Lower Silesia: Książ Castle, the Table Mountains and the skull chapel
From Wrocław to Poland’s south-western mountains: a timber Church of Peace, Książ Castle, a Norwegian stave church and the sandstone Table Mountains.
- Distance
- 240 km (149 mi)
- Driving
- 3 h 19 min
- Suggested days
- 4
- Stops
- 8
- Countries
- Poland
- Updated
- June 8, 2026
At a glance: 4-day road trip of about 240 km (149 mi) with 8 stops, from Wrocław to Kłodzko. About 3 h 19 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Poland
Route description
Leave Wrocław south-west on route 35 to Świdnica, about 55 km, where the Church of Peace, built of wood and clay in the 1650s, holds several thousand worshippers on its painted galleries. Książ Castle is about 20 km further on the edge of Wałbrzych, a huge residence above a wooded gorge with terraced gardens and wartime tunnels dug beneath it.
Continue west through Jelenia Góra to Karpacz, about 70 km, a resort at the foot of the Karkonosze, the Giant Mountains. The Wang stave church stands on the slope above town; from there trails and a chairlift lead towards Śnieżka, the highest peak on the ridge. Karpacz makes a good overnight stop, with plenty of parking outside the high season.
Drive south-east via Kamienna Góra and Mieroszów to the Table Mountains National Park, about 100 km. Park in Karłów and climb Szczeliniec Wielki, where a one-way trail threads through sandstone crevices to viewpoints. The winding Road of a Hundred Bends links Karłów with Kudowa-Zdrój, where the small Chapel of Skulls in Czermna is lined with thousands of skulls.
Finish on the DK8 east to Kłodzko, about 40 km, and its hilltop Prussian fortress with underground passages. From Kłodzko the DK8 returns north to Wrocław in about 90 minutes. Roads in the Sudetes are mostly good; the Road of a Hundred Bends is twisty but fine for motorhomes driven slowly. Summer weekends are busy at Szczeliniec and Książ, so go early.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Wrocław
Poland - 261 km
Church of Peace in Świdnica
HistoryŚwidnica, PolandA huge timber-framed Lutheran church from the 1650s, built of wood, clay and straw under rules that banned stone and towers, and seating thousands; a UNESCO site. The painted interior with its tiers of galleries surprises; there is a small fee.
- 317 km
Książ Castle
HistoryWałbrzych, PolandOne of the largest castles in Poland, perched above a wooded gorge on the edge of Wałbrzych, with terraced gardens and wartime tunnels beneath. Use the paid car park near the entrance and walk a few minutes.
- 448 km
Karpacz
Poland - 52 km
Wang Stave Church
HistoryKarpacz, PolandA medieval wooden stave church brought from Norway and rebuilt on the slopes above Karpacz in the 1840s. It is still a working Lutheran church; trails into Karkonosze National Park start nearby.
- 666 km
Szczeliniec Wielki
NatureKarłów, PolandThe highest point of the Table Mountains, a plateau of eroded sandstone reached by several hundred stone steps from Karłów. A one-way trail winds through crevices and viewpoints; park in Karłów and pay the national park fee.
- 710 km
Chapel of Skulls, Czermna
OdditiesKudowa-Zdrój, PolandA small church whose walls and ceiling are lined with about 3,000 human skulls, arranged by a local priest in the late 18th century. Visits are short and guided; it lies on the northern edge of Kudowa-Zdrój.
- 837 km
Kłodzko
Poland
FAQs
How long is Lower Silesia: Książ Castle, the Table Mountains and the skull chapel?
4-day road trip of about 240 km (149 mi) with 8 stops, from Wrocław to Kłodzko. About 3 h 19 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Lower Silesia: Książ Castle, the Table Mountains and the skull chapel?
We suggest 4 days: about 3 h 19 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Lower Silesia: Książ Castle, the Table Mountains and the skull chapel start and end?
It starts in Wrocław and ends in Kłodzko.
Which countries does Lower Silesia: Książ Castle, the Table Mountains and the skull chapel pass through?
Poland.
