Interrailing Itinerary - Heading East to Poland

After 2018’s success of touring Southern Europe, it was only natural to plan out another epic trip brought to you by The Girl on the Move. This time however, there would be no gelato in Venice or schnitzel in Vienna, we were heading East, back to my ancestral roots, to Poland and Germany. I wanted to plan a trip that would combine my love of these two countries with a Summer holiday to remember and, boy, did we deliver. Have a read of my Poland interrailing itinerary below and if you fancy why not recreate a similar route? You won’t be disappointed.

Poland Interrailing Itinerary

Day 1: London to Brussels

Late-afternoon and we arrived at London St. Pancras ready and waiting for the trip ahead. Of course, like any good millennial, we headed straight to the nearest coffee shop and grabbed a latte and a croissant – getting into the European spirit already! After a long eager wait to board, we were finally allowed onto our Eurostar, which then promptly left London at around 18.30. Two hours later we pulled into Brussels Midi and walked the short distance to our hotel for the night. It was already getting late so we thought we’d head down to the hotel bar and enjoy a beer before the early night in preparation for the very early start in the morning. Germany bound!

Day 2: Brussels to Frankfurt

We woke up early and grabbed a croissant on the way to the station. Our train left Brussels at 06.25 and after a few hours on the tracks we finally arrived into Frankfurt ready to explore the city! The hotel was just around the corner from the station, so after checking in and dumping our bags, we were able to begin sightseeing and begin scouting out a place for lunch. Our explorations took us towards the mighty river Main and onwards in the direction of Sachsenhausen, one of the oldest parts of the city. The guide books promised plenty of bars, restaurants and nightlife, but when we arrived it all seemed a bit quiet. Maybe it was a bit too early to visit? We then made our way back towards the city centre, crossing the famous Eisener Steg (iron bridge) which provided a view of Frankfurt’s modern yet elegant skyline. We soon found ourselves in the Römerberg, the central and most beautiful square in Frankfurt, where stopped for a drink and to enjoy our surroundings. After our drink we took in the rest of the city, visiting Neue Kräme, the Gothic-style Liebfrauenkirche, Hauptwache and the Opera House.

Read my guide to Frankfurt

Day 3: Frankfurt to Dresden

Yet another early morning (you will detect a theme as we continue!), but with a large breakfast from the hotel fuelling us, we were ready for the day. What we were not ready for however was how hot this day would be, reaching mid-to-late thirties within the afternoon. The train journey from Frankfurt to Dresden was relatively short and soon we were walking the streets of the historic city. After a trip to Vapianos, we walked down to the Altmarkt and eventually came to the Zwinger Palace and the old town. The city was super busy and hot and so it was quickly decided that a break was needed; it was ice-cream o’clock. In the early evening, we all enjoyed our ice-cream in the shadow of the magnificent Frauenkirche (which translates as “Church of our Lady“), all the while unwinding from a hectic day of exploration.

Read my guide to Dresden

Day 4: Dresden to Prague

With another early wake up and hefty hotel breakfast, we were ready for our surprisingly journey into the Czech Republic’s Capital; Prague. We arrived into the city just before lunchtime, and began exploring straight away. On our first day we managed to see much of the traditional tourist areas of the city, ranging from the fabled Powder Tower all the way to the legendary Charles Bridge. Eventually, we veered towards the old town and made it to the square, where we were surrounded by a myriad of different older European styles of architecture. After almost filling up my SD card from taking photographs, we then moved towards the traditional Jewish quarter of the city, where we were greeted by ancient synagogues and mysterious golems. As I am sure you can agree, exploring is hungry work, and so we ended our first day of exploration with burgers and fries, washed down by some icy pilsner beer (or two?!). That evening, we headed to the Leopold Gate and into St. Martin’s rotunda, where we had a picnic whilst watching the sunset on what has to be one of Europe’s most fantastical capitals.

Read my guide to Prague

Day 5: Prague

Our hotel in Prague did a very good breakfast, so good in fact, that we possibly may have made it to thirds in the buffet. After eating our fill, we sluggishly moved out of the restaurant and into the streets of Prague for another round of exploration. We decided that we had some unfinished business at the Charles Bridge and so headed there first, predominantly to take some blog-worthy pictures. We were at this tourist hotspot for before 09:00, meaning that we almost had it completely to ourselves. We carried along the path and eventually came to the famous John Lennon memorial, created after his death to immortalise him through graffiti and artwork. It made for an impressive display and, with the sun’s rays becoming speckled through the surrounding trees, appeared somewhat magical. Continuing our exploration, we headed to the top of Petrin Hill so that we could see the lookout tower, inspired by Paris’ very own Eiffel Tower. The surrounding park made for a welcome relief from the busy tourist areas that we had explored the day before and very much set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.

A real highlight of this afternoon came from the famous beer garden underneath some trees, offering perfect views of the old town. In the heat, there was genuinely not a better place on Earth to enjoy a drink and frankly it was a shame when we left after a few hours. We ended our day in a traditional Czech restaurant where we feasted on some delicious food. Jack went for deep-fried cheese wedges with a cranberry chutney, so I was feeling some serious food-envy it must be said! We then began to plan our morning for the day ahead as we were venturing into Poland.

Day 6: Prague to Katowice

I bet you’re probably going ‘where on Earth is that?!’ when you see the word Katowice! This is a classic stop-gap destination as otherwise we would be travelling almost all day to get to Krakow, plus, because it’s so unheard of we thought it could be a hidden gem. More on that later.

The weather for Katowice was as bad as you could imagine. It started being quite chilly and cloudy, meaning that we had time to explore the old town to find a delicious restaurant where we feasted on homemade perogi and sorbet. We then left this restaurant (which was far cheaper than you’d imagine) and headed into the old town. However, within the first ten minutes of exploring the heavens opened and we became caught in a thunderstorm. Seeking shelter, we hid beneath the doorway of an apartment block, only to be stuck there for a good hour. Being cold and very wet, we decided to run for it and managed to get inside a nearby cafe, unknowingly drenching the floors as we entered. Despite this, the staff were very hospitable and brought us some hot chocolates to warm us up. I cannot say that I experienced much of this city and will always associate it with feeling very much like a drowned rat.

Day 7: Katowice to Krakow

Krakow is one of the tourist hotspots of Poland, filled with rich history and heritage, as well as cheap beer and fantastic food. We were lucky enough to stay here for three nights and, unlike in Katowice, were blessed with tremendously sunny weather. Our first day was filled by wondering around the many sights of the city, including the famous St Mary’s Basilica and Wawel Castle. Just opposite the basilica in the Old Town Square is the Old Market Hall. We spent a good hour looking at all the unique little gifts which you could purchase here before finding a local brewery to sit and enjoy a beer and a burger in the sunshine.

Read my guide to Krakow

Day 8: Krakow

The next day however we were treated to a sensational meal at Trattoria La Campana. This hidden restaurant allows you to eat outside in their beautiful botanical gardens, all the whilst you indulge in fine wine and food. I had some sensational duck here, served with some roasted potatoes and vegetables. Once we were in a full-on food coma we then explored Kazimierz, the Jewish quarter of the city. We walked along the old cobbled streets of the ghetto and were reminded of the travesties that occurred here in only the last century. Perhaps the most stark reminders where the reminds of the old factory owned by Oskar Schindler, who famously saved many lives from the Nazi’s. Today, you can book tours of this historic site and learn the history of this famous tale.

Day 9: Krakow

On the last day, we just had to visit the fabled salt mines of Wieliczka, about an hour from the centre of Krakow. We arrived here early to avoid the queues and were sent down hundreds of meters before we reached the start of the mines. As we meandered through the underground tunnels we came across underground lakes and exquisite carvings of the salt to form detailed statues. Eventually we reached the impressive St. Kinga’s Chapel; an impressive structure made entirely of salt. After a three-kilometre tour, we took a rickety lift up to the surface, before grabbing one more ice-cream…

Read my post on our trip to Wieliczka Salt Mines

Day 10: Krakow to Warsaw

After another early start (around 05.30 this time!), we were on the train to Warsaw, the Capital City of Poland. We arrived relatively early and checked into our hotel, before grabbing a bus and heading to Łazienki Park, the largest park in Warsaw which spans an impressive 76 hectares. We were told rumours that there were many red squirrels hiding here and we made it our mission to find them (I am pleased to say that we were successful). After strolling around for hours and getting rather sunburned, we turned our attention to the old town. We came across a little pizzeria and thought that this would be the perfect place for some lunch. For the rest of the afternoon, we wandered around the old town, enjoying ice creams as we explored. Then, in the evening, we walked out into the old Ghetto and ended our evening outside the monument dedicated to the Ghetto Heroes.

Read my guide to Warsaw

Day 11: Warsaw

This morning started with a rather excellent breakfast, providing us with much needed fuel for the day. We started our morning at Wilanów Palace, a cultural museum on the outskirts of the city. We were able to explore the rich history of the Capital and explore the stunning gardens. After a few hours of sightseeing and enjoying the treat for the sense that the outdoors gave us, we decided to end the morning in the classiest way possible and hit up the local McDonald’s. I can confirm that the 20 McNugget meal was just as good over there as it is here. We then caught a bus into the city centre so that we could climb to the top the Palace of Science and Culture. This enormous building was actually a gift from Stalin to Poland during the Cold War, yet thousands of Polish workers died constructing it. The soviet building offers fantastic views over the city and after admiring the cityscape of Warsaw, we headed across the city to the Museum of the Ghetto Uprising. We actually were in Warsaw on the 75th Anniversary of this historic event so the museum was particularly busy. As well as this, the streets were filled with parades and red smoke to celebrate this heroic act.

Day 12: Warsaw to Sopot

My mother was born and raised in Sopot, a city on the Baltic Coast of Poland. We have very close family friends who still live there and we were allowed to stay in their apartment for the four nights which we were visiting for. When we arrived in the early morning, we were greeted by my mother’s friend, Gosia, who had essentially organised outings for our entire trip! This first day, we were picked up by our friends and taken to their house where we ate traditional Polish food and had a much-needed catch up. We were then taken to Sopot’s answer to Wimbledon and watched a spectacular tennis match in the front row. To end the evening we just had to visit Sopot’s famous pier (the longest wooden pier in Europe) and quenched our thirst on some local beer.

Read my guide to Sopot

Day 13: Sopot/ Gdansk

The city of Sopot is almost overlaid with that of Gdansk, meaning that it is very easy to get to the other place. That morning we were picked up and taken to the city. We started off in Westerplatte, a peninsula of the city of Gdansk where the Second World War actually started. Because of this there are many fascinating museums which contain artefacts from this conflict, including bunkers where Polish troops were trapped in during the battles.

After climbing to the peak of the peninsula, we began exploring Gdansk’s city centre. On the day we visited the city was in lockdown due to a half-marathon going on, meaning that we had to navigate around the area accordingly but we still managed to visit the main sights including Long Market, the Crane and St. Mary’s Basilica. We jumped into an Italian restaurant for lunch before heading on the train back to the apartment. That evening, our friends took us out to one of Sopot’s drinking establishments. We ended up in a brewery called ‘Brower Miejski Sopot’ where you can order a selection of beers to enjoy. Some were laced with chocolate whereas other were more traditional. Needless to say that, after sampling four large beers, it was a very good evening. We wanted to also try a vodka bar down the road which serves over 50 different flavours, including random ones such as Kinder Bueno, however it was unfortunately filled with tourists and so there was no room. Something for next time though!

Read my guide to Gdansk

Day 14: Sopot/ Malbork Castle

We had been booked in for a VIP tour of Malbork Castle on day 14 meaning that we had to be up and ready pretty early. This impressive castle was the stronghold of the fabled Teutonic Knights, a group of soldiers who controlled much of the area during Medieval times. The castle is also the largest brick castle in the world and was never conquered. The castle and grounds were incredible and really allow you to immerse yourself in history. Our tour guide was excellent too and told us tales of the knights who controlled this castle all those years ago. After grabbing some food from the restaurant there, we hopped on a train back to Sopot where we headed to the Opera in the Woods. This is one of the main tourist attractions of the city and plays a variety of, you guessed it, operas and classical music from a stage nestled in the local woodland. We arrived for Vienna Night where we were treated to a variety of songs from Viennese composers. Whilst the temperature had dropped significantly and we were huddled under our blankets, the night was fantastic and gave us a completely different experience to what we usually would have on holiday.

Read about our trip to Malbork

Day 15: Sopot

This day was a trip down memory lane and involved me following the footsteps of my mother’s childhood. From seeing her old house in the city to the school which she attended, I felt instantly closer to my Polish family. My maternal grandfather died when my mother was only two years old, meaning that neither of us knew him. He is buried in the heart of the city and so I made it a personal mission to find his gravestone and pay my respects. It was a bittersweet moment but I again felt a connection to a family member whom I never knew. In the afternoon we explored the woods and then stumbled across a Lebanese restaurant where we tucked into their delicious food. In the evening, we headed over to our family friend’s house again and feasted on pierogi and other local treats. Sopot is a very special place for me and my family and I cannot wait to visit again, especially as Gosia’s cheese and onion pierogi is one of the greatest culinary achievements since Domino’s added a cheese-stuffed crust.

Day 16: Sopot to Berlin

Our time in Poland had come to an end and day 16 saw us re-entering Germany, starting with a trip to the capital city, Berlin. As always we had an early train to catch and at 07.09 the train pulled out of the station and we were on our way! By lunchtime we were in Berlin, checked in to our hotel the Steigenberger and were ready to explore.. but not before a bite to eat. The afternoon was spent around the area of our hotel and Jack and I spent some time window shopping along Kurfürstendamm, with an obligatory trip inside KaDeWe, before visiting the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche. This church is the most famous landmark in the western city centre and is one of Berlin’s most important churches serving as a memorial against war and destruction. I would definitely recommend having a look inside what’s left of the church!

Day 17: Berlin

Day 2 in Berlin brought more exploring and I went into full German teacher mode, taking Jack on a historical tour of the city. Hopping onto the Ubahn, we headed out to Bernauer Strasse to visit the Visitor Center of the Berlin Wall Memorial where you can see a reconstruction of the wall, with No Man’s land in between. We continued our tour by strolling around the old Jewish quarter, stopping by Hackescher Hof and the Memorial Jewish Cemetery. In the afternoon we visited the East Side Gallery and stopped for a late lunch in Burgermeister at Schlesisches Tor – another recommendation for you guys (the burgers are amazing!). Once our bellies were full we travelled across to Potsdamer Platz and Checkpoint Charlie for yet more sight-seeing! That evening, we ventured out to a traditional German pub to indulge in some of the local beer; what a great end to an incredible day.

Day 18: Berlin

After an early wake-up, Jack and I headed on into the city centre, starting with Alexanderplatz. We hit the jackpot travelling however and managed to grab a free sample of a delicious mango drink which complimented our yummy pastry breakfast. I had booked tickets for us to climb to the top of the old tv spire to get sensational views of the capital. Once we were settled into the lift we were told a little bit of history as we ascended. The top of the lift is actually made of glass, so you can see yourself climbing up the tower. If you are afraid of heights, I would not recommend this! After looking out across Berlin, we started to move on towards Museum Island. On the way, we saw the ‘World Clock‘ which, as you might have guessed, tells the time of each timezone as you walk around it. Just before you reach Museum Island you will pass Berlin Cathedral which sits just on the river bank, giving you some excellent Instagram opportunities. As we continued strolling past the museums we headed towards the Brandenburg Gate, arguably the most famous landmark in Germany. As you might expect, it was heaving with tourists, yet that still did not take anything away from the experience for us. To finish the morning we then walked to the Holocaust Memorial, which is just a stone-throw away from the Gate. A full-on morning of exploring calls for a hefty late-lunch, and we were rewarded with a gigantic helping of Käsespätzle, the ultimate comfort food, washed down with a stein of the local beer (for Jack, mine was significantly smaller!). To end the day we took a leisurely stroll around some of the shops, stopping for a slice of cake at Karstadt, before going back to the hotel bar to have another drink before the evening was up.

Day 20: Berlin to Düsseldorf

After an early start, and a surprisingly long train journey, we had finally arrived at my home from home; Düsseldorf. I spent a year here during my time at University and so I was intent on showing Jack the scenes. We started by exploring Lorettostraße, which was not far from our hotel. Here we delved into some vegetarian cuisine before heading to the frozen yoghurt bar of Yomaro, arguably my favourite place in Germany! After a busy afternoon of strolling around, we headed to a Greek restaurant Efsin for dinner. In the evening, we walked to the Old Town to meet my cousin, Alice. Our route took us over Haroldstrasse and along Poststrasse, past the Spee’scher Graben (an attractive park and lake), and into the Alter Hafen quarter of the Altstadt. We then headed off to the Schumacher pub, Im Goldenen Kessel, for a few drinks and a much needed catch up. To end the evening, we strolled down Bolkerstrasse towards the river, seeing the Altstadt coming to life.

Day 21: Düsseldorf

The day started with a good breakfast and then a walk into the town. We began by taking the path through the nearby park (Ständehauspark) which gave us time to wake up in the crisp morning air. Continuing on, we crossed Graf-Adolf-Platz and were soon at the bottom end of Königsallee. We spent some time exploring the shops around here, pretending that we could actually afford some of the clothes and other accessories that were on offer. We then took a train to Benrath, not far from where my parents actually lived in the 1980’s, and then ate lunch in a restaurant called Palmenhaus. We had then organised to meet Trudi, a close family friend, for Kaffee und Kuchen and spent a few hours talking as we wandered around Benrather Schloss. Then, in a traditional German way, we stopped at a nearby beer house and had a refreshing drink in the heat in the summer. In the evening, we again visited Yomaro (this time we maxed out on our selection of toppings!) before we explored Medienhafen.

Day 22: Düsseldorf

This morning started in Gerresheim, the neighbourhood in Düsseldorf where I lived for a year. It was lovely showing Jack around and introducing him to my home from home. Once we had spent a few hours strolling around, we headed towards Kaiserswerth for another explore. Intense exploration is hungry work and so we tucked into some cake at Café Schuster on Klemensplatz. However, we clearly were not the only ones who had this idea and were surrounded by wasps within a matter of minutes. After scoffing our cake quicker than we would have liked due to fear of a swarm, we jumped back on the train and headed to the Nordpark Aquazoo. This aquarium has a lot to offer for its small size, including puffins! I spent most of the time watching them if I am honest and, due to a new obsession forming that day, even ordered a little puffin plush for me (his name is Petey). After taking a good few photos of the birds, we headed back to our hotel. In the evening, we went to the Uerige brewery. I had heard tales of my dad coming here when he was younger and the place certainly did not disappoint. We then ended the day in the best way possible, by tucking into some food at McDonald’s.

Day 23: Düsseldorf to London (JUST)

The first stage from Düsseldorf to Köln went well and we were in plenty of time for our train to Brussels, due to depart at 9.43. Then everything fell apart as the ICE from Frankfurt, travelling on to Brussels, was cancelled (as was the replacement). To counter this, we caught the regional train to Aachen, where buses would be waiting to take us on to Brussels. Despite having originally allowed ourselves a stop-over of an hour and a quarter in Brussels between trains we could see the minutes ticking by. The train to Aachen took the best part of an hour so our window for catching our connection was getting smaller and smaller. In fact by the time we reached Aachen it was already gone 11.00 and with at least a 2 hour drive by motorway to the outskirts of Brussels, and then the tortuous navigation of the Brussels Ring, we knew that there was no way we were going to get our train. The question was would we be able to secure seats on a subsequent train or would we have an unplanned overnight stay in Brussels?

We finally arrived in Brussels, and Gare Midi, at half past two (at the same time as the follow-up ICE) and then had to join the queue of disgruntled passengers, all trying to get some seats on the next available train. Luckily, Jack had rushed onto the bus and had secured us front-row seats, meaning he was the first one off and he sprinted ahead to be well placed in the queue. Fortunately, when we arrived at the ticket desk we were told that we had just secured the last seats on the 14.11 service, arriving in London at 16.05. It was therefore with a big sigh of relief that we passed through security and passport control and awaited the call to board.

We finally arrived back in Reading just after 17.40 and, as we had completed on our house whilst we were in Prague, it was then time to collect the keys and venture into our new nest. However, that is a different story…

My Travel Tips and Recommendations

Flights

My usual go-to for booking flights is Skyscanner, the flight search engine. What I love about Skycanner is that you have various options depending on your situation. If you know where you want to go it’s easy – all you need is to search for your destination and dates, and you are provided with all flight options to choose from. If you haven’t decided on your next trip yet, you can use the Everywhere tool for inspiration and to find the cheapest places to fly to.

Accommodation

Whenever I plan my travels Booking.com is my best friend. The website is super easy to use and provides a whole range of accommodation from fancy resorts to budget hotels. Jack and I also regularly use Airbnb – in particular, for staycations in the UK.

Things I can’t travel without

As a travel blogger and keen photographer I never travel without my trusty technology. Always packed are my

Canon
GoPro Hero black
Gorillapod tripod
I’m also saving for a DJI Mavic Pro

Travel Insurance

It is so important to be prepared for all possibilities when travelling and you simply shouldn’t travel without insurance. When looking for cover I would personally recommend World Nomads or the Post Office – both are affordable and certainly won’t break the bank.

Interrailing Itinerary – Heading East to Poland