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Driving to Southwest Poland from the UK


Case

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Hi all. Looking for some advice from anyone who has driven through central Europe.

 

My brother is getting married next October in Southern Poland (Zakopane, south of Krakow)

 

Rather than flying, we're thinking of driving, stopping off at a few nice places along the way.

 

But, France aside, which we know quite well, I'm unsure of the best route from West to East where we'd get a good balance of culture and reasonable quality of roads.

 

For example, would Nuremberg, Prague, Ostrava be better than Stuttgart, Munich, Vienna, Trencin.

 

We'd like to take about 8/9 days going. All advice welcome.

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We've driven Cardiff to Munich and went via Strasbourg, stopping overnight in Reims (champagne region).

 

My friends who live in Munich and do that drive more often advised us to avoid Belgium at all costs as the roads and drivers are mental. 

 

Looking at where you're going I'd be looking at doing Calais (presuming that's where you'll cross), Strasbourg, Munich, Vienna then Zakopane - then maybe coming back via Berlin, Hanover (or Hamburg), Amsterdam  

 

The train is a great shout though 

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:lol: well at least they have a speed limit!

 

German drivers are the worst in my experience. Seem to have no anticipation and act 100% on impulse - often at 130 mph.

 

No-one takes any notice of it and the roads are all rammed.

 

That stretch down from Calais to Strasbourg is so chilled out - then you get over the German border and people start flying past you at 130mph. Managed to get my Golf up to 200kph though :) 

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Having thought about it, I think I'd do the following:

 

Calais - Strasbourg - I wouldn't spend much time in that north-east part of France - France is great but that seems to be one of the least interesting parts

 

Strasbourg - München with some interesting places on the way: Stuttgart, Augsburg or, if you fancied a detour a bit further north Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber (probably the most photographed place in Germany), Dinkelsbühl. Further south, basically on the border of Austria near Füssen, there's Neuschwanstein - the Disneyland castle - but it's a bit more spectacular on films/pictures than in real life, TBH - probably because it was never actually finished

 

Crossing into Austria, there's the spectacular countryside area of Berchtesdaden - right in the south-east corner of Germany - with Salzburg just over the border (not a bad place to stay) or Passau, right on the border where 3 rivers meet - a spectacular place in its own right - see Napoleon's comments.

 

I'd then hear to Vienna (Wien) via Linz, although TBH I've never driven that far so there might be various little places worth seeing on the way. Vienna's good for 2 or 3 nights as it's an amazing place.

 

From there it's probably worth checking out Bratislava (Pressburg in German, home of the 1976 European Champions) before crossing Slovakia towards Zakopane - or even detour further south to Budapest which should be interesting (never been there myself). I don't know what Slovakia's like so can't say much there.

 

On the way back, I think I'd check out Krakow, maybe Wrocław and definitely Prague, if you haven't already been there. A bit further north Dresden is a spectacular city (best viewed from the other side of the river, I realized last time I was there) which seems to be pretty much restored now after it's well-known destruction. Could even head up to Berlin if there's time.

 

Then pass through central Germany which is more interesting for countryside than cities compared to what's further south. And then Cologne (Köln) is worth stopping in before heading back over to Calais and the crossing back to grim reality.

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That stretch down from Calais to Strasbourg is so chilled out - then you get over the German border and people start flying past you at 130mph. Managed to get my Golf up to 200kph though :)

 

I was just thinking about El/Le Boss, when reading this thread.

 

 

Yet another coincidence. Will they never end?

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I was just thinking about El/Le Boss, when reading this thread.

Yet another coincidence. Will they never end?

I just read what you wrote RP, and I thought it was a bit of a coincidence that you thought it was a coincidence because I did too.

 

So, they happen everywhere. There is something to this.

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Thanks to everyone, especially John. Great advice, I've never been to Prague, so that's defo on the plan.

 

Won't be driving anywhere near 130 as we'll be in our small 3 berth camper.

 

Yep - Skye to Southern Poland, then to Malaga and back to Skye. Should be great Craic.

 

Apart from the Malaga bit. Might take up running again.

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If you have a day to spare in Zakopane, there is river rafting on the Dunajec river (I had to google the name). The water is calm enough to ensure that even the most nervous of passengers will have a good time and its a nice way to spend a bit of time.

 

I went there about 12 years ago when Poland had just joined the EU, food beer etc. was about 1/5 of the price you'd expect to pay here. You could dine like a king for the price of an over indulgent take away order here. At the time it was a really popular place with German tourists but I think it has gained a wider audience in recent years, oh and if you like barbecue food you'll find no shortage of places that put on an outdoor buffet during the summer months (sorry no idea of when you're travelling so this may be useless info, oops - see you're going in October, maybe not so much BBQ on then!).

 

Also you can get a cable car up into the mountains where Poland borders Slovakia and if you want to go behind the old Iron Curtain there are bus tours that go over into Slovakia - bring your passport, it gets checked at the (caged) crossing when the Slovak police come in armed to the teeth checking everyones ID. At the time I went the differences were staggering in everyday things like shops, cars buses etc, almost stereotypical in fact.

Edited by DPD1973
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