Travel Central Europe!

• A nostalgic visit to a Polish “milk bar”: Seattle Times

  Rick Steves offers this helpful article on how to order pierogy and borscht in a traditional Polish “milk bar”. We ate at such a place in Krakow and it was cheap, delicious, and friendly. Though they spoke English, Steves has tips on ordering in Polish.

  (tags: krakow warsaw gdansk poland milkbar restaurants travelgems)

• Vienna and Prague 10 Most Romantic Honeymoon Cities7Online.com reports that The Knot, a website for couples planning to marry, has declared Prague and Vienna amongst its ten most Romantic cities. I have to say, I agree.(tags: prague vienna romance travel honeymoon)

Austrian Villlage And River Çruise Boat, originally taken and uploaded to flickr.com by Bachspics.

An article from the Daily Herald on river cruising on the Danube and Rhine. A lovely way to travel and to see various cities from Budapest and Vienna to Heidelberg and Nuremberg.

Back in June, the New York Times wrote an article suggesting European Cruises as a good way to travel while the dollar is fluctuating so rapidly. Since everything is usually paid for up front, this gives travelers more control over what they spend.

A nice article on Prague walking tours for every interest group, from Suite101.com.

Budapest is having a special winter promotion, for the second year in a row. The OneWorld airline alliance, which includes carriers such as
Malev, American, and British Airways, is co-sponsoring (for the first time).  Four nights for the price of three, in some of the nicest Budapest Hotels, from the 3-star Atlas to the4-star K+K Hotel Opera and the 5-star Kempinski: 45 hotels around the city are taking part.  Click here to learn more or to book!

Travel Agent Magazine reports,

For the second consecutive year, the city of Budapest is running its “Winter Invasion” campaign and its spend-three-nights-get-one-free promotion to entice tourists. For the first time, the event is being co-sponsored by the Oneworld airline alliance, of which Hungarian carrier Mal?v is a member. The campaign runs from December though March of next year-typically Budapest’s slow tourist season-and also is being sponsored by the Hungarian National Tourist Office, the Hotel Association of Hungary and Budapest Airport. During the campaign time period, guests who come to Budapest and stay three nights at one of the participating hotels, which include the Four Seasons, Le Meridien, Marriott and Kempinski, will receive a fourth night’s stay for free.

Other Budapest resources:  The Budapest Times for local news and things to do in the city.  Once you know the area your hotel is in, look at their Culture Map to find museums, those famous Hungarian public baths, shopping, restaurants, and more.

The Globe and Mail suggests wearing one of these map scarves if you’re visiting Vienna, Berlin, or other available cities.  You canpick up your suitcase, exit the airport, and whip off your neck- or head scarf to reveal a useful map.
They start at $30 and are not a bad idea, if they gel with your taste.

Great tips for travelers.

Fewer large, rowdy groups of British bachelors are visiting Prague these days, compared with two years ago, the Times of India reports.  They attribute this to fewer super-cheap flights from Britain, and more potential destinations across the continent.

This is good news for other travelers, who can enjoy the destination more!

One of my favorite cities in the world, let alone Europe, is beautiful, friendly, manageable Krakow, Poland. It’s a beautiful city, with lots to see.

Krakow has the stunning Wawel Castle (above), a delightful Old Town Square, and wonderful restaurants and other attractions.

You can fly into Warsaw or Krakow directly, or take a train from Prague, which will take a good chunk of the day.

Consider staying in an apartment–it’s economical and comfortable, and you can often end up in a very central location. Plus you have a kitchen, so families, parents, and budget-conscious travelers of all kinds can make their own breakfasts, heat baby food, or just make a nice cup of tea any time.

Some helpful links, so you’ll know where to go:

Krakow’s Official Tourist Website, and its links to apartment (flat) rental services in Krakow

Guide to Krakow: a very extensive website about local attractions

Cracow-life.com: information on where to eat, where to sleep, and what to do, and local tips.

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From Go Today.  Travel on selected dates in November, December, January and February.  Great deal!