worldview

Has anyone been to either of these cities? If so, please provide any insight you have... I'm planning a 20 day trip and including Prague, Budapest, Krakow and Warsaw. I'm now considering Wroclaw and Torun? Good idea? Too much crammed into the time period?

worldview

ttt

GSteed

Wroc³aw is now Polish it was German Breslau,it is on the Odra River. It is a city for walking.Its real history is almost unreal. The Germans held out there after WWII ended and the Soviets finally destroyed them. Read, Norman Davies, The city is busy. One site to be seen is the 1936 Olympic venue. There is a hotel at the entrance, the Olympic. Try the SpiŸ Restaurant. The tram service is exc ellent.

blueridge

We were so glad we included 3 nights in Wroclaw as part of a 16 day Poland trip in 2004. It was a 3 hour train ride from Warsaw. Wroclaw has a beautiful, large square with some of the loveliest architecture, lots of outdoor restaurants, and is very walkable. We particularly enjoyed the small art museum with its columned cafe and pastries made by the server's mother. There's also a very good zoo with beer at the cafe (took a bus to this), and we found the Panorama unexpectedly interesting.

As to whether you're trying to fit too much into the time period, only you can decide. We sometimes cover more places than you've listed in that time period, but usually not so many major cities (we spent 13 days between just Prague and Budapest in a single trip, with one day trip out of each city, and found plenty to do). However you do it, you'll have a wonderful time at the places you've mentioned!

worldview

Did you feel like there was plenty to do/see in Wroc³aw, and were there any other cities in Poland that you recommend visiting, other than Krakow or Warsaw?

crzn1

Consider Gdansk, our second favorite city in Poland after Krakow. Third choice would be for Wroclaw. Torun is very small but an enjoyable little place, a one night stop en route was fine for us.

blueridge

I restrained myself from mentioning Gdansk in my earlier reply only because you already have an ambitious schedule. But while planning the Poland trip I came across the Grand Hotel in Sopot (Sopot is a tiny resort on the Baltic just west of Gdansk with commuter train service to Gdansk). It looked like a place Agatha Christie's finicky Belgian detective Poirot would have stayed with his friend Hastings. And so it proved: it was a highlight of our trip, and an incredible bargain at the time. Tripadvisor photos show rooms have been upgraded and average price of $230 nightly($265 for waterview September)- I'd still recommend it at that price, though we usually don't spend that much. If you get a room facing the Baltic Sea you'll be absolutely amazed at how close to the water's edge the hotel sits (no real tide in the Baltic Sea). There was live music at the hotel's outdoor terrace (we were there in September). There are good restaurants in Sopot, and a long pier for strolling.

Since we had just two nights there, we had only one day in Gdansk, and it made us vow to return in the future. Gdansk is architecturally rich and very walkable. It's a major port and has restaurants and shops lining its river mouth where you can enjoy watching the river traffic. It's known as an amber center, and the streets radiating from the river have sellers of fine jewelery. We hadn't time for its art museum about which I was curious, as it was reputedly good, and much of Poland's art was lost to occupiers during wartime.

Also, we trained past Malbork, a huge brick castle, that we wish we'd visited.

What season are you planning your trip for? And can you fly into one city and out of the farthest on your itinerary? Otherwise you'll be spending a great deal of your time in transit, though if you're traveling by train this can be both relaxing and revealing (since our trip was mostly to cities, the train trips were our only exposure to the smaller towns and country, and it appeared much less modern than the cities: saw many horses with carts, and manual farming).

Happy trip planning.

worldview

Blueridge,

First off, I enjoy your style of writing, great diction.

To answer your question, we're traveling in August,and hoping to fly into Prague and out of Warsaw.

I too, have fond memories of traveling by train (including a few rides on older trains where I was able to open a window and gaze at the enchanted countryside - of Bavaria and Czechland - with the breeze and sun in my face).

I'd like to stop off at some of these 'smaller towns and country areas'; however, if I remember correctly, this would destroy my train schedule for the day (and I could easily get stuck in this 'small town' for longer than I'd choose...your thoughts?

GSteed

LODZ, POLSKA, is Poland's second largest city (Krakow may now be more populace). It is in the center of the country. The Lodz Ghetto and Radogoszcz offer insights into German behavior during WWII. The huge, new Manufactura Mall is sited on the Posnanski textile factory site. ul. Piotrkowska is the main street with unlimited shopping for antiques and art. Lodz has attracted English weekenders because of great night life and low prices. Lodz also offers an English Medical school.

worldview

Anybody with an Poland experience or any insight to share, please do so...i'm planning my Poland trip and looking for day trips and one night stops (all though I do already have many ideas, it doesn't hurt to have more).

Christina

I'll just put in a vote for Wroclaw, it's a really nice city and I enjoyed my stay there a lot. IN fact, I'd like to go back. I was there 2-3 days, I think, a couple years ago. It is a very pleasant and attractive city and does have a lot to do, relatively. Several museums, attactive squares, some interesting old churches and buildings, etc. and it's pretty cheap, also. I would definitely stop there if it's on your way. Other than that, I love Krakow, of course, I think you must know it is outstanding.

worldview

Any other recommendations outside the major cities?

worldview

We arrive in Prague on August 9th, and leave from Warsaw on August 30th. We're going from Prague to Vienna, Vienna to Budapest (maybe a stop in Bratislava), and then into Poland (original plan only included Krakow and Warsaw. I'm finding myself in a position now where i'm trying to pick a date that we MUST be in Krakow by, in order to spend a good amount of time traveling in Poland. My first thought was just Krakow and Warsaw, altough now i'm thinking we should stop in a couple of these other cities mentioned (including Wroclaw), even if just for a day or two. At the same time, I don't want to go for 'quantity' of cities instead of 'quality', so i'm walking a fine line here. Any ideas or advice is appreciated...

bettyk

Poznan looks amazing too. We are trying to develop an itinerary for a trip to Poland next year.

One of our regular posters, mr_go, and his family visited Poland recently. His photos (taken by his wife I believe) are beautiful.

http://travel.webshots.com/album/561303385cHPbFP

worldview

Leaving in 5 days...and last minute additions to this discussion?