7 days of Bliss - Planning Required !

[Ralphie]

Hi everyone
Myself and a buddy are planning a 7 day trip to Europe, starting in Dublin, Ferry to Holyhead, drive to Hull, Ferry to Rotterdam - that takes care of the first day. We want to then drive to southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, back to UK and home again.

Given that we are tight for time - both have marital and parental obligations that have given is 7 days of freedom - yippee - what are the "must sees" that should determine the route?
Having read many threads I know that we can do this but the timing is not going to allow us do all the things you have done or would do.

Looking forward to 5 months of planning
Cheers

[Jenna]

Taken a truck from Carlisle to Kingston upon Hull and through to Europoort nearly a hundred times and that’s an easy route thanks to the A66, A1 and M62. The ferry is now a 'super ferry' and is fast and clean with a whole host of entertainment onboard, its an all nighter normally boarding at around 4-6pm and docking at Europoort at about 7-8am Local.

The main roads around there are wide and flat, we used the A20(e25) and then E30 straight out of the port which although fast its not exactly interesting!.. this road is a 'European highway' and will take you to Utrecht, Apeldoorn, Osnabruck, Hannover(180miles), Magdeburg and then into Berlin (430 miles) all on 1 road! Its two days in a truck but on a bike you could I guess do it in one easy enough if you didn’t muck about.

From Berlin head not south but west via Slubice into Poland, the border checkpoint now gone its just a short 40 mile ride. If you haven’t visited Poland your missing a gem, its people the friendly its countryside very unique and still one of my favourite places on this earth (after Estonia)... Roads in Poland are rapidly been upgraded which is sadly bringing commercialism (Tesco’s and other major players) however there many small village shops that serve local fresh food that’s nothing like you will find in Sainsbury’s, fuel is cheaper and easy to find.

Route wise I would suggest head south west through Zelona Gora to Wroclaw (pronounced rotswav) this takes you through the Polish coal towns and into one of its biggest southern towns. From Wroclaw you have the magnificent city of Krakow with its market square, sloss cathedrals’ and the whole city of the kings known as Wavell also just a stones throw is the stunning salt mines ( its unreal) and a place everybody must go to in there life.. Oswiecim or as it more commonly called the Auschwitz death camps, its now fairly sanitised thanks the UNESCO but it WILL leave you with a cold feeling I promise. Border to Wroclaw is just under 150miles, and Krakow another 155, with good roads and little or no major traffic (except kamazi fiat 127's and low flying Russian coach's!)

From here head south over the Polish border (and stunning scenery) to either Budapest, Bratislava, or Wien its about 175 miles but don’t expect to be doing a great neck of speed as this true 'hill country'... its possible from here to get to Vienna and further south but I have never done it so I cant give you too much detail just I do know people that have and then headed to Salzburg, Innsbruck, Zurich and into France via Dijon.

I have good maps of the route as far as the polish southern border that your welcome to borrow and can also point you in the direction of a few good (but cheap) hotels on this route too if its any help.