Goint to Poland in August for 13 days...any suggestions????
 

I'm flying into Warsaw. Never been to Europe before, so if anyone has any suggestions that would be great!! I choose 13 days b/c I thought that would be enough time to see everything. Any suggestions on hostels or cheap hotels and places to see outside of Warsaw??

Thanks=)

Welcome to Poland! August is vacation month. Poles will be travelling! Trains and busses will be crowded. Check with Orbis about bus tours. Try the library or the book store for Polish tourist guides. Start your tour in the NE in the lake region. Find information about "Stary Lichen". Try University hotels. A one person standard room at U of Lodz is quoted at $25,fax 48 42 6355460. Most Polish cities have a good website and in English! Brave? Rent a car. Bring International Drivers license (AAA)plus regular USA one. At Warsaw airport..avoid taxi touts. There are three bus systems to get downtown.

Thanks for the reply. Does this mean that it will be crowded there? Is it safe to tour around the city of Warsaw by yourself during the day?

13days that maybe way too much for just Warsaw. Take a train South to Krakow or North to Gdansk (by Baltic Sea) - both very nice cities. In Gdansk right next to Train/Bus Station ((Gdansk Glowny) you have a Holiday Inn Hotel - which is very nice ...
www.gdansk.globalhotels.pl
10min walk from Hotel there is center of Old City. Also from Hotel you can catch Train Tram or Bus to Sopot or to some Baltic Sea Beach Towns...

On the way to Gdansk you may want to stop over in Torun - which is also very nice and on your way to Gdansk (buy tickets to Torun - hangout in Torun for few days - then take another Train/Bus to Gdansk...
In Torun check out those hotels which are right in OldTown
www.hotel-heban.com.pl
www.hotel.torun.com.pl
www.hotel-gotyk.com.pl

or less nicer but cheaper
www.hotel.torun.pl

As for Krakow (Cracow - South) also huge Old City and very nice ... from here take a quick train or bus to Zakopane (very nice little town which is hidden in Tatry Mountains) with lots of nice hikes or lifts or just hang out.

Don't plan more then 3 days in Warsaw...
and even that maybe much...

As for hostels...Gdansk/Krakow/Torun and Warsaw have large and famous universities - which also means hostels

check http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/en/
for some more info on what to see and where to go as well as some cheap palces to stay in

http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/k...egory?cid=3986
http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/g...=2017&cp=1
http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/z...=4208&cp=1
http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/s...=3929&cp=1

in Zakopane this maybe a nice place to stay in (check their specials)
http://www.orbis.pl/hot_gie.html

Orbis Hotels tend to be expensive but their special sometimes are great value...
http://www.orbis.pl/news/dane/news_an.html

Hope this helps a bit...

August in Warszawa. Pickpockets are on crowded trams. Usually on the central routes. Use busses. The city should be less crowded as locals are on vacation. Warszawa is a working city. Check out the theaters...visit the American Embassy. Use a guide book. Find the "Russian Market". Try the Palace of Culture. Old Town. If you like art..you can buy good works. Many sellers prefer US Dollars. Visit the Marriott, the Sports bar or the cocktail bar on the 40th floor. Try some Polish beers..Best site to view people may be from an outside table at McDonald's.

We didn't have any problems in Warsaw on our recent trip except being slightly overcharged by a taxi driver but it wasn't worth arguing over.

We used buses to get around Warsaw, I had read that they were dangerous (I guess that means pickpockets) but we encountered no problems. Like any big city, you just need to be aware of your surroundings.

As stated above don't plan for more than 2-3 days in Warsaw, there's so much more to see in Poland.

Krakow is a good base for visiting Auschwitz, the salt mines in Wieliczka and even Zakopane if you just want to spend a day there.

And do take Peter's advice and use the inyourpocket website, their information is quite good and comprehensive.

Check out www.virtualtourist.com, lots of helpful information on visiting Poland.

Intercity trains are easy to use and not too expensive, it was $20 each way between Krakow and Warsaw for a 2nd class express train ticket (about 2 1/2 hours).

Peter--Thank you so much for all that info. I will defenitely check out Krakow and Gdansk. Since I am visiting a friend in Warsaw I would have to stay for the weekends there.

GSteed--I will take all you said in consideration, defenitely!

Kristi--did you have problems communicating in Warsaw at all? I am travelling most of my trip alone, and as a woman, I'm a bit apprehensive but adventurous. Is it really important to travel with someone whom speaks Polish outside of Warsaw?
Thanks!

No problems communicating in Warsaw or in Krakow but I imagine like most places, the further you get away from large cities the more problems you will have. When purchasing train tickets, I wrote down the information of which train I wanted, remember that the dates are backwards (eg today is 14/7/03)

Krakow has a large university, hence a younger population, a lot of which speak English.

Most of the restaurants will have English menus in the tourist districts.

If you stay in Krakow, try to get a place inside the old town. We stayed outside of it and while I was never nervous because I was traveling with my husband, I would have stayed inside the old town if I were traveling by myself.

English is spoken by many in Poland - esspecially anyone under 30 and esspecially in large cities like Warsaw Krakow, Gdansk, Torun. Most hotels English and German as well as some French is used to comunicate with nonPolish guests. Many of better restaurants will have menues in English/German...Cheap local places would be Polish Only (where you can still point to choose).
Train/Bus stations - tend to be less safe then any other large city parts - so just be aware of your surroundings and plan not to spend much time there as well as try avoiding it after hours...

Thank you for all your input. I can't wait to go to Poland next month. I'm so excited!!! I will defenitely check out Gdansk and Krakow while I'm there and visit the Tatry Mountains for some hiking on one weekend.

I'll let you know how it went.=)

Happy Trails!

You may need to decide on either North or South. Although 13 days sounds much - it maybe too little to get a good flavor...

If you travel North - Then On the Way To Gdansk Check Torun
http://www.torun.pl/engl/
- Maybe side trip From Torun to Golub Dobrzyn Castle http://www.poland.net/castles/warmia/golub.html
http://www.golub-dobrzyn.kip.pl/zamek/index.php
http://zamekgolub.republika.pl/
where you can also stay overnight...

Also on the way to Gdansk not far from Gdansk - see huge castle in Malbork Need good 3-4hours for this huge castle http://www.poland.net/castles/warmia/malbork.html
http://www.malbork.pl/
as well as in Gniew
http://www.poland.net/castles/pomerania/gniew.html

http://www.chopintours.com/poland.shtml
Visiting Castles will usually take you about 2hrs... Out of Golub, Gniew and Malbork - Malbork is a must see... (here they also have english/german/french guides and guidebooks). Part of Malbork Castle there is a upscale hotel/restaurant "Zamek Hotel/Restaurant" - food here is really good - but plan to spend $20+ for dinner... Hotel Rooms are small - but off season rates maybe attractive ...
http://www.malbork.pl/en/index_en.php?k=3&p=5
Then Old Gdansk and Sopot - both are just wonderful and full of attractions...
http://www.gdansk.pl/index_us.asp?lang=us
http://www.sopot.pl/

Now if you go south ...To Krakow ...
Some side trips would be to Saltmaines in Wieliczka which is right outside of Krakow(sounds bit boring - but trust me it's must see) www.muzeum.wieliczka.pl/
Zakopane definitly ... although Note that this is a place which always gets it first snow!
http://www.gopoland.com/wheretogo/zakopane/
This is a place to buy your suveniors - note that much of suveniors is bought in Zakopane and then sold for bit higher price in Krakow... (in Zakopane go behind Gazda Hotel - towards Gubalowka peak Lift and you will see a huge market

some info on Poland:
http://pages.zdnet.com/shenanchie/sa...chie/id19.html

Enjoy!!!