warsaw-krakow-prague-budapest
Nov 23rd, 2011, 08:39 AM
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You should purchase some good guidebooks. For Krakow, don't miss the Main Square & Cloth Hall, St. Mary's church, & the Wawel Castle & Cathedral. Visit the Kazimierz neighborhoodd.
Weiliczka Salt Mines. Auschwitz (very depressing but important to visit, I believe.)
Weiliczka Salt Mines. Auschwitz (very depressing but important to visit, I believe.)
Nov 23rd, 2011, 11:19 AM
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In Krakow don't miss the Jewish quarter (Kazimierz) and Podgorze and especially the Krakow under the Occupation museum in the former Schindler factory - a very unusual museum.
The Franciscan church with its beautiful stained glass windows and unusual stations of the cross.
The Cloth Hall has 2 museums - Underground Rynek (the excavations) and the 19th c. Polish Art Museum on the second floor. Near the museum is a small rooftop cafe which gives a good view of the main square.
Another don't miss is the guided tour of the Jagiellonian University. There are two tours - 30 minutes and one hour - take the one hour tour (my tour was about 1 hour 20 minutes and there were only 3 of us). There are no set times for the tours so you have to stop in and ask when they are and reserve a space but you don't pay until you pick up your ticket.
The Franciscan church with its beautiful stained glass windows and unusual stations of the cross.
The Cloth Hall has 2 museums - Underground Rynek (the excavations) and the 19th c. Polish Art Museum on the second floor. Near the museum is a small rooftop cafe which gives a good view of the main square.
Another don't miss is the guided tour of the Jagiellonian University. There are two tours - 30 minutes and one hour - take the one hour tour (my tour was about 1 hour 20 minutes and there were only 3 of us). There are no set times for the tours so you have to stop in and ask when they are and reserve a space but you don't pay until you pick up your ticket.
Nov 23rd, 2011, 12:27 PM
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arlene 4 - did you plan your own trip? This is an area DH and I want to do a trip to and I'd love to know your itinerary/travel plans. We're normally pretty independent travelers and were thinking a combo of rental car and trains.
So if you could share info I would appreciate it.
Also true for anyone who has done this type of trip. Thanks.
So if you could share info I would appreciate it.
Also true for anyone who has done this type of trip. Thanks.
Nov 23rd, 2011, 12:34 PM
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In Budapest, the Decorative Arts Museum, St Matthias church.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...ith/4186910508
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...ith/4186910508
Nov 23rd, 2011, 02:00 PM
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patandhank - I've planned my own trips to Prague, Budapest, and Vienna; Prague & Moravia; Warsaw, Poznan, Wroclaw, Krakow. In cities I used trains to go between cities but had a rental car for the Czech Republic outside of Prague. I wrote a trip report for my trip last year that included Prague, Moravia, Krakow, and Frankfurt. The Poland trip was this year but I haven't done a trip report yet although if you have specific questions I can answer them for you.
Overall it was easy to plan the trips but it does take some time to find hotels and to put together an itinerary of specific sights in each place. This year I had a private guide in Wroclaw and in Krakow - one of my better travel ideas since it facilitates getting to places and having a local person answer any questions you might have about the sights and the city.
Overall it was easy to plan the trips but it does take some time to find hotels and to put together an itinerary of specific sights in each place. This year I had a private guide in Wroclaw and in Krakow - one of my better travel ideas since it facilitates getting to places and having a local person answer any questions you might have about the sights and the city.
Nov 23rd, 2011, 02:31 PM
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adrienne - thank you. I'll take a look at your trip report which I'm sure will be a help in getting ideas on where to look for train schedules. I confess most of our trips have been within one country versus traveling by train country to country and I think that's where I feel the most chanlleged.
Nov 23rd, 2011, 03:59 PM
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For schedules use the German train site. Wait until you're in the Czech Republic or Poland to buy train tickets. You might consider flying for part of your itinerary as Polish trains are very slow and make many stops as was the train I took from Brno to Krakow.
I thought Krakow was wonderful and Warsaw less so. Krakow is small and inviting; Warsaw seemed like a sprawling, industrial city.
You will want to avoid Poland during the beginning of June because of the Eurocup being played in 4 cities (Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan, and Wroclaw). All the train stations were torn up this year as the Poles get ready to co-host the matches but next fall things will be back to normal with brand new train stations. Navigating the train system was a bit confusing this year.
http://www.bahn.de/p/view/index.shtml
I thought Krakow was wonderful and Warsaw less so. Krakow is small and inviting; Warsaw seemed like a sprawling, industrial city.
You will want to avoid Poland during the beginning of June because of the Eurocup being played in 4 cities (Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan, and Wroclaw). All the train stations were torn up this year as the Poles get ready to co-host the matches but next fall things will be back to normal with brand new train stations. Navigating the train system was a bit confusing this year.
http://www.bahn.de/p/view/index.shtml
Nov 23rd, 2011, 06:32 PM
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patandhank
We are staying 3nights in Warsaw,4 nights in Krakow,5in Prague and 3 in Budapest. We have 2 private tours in each city plus one for Auschwitz and the salt mines in Krakow. We are flying from Krakow to Prague and from Prague to Budapest. That is all we have scheduled so far. Arlene
We are staying 3nights in Warsaw,4 nights in Krakow,5in Prague and 3 in Budapest. We have 2 private tours in each city plus one for Auschwitz and the salt mines in Krakow. We are flying from Krakow to Prague and from Prague to Budapest. That is all we have scheduled so far. Arlene
Nov 28th, 2011, 07:04 AM
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Hi arlene4,
We have also traveled to Prague twice, & I would like to suggest that you visit the Vysehrad area of Prague. it is quieter & less touristy than other parts of prague & is where Prague was born. It is located on a hill overlooking the Vlatava River, with beautiful views of Prague. Sts Peter & Paul Church is small, but a gem. The National Cemetery is also there, & it is gorgeous! There are also remains of an old fortress & a small cafe where you can buy a drink and snack. There wasn't too much written up about Vysehrad in my guidebook at the time, but my daughter had classes there, so she wanted us to see her classroom, & we fell in love with this part of Prague.
You can click on my name to read my trip report from August 2009. We also enjoyed the puppet show about Mozart. Make sure you visit the gardens just outside the Castle. We missed them on our first trip. If you have time, visit Kutna Hora (the "bone" church) & the big cathedral (St. Barbara's, I think) in Sedlec.
We have also traveled to Prague twice, & I would like to suggest that you visit the Vysehrad area of Prague. it is quieter & less touristy than other parts of prague & is where Prague was born. It is located on a hill overlooking the Vlatava River, with beautiful views of Prague. Sts Peter & Paul Church is small, but a gem. The National Cemetery is also there, & it is gorgeous! There are also remains of an old fortress & a small cafe where you can buy a drink and snack. There wasn't too much written up about Vysehrad in my guidebook at the time, but my daughter had classes there, so she wanted us to see her classroom, & we fell in love with this part of Prague.
You can click on my name to read my trip report from August 2009. We also enjoyed the puppet show about Mozart. Make sure you visit the gardens just outside the Castle. We missed them on our first trip. If you have time, visit Kutna Hora (the "bone" church) & the big cathedral (St. Barbara's, I think) in Sedlec.
Nov 28th, 2011, 09:16 AM
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Check www.inyourpocket.com for online guides for each city.
The Warsaw-Krakow express train was a three-hour straight shot when I took it (maybe quicker now) and not expensive.
Do not miss for Krakow: (1) Arka Pana in Krakow (www.arkapana.pl). You need to go to Nowa Huta to see it, and that's outside the main tourist areas. Consider Mike's Crazy Guides - they do tours of Commie-hell Krakow but you may have to badger them to take you to the church (we did the tour in winter and needed to re-order the itinerary to see the church while it was still light outside).
(2) St. Francis Basilica - the stained glass windows will blow away nearly any others you've seen.
(3) Szambelan homemade vodka store, right off the main square.
If Euro 2012 is going while you'll be in Poland, get your hotels asap.
For Prague - consider a day trip to Terezin, contrast with Auschwitz; Communism Museum (the second floor of a building that, when we visited, also housed a casino).
For Budapest - Szoborpark, KGB Museum.
Too bad you won't see Gdansk.
The Warsaw-Krakow express train was a three-hour straight shot when I took it (maybe quicker now) and not expensive.
Do not miss for Krakow: (1) Arka Pana in Krakow (www.arkapana.pl). You need to go to Nowa Huta to see it, and that's outside the main tourist areas. Consider Mike's Crazy Guides - they do tours of Commie-hell Krakow but you may have to badger them to take you to the church (we did the tour in winter and needed to re-order the itinerary to see the church while it was still light outside).
(2) St. Francis Basilica - the stained glass windows will blow away nearly any others you've seen.
(3) Szambelan homemade vodka store, right off the main square.
If Euro 2012 is going while you'll be in Poland, get your hotels asap.
For Prague - consider a day trip to Terezin, contrast with Auschwitz; Communism Museum (the second floor of a building that, when we visited, also housed a casino).
For Budapest - Szoborpark, KGB Museum.
Too bad you won't see Gdansk.
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