# Poland August 2011



## dawnraider (Apr 2, 2006)

Hi , am in the process of planning a grand tour next year (well 8 weeks ) final destination Poland probably arriving in August.

Have one or two reservations ( not of the ferry type ) but in the main safety and security also concerns regarding the state of the roads.

Probably unfounded, but would be grateful if anyone can reassure me on the above points. Last year went to Hungary encountered no problems made very welcome and felt very safe.

We would like to take in Auschwitz and the Wolfs Lair.

Any tips or advice would be most welcome.

thanks and regards 


Ken


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi Ken

Do you mean August 2011?

stew


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## dawnraider (Apr 2, 2006)

*POLAND AUGUST 2011*

Well spotted that man, the years just roll by, and having traded the TARDIS in, 2011 it will have to be


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## siansdad (Sep 13, 2010)

Hi Ken,

We travelled from Krakow out to Oswiecim (Auschwitz) along the rural route two years ago. The roads were good and the villages reminded me of Northern France. The were lots of MH's of different nationalities in the area - we didn't have our MH at the time.
We found the people generally friendly - we could have been anywhere in Europe. It doesn't seem to be apoor country - I think they have more than their fair share of Europes Mercedes Benz and BMW cars.
We were in Krakow for 5-days and always felt safe even walking back to our hotel by the river from the city centre.
Be prepared for your visit to Auschwitz - it is absolutely heart rending. And when you think you've had enough sadness / emotion for one day - travel the few miles to the small village of Brezezinska (Birkenau) and visit the remains of Auschwitz ll. Absolutely savage - the memory of it will stay with you for a very long time!!!
I advise you to take the guided tour and then maybe go back around on your own. I also advice you to read about the camps and what happened there before you go. Plenty of information via google.
There's a campsite very close to the main camp in Oswiecim.

Have a safe journey.

Brian


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## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

If you go to Auschwitz Oswiecim as stated, there is a campsite in the grounds of a Hotel we discovered last year, It is on this forum along with it's co-ordinates and I can highly recommend it, I do not recommend the usual campsite which is about 100 yards from Auschwitz as it is a car park and costs just as much as the good one, The site is called "Centrum for Dialogue and Prayer" but it is nothing like the name suggests.

The roads are no problem at all and I also recommend a guided tour as you will be taken to places where you would not see otherwise.
I also highly recommend a visit to the salt mines at Krakow it is a fantastic day out, as is a tour of the city it is very nice indeed.

Birkenau is incredibly large and much time will be spent there and I assure you that your eyes will be opened after the visits, We had a guide who knew everything about it all and he took us to where the original trains and trucks used to enter Birkenau and we walked the route the Jews had to walk to Birkenau to enter the infamous gates we all know and recognize.

Here is a link to the campsite : http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Campsites&op=display_results&csid=4447

From here evreything even the old village is a short walk away.

Enjoy it


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## apxc15 (Dec 1, 2007)

Got back on 4th Sept. from a Central Europe tour, which included Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, Krakow, Warsaw, and Poznan.

I had no problems except that I left the drivers door window open and had my PDA pinched in Bratislava.

The motorway between Prague and Bratislava was shocking and I had to go around the Hymer afterwards to re-tighten/replace screws loosened by the vibration. 

The people in all the countries visited were very friendly and helpful. Apart from the motorway previously mentioned, the roads were no worse than anywhere else I've been, including the UK.

Campsites were reasonably priced but basic, compared to UK standards, none of which were pre-booked.

Pete 8)


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## Kumasi (Sep 8, 2009)

*Poland*

Hi. I have had the dubious pleasure of spending two weeks every month in Rybnik in Southern Poland working on an EU project.

Rybnik is very close to Katowice (dont go there), Wroclaw (brilliant), Krakow (Brilliant), Zakopane (good).

I can thoroughly recomment Poland. People are nice and most poeple under the age of 40 speak English. Security is no worse than UK, driving is a worse, the roads are worse with tram lines where HGV's have been. However there are many new motorways around.

Karkow is the main tourist area with Oświęcim nearby, salt mines (an absolute must), Jewish quarter and Schindlers Factory (making it into a museum but you can still go in).

Wroclaw is nice too and is not too far from the Great Escape camp.

Go for it. If i could afford it i would buy a second house there.


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## Piquod (Jul 13, 2010)

Went to Krakow last year in November and it was unseasonably warm but that made for a better visit.
The main roads are fine but some of the minor roads, even in the main areas, can be a bit rough. Some of the drivers can be fairly aggressive and the highway code does not seem to apply.
The locals were fine and there were no problems moving around at any time of day or night.
There is a brilliant jazz club just off the town centre, in a cavern bar, and the food and drink were reasonably priced.
It is well worth going on the guided tours but like some of the others say be prepared for Aushwitz and Birkenau if you visit, it's a very emotional site.


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Have a read of my blog.


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

We visited Poland in 2009 having travelled via Prague we Czech Rep to Oswiecim visit the Auschwitz memorials. It was a visit I will never forget. We also visited the salt mines which I didn't enjoy due to health problems. We would liked to have visited Krakow but decided head for Germany where my health improved.

There was so much I wanted to see that we have decided to go in May 2011 staying a few days in Berlin before heading to Zagan and the Stalag Luft II memorial immortalised in the film the Great Escape. Then onto Wroclaw, Oswiecim (again ) and finally Krakow.

The places I'll looking forward to seeing is the Jewish Ghetto, Schindlers Factory and a trip out to Nova Huta the great symbol of Polish manufacturing in the communist era.

Here a link for those interested in visiting the site of the Great Escape

http://www.gps-practice-and-fun.com/stalag-luft-3.html


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## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

If you want to look at Photographs of Auschwitz Follow This link

If you want to look at Photographs of Birkenau follow This Link

 

Here is a Link to photographs of the campsite at Auschwitz Centrum Dialogue.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Have made a couple of visits this year (sans MH) to a friend in the Katowice area and I have some comments about the road surfaces.

At this time of year even the main highways have stretches where deep potholes are a major problem. If you are in a smsll car it is possible to weave round them while staying in one's lane, but in a MH, particularly one of my width (2.3m) it would be almost impossible. Only solution is to keep speed well down.

They do patch-repair sections but there is so much to do.

Maybe after the frosts they can get on top of it all so that in summer it is not such a problem.

I am there again next Friday so will try to get more info.

Geoff


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

We are doing Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Rep, Germany this June on the Harleys.

Hope to see Auschwitz and also the Bone Church in Czech.

We did Poland/Germany from Finland (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland (Augusto, Toran, Poznan) to Berlin) a couple of years ago and some roads were fine - others were "interesting" but no real problem on the bikes - you just steer around the holes (unlike Albania which is a whole other story...)

We found the pottery stalls by the national borders interesting (but fortunately had no room for souvenirs) as were the "ladies of the street" - we normally gave them a toot as we swept by...

I have suggested to the team that we consider the Auschwitz camp-site mentioned - Thanks for the heads up on that.

Cheers

Dave


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

dawnraider said:


> Hi , am in the process of planning a grand tour next year (well 8 weeks ) final destination Poland probably arriving in August.
> 
> Have one or two reservations ( not of the ferry type ) but in the main safety and security also concerns regarding the state of the roads.
> 
> ...


Hi Ken,

For some in depth info on Poland see HERE

Safe travelling,

Don


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## rodders (May 1, 2005)

*Poland Trip*

My wife is Polish and we travel regularly mostly by air to Gdansk we have cars there and travel a lot. The main roads are fine back roads are poor even in main towns watch for pot holes, trees are often at the side of narrower roads watch your mirrors. Maintaining respectable speeds is easy in fact you would be wise to use cruise control every opportunity, i have been issued with tickets on three occasions driving polish registered cars but have yet had to pay a fine, video vans and fixed cameras are all over, be aware.

That said I have found Poland to be not only fascinating but welcoming to all, my wife speaks Polish i do not and have never felt uneasy or unable to communicate using English. The sites in poland are not like a lot in europe and in high season can be like those found in and around Amsterdam, Leave a gap between yourself and the neighbour and it will be filled, shaking hands from door to door can be a reality.

Would recommend Torun (must see) Gdansk Gdynia Sopot (coastal)
Holiday Wladyswowo, Hell peninsula, I will be here in August to check out My Brother in laws site just being developed see http://www.sunpool.pl/ , work in progress i doubt any site any where could offer a better location, i will be seeing it working for the first time this trip so will reserve comments till seen regarding facilities.

Enjoy Poland be careful in run down major cities they have their bad ones just like us but are generally sceptical, inquisitive and warm hearted, Prices are regrettably similar to ours in major towns, much cheaper in the sticks.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Further to my post on 25th March on the state of some Polish roads, I recently made the journey from UK to Katowice, S. Poland and routed via the Berlin Ring.

From there it seemed the direct route was via the A15 (E36) in Germany, passing Cottbus, which becomes the A18 (E36) at the Polish border. Although not a Motorway it has an 'E' number and I had assumed it woukld be of reasonable quality - WRONG!

The good German autobahn became a nightmare surface in Poland - at least in the SE direction, although the NW carriageway seemed OK.

It was dual carriagewy but the surface was badly rutted. It looked as though it had been built during the last war(concrete slabs, but even these were like corrugated roofing} and been mangled by many Soviet tanks thereafter and not touched since.

Some cars with softer suspensions than my Ducato were managing to maintain 80kph but you could see their suspension working overtime. I tried that speed but was shaking the Arto to pieces.

I opted for 15-20kph but even at that speed it was rattling and banging. I eventualy came to a re-surfaced section and was fooled into ignoring a turn-off, only to find that this section ended 1/2 km beyond it..

After another 13km I was able to turn off onto a minor, but recently re-surfaced, road where 80kph was fine and joine the A4 (Motoway for the rest of my journey. Pity the did not spend the money on the 'main' road

On arrival the locals said nobody uses that road and route to the A4 via Gorlitz on the German side.

However, other than that I had a good run. Having left the ferry at Dunkirk at 0930 on Sat morning, arriving in Hannover at 1745, seeing friends, leaving at 0430, I arrived in Katowice at 1615 on Sun, having covered 900 miles and 6 countries in 2 days.

Hardly 'Touring' but the aim was to get here for my girlfriend's mother's 90th, which was a great success, so Mission Accomplished.

Enjoy your summer everyone.

Geoff


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## CandA (May 1, 2005)

Hi

I'm sure you have gathered by now that Poland is as safe as anywhere.

Take a phrase book and learn how to say a few words in Polish. Otherwise, German can be useful in some places.

I would recommend you see more of the country than Krakow, as it is an interesting place.

We stayed at the following sites in 2007 (apologies for the layout - I've copied it in from our database)
Camping Sloneczna, Cieplice near Jelenia Gora	Poland	£13.40/night	Dutch run site with very good facilities and pleasant bar, wifi too. Highly recommended site, Jelenia Gora is a lovely town and good walking in the mountains here.
Camping Malta, Poznan	Poland	£10.00/night	Large site with lots of chalets, by the lake and easy cycling in to Poznan, very good facilities	Poznan is beautiful and well worth a visit.
Camping No 19, Kamieny Potok, near Gdansk	Poland	£10.00/night Large site and crowded, facilities acceptable. Public transport in to Gdansk near and easy walk to the beach and in to Sopot. Gdansk is a fantastic city to visit.
Camping No 51, Leba	Poland	Very pleasant site, grassy with trees and unregimented layout. Facilities very clean and small shop. Near beach and dunes and nature reserve.
8	Miedzyzdroje	Poland	£12.00/night	Campsite very grassy and midges, facilities not very clean, town pleasant seaside town and access to Walinski National Park.

Happy camping
CandA


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## aps1 (Apr 27, 2009)

We visited Poland for 3 weeks in July / August 2010 including Auschwitz in the south and Gdansk in the north, and we're going back for a month this summer. 

Always welcome to give information on all places that we have visited.

Adrian


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