Touring Poland

[Curly]

We will be touring Poland from end of this August and thinking of doing a clockwise trip starting along the Baltic coast to Hilrers Wolfs Lair and eventually to Auschwitz in the south

Has any one done a simular trip and if so what are the roads like especially country roads, camp sites any suggestions, will be taking some Zloty but have been told the £ gets a better rate out there,

 

We do have some info from the Polish Tourist office including a good map showing camp sites etc. but any info would help to make this trip worthwhile.

 

When we return will let you know how it went etc. so heres hopping to have some usefull feed back.

[Bulletguy]

Hi Curly

 

I'm often touring in Poland as it's one of my most favourite countries and currently here again right now! Fantastic country and wonderful people.....very friendly.

 

Last year I did the identical trip to what you are looking at.

 

A good Campsite to start at is this one; http://www.drawtur.com/eng/kon.html

 

Overlooks a large lake, has a Restaurant and Snack Bar (Snack bar is open until midnight!), the Restaurant serves basic meals of fresh food daily but at 20 zloty (just £4) it's cheap. Site fees are about £8 with EHU. I'm actually on the site right now and was here only last year.

 

This puts you within reach of Campingplatz Seeblick......an easy days drive from Czaplinek;

http://www.ecc-campingfuehrer.de/polen/camping-pension-seeblick/en

 

This site is good but has no Restaurant. However there is a small Restaurant just a five minute drive away in the village (ask the site owner and he will give you directions). You can get a very good meal here for around five quid.

 

Main thing about this C/Site is you are just 20 miles away from the Wolfschanze (N54º 04'45.64" E21º 29'36.76") at Gierloz near Ketzryn, so you can easily make a day trip out to it. Entrance fee was five quid last year. A tip here......it's in a heavily forested area and if the weather is warm, the mosquitoes will be out. Douse yourself in mozzie spray and cover well up. Don't be tempted to walk around in shorts, t-shirt and flip flops! If you run out of mozzie spray on your trip, just go into any big Supermarket and ask for "Komar"......they will know what you want.

 

If thinking of going to Auschwitz you will be travelling south. Stick on the east side and visit Treblinka (N52º 40' 0" E22º 2' 0") and Sobibor (N51º 29' 0" E23º 39' 0"), both of which were Extermination Camps. Only six of these were set up as opposed to the hundreds of Concentration Camps and all razed to the ground as the Nazis fled the invading allied forces. Apply 'mozzie spray' at both these sites as once again they are in wooded areas.

 

Slightly further on and we have Majdanek Concentration Camp (N51º 13.525' E22º 36.367') very near the town of Lublin. Majdanek is possibly the most original and complete Concentration Camp and IMO, preferable to visiting Auschwitz which is very 'touristy'. If you do go there you should make a visit to Plaszow which is actually closer to Krakow than Auschwitz. Not much there but Plaszow is the Camp which was in Schindlers List and Amon Goeth the sadistic and brutal Camp Commandant, his house can still be seen there. Also Oskar Schindlers factory is in Krakow and open to the public. Not much to see but it is the actual factory.

 

A few miles further south and we come to Belzec......one of the other Extermination Camps (N50º 23' 0" E23º 26' 0"). As with other Extermination Camps there is very little left but is IMO an important site to visit.

 

For both Majdanek and Belzec I stayed on a very good C/site (Camping Duet N50.71941º E23.23906º) at Zamosc. It has an excellent Restaurant serving quality meals with plenty of choice at very cheap prices. Worthwhile walk into Zamosc town centre too which is very nice.

 

As for currency exchange, considering how cheap you can 'live' in Poland it's hardly worth mithering about! I've been working with six different currencies on this trip so soon gave up bothering about exchange rates!! Just take plenty of Zloty with you and enjoy! Visa and Mastercard is also accepted at most places apart from the Biedronka Supermarkets which work only in cash.....but are dead cheap!

 

Road conditions? Very good........in fact excellent compared to some of the 'tracks' i've driven in Albania and Bulgaria! Poland is continually improving it's roadways and there are now quite a few stretches of Motorway which are recently built. There are tolls on some but the fees are 'peanut money'.

 

Enjoy Poland.......i'm sure you will return!

 

 

 

[Bulletguy]

I should also mention that it tends to be cheaper in the north of Poland than south, especially campsite prices. Cities are as per usual.......pricey if 'touristy' though the 'old part' of Krakow city centre is well worth visiting.

 

Stick to small towns and village areas and you won't be disappointed. This is where you will see (and meet) the real Poland not to mention drive many of the country roads where you can saunter along at a leisurely pace and enjoy the scenery. Only use the motorways if needing to get from A to B quickly.

 

Also forgot to mention, diesel is currently at around £1.11 per litre. The reason I say 'around' is it's possible to find it even cheaper than that, but when used to paying 60+ pence per litre more at UK prices you don't quibble about motoring around from one station to another just to save a few grosz (at 100 to one zloty it's not worth the effort!!). (lol)

[Curly]

Hi Bulletguy

 

Your reply has made my day it's what I was hopping for and we are now looking forward to our visit with more confidence. The camp sites you mention is an extra bonus for us and will definitely use.

 

Some of the places you have identyfied I had already put onto my satnav so it does look like it's a simular route.

 

One point I forgot to ask was, it is worth or neccessary to get the Viatoll Tag box as we are over 3.5 tons

 

Can't thank you enough. :->

[Bulletguy]

Curly - 2013-08-15 7:56 AM

 

Hi Bulletguy

 

Your reply has made my day it's what I was hopping for and we are now looking forward to our visit with more confidence. The camp sites you mention is an extra bonus for us and will definitely use.

 

Some of the places you have identyfied I had already put onto my satnav so it does look like it's a simular route.

 

One point I forgot to ask was, it is worth or neccessary to get the Viatoll Tag box as we are over 3.5 tons

 

Can't thank you enough. :->

 

Ooooerrr.......over 3.5 ton eh? :D

 

At the moment there are just five stretches of toll charged roads here but it is fairly easy to avoid them and use alternative roads (your satnav will do that job for you!). I've no idea what the charges are for 3.5+ton as i'm only 2.5 ton.......and very cheap! :-D

 

There are two systems of payment in place.....one "manual" or "electronic" which is for vehicles of up to 3.5 ton, the other is "electronic" only which is for vehicles over 3.5 tons. So unfortunately in your case you don't have a choice unless you avoid those roads (part of the A4 and a fair section of the A2). I used the A4 out of Krakow as I wanted to get to Wroclaw quickly, but there is a main road which runs parallel with it. You would go through a number of towns but apart from Katowice, Opole is the only other largish town.

 

To be honest I really wouldn't bother until you actually get here and have spent a few days motoring around and planning your routes. For example you won't be driving any toll charged roads on your way over to Ketzryn from Czaplinek......it's all main and country roads.

 

If eventually you do find yourself faced with no alternative but to use a toll road, just stop at the first booth and ask them. Most if not all speak very good English and you never know......if they are having a good day they may well just charge you at the 3.5 limit.

 

Try to avoid driving in or through Krakow. The dual carriageway approaching it is like a race track and if needing to cross an intersection, space is extremely limited and you can easily sit waiting a good few minutes for a break in the traffic to get over. If you do go to Krakow you will have to drive some of this road, but there is a very good campsite on the outskirts at Gaj.......Camping Korona

http://www.camping-korona.com.pl/en/dojazd.html

 

Easier to get the bus into the city centre and very cheap. Besides, it's virtually impossible to park a 3.5 ton motorhome anywhere in the city!

 

Any other questions......just ask.

 

 

[bounty hunter]

Hi, we have just returned from a tour of Scandinavia and Baltic Countries. When we entered Poland there were large notices informing you about their toll roads but nothing to tell you where to register. We had downloaded a list of all the toll roads, think I got it here http://www.viatoll.pl/en , and I planned a route across Poland by-passing all toll roads which wasn't easy. We chose to cross the border using road number 32 from Gubin to Cottbus and stopped for fuel just before the border. We then passed by the old customs complex and 1/4 mile from German border we were stopped by the police who were using binoculars to identify foreign vehicles. They took our documents and went to their computer and presumably checked up to make sure we hadn't been on any toll roads, which took about 5 mins. If it hadn't been for a posting on this website sometime in early June informing us of someone who had been fined £750 for using toll roads in Poland without knowing you had to pay we would have been fined as well. http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Legal-Highway-Robbery-in-Poland/31631/#M372957

I did try to register but couldn't understand the form as we may have done more and stayed longer in Poland.

It is OBLIGATORY for vehicles over 3.5tonnes to register so please be aware.

John

 

[Curly]

Hi Bulletguy me again

 

Been looking at some city camp sites on an old map but may be out of date, will use the ones you have recommended but would you know of any sites in or near the cities ie Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, Poznan etc. and any others you may have visited that you could also recommend.

 

Sorted out the Viatoll box and will get the box in post-paid mode on entering Poland it will save any agroe during our tour and will keep the other half calm and sweet I downloaded the charges and it is not worth the bother not to have one @ 120 pln deposit which is refundable and will also use the "no tolls" on the satnav.

 

Again thanks a lot of your most helpfull info. (lol)

[Bulletguy]

Curly - 2013-08-17 5:01 PM

 

Hi Bulletguy me again

 

Been looking at some city camp sites on an old map but may be out of date, will use the ones you have recommended but would you know of any sites in or near the cities ie Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, Poznan etc. and any others you may have visited that you could also recommend.

 

Krakow; http://www.camping-korona.com.pl/en/dojazd.html (the gps co-ords are on that link)

 

Quiet site given that it's only minutes away from a very busy road. A little Bar on site which serves limited choice meals and the toilet/shower block is clean.

 

Wroclaw; Olympic Stadium site.....N51.11687º E17.09116º

 

Unfortunately this is the closest site to Wroclaw city centre. I say "unfortunately" as the site ground itself is ok, but the toilet/shower block is a disgrace considering it's ACSI inspected and recommended. 49 zloty a night....so not the cheapest either.

 

Poznan.....hmmm, not an awful lot there. Personally i'd recommend driving just a few miles (about 50) further north east out of Poznan where you will find a very pretty little town called Znin. Has plenty of shops but in the town centre square there is a Restaurant......can't be missed as it's the only one with tables and brolly things outside. Here you can buy a damn good meal for just 15 zloty.......three quid. And if you feel like it you can easily get drunk on a tenner!

 

I went to Znin for one night.......but loved the town centre that much I ended up staying for four days! There is also a little narrow gauge railway which runs daily and is unbelievably cheap.....well worth the ride!

 

Site I stayed at in Znin is called Campingplatz Paluki Odzzial N52.84167º E17.72543º and at 35 zloty a night with EHU (seven quid), it's cheap. Also overlooks a large lake. Poland has many lakes!

 

Despite being in Poland many times now, Warsaw is a city i've yet to see! So i can't comment on sites in or around there. Personally I prefer the small towns and villages to the cities. Polish towns nearly always have one thing in common, irrespective of size.......the centre square.......and that's the best place to sit and have a few espresso's whilst admiring the passing "scenery". Polish girls are truly quite stunning! :D

 

Not sure of your interests but I spend a lot of time over the years visiting WW2 sites in Poland and Germany. This year I went to visit the site of Stalag Luft 3 at Zagan (best known of course by The Great Escape movie) which is just over 100 miles north west of Wroclaw.

 

Remnants are still visible and the site (in a forest) is marked out including Tunnel Harry....the one they used to escape. There is also a little Museum on the outskirts of Zagan.

 

Stalag Luft 3 can be located by N51.5986º E15.3075º and there is a little Campsite just 15 miles away in Stypulow. Camping "Maly Raj" is N51º 42' 17" E15º 32' 30". No Snack bar or Restaurant but the toilet/shower block is clean and there is EHU on site. The owner is Dutch married to a Polish lady but speaks little English. Charges 65 zloty a night with EHU so the most expensive i've stayed on anywhere in Poland, but he is just a tiny little business (there was only one other couple on site when I was there) and doesn't make his money from anything else. Also, it was the only site close enough for me to go and visit Stalag Luft 3.

 

Hope some of the above has inspired you to venture more into Poland. It's a bigger country than people imagine and you cannot do all in one go but I feel sure once you've been, you will be back again!

 

[Curly]

Hi Bulletguy

 

Again thanks a lot most helpfull we are now ready to "rock and roll" the info is most appreciated and will let you know how it all pans out when we return.

 

 

[Curly]

Hi Bulletguy at present in Malbork and just got back from touring the castle and what a castle up to now every thing is chigidy do chigidy do and realy enjoying Poland the VIATOLL not a problem easy peezy lemon squeeezy next stop Gieroz for Hitlers lair and then who knows

 

[Bulletguy]

Curly - 2013-09-03 5:03 PM

 

Hi Bulletguy at present in Malbork and just got back from touring the castle and what a castle up to now every thing is chigidy do chigidy do and realy enjoying Poland the VIATOLL not a problem easy peezy lemon squeeezy next stop Gieroz for Hitlers lair and then who knows

 

Glad to hear you are enjoying it. It's an amazing country and the people are so friendly and helpful. I just know you will return again to see more!

 

I arrived back in UK today so only just seen your post.

[Caroline]

that was interesting, has certainly wetted my appetite...thanks :->