Which way from Poland to Croatia....

So the family will be making the trip to Poland for the summer, and we want to visit some friends in Croatia, and spend some time on the Adriatic coast....

The question is, which way to go?

Would it be better to travel from Warszawa through Budapest, Vienna or Prague, and why?

Chances are, we won't be travelling the southern parts of Europe for many years to come. So, what, in your opinion would be the best city to see on the way south?

I will be flying out of Zagreb on the way back, so I can only take the top recommendation.

Thanks for your input, and sorry Crow, I don't think a side trip to Sarajevo is in the cards :-(

Dubrovnik is really nice. Skip split, it's interesting for a about a day, and mainly used as a jump point for trips to the islands.

High on the better half's list....

Thanks convex!

Vienna is very nice, especially parks are amazing. You will need about four days there. Prague is beautiful, give it at least two days. I've never been to Budapest yet.

Hello ShawnH!
I don't know what to say for Budapest, Vienna or Prague.
All three are masterpiece of world heritage and each of them has earned from tourism more than Croatia.

About Croatia:

You have 'nord' sector, 'central' sector and 'south' sector.

'Nord' sector (mostly Istria): Beautiful small towns: Umag, Poreè, Novigrad, Pula, Pazin , Brijuni (top touristic destination), Rab, Opatija.

'Central' sector (north Dalmatia): Zadar, Šibenik, Split, Nin, Zaton, Vodice, Zrće

'South' sector: Makarska, Dubrovnik.

And countless islands with historical villages and towns.

Half hour south of Karlovac you have also extra touristic offer: Plitvice lakes.

I'm living in Dubrovnik and if you want to know something about Dubrovnik you can ask me what you want!!

The main purposes of the trip are to A) spend some time with my wife's brother and wife, who we will be travelling with, B) Spend some time with the kids at the beach, C) visit some friends (south of Zagreb) who moved back to Croatia last year and D) see a different side of Europe. The weather and the fine beer (do they still make Karlovacko beer??) are just a side benefit! Stopping in one of those three cities would just be a pass through and an extra bonus, and a break from the drive.


What's the best way to find a decent villa that sleeps six for about a week and a half? I looked at some websites, but have a feeling that a North American reservation would cost a lot more than one made from within Europe. I am thinking about my brother in law making the reservation from Poland, or our friend from Croatia. Problem is, they don't know we are coming yet...

If you have a top 5 list of things that would entertain kids, and adults, cultural activities, scenic highlights or other personal recommendations, that would be great!

Thanks,

Shawn


Can only spend a max of two days in any city... Thanks!

Oldest spawn has a thing for Budapest.....

I'm sorry I can't help you in concrete way because I 'm not in touristic business but I can give you some websites:

tzdubrovnik.hr/eng/smjestaj.php?Pnamjena_id=2

adriagate.com/en/croatia-riviera/Dubrovnik_riviera.aspx?gclid=CLv21LuiwKgCFUqIzAodPn5ZqA


First time in my life I heard for this!!I don't know why Americans always thinking that someone wants to robbed them!!!


1. Offcours, The Old city in the Dubrovnik with its famous city walls (from 11.-14. century) . Houses inside walls are after great earth quake 1667.
Many old churches, museums, the aquarium, summer cinema , shops,
Especialy amazing is cable car from place near city walls to top of hills 'Srđ' above Dubrovnik.

And on top of that hills you have cafe and restaurant in an austrohungarian old fortress and amazing view on old town, complete Dubrovnik and archipelago od dubrovnik's islands.

2. The small island 'Lokrum'.
It's about 1km from Old city.
It has amazing Mediterranean forest, little lake in middle of island, Benedictine church from 11.century, french old fortrees,

3. Sand beach 'Šunj' on the island Lopud , couple kilometers from Dubrovnik

4.Resort 'Vrtovi sunca' ( in english 'Sun gardens') in Orašac, 20 km from Dubrovnik.
Big touristic complex with pools, beaches, caffeteries, shops, hotels, apartmans, tennis courts, volleyball , ect.ect

5. Area Konavle, you have country tourism with horse ridding or country delishes food in original country houses.

I hope that I help you little bit.

Thanks! I checked them out. Looks like they are filling up fast...


Actually, my wife said the part about higher prices for North Americans... :-)


I saw it on youtube! Looks amazing.


For sure! We have a lot of googling to do...

Well the itinerary is firming up. Looks like Warsaw to Wroclaw. Spend a day in Wroclaw, and then move on to Prague for a couple of days, then on to Budapest. Final stop, Croatia.

IMHO Prague is a bit plastic,tourist packed and a bit tacky. Its lovely off the beaten track but nothing special. I went there for a few days on the way back from a week in Krakow and prague paled in comparison.

I don't think so.Prague looks spectacular.Especially at night it looks like a diabolic city or a city from fairy tales.

It looks great,just has a plasticy ,touristy vibe,way too many stag do's,hen nights, and prozzie hunters and cafes full of dodgy russian types with israeli passports and cowed looking very young girls on their arms............

Sounds like southern and isthatu2 switched accounts there for a minute...
:-)

Ok, what's the best place to rent a van to move 6 people in Warsaw? Want to carpool potentially, save on gas, share driving etc... Am worried about getting across different borders / specific country restrictions etc...

OK, we decided on and booked a central location, just outside of Trogir. We will do a day/night trip down to Dubrovnik, so maybe El Croata could buy me a beer!! Just not sure which date yet.

ShawnH

It would be glad to me!

I'm occupied with weding of my brother in friday and saturday (24. and 25. june) but any other day I'm willing to!

How will you communicate? have you thought about that detail? ;)

It's better bad english communication than kalashnikov-communication which is so inherent for 'certain person'!!!

Please, no guns.... I am travelling unarmed! (unless you consider 2 children as offensive weapons...) Looks like I might be in Dubrovnik on 10 or 11th of August...

ShawnH

I didn't mean on you Shawn but on Natasha's people.

You are in Dubrovnik 10-11 of August or July?

As Rodney King once said, "Why can't we all just get along?"


Looks like maybe 9 or 10 of August at this point, it is still very fluid situation. We have a villa for a week near Trogir, but I need to be in Zagreb for the evening of 11 August. I will let you know as the dates get closer, and the plans firmer...

Communists?
Anarchosindicalists?
Feminists?
Gays?

All four categories are paradigmatic pacifists. No need for fear.
;)

Monday or Tuesday looks like a nice day to tour Dubrovnik...
Found our way to Croatia ok. Weather is hot and sunny, but sadly, since Dubrovnik is so far away from venisce, I won't make it to there this time.....

ShawnH, you are geographically the closest PF member to me after El Croata, I am behind the fence, sorry CRO border.

We can share the weather info, from tomorrow afternoon on, weather is getting worse, so get up early and fast to the beach :)

There is a wind called jugo here, southern wind, you probably felt it today too it is known to cause mood swings, so take care ;)

Enjoy!

So sad... Off to Trogir tomorrow. We need to find a seafood restaurant. We grilled fish yesterday and cziken today. The beer is fine here. Got Ozujsko there?

I have an appreciation for slavic talent from the south. Surprising how many Poles are here too.

:-)

Probably yes, but I didn't hear for it. Laško beer from Slovenia I saw. I don't know if it is motivated by taste or politics. The beer offer, I mean.

Now, I looked again for the weather and got SMS from local mobile provider that weather is going to be just fine.

This year they are worse in prognosis than usual. They change their opinion and wishes within minutes :)

Sorry for misinforming you. Sun is shining bright for us tomorrow.

I would love to see Croatia. I have a few friends who visited, and said it was one of the most beautiful places in Europe. Would love to see Split, Dubrovnik and the islands.

Heavily advertised on numerous umbrellas here!


Both, Probably... :(


The sky being red here at sunset would support your new prognosis :)


Like weather forecasters around the world. It depends on where the dart lands...


Whew!

Honey, Break out the sun screen!


Absolutely rugged terrain, punctuated with beautiful looking villages throughout the coast line.

Beer is good and cold and the talent is to behold.

If allowed, I will post some pics upon my return to reality...

Merged: Route Zagreb ( Croatia) - Ciechocinek (Poland)

What would be the best route from Zagreb to Ciechocinek?

How are the roads in Poland ?

Thanks a lot!

2 years ago I was going from Warsaw to Zagreb through Maribor, Graz, Vienna, Bratislava, Brno, Ostrava, Katowice, Czestochowa, Lodz, Wloclawek. Roads in Poland are bad but not as bad as they was a few years ago.

I travelled from Zagreb to Krakow. My journey had 2 parts: Zagreb - Budapest by train (~6h, ~30€) and Budapest - Krakow by bus (~7h, ~35€). Both tickets were return tickets.

From Budapest to Cracow there is a few bus companies going: Orangeways, PolskiBus, Lux Express and Volanbusz. The prices are similar in all of them, but the most comfortable will be Lux Express.

You can also take a train (to Warsaw through Katowice), but it will be more expensive. Another option is a plane from Budapest to Warsaw, it can be cheaper than a train if booked early.

There's a perfectly acceptable, decent, mostly expressway/motorway connection between Warsaw and the border with the Czech Republic.