Business trip to Warsaw, Poland - what to expect?

[911 in SC]

I am traveling to Warsaw in April. Actually, our plant is just West of Warsaw in Ozarow. Just curious if anyone had any experience in Poland, and what should I expect? What should I see and do in my free time (if I get any)? I've been advised to NOT rent a car, but to take a taxi. What's your thoughts?

I traveled to Budapest last April, so I'm not a TOTAL stranger to Europe. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Budapest. I hope my trip to Warsaw will be half as nice!

Thanks,
Mike

[Dottore]

I rented a car in Warsaw and drove into the countryside one fine Sunday recently. Got two speeding tickets of about 100 Euro each although I was the safest driver on the road. Money was collected on the spot with no receipts

I love Warsaw. Great people. Great restaurants. Gorgeous women.

But the police are swine, and the bureaucracy is corrupt.

Par for the course for countries such as this.

If you realize from the outset that you're not in Kansas anymore, you'll have a fine time.

[Rick Lee]

Hottest women in the world. You won't believe it until you get there. I haven't been since '92, but it was an amazing trip. My buddy and I hitchiked from near Luxembourg to Kiev. Poland is such a wonderful country. Warsaw is good, but Krakow crushes it. Anyway, in Warsaw you MUST go to the Warsaw Ghetto Museum. If you read German well, it will be even more moving. Lots of history in Poland. Few countries have been shat upon more and I think that gives Poles a very special character. We stayed with some old lady in the old ghetto part of town, which, of course, was leveled and rebuilt. We could barely communicate. But on the last day, some of her old lady friends were over and one spoke perfect German and told us some stories about the ghetto uprising. That was one my life's most valuable experiences. If you have time to travel around, head north to Malbork (formerly Marienburg) and see the world's largest castle. Krakow is, IIRC, two hours south of Warsaw by train. Of course, you have to go to Auschwitz, if you're there. They were filming Schindler's List when I was there. I really want to go to Wroclaw (formerly Breslau) someday, as one of my dear old German friends grew up there before WWII. You will LOVE Poland. Absolutely one of the greatest places in the world. I could live there.

[911 in SC]

Thanks for the replies! I have to say, it sounds as though it mirrors my thoughts of Hungary, and especially areas around Budapest. I drove the entire time I was in Hungary. Although I could NOT read the road signs, I could compare them to the map we had, so it wasn't too bad. Very little communication outside of the city, but we still had a blast. We were able to see ALOT of history while we were there. I feel certain we will be able to do the same, if not more, in Poland.

Thanks for the the suggestions and warnings! Sounds like I won't be driving.

Dottore, since you were there recently, how was the weather? I suppose it will be warming up some in the coming weeks. We'll be going over on April 5th.

Thanks,
Mike

[Joeaksa]

Agree with what Dottore and RL said. I love Poland and its a hidden gem of Europe. Also really agree that Krakow is much better than Warsaw.

Get out and see the countryside a bit, its worth it!

[imcarthur]

Last year we had a 6 hour stopover in Warsaw at the end of our Hungarian vacation. We cabbed into the Old Town area for lunch & some quick sightseeing. That area is quite nice (and touristy) but the rest of the city seemed pretty drab. fwiw

You can see my trip report & some pics at Warsaw

Ian

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by 911 in SC

.

Dottore, since you were there recently, how was the weather? I suppose it will be warming up some in the coming weeks. We'll be going over on April 5th.

Thanks,
Mike

I was there late last summer and the weather was hot.

[911 in SC]

Thanks for all of the info! WOW, Ian, great report on your trip! I don't have anything written, but have many, many pics from our stay in Budapest last year. I hope to get many of Warsaw and the surrounding areas this year. I am supposed to return to Budapest in May too. Can't wait for that one. I really fell in love with the 'old town ways' in the surrounding cities.

You all have me looking forward to the trip now. Can't wait!

Thanks again,
Mike

[imcarthur]

Mike

I have to agree. Small town Hungary was our highlight. Of course, it helped that I had my Hungarian wife as a translator.

After the trip, I was hellbent on moving to Sopron. About 3 hrs west of Budapest by car. It is a tiny gem. Lots of restaurants, great local wine, 1 hour from Vienna but absurdly cheaper & an interesting melting pot of architecture. $130K buys a nice house. Maybe someday.

Ian

[911 in SC]

Originally Posted by imcarthur

Mike

I have to agree. Small town Hungary was our highlight. Of course, it helped that I had my Hungarian wife as a translator.

After the trip, I was hellbent on moving to Sopron. About 3 hrs west of Budapest by car. It is a tiny gem. Lots of restaurants, great local wine, 1 hour from Vienna but absurdly cheaper & an interesting melting pot of architecture. $130K buys a nice house. Maybe someday.

Ian

I spent most of my time working, so I didn't have the time available you did. However, I was very impressed with everything I was able to see and experience. We were in the opposite direction from Budapest, south east, down the M5 in a small town of Ujhartyan. Our plant was very visible from the M5 and the exit for Ujhartyan. The people were very hospitable, even with our lack of understanding of the Hungarian language. We spent our weekdays in the small town in the only hotel - Hotel Ujhartyan. Nice, LARGE rooms, although no A/C or tele. They did have LCD tvs and satellite though. Different culture. Had a fantastic cafe that served pastries. Great food too! Fried turkey breasts and American fries?!?! Who would have guessed?!?! Terrific! A cool little bar on the opposite corner. We didn't speak Hungarian, they didn't speak English, but we all spoke Heineken! Dreher was not too terribly bad either!

We stayed at the Danubius Hotel Flamenco on the Buda side during the weekends though. That allowed us to venture around the capital. In fact, many of my pictures mirror yours from the Buda side. The Gellert Hill and Citadel was fascinating for me! Walking the Danube, seeing the Parliament, etc. was way too cool. We were there in April, so the weather was PERFECT!

Thanks for the invaluable information! Of course, this is in OT, so nothing is OT, IMO

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by imcarthur

Mike

I have to agree. Small town Hungary was our highlight. Of course, it helped that I had my Hungarian wife as a translator.

After the trip, I was hellbent on moving to Sopron. About 3 hrs west of Budapest by car. It is a tiny gem. Lots of restaurants, great local wine, 1 hour from Vienna but absurdly cheaper & an interesting melting pot of architecture. $130K buys a nice house. Maybe someday.

Ian

I've also been to Sopron. I think we stayed in Gyoer when we were there and then went swimming in Balaton. Hungary was so awesome too. I went there straight from E. Germany, before the Wall had come down, but after Hungary had opened its border to Austria. When we drove over from Vienna, we could see the Trabbis on the side of the road and the E. Germans walking through the fields to freedom. It was an amazing experience.

[911 in SC]

WOW Rick! Thanks for sharing - and no, I can't imagine how awesome that would have been to see! Very cool stuff!

[BRPORSCHE]

Originally Posted by imcarthur

Mike

I have to agree. Small town Hungary was our highlight. Of course, it helped that I had my Hungarian wife as a translator.
Ian

I am half Hungarian and am dying to get over there. It sounds like a wonderful country to visit.

What's your wife's maiden name? My mom is 'Meszaros'

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by BRPORSCHE

What's your wife's maiden name? My mom is 'Meszaros'

Bella & Tóth. Bella is not typically Hungarian. Béla is common as a 1st name but not Bella as a family name. The family (here & in Magyar) half-jokingly thinks an Italian snuck in somewhere at the end of the last century. They all come from a small village west of Csorna.

Ian

[John_AZ]

Went to Szczecin, Poland a couple of years ago as a side trip to Berlin. Radisson SAS Szczecin sent over a driver. Enjoyed the people and countryside. Here is a site for additional European country information: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618386352.
Enjoy the trip.

John_AZ