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(TGA) - I am planning to be in Krakow in early July, and was hoping to make an overnight trip to Slovakia. Can someone give me an idea of a city or two that would be close to the border and interesting in Slovakia, and also how far away it is from Krakow? Additionally, whether one has to travel by train or bus. Thanks, I appreciate it very much.
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Really interesting is a small town: Liptovsky Mikulas
Check: www.heartofeurope.co.uk/trav_mikulas.htm
http://www.mikulas.sk/en/visitor.php
Best with a car; trains - I could find any decent connection; so far, I haven't found a bus. Alternatively, private van to Zakopane (Tatra Mountains); again, I haven't checked connections into Tatra on SK side...
Perhaps people living in Krakow will come up with other ideas..
I assume you want SK & not CZ towns... (Frydek Mistek has a lovely castle, but apart from excellent pubs, it's quite industrial - on Czech side - or rather Moravian side of Cz Rep.)
britannica.com/EBchecked/…Frydek-Mistek
I think Polish Eurolines stop there on the way to Brno & Vienna... (bus)
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Thanks for the excellent reply with the many helpful links! It is appreciated.
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From Krakow to Slovakia the transport links are not the greatest - largely due to the rather hefty mountain range in the way (High Tatras). As mentioned above, the car is probably the only way to do it if you are only going on an overnight journey - it isn't a short drive from Krakow, though - it is at least a four-hour white-knuckle drive from Krakow to Poprad, which is the nearest town on the Slovak side.
Liptovský Mikuláš is a very pleasant sleepy little town under teh low Tatra mountains, but I would go the other way and go to Levoča (recently designated a UNESCO world heritage site) and Kežmarok, etc.
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Thanks for the additional information.
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I visited Stara Lubovna a few years back with its impressive castle.Transport though isnt the easiest in those areas and I ended up renting a car
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>Best with a car; trains - I could find any decent connection; so far,
I have found a good overnight connection; however, it will only be good for those people (like me :)) who sleep well on short train routes.
Those trains run every day in July. On some days, other overnight trains are available (their timing being even more convenient in my view).
Kraków Główny 22:11 - Bohumin 01:07
D 400 Pospieszny (Fast train)
Please reserve, Sleeping-car, Couchettes
Bohumin 01:41 - Liptovsky Mikulas 05:01
R 443 Schnellzug (Fast train)
Please reserve, Sleeping-car, Couchettes, space for wheelchairs, parent-and-children compartiment
Duration: 6:50; runs daily
Liptovsky Mikulas 20:38 - Kysak 22:13
IC 503 InterCity
restricted bicycle space, Subject to compulsory reservation, BordRestaurant, parent-and-children compartiment, Compartment for disabled travellers
Kysak 23:42 - Kraków Główny 05:10
D 1380 Pospieszny (Fast train)
, Please reserve, Couchettes
Duration: 8:23; runs not every day, 18. Jun until 4. Sep
Hint: Prolonged stop
Edited: 8:38 am, February 05, 2010
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This is all very well, but although Liptovský Mikuláš is a nice little place, it is a bit of a one horse town (no offence meant at all) and you might be a bit disappointed having spent the night on a couple of trains and having made a considerable detour to get there :)
Honestly - it is best to get a car and explore the Spiš region - there are some wonderful little medieval villages and towns around there which can't be easily reached by public transport.
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LM to be "one horse town?" Sorry GCEK, I disagree. True, really a car hire is the only way, but a lot to see:
DEMANOVSKA ICE CAVE
members.virtualtourist.com/m/890de/a7014/
ssj.sk/jaskyne/…
Besenova thermal spa
Tatralandia- the largest thermal waters water park in Central Europe...
Other things to see:
http://www.mikulas.sk/en/visitor.php
visitslovakia.com/tatralandia-liptovsky-miku…
Great reading about Havranok & the Celtic settlers:
www.slovakia.travel/entitaview.aspx…
IMO, definitely classified as on of the most Interesting cities in Slovakia near the Polish border...., though strictly speaking not that near the border, but with a car - great place to visit in July....:)
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