Hi:
I am stuck in my European vacation plans for Europe in May. I've decided I was planning way to much so breaking my trip to visit either Northeast or Southeast Europe. I have two weeks. If I visit NE, I'll go to Warsaw, Vilnius, Minsk, and Krakow. If I do Southeast, I'll visit Ljubljana, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Mostar, and Budapest. Which would you do and I am open to other suggestions. Not into museums but learning and experiencing the culture, food, and history of these places. Will do combinations of train, bus, and fly. I don't want a lot of tourists and crowds. I didn't care for Prague simply because too many tourists. I also don't want to do the Croatia coast as it looks like May is the prime cruise ship time. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Posted by
Seattle
4637 posts
In May SE. In summer I would do NE.
Posted by
San Francisco
14809 posts
Hi,
I vote for NE Europe with the itinerary listed, mainly due to interests.
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7053 posts
By asking this question, you are going to get other peoples' interests. But what are your interests based on the cities you picked in each group? You have to pick some criteria (meaningful to you) to distinguish one group of cities from the other ("experiencing culture, food and history" applies to just about anywhere in the world and doesn't make one choice more attractive than another). Or go with your gut feeling. Surely one of these stands out more for some reason. If not, flip a coin.
Posted by
southwest, Missouri, U.S.A.
1717 posts
Flip a coin. You said you have two weeks. If you visit the Southeast, I recommend : delete Mostar. Four destinations is plenty, and you will have travel time in Europe. Did you travel to Europe before ? If it were my trip to "southeast" Europe, I would go to
Croatia
Slovenia
Budapest
Posted by
8102 posts
Both choices are good, just pick one and enjoy.
Regarding visiting Minsk, Belarus, unless that country has changed its visa requirements, you will need a Belarussian sponsor to obtain a visa (perhaps a tour company can arrange that).
Posted by
OP
Portland, OR
82 posts
Thanks everybody. A coin flip may be in order. Since my ancestry is Poland and Lithuanian (have no clue as to where), visiting my heritage might win out. Yet, have great interest in seeing Bosnia and Croatia due to the fact this was one war I can relate to having seen it on the news all the time back in the 90's. SE might be less touristy and cheaper, too. So many places to see and so little time. Have to admit, apprehensive about my plans to take night trains(sleeper) and concern over pickpockets. I do have a money belt and have traveled before with no problem. I am totally naive, having traveled extensively throughout the US on Amtrak where theft of your baggage and things are never a problem. Don't think twice going to the lounge or dining car and leaving my baggage and things in my seat or sleeper. I might not totally decide until a week before hand. (PS Reason I want to visit Minsk is because they just waived the Visa requirement if you fly into/out off Minsk. Good time to see a city that's has close to Soviet than I'll ever see!!!
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
19652 posts
My bucket list is too long too. Same problem most of the time. I would plan out both trips and see which one gives you more bang for the buck. For instance getting from Mostar to Budapest (if that is your route) can be a bit tricky.
I’m not much into long train rides so I look for stops within 3 hours of each other and places connected by discount airlines.
Actually none of the locations on the SE list are particularly efficient to travel in-between except maybe Sarajevo and Mostar. Warsaw, Minsk and Krakow are easier but I think you MAY have to use Warsaw as a hub; in other words, Warsaw – Krakow – Warsaw – Minsk – Warsaw – Vilnius – Warsaw – home.. or do the long land routes.
On the other hand your cold take advantage of the Wizzair hub in Budapest and do a number of places southeast of Budapest then connect to a number of places northeast of Budapest. For instance (and there are a number of options), arrive into Tirana tour norther Albania and into southern Montenegro where you can catch a Wizzair flight to Budapest for about $50. Budapest has a number of short train side trips that will use a few days, then Wizzair again from Budapest to Kyiv (about $80). I believe you can get your Minsk connection out of Kyiv for under $100 on Ukraine Air or the Belarus carrier (name escapes me right now). Remember to remain VISA free in Belarus you have to enter and leave by the airport in Minsk.
To figure all this out I use Google Flights. You can type in a departure city and use EUROPE for the destination and then choose NONSTOP and you will get a map with prices with all the possible destinations. Remember these discount airlines generally don’t post more than 4 months in advance and they don’t fly the same routes every days so you have to hunt the days of the week.
I would see Minsk if you can before the _insert obvious country name_ invasion..... Same with Estonia and Latvia. I think you have a year or two before there is great threat that they move into Poland; and Ukraine should be safe from all out invasion for at least a year. Just my perceptions, will be interesting to see how it plays out.