Rules for crossing the Polish border with your own car and requirements for a car when entering Poland. Budget travel by car in Poland Travel by car in Poland

Route planning

We now have 5 days free and a small budget for a short trip.

5 days for travel is quite a bit, considering that almost two days are spent on the road. Therefore, we decided to go somewhere nearby, where we can get there relatively quickly and still have an interesting time.

Because our starting point at that moment was the city of Kyiv, then we simply opened the map and highlighted a radius of 900 km. around Kyiv. Why 900 km? This is the distance that can be comfortably covered in one day by car.

To be honest, we have already traveled to the countries falling within this circle: our last trip was to Belarus and Lithuania (we wrote about this), and the year before - to Romania and Bulgaria (we wrote about this). Hungary, Slovakia and Poland remain. We decided to postpone Hungary and Slovakia until our trip to Austria, so the choice fell on Poland.

We have already been to Poland: once while passing through as part of an excursion tour, the second time also while passing through on the way to Germany and Luxembourg (we wrote about this). We were also in Krakow, but somehow we were running.

Therefore, after thinking and consulting, we decided to go again to Poland, namely to Krakow. But in such a way as to thoroughly explore both the city itself and its surroundings.

In addition to Krakow itself, we decided to visit the Krakow Zoo, which is located in the suburbs, and also find time to go to Auschwitz.

Therefore, the final one-way route looked like this:

Budget planning

The main expense items were as follows:

visa;
travel insurance and Green Card for cars;
hotels;
fuel for cars;
payment for roads in Poland;
visiting a museum, zoo, attractions and gifts;
other purchases.

The costs for each of these items may vary. For example, in our case, we did not have to spend money on visas, because one of us enjoys the benefits of visa-free travel for citizens of Ukraine, and the second already has a Schengen multiple entry visa in his passport.

Of the museums, we planned in advance a visit to Auschwitz and the Krakow Zoo, so the costs of these events could be foreseen in advance.

We always issue travel insurance without fail, just like car insurance (in Russia you can choose and order travel insurance at).

As for road tolls, our route included one toll section between Krakow and Auschwitz, and this section can also be driven for free; I’ll tell you more about this in the next article.

As for fuel, it is slightly cheaper in Ukraine than in Poland. Therefore, we refueled fully before the border, and this fuel was enough for us until we returned to Ukraine, so that we did not have to refuel in Poland.

Selecting and booking hotel rooms

Because We planned to first visit the zoo (which is located outside the city), as well as Auschwitz, which is 70 km away. from Krakow, we decided to save money for the first couple of days and check into a hotel outside the city, and then move to a hotel in Krakow for two days.

Therefore, for the first two nights we booked a room in the three-star hotel Dwór w Tomaszowicach (which, looking ahead, turned out to be a valuable find).

For the last two nights, we decided to move to a large chain four-star hotel BEST WESTERN Efekt Express Kraków. At this hotel, breakfast was included in the price, which freed up our time a little.

I will tell you more about hotels in the following articles. Let me just say that we always book hotel rooms on booking.com in advance, and it has never shown itself to be on the bad side, we have encountered overbooking and other surprises, but everything has always been successfully resolved, both to the booking itself and the service which they provide, there have never been any complaints. We have described in detail, as well as.

For short-term trips, it is more convenient to stay in hotels, which is why we book through the market leader - booking (although sometimes I compare prices on the websites of the hotels themselves). And for long-term stays, it may be more convenient to rent an apartment so that you can cook for yourself. And in the area of apartment rentals, the AirBnb service offers good competition to booking (if you register using our link, you will get a good discount on your first stay).

Travel documents

Visa

To visit Poland, Russians and Belarusians need a Schengen visa; for Ukrainians, a valid biometric passport is sufficient.

Passport

Everything is clear here, valid foreign passports are required.

Medical insurance

This item is optional, but highly recommended. Honey. Service in Europe for foreigners without insurance is very, very expensive. So, even the smallest cold can cost you a lot. Therefore, we recommend that you take out travel insurance for each tourist. There are a bunch of web services in Russia that help you choose and apply for insurance: , .

Despite the fact that we did not need to obtain visas for this trip, and no one required travel insurance, we still took out policies for ourselves. By the way, for one of the policies we found a good option for extended insurance, which also included some items for additional maintenance of the car in the event of an unexpected breakdown and the need to call for evacuation. In any case, do not hesitate to ask about additional options that can be added to your policy; sometimes these options can be very interesting.

Documents for the car

Here's the usual kit:

rights,
technical passport for the car,
Green Card insurance.

The Green Card is almost always checked at the border.

There is no need to worry about paying for roads in Poland in advance. On toll sections of the highway, you will pass through special payment points where you can pay in cash or with a bank card (in this article you can see our recommendations on which card is better to pay when traveling abroad).

Printing out hotel room reservations

Sometimes at the border they ask for confirmation of the purpose of your trip. And a regular printout of the booking from the booking office is sufficient justification.

There are situations when the traffic police may stop you and inquire about the purpose of your trip and show some evidence. For example, we were once stopped in Poland and Germany, although it was only an oral conversation and a check of the rights and passports of all passengers. But just in case, I recommend having a printout of the booking reservation in your car (and it’s better if it’s a printout than the booking app, because your Internet may not work at the right time, or you simply won’t activate roaming, so you simply won’t be able to make a reservation in the app show).

Vehicle equipment

The car must have:

working fire extinguisher;
warning triangle, or better yet two;
a reflective vest for (often in European countries it is forbidden to go on the highway without it);
European first aid kit (red with a white cross and the inscription First Aid);
spare wheel and jack.

So, preparations for the trip are over. In the next article I’ll tell you about the road to Krakow, crossing the border and the first hotel. And also about the striking difference in the quality of road surfaces in Ukraine and Poland, about gas stations and roadside cafes.

Warsaw

At first glance, the Polish capital may seem like a noisy city. But this impression is deceptive. Once you get to the old city, you are mentally transported back several centuries. The most interesting thing is that most of the buildings are new. After all, after the Second World War, all of Warsaw lay in ruins... Through the titanic efforts of architects, the Old Town, or, as they say here, “Starówka,” was restored. Moreover, where possible, original bricks were used. UNESCO even listed the Old Town as a World Heritage Site “as an exceptional example of the almost complete restoration of the historical period between the 13th and 20th centuries.”

The Royal Castle was built at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries and served as the place where the Polish kings sat, and until the mid-20th century, also the president. Interestingly, in different eras the castle was rebuilt several times in accordance with current fashion. Nowadays there is a museum in the palace where you can see paintings by artists Rembrandt and Matejko, old views of Warsaw by Bellotto, as well as an urn with the ashes of Tadeusz Kosciuszko.

As we have already said, the impression of Warsaw as a stuffy and dynamic place is very misleading. In the very center of the city there is a real piece of paradise. We are talking about Lazienki Park, which was created in the 17th-18th centuries for the local aristocracy. The park covers 76 hectares and is a wonderful place for walking. It is not only beautiful here, but also has excellent ecology - a lot of squirrels, ducks and even... peacocks! Who walk right along the paths of the park and are not at all afraid of people! By the way, sometimes they scream very funny - don’t be scared.

The famous Palace of Science and Culture, designed by architect Lev Rudnev in 1952-1955, is the tallest building in Poland and one of the tallest in the European Union. The house, which represents “a gift from the Soviet people to the Polish,” was built on the model of Stalin’s high-rise buildings in Moscow. It is not surprising that such a project evoked negative associations among local residents, because they saw in it the obvious dominance of the totalitarian system and pressure from Moscow. However, this is already history.

Krakow

After Warsaw, Krakow, located in the south of Poland, may seem too calm, much like St. Petersburg after Moscow. But just as in the case of “Venice of the North,” we are talking about the cultural capital of the state, which was also the real capital. Therefore, there is really something to look at here.

The first thing a tourist sees when going to the Old Town of Krakow from the north is the mighty Barbican (the so-called defensive structure like the Kutafia Tower in Moscow) with St. Florian's Gate and city walls. It’s hard to believe that there was once a moat between the Barbican, which was built in the 15th century, and the city walls... However, even now the immersion in the Middle Ages is a great success. By the way, you can walk along the fortress walls.

Walking along Florianska Street, you will arrive at the main square of Krakow - the Market. In the Middle Ages it was one of the largest in Europe, but even today it amazes with its size. In the center of the square there are cloth rows (Sukiennice). There is still a brisk trade in them, but former fabrics are increasingly giving way to souvenirs. At an angle to the “cloth racks” is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary or St. Mary’s Church. Be sure to go inside, because the interior of the cathedral deserves special attention. The church is also characterized by two towers that differ from each other. By the way, remember - every day at 10 am a free (!) city tour starts from the entrance to the temple.

Wawel Hill is the real heart of Krakow, because it is here that the Royal Castle and the Cathedral of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslas, which is the tomb of the Polish kings, are located. Be sure to visit the castle's courtyard, which can rival similar buildings in Italy in beauty. By the way, it is here, in the Royal Castle, that a painting by Leonardo da Vinci - the famous Lady with an Ermine - is now exhibited. There is also a real dragon living on Wawel. I'm not kidding! The creature from legends migrated straight to the banks of the Vistula and even shoots out flames to the amusement of the public.

Krakow churches deserve a separate story. In general, the Polish word Kościół in translation means only “church”, and in Russian it is more correct to call Catholic churches in the same way as Orthodox ones - churches, temples or cathedrals. However, when talking about Poland, you can use the word “church”, just like the word “via” for street names in Italy. The churches in Krakow truly amaze with their beauty. This is due to the fact that the decoration of most of them was created during the period of the so-called Counter-Reformation and religious wars in Europe. The ascetic interior of Protestant churches was contrasted with the wealth and gold in the interior of Catholic churches, designed to show the image of paradise that awaits the believer in case of repentance. By the way, if you decide to attend Holy Mass, it is better to come in advance - because sometimes you simply cannot enter the temple due to the number of people.

Nowadays the area called Kazimierz is a fashionable place. But once upon a time, one of the largest Jewish quarters in Europe was located here, as various establishments and the sounds of klezmer from street musicians will certainly remind you of. Although the surrounding atmosphere evokes a pleasant feeling, one cannot help but recall a sad page in the history of Krakow - the Krakow Ghetto, which was organized in the neighboring district of Podgórze during the occupation of the city by Nazi Germany. Before the war, Krakow was inhabited by more than 60 thousand Jews; after mass deportations, only 15 thousand remained in the city. However, even this was not enough for the Nazis. In March 1943, it was decided to liquidate the ghetto. 8 thousand Jews who were considered fit to work were transported to the Plaszow concentration camp, 2 thousand were killed right on the streets, and the rest were sent to Auschwitz. Departure was carried out from the station, located on the local Place de la Concorde. In memory of the murdered Jews, this place is now called Ghetto Heroes Square, and in the middle of it is a monument in the form of empty chairs.

Wroclaw

Wroclaw is the capital of the historical region of Silesia, famous for its rich mineral resources. Just who didn’t this region belong to? And the Poles, and the Austrians, and the Czechs and even the Hungarians. But, of course, the city has the most German influence, because after the War of the Austrian Succession at the end of the 18th century, Silesia became part of the Kingdom of Prussia for a long time. The Prussian heritage is especially evident in the architecture - just see the town hall on the Market Square or the houses on the Salt Square next door to feel as if you were in Germany.

The heart of Wroclaw is the island of Tumski, located on the Oder. It was from here that this mighty city began. On the island there are ruins of some buildings dating back to the 9th century. And in its very center is the Cathedral of John the Baptist, which is the first Gothic church in Poland.

Another integral attraction of Wroclaw are the real gnomes. Yes, yes, small figurines of fairy-tale creatures are installed throughout the city. But don’t think that gnomes, or “red men” as they are called here, are placed throughout the city for no reason. They are full-fledged citizens of Wroclaw and live their own lives - they go shopping, ride a motorcycle, put out fires. That's why their names are appropriate. For example, “sleepyhead” or “shopaholic”. Looking for gnomes throughout the city is extremely interesting even for adults, and they come across completely unexpected places.

If you find yourself in Wroclaw, then visit the local zoo. Entrance costs 40 zlotys (about 600 rubles), and you can spend the whole day there. The territory of 33 hectares is home to 4,150 animals of 876 different biological species. There is even an aquarium here!

A chicken is not a bird...

...and Poland is not a foreign country. This saying, in which Poland sometimes gave way to Bulgaria, was probably known to everyone who grew up in the Soviet Union. Perhaps this was once exactly the case, and Poland was not fundamentally different from other countries of the socialist camp. However, over the past 30 years Poland has experienced fundamental changes. And before you write in the comments “the author was paid by the Poles,” think a little and draw your own conclusions, without imposed stereotypes. During our ten-day trip, for a family of two adults and one child, in addition to paying for accommodation (13 thousand rubles), 25,000 rubles were spent on food, cultural programs, and entertainment. And at the same time, we did not deny ourselves anything. Everywhere we went, we received a warm welcome, service at a decent level, and no one tried to deceive us.

Separately, it is worth mentioning such a point as discrimination. Not once, we emphasize, not once during the trip did we see any prejudice due to the fact that we spoke Russian. Moreover, the Poles really made a positive impression - here they will always help you get out of the transport with a heavy bag, or they will hold the door, seeing that you are walking with a stroller. We have to admit that Poland has already become a foreign country in the good sense of the word. And its tourism potential is greatly underestimated by Russians.

The cherry on the cake was a conversation with a football fan of Legia Warsaw that took place on the last evening. Having learned that we were from Russia, he was delighted and shook my hand, saying that politicians on both sides are always trying to pit ordinary people against each other, but the Slavs should be friends. It’s hard to disagree, especially when the country unexpectedly reveals itself to you from such a positive side.

Polish Mix: 2-Week Itinerary from Krakow to Gdansk

Castles, deserts, ports, lighthouses, caves, lakes - this journey through the south and north of Poland turned out to be a vibrant cocktail of opposites that could completely change the impression of this country!

Travels are different, just like dishes: some are bland, others are spicy, others are exotic. Our recipe is unique: friendly company, changing plans on the fly, a desire for new experiences and, of course, a colorful country.

It all started with the fact that we decided to visit friends, and at the same time diversify our impressions. The plans were grandiose - to drive along the entire Baltic coast of Poland by car, visiting a dozen lighthouses, sunbathing on the beaches, discovering new horizons, then seeing Warsaw and going home rested. But plans tend to change without the knowledge of their owners. Therefore, upon arrival to see friends, it was decided to go not to the north, but to the south - to Krakow. This idea was unanimously approved, and we set off by car.

South. Beskids. Krakow

A few hours' drive, and here we are. We rented accommodation through airbnb and, having parked the car, walked to the old town. The entire historical center is surrounded along the perimeter by a neat park with bicycle paths and places to relax in the shade of trees. We entered the city from Shchepanskaya Square near the Palace of Arts, and straight away we found ourselves at a light show - many fountains were illuminated and created a festive atmosphere. After admiring the luminous streams, we headed to the heart of the Old Town - Rynok Square.

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The same city can be completely different depending on the time of day. We recommend admiring all its beauties during the day on an educational excursion. Krakow greeted us with the yellow lights of lanterns in the twilight that had fallen on the city, the sounds of a jazz orchestra on the Main Market, the clatter of hooves and the creaking of carriages from carriages. A diverse crowd of tourists slowly moved through the streets, flowing from one brightly lit building to another. We also followed their example and dived into the Cloth Rows, the central building of the square. This historical building was transformed and completed several times under different rulers, but always had one purpose - trade. Even now they sell souvenirs and handicrafts here, from leather bags to amber jewelry. The variety is such that your head is spinning and you want to buy everything. Coming out, St. Mary's Church with towers will immediately appear before your eyes, which at night looks like an ancient castle. The square is full of cafes and restaurants, where you should definitely try zurek or pirogi (that is, dumplings and some delicious dessert). This is how we spent the whole evening, walking through the narrow streets of the old city and looking at the ancient houses.

On the second day we went again to the old city, but from the northern side, where the Barbican is located, which once served as a defensive structure. It was connected to the city by a bridge, and now there is a branch of the historical museum there. We entered the city through the northern gate and headed towards the center. During the day, Market Square looked completely different: a fair spread out over almost the entire territory, noise, music from all the cafes. We hastened to look inside St. Mary's Church: there is a separate entrance for tourists and a separate one for parishioners. The temple is crowded, but not noisy, there is a lot of air inside - this effect is created by high arches, the huge central nave is painted like a starry sky - there are golden patterns on a dark blue background, light pours through the high windows, illuminating all the splendor and splendor. If you wait, you can see how they open a huge altar of carved wood. The church is impressive, but you definitely need to look at it from another side.

We climb the steep steps of the City Hall, at the same time you can see the exhibition of ancient clothing, which is exhibited on one of the floors (the City Hall is a branch of the Historical Museum of Krakow). There is no observation deck as such, the windows are just open on the top floor, but the views are still beautiful. The entire Market Square and the church are in full view, the basilica domes, and below the cafe umbrellas and fair tents look like a mosaic. Wawel Castle is visible in the distance, just right for us. You can also find out in detail about all the exhibitions, opening hours and addresses of the departments of the Historical Museum of Krakow.

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It takes about 10-15 minutes to walk from the Market Square to the Royal Castle along the pedestrian street Grodzka, but we didn’t want to rush, because at every step we came across some attractions - for example, the Church of St. Andrew the First-Called - or simply beautiful historical buildings. The castle itself is an entire architectural complex, including about two dozen buildings, but the main ones, of course, are the Royal Palace and the Cathedral of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslas, over the entrance of which hang huge bones, they say that of a mammoth. Entrance to the castle grounds and the cathedral is free, but you must purchase a ticket to enter the interior, where various exhibitions are located. Wawel Castle stands on the hill of the same name on the banks of the Vistula and from there offers a beautiful view of the modern part of the city and the river. By the way, after going down, you can take a cruise ship along the river with a sightseeing tour, and this will allow you to look at the city from a different angle.

It was not by chance that we ended up in Krakow and specifically in Wawel, but because this is the first of 16 castles in a chain of defensive structures. The so-called Eagle's Nest Path is a route passing through the Lesser Poland and Selesia voivodeships. King Casimir III the Great built these castles to protect borders and trade routes. And they received such a bizarre name because of their location on the hills and rocks, like eagle’s nests. In order not to go astray and not miss a single castle, we used the website and, having examined the first castle, without wasting time, we went to the next one.

You can learn all the secrets and legends of Krakow at: why the dragon became a symbol of the city, what you should definitely try from the local food, and how women were punished in the Middle Ages. You will find all the answers to your questions there!

Kozkiew Castle

A castle is located 13 kilometers from Krakow, near the small village of Kozhkiew. It was built in the 14th century, restored, and today is used as a place for celebrations. Numerous halls host weddings and various events. When we arrived, preparations for the wedding were actively underway and one of the halls with ancient tapestries turned into a banquet room.

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Inside, in many of the halls the walls are not plastered, but bare brickwork is left and decorated with animal horns. The place is very picturesque, but the castle may be closed during celebrations. You can allocate 1-1.15 to Kozhkevsky Castle and that will be enough.

Ojcow National Park and Ojcow Castle

We arrived at the next castle, or rather its ruins, in the afternoon. The car was left in the parking lot, next to the ticket office and information center, where they will give you a map and tell you the route.

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Ojcow Castle itself is located on a high cliff and most of it has been destroyed. A gate and a couple of towers have survived to this day in good condition, the rest is only in the form of foundations and ditches, but the view from the cliff offers a wonderful view of the emerald hills and valley. There are several routes in the national park, varying in length and difficulty. Walking along an asphalt road, you come across amazingly shaped rocks, as if a shark’s fin or the tip of a knife were growing out of the ground; for anyone, what associations do these bizarre sculptures of nature evoke? The most famous rock is the Mace of Hercules - a 25-meter rock formation surrounded by forest. The entrance to the trail is through a rock canyon - a narrow entrance opening into an emerald valley. A great place to breathe deeply in the cleanest air and move forward.

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There are caves in the park, but we didn’t go down there, the temperature there is no higher than 16 degrees, and after a hot day and an active hike without warm clothes, we risked getting sick in them. But we came out to a high observation deck, from where we could see the entire park. It’s worth spending 5-6 hours on Ojcow Castle and the park for a leisurely stroll, but if you go down to the caves, it’s better to leave a separate day for it.

Rabshtyn Castle

By evening we reached the town of Olkusz, which is 45 kilometers from Krakow. Nearby was the village of Rabshtyn with a castle, next on our route. We toured the castle ruins, which have been partially restored.

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The gate tower is in good condition; on the information signs we read that there is a small museum inside and various historical festivals are held. We decided to stay somewhere nearby for the night. It turned out that local residents rent out their homes to tourists at a low price. We stayed on the second floor of a private house right under the castle, and from the courtyard we could see the ruins.

Mosquitoes woke me up, buzzing annoyingly over my ear, I could no longer sleep and decided to go for a walk. Early morning, the time before dawn was quiet, I left the house and walked along the paved path. The village is located in a lowland around mountains and forest, only a small clearing and pasture near the castle. She approached the walls, and you could see the fog rising from the cold grass, like a ghost that was afraid of the light.

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From the hill the distant mountains are clearly visible and the first rays of the sun, at first timidly, insinuatingly, shine on the castle, on the forest, on the village, on the clearing. Then the orange disk of the sun rises higher and higher above the tops of the trees, the rays become brighter, the white walls of the castle seem to wake up from sleep, dew glistens on the fresh grass, the fog rises above the forest, evaporates and the mysterious haze disappears. I have never seen a sunrise in the mountains, it was so simple and at the same time fabulous that I did not regret waking up early.

Smolen

We arrived in Smolen for lunch and immediately headed to the castle. The whole area was green and it was pleasant to walk, although the day was hot. More recently, Smolen was in decline, but now it is being restored and you can walk along the massive walls of the fortress and look at the surroundings from above, like other fortifications along the Eagle’s Nests path; it is located on a high hill. We climb the stone stairs to the tower; it is likely that it used to be a lookout tower. The view from the tower is in all directions - the castle dominates the plains and small hills, the fields are like a patchwork quilt, spread out all around and only in the distance are the foothills covered with forest visible.

In the castle courtyard there is a deep well, and on the opposite side there are dungeons. At one time, Smolen was an impregnable fortification, but now it has become an interesting place with a rich history and lush nature. 2-2.5 hours is enough for a visit and excursion.

Ogrodzieniec

Our last point on the Eagles' Nests Trail was Ogrodzieniec in the town of Podzamcze. We had the pleasure of spending half a day in this wonderful place and were satisfied. Moreover, there is an amusement park nearby, where neither children nor adults will be bored. The castle is very beautiful, despite its dilapidated state, its snow-white towers and massive walls create the impression of a fairy-tale town.

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Work is currently underway to reconstruct it. But tourists are allowed inside, entrance is paid, and the price also includes a visit to the tower with an exhibition of instruments of torture. The structure is located on a hill and seems to grow out of the rocks. You can walk for a long time along narrow, gloomy corridors with loophole windows, climb into galleries, and climb towers. And here it’s worth stopping and admiring the scenery. The castle is surrounded by a defensive wall, which in one place smoothly flows into the rocks. The entire area is covered in soft grass, where you can lie down and relax after the excursion. After walking around the castle and its surroundings, we headed to the amusement park. And here everyone chooses what their heart desires: an adrenaline park in the trees, and an educational theme park. Entertaining physics, where you can feel the influence of its laws on different equipment, a luge track like a bobsleigh, but not with such sharp turns, and a haunted dungeon.

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There is a miniature park and attractions for children. You can choose entertainment and events and see prices on the website. Festivals and knightly tournaments are held in Ogrodzieniec, so you can also plan interesting historical leisure activities. So it won't be boring. We set off home in the late afternoon and were only there by midnight.

North. Baltika. Gdansk

A couple of days of respite and we are moving north. At this point my soul wanted to go all out and visit the Curonian Spit, and Hel, and in general all the lighthouses along the coast. But that was not the case - there were only four days left and I had to choose the most interesting and compactly located. The route was as follows: Gdansk-Sopot-Hel-Sławinski National Park.

All motorways are in excellent condition and free of charge, and new motorways are under construction all along the route north. Having left the suburbs of Warsaw, we arrived in the evening. We parked near the historical center; after 6 pm parking is free. After walking literally a hundred meters, we came out onto the pedestrian Dluga Street, where a lot of attractions are concentrated on it and the parallel Pivnaya Street, which makes the walk eventful. You immediately admire the imagination with which the facades and gables of the houses are decorated. The impression is that these are gingerbread houses with sugar icing for Christmas, lined up in a holiday window, waiting to be selected and placed in a basket.

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The splendor of the architecture is due to the fact that the city was a rich and important seaport and, from the mid-14th century, was part of the Hanseatic League, which united more than 300 Baltic cities. It was inhabited by merchants and traders who competed in the luxury and beauty of the decoration of their houses - you look and you won’t find two identical ones. There are dragons on the roofs, horses, drainpipes in the shape of fish, and museum-like statues decorate the façade of the house. An excellent view of the evenly laid out streets and the bay opens from the Town Hall, which is located on the Dlugy Targ, as well as from the bell tower of the Church of the Virgin Mary. Along these same streets you can go through the Green Gate to the embankment.

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In the evening the city is dressed in bright lights, creating a particularly cozy atmosphere, and all this is reflected in the slow Vistula. All cafes and restaurants invite you to stop by and try delicious fish dishes of national cuisine. That evening we just walked and admired the views of the city. For a more impressive experience, you can climb into the cabin of the Ferris wheel on Warehouse Island, near the Maritime Museum. But we were very tired and went to bed.

We rented housing for one night with parking for 100 zlotys (less than 25 euros) in a new area of Gdansk and were very pleased. In the morning we returned to the old city again, but this time we purposefully walked towards the embankment. There, at the old Zhurav, a port crane and also the city gate, we tried delicious smoked sheep cheese with cranberry jam. This combination gives a very piquant taste and you want to eat a dozen of these cheeses. To complete the picture, we decided to take a ride on a pirate galleon that was parked at the pier along the Vistula towards the mouth.

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The cost of the excursion is 40 zlotys per person (less than 10 euros). There is a guide on board who speaks good Russian, and there is a cafe inside. My husband and I wanted to have a snack and we ordered Polish borscht. I knew that this was not Ukrainian borscht, but I didn’t expect such deception: four dumplings dangled in the burgundy water - and that’s the whole dish. The galleon slowly sailed along the docks and shipyards of the port, the guide along the way told the history of Gdansk. The most beautiful views are right at the mouth of the sea.

After exploring Gdansk from the water, we went to the Royal Oliwa Park. This is a magnificent botanical park with the Abbey Palace and Oliwa Cathedral. On a hot day it was nice to walk in the shade of the trees and admire the well-groomed flower beds. The park has several small reservoirs connected by a cascade of waterfalls. In the summer, concerts are held - we caught one of these, the orchestra performed works by Chopin on an open stage. Many cozy and secluded corners of the park invite you to relax on the lawn or on a bench. Ducks and swans swim in the ponds, shady alleys invite you to take a walk, and if you have enough time, then it’s definitely worth spending half a day here.

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Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia are the famous Tricity on the Baltic. And we could not ignore the beautiful Sopot. It is not as lush as Gdansk, but on the contrary, it is somehow relaxed, resort-like, but no less interesting. We only had half a day to do it, so I’ll write what we managed to see while running. There are many cafes and bars on the main pedestrian street of Heroes of Monte Cassino, but the most interesting thing is seen when you walk towards the embankment. There is a Crooked House built there, incredible, seemingly dancing to a cheerful melody. You look and don’t believe that it’s possible to build something like this. Walls and corners do not want to obey strict geometry, and jump out beyond the boundaries of straight lines, it seems that you are looking at a reflection in a crooked mirror. Inside, nothing betrays its “crookedness,” but all the lines are smooth, in some ways even reminiscent of Gaudi’s architecture. Closer to the sea there is a lighthouse that adorns the city landscape. It is not operational, but colorful, also due to the fact that its base is square in shape, unlike conventional cylindrical beacons.

By car to Poland through Belarus.
We left Moscow on our Goetze at 5 am on Thursday. We reached the border with Belarus without any problems and in the evening we were ready to cross the Belarusian-Polish border. We did not feel any border between Russia and Belarus, as such.

About five hundred kilometers from Moscow, Belarus will begin. This is about an 8-hour drive straight ahead along the Minsk Highway and it’s already within easy reach by car, about another 600 km. In total, we got 13 hours and a half. True, we went in the spring. In winter, I think it will take longer because of the road.

You no longer have to pay for transit travel by car in Belarus. By the way, you can also buy insurance there, if someone doesn’t have it, and exchange money.
Then a toll highway begins on the territory of Belarus. It is better to fill up with gasoline to a full tank on Russian territory. You won’t be able to pay for gasoline at gas stations in Belarus with our Russian rubles; they don’t accept rubles, but you can use a card. But at the same time, you have to pay for everything else in Belarusian rubles.
We continue to move by car to Poland through Belarus. If you decide to take the M1 highway, then at the Radki PVDS (toll collection point) you will need to pay for the toll road. You will know that the toll road will start soon by the blue roadside banners. This is the M1-E30 road from the Russian border to Brest. Payment is made in euros. But you can also pay in Russian rubles. You will have to pay only 4 times according to the amount of PVDS, in the end you will pay only 90 Russian rubles. By the way, this route is quite decent, the asphalt is smooth and the average speed limit on this section is 110 km/h. Keep in mind that there are a lot of radars on this route, so be careful not to break the speed limit.
If you are driving a car to Poland through Belarus from Moscow, then it is better to buy green card insurance in Moscow, from any insurance company, it will be cheaper. However, who cares. You can also buy insurance at the border.

Crossing the Belarusian - Polish border.
You can cross the Belarusian-Polish border quickly, or you can stand there for several hours. Before going to the border barrier, you must first pay a fee of 50 Russian rubles again, and only then can you safely move to the customs zone. First we go through passport control, then customs. While we are standing in line, you can go to the toilet or have a smoke. In advance, while you have time, ask where the “tax free” payment window is located on the way back. It might come in handy on the way back. And also, on the way back, if you want to go to the toilet on Polish territory, keep in mind that it is paid, not like on Belarusian territory.
Next, choose which corridor you need, green or red. Usually all normal tourists head to the green corridor.
Polish customs officers are quite polite, they speak quietly and calmly. Many people are asked to open the trunk. In our presence, only one Belarusian driver was forced to take all the bags out of the trunk. Belarusians often try to smuggle cigarettes into Poland in prohibited quantities. So they are examined with passion. They also check for the presence of meat and dairy products. Those. you should not have any cheese, sausage, cottage cheese, etc. with you. There is a provision according to which the transport of meat and dairy products into the Eurozone is prohibited. I think that now no one will take these products with them to Poland. Previously, yes, they did, especially tourists, to save on food.
When going through passport and customs control with government officials, it is better not to start a conversation yourself. Do everything they say, present everything they ask. As a rule, these are guys without a sense of humor.
In Poland, when driving on the roads, you must turn on low beam headlights. If you drive with side lights or fog lights, you may be fined. Poles don’t like tinted cars either; they force them to rip off the tinting.

Traveling through Poland.
Finally you are in Poland in the small border town of Terespol. There are a lot of signs in Russian along the road. The road is numbered E30. There are also Polish inscriptions. (joke). If you see a large sign that says “Sklep”, don’t be alarmed, this is the name of the store in Polish.

You can exchange currency at these exchangers. Just be very careful and careful and first ask how much money they will give you. Of course, it is more profitable to exchange euros for zlotys.

Roads in Poland are smooth, mostly two-lane. There is a solid line to the right. If you are going to overtake someone, then the person being overtaken presses to the right and lets you pass. You do the same. Very similar to driving in Greece. Speed in populated areas of Poland from 5 am to 23.00 - 50 km/h, from 23.00 to 5 am - 60 km/h. Outside populated areas 90 km/h. This is for cars up to 3.5 tons. On motorways the speed limit is 130 km/h. You are required to drive with your headlights on low beam for 24 hours. A settlement in Poland is indicated by the sign “silhouettes of houses on a white background.”
If you are driving through Poland on weekends, be prepared for some traffic jams, especially in the first half of the day. Poles are very religious people and at this time the whole family gathers in churches, which are usually located along the roads. They park their cars along the roadway.
After crossing the border, it is advisable to stop somewhere to have a snack and exchange money. About 10 kilometers from the border there is a place called Pajero.

The town of Pajero in Poland.

There is a good cafe and a money exchange office with a favorable exchange rate. Exchange euros for zlotys. There is also a small grocery store where you can buy water or juices for the trip. We bought Krakow sausage here, but we couldn’t eat it all the way, it was too peppery.
In general, in Poland, all roadside restaurants and cafes readily accept euros as payment. Every 30-50 kilometers there are roadside cafes and gas stations with toilets. It is not at all necessary to use a navigator in Poland; everything is clear on a simple map that can be bought at any gas station. Many Polish words, and especially names, are very similar to ours.

A very cozy cafe in Poland, where you can have a tasty and inexpensive snack.

Along the roads there are often road signs with the words “Uvaga”. These are usually warnings that you are being monitored by video cameras. True, we saw the signs, but we didn’t see the cameras themselves anywhere.
Studded tires are prohibited in Poland. Therefore, if you are going to Poland in your car in winter, then it would be advisable to install a winter non-studded Velcro on your car. There is practically no snow like we have in Russia in Poland, but the roads in some places, especially outside populated areas, can be very slippery.

Entrance to a toll road in Poland.

This part of the report is about how we crossed the Belarus-Poland border without a queue and practically passed through the first European country in transit. How much does gasoline cost, where can you drink coffee and eat sandwiches? And some sights of Lodz.

Day 2, continued. Border Belarus - Poland

We decided to break into Europe by car from Belarus. Namely, in Brest, cross one of the most “slow”, according to many forum members, the Warsaw Bridge checkpoint, connecting Belarus and Poland. BUT! The devil is not as scary as he is portrayed to be. The Belarus-Poland border is crossed the fastest on Sunday evenings. But even this “fastest” usually lasts for a couple of hours. They make a terrible noise, deliberately piss them off, take away the meat, cheese, nicotine, rifles and marijuana for themselves (and, as luck would have it, this is exactly what we carry when we go to Europe by car).

We were scared, and we arrived at Brest, the last city in Belarus, exactly in the evening of the last day off - we wanted to get to Poland as quickly as possible (the hotel was booked in advance). We didn’t have time to finish the meat, we hid all the most forbidden things and drove up to the “Warsaw Bridge”...

The Belarusian border was unexpectedly crossed in 10 minutes. A stern border guard of about 25 years old peered into my face for a long time and looked for 10 differences with the photo in my passport. I had to apologize for some cosmetic procedures performed on my own face after the passport was made. 10 differences were found, a stamp was given and we were released from the former USSR. Now this part of our autotrip could easily be called a “trip to Poland” if this country were not planned exclusively as a transit country.

On the Polish border, the tail of cars pleased with the final visibility. To be precise, there were three autotails. One is for EU cars, two are for the rest. The EU tail on the Belarus-Poland border (as on any other border) moved faster, and disappeared after half an hour. And - miracle of miracles! — the Polish border guard waved to us and moved us from the “Russian” line to the one where the starry sun should be present on the license plate of the car. They took our passports, asked how many liters of gasoline were in the car, for the sake of decency they asked us to open the trunk..... And that’s all!

So we had no reason to be afraid. It would be possible to carry out drugs and weapons. But those who stood outside the European corridor were clearly looked at longer than us. And tomorrow we have a whole day of traveling around Poland by car... We are preparing fifth points and remembering the leisurely traffic on Polish roads in 2011.

Day 3. To Poland by car – impressions of the country

The third day of our summer road trip has arrived. Woke up in the hotel Hotel Mixbud(an ordinary hotel for an overnight stay, with good plumbing, the ability to buy breakfast, comfortable beds and excellent wi-fi). We woke up, got ready and went. The entire third day of the trip we planned to drive and look at Poland from the car window.

Poland, with the exception of obvious tourist cities, is not very attractive. Neat, lots of flowers in the courtyards of two-story houses. Lots of storks. A lot of cars. A few people. The country is not distinguished by strong originality - we noticed this five years ago.

The roads in this part of the Polish land are good (we can safely recommend them for starting a trip around Europe by car), but the abundance of settlements reduces driving speed. What was unexpected was that we were stopped by the border service to check our documents, although we were already relatively far from the border.

We are driving along E30 (A2 or M1) to Warsaw. Although we don’t need Warsaw, essentially. Gasoline prices in this part of Poland range from 4.44 to 4.57 zlotys (about euros). In the Cafepunkt cafe we drink coffee (espresso 60 ml for 4.5 zlotys, all other coffees 5.99 zlotys for 300 ml). There are even more cars in front of Warsaw, and we are trundling along at a speed of 50 km/h. The houses on the sides of the route are neat, with occasional churches, but by and large the gaze doesn’t stop at anything.

We drive through Warsaw quickly thanks to new junctions, we never get out of the car and see the outskirts of the city exclusively from the window. Stalinist glass makes Warsaw look like the Vyborg side of St. Petersburg, and modern glass, as expected, kills any beginnings of originality and completely depersonalizes an already not very beautiful city.

Our butts were a little tired, and we decided to let them warm up in Lodz. First we continue to drive along the E30, which after Warsaw has become wide, fast and multinational. Having driven about 40 km from Warsaw, we drink tea and sandwiches in a large parking lot. There is a toilet, three sheds with benches and a water pump. After another 10 km there is a gas station, parking and McDonald's. And then again. And further.

If your route to Poland by car goes along this route, you will truly enjoy it. We have never seen roads like these anywhere else in Europe. This is a well-renovated new autobahn, with a speed limit of 140 km/h. After the turn to Lodz and all the way to Germany, the road becomes toll-free, but we passed through the free section.

We turned onto A1 and stopped in Lodz. We didn’t have time to see all the sights of Lodz, and we only managed to walk a couple of streets.

Sights of Lodz

Sights of Lodz for us is Piotrkowska Street. We went through it completely, capturing only separate parts of the other streets. Piotrkowska (also Googled as Petrovskaya or Piotrowski) is one of the longest shopping alleys not only in Poland, but throughout Europe. Lots of funny sculptures, an area with personalized street tiles, lots of cafes and shops. If you take pictures everywhere, you can get stuck for a couple of hours. And if you get here during a festival, which is not uncommon here, you will be stuck for half a day.

Bench of Julian Tuvim at 104 Piotrkowska St.:
Avenue of Stars:
On the stars are the names of directors and filmmakers. The stars stretched from the intersection of Monyushka Street to the Rubinstein passage (houses 78-80).

Arthur Rubinstein's piano near house 78:
Monument to three factory owners near house 32:
These are famous Polish manufacturers of the early 20th century, Israel Poznansky, Ludwik Grohmann and Karl Scheibler, who had a hand in the prosperity of Lodz.

Part of the pedestrian area paved with personalized tiles:
Polish Lodz is a good city. A mixture of Kyiv and the Petrograd side in St. Petersburg. We went for a run, got caught in the rain and moved on. The clock says 16:00, we still need lunch, take E 67 (S 8) to Wroclaw, to find a sculptural composition missed in 2012 and come to Germany to spend the night at a campsite.

We looked into Wroclaw, found sculptures of people going into the earth and emerging from it, and rushed to the village along E 40 (in Germany, route No. 4). We entered it already in the dark, and along the way we were again caught in local downpours a couple of times and once even in hail the size of a walnut.

We stopped overnight at a campsite near Bautzen. But this is another part of the report – German.

All our posts about this trip around Europe by car:

- practically a “transit” part of the report, but after reading it, you will learn several important points about the trip to Belarus and what to see in Polotsk, where we spent the night.

Part two – Poland- you were reading it now

(part of the 2016 auto trip report)

A country where there is nothing to do for more than a couple of hours. But maybe this is purely our opinion. Read this part of the report and decide for yourself!

8 days, 9 cities, mountains, gorges, villages and waterfalls. Quite a busy route. And prices in Switzerland in 2016.

Genoa, Pisa, Florence, Lucca, Cittadella and even the center of Padua. And a couple of hours in San Marino

Hoeschwangau, Neuschwanstein, Lindshorf, Dachau, Munich, Nuremberg and Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

Part eight, final - . What is interesting to see in Belarus by car in the summer

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	From Kyiv to the border with Poland is just over 600 km. Without violating traffic rules, this distance can be covered in 7-8 hours. Therefore, we decided to leave Kyiv as early as possible, so as not to rush, and to have enough time in case of delays at the border. Almost the entire road from Kyiv to the border is part of the Kyiv-Chop highway, and the Kyiv-Lviv section itself is part of the European road route E 40. Therefore, the condition of the road surface is quite good. These are, of course, not Polish and especially not German autobahns, but still this is the best road in Ukraine. The road passes through many settlements, so the speed is not something to joke about, and it is worth driving without breaking the rules.
	In previous articles, I talked about preparing for the trip and the first day of the trip. Today I will share with you my impressions of the second day. We plan to visit the Krakow Zoo (Ogród Zoologiczny w Krakowie), walk through the shopping centers Galeria Bronowice, IKEA, Factory Kraków, have lunch on Swedish meatballs at IKEA, and go to the City of Auschwitz to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum there. The daily schedule is very tight, so we planned everything in advance literally down to the minute. And we managed to stick to our schedule.
	As I said in previous articles, this was not our first trip to Krakow. This time we decided to slowly walk through familiar places, as well as visit those for which we did not have enough time on previous trips. The previous day was very eventful (we visited the Krakow Zoo and the Auschwitz Museum, read about it in this article), we walked a lot and were pretty exhausted, so today we decided not to get up very early, but to give ourselves a rest. After having a snack and a short walk in the hotel park, we started getting ready.
	Today we decided to go to those places that we have always put off visiting. These places are associated with difficult moments in the life of Jews in Krakow. The day before yesterday we already visited the Auschwitz camp in Auschwitz, which we described in this article. Today we plan to walk through the Jewish district of Kazimierz, get to the Ghetto Heroes' Square, and visit Oskar Schindler's factory.
	On the last day of our stay in Krakow, we decided not to go into the city, but to sleep well, have breakfast, and get ready for the return trip without haste. The main task for today is to get to Kyiv, everything else is secondary.

Rules for crossing the Polish border with your own car and requirements for a car when entering Poland. Budget travel by car in Poland Travel by car in Poland

Budget planning

Selecting and booking hotel rooms

Travel documents

Visa

Passport

Medical insurance

Documents for the car

Printing out hotel room reservations

Vehicle equipment

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Wroclaw

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Day 2, continued. Border Belarus - Poland

Day 3. To Poland by car – impressions of the country

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Rules for crossing the Polish border with your own car and requirements for a car when entering Poland. Budget travel by car in Poland Travel by car in Poland

Budget planning

Selecting and booking hotel rooms

Travel documents

Visa

Passport

Medical insurance

Documents for the car

Printing out hotel room reservations

Vehicle equipment

Related articles that may interest you:

Warsaw

Krakow

Wroclaw

A chicken is not a bird...

Polish Mix: 2-Week Itinerary from Krakow to Gdansk

South. Beskids. Krakow

Kozkiew Castle

Ojcow National Park and Ojcow Castle

Rabshtyn Castle

Smolen

Ogrodzieniec

North. Baltika. Gdansk

Day 2, continued. Border Belarus - Poland

Day 3. To Poland by car – impressions of the country

Sights of Lodz

All our posts about this trip around Europe by car:

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