Seeking Itinerary Advice On Three Week Trip To Poland And Romania
Jan 9, 2016, 3:43 am
#16
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Warsaw / London
Programs: price is a king
Posts: 820
I'm going to keep working on Romania. I have found drivers before from my hotels that are really good, since they want to please the hotel owner. Then hopefully, we can set an itinerary together for the day. In the meantime, I am subscribed to this thread, so if anyone has further suggestions about Romania, please let me know. Thanks.
mfk
Jan 9, 2016, 8:22 am
#17
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Programs: Mainly Hilton Hhonors, SAS Eurobonus
Posts: 1,981
A thread about Krakow that you might find useful ( just in case you haven't seen it already):
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/europ...ps-krakow.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/europ...ps-krakow.html
Jan 10, 2016, 11:16 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 127
MichalFKowalik - Thank you for the information on the salt mines. I assumed it would take all day, but that's great if I can go in the morning, and still have half a day for Krakow. I was unsure whether to go, I usually try to avoid UNESCO sites and instead concentrate on undiscovered places, but I guess it's worth making an exception. Regarding Bucharest, I am going to be there for a full day, and I may add another. A tour focusing on Causescu? Wow, that sounds very...different. I'll have to research that further.
helosc - Thanks for the link to your Krakow post, and no, I did not see it before. I'm going to study the places mentioned when I begin planning my route for my time there.
helosc - Thanks for the link to your Krakow post, and no, I did not see it before. I'm going to study the places mentioned when I begin planning my route for my time there.
Mar 21, 2016, 2:40 am
#19
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Programs: Mainly Hilton Hhonors, SAS Eurobonus
Posts: 1,981
pho9187
Did you see this new thread about Sibiu and surroundings?
It might have useful information for you about trips from Sibiu.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/europ...ns-nearby.html
Did you see this new thread about Sibiu and surroundings?
It might have useful information for you about trips from Sibiu.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/europ...ns-nearby.html
May 4, 2016, 12:01 pm
#20
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Programs: Mainly Hilton Hhonors, SAS Eurobonus
Posts: 1,981
Hello pho9187
How is your planning for the Romania part of your trip coming along?
Have you found some nice villages to visit (and how to get there!!!)?
I am going to Sibiu next week and I can then hopefully answer any questions you may have about Sibiu itself.
I have been looking at day trips from Sibiu (Brasov, Sighisoara, Alba Iulia.........) and I have decided on not doing any of them.
I have found that public transport is a bit of an issue (for me) - takes too long, not often enough, timings that doesn't suit me......
So I have decided to concentrate on Sibiu.
I am there for 5 nights, so 4 1/2 full days.
I'll be staying at the Hilton a little outside of the center, next to the Zoo and close to the ASTRA museum.
I'll then have plenty of time for exploring Sibiu in depth and I'll be visiting the Zoo and the ASTRA open-air museum.
The ASTRA looks very interesting - they have about 400 buildings set in a very big area in the forest. They might have horse carriage rides and boat trips on the lake (it's a little difficult getting updated information).
That way I'll be seeing houses from different parts of Romania in a nice nature setting.
http://www.muzeulastra.ro/pdf/cnm%20...%20COMPLEX.pdf
If I absolutely feel the need to go elsewhere, there are two villages very close to Sibiu - Rasinari and Cisnadie.
Both are very easy to reach by public transport (1/2 hour, frequent enough busses).
And there is a steam engine museum near the train station that I might visit in case of rain.
Throw in some good meals (I haven't looked at restaurants yet but I will), some nice cafees with outdoor seating, the Spa area in my hotel, and hopefully nice weather and I'll have a very nice time of it.
Add : I found this website to be useful for Sibiu and surrundings :
http://romaniatourism.com/sibiu.html
How is your planning for the Romania part of your trip coming along?
Have you found some nice villages to visit (and how to get there!!!)?
I am going to Sibiu next week and I can then hopefully answer any questions you may have about Sibiu itself.
I have been looking at day trips from Sibiu (Brasov, Sighisoara, Alba Iulia.........) and I have decided on not doing any of them.
I have found that public transport is a bit of an issue (for me) - takes too long, not often enough, timings that doesn't suit me......
So I have decided to concentrate on Sibiu.
I am there for 5 nights, so 4 1/2 full days.
I'll be staying at the Hilton a little outside of the center, next to the Zoo and close to the ASTRA museum.
I'll then have plenty of time for exploring Sibiu in depth and I'll be visiting the Zoo and the ASTRA open-air museum.
The ASTRA looks very interesting - they have about 400 buildings set in a very big area in the forest. They might have horse carriage rides and boat trips on the lake (it's a little difficult getting updated information).
That way I'll be seeing houses from different parts of Romania in a nice nature setting.
http://www.muzeulastra.ro/pdf/cnm%20...%20COMPLEX.pdf
If I absolutely feel the need to go elsewhere, there are two villages very close to Sibiu - Rasinari and Cisnadie.
Both are very easy to reach by public transport (1/2 hour, frequent enough busses).
And there is a steam engine museum near the train station that I might visit in case of rain.
Throw in some good meals (I haven't looked at restaurants yet but I will), some nice cafees with outdoor seating, the Spa area in my hotel, and hopefully nice weather and I'll have a very nice time of it.
Add : I found this website to be useful for Sibiu and surrundings :
http://romaniatourism.com/sibiu.html
Last edited by helosc; May 4, 2016 at 12:08 pm Reason: Add link
May 5, 2016, 12:13 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 127
Hi there helosc,
You have been working overtime in helping me--thank you so much. I did see your earlier post linking to a Sibui thread, and now I have just read your post from today.
So far, I have booked all of my hotels and plane tickets for the trip. I have started working on Poland first, and it is taking me a long time to plan out Krakow, for example. I tend to read everything, and I even have the whole day plotted out.
Your information about Sibui is superb. I originally axed the ASTRA museum, but you are the second person to have mentioned it, so I think I'll go on my first full day in Sibui. On the second day, I may hire a driver to take me to some villages, including the ones you mentioned. I saw a youtube video of the Rasinari sheep. Then, on the day I leave, I can see the city itself, and take an evening train to Sighsoara.
You make a good point--why spend two hours getting to Brasov, for example, when there is plenty around Sibui. Thanks for the inspiration, and we all look forward to hearing about your trip. Please let us know here, or PM me. Safe travels.
You have been working overtime in helping me--thank you so much. I did see your earlier post linking to a Sibui thread, and now I have just read your post from today.
So far, I have booked all of my hotels and plane tickets for the trip. I have started working on Poland first, and it is taking me a long time to plan out Krakow, for example. I tend to read everything, and I even have the whole day plotted out.
Your information about Sibui is superb. I originally axed the ASTRA museum, but you are the second person to have mentioned it, so I think I'll go on my first full day in Sibui. On the second day, I may hire a driver to take me to some villages, including the ones you mentioned. I saw a youtube video of the Rasinari sheep. Then, on the day I leave, I can see the city itself, and take an evening train to Sighsoara.
You make a good point--why spend two hours getting to Brasov, for example, when there is plenty around Sibui. Thanks for the inspiration, and we all look forward to hearing about your trip. Please let us know here, or PM me. Safe travels.
May 19, 2016, 7:28 am
#22
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Programs: Mainly Hilton Hhonors, SAS Eurobonus
Posts: 1,981
I have just come back from Sibiu.
So here is a little information for you pho9187 (and for others who might be interested).
First of all, I highly recommend the ASTRA.
I was very impressed with it and I'm not even that interested in museums, villages, nature, and history.
So I imagine you'll enjoy it even more.
It was very well laid-out and easy to navigate.
You could follow a broad asphalted path and get an overview of all the areas and buildings.
Then you could follow smaller paths or walk across grass to see the places in details.
Different areas had different themes (craft, fishing etc......).
Almost all buildings/clusters of buildings had signs in English, a short note telling you what kind of building it was and from where.
Some places had more elaborate explanations.
Even for someone not very interested in history etc. it would make a very pleasant walk.
To give you an idea of how long to spend there, I spent 2 1/2 hours there.
It's covering a big area and I walked all the time. I didn't look at too many houses in details.
You'd probably want to add a couple of hours to this to fully enjoy it.
Part of the reason for me doing a bit of a fast tour was that I wanted to see everything before the forecasted rain came in and I did make it.
There is a traditional restaurant.
There was supposed to be craftsmen etc. working but I didn't see any - probably not the season yet.
As I was leaving, I saw a horse carriage drive in......
There was no museums inside the ASTRA outdoor museum which I had assumed but they had a few museums in town which you might want to consider - I didn't go.
For people who want to use public transport, some of the busses 13 have ASTRA as their end stop (and some only goes as far as Dumbrava/the Zoo/the Hilton).
I stayed at the Hilton very close to the ASTRA and even closer to the zoo.
I liked the hotel and didn't mind the location.
Cheap taxis (about 10-14 Lei into town) and even cheaper busses - (1 1/2 Lei, buy tickets beforehand, not sold on the busses).
From my balcony I had a good view of the woods and I could hear the animals from the Zoo.
For more specific information about the hotel :
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...sibiu-rou.html
The Zoo is not very impressive, but I had a nice walk there on my first evening as I couldn't be bothered with going into town. And it cost only 3 Lei.
City busses are fine, if sometimes a little crowded.
A single ticket cost 1 1/2 Lei and has to be bought beforehand. Some of the stops have ticket machines (only 50 bani coins, 1 and 5 Lei notes accepted).
Remember to validate it upon entering the bus.
The taxis run by the meter and they have their prices displayed on the side of the car. I had no problems with taxis in the few instances I used them.
The historical center of Sibiu is very pittoresque but also quite small.
If one was in a hurry, one could easily see the main sights in 2-3 hours.
There is of course more to Sibiu and I also spent some time wandering around.
The lower city is a nice place to stroll around casually.
There is one shopping street.
Magazinul Dumbrava, Piata Unirii 10 is a sort of eastern European Department store/ shopping center.
I visited the two outdoors markeds.
There are nice cafees with outdoor seatings.
As soon as you stepped out of the absolute center (the 2-3 squares), it was very quiet and empty - only a few people, very few shops if any.
Sibiu was smaller or felt smaller than I expected.
I felt I had too much time there which is very rare for me to feel - I tend to sometimes go into lazy-mood when travelling and I am generally very easy to please.
To get the full picture, the weather was not being very nice to me - too much rain and some of it so heavy that you couldn't walk around.
I find it much easier to entertain myself in big cities than in smaller ones when it rains.
So in hindsight, I should have travelled around a bit.
Next time (?) I could imagine doing Sibiu, Sighisoara, and Cluj Napoca. Staying 2 nights in each place.
My son had been trying to convince me to go to Cluj Napoca in order to see a more authentic/normal (less 'cute') town.
And Hilton is going to open a Doubletree both in Sighisoara and Cluj Napoce in the autumn.
I didn't go to Rasinari and Cisnadie, mainly because of the weather and a little bit because I felt I had experienced enough village life (ASTRA + parts of Sibiu felt a little village-ish to me).
I had a 23 hours stop-over in Vienna on the way home and I have never been so happy to see a city with lots of shops, crowds of people, noise.......).
So here is a little information for you pho9187 (and for others who might be interested).
First of all, I highly recommend the ASTRA.
I was very impressed with it and I'm not even that interested in museums, villages, nature, and history.
So I imagine you'll enjoy it even more.
It was very well laid-out and easy to navigate.
You could follow a broad asphalted path and get an overview of all the areas and buildings.
Then you could follow smaller paths or walk across grass to see the places in details.
Different areas had different themes (craft, fishing etc......).
Almost all buildings/clusters of buildings had signs in English, a short note telling you what kind of building it was and from where.
Some places had more elaborate explanations.
Even for someone not very interested in history etc. it would make a very pleasant walk.
To give you an idea of how long to spend there, I spent 2 1/2 hours there.
It's covering a big area and I walked all the time. I didn't look at too many houses in details.
You'd probably want to add a couple of hours to this to fully enjoy it.
Part of the reason for me doing a bit of a fast tour was that I wanted to see everything before the forecasted rain came in and I did make it.
There is a traditional restaurant.
There was supposed to be craftsmen etc. working but I didn't see any - probably not the season yet.
As I was leaving, I saw a horse carriage drive in......
There was no museums inside the ASTRA outdoor museum which I had assumed but they had a few museums in town which you might want to consider - I didn't go.
For people who want to use public transport, some of the busses 13 have ASTRA as their end stop (and some only goes as far as Dumbrava/the Zoo/the Hilton).
I stayed at the Hilton very close to the ASTRA and even closer to the zoo.
I liked the hotel and didn't mind the location.
Cheap taxis (about 10-14 Lei into town) and even cheaper busses - (1 1/2 Lei, buy tickets beforehand, not sold on the busses).
From my balcony I had a good view of the woods and I could hear the animals from the Zoo.
For more specific information about the hotel :
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...sibiu-rou.html
The Zoo is not very impressive, but I had a nice walk there on my first evening as I couldn't be bothered with going into town. And it cost only 3 Lei.
City busses are fine, if sometimes a little crowded.
A single ticket cost 1 1/2 Lei and has to be bought beforehand. Some of the stops have ticket machines (only 50 bani coins, 1 and 5 Lei notes accepted).
Remember to validate it upon entering the bus.
The taxis run by the meter and they have their prices displayed on the side of the car. I had no problems with taxis in the few instances I used them.
The historical center of Sibiu is very pittoresque but also quite small.
If one was in a hurry, one could easily see the main sights in 2-3 hours.
There is of course more to Sibiu and I also spent some time wandering around.
The lower city is a nice place to stroll around casually.
There is one shopping street.
Magazinul Dumbrava, Piata Unirii 10 is a sort of eastern European Department store/ shopping center.
I visited the two outdoors markeds.
There are nice cafees with outdoor seatings.
As soon as you stepped out of the absolute center (the 2-3 squares), it was very quiet and empty - only a few people, very few shops if any.
Sibiu was smaller or felt smaller than I expected.
I felt I had too much time there which is very rare for me to feel - I tend to sometimes go into lazy-mood when travelling and I am generally very easy to please.
To get the full picture, the weather was not being very nice to me - too much rain and some of it so heavy that you couldn't walk around.
I find it much easier to entertain myself in big cities than in smaller ones when it rains.
So in hindsight, I should have travelled around a bit.
Next time (?) I could imagine doing Sibiu, Sighisoara, and Cluj Napoca. Staying 2 nights in each place.
My son had been trying to convince me to go to Cluj Napoca in order to see a more authentic/normal (less 'cute') town.
And Hilton is going to open a Doubletree both in Sighisoara and Cluj Napoce in the autumn.
I didn't go to Rasinari and Cisnadie, mainly because of the weather and a little bit because I felt I had experienced enough village life (ASTRA + parts of Sibiu felt a little village-ish to me).
I had a 23 hours stop-over in Vienna on the way home and I have never been so happy to see a city with lots of shops, crowds of people, noise.......).
Last edited by helosc; May 19, 2016 at 7:35 am
May 21, 2016, 3:21 pm
#23
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: Star Alliance G*, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium,
Posts: 3,585
why not visit Budapest?
Seems (to me) that your itin skips Budapest?
IMO traveling between Poland & Romania requires you to transit Hungary. From everything I have read there is more to see/do in Hungary than in Romania.
FYI, the best foreign language film at the 2016 Academy Awards (Son of Saul) is set in Auschwitz-Birkenau and filmed in Hungary.
IMO traveling between Poland & Romania requires you to transit Hungary. From everything I have read there is more to see/do in Hungary than in Romania.
FYI, the best foreign language film at the 2016 Academy Awards (Son of Saul) is set in Auschwitz-Birkenau and filmed in Hungary.
May 21, 2016, 4:23 pm
#24
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
Just take a look already at the sheer difference in size between the two countries, and in geography (where can you find mountains, seaside, delta etc. in Hungary? - Romania has great nature, while Hungary is as boring and flat as a pancake in this aspect).
While quite obviously Budapest is prettier than Bucharest, and packed with more sights, any other city in Hungary is second-rate from a touristic point of view compared to the urban delights of Sibiu, Cluj and Brasov.
I can understand people thinking otherwise given the popularity of Budapest & Hungary and how uncharted Romania is to many, but Romania is such an overlooked destination. I can write a Romanian itinerary for a full month of travelling and on day 31 you will still see a diverse, jaw dropping sight
Jul 14, 2016, 10:54 am
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 127
hellosc,
Here is a much delayed thank you for reporting back about Sibiu. I am finding your report helpful in planning my trip. Did you go to Brukenthal museum? One has to be in the right mood, I think, to look at art.
I just posted another thread seeking drivers for my trip--please chime in if you have advice. Thanks again.
Antonio,
I have indeed been to Budapest before, and I found it to be a beautiful city. This is more of a "roots" trip to Poland and Romania, to see where grandparents lived.
Here is a much delayed thank you for reporting back about Sibiu. I am finding your report helpful in planning my trip. Did you go to Brukenthal museum? One has to be in the right mood, I think, to look at art.
I just posted another thread seeking drivers for my trip--please chime in if you have advice. Thanks again.
Antonio,
I have indeed been to Budapest before, and I found it to be a beautiful city. This is more of a "roots" trip to Poland and Romania, to see where grandparents lived.