almost finalized itinerary!
 

Here is what we have so far!

Arrive Warsaw 2 nights
drive to Gdansk 2 nights
drive to Poznan 2 nights
drive to Kalisz 1 night
drive to Wroclaw 3 nights
drive to Krakow 5 nights
Fly to Madrid
Fly home
Please let me know if there are too many nights or not enough in one city. We are trying to see as much as we can in a short time, because driving distances are not that far. My husband wants to see Kalisz so I have added it in, but for only one night. We have 4 full days in Krakow because everything I have read says there is lots to do. I was hoping to get to Zakopane for a couple of days, but a day trip might be too much for us as the two hour drive going home might just be too much. Maybe we could find a day tour that we could just bus ride and enjoy the sights?? Does anyone have any ideas of places we could stop on our drives that might not be found in Fodors? Off the beaten path?
Thank you.
Is there enough time in Gdansk?

You don't need a car or a tour for Zakopane. Just take the public bus - but it's 70 miles one way.

That itinerary would give me far too little time everywhere but Krakow and perhaps Wroclaw, but we all travel differently.

I have to agree that perhaps your time in Warsaw and Gdansk are a little abbreviated; and would add that 3 nights in Wroclaw may be too much. Overall, your itinerary seems a bit rushed. With your arrival into Warsaw you probably have a day and change; with creative planning you can rush through the city's highlights. Last summer our daughter and I spent 3 days in Gdansk that included a day trip to Malbork and felt our time was nicely allotted; with your proposed 2 nights you will really only have a day plus whatever is leftover from the arrival. I think 4 full days in Krakow is fine, assuming your itinerary is ambitious.

I guess if you can't stretch the trip, you have to limit days, but I find it odd that you allocate only 2 nights to Warsaw (and since that's your arrival day, it's only 1.5 days), and yet 3 days to Wroclaw. Well, it's your trip, and if you don't have much interest in history, I guess that's fine. Because I think Warsaw really does best as some of the great history-related museums. Zakopane is a sports-oriented resort are, not sure why you want to go there so much given everything else you have to do that is more unique to Poland.

If it were me, I'd add one day to Warsaw and drop one from Krakow and forget Zakopane. I also wouldn't do Kalisz, you have Pozanan after all.

Take a night off Krakow and spend it in Zakopane. On the way to Zakopane, visit this church (click on the picture and the label will give you the name of the town):
and/or this one:

Or maybe on the way out of Zakopane if you decide to stay overnight there before going to Krakow.

I wrote a trip report which might interest you. Click on my name to find it.

Off the path between Warszawa and Gdansk:

Kwidzyn Castle Museum

I would add a night in Gdansk, and explore the Tri-City area:
Gdynia (Skwer Kosciuszki),
Orlowo, (Pier, nature walk, Tawerna Orlowska for lunch or dinner,
Oliwa (Organs and Cathedral and Botanical gardens)

From Gdansk to Poznan take a break at:

Biskupin -half a day for the open air archaeological museum.

Gniezno- half a day with an overnight.
Gniezno was the first capital of Poland, makes a nice match with Kalisz, another old capital.
(Kudos for thinking outside the box )


Poznan -one night.
Personally, I would pass on Poznan, but it is your trip.

Kalisz- one night

Kalisz and Wroclaw are not far apart, two nights in Wroclaw would give you two full days in that city.

From Wroclaw go to Rzeszów, (about 4.5 hour drive) Stay three nights (Hotel Rzeszów)
Enjoy the Rzeszów old town square and have a beer or two at StaryBrowarRzeszowki.
Use it as a base for day trips to Lancut (palace) , Sandomierz and Sanok (castle and muzeum)
From Rzeszów take the Szlak Architektury Drewnianej w Ma³opolsce route to Krakow for the balance of your trip.

Thank you all so much. You have been very helpful. I am adding a night in Gdansk, skipping Kalisz, and adding a night in Wroclaw.

We stayed in this vacation apartment right by the old town in Krakow - it was great and had easy free parking

https://www.booking.com/hotel/pl/exc...d6d414341bd489