Eastern Europe -15 Day (Krakow, Croatia, etc...)

We are doing an eastern European tour this May: Lviv-Tarnow-Cracow-Eger-Budapest-Vienna-Halstatt-Salzburg-Varenna-Milan. I will post my comments after we have finished.

In 2010, spent a week plus in Prague (really enjoyed that). Our backdoor there was the Prague Police Museum. Very trippy.

Also did a trip in 2015 through Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia. If I had to pick a place to live in Europe, it would be Slovenia. Croatia has the Plitvice Lakes and great coasts and islands. Bosnia, recently wartorn, was inexpensive and quite interesting.

I would try to go in May or September. Weather is good, flights are cheaper, less crowded.

"Eastern Europe" comprises about a large number of countries, and covers a huge amount of territory, from Poland to Romania, and Austria to Belarus. You need to give a hint as to the area within "eastern Europe" that you are interested in.

Any tips as to the best time of year to go?

I prefer going to Central Europe, in Sept/Oct: I generally find better flight prices, thinner crowds (apart from holidays and such) and hence greater availability for lodging and sights; and weather that energizes me, rather than draining me.

Any must see places?

What a fabulous 50th birthday present to yourself!

As has been said, you've got a lot of geography to choose from. For me, "Krakow" and "Croatia" (listed in your headline) were part of 3 different trips, each of 2.5 - 3 weeks and every day filled with "must-see" highlights. And I still want to go back for more!

Every town/region has it's "must-sees" which are as diverse as the walled Old Town in Dubrovnik, Plitvice National Park in Croatia and Parliament in Budapest. The Rick Steves guide books - with their 3 star, 2 star and 1 star highlights - are always a good starting point for me. I also like to look at the itineraries to get an idea of how to connect them together into a trip. Or two trips!

Depending on your preferred pace of travel, you might cover more (or very likely less!!) geography, perhaps with a temptation towards trying to fit in more destinations. But if you read much of the feedback provided to others on this forum as they build their itineraries, it is generally to "slow down." Transit from one town to the next can often take a half day, or longer and quickly eat into your sightseeing time. I like to leave myself lots of time to "wander and explore" so I typically (at least) double the number of days that a highly efficient guided tour would spend in each location.

So, grab a few guide books from the broad region that you're looking at and see what draws you in and becomes your personal "must-see" list around which you begin to layer your birthday trip!!

The above is good advice.