Poland 2012

Route

• Days: 15 days
• Period: August 2012
• KM driven: 3663 km
  
• Weather:  In the south we had a few very hot days (35 degrees). In the north it was about 22 degrees. Most days were dry (only 2 - 3 days with some rain)

General information:

• Currency: Polish Zlotys

• Internet: Internet cafes in most places and more and more campsite have wifi
  

• ATM's: Available everywhere

• Creditcards: Accepted almost everywhere

• Safety: despite the bad image we never felt unsafe (we did not bushcamp)

Prices (August 2012)

• Value Money: €1 = PLN 4,10 (Polish Zlotys) 

• Fuel: diesel is PLN 5,65 (about € 1,40 ) per liter

• Camping: between PLN 29 and PLN 90 per night for 2 persons, car (no power)

Visa

• Not needed for EU citizens
  

 

Border crossing

• Entry and Exit: coming from and exit to Germany. Free of charge and no border controls. 

 

Roads

• Almost all mainroads are in good condition. Local roads can sometimes be bumpy due to damaged tarmac. No roads on our route were unpaved. 

Fees for Toll roads, briges, tunnels and ferries

• Wroclaw to Katowice = PLN 16,20 

Highlights or not

• Swidnica, Peace church = PLN 8 per person. Very old and richly decorated church

• Wroclaw, old town = Nice old town, with a beautiful square, impressive church and about 160 small goblins hidden all over the city.  

• Auschwitz and Birkenau = former concentrationcamp. This camp played an important role in mass murdering the Jews during the WWII. Visiting these camps is a moving experience. Everyone should come here once in there life. Entry PLN 35 per person and PLN 5 per person for the headset. A guide is included and obligatory between 10:00 and 15:00. Early in the morning (before 10 am) and late in the afternoon (after 3 PM) you can visit without guide. Personally we think you should not visit without guide; you will miss out many information. The first English tour starts at 9:30. Auschwitz-Birkenau can be visited free of charge.The shuttle bus between Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau runs every half hour and is free of charge. 
• Zakopane = Outdoor mecca in the Tatra mountains with a nice old town with traditional wooden buildings.
• Zakopane, Krupowski top = One of the highest peaks in the area and a popular skiing area in winter. A cable car can take you to the top (also in summer).          PLN 49 for a return ticket to the top. If you want to hike down you can also buy a one way ticket. During our visit it was very crowded with long waiting time. Note that you park your car in the village. The last two kilometers is National Park and driving here is forbidden. You can walk of take a taxi or horse carriage. Parking in the village is PLN 2 per hour. Taxi is PLN 3 per person one way.
• Wieliczka saltmine = A Unesco site and a must see. The mine is incredible and the sculptures impressive. During our visit we saw only 3 kms which is less than 1%. Entry fee is PLN 73 per person. For taking photographs you must pay an additional PLN 10. A guide is obligatory and included in the entry fee. First English tour starts at 8:30. 
• Krakow, old town = Krakow old town has never been destroyed. The old town has nice buildings and the largest medieval square. We really liked Krakow. Day pass for public transport is PLN 12 per person
  
• Krakow, Kazemierz = Old Jewish quaters. We really liked the atmosphere in this part of the town. Many interesting places here that are a reminder to the Jewish population that once lived here. Entry to Jewish temple PLN 5 per person.
• Krakow, former Getta = Now a part of the city, but during the war a getta. There are not much monuments left here. But is a part of the history of Krakow we would not have missed it. You can still find a piece of the former getta wall. 
• Krakow, Factory Oscar Schindler = Factory of Oscar Schindler. A hero to the Jews in Krakow. He saved many of them buy giving them a job in his emaille factory. The factory itself is now a multmedia museum telling the story of Krakow during German occupation. It a great museum and must see. Entry fee PLN 17 per person. This is without a guide. If you want to visit with a guide you must a make a reservation 2 days in advance.
• Warshaw = Like Krakow a nice city with an impressive old town and even more impressive buildings. To us Krakow however had more character. Nevertheless Warshaw is definitely worth a visit. Day pass for public transport PLN 12 per person. (valid for 24 hours)
• Warshaw, Jewish heritage = Also in Warshaw the Jews were haunted. Also here there was a getta. Nowadays there is not much left anymore. You can still visit a small piece of the wall and several monument remembering the horrific events. In  Warshaw you can also visit the old Jewish graveyard (no entry fee). Graveyard closes at 5 pm.
• Gierloz, Wolfsschanze = a former headquater of Hitler. An impressive, strange and even depressive place to visit. A thick forrest is slowly closing in on the ruins. Some bunkers have remained. Entry fee is PLN 15 per person. Parking is PLN 10 (for this price you can stay the night and camp on the parking).
• Gdansk = City in the North. The old center and Lenin Shipyard are worth a visit. We were here on sunday and it was extremely crowded. Walking through the center was no fun that day. 
  
• Sopot = Very touristic village in the North. Sopot is famous for its wooden pier which is the longest of Europe. Entry fee to the pier is PLN 7 per person. Personally we did not like Sopot (far to touristic).
• Hel = Small fishing village located at the tip of Hel peninsula. The village itself is nothing special. If you are into windsurfing Hel peninsula is the place to be. 
• Hel, Fokarium for Baltic seals = Entry fee is PLN 2 per person. The fokarium houses a few baltic seals. The seals are fed 2 times a day. The place is small but worth a visit. Explanations given during feeding time is in Polish. 
• Slowinski NP = National Park on the Baltic Coast with large white dunes, up to 30 meters high. This place is stunning. We loved the scenery. Entry fee is PLN 6 per person. From the main gate it is another 6 kilometers to the dunes. You can walk or take a electrocar (PLN 15 per person one way).
• Miedzyzdrojach = small city on the Baltic Coast nearby the border with Germany. Like Sopot also this city has a pier. Entry here is free. If you visit the pier note all the padlocks attached to it. Miedzyzdrojach is also very touristic, but has a more local atmosphere. We liked the place.

 

 

Tips

• Bring a sweater if you visit the Wieliczka Salt mine. Temperature below is about 12-14 degrees.

Links

• http://www.motorhomeroadtrip.com/poland/fantastic-roadtrips-on-your-campervan-holiday/ - Poland by motorhome

 

GPS-waypoints

Grid: Lat/Lon hddd°mm.mmm"

Waypoins used on our trip through Poland in 2012 N50°01.601    E19°11.953    Auschwitz    Camperarea and parking opposite of the Auschwitz museum. Price is PLN 40 for 24 hours. Showers (PLN 10 per shower) and toilets (PLN 2 per visit). Shower and toilets open between 08:00 and 18:00. Use of internet at the Information office is for free. N54°09.205    E19°23.648    Elblag    Camping NR. 61. Camping on the Elblag canal. Old camping but good spot and great hot showers. PLN 45 per night (2 persons + car / no power / free showers / free wifi) N54°20.714    E18°39.820    Gdansk    Secure parking near the city center (also for larger vehicles) N54°04.791    E21°29.691    Gierloz    Wolfsschanze. Former headquarters of Hitler. Entry is PL 15 per person and parking PLN 10 per car (for this price you can also camp here on the parking) N54°36.547    E18°48.005    Hel    Secure parking near the city center (also for larger vehicles) N50°05.717    E19°56.479    Krakow    Camping Clepardia. PLN 63 (for 2 persons and a car/no power). Wifi is free of charge. Camping also has washing machines. Just outside is a large public swimming pool. Camping has good connections to the city center. N54°45.721    E17°33.907    Leba    Camping Lesny. PLN 54 per night (2 pers/car/no power) N54°45.249    E17°31.226    Leba (near)    Slowinski NP. Entry PLN 6 per person. Electrocar from entrance to the dunes (6km) is PLN 15 per person one way. N54°02.130    E19°01.509    Malbork    Slot Marienborg N53°55.232    E14°26.078    Miedzyzdrojach    Camping 24. PLN 50 per night (2 pers/car/no power) N53°47.733    E21°33.900    Mikolajki    Camping in Mikolajki. Good spot but we have not stayed here. N54°46.633    E18°27.400    Peninsula Hel    Camping Kaper. PLN 57 per night (2 persons + car / no power / free showers / free wifi). Camping is a surfcamping right on the beach. It can be very crowded in high season. N50°49.111    E15°44.255    Sosnowka    Camping Ekofarma. Small local campsite. Very nice spot! PLN 29 per night (2 persons/no power/showers free). The also serve breakfast here. N50°50.749    E16°29.536    Swidnica    Peace church N53°54.340    E14°16.025    Swinoujcie    Ferry to get to the other side of town (and to the German border) N52°10.674    E21°08.868    Warsaw    Camping Wok. PLN 90 (for 2 persons + car/ no power). Very clean toilets and showers (free). Free wifi in the bar. Good connections to the city center. N49°59.106    E20°03.425    Wieliczka    Camperarea and parking near Wieliczka saltmine. Price PLN 20 per night. Shower PLN 5 per person. N51°06.385    E17°01.800    Wroclaw    Secure parking near the city center (also for larger vehicles) N49°19.336    E19°59.124    Zakopane    Camping Ustup. Basis but very clean and friendly owner. Price PLN 53 per night (2 persons/no power/free showers). McDonalds with free wifi around the corner. N49°16.884    E19°57.952    Zakopane    Parking to the Cable car. Driving up there is not allowed as it is a National Park. From here you can walk or take a taxi or carriage.

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