Oswiecim (near Krakow) , Poland
 

Looking to get over to Oswiecim, and run back via Colditz, spending a rest day at each location. Aim to do this in eight days (leaving from Manchester) in mid may. I think its about a three day journey to Krakow? Plan is to use F1s and find cheap B & B in Poland. Riding alone, first real trip abroad on bike. Feasible? Any comments would be really welcome.

I did this trip more or less in summer 2004. Mapsource calculates the distance from Manchester to Krakow via Calais and Berlin as 1238 miles. And that’s on motorways which I remember thinking was rather boring.

I wouldn’t want to do it in 8 days. You need a full day to see Oswiecim/Birkenau let alone Krakow or the salt mines. I recommend you allow yourself longer or go somewhere closer for a first trip.

If you are interested in European history, what about the Normandy coast, or Ypres and Tyne Cot cemetery which is truly a touching experience?
Stephan

FYI there is complimentary guarded parking available at Oswiecim, therefore no concerns about parking the bike and leaving it. Just ask the attendent at the parking lot if you can put your moto beside his/her building.

Michael

Hi there
In Osw. there is a Catholic centre which does cheap accommodation in a very nice bulding. I forget the name but just ask. They also allow camping in nice grounds cheap. I recommend this.

Good roads

I did this via Southern Germany - Mannheim - and Prague. Its obviously motorway blasts most of the way. You can do the 'Long Way Round' church of bones on the way out of Czech republic. And consider leaving Poland through the Tatras in to Slovakia - beautiful. You could do it in your time frame but its a lot of riding.

Thanks guys, comments and advice much appreciated.

The Tatra's are awesome, also the roads are brilliant there, scenic and would be great fun on an F1.
Sean

[This message has been edited by seanh (edited 27 March 2006).]

Zakopane is very nice this hotel was only £35 per night for 2 you can just see my Fazer on the right
http://gsgary.smugmug.com/photos/18635138-M.jpg

trip
 

I have had a desire to visit oswiciem and peenamunde for a while now, Have had odd looks when i mention this. so glad to see I am not alone. I do plan to visit verdun and bastogne this year... and i guess the bmw is the ideal slab bike for osw.

Dennis brown.. how do I find this catholic centre???

I'm thinking about visiting my brother in Wroclaw this summer (sometime June to August) and generally doing a bit of exploring in Poland with maybe a stop or two to do the tourist thing on the way from the UK. Always interested to know the must-sees from that part of the world. If anyone would like to join me for a portion that would be good too.

Very interesting. I'll be in Poland by the end of July, early August. We (my girlfriend and myself) will be driving two-up from Munich via Zielona Góra and Warsaw to the Baltic Sea, then back via Hamburg and I don't know where or what else. Route is not final yet but we're definitely going. We plan to be in Poland for 14-20 days, not sure yet.

If you're in this general area it would be great if we could meet, we planned to spend a day in Oswiecim as well. How 'bout you send me an email and we'll talk it over. Would be great to have another person join us even if it's only for a few days.

I cant say I have riden a bike in Poland but I certainly have driven a few miles around the country (and most the others around it too right up to and including Russia) working for a motor racing team based there for a few years.

Thankfully Poland is now EEC as the border crossing could be a bit of a nightmare on somedays, that aside i cant reccomend the country enough, people are fantastic and bend over backwards to help you. Poland like Estonia has the added advantage that its both very modern (Tesco's hypermarkets, digital banking and computers everywere) but it also has not forgotton its past and I doubt ever will!

Osw is a must, as is Wawel, the Stare Maisto and Podgorze district (famous thanks to Shindlers list) all in Krakow and the (although a bit touristy now) salt mines just to the south at Wieliczka. For stunning scenery you wont beat the northen 'lakes' area around Olsztyn and the Czec border town of Cieszyn and near by Wisla in the hills. one last place is the mass unmarked Jewish graves to the north of Warsaw, its a very haunting place much like Osw but without the buildings and 'memoribila'...

I still have a few Maps and local guides your welcome to borrow.

Jen

oh and one pice of advice avoid the A4 (Gorlitz/Zgorzelec to Krackow) as much as possible its literally the road from hell made from uneven paving slabs!

Something changed. A4 is boring but very flat motorway. You can take it without hesitation. You have to pay 13 zl (3 Euro) only for section Katowice - Krakow.
Be carefull because there is no gas station now between Wroclaw and Katowice (over 200 km).

Section Wroclaw-Krakow certainly is but can you say that about Goerlitz-Wroclaw section? It might still be the road from hell Jenna mentioned.

Kris

thanks guys, I envy you living is such a fantastic city! i remember the short bit of new tarmac to the east of Wroclaw ( used to get my milkshake that the McDonalds just over the bridge there) and i guess it has grown a bit by now.

is the Race bar still about in Krakow by any chance?

Its near the gates of Birkenau camp. But just ask at ticket offices, tourist offices policemen etc. I cant give you map here. I just asked around when I was there last summer.

I'd like to answer your question but I don't know what "race bar" stands for. Oops! I tried www.dictionary.com but there is no such entry...
I love Krakow a lot, just came back from a contract in Houston, TX and love it even more but the region is so crowded with people and fast roads are so scarce that motorbike riding is a little frustrating...

It's nice you enjoyed your stay in Poland,
Kris

I'm thinking about riding my VFR from London to Warsaw some time toward the end of summer. If you're interested in riding together a bit, or if you come up with an interesting route there & back, get in touch.

Cheers,
James

MJungowski and JamesCo

Thanks for letting me know your plans. For me nothing is set in stone and I'm not even sure yet whether I'm going to be able to do the trip. I must admit that, being a novice at continental riding, having some company would be good.

I'm starting to look for interesting things to see on the way as, much as I love riding the bike the prospect of 2 days on M/way autobahn to get to poland does not really fill me with joy.

Have been wondering about quick ways to get the bike to Poland: there is an overnight ferry from Harwich to Esbjerg (Denmark) which would about halve the riding to Warsaw, compared to a Calais departure, but it's ridiculously expensive (about £468.30 for a two-share). Can't think of another option, so I'm probably going to take extra time & choose interesting roads rather than burning up the motorway.

Cheers,
James

There does not appear to be much by the way of motorrail to that part of the world either. I can fly Norwich (near Dad's house) to wroclaw (where brother lives) by Ryanair for less than the cost of the bike fuel in a fraction of the time. It has to be about the journey and what we see on the way.
Rather than spend upwards of £400 on ferry fares, it may be worth flying and hiring a bike.

Whoa
 

I ust got a quote from Sea france for £45 return...by bike for july..

JamesCo and jcbp

Awesome, I was hoping to find someone to travel with even if it's only for a couple of days :)
I'm pretty certain that I'll be in Poland early-mid August (maybe mid-end but given that I have an important exam early September chances are it'll be early-mid), do you guys have any schedules yet? I realize jcbp hasn't but what about you JamesCo, you said late summer, does that mean August/September? You can also just send me an email: martin.jungowski at campus.lmu.de :thumbup1:

Of course jcbp, you're also invited to drop me a line about whether or not you have decided to go and give a rough schedule so we can arrange something, that'd be great. I have family in Poland (Zielona Gora and Warsaw) and will be staying with them, if I tell'em I'm with company it should be no problem for you guys to stay there as well, I'll just have to arrange it beforehand.

Kris:

Probably something to do with Formula 1 racing, or motorcycle racing, or similar. In other words, a drinking establishment (pub, bar, etc.) with a motor racing theme. That would be my guess.

Michael

Oh I see... Given that Krakow is the tourist center of Poland and there are more than 400 pubs/restaurants/caffes just within historical city limits, it is quite likely there is a race bar in Krakow but I don't know where :-).

Cheers,
Kris

21st July poland for 2 weeks
 

Me and my girlfreind are visiting Poland next month,Honda Hornet and Pan European, we get on a ferry from North Sheilds, Newcastle on the 21st July to Ijmuiden, Amsterdam for 2 weeks and then riding on to Poland, not long to go and just starting the preperations now for routes etc. Anyone from the UK there around these dates. We did did a tour in Poland at christmas, visiting Krakow,Gdansk and Warsaw. Fly, walk, train, definately not the place for bikes in winter.
Gary
Send me an email if there around this time gary@brow81.freeserve.co.uk

Gary and gang:

I'll probaby be in Poland in mid-July also. I will be riding from Zurich up to Dresden, then Dresden across the south of Poland towards Lviv, Ukraine.

I don't have firm dates just yet, but I will check back on this thread in early July and let you know what my schedule is. I ride a Honda ST1100.

Michael

Well it's almost time. We'll be leaving Munich on July 31st and plan to arrive at the baltic sea on August 2nd or 3rd. Anyone up for some baltic sea fun? Free camping ;)

OK so here's the plan.

We're leaving here on the 31st of July and plan to be at the Baltic Ocean in Dźwirzyno on the 2nd or 3rd of August. Unfortunately no free camping since it didn't work out the way we planned so we'll probably stay on a nice camp site in Dźwirzyno (it's watched so that's what makes it kinda special). Then on to Gdansk, no camp site there yet, then Warsaw for the weekend of the 12th/13th and then on to Kraków and Cesky Krumlov (incredibly beautiful village, definitely worth a visit). If anyone's in the general area let me know, I'll be able to check my mails on the 1st and then again on the 11/12/13th of August.

Heading to Poland tomorrow from Vilnius and our destination is Krakow (probably will get there on tuesday the 8th of aug), would be great to meet some bikers. We've been on the road for about 45 days already and + 10K Km...The easiest way to contact is text message I think.

+44 7 880 935 107

Fernando & Maraisa

p.s. - We're riding a R1150GS

go east young man
 

Fernando -

If you're in Bialystok now, consider traveling via eastern Poland on your way to Krakow. There are jewels spilled. Places like Sandomierz (must see on this route), Zamosc, Kazimierz Dolny are old, charming little towns. Naleczow is a spa with a 20ha park. Lublin is a bigger city with long history. Can tell you more details if you choose to go this way and need something.

Kris

Thanks a lot Kris,

This is actually the route we had thought about, just gotta look over the map tonight and find the right roads!

See you in Krakow for a drink!

Fernando & Maraisa