Looking at 4 days in Prague and 4 in Budapest this summer. Any smaller towns or more countryside locations that can be a day trip from either of these, or done if adding on an additional couple days to the trip? Just to break up 8 days of cities.
ÄeskĆ½ Krumlov, PlzeÅ, and TerezĆn are popular day trips from Prague. Which one youāll like most will depend on what youāre interested in.
Thanks - briefly, what interest would draw us to each? I honestly think weād just be looking for a cute small town just to have a break from the city. Or weād even go for a nice day hiking/walking somewhere outdoors.
TerezĆn is good if youāre into WW2 history due to the concentration camp there.
PlzeÅ is the home of pilsner beer and you should be able to organise a brewery tour.
ÄeskĆ½ Krumlov has a beautiful castle very much worth visiting.
As for hiking, Iād suggest Bohemian Switzerland National Park which is about 90 minutes away by car. ÄeskĆ½ rĆ”j is a bit closer and still amazing.
EDIT: Forgot KutnĆ” Hora which has The Church of St. Barbara and Sedlec Ossuary
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We visited Krumlov from Prague and greatly enjoyed it. It fits the cute small town bill perfectly.
It has a pretty fascinating history too, we took a free tour from Jan on GuruWalk, well worth it.
+1 for this recommendation.
Thereās also KarlÅ”tejn Castle. But thatās so close to Prague that it might as well be a part of it. It wonāt be a quiet escape per se but worth a trip.
EDIT: Only that close if you have a car. About 40 mins on S7 and a longish walk from there by train.
I had a great vacation in Asheville last week. Anyone know of other spots like that in the U.S.? Iām thinking of small cities with good dining and art scenes plus a few notable attractions.
Savannah, Charleston.
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Thanks. Charleston is on my shortlist, and I was thinking it would be easy to do a day trip to Savannah from there.
Iāll second Charleston. had some very nice meals there. Less so in Savannah (just on the culinary part. still worth a visit)
Any history fanatics or Poles familiar with the Warsaw Uprising in 1944? Iām just now starting to delve into Polish history as Iām headed to Warsaw on Friday. My first impression was that it seemed entirely unnecessary. From what I understand, Poles are pretty divided on the issue. The Fox News-esque line is that it was heroic and more independent-thinking Poles are willing to admit that mistakes were made by Resistance leaders.
Anyway, Warsaw doesnāt look like the most picturesque city, but I love history museums and it seems like Poland has some of the best in the world, so Iām pretty amped to check them out.
Greenville, SC is super nice too.
I was in Taiwan for a few weeks, and it was super nice and all, food was great, really diverse scenery and landscapes, very easy to get around with public transportation, but it just doesnāt hit me with that feeling of adventure. Now riding a Moto in Northern Vietnam on the other hand, the combination of insane scenery and small roads winding through the mountains and cut out of cliff sides is wow, intoxicating.
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Warsaw day 1 and it seems like the city is slept on a bit. Obviously canāt compare with the other top capitals, but we were pleasantly surprised and itād be a pretty good option for budget travelers.
They have these milk bars, which were historically cheap restaurants that were subsidized by the Communist govt, but have kept that same spirit, and we had a great breakfast of bacon/eggs, potato pancakes with mushroom sauce and 2 juices for about $5.50.
Bike share is absurd. You just need to load $2.50 to start (which you can then use in your wallet). After that any bike (even electric) is free for 20 minutes, up to an hour costs .30 per use. We plan to use it pretty extensively as there is pretty good bike lane coverage.
The old center was painstakingly restored after WW2 and I think they did a great job (now a UNESCO site too). Theyāve also got a pretty nice riverfront with ample walking paths, biking, places to hang out, etc. and are currently building a pedestrian only bridge which will make it even cooler.
Weather sucks and is just finally starting to get warm enough to be enjoyable, but seems like a decent enough place to hang out for a bit in the warmer half of the year.
If Krakow is really a lot better than this like most claim, then Iām pretty amped.
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Headed to Boston area in early June. Probably going to spend a day in Portland, ME. Any must-visits while Iām in the area? Will plan on hitting Tree House and Trillium breweries, but would love any other beer/food/experience suggestions.
Wroclaw also great, more modern feel to it but yes Krakow is just beautiful. Great photos!
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Yah, heard good things about Wroclaw, weāve got a week there, and also a week in Poznan and Torun.
Debating on day trips to add. Already doing a day and a half in Gdansk, and from Krakow weāll do Auschwitz and probably Zakopane. Do you know anything about Katowice and Lodz? Theyāre near where weāll be staying but supposedly more industrial and ugly, so maybe not worth effort.
Iāve started looking into Polish residency/citizenship via heritage, but looks like Iāll just miss the cut. Great grandpa supposedly left there when he was 4, but I think you need papers from 1 parent or grandparent, or 2 great grandparents tying them to Poland post 1918.
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Have been to Katowice but canāt really remember anything notable. Would have been when I was a kid. Iāve done so little actual touring of the country sadly, most visits are spent just sitting around on farms arguing with extremely annoying and deranged extended family. But thatās probably a common experience for all posters.
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Boston
- There is a small Trillium outpost in Fenway, Iād go to that location over the Seaport. Itās small on the inside, but actually has a ton of seating outside.
- Next to Trillium is a food stall market situation called Timeout Market, it has lots of good, local food options but the portions are small and itās overpriced. Good convenience though.
- Just down the street is Sweet Cheeks BBQ, and a touch further down from that is Tenderoniās - a new, SUPER fun Italian restaurant. Food is great and the vibes/atmosphere are even better. Highly recommend.
- If youāre looking for good, local seafood then Iād suggest Legal Seafood. Itās a chain in Boston, but they have big portions, the fish is super high quality, and they always nail it. When we want perfect lobster rolls or grilled fish or cioppino without the fuss, we go here. Terrific wine list too.
- Back Bay is good for walking, particularly Copley Square area and Newbury Street. Some good shopping, but also great people watching.
- My 2 cents, avoid the North End. Itās a tourist trap, and Boston Italians are the WOAT.
Portland
- Bissell Brothers Brewing is a must hit. Their beer is better than Treehouse. Hot take alert.
- Novare Res is a good biergarten closer to the Old Port, tons of local drafts which could be a good way to sample a range of Maine beer (still go to Bissell tho)
- Commercial and Fore streets are good for walking and people watching. Tons of bakeries and restaurants.
- Depending on how much time you have, consider taking Casco Bay Lines ferry out to Great Diamond Island (Diamond Cove) or to Peaks Island. There are restaurants there, and shops, and whatnot. Great Diamond actually has an old WWII fort on it, back when we were worried the Germans would invade the US.
Even if you just take the ferry out and back, itās a great ride and you can be on the ocean and see the beauty of Casco Bay (and Fort Gorges, another WWII relic)
If you have any particular ideas or locations that you want to bounce around, just message me.
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