This trip focuses on the Eastern half of Slovakia, exploring the region where Melanie's ancestors came from. Genealogy research is a big part of this trip. We picked Kraków to fly into because it was cheaper than Prague or Budapest. Kraków had plenty of interesting attractions on its own, so we spent the first few days of trip exploring Kraków's sights.
There are 8 UNESCO sites that we visted on this trip:
Kraków Old Town Center
Auschwitz
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Bodružal, Ladomirova & Hervatov Wooden churches
Bardejov Town Square
The caves: Krásnohorská, Jaskyna Domica, Jasovská of the Slovak Karst
Levoca Town Center
Spis Castle
I plotted on the following map most of the attractions that we hoped to visit.
Click here for 10 day Weather forecast of Kraków
Click here for 10 day Weather forecast of Kosice
Click here for 10 day Weather forecast of Poprad
Aug 19: SundayLeave Seattle at 1:50 PM on Lufthansa |
Aug 20: MondayLand in Frankfort at 8:35 AM 4 hr layover in Frankfort Land in Kraków at 2:00 PM Pickup rental car The Church of Saints Peter and Paul Florian Gate Part of Barbican ticket Stay in Kraków at Best Western Kraków Old Town |
Aug 21: TuesdayBest Western Free Breakfast Wawel Castle State Rooms and Lost Wawel museum Wawel Cathedral9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Free UNESCO site: Kraków Old Town Center Main SquareBarbican, Florian Gate, and Old City Walls Schindler's Factory Open until 8 PM Stay in Kraków at Best Western Kraków Old Town |
Aug 22: WednesdayBest Western Free Breakfast UNESCO site: Auschwitz-Birkenau. 3.5 hr English speaking tour beginning at 9:30 AM. 100 zl each (prepaid)Evening walk around Kraków Planty Gardens walk, which used to be a moat around the old town. Stay in Kraków at Best Western Kraków Old Town |
Aug 23: ThursdayBest Western Free BreakfastDrive 12 Km, 20 min, Kraków from Wieliczka UNESCO Wieliczka Salt Mine Tour Drive 200 Km, 3 hrs, from Wieliczka to Bodružal Bodružal wooden church of St Nicholas LadomirovaDrive 40 Km, 1 hrs, from Ladomirova to Bardejov Stay in Bardejov at Hotel Artin |
Aug 24: FridayHotel Artin Free BreakfastGenealogy day UNESCO sites: Wooden Churches Hervatov opens Visit Jan & AnnaMarie Korecko in village of Kl'ušov UNESCO site: Bardejov old city walls Bardejov nearby towns: Tarnov, Rokytov, Mokroluh Prešov nearby towns: Sabinov, Pecovská Nová Ves Drive 120 Km, 2 hrs, from Bardejov to Košice Meet Martin and Beata for dinner Rent in Košice apartment - expected after 4 PM checkin |
Aug 25: SaturdayBreakfast in apartment Genealogy DayKošice - St Elizabeth's Cathedral Košice - historic Hlavna street Košice nearby towns & visit cemeteries: Královce, Cižatice, Kecerovce, Opiná, Rankovce, Herlany Stay in Košice apartment |
Aug 26: SundayBreakfast in apartment Drive 65 km (1 hr) from Košice to Krásnohorská Cave UNESCO site: Krásnohorská Cave 9 AM tour Drive 30 km (0.5 hr) from Krásnohorská Cave to Jaskyna Domica Cave UNESCO site: Jaskyna Domica cave Drive 60 km (1 hr) from Domica Cave to Jasovská Cave UNESCO site: Jasovská CaveLast tour at 3 PM Drive 80 km (1.5 hr) from Jasovská Cave to KošicePickup 10 day Toll Road Vignette Sticker at gas station 10,00 € Night visit to Košice old town squareStay in Košice apartment |
Aug 27: MondayBreakfast in apartment Genealogy day - visit the archives of Košice Climb the north tower of St Elisabeth cathedralStay in Košice, Slovakia |
Aug 28: TuesdayBreakfast in apartment Genealogy dayVisit Kecerovce church, meet the priest Drive 80 Km, 1 hrs, from Košice to Bardejov Bardejov archives Drive 80 Km, 1 hrs, from Bardejov to Košice Drive 40 Km, 1/2 hrs, from Košice to Presov Visit Jan Korecko family Drive 40 Km, 1/2 hrs, from Presov to Košice Stay in Košice apartment |
Aug 29: WednesdayBreakfast in apartment Genealogy driving day: National Holiday, archives closed. Visit Martin's family in Cižatice UNESCO Cold Geyser in Herlany Visit Rudolph and the graveyard at CižaticeDrive 120 Km, 2 hrs, from Košice to Poprad. Rent an apartment in Poprad, expect to arrive between 3 and 5 PM |
Aug 30: ThursdayBreakfast in apartment High Tatras National Park Kriván Peak and Važecká Valley20 KM, 8 hr hikeStay in Poprad apartment |
Aug 31: FridayBreakfast in apartment Slovensky Raj National Park sites and trails and descriptions map Slovensky Raj National Park - Velký Sokol gorge 25 KM, 4 hrs Spis Castle Stop briefly at Levoca town centerStay in Poprad apartment |
Sept 1: SaturdayBreakfast in apartment Ride cable car to top of Lomnicky Peak First car up is at 8:50 AM Tatranská Lomnica – Javorová Valley 8hr hike in High TatrasStay in Poprad apartment |
Sept 2: SundayBreakfast in apartment High Tatras National Park Bystra Lavka Circuit Hike16 KM, 6.5 hr hikeStay in Poprad apartment |
Sept 3: Monday (Labor Day)Breakfast in apartment Slovensky Raj National Park: hike through Sucha Bela Gorge 6 Miles, 4 hrsDrive 150 Km, 2 hrs, Slovensky Raj to Terchová Late afternoon in Mala Fatra Mtns Park. Vratna cable car ride, possible walk to Velky Krivan peak or Chleb peak Stay in Terchová at Penzion Stárek |
Sept 4: TuesdayBreakfast included at Penzion StárekDiery gorge hikes 15 Km, 5 hrs Drive 100 Km, 2.0 hrs, from Terchová to Zakopane Stay in Zakopane at Skalny Hotel |
Sept 5: WednesdaySkalny Hotel Breakfast BuffetZakopane Park hike to Morskiego Oka 9 hrs, 24KM and 1120 meter elevation Drive 110 Km, 2.0 hrs, from Zakopane to Kraków Return rental car Stay at Hilton Garden Inn at Kraków airport |
Sept 6:ThursdayLeave Kraków at 6:05 AM on Lufthansa Land in Frankfort at 7:40 A.M. 3 hr layover in Frankfort Leave Frankfort at 10:45 A.M., land in Seattle at 11:50 A.M. |
Sept 7: Friday |
Sept 8: Saturday |
