Summer Holiday 2017

Rockman

While flights to Europe are still quite cheap I am thinking ahead to next summer and my summer holiday. I would like to visit Auschwitz concentration camp and the salt mines in Poland for a few days and I would also like to spend a couple of days in Prague taking in Wenceslas Square the castle and the old town. I will then have 2-3 days left of my holiday to take in somewhere/something else.

Can anyone advise of where I should go for a few days? I am looking for somewhere reasonable close to Prague/Poland that I can get to by train. It will be my wife and I on the holiday and we are looking to go to places of interest or places with a bit of history. We will be taking the holiday in July/August and would prefer to travel from Belfast and can also do Dublin

Any suggestions or itinerary most welcome.

motorguy

Rockman wrote: »

While flights to Europe are still quite cheap I am thinking ahead to next summer and my summer holiday. I would like to visit Auschwitz concentration camp and the salt mines in Poland for a few days and I would also like to spend a couple of days in Prague taking in Wenceslas Square the castle and the old town. I will then have 2-3 days left of my holiday to take in somewhere/something else.

Can anyone advise of where I should go for a few days? I am looking for somewhere reasonable close to Prague/Poland that I can get to by train. It will be my wife and I on the holiday and we are looking to go to places of interest or places with a bit of history. We will be taking the holiday in July/August and would prefer to travel from Belfast and can also do Dublin

Any suggestions or itinerary most welcome.

Krakow.

Cheap flights via easyjet etc. Cheap to stay in cheap to eat in. Close to auschwitz and the salt mines.

Fantastic city.

Rockman

Thanks. We were thinking of basing ourselves in Prague for 2/3 days and Krakow for a couple of days for a couple of days for the camp and salt mines. We are then looking for somewhere interesting too stay for a couple of days before returning home.

motorguy

Rockman wrote: »

Thanks. We were thinking of basing ourselves in Prague for 2/3 days and Krakow for a couple of days for a couple of days for the camp and salt mines. We are then looking for somewhere interesting too stay for a couple of days before returning home.

One thing I would add - Krakow will be HOT in July / August. Bear that in mind.


Allow a little more time if you can. The Salt Mines are going to effectively take a day, and the camp will take a day.


Theres so much to do in Krakow - we went Thursday -> Tuesday back in September and are planning on going back this spring and have loads we still want to do.

fivebobeach

Rockman wrote: »

Thanks. We were thinking of basing ourselves in Prague for 2/3 days and Krakow for a couple of days for a couple of days for the camp and salt mines. We are then looking for somewhere interesting too stay for a couple of days before returning home.

Budapest. Beautiful city on the Danube, cheap as chips, and direct flight options with Aer Lingus to Dublin. Trains south of Krakow to Budapest through Slovakia are also very cheap, I did Bratislava - Zilina return in the summer (approx. 210 miles round trip) for less than a tenner! You might even look at a stop in Bratislava en route!


You might even want to get a train to Bratislava, then boat to Budapest along the Danube from there!

Rockman

fivebobeach wrote: »

Budapest. Beautiful city on the Danube, cheap as chips, and direct flight options with Aer Lingus to Dublin. Trains south of Krakow to Budapest through Slovakia are also very cheap, I did Bratislava - Zilina return in the summer (approx. 210 miles round trip) for less than a tenner! You might even look at a stop in Bratislava en route!


You might even want to get a train to Bratislava, then boat to Budapest along the Danube from there!

Thanks for that. Budapest seems like a good option. I just have to now plan which order to do them in.

joefizz

Belfast to Krakow flight
Krakow (stay city centre very cheap), most things other than the salt mines (never been) and Auschwitz are in the city centre (old town(ish), castle, city etc). If you are an early riser get into the town around 6am and wander around.
Overnight sleeper to Prague
Prague
Overnight sleeper to Budapest
Budapest back to Dublin
bus back to Belfast
(or reverse)

Did all that a few years ago but over two trips (overnight to Krakow and back) then next trip to Prague overnight to Budapest and back. Back in the day the budapest train was a pita due to multiple passport checks at borders.
Have been back to Krakow direct from Belfast since then.
At the time Hungary was not long out of communist rule and most people wanted to go back to it so was miserable as sin ;-)
One other good option from Prague by train if you have never been is Vienna.

Rockman

Yes I was thinking about Vienna. It is a toss up between Vienna and Budapest and we definitely want to do Prague and Krakow.

Thanks for the journey plan

Zola.

Be wary of a gloomy, worsening exchange rate

Sparkleybutterfly

The exchange rate is my worry as my OH is taking me on a break to Budapest in February and then Krakow in the summer. Should we buy now, do you think?


To the original poster - my OH has travelled quite extensively and always enjoys visiting a place for the second time in different seasons (this will be my first time in these places and glad that he will know his way about), according to him any of the cities mentioned are amazing, but to do your homework so not to waste time wandering around, that's assuming you have never been before. Enjoy your holiday!!

Rockman

Sparkleybutterfly wrote: »

The exchange rate is my worry as my OH is taking me on a break to Budapest in February and then Krakow in the summer. Should we buy now, do you think?


To the original poster - my OH has travelled quite extensively and always enjoys visiting a place for the second time in different seasons (this will be my first time in these places and glad that he will know his way about), according to him any of the cities mentioned are amazing, but to do your homework so not to waste time wandering around, that's assuming you have never been before. Enjoy your holiday!!

Probably best to hedge your bets and buy some now and then hold on to see if exchange rate improves,