Travelling to Poland/Austria/Hungary - needing advice

[whatthecrunchyo]

Hi everyone, my wife and I are going on the following trip with the following dates. Can anyone give any recommendations of good recommendations while going to these sites?

I am also curious if there are any flea or antique markets that we could go to? If so, please provide any information!

June 20-22 (Saturday-Monday) - Gdansk, Poland (Danzig)

June 23 (Tuesday) - Wolfsschanze during day, Warsaw at night

June 24-26 (Wednesday-Friday) - Krakow, Salt Mine, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Schindler Factory/Museum

June 27-29 (Saturday-Monday) - Vienna, Austria - not sure what we want to do just yet...I have been here once but the wife has not. Will probably stay away from WWII during this part of the trip, but am definitely interested in any flea or antique markets going on over the weekend

June 30-July 2 (Tuesday-Thursday) - Budapest, Hungary - not sure what to do yet. We fly out on July 2 early, so really we only have a couple of days here.

We are both 32 years old. I need to strike a good balance between WWII and letting my wife have fun . We appreciate good food, meandering the streets and seeing the local sites, and stopping at an occasional antique market when available.

I'd like to take my wife to some classic music/ballet/opera or something of the sort in Vienna, and perhaps the palace, but I am open to suggestions!

We are tourists, but we do like to get off the beaten path if it is worthwhile!

Thanks for the help!

Jordan

[N.C. Wyeth]

Simple advice

Jordan

With a schedule like that, my thoughts are getting off the road long enough to do much will be your biggest challenge. We all know how difficult it is to schedule time away, and see all the things you want to when going overseas - so Please don't take my comments in the wrong way. My suggestion would be to cut back on all the destinations - pick two - and spend more time at each to give yourself enough time to relax and take it all in. My experience tells me all those places in Poland alone would be hard enough to see in the timeline you mention.

From experience, I could offer you many things to see and do in the area of Krakow - but to do them all - and really get that feel for "having been there" - would take almost as much time as your entire journey. Not trying to rain on your parade - but are you certain this is what you want to do?

[whatthecrunchyo]

Jordan

With a schedule like that, my thoughts are getting off the road long enough to do much will be your biggest challenge. We all know how difficult it is to schedule time away, and see all the things you want to when going overseas - so Please don't take my comments in the wrong way. My suggestion would be to cut back on all the destinations - pick two - and spend more time at each to give yourself enough time to relax and take it all in. My experience tells me all those places in Poland alone would be hard enough to see in the timeline you mention.

From experience, I could offer you many things to see and do in the area of Krakow - but to do them all - and really get that feel for "having been there" - would take almost as much time as your entire journey. Not trying to rain on your parade - but are you certain this is what you want to do?

I am fairly confident. We like to typically hit the high points and move on. For us, 4 days is usually our max in any big city before we get bored (to include tourist havens like Rome).

We have been to Europe quite often, so we are good at travel, and we usually remain on our feet all day, so we are less leisure and more action!!

Jordan

[whatthecrunchyo]

And also, we don’t have to see everything at each destination, because our Europe trips often overlap each other. Case in point, I have been to Rome 3 times, London twice, Munich twice, Paris/Normandy twice, etc.

We usually find our way back to places we enjoyed.

Jordan

[N.C. Wyeth]

I am fairly confident. We like to typically hit the high points and move on. For us, 4 days is usually our max in any big city before we get bored (to include tourist havens like Rome).

We have been to Europe quite often, so we are good at travel, and we usually remain on our feet all day, so we are less leisure and more action!!

Jordan

And also, we don’t have to see everything at each destination, because our Europe trips often overlap each other. Case in point, I have been to Rome 3 times, London twice, Munich twice, Paris/Normandy twice, etc.

We usually find our way back to places we enjoyed.

Jordan

In that case, Jordan I would just say grab one of the on-line write-up's about Karakow - and hit as many of those high points as you can. For those few days and as many tips as you will find, your time will be taken up sufficiently - and sounds like you already know what you're gettin' into. Have a good trip!

[HPL2008]

I've been to Vienna quite a few times and there is plenty to see there, indeed. Much, much more than you could possibly cram into three days.

The Heeresgeschichtliches Museum [Army Museum] is a must-see for those with an interest in military history. (Sure, you said you wanted to stay away from WW2 during this part of your trip, but it covers all of Austrian military history, so... )

Schloß Schönbrunn [Schönbrunn Palace] is an obvious choice for any tourist visiting the city. If you go there, be sure to include the Wagenburg with its magnificent historic carriages (and some other things like sleighs or servants' uniforms).

The Tiergarten [zoo] is nice, too, and you can combine it with a visit to the palace as it is right next to it. For lunch at the zoo, I'd recommend the Kaiserpavillon.

Speaking of animals, the Haus des Meeres [House of the Ocean], set up, of all places, in a former Flak tower is nice, as well.

Then we have the Stephansdom [St. Stephen's Cathedral], the Kapuzinergruft [Capuchins' Crypt] where the Habsburgers are buried and the Hofburg; the latter includes the Sisi Museum [Museum of Empress Elisabeth], the Kaiserapartements [Imperial Apartments], the Silberkammer [Silver Collection] and the Kaiserliche Schatzkammer [Imperial Treasury].

For a rainy day, the Technisches Museum [Museum of Technology] is worth a visit. So far, I've only seen the "museum twins" of the Naturhistorisches Museum [Natural History Museum] and the Kunsthistorisches Museum [Museum of Art History] from the outside. (I should rectify that some day.)

No shortage of nice restaurants and especially cafés in that city, either.

I've only been to Budapest once for an extended weekend so I barely know the city, but be sure to visit the Parliament Building and Fisherman's Bastion. A boat ride on the Danube is nice, too.

(I've only been to Gdansk for a single day during a Baltic Sea cruise and have not yet visited the other places on your itinerary at all, so I can't really make any recommendations for those.)

Hope this helps.

[pzo]

In Poland, Warsaw, You should visit "Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego" and "Muzeum Wojska Polskiego". Read plates attached to the buildings. This city is soaked with blood of its citizens and soldiers, especially Wola and Starówka.

[Peter_Suciu]

The military museums in Vienna and Budapest are fascinating, and I think even your wife should find them interesting.

As a writer I've visited (and dragged my wife) to many museums. So here are the articles I wrote on each... maybe it can inspire her to visit these two:

Budapest
https://www.recoilweb.com/preview-vi...ory-50745.html

Vienna
http://armchairgeneral.com/austrias-...hes-museum.htm

[David T]

If you go to Vienna and dont visit the HGM.....youve wasted your time. Fantastic museum. If you go to Vienna and spend time wandering through the NaschMarkt...youve probably wasted more time. Thats an exaggeration...but not much of one. I believe its only open on Sat morning anyway. Typical of flea markets.....its only worthwhile those rare occasions you get lucky.
There is a Flak Tower in Vienna you can go into. It was turned into a nice Aquarium/monkey jungle. There is a tiny WWII museum section on one of the top floors...but only opens at certain times. There is a bit of a distance to cover between the Flak Tower and HGM. Given the choice...i wouldnt pass up the HGM.

In Budapest there is the "Museum of Terror" , i think thats what it was called. Former HQ of Arrowcross, SS and Communist era Secret police. Cant tell you if its good or bad...i passed it up.

Are you driving or taking trains. I see you are skipping Czech Rep and Slovakia.

Also, have you been there in June before? If not...your question should be where can you fine restaurants with A/C Vienna and Budapest are going to be hot!

[N.C. Wyeth]

As a person with interest in both history and events that occurred during WW2, this is another awesome thing to see while in Vienna.

[HPL2008]

Speaking of treasures, let me add these:

You can see three marshal's batons in Vienna. The batons of Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf (1852 - 1925), chief of the General Staff of Austria-Hungary, and of Archduke Friedrich von Österreich-Teschen (1856 - 1936), Supreme Commander of the Austro-Hungarian Army are on display in the HGM.

The Prussian Field Marshal's baton presented by the German Kaiser Wilhelm II to the Austrian Kaiser Franz Josef I in 1898 is exhibited in the Schatzkammer:

[Bob Lyons]

I agree with the above comments in Vienna, the Army Museum is a must for a visit....


Bob

[Bob Lyons]

And there is the vehicle that the Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in, that was one of the causes of the start of the First World War.... (his blood stained uniform is
also on display, but there was a crowd of school kids around it when I was there,
so I didn't take any photos of the tunic...).

Bob

[Gran Sasso]

Fleamarket at the Naschmarkt (great food market!), also well known i managed to find nice stuff.