Starting with the towns, I thought Krynica-Zdrój was a beautifully set out old spa town, catering for the needs of tourists like myself. Sczczawnica was also attractive. The foot ferry on the route out was a chance to go a short way on a traditional flat bottomed boat poled across the river by a man with an embroidered waistcoat and a black felt hat. Zakopane and the area around was dominated by tourism. There are a few interesting museums and lots of stalls selling soft toys, fridge magnets and the like. The final village, Chochołów was impressive for the number of traditional wooden houses, of the type built with tree trunks. In between these towns there were villages with accommodation so I had no need to wild camp, although I did stay one night at an official campsite.
The E3 crosses many mountains in Poland, all covered with trees, mainly conifers. There are steep climbs and descents. For two of the summits you have to pay to reach the absolute top. On two days I was able to lunch at mountain huts, they also offered accommodation which would have to be booked by phone or email.
While the E3 is not specifically marked, there are lots of waymarks of different colours, supplemented with signs giving timings. The E3 Poland page on the European Hiking Federation website is misleading implying the E3 follows the Carpathian Trail which it equates with the Beskid Trail, marked with red waymarks. While the E3 does follow part of the Beskid Trail it leaves it before Sczczawnica and follows trails with a variety of waymark colours to reach Chochołów.
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