Austria and Poland

Doogle

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Looking at options for a trip next year and trying to tie in 2 particular parts in one trip, one would be a visit to Auchwitz and the other the Grossglockner high alpine road in Austria. We have a maximum of 9 days that includes crossing the channel and back, and want to keep any motorway to a minimum. Would also like to dip into Slovakia and Hungary if possible. Thinking France, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, south Germany, France. Think this is achievable in the time frame? Anyone done anything similar or have any routes to recommend?
Thanks
 
Given that it's nigh on 900 miles directly to Auschwitz from Calais, and your desire to avoid motorways, I think you're pushing it to try and get much of Slovakia & Hungary in as well.

That said, I don't know your comfortable daily range, but I know I wouldn't try and do more than about 250 miles if I wanted to enjoy the roads and the scenery. I did a trip there in 2011, admittedly with a group, but we took 2 weeks and took in a lot more than just Auschwitz. I'd suggest factoring in the Grossglockner, and the nearby Eagles Nest as a full day en-route, possibly Dachau as well if you fancy that, but also leave a day at least to go to Krakow and see the sights there. Schindlers place, the Salt mines, and just the town square are all well worth a visit if you've made the effort to go that far.
 
Thanks for the info. 250-300 a day ideally. Can push slightly higher on a couple of days. Think you’re probably right about Hungary and Slovakia, the two main points would be Auchwitz and Grossglockner and some nice bits in between which seems achievable. Eagles Nest and salt mines sound like a plan.👍🏻
 
Having just spent six days getting back from Krakow to Zeebrugge which included calling at Auschwitz, Colditz, the Kyffhäuser and Harz I think your plan might be a bit too ambitious in the time you have available.

I 100% recommend visiting Krakow but personally if I went again I would fly in and spend three days doing the city, the salt mine and Auschwitz / Birkenau.

We found south western Poland / north western Czech Republic tedious on the bikes so unless someone can recommend a really good route to you I would avoid it.
 
Straightforward Calais-Auschwitz-Grossglockner-Calais is 35 hrs/2166 miles according to Google Maps. Spread evenly over 9 days gives you 44 hrs/240 miles per day.

"Avoid tolls and highways" increases that to 60 hrs/2200 miles, or nearly seven hours per day (not including breaks) and 244 miles per day. I'm not sure what Google Maps defines as a highway.

Assuming you want to spend a day at Auschwitz sightseeing (if that's not the wrong word for such a sombre place) looking around, plenty of time to do the Grossglockner a couple of times and enjoy the scenery you've ridden all that way to find, and your 9 days includes getting to and from home across the channel, and I think you're either being overambitious, or will have to commit to some serious mileage days.

It's certainly possible, but it's not what I'd call a holiday!
 


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