2011 Trip around some of Eastern Europe - itinery advice?
Aug 8th, 2010, 07:14 PM
#21
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Sounds like a wonderful adventure!
I remember reading an article recently of someone who travelled around Europe and stayed for free, but, unfortunately can't find that particular article. However, the following did come up:
http://www.backpackeurope.com/hostels/free.html
If you google a bit more you'll probably find a lot more information on free stays.
Two further suggestions: if, in Germany, you are going to include Koln and Bonn (they are very different cities), then I'd suggest biking/training/boating along the Rhein.
In the Czech Republic, it appears that you're spending too much time in places like Kutna Hora and Cesky Krumlov - unless you are planning on taking side trips from these places.
The Czech Republic "is a castle lover's dream", as this website says:
http://www.czechcastles.com/
My favorite was Zhikov.
If you have the energy, I'd suggest using your time biking around the Czech countryside. It's a beautiful country.
I remember reading an article recently of someone who travelled around Europe and stayed for free, but, unfortunately can't find that particular article. However, the following did come up:
http://www.backpackeurope.com/hostels/free.html
If you google a bit more you'll probably find a lot more information on free stays.
Two further suggestions: if, in Germany, you are going to include Koln and Bonn (they are very different cities), then I'd suggest biking/training/boating along the Rhein.
In the Czech Republic, it appears that you're spending too much time in places like Kutna Hora and Cesky Krumlov - unless you are planning on taking side trips from these places.
The Czech Republic "is a castle lover's dream", as this website says:
http://www.czechcastles.com/
My favorite was Zhikov.
If you have the energy, I'd suggest using your time biking around the Czech countryside. It's a beautiful country.
Aug 8th, 2010, 07:16 PM
#22
You'll get better budget advice for this kind of trip on Lonely Planet's thorntree - most posters here travel at a higher level (some at a much higher level).
As I suggested, less time in Brno and Cesky Krumlov for starters. For Austria, definitely Vienna, then maybe Zell-am-See, the lakes south of Salzburg, the mountains around Innsbruck.
As I suggested, less time in Brno and Cesky Krumlov for starters. For Austria, definitely Vienna, then maybe Zell-am-See, the lakes south of Salzburg, the mountains around Innsbruck.
Aug 8th, 2010, 10:52 PM
#24
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Providing a link to a programme that has inspired me to explore the less known German areas ie Quedlingberg - its a very good listen.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00q9h9p#synopsis
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00q9h9p#synopsis
Aug 9th, 2010, 03:56 AM
#25
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Aramis, thanks for the reply, I am looking at the route if I cut out Olomouc and Kutna Hora (advisable or not?). Then if I shortened the stay in each city a little.
So the route after Munich would geographically look something like:
Zell-am-See (any nice place with a hostel... there seem to be some around, just need to check the prices and check they hire bikes) - 3 days
Salzburg - 4 days
Linz - 4 days
Wien - 6 days
Brno - 3 days
Telc - 3 days
Cesky Krumlov - 3 days
Pilsen - 3 days
Prague - 6 days
So 35 days total. The extra interrail pass would be £105 (cheaper or more expensive to book individually?) and the extra hostel cost would be around £100 as well. (due to the higher costs in Austria).
easytraveler, thanks for the welcome
Also thanks for the links, I do like to visit castles (my historical interests coming through). So will see where they are and check the details for possible day trips.
I will certainly be biking around the Czech countryside, hopefully will find places to hire bikes (though that shouldnt really be a problem).
thursdaysd, Ill check out the Lonely Planet forums, on inital sight they look rather less user friendly than these.
Had a look at zell-am-see (check the schedule above), looks like a nice place to relax for a few days and cycle around the local area. Though i will check out other small places/towns and see which is best.
(and thanks for the reply)
stevelyon, thanks for the link, im listening to it now.
So the route after Munich would geographically look something like:
Zell-am-See (any nice place with a hostel... there seem to be some around, just need to check the prices and check they hire bikes) - 3 days
Salzburg - 4 days
Linz - 4 days
Wien - 6 days
Brno - 3 days
Telc - 3 days
Cesky Krumlov - 3 days
Pilsen - 3 days
Prague - 6 days
So 35 days total. The extra interrail pass would be £105 (cheaper or more expensive to book individually?) and the extra hostel cost would be around £100 as well. (due to the higher costs in Austria).
easytraveler, thanks for the welcome
Also thanks for the links, I do like to visit castles (my historical interests coming through). So will see where they are and check the details for possible day trips.
I will certainly be biking around the Czech countryside, hopefully will find places to hire bikes (though that shouldnt really be a problem).
thursdaysd, Ill check out the Lonely Planet forums, on inital sight they look rather less user friendly than these.
Had a look at zell-am-see (check the schedule above), looks like a nice place to relax for a few days and cycle around the local area. Though i will check out other small places/towns and see which is best.
(and thanks for the reply)
stevelyon, thanks for the link, im listening to it now.
Aug 9th, 2010, 05:36 AM
#26
That looks like a good itinerary. I bought train tickets as I went in Central and Eastern Europe as they were often pretty cheap (more so in Czech than Austria) - but you can check railsaver.com. (Have you found seat61.com?) I stayed in pensions and guesthouses, so my rec in Zell would likely be above your budget - http://www.hubertus-pension.at/englisch/index.html
You can read my TR including Zell at http://wilhelmswords.com/eur2006/index.html - and there's some on Czech and Poland on the RTW section of that site. I agree that the thorntree is not as user-friendly as fodors, but it attracts a lot more budget travelers.
You can read my TR including Zell at http://wilhelmswords.com/eur2006/index.html - and there's some on Czech and Poland on the RTW section of that site. I agree that the thorntree is not as user-friendly as fodors, but it attracts a lot more budget travelers.
Aug 9th, 2010, 07:20 AM
#27
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I like your recent itinerary with Austria and the Czech Republic.
http://www.backpackeurope.com/forum/ is a good forum for budget traveling Europe, they will however say 50ish euro minumum for traveling (that's where my number comes from) so if you don't want to hear that then don't ask budget questions, but they will give great itinerary advice from a backpacking point of view.
http://www.backpackeurope.com/forum/ is a good forum for budget traveling Europe, they will however say 50ish euro minumum for traveling (that's where my number comes from) so if you don't want to hear that then don't ask budget questions, but they will give great itinerary advice from a backpacking point of view.
Aug 9th, 2010, 07:27 AM
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Since you are going extensively by train - and i think that's great - here are some great sites on rail travel in those countries to help plan perhaps - www.seat61.com (already mentioned above); www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com -you can download their free and superb IMO European Rail & Planning Guide that has good chapters on each of the countries by rail.
Aug 9th, 2010, 08:29 AM
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thursdaysd, thanks for the link to seat61.com. (hadnt seen that before). Also the link to your blog was good reading (with North by Northeast being interesting and relevant).
lindy27, thanks for the forum link, look like a fair few people doing the same as I am doing. Though their figures dont add up very well. (on http://www.backpackeurope.com/tips/costs/index.html) They show that it can be done for 35 Euro per day. Then estimate it could be at least 450 Euro for 10 days. Bear in mind that the hostels in both Poland and the Czech Republic are at the extreme cheap end (often under 15 Euro).
PalenQ - thanks for the links, i'll have a nosey now (plus find those guides).
--------
On the plus side, the exchange rate is alright at the moment (relatively)
lindy27, thanks for the forum link, look like a fair few people doing the same as I am doing. Though their figures dont add up very well. (on http://www.backpackeurope.com/tips/costs/index.html) They show that it can be done for 35 Euro per day. Then estimate it could be at least 450 Euro for 10 days. Bear in mind that the hostels in both Poland and the Czech Republic are at the extreme cheap end (often under 15 Euro).
PalenQ - thanks for the links, i'll have a nosey now
(plus find those guides).--------
On the plus side, the exchange rate is alright at the moment (relatively)
Aug 9th, 2010, 08:54 AM
#31
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If you want a good fix on your budget I think you need to look at some of the student sites - where there are others trying to live onthe same amount. Most people here are more mature and traveling at a different level - even if they may do some picnic meals they also assume some restauratn meals, having a drink in the eveing, seeing a concert or play etc - which I don;t see in your budget.
As mentioned my step-daughter spent way more than you are planning - but they visited every major sight they could fit in (entrance fees) took day trips from various cities (train fares and entrances), spent a couple of evenings each week in student hangouts (several beers or glasses of wine). Lived VERY basicaly as far as I can see - but did have sit down dinners (very modest places).
I can't tell exact amounts - and they did stay in hotels throughout (but only 3*) so the total numbers they spent wouldn't make sense in your budget.
As mentioned my step-daughter spent way more than you are planning - but they visited every major sight they could fit in (entrance fees) took day trips from various cities (train fares and entrances), spent a couple of evenings each week in student hangouts (several beers or glasses of wine). Lived VERY basicaly as far as I can see - but did have sit down dinners (very modest places).
I can't tell exact amounts - and they did stay in hotels throughout (but only 3*) so the total numbers they spent wouldn't make sense in your budget.
Aug 9th, 2010, 09:04 AM
#32
Re:CzRep
I'd do 2 days in Cesky K
1 or 2 days in Telc
Could help more, but I've got absolutely NO idea what you like to do when traveling. Scenery? Schmooze with locals?
History? Art? Drink? Look at sky?
I'd do 2 days in Cesky K
1 or 2 days in Telc
Could help more, but I've got absolutely NO idea what you like to do when traveling. Scenery? Schmooze with locals?
History? Art? Drink? Look at sky?
Aug 9th, 2010, 09:28 AM
#33
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nytraveler - I will look at some of the budget student travel sites over the next few days - the main reason for coming here first is that with age comes wisdom and I dont doubt that people here will be much more knowledgable about where to visit than many others. (plus everyone is very friendly!)
As for the restaurants - I would avoid unless they did a cheap fixed menu (one place in Rome did this for 8Euros).
I wouldnt plan on seeing plays/concerts (wrong part of the world as far as i can tell, may as well see things in britain). A drink in the evening - maybe a beer every now and again (im not a party animal
).
The day trips - I would likely catch early trains on travel days to new locations, then use the pass to travel free to attractions (economical thinking). I dont doubt there will be entry fees - though I havent seen any above about 10 Euro (especially with the discount from being a student, which is usually around 50%).
As for three star hotels, LUXURY A hotel is around 50-60 Euro per night in some places, I would just be paying 15...
(so yes, I can see where you are coming from and will get a budget questioning thread going on another site soon, for now Ill just try and sort the itinerary out a bit more.)
(thanks for taking the time to reply again).
tomboy - thanks for the advice, my concern with having less than 3 nights in either location is that then I will be travelling one day, touristing around the next, then travelling again. I would rather have the three nights and then can have two full days sightseeing (bear in mind on each day travelling around half the day will be lost).
urmm, as to what I like doing when travelling - History, scenery, cycling (one of the main attractions of the Czech Republic), Look at the sky (im not sure if that was actually a serious bit, but its up there if the weathers good), art is a bit of a wierd one, if it is different then all good, but sometimes it begins to look all the same. As for locals - I would like to chill in the hostels a bit and meet people if that counts?
As for the restaurants - I would avoid unless they did a cheap fixed menu (one place in Rome did this for 8Euros).
I wouldnt plan on seeing plays/concerts (wrong part of the world as far as i can tell, may as well see things in britain). A drink in the evening - maybe a beer every now and again (im not a party animal
).The day trips - I would likely catch early trains on travel days to new locations, then use the pass to travel free to attractions (economical thinking). I dont doubt there will be entry fees - though I havent seen any above about 10 Euro (especially with the discount from being a student, which is usually around 50%).
As for three star hotels, LUXURY
A hotel is around 50-60 Euro per night in some places, I would just be paying 15...(so yes, I can see where you are coming from and will get a budget questioning thread going on another site soon, for now Ill just try and sort the itinerary out a bit more.)
(thanks for taking the time to reply again).
tomboy - thanks for the advice, my concern with having less than 3 nights in either location is that then I will be travelling one day, touristing around the next, then travelling again. I would rather have the three nights and then can have two full days sightseeing (bear in mind on each day travelling around half the day will be lost).
urmm, as to what I like doing when travelling - History, scenery, cycling (one of the main attractions of the Czech Republic), Look at the sky (im not sure if that was actually a serious bit, but its up there if the weathers good), art is a bit of a wierd one, if it is different then all good, but sometimes it begins to look all the same. As for locals - I would like to chill in the hostels a bit and meet people if that counts?
Aug 9th, 2010, 09:39 AM
#34
Alex; You can get downloads of information on some of the cities you will be visiting on this site. www.inyourpocket.com
Aug 9th, 2010, 11:57 AM
#35
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iris1745 - thanks for that link, they even have a free inyourpocket guide to Berlin available for iPods over the next few days (which is pretty reasonable, though not worth the price they value it at.)
Aug 11th, 2010, 02:20 PM
#36
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Just adding to others very good info ... which I hope will help you to have a very nice trip ...
Germany ...
I did Germany by car few times ... Berlin and Dresden when it was still East and West Germany ;-) but other parts fairly recent ...
Skip
Hamburg,
Frankfurt - unless you thinking of going to Mainz and do a bus ride ( or boat trip ) along Rhein to see some of the nice castles.
Good choices are Berlin, Munich, Dresden ( with Dresden also area that part of Germany is nice but may need some additional planning since you be using public transport ...
NEUSCHWANSTEIN
2 very nice castles both worth seeing one more beautiful outside the other inside ...
http://www.neuschwanstein.de/englisch/palace/index.htm which you can reach by train to Fussen then a bus
http://www.berchtesgadeninfo.de/de/u...oenigssee.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watzmann
http://www.jennerbahn.de/jennb/live/...nnb_navi_id=33
Poland ...
Skip Poznan, use less nights in Warsaw - Torun be good for 2-3nights add extra nights to Krakow and add Zakopane - in Zakopane you can get cheap places to sleep or you can go to Slovakian side of Tatry for even better values
instead of Lublin maybe Sandomierz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandomierz
or Zamosc
http://www.zamosc.pl
From Wroclaw nice day trip be to Ksiaz
http://www.ksiaz.walbrzych.pl/en/galeria_zdjec_z.html
From Gdansk good day trip be castle in Malbork http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malbork_Castle
so some really cheap but good food ar at "Bar mleczny" type of restaurants - very popular with students... here is link to some of them (unfortunately in Polish but shows street and # - also expect menu in Polish / cashier in polish / polish cash only and it's selfserv ... so write down dishes that you like and then show to cashier / server if not fully self serve ...
http://smupo.achjoj.info/bary_mleczne
Have a great trip!!!
BTW Poland maybe cheaper on buying individual train / bus tickets vs having a pass ... something that maybe worth looking into bit more ...
Germany ...
I did Germany by car few times ... Berlin and Dresden when it was still East and West Germany ;-) but other parts fairly recent ...
Skip
Hamburg,
Frankfurt - unless you thinking of going to Mainz and do a bus ride ( or boat trip ) along Rhein to see some of the nice castles.
Good choices are Berlin, Munich, Dresden ( with Dresden also area that part of Germany is nice but may need some additional planning since you be using public transport ...
NEUSCHWANSTEIN
2 very nice castles both worth seeing one more beautiful outside the other inside ...
http://www.neuschwanstein.de/englisch/palace/index.htm which you can reach by train to Fussen then a bus
http://www.berchtesgadeninfo.de/de/u...oenigssee.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watzmann
http://www.jennerbahn.de/jennb/live/...nnb_navi_id=33
Poland ...
Skip Poznan, use less nights in Warsaw - Torun be good for 2-3nights add extra nights to Krakow and add Zakopane - in Zakopane you can get cheap places to sleep or you can go to Slovakian side of Tatry for even better values
instead of Lublin maybe Sandomierz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandomierz
or Zamosc
http://www.zamosc.pl
From Wroclaw nice day trip be to Ksiaz
http://www.ksiaz.walbrzych.pl/en/galeria_zdjec_z.html
From Gdansk good day trip be castle in Malbork http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malbork_Castle
so some really cheap but good food ar at "Bar mleczny" type of restaurants - very popular with students... here is link to some of them (unfortunately in Polish but shows street and # - also expect menu in Polish / cashier in polish / polish cash only and it's selfserv ... so write down dishes that you like and then show to cashier / server if not fully self serve ...
http://smupo.achjoj.info/bary_mleczne
Have a great trip!!!
BTW Poland maybe cheaper on buying individual train / bus tickets vs having a pass ... something that maybe worth looking into bit more ...
Aug 12th, 2010, 07:13 AM
#37
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In Berlin i always stay at the ETAP Hotel - a modern motel right near a S-Bahn line about a 20 min ride from the Mitte or center of Berlin - costs about 35 euros - and i enjoy being in a real neighbordhood - in old East Berlin.
www.etaphotels.com
www.etaphotels.com
Aug 12th, 2010, 07:24 AM
#38
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So much good information here. I'm bookmarking!
PQ: which neighborhood is the ETAP hotel located? How safe is it?
I hesitate staying in the East Berlin neighborhoods, like Prenzlauerberg, although the prices are very attractive.
PQ: which neighborhood is the ETAP hotel located? How safe is it?
I hesitate staying in the East Berlin neighborhoods, like Prenzlauerberg, although the prices are very attractive.
