What happens when you pack your inline skates, leave Greece behind for a few days and decide to discover another country on wheels?
The Hermes Rollerskate Poland Tour 2026 was our first organised rollerskating trip to Poland, taking us from Warsaw to Kraków, with stops in Lublin and Rzeszów along the way.
But this was never designed to be just another trip.
Our goal was to give both children and parents the opportunity to experience a different sporting environment and see first-hand how a modern city can connect physical activity with roller skating, cycling, running and active mobility in general.
We wanted to discover different sports facilities, skateparks and urban skating routes, meet members of the local rollerskating communities and, most importantly, gain experiences that would be difficult to recreate during a regular rollerskating lesson.
Why We Organised the First Hermes Rollerskate Tour
The main purpose of the trip was to create an experiential sports tourism activity that would broaden the horizons of both children and parents.
We wanted them to create beautiful memories while also seeing and comparing the sports infrastructure and opportunities for physical activity we encountered in Poland with what we are used to in Greece.
The biggest difference we experienced was not only about the skateparks.
It was the freedom of movement.
Being able to put on your inline skates and set off on a long ride through accessible areas, surrounded by beautiful scenery and dozens of other people exercising around you.
Some were cycling.
Some were running.
Some were walking.
And others, like us, were skating.
You didn't feel that you necessarily had to visit a dedicated sports facility in order to exercise. In many cases, the city itself became the place where people could be active.
And that was perhaps one of the most important impressions we brought home from Poland.
4 September – Athens → Warsaw
The Poland Tour began with a midday flight from Athens to Warsaw.
After arriving, we headed to our Airbnb, dropped off our luggage and skating equipment, and picked up our first essential supplies from a local mini market.
Our approach throughout the trip was fairly simple: breakfast at home, basic supplies with us during the day and good organisation so that we didn't have to depend constantly on restaurants and shops.
We deliberately kept the first day relaxed because of the journey.
In the evening, we visited Warsaw's Old Town for our first introduction to the city, without any demanding training session or long rollerskating ride.
At around 23:30, we returned home to rest.
5 September – 35 Kilometres of Roller Skating in Warsaw
Saturday was essentially the first big day of the Hermes Rollerskate 1st Tour Poland.
We woke up at 09:00, had breakfast until 09:30 and by 10:00 we were ready with all the necessary equipment for our first major urban skating experience.
From 10:30 until approximately 14:00, we completed a long riverside inline skating route along the Vistula River.
Total distance: approximately 35 kilometres.
It was one of the experiences that defined the entire trip.
Being able to skate for so many kilometres in an environment shared by cyclists, runners, pedestrians and other skaters showed us in practice how different forms of physical activity can coexist.
For the children, it wasn't simply a long endurance training session.
It was a completely different way of exploring.
Roller skating allows you to discover a city, cover significant distances and, at the same time, develop endurance, independence, speed control and the ability to adapt to real-life skating conditions.
After 35 kilometres, food and several hours of well-earned rest followed until 18:00.
Skatepark Jutrzenka – Our First Experience on the Ramps
In the afternoon, from 18:00 to 20:00, we visited Skatepark Jutrzenka.
It was probably the skatepark that stood out the most during the entire trip.
Although it is an outdoor facility, a large section is covered, while the variety of smaller and larger ramps allows skaters of different ability levels to use the same space.
For us, the important thing wasn't simply to enter a skatepark and play.
We held an introductory skatepark lesson, working on the fundamentals of approaching ramps and moving safely around the park.
At the same time, we discussed something equally important as technique: skatepark etiquette and behaviour.
How to observe who is moving.
When it's your turn.
When to wait.
How to understand another skater's line.
And how beginners and advanced riders can safely share the same space.
A rollerskater's education doesn't stop with braking, turning or technical skills.
It also includes learning how to use a shared sports facility correctly and respectfully.
Another thing we particularly liked about this location was the way the sporting experience could be combined with family time, with options for coffee and something sweet close to the skatepark.
This means that a skatepark doesn't have to be simply a place where you “train and leave”. It can become part of a family's everyday outing.
6 September – Warsaw → Lublin → Rzeszów
On Sunday, we woke up at 09:30 and after breakfast started preparing for check-out.
At 10:45, we left the Airbnb and headed towards the railway station.
Our next destination: Lublin.
A Short Rollerskating Stop in Lublin
Lublin wasn't an overnight destination. Instead, we used it as an intermediate stop so that we wouldn't have to make a continuous five-hour journey to Rzeszów.
We used our time there for food and a relaxed 3-kilometre ride through Park Ludowy.
Compared with the previous day's 35 km, this was a much shorter and more relaxed experience – exactly what the schedule needed.
We then returned to the railway station and took the train to Rzeszów.
After arriving and settling into our new Airbnb, however, the day wasn't over yet.
Evening Skatepark Session in Rzeszów
From 20:00 until 22:00, we visited one of the city's skateparks for another introductory session.
Once again, our focus wasn't only on technique but also on learning how to move safely in a space shared with other riders.
Skatepark behaviour is a skill in itself.
Learning to observe, wait and anticipate other people's movements – particularly in a space shared by bikes, scooters, skateboards and roller skates – is part of a child's safety and development as a skater.
After a day involving two cities, trains, roller skating and a skatepark, it was finally time to rest at around 23:30.
7 September – Rzeszów and Meeting the Local Rollerskating Community
We woke up at 09:30 and by 10:30 we were back on our skates.
A riverside ride followed until approximately 14:00.
This time, we covered around 15 kilometres along the river in Rzeszów, stopping at outdoor playgrounds along the way for breaks.
Lunch at the Airbnb was followed by rest until 18:00.
Meet-up with Kuba's Students – Roll Street
Our original programme included a training session, which was eventually cancelled.
But that gave us the opportunity to experience something different.
From 18:00 until 19:00, we met some of Kuba's students from Roll Street.
Meeting local rollerskaters – in this case, a group of approximately 15-year-old skaters practising skatecross – was one of the experiences that impressed the children the most.
Suddenly, roller skating wasn't something they only did with their friends and teammates back in Greece.
We exchanged Hermes shirts and stickers featuring the Greek flag, trying to create a small connection between the two rollerskating communities.
There were children in another country who shared the same passion. They spoke a different language, but they could communicate through a common activity.
That's something that is very difficult to recreate during a regular weekly lesson.
In the evening, we went out in Rzeszów's Old Town and returned at around 23:00.
8 September – Rzeszów → Kraków and 40+ km with the Urban Dragons
We started the morning with a short walk around the Old Town before preparing for our next check-out.
Our next major destination: Kraków.
After travelling by train, arriving at our Airbnb and picking up the necessary supplies, we had some much-needed afternoon rest.
And we definitely needed it.
Because that evening, a very different experience was waiting for us.
40+ km with the Local Skating Community
The adults joined the Urban Dragons for an urban inline skating ride covering approximately 40+ kilometres.
The children did not participate in this particular activity and stayed with their parents on a free programme, as they were tired from the previous days. Our original plan had simply been to meet the group and join them for a short ride through the city.
The Urban Dragons are an active adult inline skating community in Kraków, known for their regular group rides around the city under the name Dragonization. Their rides can cover approximately 25–35 km, while they also organise much bigger challenges – including a 100 km Kraków ride in 2026.
Based on our own experience, participating in rides like these requires more than just basic fitness, as well as appropriate skating equipment.
In other words: perhaps don't follow our example by arriving with 80 mm wheels while carrying backpacks!
9 September – When the Children Change the Programme
The original plan for the day included a morning rollerskating ride.
It didn't happen.
And that cancellation deserves a place in this diary just as much as the activities that did take place.
The children preferred a more relaxed programme.
So the training session was replaced by a visit to an outdoor park, followed by a return home for food and rest until 16:30.
Streetpark Krakow
From 17:00 until 19:00, we visited Streetpark Cracow indoor, adding another very different skatepark experience to the trip.
We had also planned to meet Lucas from Rollerski Krakow.
In the end, we didn't manage to make the meeting as originally planned.
The nice coincidence was that we later met him during the Night Run.
We finished the day with a relaxed evening walk through Kraków's Old Town.
10 September – Night Run Day
Our original programme said:
10:30–14:00 – riverside rollerskating ride in Kraków.
For the second time, however, the children wanted something different.
So once again, we changed the programme.
Instead of a demanding morning skating session, we went to a park for juice and coffee, followed by a visit to a shopping centre for lunch.
Then we returned home to rest.
Because from 18:00 until 22:00, one of the highlights of our entire sports trip was waiting for us.
Night Run Krakow – 15 Kilometres through the City
Approximately 15 kilometres of night skating, together with other rollerskaters and under the supervision of the Urban Dragons.
Lights.
The city.
Friends.
Movement.
And children who no longer saw roller skating simply as a “lesson”.
This was perhaps one of the most important moments of the entire trip.
For a child who is used to associating inline skates with a specific training hour, participating in a large organised night ride completely changes their perception of the sport.
We met a kid connected to the Urban Dragons wearing our Hermes racing jersey, saw other rollerskaters wearing all kinds of outfits and were greeted by people along the route, exchanging high-fives as we passed.
Unique experiences.
And through experiences like this, you can discover a city and start to feel as though you've been living there for much longer than just a few days.
11 September – The Journey Home
Our final wake-up in Poland was at 09:30.
Breakfast followed at 10:00 and we checked out of the Airbnb at around 10:45.
Seven days after arriving in Warsaw, our first international rollerskating trip had come to an end.
The Programme Adapted to the Children – Not the Children to the Programme
One of the most important things this trip confirmed for us was that any programme involving children needs to remain flexible.
We had organised routes.
We had schedules.
We had skateparks.
We had specific objectives.
But whenever the children were tired or didn't feel like completing a longer rollerskating route, we changed the programme.
A planned skating session could become a walk in the park.
A 5 km or 15 km ride could become juice and coffee.
And a few hours of activity could be replaced by a few hours of rest at home.
Because the purpose of a sports trip like this isn't simply to “complete the programme”.
It's to create positive experiences.
The programme should adapt to the needs of the children – not the children to the needs of the programme.
What Did the Children Learn from the Poland Tour?
This trip wasn't designed as competitive training.
Nevertheless, the rides, skateparks and meetings with other rollerskaters continuously created opportunities for learning.
The children developed their endurance and their ability to skate longer distances, experienced different surfaces and skateparks, learned more about safe behaviour in shared spaces and came into contact with other athletes and different skating cultures.
Most importantly, they discovered that the skills they develop through roller skating lessons can be used far beyond the training area.
This is one of the reasons why, at Hermes Rollerskate Academy, we connect learning fundamental skills with organised rollerskating rides and urban skating experiences.
Once a skater has developed the necessary level of control, braking ability, safety awareness and discipline, an entirely different world opens up on wheels.
A Holiday Experience for Parents Too
A Hermes Rollerskate Tour isn't designed only around the children. It is also an opportunity for parents to enjoy quality holiday time, knowing that, during specific hours of the day, their children are taking part in organised activities, inline skating rides and educational experiences under the supervision of our team.
This means parents don't have to constantly organise the children's schedule or find ways to keep them entertained throughout the trip. They can enjoy a coffee, take a walk, discover the city at their own pace or simply take some time to relax.At the same time, there are plenty of moments when children and parents come together again to share meals, walks, sightseeing and experiences in each destination.
In this way, the Tour aims to achieve the right balance: activities and new experiences for the children, genuine holiday time for the parents, and memorable moments for the whole family.
Poland and Greece: The Biggest Lesson from the Trip
We didn't return from Poland intending to say that “everything is better there”.
That would be an oversimplification.
What we did see first-hand, however, was the important role sports infrastructure can play in people's relationship with physical activity and nature.
When cities provide parks, long accessible routes, skateparks for different ability levels and spaces where children, parents, cyclists, runners and rollerskaters can coexist, being active becomes an easier and more natural choice.
You don't always need to decide:
“Now I'm going to train.”
Sometimes you can simply go outside.
And move.
That is perhaps the most important image we wanted both children and parents to bring back home.
Poland Tour Toolkit – The Tools That Helped Us
Travelling as a large group across several cities requires organisation, and a few tools made a significant difference during our trip.
Revolut: We used it to convert euros into Polish złoty (PLN) and for everyday payments.
Splitwise: Particularly useful when travelling as a group. It allowed us to record shared expenses without constantly having to calculate who owed money to whom.
Viber: Our main channel for daily group communication, as well as an easy way to share photos and videos from the trip.
ChatGPT / Gemini: Helpful for translations, understanding menus and communicating with staff in Polish whenever language became a barrier.
Mt.rozklad-pkp.pl/en: Online train reservations helped us organise our journeys between Warsaw, Lublin, Rzeszów and Kraków in advance. When travelling as a large group, booking ahead and securing seats can be particularly useful, especially on busy services.
What Should You Bring with You?
Apart from your personal belongings and rollerskating equipment, there are a few things worth carrying as a backup.
Your ID card or passport should, of course, always be readily accessible while travelling.
Although most payments can now be made using a smartphone, we believe it's important to carry a physical bank card as well.
A power bank can be extremely useful during long days away from the accommodation.
If you have a second device, it can also be useful to have alternative cards or digital wallets available on it.
Our Poland Tour Airbnbs – Our Experience
Warsaw
Price: Expensive
Location: Good
Functionality: Excellent
One of the biggest advantages was having two bathrooms, something particularly useful when travelling as a large group.
Access to the metro was also very convenient.
What we missed was a second key for the apartment or some form of locker/key box, which would have allowed different members of the group to return independently.
Rzeszów
Price: Average
Location: Excellent
Functionality: Excellent
Overall, this was a very good experience, with plenty of useful supplies already available in the apartment.
The main disadvantage for a large group was having only one bathroom.
Kraków
Price: Budget-friendly
Location: Excellent
Functionality: Fairly good
This was the most affordable accommodation option of the trip and was located in a very convenient area.
There were several other guests sharing the accommodation, while the kitchen was fairly basic for the needs of a larger group.
On the positive side, there was flexibility regarding check-out and storing our belongings.
Kraków Airbnb 1
Kraków Airbnb 2
Kraków Airbnb 3
So, What Is a Hermes Rollerskate Tour?
We don't want Hermes Rollerskate Tours to simply be holidays where we happen to bring our skates along.
Nor do we want them to become a full week of continuous training.
We want them to be somewhere in between.
To combine roller skating, physical activity, travel, education, exploration, different cultures and new friendships.
A child may begin roller skating by learning how to stand up, fall safely, roll and brake.
Then they can develop technically.
They can start participating in longer rides.
They can discover skateparks.
And eventually, they can use everything they've learned to travel hundreds of kilometres away from home and discover an entire city on wheels.
At that point, roller skating stops being simply a weekly lesson, it becomes a unique experience.
Poland Was Only the Beginning
The first Hermes Rollerskate Tour is complete.
The images, the people we met, the long rides, the skateparks and, most importantly, the children's experiences are what we bring back with us to Greece.
And we're already looking towards our next destination.
Which country or European city would you like to see become the next Hermes Rollerskate Tour destination?
Send us your suggestion in the comments on our social media channels and get ready for another unforgettable experience.
