Areas in Poland or Czech Republic for low-key vacation that isn't just sightseeing
Jul 29th, 2003, 09:35 AM
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Areas in Poland or Czech Republic for low-key vacation that isn't just sightseeing
We (2 parents and our 20's son) are looking for an interesting area or 2 in the Czech Republic or Poland where we could have a pleasant low-key vacation that is not just sightseeing oriented. We are planning a last minute trip, and will be flying into Frankfurt next month. There we will rent a car and drive east. But, we don't want to spend all of our time driving, so areas that are closer to Germany would probably be best. We like outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and canoeing, but we also want to be in an area where we can get the flavor of the country we are in, and perhaps do some sightseeing. We like interesting small towns to stop in for a beer or glass of wine and a stroll around. A total wilderness experience is not what we are looking for. We want some places with a mix of activities possible. Several years ago we took the typical sightseeing oriented trip and stopped in Karlovy Vary, Prague, Telc, Trebon, and Cesky Krumlov. We liked the area and would return, but where should we base ourselves for the type of trip we are looking at? The only place in Poland we have visited is Krakow. This time we want to slow down and do some other things than just sightseeing. What would you suggest for areas? And, if you know of any nice moderatly priced places (self-catering would also be a plus) where we could base ourselves for 4 or 5 days I'd appreciate the tips. We are from the US but do not need to be places that cater to Americans and English speakers, nor do we need luxury. Thanks for your help.
Jul 29th, 2003, 12:19 PM
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I suggest the northern part of Chech Republic, near the german/polish border, for instance the area south of Dresden (next to the german area called "Sachsische Schweiz"
. This region is made for hiking. There are many excellent trails, relatively easy to walk, and very well marked.
Spread over the region there are many villages and small towns to provide you with good food and beer.
I recommend to buy some detailed hiking maps from the areas that you want to visit. These maps are published by the Chech tourist club. They are for sale everywhere in the Chech Republic. With those maps it is much easier to plan trips trough the countryside.
. This region is made for hiking. There are many excellent trails, relatively easy to walk, and very well marked. Spread over the region there are many villages and small towns to provide you with good food and beer.
I recommend to buy some detailed hiking maps from the areas that you want to visit. These maps are published by the Chech tourist club. They are for sale everywhere in the Chech Republic. With those maps it is much easier to plan trips trough the countryside.
Jul 29th, 2003, 08:50 PM
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Search Pensjonat and Poland on Yahoo or Google, and you will see that there are a number of places throughout Silesia - - for example, in the area around Jelenia Gora that would make a great base for such a trip.
Here's one we used this past May - - http://www.pension-nostalgia.ch (the website ends in ".ch" because the owner lives in Zurich).
Note: NO English and not really any Czech or German either. But the house-minder has a heart of gold. And dictionaries will get you along, with a few laughs.
Best wishes,
Rex
Here's one we used this past May - - http://www.pension-nostalgia.ch (the website ends in ".ch" because the owner lives in Zurich).
Note: NO English and not really any Czech or German either. But the house-minder has a heart of gold. And dictionaries will get you along, with a few laughs.
Best wishes,
Rex
Jul 30th, 2003, 01:23 PM
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aad and Rex--thanks for the help. Both of those areas do sound interesting and will probably be on our list.
Rex--
I looked at the pension Nostalgia web-site and it looks nice. Do you think we could spend 4 days there and have enough to do in the area? Also, did you just do the breakfast or the half-board? How far to other low-key local restaurants? How is the food at the pension? And finally, what were your favorite things in Silesia? Thanks so much.
Rex--
I looked at the pension Nostalgia web-site and it looks nice. Do you think we could spend 4 days there and have enough to do in the area? Also, did you just do the breakfast or the half-board? How far to other low-key local restaurants? How is the food at the pension? And finally, what were your favorite things in Silesia? Thanks so much.
Jul 30th, 2003, 06:00 PM
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Rex--One more thing.
I was reading back through some old posts and found a comment to you by PeterB that the price for the pension nostalgia is very high for agrotourism. After having stayed there and other places would you say it is high, or is this a place that truly is more than a typical agortourism site and thus worth the extra cost? Thanks.
I was reading back through some old posts and found a comment to you by PeterB that the price for the pension nostalgia is very high for agrotourism. After having stayed there and other places would you say it is high, or is this a place that truly is more than a typical agortourism site and thus worth the extra cost? Thanks.
Jul 30th, 2003, 07:32 PM
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Okay, I have opened a can of worms here - - quite a number of questions to answer.
For starters, I have NOT posted a trip report. I did not keep a journal for the trip - - perhaps because two (or maybne all three) of our daughters did. I really should ask to borrow theirs and work on one of my own. We did just see our oldest daughter for the first time since the trip and she had a most impressive scrapbook with great pictures and mementos. I was both ashamed that I have not found the time to do something from the trip - - and at the same time, tickled pink with pride that "the apple did not fall far from the tree".
In my defense, we have been in the process of moving, starting new jobs and building a new home (first time ever for us), in the past two months. You may have noticed that I have been posting a lot less here this summer.
Perhaps I did say that the price was "high" - - more accurately, what I would have been trying to say is that the price went "way up" from the time I first found and contacted this place (they didn't have a website at the time - - just a price published in an official Poland brochure - - perhaps out of date) to the time that we actually booked with them (after they started their website). I think it went from something like 15 dollars a night to 40 dollars a night (double). Still , of course, VERY budget priced.
This price was with breakfast, which was a delight, and surprisingly, quite "fancy". We did eat our evening meal there - - a riotous exercise in linguistic "incommunicatocracy" (Polish). I think that she charged us about 25 dollars (80 zlotys?) for our family of five, including large beers - - and we gave her an extra 50 zlotys, if memory serves me correctly.
Can you stay occupied for 4 days? I suspect yes. You say that you want "other than just sightseeing", and this is clearly a "nature" vacation area. But there are castles and churches and the like with an hour which would allow for some "touristic" diversion.
We liked Jelenia Gora plenty - - maybe because it was our only taste of Polish (town) "culture" - - shopping and just all the stuff of every day small-ish town life - - going into a bank, a post office, a pharmacy, for example.
Hope this helps.
For starters, I have NOT posted a trip report. I did not keep a journal for the trip - - perhaps because two (or maybne all three) of our daughters did. I really should ask to borrow theirs and work on one of my own. We did just see our oldest daughter for the first time since the trip and she had a most impressive scrapbook with great pictures and mementos. I was both ashamed that I have not found the time to do something from the trip - - and at the same time, tickled pink with pride that "the apple did not fall far from the tree".
In my defense, we have been in the process of moving, starting new jobs and building a new home (first time ever for us), in the past two months. You may have noticed that I have been posting a lot less here this summer.
Perhaps I did say that the price was "high" - - more accurately, what I would have been trying to say is that the price went "way up" from the time I first found and contacted this place (they didn't have a website at the time - - just a price published in an official Poland brochure - - perhaps out of date) to the time that we actually booked with them (after they started their website). I think it went from something like 15 dollars a night to 40 dollars a night (double). Still , of course, VERY budget priced.
This price was with breakfast, which was a delight, and surprisingly, quite "fancy". We did eat our evening meal there - - a riotous exercise in linguistic "incommunicatocracy" (Polish). I think that she charged us about 25 dollars (80 zlotys?) for our family of five, including large beers - - and we gave her an extra 50 zlotys, if memory serves me correctly.
Can you stay occupied for 4 days? I suspect yes. You say that you want "other than just sightseeing", and this is clearly a "nature" vacation area. But there are castles and churches and the like with an hour which would allow for some "touristic" diversion.
We liked Jelenia Gora plenty - - maybe because it was our only taste of Polish (town) "culture" - - shopping and just all the stuff of every day small-ish town life - - going into a bank, a post office, a pharmacy, for example.
Hope this helps.
Jul 30th, 2003, 11:49 PM
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Please check the Mazurian Lake region in NE Poland. Poles are now vacationing at Baltic Sea sites. Your choice, I say Sopot. Southern Poland, the Zakopane region for outdoor activities. Even better/less expensive, the matching region in Slovakia. You could do a trip along the Oder River...
Jul 31st, 2003, 06:36 PM
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Hi Julies: Region mentioned by Rex (well bit more east;-) would probably be your best option for what you are looking for check some of my posts (response to rex) on this area... http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...hText=duszniki
not only this area is right next to czech republic but also has really nice table mountains - for some great hikes as well as simple small clean spa cities like Kudowa Zdroj Duszniki, Polanica etc.
As for prices for agrotourist places they are around 15-30zl per person (current rate is about 3.75zl=$1) for Jelenia Gora region should be on lower end ... places like Duszniki, Ladek Zdroj which are next to spa cities and more attraction are more on higher end... without much searching I found ie. this place on net in Ladek Zdroj ( which is right next to table mountains and other spa cities... http://www.agroturystyka.pl/agro.php...era&id=321
price 26zl breakfest 8zl dinner 15zl...
Other places...
http://www.agroturystyka.pl/agro.php...era&id=317
http://www.agroturystyka.pl/agro.php...era&id=732
http://www.kudowa.zdroj.pl/agro/
http://www.ladek.pl/turys-nocl-agr.shtml
and huge list here from hotels to Pensions to agrotourist places in sudety mtn region (table mountains)
http://www.sudety.info.pl/bazan/noclegi.html
they have email addresses - which is really a best way to comunicate since if they do not know the language they will ask others to translate...
other options which are still budget about $30 a double very nice pension...
http://akacja.tripod.com/ang-index.html
under Noclegi (overnight stays) check those places in Kudowa Zdroj: http://www.kudowa.zdroj.pl/modules.p...e&artid=41
In Polanica
http://www.podswierkami.polanica.pl/
budget hotels
http://www.hotel-naszdom.pl/
http://www.polanica.pl/europa/
Some info on Duszniki (in English) http://www.duszniki.pl/index.php?newlang=english
Enjoy!
not only this area is right next to czech republic but also has really nice table mountains - for some great hikes as well as simple small clean spa cities like Kudowa Zdroj Duszniki, Polanica etc.
As for prices for agrotourist places they are around 15-30zl per person (current rate is about 3.75zl=$1) for Jelenia Gora region should be on lower end ... places like Duszniki, Ladek Zdroj which are next to spa cities and more attraction are more on higher end... without much searching I found ie. this place on net in Ladek Zdroj ( which is right next to table mountains and other spa cities... http://www.agroturystyka.pl/agro.php...era&id=321
price 26zl breakfest 8zl dinner 15zl...
Other places...
http://www.agroturystyka.pl/agro.php...era&id=317
http://www.agroturystyka.pl/agro.php...era&id=732
http://www.kudowa.zdroj.pl/agro/
http://www.ladek.pl/turys-nocl-agr.shtml
and huge list here from hotels to Pensions to agrotourist places in sudety mtn region (table mountains)
http://www.sudety.info.pl/bazan/noclegi.html
they have email addresses - which is really a best way to comunicate since if they do not know the language they will ask others to translate...
other options which are still budget about $30 a double very nice pension...
http://akacja.tripod.com/ang-index.html
under Noclegi (overnight stays) check those places in Kudowa Zdroj: http://www.kudowa.zdroj.pl/modules.p...e&artid=41
In Polanica
http://www.podswierkami.polanica.pl/
budget hotels
http://www.hotel-naszdom.pl/
http://www.polanica.pl/europa/
Some info on Duszniki (in English) http://www.duszniki.pl/index.php?newlang=english
Enjoy!
Jul 31st, 2003, 07:51 PM
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also check http://www.sudety.agrowczasy.com/noclegi.htm
Aug 1st, 2003, 04:27 AM
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Thanks again PeterB. If youhave time, one more quick question. The Tatras area sounds interesting to us, but we also do not want to spend all of outrtime in the car. About how long would it take us to drive to the Tatras from the area you are mentioning. Also, the one time we went to Poland we spent a long week-end in Krakow (not nearly enough time). Are there other places surrounding Krakow that we should visit? We went to the salt mine and Auschwicz.
Aug 1st, 2003, 07:00 PM
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Some sights around Krakow:
http://www.krakow.pl/en/regionalne/?...al_cities.html
Driving from ie. Kudowa Zdroj (table Mountain region to Zakopane should be around 3 hours grabing one of the very few nice a fast Wroclaw / Katowice highway will save you some time - http://www.pilot.pl/index.php3?z_cit...o=&lang=pl
From Katowice go towards Krakow again Highway but exit at Oswiecim (Auschwicz)
and then Go towards Wadowice. Wadowice is worth seeing - it's a little town where Pope was born and where he grew up. From Wadowice go SouthEast to Jordanow and Rabka Zdroj, where you pick up road south to Zakopane. This leg will be your slowest...
http://www.pilot.pl/big_pilot.php3?z...o=&lang=pl
Zakopane is definitly a must see. But if you are looking for budget accomodations you may want to cross to SLovakia and pick some thing up on the other side of Tartry, which some say look more majestic from Slovakian side. Just remamber if you are late comming in to Zakopane then stay that night in Zakopane - crossing late may take a lot of time and effort (mountain roads).
Also NorthWest from Table Mountains (Kudowa Zdroj) you could drive to Karpacz (and very nice and high - Sniezka Mountain)... From Karpacz you can take nice long chair lift to First lookout and then walk up to Sniezka top (1-2hrs easy hike), from first lookout you can also cross to czech republic side by following marked trails...
http://www.pilot.pl/big_pilot.php3?z...o=&lang=pl
another attraction in Karpacz is really nice Wang temple which was entirly shipped to this region from Finnland in XIX century
http://www.brittany-net.com/karpacz.htm
http://en.tripstop.com/index.php3?pa...&artID=292
http://www.ciesin.ci.uw.edu.pl/poland/orbis/fold_5.htm
Enjoy...
http://www.krakow.pl/en/regionalne/?...al_cities.html
Driving from ie. Kudowa Zdroj (table Mountain region to Zakopane should be around 3 hours grabing one of the very few nice a fast Wroclaw / Katowice highway will save you some time - http://www.pilot.pl/index.php3?z_cit...o=&lang=pl
From Katowice go towards Krakow again Highway but exit at Oswiecim (Auschwicz)
and then Go towards Wadowice. Wadowice is worth seeing - it's a little town where Pope was born and where he grew up. From Wadowice go SouthEast to Jordanow and Rabka Zdroj, where you pick up road south to Zakopane. This leg will be your slowest...
http://www.pilot.pl/big_pilot.php3?z...o=&lang=pl
Zakopane is definitly a must see. But if you are looking for budget accomodations you may want to cross to SLovakia and pick some thing up on the other side of Tartry, which some say look more majestic from Slovakian side. Just remamber if you are late comming in to Zakopane then stay that night in Zakopane - crossing late may take a lot of time and effort (mountain roads).
Also NorthWest from Table Mountains (Kudowa Zdroj) you could drive to Karpacz (and very nice and high - Sniezka Mountain)... From Karpacz you can take nice long chair lift to First lookout and then walk up to Sniezka top (1-2hrs easy hike), from first lookout you can also cross to czech republic side by following marked trails...
http://www.pilot.pl/big_pilot.php3?z...o=&lang=pl
another attraction in Karpacz is really nice Wang temple which was entirly shipped to this region from Finnland in XIX century
http://www.brittany-net.com/karpacz.htm
http://en.tripstop.com/index.php3?pa...&artID=292
http://www.ciesin.ci.uw.edu.pl/poland/orbis/fold_5.htm
Enjoy...
