head over to the main square Rynek Glowny where you can also see St.Mary's Basilica. It was bitterly cold during our time in late November so we wandered the streets in search of some local drinks and found Pijalnia wódki i piwa. Being in the centre of town it was hard the find a non-touristy spot but this bar had a great casual vibe with very cheap local beers and liquor.
After a few drinks we headed to the Jewish quarter in search of some dinner. This area of Kraków definitely feels more local in comparison to the old town and is filled with a wide variety of small restaurants, bars and boutique shops. We has some great pre-dinner drinks at a speakeasy-style bar Eszeweria before heading down the road to Youmiko Sushi where we opted for the chef's tasting menu.
Stay: £ - Zaczek Hotel ££ - 1891 Garni Hotel £££ - Hotel Stary
Eat + Drink: Pierwszy Stopien, Pijalnia wódki i piwa, Youmiko Sushi, Eszeweria
Do: Wawel Caste, St.Mary's Basilica, The main square Rynek Glowny and wonder the streets of the old town
Day 2 Kraków → Gilwice
Time to wake up and enjoy your last few hours in Kraków. If breakfast isn't included in your accommodation the town has plenty of amazing brunch spots to test out. We headed to Napnap Café for some Shakshuka before hitting the road towards the main purpose of our trip to Poland, a visit to Auschwitz.
The drive to the town of Oświęcim will take around 75 minutes by car or a little longer if travelling by coach on a guided tour. All visits to Auschwitz must be done with an organised guide and you will be able to select your time slot online if booking independently. This is not only to preserve the buildings but it adds so much depth, insight and greater understanding which is essential for all visitors. You will start at the Auschwitz site which will take around 90 minutes with a short 30-minute break for lunch before heading to Auschwitz II Birkenau for another 90 minutes. Our time there absolutely flew by and was extremely memorable and eye-opening. All guides are from the local area and had either family or friends who were killed there during WWII and their knowledge is unparalleled to anything you can read online or are taught in schools.
Tip
The 30-minute gap between the two areas gives you a chance to eat and get on the shuttle bus. Although there is a small kiosk selling light refreshments the queue is extremely long with very few food options. Therefore I highly recommend picking up your lunch in Krakow to have during this small time slot. There is a minimum age requirement of 14 to visit so this day trip is not suitable for families.
After an afternoon that will stick with you forever, it’s was time to head off in the direction of Wrocław. After a long day it's best to have a night stop in the town of Gliwice. Although a small town we had a good time at a help-yourself beer bar called IBU Craft Beers. You load up what looks like a travel card with however much you wish to spend and use this to tap on a large central machine to select the flavour you wish to try. After testing out some unique and unusual favours I would recommend heading over to Olio pizza 5 minutes down the road. The girly interiors might not be everyone's cup of tea but the food and drinks were great.
Stay: £ - Apartament Gliwice
Eat + Drink: IBU Craft Beers + Olio pizza
Do: Auschwitz
Day 3: Wrocław
Once you have finished a large plate of pancakes at Zouza Bistro for breakfast the drive to Wrocław will take you 2 hours. Like Kraków, Wrocław is a small and easily walkable town with my first suggested spot to head to Ostrów Tumski. The streets and alleys are illuminated by over 100 gas lanterns which are lit every day by a lighthouse keeper. It is because of the atmospheric lighting, historic buildings and attractive location on the water that Ostrów Tumski is a perfect place for an evening or afternoon stroll. Next head to the old town to see the town hall and cute market square. The gothic architecture and coloured buildings seem to pop straight out of a Disney movie and I much preferred here to the centre of Krakow.
If travelling between November to January you won't be able to miss the Christmas market which takes over the square during these months. Although touristy a glass of mulled wine by the fire in one of the pop-up bars is the ideal way to warm up during the dark winter evenings. After all that walking it's time for dinner at the vibrant Mexican restaurant Panczo followed by one of the best cocktails I have ever had just over the road at Krvn.
Stay: £ - MoHo Hostel ££ - Puro £££ - The Granary Hotel
Day 4: Wrocław → Home
Luckily we woke to clear sky's on the last day of our road trip in Poland so headed straight out for breakfast at Jolie Brasserie Café. The menu is a combination of classic European, American and Mediterranean dishes and my other half claimed he had the best Croque monsieur he has ever had in his life. A pretty bold statement so well worth a visit. With a few hours to go before you have to head off to the airport a visit to St. Elizabeth's Church to climb the tower is a must for some last views over the city.
For all interior lovers, a stop at Nanan Patisserie needs to be added to your list. Opened by former pastry chef Justyna Kawiak with interiors designed by Wrocław-based Buck Studio it is very clear to see that the concept, product and branding have been considered from start to finish. Velvet marshmallow upholstered walls build the base of the scheme and are nicely balanced with a warm oak herringbone floor and brushed brass finishes. The angels are soft from furniture to graphics and touch upon the Art Deco movement fused with the contemporary palette of millennial pink.
Eat + Drink: Jolie Brasserie Café + Nanan Patisserie
This short road trip across southwest Poland only touches the tip of what the country has to offer with so many undiscovered places such as the cute coastal city of Gdańsk or the vibrant capital of Warsaw. Once you begin to unwrap the layers of this seemingly reserved society you will start to gain a greater insight into some of the world's darkest history and find a country that has redefined itself as a symbol of hope.
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