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'Hidden Gems' in Eastern Europe

RedPandaRedPanda
in Not Sports Related
Hello, I'm looking at going somewhere over that way in a few weeks. I've been to the main tourist cities and a few others so looking at alternatives.

I'm preferably after somewhere like Krakow or Prague. Enough to do over 3 nights, pleasant to walk around, fairly cheap, has a potential day trip out and a bit erm, romantic.

Has anyone been to Wroclaw or Gdansk? I've looked at Riga and Vilnius but there doesn't appear much to do, then over Romania way looks too much to fly to unless the city really is great. Any ideas..?

Cheers.
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Comments

  • moutuakillamoutuakilla
    I would highly recommend bosnia - Sarajevo and Mostar are fantastic. Lots of options, Istanbul is one of my favourite cities, it just oozes culture. Ljubljana in Slovenia also worth a visit. For things to do in that area, istanbul most likely trumps the lot IMHO.
  • sralansralan
    Krakow is a fantastic city. Options of having a trip to the famous salt mine where there are some amazing sculptures in the rock or to Auschwitz/ Birkenau ( if that interests you ).
  • Davo55Davo55
    I've been to Gdansk. It's interesting enough for a day but wouldn't have enough to fill 2-3 days. Krakow better if you want to go to Poland. If the flights aren't too expensive have a look at St Petersburg in Russia. The most western of Russia's city's, scene of the revolution, site of the Winter Palace and Hermitage. Brilliant place to visit.
  • ShootersHillGuruShootersHillGuru
    Beens to both Wroclaw pronounced Vrots waff and Gdansk. Neither are comparable to Krakow or Prague. The former has a pretty but small centre with large square but outside of that not too much. Gdansk is again in many respects a little disappointing when compared to Krakow and Prague. Gdansk offers the Lenin shipyard visit and trip to Gdynia and Sopot on the coast. If I was you I would consider Budapest. Very large, beautiful and more than enough to see and do.
  • ISawLeaburnScoreISawLeaburnScore
    Krakow was class when I went last year. Something for everyone.
  • DaveMehmetDaveMehmet
    Like others, can highly reccomend Krakow and Budapest.
  • MortimericianMortimerician
    How about Talinn? Nice historic center, great people and you can do a day trip over to Helsinki by helecopter.
  • rinarina
    Gdansk is part of the tri-city area of gdansk/sopot/gdynia which is effectively one big city connected by a 24 hour train system but too many people go to Gdansk without visiting Sopot which is where all the good drinking spots are. Quite a number of clubs on the beach and pubs/bars/cafes on the main road (ul. Monte Cassino) which slopes down to the pier. Gdansk for cultural stuff, Sopot for booze, beach and better hotels and organise in advance to head off somewhere and fire machine guns one day and you've got a decent long weekend

    Lviv is a good bet if you can find flights that suit but it can be awkward to get to. Decent mix of Polish/Ukrainian/Russian culture and a few really good clubs

    Or Kiev and organise in advance to do a day trip to Pripyat/Chernobyl, this one's on my to do list for the near future
  • YorkshireaddickYorkshireaddick
    I'd go for Tallinn too.
  • kafkakafka
    Tallinn is interesting. Bratislava (fly to Vienna and get a boat up the Danube). Romania has some great cities; Brasov and Sibiu stand out.
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  • sam3110sam3110
    Loved Krakow, the amber market, salt mines and Auschwitz are all must sees
  • razilrazil
    I tell you what there weren't many in Croatia, some very 'hard lives' being had over there...

    :)
  • Sonicstud85Sonicstud85
    Tallinn was great but i dont remember it ticking the "fairly cheap" box.
  • SheffieldRedSheffieldRed

    Some good suggestions, although the term 'hidden gem' appears to be used very loosely. On this basis add Bucharest. Depending on your budget look at the Crimea.
  • suzisausagesuzisausage
    Cannot recommend Budapest enough, if you haven't been.
  • RedPandaRedPanda
    Thanks for the tips.

    I just used Krakow as an example, it is a really cool place. Budapest and Prague I've been to too, I've said I'll go back if I can watch a football game but that met a somewhat negative response...

    By 'hidden gem' I guess I mean not one of the main backpacker or stag-do cities. Is Warsaw just a small old town, built up commerical area and otherwise a grey mess? I'll have another look at Tallinn flights (expensive) and also Ljubljana, I've kind of assumed it to be a dump like Bratislava. Istanbul I plan to visit at some point but for football.
  • Charlton_StuCharlton_Stu
    If you choose Gdansk then it would be worthwhile taking a ferry over to the Hell Peninsula which is like it's own little island, plenty of bars and restaurants which are very cheap, and lots of different fishing villages on route. We stayed in Jastarnia in summer which is Beautiful.
  • cafcfancafcfan
    Albania.
  • Clem_SnideClem_Snide
    Tallin. Easyjet fly there. Think it was about 90.00 return when I went.
  • The_OrganiserThe_Organiser
    Dubrovnik is stunning.
    Krakow quality and plenty to do for a few days.
    Bucharest old town best nightlife I've known but not sure how much culture etc.
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  • McBobbinMcBobbin
    Riga is worth considering. It's a pretty place and inexpensive. I went on a stag party, so unsure of what there is to do other than shooting powerful guns and drinking!
  • killerandflashkillerandflash
    razil said:

    I tell you what there weren't many in Croatia, some very 'hard lives' being had over there...

    :)

    I thought Zagreb was a nice city, the croatian coast isn't exactly a hidden gem, but is very attractive.

    Belgrade was quite interesting too, one or two buildings bombed by the West have been left as deliberate ruins.
  • razilrazil
    I was referring to another kind of 'scenery'
  • LincsaddickLincsaddick
    Constanta, Romania, on the Black Sea .. but a long trip for just a couple of days
  • ShootersHillGuruShootersHillGuru
    Tallinn is very nice but small. Not too much to see over three days. It's also very expensive. Sorry McBobbin but Riga is not pretty at all. In fact it's quite gritty and still expensive. Ljubljana is a very nice place and certainly worth a visit. What about Munich ? Cheaper than both Tallinn and Riga and plenty to see and do.
  • PragueAddickPragueAddick
    Does Berlin still qualify? Anyway, everyone still sings its praises.

    Then there is Dresden. Still haven't stayed there myself but a beautiful and lively city. They say Leipzig has better nightlife, but getting decent accommodation at a decent price is really difficult. I tried and gave up, on my round Germany trip earlier this year.
  • AbsurdistanAbsurdistan
    Warsaw is un Ugly grey mess.............thanks to communism and war.
    Poznan is very nice.
  • E_cafcE_cafc
    Montenegro is an up and coming place to go, Slovenia is stunning and Dubrovnik too but very touristy now as it`s on the cruise schedule.
  • RDGRDG
    Stayed in Sopot this summer. Lovely place, great beach, lots of very reasonable (80p a vodka) bars and restaurants. Would highly recommend, but get out there before the weather turns freezing.
  • Indigo JoeIndigo Joe
    PragueAddick said:

    Does Berlin still qualify? Anyway, everyone still sings its praises.

    Then there is Dresden. Still haven't stayed there myself but a beautiful and lively city. They say Leipzig has better nightlife, but getting decent accommodation at a decent price is really difficult. I tried and gave up, on my round Germany trip earlier this year.

    Stopped off in Dresden for a couple of days whilst en route to Prague last October. A really nice town and very affluent. Expensive but good nightlife. The eastern side of the Elbe has been totally redeveloped with a big wide boulevard, outdoor cafes, art galleries springing up everywhere etc.

    Was in Leipzig about ten years ago and there wasn't a lot to do except drink. Might have changed a lot since then.
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