Traveling to Eastern Europe

[Mirc]

I don't know much about Croatia, but I hear that Dubrovnik is a nice place to visit.

Yeah, and I also heard great things about the seaside!

 

[Scratcher]

You will surely have a great time.

I have only briefly visited the Cech Republic (Prague) and Slovakia (Bratislava) but have (in the past) worked and lived for several years in Hungary and Croatia. However, as posted above, the tourist areas are geared up to drain you of your cash. Better bars, restaurants and hotels can be found a little further away, giving you better value and return for your money.

In Hungary, while Budapest is a given destination, there is much to choose from for the rest of the country. Lake Balaton (somewhere I personally would avoid like the plague) is very vibrant during the month of August but other cities like Eger (to the East....and good for red wine and also has the Tizsa lake nearby) or the Pusta area to the south of Budapest (Kecskemet, Szeged) is worth a visit for the more traditional Hungarian way of life / history.

In Croatia Zagreb and Dubrovnic are places to see, while Split (as posted above) is not much to see, but it is a good port city to travel to many fantastic islands (and even on to Italy). One of my most memorable holidays involved driving from Budapest to Split, catching the ferry to Supertar on the island of Brac, a wonderful holiday.

If you are in this area of Europe, I would highly recommed a vist to Vienna Austria (it is approximately 180km from Budapest, 3 hours by train) and Graz Austria (on the way from Vienna to Zagreb), it is Austria's 2nd biggest city, with a big student population and worthy of a visit.

I hope this helps.

 

[Nobody]

If some hot chics meet you at a hostel avoid it!

 

[Winner]

Watch out for them Hostels.

Well, as much as I liked that movie, you have to understand that it has nothing to do with the reality of life in Czech rep. (it was filmed here) or Slovakia (where it was supposed to be). It is not that bad, not even in Ukraine or Russia.

 

[Winner]

I have only briefly visited the Cech Republic (Prague) and Slovakia (Bratislava) but have (in the past) worked and lived for several years in Hungary and Croatia. However, as posted above, the tourist areas are geared up to drain you of your cash. Better bars, restaurants and hotels can be found a little further away, giving you better value and return for your money.

Amen to that

I can only urge you to avoid tourist traps (pretty much whole Prague, Český Krumlov etc.). I don't say you shouldn't go there, I just advise you against spending money on food, drink and another stuff there. Don't buy anything at all there, especially in shops that obviously sell stuff to foreign tourists. The only thing they want is to rob you of your money.

Don't forget, that Czech rep. is not just Prague. There are many other cities and towns that are definitely worth visiting. If you're tired of culture, you can visit also the natural sites like Český ráj, some places in Šumava (Böhmerwald in German), Podyjí (natural park close to the borders with Austria in the South Moravia - very nice place, it was closed to the public by the commies, so it is sort of pristine ), Moravský kras (beautiful and huge limestone caves with stalactites).

If you're interested in wine, you should certainly pay a visit to some villages in South Moravia and give it a try

 

[Gladi]

I apologize Raen.

All of Prague a tourist trap? There are cheap places right in the centre, of course your normal tourist won't ever find them out, but really blanketing whole city because of your inferiority complex...

Okay on topic. You really should visit czech countryside as Winner said. Slovakia likewise has lot of beatiful terrain in Malá Fatra and Slovenský Raj.

 

[Winner]

I apologize Raen.

All of Prague a tourist trap? There are cheap places right in the centre, of course your normal tourist won't ever find them out, but really blanketing whole city because of your inferiority complex...

Again, I have no inferiority complex towards Prague. There is no need for it, I simply don't find it interesting in any way. You can think whatever you want about it, but it's true. If it makes you comfortable, you can think that I am green with envy that I don't live in your wonderful city, I don't care

I am talking about my past experiences with Prague. The truth is I haven't been there for years, but I very much doubt it has changed to the better. What I remember are souvenier shops everywhere, cheap "artists" everywhere, wannabe good (but unbelievably expensive) restaurants and McDonalds on every corner. The impression I got was that the whole city center is one big money-washing machine. I felt terribly there, it was worse than anything else I've ever experienced during sight-seeing.

But maybe it's just me, so relax, buddy

Okay on topic. You really should visit czech countryside as Winner said. Slovakia likewise has lot of beatiful terrain in Malá Fatra and Slovenský Raj.

Mikulov, Kroměříž and Olomouc are also very nice places, definitely worth seeing.

 

[Gladi]

Again, I have no inferiority complex towards Prague. There is no need for it, I simply don't find it interesting in any way. You can think whatever you want about it, but it's true. If it makes you comfortable, you can think that I am green with envy that I don't live in your wonderful city, I don't care

Having no inferiority comlex you sure speak about it a lot...

I am talking about my past experiences with Prague. The truth is I haven't been there for years, but I very much doubt it has changed to the better. What I remember are souvenier shops everywhere, cheap "artists" everywhere, wannabe good (but unbelievably expensive) restaurants and McDonalds on every corner. The impression I got was that the whole city center is one big money-washing machine. I felt terribly there, it was worse than anything else I've ever experienced during sight-seeing.

And how is that different from any other tourist destinations? Even that Vienna you so praised in the other thread? And only city I have not seen MacDonald franchise was Cairo- though I was there only for two days so I may have missed it. Back to Vienna- heck even that Meinl on Stephanplatz is overpriced, something that you cannot say of supermarkets in Prague's center.

But maybe it's just me, so relax, buddy

Well it's not my opinion after visiting dozen countries and actually living in two other beside Czechia.

Mikulov, Kroměříž and Olomouc are also very nice places, definitely worth seeing.

I find Telč to be nice town too.

 

[Winner]

Having no inferiority comlex you sure speak about it a lot...

That's just your imagination

And how is that different from any other tourist destinations? Even that Vienna you so praised in the other thread?

I don't say that only Prague is screwed up this way. Český Krumlov has been turned into tourist trap too.

Concerning Vienna, I have profoundly different feeling about the city. In Prague, the city center is, as I said, one big tourist trap, with enourmously high concentration of all that bad things I described. In Vienna, it is spread on much bigger area, so it doesn't strike you so bad as in Prague. Of course, Austria is more civilized, so even their tourist industry isn't so rude, cheap and pervasive as ours, and especially as yours in Prague.

And only city I have not seen MacDonald franchise was Cairo- though I was there only for two days so I may have missed it. Back to Vienna- heck even that Meinl on Stephanplatz is overpriced, something that you cannot say of supermarkets in Prague's center.

Well it's not my opinion after visiting dozen countries and actually living in two other beside Czechia.

Wonderful. So we agreed on that we disagree.

I find Telč to be nice town too.

Seconded.

 

[Gelion]

Well I will certainly use this info for my trip....

 

[raen]

Thanks all for the help, there´s nice info and tips here!!
I had to cut two countries, I have to go to Croatia and Hungary another year, but that way I take more advantage of what a country can have!

Here is my plan (ordered):

czech republic: Prague, during the stayn in Prague i will visiti Kutna Hora, then heading to Karlovy Vary, Cesky Krumlov ( i will visit Ceské Budejovice and the Hluboka Castle too), Brno and Olomouc

slovakia: Poprad and Trencin, with trips along the High Tatras, and then Bratislava

I am aware, as many of you mentioned, that some of this places are tourist-traps and i will have my eyes open

Do you have any other suggestions or warnings?

PS: I particulary liked that Romantic tip
Thanks again

 

[raen]

Hello again


It´s decided that I go by plane to this countries, but inside them which transportations are better? bus or train? price vs confort or other attributes.

Thanks

 

[Rossiya]

BTW, advice number 1: Czech rep., Slovakia and Hungary are not in Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe is, as the name implies, in the East of Europe. We're in Central Europe. People often consider them being called 'Eastern Europeans' as an insult

Yes, calling someone "Eastern European" as an insult in England usually implies that you think they are a rapist, a fraud, a general criminal, or an illegal immigrant, or even someone who can't speak English.

 

[Gladi]

Hello again


It´s decided that I go by plane to this countries, but inside them which transportations are better? bus or train? price vs confort or other attributes.

Thanks

Bright day
The easy answer is.
It depends .
Though I would use a rule of thumb: buses-> trains->?travel? buses (don't cover an area but route)-> speed trains-> Eurocity trains-> aeroplanes.

 

[raen]

I have been building up the plans for passing some days in czech republic and slovakia next year, in august. There are some other things I would like to know, if someone is willing to help.

How is the weather in august? I was in france this year and it was cold, compared to what i'm used to…so I suppose there is even colder, but how is it? Does it usually rain a lot?

And what about laundry, is it easy to find places with self-service washing machines and dryers?

About travelling indoors, I heard about a Z-card, that gives discounts to train tickets. How much does it cost? How can I get it? May I get it? Where do I buy it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Gladi]

It depends?

Usually tempreatures above 30 degrees, but this year we got non-stop rainfest and 20° like tempreatures or even colder. Certainly bring at least a light jacket, at nest you will use it just in Tatras whose weather is super-fickle.

Laundry- it is possible to find them in large cities, I think I saw one or two in my life . But if you are traveling the countryside without prescience I would advise on buying bar of clothes soap.

Z-karte : I think there was just a reorganization of this. Probably the best answer is: e-mail Czech Railways. They should have some discounts for a foreigner as they do have deals with Germany, Austria and such.

 

[REDY]

And what about laundry, is it easy to find places with self-service washing machines and dryers?

In the Czech Republic isnt something like that. Or I didnt saw it. Its not traditional here.

Prague:
My advice is that draught beer you will not get in noble restaurants. Same it about traditional food. I adviced it to someone before and he admitted it after his visit. Restaurants in Prague are usually fair, problem mentioned by Winner is mainly in boarders againist German tourists, I never saw that its used in Prague.

Main problem are taxi-drivers and pickpockets. Dont deal with gypsies and people from former USSR. In the centre are many of beggars, best of them get 2x more money per month than is average Czech wage, so dont giving to them.

If you will need advice, ask younger people, older can usually German or little Russian. Prague inhabitants are polite, but not too friendly. However if they could, they will help you. There is also some rivarlies - Czechs from other cities than Prague dont like Prague, Moravians dont like Bohemia and Slovaks dont like Czechs. So you may say in Prague how are other Czech cities beatiful or to Czechs how is Moravia nice, but not to the contrary! But most rivarly is between Hungary and Slovakia. They hate each other.

I think from you list, Prague is most nice place to visit. In Slovakia High Tatras for nature. The sad true is that in the Czech Republic you will not find more beautiful nature than in other countries.

 

[raen]

It was a success I was in Prague for seven days, but didnt stayed in city alyways.
Gone to see loket castle and gone to cesky raj and walked 17 km on foot seeing the large rocks I dont remember the name now, just amazing!


In the other 7 days I was In cesky Krumlov, beautiful city, Brno and Olomouc very nice too,
with large plazas.
I traveled to slovakia too, to Trencin, where I saw the castle and passed a
great afternnon in the pools seeing the castle at my front.

Very much to say but I dont know what to say lol

But Beer was good , and people could go to restaurants and only ask for beer, not used to that here.

I didnt used taxi in prague, in Brno the lady of the pension said that in Brno they dont cheat.

We were cheated in chesky raj, we had to catch train and we had
1 hour to do 5km (and we already walked 17).... so we catch a taxi, our only hope.

There are 2 areas in Prague, were there are more people, near train station and narodri trida metro station (or something like that) where I felt a bit insecure, but the rest was fine

All cities: Very well conserved buildings, great culture, great food (and cheap), great beer (and cheap), plazas, castles, nature, just loved it.

Just one thing to point, in general reaturants close at 23, not used to that here, in slovakia was at 22! Its because of cold months?

In some places, speacially in slovakia people were always looking at us in strange manner, maybe because we are latin tourists (they more used to german ones and so), and if they dont know our nationality we seem arab or something (its my justification, maybe they tought we were terrorists? lol)

In many places also they didnt speak English but we managed arround

Edited: just forgot, in prague transportation is very good, at all time, if not subway you have tram, very nice.

 

[bathsheba666]

There is no need for that, just a need for bit self-discipline.

Good idea.
The other type of discipline is even more expensive.

 

[Mirc]

It was a success I was in Prague for seven days, but didnt stayed in city alyways.
Gone to see loket castle and gone to cesky raj and walked 17 km on foot seeing the large rocks I dont remember the name now, just amazing!


In the other 7 days I was In cesky Krumlov, beautiful city, Brno and Olomouc very nice too,
with large plazas.
I traveled to slovakia too, to Trencin, where I saw the castle and passed a
great afternnon in the pools seeing the castle at my front.

Very much to say but I dont know what to say lol

But Beer was good , and people could go to restaurants and only ask for beer, not used to that here.

I didnt used taxi in prague, in Brno the lady of the pension said that in Brno they dont cheat.

We were cheated in chesky raj, we had to catch train and we had
1 hour to do 5km (and we already walked 17).... so we catch a taxi, our only hope.

There are 2 areas in Prague, were there are more people, near train station and narodri trida metro station (or something like that) where I felt a bit insecure, but the rest was fine

All cities: Very well conserved buildings, great culture, great food (and cheap), great beer (and cheap), plazas, castles, nature, just loved it.

Just one thing to point, in general reaturants close at 23, not used to that here, in slovakia was at 22! Its because of cold months?

In some places, speacially in slovakia people were always looking at us in strange manner, maybe because we are latin tourists (they more used to german ones and so), and if they dont know our nationality we seem arab or something (its my justification, maybe they tought we were terrorists? lol)

In many places also they didnt speak English but we managed arround

Edited: just forgot, in prague transportation is very good, at all time, if not subway you have tram, very nice.

Glad you enjoyed it. I'm hoping to get to visit Prague or Slovakia some day too.

You should have payed me a visit, last week I was 10 km from the border with Hungary.