Too much moving around and too short stays in each place (too many places anyway) for my taste, but that's up to you. I'd definitely stay two nights in one place in the High Tatras region - either Stary Smokovec or Levoca would be ok. Stary Smokovec has the better hotels, is a bit more touristy and has more mountain feeling. Levoca has the beautiful old town instead.

Otherwise it looks like a good itinerary.

I.

That seems like far too much moving. I am doing research for several of the locations you mention and here are the days (not nights) recommended on the message boards for a basic/decent overview of each city:
Salzburg 2
Vienna 3-4
Budapest 3-4
Krakow- 2 for city, 1 for Auschwitz, 1/2 for Salt Mines

I would consolidate your list down and try to remove several of the 1 night stays, packing/unpacking, driving, finding the new hotel etc will take up a good portion of your trip if you move that often.

thank you for the information Ingo

thanks lindy27 for your input

Not sure if the places in Slovakia make the most sense>

don't know either but do know that Bratislava is a really nice town and only about an hour or so from Vienna if driving to Slovakia - at least a few hour halt?

We stayed at Pension Dietzenhofer in Prague twice, & really enjoyed our stay. It's located in Mala Strana, on the castle side of the bridge. It's quieter than Old Town. What I like about this location is that you inevitabley end up walking across Charles Bridge every day, & the views are just amazing, especially at night. The price includes a nice breakfast, the owner & staff are always friendly & polite.

In Krakow we stayed at Hotel Saski, in Old Town, about 1/2 block from the Main Square. Price was very reasonable in 2003 & included a huge buffet breakast (hot & cold foods) with eggs cooked to order.

In Prague for sightseeing, don't miss Vysehrad, one of our favorite areas of Prague. It is quieter than Old Town, Wenceslas, etc., up on a hill with beautiful views. Main sights in Vysehrad are Sts Peter & Paul Church & the beautiful national cemetery, plus some fortress ruins.

If you click on my name, you can read my trip report from August 2009, & I give names & addresses (whenever possible) of restaurants we ate at.

In Cesky Krumlov, we stayed at Hotel Zlaty Andel, right on the main square & price includes a delicious, huge breakfast buffet.

I have been to Prague twice, & stayed 4 - 5 days each time. We stayed 3 days in Krakow, and 2 days in Cesky Krumlov. Hope this helps.

I agree with other posters that you are doing too much moving around with your current itinerary.

Hello Kwoo,
Thank you very much for all the information. I'm printing out your report from Aug. 2009. I'll try to condense our itinerary.
Nick

Glad I could be of some help! Let us know what your final itinerary looks like.

Hello Kwoo,
I read your trip report. It was very informative and I'm sure I will follow many of your tips. I figured our driving mileage will be about 1250 miles. We'll probably add an extra day at Cesky Krumlov, and Stary Smokovec. Thanks again.
Nick

Hi,

You may check out also Eisriesenwelt and Hallstatt (both in Austria)and maybe replace Levoca and Olomouc with them. Or, prolong the stay in Budapest and Krakow for one day in each place. The rest looks sufficient in time.

We were travelling similar route, so I wanted to recommend some nice places on the way. In Salzburg - Vienna area these are Werfen / Eisriesenwelt caves (30 miles south from Salzburg) and Hallstatt (40 miles east from Werfen / Eisriesenwelt). The first one is the world's largest ice caves system and the second one is a small town in Tirol region with breathtaking views:

http://eurobuildings.info/wallpapers/austria/hallstatt_w001.jpg

Both are worth spending a day in, even if sacrificing Levoca and Olomouc.

2-3 days seems enough for Budapest, unless you'd like to visit some museums. We spent 1 day on sighseeing and 1 day on Memento Park and further sightseeing. We also spent 1 day in Szechenyi thermal baths but if you plan to visit Eger there is no need to do so. Sightseeing is easy as you just walk by the river on one side (from Margareth island to Gellert Hill, with Beautiful view on Parlament) and then on the other side (with Parlament itself).

Interesting place in Budapest is Memento Park. Buses go there right from the city centre. This is place, where monuments from communism times are collected. Gloomy part of Hungarian (and not only) history. This is actually the most interesting thing about Central Europe how beautiful architecture from the past is combined with ugly houses from communism times and Budapest is the best place to experience this.

If talking about Hungarian people and culture, two best things are drinking really good wine and spending half of the day relaxing in thermal baths.

For Krakow and surroundings it can be 1, 2 or 3 days, depending on what you want to see. All major attractions in Krakow (Old Town, Wawel castle and historical Jewish district Kazimierz) are in the city centre, in walking distance one from another. A day is enough even if you plan to visit some museums. I'm personally allergic to Krakow museums as they remind me of mandatory school trips (I'm from Poland) but some people like them.

If you plan to visit Auschwitz, you need to book whole day and probably no evening activities at that day. It's around 50 miles driving there and back. Usually people feel bad mentally after what they see there and don't want to have fun in the evening after Auschwitz trip.

Two more interesting places in Krakow are Wieliczka salt mines and Nowa Huta. Wieliczka is on UNESCO heritage list, it's an old salt mine changed into kind of museum. A real fairy-tale in a salt-mine - ghomes and saints from salt, rivers and so on. Nowa Huta is a district of Krakow (sometimes considered a separate town), it was built in 40-50th as ideal town of communism, perfectly planned and with innovative architecture for that times. It hasn't changed much to now but looks old and eroded. If you like this period in history, this place is interesting to visit.

Hi Julia,
Thank you very much for the information. I will certainly use your notes not having traveled to these countries outside of Austria way back in 1975. Thanks again.
Nick

Nowa Huta is a district of Krakow (sometimes considered a separate town), it was built in 40-50th as ideal town of communism, perfectly planned and with innovative architecture for that times.>

As locals are known to say:

"Rome was not built in a day, but Nova Huta was"

This is where we stayed in Budapest:

http://www.bellevuebudapest.com/index.php?lang=en&faz=1&aaz=0

If going to Slovakia, you might be interested in the back-country Ruthenian churches. They are clearly marked on the Michelin map of Slovakia and ae usually found on the outskirts of small villages, often in a small grove of woods on a hillside. You'll need a car or find a local guide with transportation.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/4204731790/in/set-72157623046345988/

Suggest you cjeck inti tourist info office in Bardejov for a very good map

I just noticed this post. We did some of the portions of your trip several years ago, but a bit in reverse. From Prague, we drove to Telc, where we spent 2 nights, then to Olomouc for 2 nights. Then a long drive east to Levoca, where we spent 2 nights. From there, on to Eger for 2 nights, then on to Budapest.

We were focusing on castles, and visited a lot of them. We even visited on some that we didn't find in guidebooks, but learned of them because they were marked on our Michelin map.

Eger was a cute little town, though one full day was more than enough time there for us. Levoca was cute, but be mindful that eastern Slovakia is very poor. It was the only place in Europe that I've stayed in (not that I've been to every country) where it felt creepy at night, because of the poorness of the town and the people. The hotel there, Hotel U Leva, on the other hand, was very nice, delightful room, and the owners were truly gracious. We also very much liked the B&B that we stayed at in Olomouc, Penzion Na Hrade.

thank you PalenQ, Michael, and Lexana. Any information is certainly appreciated.
Nick

The full set of the Czechoslovak pictures might interest you. They are presented in sequence. In 1975 we started in Munich, went to Austria, up to Czechoslovakia, to Hungary and back to Vienna where we dropped off the car. That was a 3 week trip.

Hello,
It has been awhile and I appreciate all the suggestions. My wife and I are still trying to plan our trip to eastern Europe. We have a tentative itinerary which includes
Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and Krakow with stops in between including Cesky Krumlov and Salzburg. We will be driving a rental. My questions are: What would be a a good stopover for 2 days between Budapest and Krakow, and also between Krakow and Prague? Any accommodations, restaurants, and sites would be welcomed. Thanks.
Nick

I think the best stopover between Krakow and Prague would be Wroclaw (Poland).
If you have two days between Budapest and Krakow, go to Bialka Tatrzanska or somewhere in the Tatra Mountains.
Zakopane is nice but often crowded...
***
my website: poland-travelguide.blogspot.com (there is also my email, you can write if you have some questions about Poland)

Nick- What rental company are you using? I am reading your thread to make some notes of my own- we are going to a wedding outside krakow, so figure we will take the opportunity to visit krakow, cross the tatras, a day or two in slovakia, a day in Eger/Tokay then end in Budapest. Just trying to figure out what car companies make this kind of cross-country touring relatively easy?
Thanks!
Lauren

In Krakow do not miss the Welienka (sp?) Salt Mines tour - you can take a train or bus or drive the several miles south of Krakow to the mine entrance - a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the many sculpted rooms and statues, etc all carved from salt - huge chandeliers in the mess hall, etc.

lauren,
I'm using auto-europe. PalenQ, thanks for the information on the salt mine tour.

nicolos1; You can find information for download on some of the cities/countries you are visiting. Richard www.inyourpocket.com

For Krakow:

You should go to Nowa Huta and one way to do it is with Crazy Guides (formerly Mike's Crazy Guides). They'll pick you up in a Commie era POS jalopy, drive you to the area, show you what passed for luxury for the working class in Stalin's mind, and more.

But one site we really had to push them to take us to was the Arka Pana, which is a moving testament to the Poles' faith during their subjugation by the Communists. The cornerstone of the church was laid by Karol Wojtyla, the Archbishop of Krakow (later Cardinal, later Pope John Paul II). See http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/krakow/sightseeing/Nowa-Huta-Churches/The-Lord-s-Ark_55453v for more. Highly worth pushing the guide for a visit.

Also, go to Szambelan -- craft vodka at its finest, just off Rynek Glowny.

Nowa Huta - as locals say 'Rome was not built in a day but Nowa Huta was!

Wieliczka Salt Mine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAfter the three-kilometer tour of the mine's corridors, chapels, ... of Warsaw · Wieliczka Salt Mine · Wooden Churches of Southern Lesser Poland · Old City ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wieliczka_Salt_Mine

Hello, I live in Levoca, can provide any kind of information on a region of Tatras and Spis for you if you need. The guide, accomodation, restaurants or attraction tips - you are welcome.
bdubec@gmail.com

thank you Boyse! Is the train ride Krakow to Zakopane scenic - how about Zakopane itself?

cheers

Zakopane is worth to see due to its atmosphere / there is still a lot of people tasting the food specialities, carriage and pair riding or so ..., in touch with the High Tatras.

I've been reading all your suggestions for help on my own trip.

12 years ago, we visited Germany & the Czech republic - Prague, Ceske Budovice (sp?), & few other small towns. Loved it all!

This time, in late June we will be in Brno (Czech republic) for 1 day business trip and planning to mainly see Austria due to proximity but what would you recommend? I have one day to do day trip from Brno while husband in meetings. Then we basically have about 4 2/3 days to do/see other places. We are definitely flying into Vienna to get to Brno. I plan to spend 2 days in Vienna and then trying to decide how to spend the other 2 1/2 days.

Do we go to Budapest, or do we just stay in Austria and possibly go to Hallstatt and enjoy boat trip, hiking, cave tour?

We like variety. Some arts & museums and historical sites, but good to have a break.

I also heard there is a music festival in Vienna the last weekend we are there. Should we brave crowds or stay away?

thank you for sharing your post and advice for my shorter trip.

hello any and all I am going to budapest in october, to vienna, then mauthausen and on to prague. Anyone have any suggestions, trains travel lodging? should I go back to vienna after mauthausen of go strainght to prague? thanks

For trains you may consider the European East Railpass, valid in Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary - in first class a really good value IMO and you can just show up at station and hop on and in first class IME nearly always find lots of empty seats - not always so in 2nd class - unlike the online advance discounted fares in some of these countries there are no restrictions - just hop on - the per day cost is quite low if traveling the minimum five days (within a one-month period) on trains.

Check out these sites for loads of great info on trains in this area - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.seat61.com and www.ricksteves.com. For schedules I always use the Wunderbar IMO German Railways site - www.bahn.de as they have schedules for all European trains and it is the easiest I have found to use.

thanks now all i need is the difference between ime and imo.

in my experience

in my opinion

should I return to Vienna to travel to Prague or try to leave from Mauthausen?

I thank all responding, i am a novice at this forum stuff, but truly appreciate the input.

should I return to Vienna to travel to Prague or try to leave from Mauthausen?

That would depend on train schedules either from Linz or Vienna. An official Austria RR site would probably be where you would get the most accurate information.

thanks again

the route via Vienna is seemless - direct trains - the route via Linz may well require one or two changes of train - if time is about the same go via Vienna even though Linz route may be cheaper as it seems to be shorter distance wise if not timewise.

i am a little concerned. have 10 days. Budapest 2 days,Vienna 2 days, on to mauthausen, what ever time it takes to get to prague and 3 days in prague. what do you thinks folks