2 nights somewhere between Berlin and Prague. Driving through Poland and Czech Republic.

There are a number of online maps that can route you.
It's only about a four hour, 215 mile trip Berlin to Prague. The roads in that vicinity just don't go southeast thru Poland and back to Prague--a throwback to politics of the past.
Dresden is about the only city along the way. We have relatives from there--when it was perhaps the most beautiful and highly cultural city in Europe.

I was looking at Google maps and if you drive to Prague via Wrocław, in Poland, it is only three hours more than if you go via Dresden. Out of Berlin you take the 13/15 all the way to Poland and then continue following Poland's 18/A4 to Wrocław.

Wrocław is one of Poland's most beautiful cities and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. At various times, it has been part of the Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Bohemia, the Habsburg Monarchy, the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire, and finally back to Poland after WWII. In 2016, the city was named a European Capital of Culture and is home to Centennial Hall which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After visiting Wrocław one can drive south through the Sudeten Mountains to Prague via the 8 in Poland and then on to the 33/11 in Czechia.

Along the way south you can stop at the charming town of Kłodzko, which has been referred to as “Little Prague”, definitely the architecture of the town reflected that when I visited Kłodzko in 2017. By far the most interesting site in the town is the old Prussian Fortress that dominates the center of the town. It was apparently one of the largest star fortifications in the Prussian Empire and is remarkably well preserved.

This would be my recommendation for an alternate route from Berlin to Prague :)

How about spending the two nights in a smaller, quieter place between Berlin and Prague? I suggest Meissen. It's called, "Die Wiege Sachsens" (the cradle of Saxony, the birthplace of Saxony). I've done two day trips there, totally off the international and American tourist route, cultural, wasn't plastered in 1945.

If you prefer a larger city in Poland, I would suggest Wroclaw too but as the former Breslau (I only saw the train station in 2001), the city basically was destroyed in 1945, bombed out, raked with artillery fire since it was declared a "fortress" (Festung) thinking that would impede the Red Army's push. to the Oder.

@Fred - Thankfully the new Polish government decided to restore the original architecture of the old town rather than just bulldozing it and starting from scratch. When I was there in 2014 and again in 2017, I recalled that the architecture around the old center was quite unique, as it incorporates a little of every country that has ruled the city - from Silesian Gothic to Austrian Baroque and German Modernist. The most notable Modernist example being Centennial Hall (Jahrhunderthalle in German). It was largely spared from the devastation of the 1945 Siege of Breslau.

Wroclaw is a physically beautiful city and very much worth a visit. The Poles took a heavy hit during WW II but did a great job on the places they chose to rebuild in the historical manner.

If 3 hours off-track is a bit too far for you or you plan a more comprehensive trip to Poland in the future, Görlitz, Germany, is a fabulous option. It came through the war basically unscathed. It will add only about 1-1/2 hours to your drive, according to ViaMichelin.

Görlitz sits right on the Polish border; the Polish half is called Zgorzelec. There's an unbelievable architectural heritage spanning Gothic to Art Nouveau, especially on the German side. (The Art Nouveau buildings tend to be over toward the railroad station.) I believe many/most of the old buildings deteriorated under the Communists, but they were not knocked down, and they've now had almost thirty years to restore the buildlings that were crumbling. The result is stunning, and the city is noted for its architectural variety as well as the density of old buildings. Görlitz is often used for location filming; you can buy "Görliwood" T-shirts locally.

Even better, Görlitz seems relatively undiscovered by foreign tourists, probably due to its obscure location. All the better for you. Furthermore, I'd say it's ideal for a two-night stay. (Wroclaw could really use more time than that.)

@ Carlos...Thanks for the information...good to know. The past two or three summers in Berlin, ie from 2016 to 2018, I have seen a particular brochure in which a special deal is offered by bus (or train?) going from Berlin to Wroclaw/Breslau (that name is also used) promoting the Zentrum in Wroclaw, etc. Obviously, this is to promote a tie between these two cities. I have one of these brochures.

On 1945 and the siege of Breslau and related topics, I heartily recommend, "Battle for Prussia" by that masterful British historian, Prit Buttar, if you're not already familiar with this work...riveting, horrific reading on a topic anglophone historians don't touch.

Thank you for your book recommendation, Fred, I will be on the look out for Battle for Prussia!
Yes, the Soviet offensive 44-45 is significant and unfortunately overlooked by many. The Battle of Königsberg, the Siege of Budapest, the Vienna Offensive, and the successful Prague Uprising come to mind as often overlooked events of significance - in addition to the Siege of Breslau.

You're welcome, Carlos. I recommend the work by Prit Buttar over that by another British historian, Christopher Duffy, (can't remember the exact title), since Buttar has more of a human touch in relating this horrific history in the Prussian East from the Memel to the Spree, ie, Memelland to Berlin. Duffy's treatment is basically operational history.

I was going to recommend Görlitz as well.

Thank you all. Given that checkout is 11:00 and check in is usually 15:00 the 4:25 hr drive to Wroclaw is just about right. Cheers.

Try to fit in Jawor and/or Swidnica. Both have a so-called Church of Peace: unique wooden buildings. The one in Swidnica is possibly the most beautiful, and Jawor has the most impressive.

If you can squeeze in some more time, I would also second the recommendation for the Protestant Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica - which are relatively close to the route from Wrocław south to Prague. These early 17th century churches are UNESCO world heritage sites and the biggest timber-framed religious buildings in Europe. They were built after the 30 Years War when this area was part of Protestant Kingdom of Prussia.

They were built after the 30 Years War when this area was part of
Protestant Kingdom of Prussia.

Actually, no. They were built when Silesia was still Austrian. The Habsburgs recatholised their country after the Peace of Westphalia, and the Austrians were forced to allow three new Protestant churches in Silesia, which had a Protestant majority at that time.
Today they are some of the few remaining Protestant churches in Silesia, while most of the others fell into ruin after the population exchange in 1945 (Poles are Catholics).

Thankfully the new Polish government decided to restore the original
architecture of the old town rather than just bulldozing it and
starting from scratch.

Actually, it was much more complicated. The Polish government also destroyed quite a bit to Polonize the city. Almost all churches for example lost their (Baroque) furnishings to look Gothic, since the middle ages were considered the Polish era of Silesia. Many of the interiors of Silesias churches are now in Warsaw and Central Poland.
Another example: the only prewar cemeteries that survived are the two Jewish ones, and a small cemetery with Russian soldiers from WW1. All others were destroyed in the 70s and 80s.
There is a great book about this topic: Uprooted: How Breslau Became Wroclaw during the Century of Expulsions

@Martin - I stand corrected on that point, you are right, the churches were finished when this part of Europe was part of the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy. The historical layers of Silesia are so convoluted that I sometimes get mixed up myself :)

Yes it was in 1742, during the First Silesian War, when most of Lower Silesia (including this area), was annexed into Kingdom of Prussia.

However...

Almost all churches for example lost their (Baroque) furnishings to look Gothic, since the middle ages were considered the Polish era of Silesia.

Most of the "Gothic" revivalist style you mentioned was actually built by the Germans during the late 19th century. For example, during 1873-75 German architect, Karl Lüdecke, rebuilt the interior and western side of the Wrocław Cathedral in neogothic style.

The Polish government also destroyed quite a bit to Polonize the city.

The Wrocław Cathedral (and Breslau as a whole) were already very badly damaged (about 70%) during the Siege of Breslau and heavy bombing by the Red Army in the last days of World War II. Parts of the original interior fittings of the Wrocław Cathedral were actually saved and are now on display at the National Museum in Warsaw. The initial reconstruction of the church lasted until 1951, when it was reconsecrated by Archbishop Stefan Wyszyński. The original, 16th century conical shape of the Wrocław Cathedral towers was restored only in 1991.

The majority of the foreign tourists I saw in Wrocław were actually Germans, I guess they also see something of value in the city ;)

Re the majority of foreign tourists being German: not surprising at all since Wroclaw/Breslau is totally off the American and international tourist radar.

When I was in Gdansk and Malbork in July 2003, I would say likewise of the foreign tourists I saw, ie also exclusively German wanting to see the former Danzig and Marienburg. That was certainly the case in the Pension when we saw them at breakfast. But, that was also 15 years ago...maybe it has changed a bit.

Lots of Scandinavians rattling around Gdansk these days, along with Americans, etc.

As for Wroclaw, there are enough English-speaking tourists (which certainly includes Scandinavians as well as a variety of others) that there's a "free" tour company offering at least four different tours in English--probably more (I don't take pub tours). I don't know why--maybe it's the dwarves, but Wroclaw is not undiscovered. Poznan was a lot less touristy.

@ Carlos....On the book recommendations there is another one I heartily recommend but it deals with WW1 on this geographic region. By the winter of 1914-15, in spite of horrific losses the Russians had fielded 6 armies by the time Lemberg (today's Lviv), Przemsyl, and most of Galicia had been taken and the next strategic objective was Upper Silesia (Kattowitz) and getting over the Carpathians (Karpaten) to reach the Hungarian plain.

That was the intention until Gorlice-Tarnow (east of Krakow) in May of 1915. That masterful British historian I mentioned above, Pitt Buttar's 2nd volume on the Eastern Front deals with this topic. It's called, "Germany Ascendant 1915"

Keep roll’n folks. This is great stuff!

I am all in. Am looking at a B & B around Mösern. Close enough to Świdnica, Jawor, and Wroclaw; not all but some.

Thanks again. To travel is to live.

Thank you Fred, once again, for your great book recommendation, I will look to see if Amazon carries it! :)

Now it is my turn to recommend a book - for a pretty good all around history of Poland, I would recommend God's Playground: A History of Poland by Norman Davies. It comes in two volumes, "Origins to 1795" and "1795 to the Present". I own both but you can buy them separately depending on which parts of Polish history you are interested in.

I personally like "Origins to 1795" because I am a huge history buff for medieval history. What makes God's Playground different from the other Polish history books out there is that it abandons the traditional nationalist approach to Polish history, instead following the country's development of its rich multi-ethnic heritage.

"To travel is to live." How true!

@ Carlos...Thanks. N. Davies is another masterful British historian, not merely on the historical content and research but adept at language fluency in German (absolutely required), Russian, Polish. and possibly French. He is the anglophone specialist on Polish history. His two (?) books on WW2 focusing on the 1944 Uprising and that on 1944-45 are incisive, analytical, erudite...highly recommended.

We did a day trip to Swidnica from Wroclaw this summer and it was one of my favorite days in Poland. It’s a nice small town and the church was wonderful!