Hungary to Krakow via Slovakia, Tatrus Mountains

[frank9755]

I've just done this.

A friend was getting married in Hungary, so we took the bikes over and made a week of it.

Great destination. High mountains but virtually all the climbs were gentle gradients. Beautiful scenery, food was pretty good and the beer excellent. Friendly people, decent hotels, not too expensive, not very crowded, good roads, blue skies all day every day... It was hard to fault it for a week's touring!

This is our route.

 

[Durian]

That is a wonderful area and for all the reasons you have mentioned above. When I've had enough of SE Asia it's where I'll be heading to.

 

[rich p]

Nice one Frank. I did the reverse a few years ago from Krakow to Budapest. I went slightly east of your route, though, through Dolny Kubin and the low Tatras crossing the border at Esztergom. I might have to go back now you've reminded me.

 

[frank9755]

Did you indeed, Rich! You have been everywhere. It's a pleasant part of the world. The riding and scenery changed every day which was good.

We probably did some of your route as we had an overnight in Zvolen and rode to Banska Bystrica the next morning. We were going to press on to Ruzomberok the following morning but I felt that the road might be a bit busy (based on the approach to Zvolen - prob got busier since you did it) and decided to cross the Low Tatras further east - which was a peach of a climb and descent.

I would like to have gone to Budapest as its over 20 years since I was last there and I expect it has changed a lot since then.

I'd also like to do a lot more in Eastern Europe. Budapest to Bucharest via those big passes in Romania is on the wish list for next year...

 

[robjh]

I've just done this.

This is our route.

Any pictures / blog to go with it? You can't just whet our appetite and leave it at that.

I passed near your route, though a little further east, in a camper van a couple of years back, and would happily go back on the bike. Done a fair bit of cycling further south, and Romania was best of all for me.

 

[frank9755]

Alas not! But thanks for asking.
We didn't take any pictures, and the above is all I've written about it, so far at least. I like writing about cycling trips, but I have to do lots of writing for work at the moment so I just can't bring myself to do it when I'm not working. Plan is to write something else for my club mag and will paste it in here if I manage it.