Hello,
We have appreciated all the great advice & trip reports for this upcoming Poland adventure. Staying in centrally located hotels in each location for the month. A couple in our early 70's and active. We will be taking buses and trains.
Do you have any recent experience with restaurants you can suggest? We like local fare that is mid range pricing. Open to all price ranges though. Are reservations a good idea?

Gdansk (day trip to Malbork)
Torun
Warsaw
Krakow - Do you suggest Wieliczka Salt Mine reservations for the end of Sept?
Zakopane - Thermal bath suggestions too?
Wroclaw
Any tour guide suggestions or miscellaneous ideas are welcome.

Thank You!

We had non-stop delicious food in Poland, but the single best thing I had was grilled oscypek, the smoked cheese from Zakopane. You can visit a smokehouse when you are there. Though to get it grilled your best bet is to go to Galicja Restaurant in Krakow.

The Poles sometimes flavor water and tea with fruit preserves. And make sure you try kompot, which is a fruit drink.

Not all mine tour are in English, so it's probably a good idea to reserve.

If you plan on visiting Auschwitz / Birkenau during your time in stunning Krakow, I'm sure you know the experience can be quite emotional. I would recommend joining a tour and planning on a very quiet evening.

Also while in Krakow, check for the opening hours of the Veit Stoss altarpiece and try to visit the breathtaking Lady with an Ermine.

I love Poland and really enjoyed Gdansk. Depends where you are staying, I stayed right near the river in a great hotel, I really enjoyed this restaurant, you can't beat the old world decor if nothing else, and it has a lot of traditional dishes.

https://gdanska.pl/

It was only about 500m from my hotel so I probably walked. I don't remember if I had a reservation or not, actually but think you can online.

In Warsaw, I stayed at the Polonia Palace, another great hotel that is central. I like to walk to nearby restaurants. I went to one with Georgian cuisine, which I'd never had before, and I really enjoyed it. In English it is Little Georgia

https://mala-gruzja.pl/


I just really enjoyed visiting all the great museums in Warsaw, took buses, etc. I didn't go to salt mines, wasn't that interested in it.

Kubicki restaurant in Gdansk.
Towarowa Craft Beer and Food in Wrocław ( at the old market hall).
Chata in Krakow (on Krowoderska 21).

The old Communist institution known as Bar Mleczny survived the fall and some are still around.
Good basic polish meals at affordable prices.
Bar Mleczny Słoneczny in Gdynia is an example.
Just Google " Bar Mleczny" plus the city.

Read the polish menus carefully. Some display prices per 100grams or 10 deko.
Be especially careful in Zakopane ( a den of thieves)

Charging for access to a toilet in Poland in the norm.
Be especially careful in Zakopane ( a den of thieves)

My brother uses guides frequently in Poland and finds through the local tourist information offices .

In Gdansk the office is near the Neptune statue.
Google " Katarzyna Czaykowska przewodnik"

Polish food is wonderful. You will also find numerous bakeries where you can buy really delicious breads and yeast cakes filled with fruit or cheese.

I too was quite taken with the food in Poland. Some really bright flavors in many dishes. I would love to return.

Thank you for so many wonderful suggestions. I've added all of them to my Poland Word Document. My husbands great grandparents lived in Poland. We are excited to experience their homeland.

We have booked the Podewils Old Town Gdansk Hotel. Reviews are a bit mixed.

Christina....You mentioned liking your hotel. What is the name?

Any other suggestions are welcome in the $250/night or less category.

PURO Hotel Gdańsk Stare Miasto.

KWP, I had made a number of suggestions on your prior post here, just bringing this up for reference First 3 week trip to Poland - Advice please

kathypillmore6565, this hotel was the highlight of our Poland holiday https://centralhotelgdansk.pl/en/home

Hello,
Last August, I spent some time in Poland and one of the highlights of my trip was the beautiful city of Gdansk. I was really struck by its Hanseatic architecture – the colorful facades, merchant houses, and the historic port atmosphere made the old town feel both elegant and full of character.I stayed at the Hotel Sadova, which turned out to be a great choice: modern, comfortable, excellent breakfast, and only a short walk from the historic center.
Just a short train ride away, I also visited Sopot, famous for its long sandy beach, the wooden pier, and a lively seaside atmosphere.
Enjoy your stay!

Sorry, just saw this. I stayed at the 4 star Hotel Hanza, loved it and great location. See hotelhanza.pl

Thank you for the hotel suggestions. You all have good taste because there wasn't availability for our dates. I'm sure the Podewils Old Town Gdansk Hotel will be great for us. I'll review it after our stay.