Via Regia Polska

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Medyka (Ukrainian border) → Görlitz (Zgorzelec)
• Length: 935.0 km
• Elevation gain: ↗ 7,445 m / ↘ 7,469 m
• Duration: approx. 33–42 days
• Marking: Yellow scallop on a blue background
• Difficulty: easy to moderate
• Best time to visit: April through October
• Connection: Via Regia Germany (Ecumenical Pilgrimage Route) from Görlitz

Overview

The Via Regia Polska is the longest continuously marked Way of St. James in Poland: 935 km from Medyka from the Ukrainian border to Europastadt Görlitz/Zgorzelec on the Neisse River. It follows the historic Via Regia—the “King’s Road,” which, as the most important east-west axis of medieval Europe, connected Kiev with the Rhineland.

The trail is a journey through the history and present of southern Poland: through the Carpathian Foothills with Przemyśl and Rzeszów, via Tarnów to the Royal City Krakow, through the Upper Silesian industrial region and over the pilgrimage mountain St. Anne's Mountain according to Wrocław — and finally through Lower Silesia to the German border.

Pilgrims are still a rare sight here: The Via Regia Polska is a quiet route rich in culture, warm hospitality, and affordable prices. Those who walk it will experience a Polish version of the Way of St. James that most Western Europeans are unfamiliar with—and will end up right at the start of the German section of the Via Regia.

Other Names

In Polish, the trail is called The Way of St. James: Via Regia — The Way of St. James (Via Regia). The historic road itself is also known as High Street (Wysoka Droga); today, the VIA REGIA is a designated Council of Europe Cultural Route, which is planned to run from Ukraine to Spain. We are operating the German leg of the route starting from Görlitz as Via Regia Germany (Ecumenical Pilgrimage Route).

Who It's Ideal For—and Who It's Not So Ideal For

The Via Regia Polska is ideal for you if you’re looking for a long, authentic route away from the hustle and bustle of pilgrimage. You’ll encounter major cultural cities—Przemyśl, Kraków, Wrocław, Görlitz—interspersed with quiet villages, pilgrimage sites, and plenty of space to reflect. Prices here are the lowest of all the major St. James’ Ways in Europe, and the hospitality in parish houses and monasteries is legendary.

This route probably isn’t for you if you’re expecting a well-developed pilgrimage infrastructure and daily encounters with other pilgrims—neither of which you’ll find here. A little planning (and ideally a few words of Polish) go a long way. And around Katowice and Będzin, the route passes through densely populated industrial areas: fascinating from a cultural and historical perspective, but rather barren in terms of scenery.

Route & Landscape

Carpathian Foothills and Lesser Poland (Medyka → Kraków, approx. 290 km): The trail begins at the Ukrainian border and, after a few kilometers, reaches Przemyśl, one of Poland's oldest cities. About the Renaissance city Jarosław, Przeworsk and Łańcut, with its magnate's castle, we head to Rzeszów, then through gently rolling hills past Pilzno and Tarnów — whose Old Town is one of the most beautiful in Lesser Poland — all the way to the royal city Krakow including Wawel and the Main Market Square.

Silesia (Kraków → Görlitz, approx. 645 km): Past Kraków, the route leads through Olkusz and the Upper Silesian coalfield — Mining history instead of a picture-perfect postcard scene — and up to the St. Anne's Mountain, the most important pilgrimage site in Upper Silesia. Via Opole and you can get to Brzeg Wrocław, the “Polish Venice” with its Cathedral Island. Through Lower Silesia — Środa Śląska, Legnica, Lwówek Śląski, Lubań — and finally, we're off to Zgorzelec, where the Old Town Bridge takes you directly to Görlitz and brings it to Germany.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

At 935 km, the Via Regia Polska is a true long-distance project—but a manageable one: The 7,400 meters of elevation gain are spread out over five weeks, the terrain is flat to gently rolling, and only the Carpathian foothills undulate noticeably. The Polish route is documented in about 38 daily stages; 33–42 days is a realistic estimate. The trail is roughly divided as follows:

1. Medyka → Rzeszów (approx. 105 km, 4–5 days) — Przemyśl, Jarosław, Łańcut; Carpathian Foothills
2. Rzeszów → Kraków (approx. 185 km, 7–8 days) — Pilzno, Tarnów, Brzesko; the Lesser Poland Uplands
3. Krakow → St. Anne's Mountain (approx. 200 km, 7–8 days) — Olkusz, Będzin, Piekary Śląskie; Upper Silesia
4. St. Anne's Mountain → Wrocław (approx. 165 km, 6 days) — Opole, Brzeg, Odertal
5. Wrocław → Görlitz (approx. 280 km, 9–10 days) — Środa Śląska, Legnica, Lwówek Śląski, Lubań

On the Royal Road: Poland's Long Journey Westward

For centuries, the Via Regia was the most important road in Central Europe: Merchants, kings, and pilgrims traveled along the “Royal Road” between Kyiv, Kraków, Leipzig, and the Rhine. For pilgrims on the Way of St. James from Eastern Europe, it was the natural route to Santiago—a fact attested to since the Middle Ages, when Kraków and Wrocław were major stops on the pilgrimage.

Since the 2000s, Polish St. James’s brotherhoods and regional initiatives have gradually revived this corridor and marked it continuously with the yellow scallop shell—today, the Droga św. Jakuba Via Regia forms the backbone of the Polish network of St. James’s Ways. As part of the Council of Europe’s VIA REGIA Cultural Route, the vision extends even further: from the Ukrainian border to Santiago de Compostela along a single historic axis.

As you travel, you can feel this history all around you: in the trading towns with their huge marketplaces, in pilgrimage churches like Góra Świętej Anny—and in Görlitz, where the road crosses the Neisse River and continues seamlessly, as if there had never been a border.

Highlights Along the Way

• Przemyśl — one of Poland's oldest cities, with an Old Town overlooking the San River and a ring of fortifications
• Jarosław — Renaissance Marketplace on the Old Trade Route
• Łańcut — A magnate's castle with grounds, one of the most magnificent in Poland
• Tarnów — “Pearl of the Renaissance,” charming Old Town
• Krakow — Wawel, Main Market Square, and St. Mary's Basilica (UNESCO), the Royal City along the Way
• Olkusz & Sławków — Silver-mining towns along the old trade route
• St. Anne's Mountain — Upper Silesia's most important pilgrimage site, Franciscan monastery
• Opole — Old Town on the Oder, Piast Tower
• Wrocław — Cathedral Island, Rynek, and the Centennial Hall (UNESCO), the “Polish Venice”
• Legnica — Piast Castle and the Old Town in Lower Silesia
• Görlitz/Zgorzelec — A European city on the Neisse River, with a magnificent old town and a border crossing accessible on foot

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

The Via Regia Polska is itself the great trade route of the East: It begins at the border near Medyka, where the Ukrainian Via Regia comes from the direction of Lviv (Lemberg) arrives — Pilgrims from Ukraine seamlessly transition to the Polish section here. Pilgrims also join from other Polish routes to Santiago: In Kraków and Wrocław, several regional Caminos intersect with the Via Regia.

In practice, most people start in Przemyśl, which is easily accessible by train—Medyka is just a short stop away. Those with less time can start in Kraków (about 645 km to Görlitz) or Wrocław (about 280 km): Both cities are international transportation hubs.

Continue the pilgrimage?

In Görlitz you simply cross the Old Town Bridge — and you are on the Via Regia Deutschland, the Ecumenical Pilgrim Way. It runs 473.7 km through Saxony and Thuringia to Vacha on the Hessian border, passing Bautzen, Leipzig, and Erfurt. From there, the Via Regia corridor continues westward along the German and French Ways of St. James — all the way to Santiago de Compostela.

Anyone who considers the entire route from the Ukrainian border to Santiago will find themselves facing one of Europe’s longest pilgrimage routes—the Via Regia Polska is its eastern centerpiece.

Preparation & Practical Information

The best time to travel is from April through October; in midsummer, Lesser Poland and Silesia can get hot, but the days are long. The trail is marked throughout with a yellow seashell, but it runs partly along quiet paved roads—well-broken-in shoes with good cushioning are a must.

Accommodations include guesthouses, budget hotels, and private homes; there are also parsonages, monasteries, and a few pilgrim hostels, which often gladly accommodate pilgrims with a credencial—a phone call the day before (or a quick message in Polish) works wonders. The easiest way to plan your stages and accommodations is directly in the Camino Ninja app.

One Pilgrim's Pass (Credencial) A must-have for your luggage: It opens doors at parsonages and monasteries, and you can get stamps at churches and tourist information centers along the entire route. It’s best to order it online in advance so it arrives in time for your start.

What the journey will cost you

The Via Regia Polska is the most affordable long-distance Way of St. James in Europe: Plan on a daily budget of 35–50 € per person. Guesthouses and budget hotels typically cost 25–45 € per night, while accommodations at parishes and monasteries are often donation-based. Food is significantly cheaper than in Western Europe—a lunch (obiad) rarely costs more than 6–8 €. In Kraków and Wrocław, prices are noticeably higher (as of August 2026).

Getting There

To Przemyśl/Medyka The best way to get there is by train: Przemyśl Główny is an IC stop with direct connections from Kraków (about 2.5 hours) and Warsaw; international trains bound for Ukraine also stop here. The nearest airport is Rzeszów-Jasionka (RZE). A regional bus will take you to Medyka—or you can walk the first short leg from Przemyśl back toward the border marker.

Returning from Görlitz, trains take you to Dresden in about 1.5 hours, with connections in every direction; Wrocław is also reachable by direct train. The nearest airports are Dresden (DRS), Berlin (BER), and Wrocław (WRO). And if you keep walking, simply stay on the road: in Görlitz, the Via Regia Deutschland sets off toward Leipzig and Erfurt.

• Przemyśl Main Station: IC trains from Kraków and Warsaw, international trains bound for Lviv
• Görlitz Train Station: Regional trains to Dresden, Cottbus, and Wrocław
• Airports: Rzeszów (RZE) for the outbound flight, Dresden (DRS) / Berlin (BER) / Wrocław (WRO) for the return flight