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About 3 weeks in Poland

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We are planning a three-week trip to Poland in September. I have been there five times, so am somewhat familiar. We plan to arrive in Warsaw and take a bus or train to Plock (2 days) where we hope to find a driver to take us to Bielsk to see my husband's grandfather's area.

Then, we will take a bus or train to Wroclaw and spend three days. After that, we hope to go to tiny Zawoja, my husband's other grandfather's village and spend two days. Then off to Krakow for a few days. After that we will take a train to Sanok and spend 2-3 days to visit the skansen. Then off to Rzeszow where we will fly home.

Do you have any advice on this itinerary? Also, I'm trying to convince my husband to only pack a carryon and a backpack. Lugging larger luggage on trains isn't great. We hope to find a place that will do our laundry. We have done the buses and trains in Poland, ubers and taxis, etc. I speak five words of Polish.

Can you recommend a budget-friendly hotel or apartment with a private bathroom in these cities? I'm talking less than $100 US a day. I stayed at Motel One in Warsaw and that was fine.

Is it possible for US citizens to go to L'viv? My husband's grandmother came from there and we have never been able to visit.

Thank you so much! Despite being pretty experience in Poland with travel, this trip will be less bigger cities and more some smaller villages.

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Is it possible for US citizens to go to L'viv? My husband's
grandmother came from there and we have never been able to visit.

Absolutely and not too difficult from Poland. Send me a PM and I can share a little about it. We have another RS person here that made the trip last year that might chime in or PM you. But for the most assistance I would contact the following individual. Before the war, and still to a lesser degree she was a tour guide. She is in Kyiv but I suspect she can set you up with a great guide in Lviv and help you with the train or bus tickets. I will PM you a phone number (WhatsApp)

Ekateryna Prokhochuk
Guide & Tour Designer
https://yourkievguide.com/
[email protected]

EDIT (more thoughts)

I was in Kyiv in January and life was surprisingly normal. Everything open and operating, streets busy and sidewalks busy. Western Ukraine, inluding Lviv, I have been told is also very normal right now. Ive been to Lviv and it’s a lovely sort of Austo-Hungarian meets the East City. Quite beautiful and the people are warm and wonderful as well.

Western Ukraine is currently Level 3 destination according to the US Department of State. Still, for some reason, this trip gets more push back on the forum than visiting Central America ... even with young children ... which is mostly Level 3, some of South America (Colombia for instance) also Level 3, and Egypt also a Level 3. Egypt has quite a few RS forum tourists this year. Even a few Carribean island resort destinations, like Jamaica, have made the Level 3 this year.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/ukraine-travel-advisory.html

I have been kicking around the idea of going to either Kyiv or SouthWestern Ukraine in the Summer, so I put an update on my trip report to Kyiv. The update deals with what its like in the West of Ukraine right now and some sources to follow if one were to consider going.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/kyiv

If I were in Poland there is a facinating and beautiful route that takes in the Carpathians and exits Ukraine either through Hungary or Romania.

Frank II has a good point. A lot of insurance policies wont cover you in a US State Department Level 4 and sometimes Level 3 countires. So do check your medical policy and do buy a Ukrainian medical policy as it is required for entry.

No visa or entry aurhtoization is required for US citizens. A medical policy is required. Crossing the border is no more difficult than any other border crossing outside of Schengn. From Budapest trains run twice a day to Lviv and Kyiv. Yes, just normal train service like anywhere in the world. I would imagine at least if not more often from Poland.

This is probably the best resource for information: https://visitukraine.today/ And the guide I referenced above.

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