Eastern Europe August Travel Advice Request
Mar 22nd, 2008, 07:54 PM
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Eastern Europe August Travel Advice Request
I am just starting to plan a trip for August 08. My cousin and I will be spending three weeks in eastern Europe from about August 8 until the end of August. As of now, i'd like to visit Krakow, Warsaw, Budapest, and possibly Prague. I'm not positive of the route yet, and i'm open to any suggestions whatsoever. Please let me know if this is too many cities for this amount of time/or maybe if there's time for more? Also, tranportation, stop off points, hotels, ideas are welcome. Thank you.
Mar 23rd, 2008, 01:20 AM
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May I suggest you access some touring information about these sites. Much of Central Europe today is tourist friendly! Do you want to visit cities or the countryside? Y ou have plenty of time to visit each city. Travel will take a day between cities. August is the time Europeans travel so you will lots of company. You have time now to plot your travels on a map...Determine the most convenient (economical)entry and exit city. It may be Warszawa. A tour service should be considered as well as busses. Part of the trip highlights will be the transportation links.
Mar 23rd, 2008, 06:38 AM
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Three weeks should be fine to cover that part of Central Europe (Eastern Europe is Russia, Ukraine, etc). Prague and Budapest have very well developed tourist infrastrutures and English is very widely spoken - really no different than western Europe. Poland is slightly less well-developed, but certainly perfectly doable independently.
Car versus train depends on your interests. I would probably tend to train between cities and do day trips (by train or bus) from each one of the cities. This avoids wasting time finding and checking in and out of so many different hotels.
As to where to stay - you really need to give us an idea of your budget.
Car versus train depends on your interests. I would probably tend to train between cities and do day trips (by train or bus) from each one of the cities. This avoids wasting time finding and checking in and out of so many different hotels.
As to where to stay - you really need to give us an idea of your budget.
Mar 23rd, 2008, 04:07 PM
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Thank both of you for your feedback, I truly appreciate your willingness to help me develop this plan.
As far as budget goes, it's hard to say. In thought, i've developed this $5,000 maximum (including up to $1,300 for air fair), although I must say, i'm not expecting to spend this much. I'm traveling with my cousin, and she's never been abroad. She told me that she is willing to 'ruff' it some, so I figure we'll be staying in some hostels along the way - which I don't mind. Occasionally, we'll spend a bit more money and end up in a hotel; however, i'd rather spend money on sights, food, and travel. So, to answer your question, we're looking to sleep for cheap, as far as priorities go. I'm also planning to visit Auschwitz, if anybody has any advice/comments/feedback.
Yes, I do realize that transportation provides many trip highlights. For instance, I have fond memories of traveling by train through Bavaria, early one morning, looking out at the beautiful rolling hills and thinking, "this is just as good as being at the Eiffel Tower". Or traveling on my own outside of Prague to visit a nearby castle, staring out the open window in awe and bliss. As of now, it seems like a good idea to take a train from city to city. Can I use a Eurorail pass in these parts? What currency are each of the countries using?
Thanks for the advice about picking my entry/exit cities, too. I'm not sure yet where we'll fly in and out of as i'm still searching for flights. Does anyone have an opinion on my budget, given my planned time and itinerary? Once I know my entrance/exit cities, I suppose I can come up with an actual 'planned' itinerary, so this may be my first step (the flight over there).
As far as budget goes, it's hard to say. In thought, i've developed this $5,000 maximum (including up to $1,300 for air fair), although I must say, i'm not expecting to spend this much. I'm traveling with my cousin, and she's never been abroad. She told me that she is willing to 'ruff' it some, so I figure we'll be staying in some hostels along the way - which I don't mind. Occasionally, we'll spend a bit more money and end up in a hotel; however, i'd rather spend money on sights, food, and travel. So, to answer your question, we're looking to sleep for cheap, as far as priorities go. I'm also planning to visit Auschwitz, if anybody has any advice/comments/feedback.
Yes, I do realize that transportation provides many trip highlights. For instance, I have fond memories of traveling by train through Bavaria, early one morning, looking out at the beautiful rolling hills and thinking, "this is just as good as being at the Eiffel Tower". Or traveling on my own outside of Prague to visit a nearby castle, staring out the open window in awe and bliss. As of now, it seems like a good idea to take a train from city to city. Can I use a Eurorail pass in these parts? What currency are each of the countries using?
Thanks for the advice about picking my entry/exit cities, too. I'm not sure yet where we'll fly in and out of as i'm still searching for flights. Does anyone have an opinion on my budget, given my planned time and itinerary? Once I know my entrance/exit cities, I suppose I can come up with an actual 'planned' itinerary, so this may be my first step (the flight over there).
Mar 24th, 2008, 05:21 PM
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Three weeks sounds like plenty of time, although i have only been to Krakow and Warsaw. The train ride from krakow to Warsaw is lovely, and the express intercity takes less than three hours. Poland is comparatively inexpensive.
I cannot help you with budget hotels, but there is an abundance of choices. In Krakow, you should try to stay in the Old Town or Kazimierz.
You will be mostly fine with English in Krakow, except perhaps for the train travel. Our ticket agent spoke no English and then trying to decipher where our seats were was a bit difficult.
It is very easy to travel to Auschwitz from Krakow. either by public transport or with one of the tour companies.
but, all the menus had English translations everywhere we went.
I cannot help you with budget hotels, but there is an abundance of choices. In Krakow, you should try to stay in the Old Town or Kazimierz.
You will be mostly fine with English in Krakow, except perhaps for the train travel. Our ticket agent spoke no English and then trying to decipher where our seats were was a bit difficult.
It is very easy to travel to Auschwitz from Krakow. either by public transport or with one of the tour companies.
but, all the menus had English translations everywhere we went.
Mar 24th, 2008, 10:15 PM
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There is so much to see and do in Poland in and outside the major cities. I extracted some information from my old post focussing on areas outside the usual city trips. Hope it will assist you
From Warsaw
about 220kms away to Bialowieza National Park and Surrounds
The Bialowieza National Park is the last and only place in Europe where forests are preserved in their primeval state and European bison still lives. (restricted numbers to some parts of the park)
Grabarka in the same area is the most important Orthodox sanctuary in Poland. It is also called a Hill of crosses around 7000 scattered around
Hajnowka – there is a bar there called “U Wolodzi” – lots of communist era things there (on the way to Bialowiza)
About 50 kms from Warsaw is the birthplace of Chopin, a small manor house in Zelazowa Wola in a lovely park. In summer piano recitals are often held there
Treblinka, the second biggest Nazi extermination camp in Poland, where 700 000 killed within one year. It is not reconstructed like Auschwitz, it sits among the woods and fields
Nieborow for the baroque Palace of the Prince Radziwill family surrounded by a park in the English-French style, then to Arkadia, and its amazing garden
From Krakow
Dunajec Raft trip plus Nidzica,a medieval castle
Czestochowa - Black Madonna", a Gothic painting which has been the most powerful spiritual symbol in Poland for centuries. It is located in the Jasna Gora monastery. (read up on it as it is a critical part of polish cultural consciousness)
Eagles Nests' Trail which is a series of castles (now mostly in ruins) which lined Polish border. Pieskowa Skala is still standing –it dates back to 14th although was redesigned in the 16th century and is now a museum/art collection.
If interested in the Polish pope and associated beautiful religious buildings see Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and Bernardine monastery (both baroque) and Via Dolorosa (the Stations of the Cross) - lots of chapels set in the countryside. Also town of Wadowice where the Pope was born
Visit National Park at Ojców.
If you have a little more time visit Tatry (Tatra Mountains)
Then of course there Mazury (Mazurian Lakes District) and the Baltic coast and quite near there is Malbork Castle and Torun (where Copernicus was born)
These links may give you more information and ideas. You can drive or use trains and buses.
http://www.staypoland.com/poland-city-tours.htm
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel..._bus-BR-1.html
From Warsaw
about 220kms away to Bialowieza National Park and Surrounds
The Bialowieza National Park is the last and only place in Europe where forests are preserved in their primeval state and European bison still lives. (restricted numbers to some parts of the park)
Grabarka in the same area is the most important Orthodox sanctuary in Poland. It is also called a Hill of crosses around 7000 scattered around
Hajnowka – there is a bar there called “U Wolodzi” – lots of communist era things there (on the way to Bialowiza)
About 50 kms from Warsaw is the birthplace of Chopin, a small manor house in Zelazowa Wola in a lovely park. In summer piano recitals are often held there
Treblinka, the second biggest Nazi extermination camp in Poland, where 700 000 killed within one year. It is not reconstructed like Auschwitz, it sits among the woods and fields
Nieborow for the baroque Palace of the Prince Radziwill family surrounded by a park in the English-French style, then to Arkadia, and its amazing garden
From Krakow
Dunajec Raft trip plus Nidzica,a medieval castle
Czestochowa - Black Madonna", a Gothic painting which has been the most powerful spiritual symbol in Poland for centuries. It is located in the Jasna Gora monastery. (read up on it as it is a critical part of polish cultural consciousness)
Eagles Nests' Trail which is a series of castles (now mostly in ruins) which lined Polish border. Pieskowa Skala is still standing –it dates back to 14th although was redesigned in the 16th century and is now a museum/art collection.
If interested in the Polish pope and associated beautiful religious buildings see Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and Bernardine monastery (both baroque) and Via Dolorosa (the Stations of the Cross) - lots of chapels set in the countryside. Also town of Wadowice where the Pope was born
Visit National Park at Ojców.
If you have a little more time visit Tatry (Tatra Mountains)
Then of course there Mazury (Mazurian Lakes District) and the Baltic coast and quite near there is Malbork Castle and Torun (where Copernicus was born)
These links may give you more information and ideas. You can drive or use trains and buses.
http://www.staypoland.com/poland-city-tours.htm
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel..._bus-BR-1.html
Mar 26th, 2008, 06:59 PM
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Thank you for sharing your insight...all of these places sound fantastic. Since we have 20 days between 4 major cities, i'm figuring 4-5 days in each city, along with some side/day trips. I'd like to visit many of these places in Poland, and once I finish my research, i'll be able to map the best route. It may make sense to stay near one of the places you mentioned for a night, in between Warsaw and Krakow, instead of taking a day trip. Have you been to all/some of these places? How did you travel, and what did you think?
May 3rd, 2008, 12:40 AM
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Jason,
if you can get an open-jaw flight to Prague and back from Warsaw then jump on it and do the trip as you wrote - Prague to Budapest to Krakow to Warsaw. (Honestly, I'd not spend much time in Warsaw after visiting Krakow; just one or two nights).
Train is definitely the best way to travel. You seem to like beautiful countryside - so I'd highly recommend to spend a day or two in the mountains in Slovakia. These would make a good stop between Budapest and Krakow. The High Tatras are quite spectacular - similar to the Alps. I don't exactly know where the train route between Budapest and Krakow runs, but with a few changes you should be able to reach Poprad, from where you have easy access to the High Tatras. Here is a link to a website that gives you an overview:
http://www.vysoketatry.com/en.html
If you do a research here on this forum on Prague you'll come across dozens, if not hundreds of tips on what to do, also on day trips. I personally think Castle Karlstejn is not to miss, the nice small town Litomerice and Terezin (former concentration camp) are interesting, Kutna Hora is a beautiful and interesting small town.
I am somewhat surprised you don't want to include Vienna into your itinerary. Would be a logical stop between Prague and Budapest.
Ingo
if you can get an open-jaw flight to Prague and back from Warsaw then jump on it and do the trip as you wrote - Prague to Budapest to Krakow to Warsaw. (Honestly, I'd not spend much time in Warsaw after visiting Krakow; just one or two nights).
Train is definitely the best way to travel. You seem to like beautiful countryside - so I'd highly recommend to spend a day or two in the mountains in Slovakia. These would make a good stop between Budapest and Krakow. The High Tatras are quite spectacular - similar to the Alps. I don't exactly know where the train route between Budapest and Krakow runs, but with a few changes you should be able to reach Poprad, from where you have easy access to the High Tatras. Here is a link to a website that gives you an overview:
http://www.vysoketatry.com/en.html
If you do a research here on this forum on Prague you'll come across dozens, if not hundreds of tips on what to do, also on day trips. I personally think Castle Karlstejn is not to miss, the nice small town Litomerice and Terezin (former concentration camp) are interesting, Kutna Hora is a beautiful and interesting small town.
I am somewhat surprised you don't want to include Vienna into your itinerary. Would be a logical stop between Prague and Budapest.
Ingo
May 3rd, 2008, 01:17 AM
#13
hi jason,
if you are going down the public transport route, i can heartily recommend the lonely planet guides. you will need the "eastern europe" one for Poland etc.
it has some really good info on buses and trains, and would be well worth reading to give you an idea of where you'd most like to go, and how best to get there.
i know that there is a section on the high tartra mountains as mentioned by ingo.
regards, ann
if you are going down the public transport route, i can heartily recommend the lonely planet guides. you will need the "eastern europe" one for Poland etc.
it has some really good info on buses and trains, and would be well worth reading to give you an idea of where you'd most like to go, and how best to get there.
i know that there is a section on the high tartra mountains as mentioned by ingo.
regards, ann
May 3rd, 2008, 05:23 AM
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May 4th, 2008, 07:54 AM
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Let's keep this one going, start at the top, add whatever you'd like...thank you. I love the Slovakia idea. We may stop in Vienna, I was there before (which is why I didn't include it in my original plan); however, it's a wonderful place and I may add it...although I do like the idea of adding unique locations (like Slovakia and other places inbetween routes)...
Aug 2nd, 2008, 07:57 AM
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If you'd like a little pre-trip reading, here's my trip report from Poland in summer 2006:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34841274
I had a great time and hope you do too!
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34841274
I had a great time and hope you do too!
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