Day 1: Warsaw — Royal Route & Old Town

Arrive in Warsaw. Start at Castle Square — King Sigismund’s Column and the Royal Castle (40 PLN, free Wed). Explore the UNESCO Old Town — walk from the Market Square to the Barbican.

Walk the Royal Route down Krakowskie Przedmieście — past the Presidential Palace, Warsaw University, and the St. Anne’s Church viewing terrace. Evening: Vistula Boulevards for sunset. Dinner on Nowy Świat.

Accommodation: Warsaw city centre ($40-80/night).

Day 2: Warsaw — Łazienki, POLIN & Praga

Royal Łazienki Park — Palace on the Water (40 PLN), Chopin Monument. Sunday morning = free Chopin concert at noon.

Visit POLIN Museum (35 PLN, free Thu) — the world-class museum of Polish Jewish history. Evening: explore Praga — the edgy, artistic district across the Vistula with the best nightlife in Warsaw.

Day 3: Wrocław — Market Square & Dwarf Hunt

Catch the 8:30 AM train to Wrocław (3.5 hrs). Arrive and walk straight to the magnificent Market Square (Rynek). Visit the Old Town Hall (20 PLN), climb the tower. Begin hunting for the bronze dwarfs — start with Papa Dwarf on Świdnicka Street.

Explore the square after dark — the floodlit pastel facades are magical. Dinner on the square terrace, then drinks on Police Street.

Accommodation: Wrocław Old Town ($35-70/night).

Day 4: Wrocław — Ostrów Tumski & Centennial Hall

Visit Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island). Wrocław Cathedral tower (15 PLN). Brama Poznania museum. Watch the gas lamplighter at dusk.

Tram to Centennial Hall (15 PLN) and the Japanese Garden. Climb the University Mathematical Tower (part of 20 PLN Aula Leopoldina ticket). Evening: craft beer tour of Nadodrze and Ruska Street.

Day 5: Train to Kraków — Evening in Kazimierz

Free morning in Wrocław for last dwarf hunting or a river cruise. Catch the midday EIP train to Kraków (3 hours, from €9). Check in and walk directly to the Main Market Square — let it hit you properly.

Stroll through the Old Town to Kazimierz for dinner. First night: get lost in the streets of the Jewish Quarter — it’s where Kraków’s soul lives.

Accommodation: Kraków Kazimierz or Old Town ($30-60/night).

Day 6: Kraków — Wawel, Old Town & Rynek Underground

Wawel Castle — State Rooms (24 PLN), Cathedral, Crown Treasury, and Sigismund Bell. Allow 3 hours. See the fire-breathing dragon below.

Explore the Main Square — St. Mary’s Basilica (15 PLN tower climb), Cloth Hall, and the brilliant Rynek Underground Museum (32 PLN). Evening pierogi dinner and night walk through the illuminated Planty Park.

Day 7: Wieliczka Salt Mine

Take the train to Wieliczka (25 mins, €1). Tour one of the world’s most extraordinary underground attractions — 700 years of tunnels, salt lakes, and the breathtaking Chapel of St. Kinga. Tour: 3 hours, 800 steps, constant 14°C. Book the 10 AM slot. Return to Kraków by early afternoon for a relaxing evening. This is your last easy day before Auschwitz.

Entry fee: Wieliczka 99 PLN (book online 3+ days ahead).

Day 8: Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial

Take the 7:30 AM bus from Kraków to Auschwitz-Birkenau (1.5 hrs, €5 each way). Join the English guided tour (60 PLN, 3.5 hours, book 1+ week ahead). Entry is free. Walk both Auschwitz I and Birkenau. Return to Kraków by 4 PM. This day is emotionally heavy — give yourself space for a quiet evening.

Day 9: Travel to Zakopane & Gubałówka Sunset

Take the bus from Kraków to Zakopane (2 hours, €6-12). Dropping from the foothills into the Tatra valley is one of the most scenic approaches in Poland. Check into your guesthouse.

Take the funicular to Gubałówka Mountain (35 PLN return). The panoramic view of the entire Tatra range at sunset is one of the great moments of this trip. Walk back down through the forest (40 mins). Evening: Krupówki Street — grilled oscypek, mulled wine, and Goral music.

Accommodation: Zakopane guesthouse ($30-70/night).

Day 10: Morskie Oko Hike

The highlight of the mountain section — a hike to Morskie Oko, Poland’s most beautiful alpine lake. Take the bus from Zakopane to Palenica Białczańska (5:30 AM departure recommended). Hike 8 km up a paved road (2 hours, moderate). The lake at 1,395 metres surrounded by 1,000-metre granite walls is breathtaking. Add the 45-minute hike to Czarny Staw above for even better views. Return by foot or horse-drawn carriage.

Entry fee: Tatra National Park 8 PLN (cash at gate).

Day 11: Kasprowy Wierch & Thermal Pools

Take the cable car to Kasprowy Wierch (1,987m, 99 PLN return, book online). Walk the alpine ridge trail to the summit cross. On clear days, the view stretches into Slovakia. Dress warmly — it’s 10°C cooler at the top.

Bus or taxi to Termy Bukovina — thermal pools surrounded by the Tatra peaks. Soak in 38°C geothermal water with mountain views. Return to Zakopane for a farewell mountain dinner.

Day 12: Fly to Gdańsk — Arrival & Long Market

Catch a morning bus back to Kraków (2 hrs) or take the direct bus Kraków–Gdańsk (LOT Polish Airlines or Wizz Air have cheap flights). Alternatively, the overnight train from Kraków to Gdańsk saves a day.

Check into Gdańsk. Walk through the Golden Gate into the Long Market — the most beautiful street on the Baltic coast. See Neptune’s Fountain, the Artus Court, and the Green Gate. Climb St. Mary’s Church tower (12 PLN) for panoramic views. Evening: riverfront dinner on the Motława.

Accommodation: Gdańsk Old Town ($40-80/night).

Day 13: Gdańsk — Hel Peninsula & Sopot

Take the train to Hel (90 minutes, €5). Visit the Seal Sanctuary (12 PLN) and climb the lighthouse (15 PLN). Eat fresh grilled fish at the harbour.

Return to the Tricity and stop at Sopot on the way. Walk the European Longest Wooden Pier (515m, 9 PLN) and end your trip with a sunset Baltic view. Take the SKM train back to Gdańsk (17 minutes).

Day 14: Solidarity Centre & Departure

Visit the European Solidarity Centre (30 PLN) in the Gdańsk Shipyard — a stunning modern museum that tells the story of the Solidarity movement that brought down the Iron Curtain. Allow 2 hours. Walk the shipyard grounds to the Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers.

Last walk through the Long Market for final souvenirs — amber jewellery from Mariacka Street is the classic Gdańsk keepsake. Take the train to Gdańsk Airport (30 minutes, €1) for departure. The airport is small but has good duty-free with Polish vodka and local products.