
Poland ranges from the sandy beaches of the Baltic Sea, through the Masurian Lakes and vast river plains, to the peaks of the Tatra Mountains.
by Felix Gillen
Pick a region. The highlights, road trips and places below follow your choice.






Unique experiences that make Poland unforgettable.
From the guide to the road: here is what comes next.
Download the guide to your phone and use it on site, even offline.
Explore the diverse regions of Poland.
Discover the best routes through Poland.

Just under two weeks by train through Poland's major cities: from the capital Warsaw to Krakow, then on to Wrocław, to the brick city of Toruń, and finally to Gdańsk on the Baltic Sea. From Krakow, you can visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum as day trips; from Gdańsk, Sopot and Malbork Castle. PKP Intercity long-distance trains connect all stages directly, with the longest journeys lasting around three to three and a half hours. No car is needed for this route.

This route follows the Polish Baltic coast from Szczecin via the seaside resorts of Świnoujście and Kołobrzeg to the moving dunes near Łeba and on to Gdańsk. From there, it continues via Malbork Castle into Warmia to Olsztyn and into the Masurian Lake District to Mikołajki and Giżycko. This is a car route: The stages are mostly 60 to 140 kilometres long, as the train only serves some of the places in Masuria. Beaches, dunes, Hanseatic towns, and lakes alternate.

Ten days through southern and southeastern Poland: from Krakow to Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains, to the Dunajec Gorge in the Pieniny Mountains, and on to the Bieszczady Mountains, a part of the Eastern Carpathians in the far southeast, bordering Slovakia and Ukraine. On the way back north, the route includes Łańcut Castle, the Renaissance town of Zamość, the artists' town of Kazimierz Dolny, and Lublin. This is a car route, as the Pieniny and Bieszczady Mountains are off the main railway lines. The drive from the Pieniny to the Bieszczady Mountains is the longest leg, at approximately 250 kilometers.
Essential info for your trip planning.
From the Baltic Sea Coast to the Tatras With approximately 312,700 square kilometers, Poland is one of the largest…
From the Piast Realm to the Noble Republic The baptism of Duke Mieszko I in 966 is considered the founding date of the…
Soups, Dumplings, and Cabbage Polish cuisine is hearty and seasonal.
Current and authoritative travel, safety and health advice is available from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth &…
By Train Long-distance trains are operated by PKP Intercity. The fastest category is Express InterCity Premium (EIP),…
Campsites vs. Free Camping Poland offers convenient RV travel, with a network of motorways and expressways connecting…
Beaches, Lakes and Forests Poland is an easy country to travel with children.
When is the best time for your trip?
| Month | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Sun (h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | -1.5 | 31 | 1.4 |
| February | -0.4 | 30 | 2.4 |
| March | 3.2 | 29 | 4.5 |
| April | 9.2 | 35 | 7.0 |
| May | 14.3 | 56 | 8.8 |
| June | 17.7 | 64 | 9.6 |
| July | 19.7 | 82 | 9.5 |
| August | 19.1 | 61 | 9.0 |
| September | 14.0 | 50 | 6.4 |
| October | 8.7 | 40 | 4.0 |
| November | 3.8 | 36 | 1.7 |
| December | -0.1 | 36 | 1.1 |
Get inspired by authentic travel tales.
An hour-long best-of-Poland special from the public television series Rick Steves' Europe. It starts in Kraków and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, continues to Warsaw, Toruń and Malbork Castle and…
DW Documentary rides tram line No. 1 through Wrocław with driver Tatjana…
Warsaw-born travel vlogger Eva zu Beck guides DW Travel through her home city,…
Safety, entry requirements and health: the official, up-to-date advice for Poland is published by the UK government on GOV.UK.
Go to GOV.UK
Who's behind Fernweh?
I love to travel, and I love planning even more. Fernweh.guide is my attempt at building a really good online travel guide.