Travel Guide to Poland: Budget, itineraries, practical advice

We stayed one month in Poland working 3 days/week. We underestimated this country which hides a lot of treasures. If it was possible, we would have liked to stay 1.5 months or even 2 months here to be able to visit Wroclaw and Gdansk in addition

We have written here a small guide for your trip to Poland, whether it is for a few days, or a month like us

Itinerary

Warsaw : 3 days will be enough for you
Krakow: 5 days will be enough for you
- The center of Krakow (the basilica, the underground): 1 day
- Wawel Castle & Jewish quarter: 1 day
- Auschwitz, Birkenau: 1 day (1h40 by train/bus from Krakow, it’s very easy to go there by yourself). Remember to book a few days in advance to be able to join a French group.
- Wieliczka Salt Mine: 1 day (45mn by train/bus from Krakow, it’s very easy to go there by yourself). No need to book in advance.
- Schindler Museum: 1 day (we didn’t visit it because the factory has been transformed into a museum, there isn’thing about Mr. Schindler himself)

The Poles

Polish people are extremely kind, helpful, adorable.
Overall, there isn’thing to fear in Poland, but the risk of pick-pocketing isn’t zero. Asians are more often targeted because Vietnamese living in Poland often have a lot of cash on them.

Silver

Even though Poland is part of Europe, the currency used here is the zloty. 1€ = 4.12 zloty
The exchange offices practice scandalous exchange rates, for example 1€ = 3.9 instead of 4.12 + a huge commission. Compare the rates before making the change
If you have the international option like us (withdrawal & free payment anywhere in the world for 17€/month), it is more interesting to withdraw money at the ATM. Be careful, the machine will ask you “accept my ridiculous exchange rate of 1€ = 3,7zloty?” you have to select “no”, so that your bank will apply its exchange rate later (4,12 therefore).
Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. At the time of payment, similarly, if you have the international option, prefer payment in zloty. If you pay in EUR, the scandalous exchange rate at the time of payment will make you lose 10%

Food

Polish food is edible but not exceptional. It can be interesting to try Polish canteens, where you pay about 14 zloty for a soup and a main course.
It is also interesting to test pierogi (a kind of ravioli), Polish sausages and meat wrapped in cabbage.
Gratuities are 10%

Budget

We are at 65€/day for two (all included, visits, accommodation, food, massages…)
Our monthly rent is 750€, in a great Airbnb, just a few minutes away from the center of Krakow, with a very nice landlord

Housing

Airbnb is a good choice for Krakow: from 22€/night. There are whole buildings built only for Airbnb. As the city is very small, you can get away from the city center to pay less and then take a streetcar for only 2.8 zloty (0.6€) to get to the city center.
In Warsaw, rates are higher: from 45€/night. We chose the First Class hotel, 20 minutes by streetcar from the old town.

Transport

Krakow Airport => city center: there are day/night buses to the city center for 4.8 zloty (45 min), or a train to the main station for 9 zloty (20min).
Urban transportation: tickets are valid for a set period, including transfers (20 minutes, 40 minutes, 60 minutes …) to find out which ticket to buy, check your trip on the Jakdojade website (or the application of the same name, free on Android but charged on the App Store). Some streetcars and buses have machines inside, you can buy the tickets (in coins) by getting on the tram/bus.
Public transportation is very well done, you will always find some to get to the tourist places, which makes the tours offered by the agencies uninteresting. Places like Auschwitz and the salt mine include a guide (French) in the price.
Cab vs. Uber: Uber costs more than a cab. It is possible to pay by card in cabs.
Long distance: Train (https://www.intercity.pl/en/) or bus (http://www.polskibus.com/en/index.htm) are the two expensive options for travelling within Poland. The Krakow – Warsaw route is preferable by train as the road isn’t very good. However, the trip Krakow – Auschwitz is very good by bus because there are more timetables than by train.

Co-working space/Café/Bar

Many cafes are self-service (you have to order at the bar and bring your drinks) and they accept that their customers stay for hours and enjoy the wifi without consuming too much.
We have tested a co-working space for 30 zloty (7€/day) and recommend it only if you have calls, because the coffees are very good and cheaper.
Bars are often hidden without any signage, you have to follow the locals to discover great bars underground or at the end of a dead end.