The BEST 7 Days In Poland Itinerary | Without A Car!

Overview: Poland Itinerary 7 days

This Poland itinerary starts in Warsaw and ends in Wroclaw. However, you can start in Warsaw or Krakow, or make your way back to Warsaw if you are on a round trip.

Public transportation in Poland is great, and journeys between most cities take under 4 hours by train or bus.

My backpacking Europe itinerary continued to Prague, so Wroclaw was the best option for me. 

DAY 1 AND 2: WARSAW

Warsaw is the capital of Poland, and as it has the main international airport, probably the place you will fly into. 

Starting your trip in Warsaw is the best for this one-week Poland itinerary because Warsaw is located in the middle of the country.

What To Do In Warsaw?

Warsaw is one of the most underrated European capitals, which makes it the perfect place to start exploring Poland.

Most of the city was destroyed during the Second World War, including the city center.

What you see nowadays has all been rebuilt, but there are some original buildings still standing and telling a story of the catastrophe that occurred. 

Warsaw’s story is what impressed me the most, so I joined nearly every free walking tour on all of the topics they offered.

Want to add a fun activity to your Warsaw itinerary? This traditional Galar cruise on the Vistula River is one of the most unique things to do in Warsaw! ☀️

Where to stay in Warsaw?

When it comes to which part of Warsaw to stay in, I recommend the Old Town or the Srodmiesce Quarter – a modern neighborhood with many vegan restaurants and cafes around. 

• TOP Pick: Flaner Hotel
• Best Mid-Range Option: City Center Aparthotel Chmielna
• Best Hostel: Oki Doki Old Town Hostel

I was on a tight budget when I visited Warsaw, so I stayed in Chillout Hostel in the Srodmiesce Quarter. The hostel was one of the cheapest in the city, but it was clean, safe, and comfortable, with social events planned. 

Vegan food in Warsaw.

I was surprised to learn that Warsaw is one of the top vegan-friendly cities in Europe!

According to Happy Cow, there are currently 46 fully vegan restaurants in the city! When you add restaurants with vegan options, there are over 250! So you could easily spend 7 days in Poland eating in vegan restaurants.

Some of the places I tried and loved are:

• Cafe Michelle is a cute cafe with breakfast and lunch options. I had a vegan omelet pancake. It was delicious!
• Local Vegan Bistro serves traditional Polish food, but everything is vegan. That way, you are not missing out on trying local delicacies.

DAY 3 AND 4: KRAKOW

Kraków is probably the most popular city in Poland and for a good reason. The historic city center looks like it comes straight out of a fairytale!

Kraków is one of the oldest cities in Poland, and it used to be the capital for many years. Its Old Town with Wawel Royal Castle was declared one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world.

As a popular backpacker destination, Krakow is one of the best places to visit in Europe in winter or summer, as it is lively at any time of the year!

What to do in Krakow?

The best thing to do in Krakow is to wander the streets of Old Town and enjoy the history around you.

With 2 days in Krakow, you’ll get to visit all the main tourist attractions!

Explore the Wawel Royal Castle area, which is free to walk around, as long as you do not enter the building.

Across the river, you will find the Jewish ghetto and the famous Schindler’s factory. 

You can join one of the many Free walking tours to learn more about the sites. You will be surprised how old things are and what they were used for!

I went on 3 different tours with Walkative free tours, and I enjoyed each of them a lot!

Where To Stay In Krakow

There is no shortage of accommodation options in Krakow, and I’ve stayed in several different places during my visits.

Generally, I suggest staying in or around the Old City. That way you can simply walk everywhere!

• TOP Pick: Hotel Polski Pod Białym Orłem
• Best Mid-Range Option: No.23 Premium Aparthotel (I stayed here and loved it!)
• Best Hostel: Greg & Tom Hostel

Best Vegan Restaurants In Krakow

Krakow has a wide variety of cuisines and restaurants with vegan options!

• Vegab is an ideal fast food place. It was the first vegan kebab I tried, and to this day, I still think about it. There are many options, and you will find the one you like for sure!
• Krowarzywa is a Polish vegan fast-food chain, and I loved their burgers.

DAY 5: DAY TRIP FROM KRAKOW

Day Trip To Auschwitz – Birkenau Memorial

The most popular day trip to take from Krakow is a visit to the concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Dedicate a whole day to this trip. It is a hard thing to witness, but it is very educational. Make sure you book your tickets well in advance because it tends to sell out!

If you want to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, you need to book in advance –tickets sell out days in advance! This is the best rated Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with a hotel pick-up from Krakow.

Day Trip To Wieliczka Salt Mine

Visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Wieliczka Salt Mine is another popular day trip.

The price difference is minimal compared to booking everything on your own, but it is well worth the convenience.

If you don’t have a car it might take some time to figure out the buses, and with tickets that need to be booked weeks in advance, many people opt for a guided 1-day tour that covers both Auschwitz-Birkenau & Salt Mine!

Day Trip To Zakopane

For nature lovers, Zakopane is a perfect starting point if you are interested in hiking in the Tatra Mountains.

You can take a bus to the mountains and the famous Morskie Oko hike, so you don’t need a car for this day trip.

The bus ride takes around 2 to 3 hours in one direction, so it is possible to go for a hike as a day trip from Krakow!

DAY 6 AND 7: WROCLAW

Wroclaw, also known as the Venice of Poland, is the last stop on your Poland itinerary.

This picturesque town has more than 100 bridges and canals in the Old Town, giving it the nickname the Venice of Poland.

Wroclaw is a student city, so it might be quieter during the summer. That makes it perfect for exploration, as it is not yet as popular as Krakow.

What makes Wroclaw special is that hundreds of dwarf statues are scattered all over the city. Going dwarf hunting is one of the most unique activities to do in Poland. 

Where To Stay In Wroclaw

The city centre of Wroclaw is rather small, so you can not go wrong wherever you decide to stay. 

• TOP Pick: Korona Gold 
• Best Mid-Range Option: Scandic Wrocław
• Best Hostel: Rynek 30 Hostel

Best Vegan Restaurats In Wroclaw

Wroclaw is another hidden gem when it comes to vegan restaurants. I loved everything I tried here!

• I tried Vega restaurant for lunch. There were so many options, and the food was delicious. 
• Bez Lukru was a great spot as well. I only tried their cakes, but they also had lunch options that looked great.

More Places To Visit In Poland

If I had more than one week in Poland, I would add a visit to Gdansk, Lublin, and Poznan. I believe that adding these three cities would be perfect if you have two weeks to discover Poland.

• Gdansk is a city on the Baltic coast. I loved the history and the unique architecture in this city.
• Lublin is on the eastern side of the country. I did not hear a lot about eastern Poland, but if I had more time, I would have loved to explore it as well.
• Poznan is located between Wroclaw and Gdansk, so it is a nice stop to break up the road if you are going to the north.

How To Get To Poland?

Poland is easy to reach from most places around Europe.

Most big cities have airports, and budget airlines serve most airports in Poland.

I use this website to add multiple destinations when browsing flights to find the most affordable options.

If you’re flying from overseas, the biggest international airport is in Warsaw, so that might be the most likely starting point for you.

If you are already in Europe, you can take a bus or a train from other European countries.

Depending on your budget, Flixbus is a very cheap option that many backpackers use to travel through Europe.

Getting Around Poland By Public Transport.

Poland is a big country, so it might seem like it will be hard to travel around.

However, it is very easy to get around Poland by public transport.

Poland has a well-developed bus and train network, connecting virtually every tourist destination on the map.

You don’t need to rent a car to travel around Poland. In fact, the only time you could need a car would be for hiking, but even that can be done by public transport.

Usually, trains will be more comfortable, but buses will be cheaper.

I found that the ride duration is similar, so that will not affect your decision greatly. 

Budget For One Week In Poland

If you’re worried that Europe is expensive to visit, Poland is the destination for you.

While Poland is not the cheapest country in Europe, it is significantly more affordable than Western European countries like France or the UK.

 For a week in Poland, I would budget anywhere between €50 to €80 per day.

I spent on average €50 per day, but I was backpacking in Poland on a budget, stayed in several hostels or shared a private room, and cooked a couple of meals.

If you prefer to stay alone in a private room instead of a dorm and eat out for every meal, your budget should be towards the higher end of the average. 

Some days you will spend more, especially if you pay for day trips, while other days you can explore the city by walking and not spending money.