Quick answer: A Poland itinerary with Kraków, Zakopane, Warsaw and Energylandia fits comfortably into 8 to 12 days – by car or by train and bus. Kraków is the ideal base for Wieliczka, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Energylandia in Zator; Zakopane brings the Tatra Mountains; Warsaw shows rebuilt, modern Poland. Poland has no vignette for cars – only some motorway sections charge tolls. You pay in złoty (PLN). This page is our starting point: every Poland article in the series is linked from here.
Some countries surprise you quietly. Poland was one of them for us. We have been to Kraków, Zakopane, Warsaw and Energylandia. An old town that ranks among Europe’s most beautiful. A capital rebuilt stone by stone after the war. Mountains with clouds drifting over them like in the Alps. And a theme park that leaves any roller-coaster fan speechless. The same thought kept coming back: why do so few people talk about this country?
This page kicks off our Poland series. It gives you the route, the order, honest costs and the traps. Detailed articles on each place will follow and be linked here one by one. The pictures are our own photos; prices and dates were checked with the official providers and are listed below with the date we checked.
From Vienna the route works especially well, because Kraków is a one-day drive. If you fly, land in Kraków (KRK) or Warsaw (WAW) and do the loop the other way round.
| Days | Place | What you do | Where to stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Kraków | Rynek and Cloth Hall, Wawel, Kazimierz, an evening on the Vistula | Old Town or Kazimierz |
| 4 | Wieliczka + Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial | Two separate half-days or two days – not both rushed into one | Kraków |
| 5 | Energylandia (Zator) | A full day of coasters, about an hour’s drive from Kraków | Kraków or Zator |
| 6–8 | Zakopane & Tatras | Gubałówka, Kasprowy Wierch, Morskie Oko, thermal baths | Zakopane or nearby |
| 9–10 | Warsaw | Old Town (UNESCO), Łazienki Park, Warsaw Rising Museum, view from the Palace of Culture | Centre or Praga |
More time? Add Gdańsk and the Baltic coast, Wrocław or the Masurian Lakes. Articles on those are coming too.
Kraków is a city where you arrive and immediately slow down. The Rynek Główny is one of the largest medieval market squares in Europe, with the Cloth Hall in the middle and St Mary’s Basilica on the corner. Every hour a trumpeter plays the Hejnał from the tower – and breaks off mid-note. Once you have heard it live, you won’t forget it.
Up on the hill stands Wawel with the royal castle and cathedral; down by the Vistula lies the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, with synagogues, courtyards and places where you stay until late. We have also been to Kraków in winter – read about it in Kraków for New Year’s Eve: Rynek, Wawel and Kazimierz.
Underground, carved out of salt: chapels, chandeliers, lakes. According to the mine, the classic Tourist Route is about 3.5 km long, takes 2 to 3 hours on average and leads down roughly 800 steps to 135 metres below ground; you come back up by lift. The official site lists tickets from 121 PLN; buy foreign-language tours online from the mine in advance. Watch out for sites selling “Wieliczka tickets” with a mark-up – the mine’s own site is the only place you pay the original price.
Not a sightseeing stop but a place of remembrance. Plan a separate, calm day for it rather than squeezing it in after the salt mine. Visits are only possible with a timed reservation; book exclusively through the Memorial’s official site – resellers often charge considerably more. The direct route there and the key rules are in our guide. A detailed, respectful article follows in this series.
About half an hour north of Kraków: limestone cliffs, castle ruins, caves and beech woods. Poland’s smallest national park is the perfect counterweight to city and history – half a day to breathe.
Energylandia is in Zator, about an hour’s drive west of Kraków. Yes, we have been, and yes, it is bigger than you expect: several themed areas from toddler and family zones to the Extreme Zone, the Dragon zone and the Aqualantis water park. The flagship is Zadra, a hybrid coaster by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) with a wooden structure and steel track: about 63 metres tall, up to 121 km/h, 1,316 metres long, opened in 2019 (figures as listed on Wikipedia from manufacturer data).
Season: According to energylandia.pl, the 2027 season opens on 3 April 2027. In winter, the “Winter Kingdom” runs from 28 November to 31 January as a separate area with its own ticket (standard 149 zł according to the park’s site). Buy tickets only on the official site, energylandia.pl – third parties often add a mark-up. Detailed tips against queues, every area and getting there from Kraków will be in the dedicated Energylandia article in this series.
Zakopane is Poland’s mountain village par excellence – wooden houses in Highlander style, grilled oscypek cheese and the Tatras right on the doorstep. We stayed in a glamping dome with a hot tub and a view of the peaks (our story: Zakopane: a glamping dome with a hot tub and a view of the Tatras). What is worth seeing is in Zakopane: the sights that are really worth it.
Warsaw is different from Kraków – bigger, more modern, faster. That is exactly why it belongs on the route. The Old Town was faithfully rebuilt after being almost completely destroyed in World War II and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Łazienki Park you stroll among peacocks, ponds and the Palace on the Isle.
The Warsaw Rising Museum tells the story of the 63 days of 1944 with great intensity; admission is 35 zł according to the museum, closed on Tuesdays. For a view over the whole city, ride up the Palace of Culture and Science to the 30th-floor terrace (114 m, 30 zł according to the operator, daily 10 am–8 pm). In the evening, cross the Vistula to Praga, with old factory halls full of bars and restaurants.
The good news first: there is no vignette for cars in Poland. The electronic e-TOLL system applies to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. By car you only pay on some privately run motorway sections, at the toll gate (card or cash) or via app/number-plate recognition.
| Section | Route | Car, full section |
|---|---|---|
| A4 | Katowice (Mysłowice) – Kraków (Balice) | 36 zł |
| A2 | Świecko (German border) – Konin | 141 zł |
| A1 | Gdańsk (Rusocin) – Toruń (Nowa Wieś) | 29.90 zł |
Source: tolls.eu, as of 15.09.2026; the A2 operator announced discounts for number-plate payers from 11.09.2026. According to the same source, the state-run sections A2 Łódź–Konin and A4 Sośnica–Wrocław have been toll-free for vehicles up to 3.5 t since 2023. Always check current prices with the operator.
For the route from Vienna this means: the A4 between Katowice and Kraków is the only toll section you will definitely hit. If you rent a car, compare providers beforehand and go for full cover without excess.
Poland does not use the euro; the currency is the złoty (PLN). Cards are accepted almost everywhere, often contactless even at market stalls.
Our Poland guide is coming soon – sign up to be notified. Inside: our Kraków – Wieliczka – Energylandia – Zakopane – Warsaw route with day plans, the official booking sites for the salt mine, the Memorial, Energylandia and the cable cars with QR codes, tolls and parking without traps, and what we would do differently next time. Booking with the originals alone easily saves a family more than the price of the guide. Sign up here and we’ll tell you when it’s out.
For the full route with Energylandia and Tatra hikes, May to September is ideal – Energylandia is in main season, the lifts run and the days are long. December is lovely for Kraków’s Christmas market and Zakopane in the snow, but Energylandia then only offers the Winter Kingdom. In July and August Zakopane and Morskie Oko are very busy – start early.
Our picks for your Poland trip (Advertising – we earn a small commission, your price stays the same)
We deliberately link Energylandia tickets only directly to the park – with no commission for us.
For Kraków, Wieliczka, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Energylandia, Zakopane and Warsaw we plan 8 to 12 days. With Gdańsk and the Baltic, closer to two weeks.
No, there is no vignette for cars. You only pay tolls on some motorway sections, such as the A4 between Katowice and Kraków (36 zł for the full section, as of 15.09.2026). e-TOLL applies to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.
Energylandia is in Zator, about an hour’s drive west of Kraków. Buy tickets directly on energylandia.pl.
According to the park’s official site, the 2027 season starts on 3 April 2027. From 28 November to 31 January there is also the Winter Kingdom with its own ticket.
According to the mine, the Tourist Route takes 2 to 3 hours, is about 3.5 km long and goes down roughly 800 steps to 135 metres. You return by lift.
Technically yes, but we advise against it. The Memorial needs time and quiet. Two separate days are better for head and heart.
The złoty (PLN). Cards are accepted almost everywhere. Always pay in PLN at the terminal and never accept conversion to euros.
May to September for the full route with Energylandia and the Tatras. December for Kraków’s Christmas market and Zakopane in the snow.
Passend dazu:
Poland surprised us: with warm people, cities full of history, mountains that look like the Alps and a theme park that ranks among Europe’s most exciting. If you drive the Kraków – Zakopane – Warsaw loop and book directly with the originals, you get a lot of trip for your money. Over the coming days, detailed articles on Kraków, day trips from Kraków, Zakopane and the Tatras, Warsaw and Energylandia will appear here – all linked from this page. More destinations are on our homepage.
Sources (checked 09.11.2026)
Prices, dates and rules can change – check with the official sources above before you travel.
Ad: partner links – if you book through them, we earn a small commission and your price stays the same.
Quiet Mykonos: north beaches with no sunbeds (Agios Sostis, Fokos), Ano Mera, Armenistis lighthouse, Chora timing, bus from €2, best months.…
Santorini sunset without the crush: Skaros Rock, Akrotiri lighthouse, Pyrgos, Firostefani – with monthly sunset times, €2.20 bus, costs. Upd…
Bangkok rainy season May–October: wettest month September (336 mm), usually 1–2 h of afternoon rain. Climate table, day plan, transport, den…
We only use what is necessary to run this website. Everything else – such as statistics or content from third parties – only with your consent. You can change your choice at any time.