A car holiday means freedom — your own pace, spontaneous detours and no timetables to worry about. But where exactly should you go? Poland alone has dozens of places best explored by car. And if you fancy heading abroad, Europe is closer than you think. Below you will find 10 of the best road trip destinations in Poland and 5 European routes worth driving with a rental car.
Travelling by car — whether your own or a rental — has one fundamental advantage over trains and planes: complete flexibility. You leave when you want, stop where you want and change your plans on the fly, without extra fees or timetable hunting. This matters most on family trips, holidays with pets and multi-stop itineraries where you sleep somewhere different every night.
There is also a cost argument. For a family of four, renting a car for a week can work out cheaper than four return train or flight tickets — especially if you plan to visit several places along the way.
If you do not have your own car or would rather not put long motorway miles on your private vehicle, renting a car with no deposit and no mileage limit at MobiCars gives you exactly the same freedom, without the hassle.
The Land of a Thousand Lakes is a classic on Poland's holiday map and one of those places you can always return to. Mazury is best explored by car — there are no direct public transport links between the lakes, and the attractions are spread across the entire region.
Must-sees: Giżycko (Boyen Fortress, the rotating bridge canal), Mikołajki (sailing hub, boat trips on Lake Śniardwy), Ruciane-Nida (quieter alternative without the crowds), Pisz Forest and Krutynia (kayaking river). A good loop: Giżycko → Mikołajki → Pisz → Ruciane-Nida, returning by a different route.
Distance from Warsaw: approx. 220 km (approx. 2.5 hrs)
Recommended car: SUV or crossover — many forest tracks are unpaved
Best time to visit: July–August (water season); September is quieter and cheaper
Bieszczady is arguably Poland's most unspoilt region. Few tourists, vast alpine meadows (połoniny), wild rivers and an atmosphere you will not find anywhere else. To truly experience the region, you need a car — without one you are stuck in Lesko or Sanok and can go no further.
Must-sees: Wetlina and Berehy Górne (base for the meadow trails), Cisna (Solinka valley, kayaking), Solina (Poland's largest reservoir), Ustrzyki Górne (Połonina Caryńska, Tarnica peak). The classic Bieszczady loop runs through Lesko, Cisna, Wetlina and Ustrzyki.
Distance from Kraków: approx. 280 km (approx. 3.5 hrs)
Recommended car: 4x4 SUV or high crossover — some access roads are demanding
Best time to visit: June–September; September is stunning (golden autumn on the meadows)
Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia offer a combination found nowhere else in Poland: a historic Old Town, the iconic pier, a modern marina and dozens of kilometres of beaches — all in one metropolitan area. A car is especially useful for reaching the Hel Peninsula and the Vistula Spit.
What to see: Gdańsk Old Town (Long Market, Crane, Westerplatte), Sopot (Pier, Monte Cassino Street, beach), Gdynia (Gdynia Aquarium, Emigration Museum), Hel Peninsula, Vistula Spit and Frombork.
Distance from Warsaw: approx. 340 km (approx. 3.5–4 hrs)
Recommended car: compact or saloon
Best time to visit: July–August (beach season); May–June for a crowd-free experience
Karkonosze is the best mountain destination for those who want to combine an active break with family-friendly attractions, without the altitude demands of the Tatras. Szklarska Poręba and Karpacz are well connected by road, with hiking trails to suit every level of fitness.
What to see: Śnieżka summit (1,603 m, gondola from Karpacz), Chojnik Castle near Jelenia Góra, Kamieńczyk Waterfall (Szklarska Poręba), Miniature Park in Kowary, Wang Temple in Karpacz. Worth a detour to Książ Castle — one of Poland's largest.
Distance from Wrocław: approx. 115 km (approx. 1.5 hrs)
Recommended car: crossover or SUV
Best time to visit: June–September; June and September are less crowded
The Jura is paradise for history lovers, climbers and day-trippers. The 160-km Trail of the Eagles' Nests connects dozens of castles and fortresses — each one different, each worth visiting. By car you can see 3–4 castles in a single day and be back at your hotel by evening.
What to see: Ogrodzieniec Castle (the most impressive on the Jura), Olsztyn Castle near Częstochowa, Błędów Desert (Poland's only desert), Kraków Valleys (Prądnik Valley, Pieskowa Skała), Łokietek's Cave in Ojców.
Distance from Kraków: approx. 30–80 km depending on the destination
Recommended car: hatchback or compact
Best time to visit: May–June and September (avoid the July crowds at Błędów Desert)
One of Poland's most beautiful and least visited regions. Zamość is the only Renaissance town in Poland preserved in such complete form and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — it surprises everyone who arrives. Roztocze nearby offers rivers, rapids and Poland's only wild horse herds.
What to see: Zamość (Great Market Square, Town Hall, Rotunda), Zwierzyniec (brewery from 1806, Echo Ponds), Roztocze National Park, Szumy nad Tanwią river rapids.
Distance from Lublin: approx. 90 km (approx. 1 hr)
Recommended car: any
Best time to visit: May–September
Lower Silesia is Poland's richest region for heritage and architecture. In a week-long trip you can visit dozens of castles, several spa towns and underground tunnels from World War II.
What to see: Książ Castle in Wałbrzych (one of Poland's largest), Osówka Underground in Walim (Project Riese tunnels), Kudowa-Zdrój and the Chapel of Skulls in Czermna, Krzeszów Baroque Basilica, Stołowe Mountains (Szczeliniec Wielki, Błędne Skały rock maze).
Distance from Wrocław: approx. 70–120 km
Recommended car: any; a car with a large boot is practical for multi-day trips
Best time to visit: May–October
Kashubia is ideal for those who want to combine Baltic sea swimming with the peace of inland lakes and the flavour of regional food. Located between the Tri-City and Słupsk, it is easy to reach by car and offers a completely different pace from crowded Hel.
What to see: Wdzydze Kiszewskie (open-air museum, Kashubian Lakes), Borucino and Szymbark (museum, the world-record long table), Kościerzyna, Chmielno (traditional pottery centre). Try żur kaszubski soup and kartacze dumplings at a regional restaurant.
Distance from Gdańsk: approx. 50–80 km
Recommended car: compact or SUV
Best time to visit: June–August
Podlasie is Poland in slow mode — the endless Biebrza marshes, Białowieża Forest with wild European bison, wooden Orthodox churches and the flavour of real kartacze dumplings. Without a car it is practically unreachable.
What to see: Białowieża National Park (strict reserve, wild bison), Biebrza National Park (Biebrza river kayaking), Tykocin (synagogue, market square), Supraśl (Orthodox monastery).
Distance from Białystok: approx. 60–100 km
Recommended car: SUV or high-clearance vehicle — some tracks near the reserves are unpaved
Best time to visit: May–June (birds on Biebrza) or September–October (bison most active)
The Świętokrzyskie Mountains are unjustly overlooked on most holiday lists. The oldest mountains in Poland, a famous Benedictine monastery on Łysa Góra, Sandomierz with one of Poland's most beautiful market squares and dozens of crowd-free hiking trails.
What to see: Holy Cross Mountain (Święty Krzyż) and Benedictine monastery, Sandomierz (Old Town, underground tourist route, panorama of the Vistula), Kielce, Paradise Cave (Jaskinia Raj), Krzemionki Opatowskie flint mine (UNESCO).
Distance from Kraków: approx. 100–140 km (approx. 1.5 hrs)
Recommended car: any; an economical hatchback is perfectly sufficient
Best time to visit: May–September
If you fancy crossing the border, Europe is closer than you think. All of the routes below can be driven in a rental car from Poland. Remember that driving a hire car abroad requires a written cross-border permit from the rental company — you can find everything you need to know in our article on taking a rental car abroad.
Prague, Brno, the Slovak Tatras and spa towns — all within 3–5 hours' drive from southern Poland. The loop Kraków → Brno → Prague → Bratislava → Slovak Tatras → Kraków is a classic route you can comfortably cover in 5–6 days.
Distance from Kraków to Prague: approx. 540 km (approx. 5.5 hrs)
Note: Czech Republic and Slovakia require an electronic vignette — buy it online before you cross the border
Recommended car: estate or SUV
Germany offers a fascinating mix of unlimited motorways, storybook castles and great beer in every city. The Bavarian route Munich → Neuschwanstein Castle → Rothenburg ob der Tauber → Heidelberg is one of the most beautiful road trips in Europe.
Distance from Wrocław to Munich: approx. 600 km (approx. 5.5–6 hrs)
Note: no motorway vignette required, but some city centres (e.g. Munich) require an environmental badge (Umweltplakette)
Recommended car: saloon or estate
Salzburg, Vienna, Lake Bled in Slovenia and Alpine passes — all reachable by car in 6–8 hours from southern Poland. Austria is one of the most beautiful countries to drive through — Alpine roads are immaculately maintained and scenically breathtaking.
Distance from Kraków to Salzburg: approx. 650 km (approx. 6.5 hrs)
Note: Austria and Slovenia both require a motorway vignette
Recommended car: SUV or crossover
Croatia is the most popular foreign holiday destination for Poles, and for good reason: crystal-clear sea, historic towns and hundreds of islands. The most beautiful stretch of coastline runs from Rijeka → Zadar → Split → Dubrovnik.
Distance from Kraków to Split: approx. 1,200 km (approx. 11–12 hrs — best with an overnight stop en route)
Note: Croatia charges motorway tolls at booths — pay by card or cash
Recommended car: SUV or estate
Italy by car is a dream for many drivers. Serpentine roads through Tuscany, the view over Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo, crossing the Alps and arriving in Venice — it is one of the most memorable driving experiences in Europe.
Distance from Kraków to Venice: approx. 1,100 km (approx. 10–11 hrs — best with an overnight stop)
Note: Italy has toll motorways and ZTL zones (restricted traffic areas in city centres) — check before driving into any historic centre
Recommended car: compact or saloon — Italian city centres have narrow streets
The right car depends on your route, the number of passengers and how much luggage you are bringing:
Type of trip - Recommended car - Why:
Mountains, Bieszczady, Mazury (unpaved tracks) - SUV, 4x4 crossover - Ground clearance, traction, comfort on rough roads
Long international route - Estate, saloon - Large boot, motorway comfort
City break — Tri-City, Kraków - Compact, hatchback - Easy parking, low fuel consumption in the city
Family holiday with children - SUV, 7-seat minivan - Space, child seat, luggage room
Couple, short trip - B-segment, hatchback - Economical, comfortable, adequate boot
At MobiCars all cars are available with no deposit and no mileage limit — drive wherever you want, as far as you want, without worrying about extra costs.
→ Book your holiday car at MobiCars
