10 days in Poland: a route through the country's best cities

🗺 Why 10 days is the optimal choice

7 days is not enough to cover four major cities. 14 days is excessive without exploring smaller towns. In 10 days you can realistically see Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw and Gdansk without rushing, with day trips and a comfortable travel pace.

📍 Days 1–2: Warsaw

Arrival at Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW). Getting to the city center — SKM train to Warszawa Centralna station, about 4.5 zloty (around 100 rubles), 25 minutes.

• Old Town (Stare Miasto) — UNESCO World Heritage Site, fully reconstructed after the war
• Royal Castle — entrance around 30 zloty (670 rubles)
• Warsaw Uprising Museum — one of Europe's best history museums, entrance around 35 zloty (780 rubles)
• Łazienki Park — free, Chopin concerts on summer Sundays
• Praga district on the right bank of the Vistula — street art and local bars

🏰 Days 3–4: Krakow

Train Warsaw — Krakow: from 49 zloty (around 1100 rubles), travel time 2.5 hours. Tickets on PKP Intercity website.

• Market Square (Rynek Główny) — Europe's largest medieval square
• Wawel Castle — residence of Polish kings, entrance from 30 zloty (670 rubles)
• Jewish Quarter Kazimierz — cafes, galleries, synagogues
• Wieliczka Salt Mines — 30 km from Krakow, entrance around 120 zloty (2700 rubles), must book online

🕯 Day 5: Auschwitz

Bus or commuter train from Krakow — around 14 zloty (310 rubles), 1.5 hours. Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Complex — free entrance, but guided tour is mandatory in season (book 2–3 weeks in advance). After returning — transfer to Wroclaw by train from Krakow.

🦔 Days 6–7: Wroclaw

Train Krakow — Wroclaw: from 39 zloty (870 rubles), around 3.5 hours.

• Market Square — second largest in Poland, surrounded by colorful buildings
• Wroclaw Dwarves — over 600 bronze figurines throughout the city, map on the city website
• Cathedral Island Tumski — oldest part of the city
• Panorama of the Raclawick Battle — huge 19th-century circular painting, entrance around 45 zloty (1000 rubles)

⚓ Days 8–9: Gdansk and Sopot

Train Wroclaw — Gdansk: from 59 zloty (1320 rubles), around 4 hours.

• Long Street (Długa) and the Crane — symbol of the city, climb to the viewing platform
• European Solidarity Centre — powerful museum about the trade union movement
• Sopot — 20 minutes by commuter train, Europe's longest wooden pier, Baltic beach

✈️ Day 10: Return via Warsaw

High-speed train Gdansk — Warsaw: from 49 zloty (1100 rubles), 2.5 hours. If your flight is in the evening — time to visit Central Station or the Śródmieście shopping district.

🛠 Logistics and practical tips

• Mir cards are not accepted in Poland — bring cash in zloty, exchange rubles in Russia beforehand or withdraw at PKO BP ATMs with Visa/Mastercard
• Transport between cities — PKP Intercity, tickets are cheaper when purchased 30+ days in advance
• City transport — single ticket for 20 minutes in Warsaw around 4.4 zloty (98 rubles)
• Communication: it's most convenient to get an eSIM before departure — on e7m.ru rates for Poland from 113₽, payment by any Russian bank card
• Accommodation: hostel in the center — from 1800 rubles/night, 3-star hotel — from 4000 rubles/night

💰 Approximate trip budget

Budget decreases with early ticket booking and choosing hostels — down to 65,000–70,000 rubles per person.