Exploring Krakow, Poland

On a bike adventure through Europe we had the pleasure of riding into Krakow. Upon arriving we immediately fell in love with the city. After checking into our hotel we had dinner in the main square, and as the sun went down we watched bats soar out from their hiding places to feed for the night. Once the sun set, the city lit up and became incredibly lively and vibrant. Needless to say, the kids didn’t come home until the sun rose again the next morning.

If you’re visiting Krakow, there are two important sites that are not to be missed. First on our list is the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This fascinating site takes you along underground routes through saline chambers of the old salt mine. Over the years, generations of miners have sculpted magnificent statues and breathtaking caverns underground. Experiencing this unique site is definitely worth the price of admission!

The second major site on our list is Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. Auschwitz, a concentration camp during WWII, became the largest site for the murder of Jews under the Nazi plan for their extermination. Over one million men, women and children lost their lives at the concentration camp. Our day at Auschwitz was very sobering as we attempted to understand the site and imagine the conditions of the camp during WWII.

Overall, our time in Krakow was quite short. However, it is a fascinating city and the time we spent there will remain with us for the rest of our days.

-Wendy

Europe Bike Trip Part 6: Venice

A quick word of advice to anyone thinking about taking bikes into Venice: don’t.

After exploring Croatia by bike we rode into Venice, Italy. Dealing with our bikes was, to say the least, not a fun experience. If you’re biking through Italy and planning to stop in Venice the most affordable option is to find somewhere to store your bikes outside of the city. Then, take the train into Venice and pick them up when you leave. Bikes are not actually allowed in the central town itself, so if you take bikes into Venice you will have to find a parking garage before getting on a water taxi. Parking for bikes is not cheap. We figured this out the hard way, but once we parked our bikes we were able to kick up our feet and relax in the sinking city of Venice.

Once we were settled into the city, Venice provided the perfect destination to end our journey. The gorgeous city served as a reward for all the kilometers we had traveled by bike. We visited all of the major points of interest including Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge. However, we had the best time sitting near the water with a beer in hand, watching the massive yachts sailing into port and imagining the kinds of people who own these behemoths.

We all flew home in great shape after a few days, despite all the pasta and wine that was consumed in Venice! Overall, biking through Europe was a challenging and rewarding experience. I would recommend to anyone seeking a fascinating and active adventure!

-Wendy

Europe Bike Trip Part 5: Croatia

After spending a couple of nights on lovely Lake Balaton in Hungary, we began our journey to Croatia. Crossing into Croatia was an interesting experience, as we didn’t know exactly where the border was located. Along the road, we asked several people to point us in the right direction and eventually a man steered us through a corn field. Riding through the field, we weren’t sure whether we were illegally crossing the border. When we came through the field we saw the border crossing, but weren’t sure which side we were on. Confused, we rode to the crossing and sheepishly asked what country we were in. Luckily, we were still in Hungary, and the crossing was indeed the Croatian border.

After crossing the border we made our way to the town of Koprivnica where we spent our first night. The next day we rode just under 100km to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. It was mid-July at the time; so much of the city’s inhabitants had made their way to the Mediterranean coast. This meant that the city was not as bustling as it would normally have been. Finding a place to have a drink was a bit more challenging, but the kids managed just fine.

Zagreb is an interesting city, with lots of history and culture. Since many so many had fled the city for the coast, there weren’t any crowds and we were able to float along and enjoy ourselves. Most of our time in Zagreb was spent aimlessly wandering the streets until we found something that caught our attention. The people in Zagreb are incredibly warm and friendly, and always offered assistance when our wandering eventually led us astray.

After a leisurely stay in Zagreb, we got back on our bikes and began the final leg of our adventure.

Europe Bike Trip Part 4: Hungary

After traveling spending some time in the picturesque town of Bratislava, the family made our way to the capital of Hungary: Budapest. We rode our bikes into the centre of the city where we had rented an apartment. After disembarking, the boys immediately went out to get some refreshments as we had not yet tried any Hungarian beer. The next few days were spent off our bikes discovering the city. However, we still managed to get in a lot of exercise, especially when exploring the hilly Buda side of the city which is west of the Danube River.

Budapest has a fascinating and extensive history, and therefore, there are a number of important sites to see when visiting the Hungarian capital. The House of Terror is a museum which chronicles the fascist and communist regimes in Hungary during the 20th century, and the atrocities committed during these dictatorships. Though the museum is quite horrifying, it is an important and sobering experience. The Parliament Building is another must see, for its incredible architecture and history. One of our favourite sites was the Castle Labyrinth on Castle Hill—a complex of caves underneath the Buda Castle district. After 6:00pm the lights are turned off and you can explore the caves with lanterns.

Of course, a trip to the Hungarian capital would not be complete without visiting one of their famous thermal baths. Széchenyi Baths, located in City Park, is one of the most popular baths in the city and features a number of pools which fed with thermal spring water. Gellért Baths is also very popular as it features some of the most beautiful pools in Budapest. A relaxing afternoon at the baths is the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Our break from biking did not last long, and soon we were back on our bikes, heading south to Lake Balaton. It took us two days of riding to cover the 136km to the lake, but the journey was well worth it. The lake, which is absolutely gorgeous, is a popular place for Hungarian and German tourists in the summer. We spent hours swimming and lounging by the lakeside under the hot summer sun. Lake Balaton provided the perfect escape after spending a few nights in the big city. After a couple of nights, we mounted our bikes and continued our journey into Croatia.

-Wendy

Europe Bike Trip Part 3: Bratislava

After spending some time in the lovely Austrian capital, we mounted our bikes and rode 79km from Vienna to Bratislava—the two closest capital cities in the world. The ride was flat the whole way which was incredibly encouraging for us amateur cyclists. The scenery was tranquil the entire journey, as we passed through endless fields of wheat.

Once we reached Bratislava we quickly changed out of our bike gear and wandered down to the old city. Like most cities in Europe, the centre of Bratislava is characterized by winding cobblestone streets lined with an incredible selection of bars and restaurants. We chose a lively spot in one of the squares and took in the life of the city while we enjoyed our dinner.

One of the highlights of our time in the Slovakian capital was Bratislava Castle. A visit to the castle is like taking a trip to another time. The castle itself is a masterpiece and features Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. In addition, the castle dominates the city’s skyline and provides a fantastic view of the city below. If you’re visiting Bratislava, a trip to the castle is an absolute must!

After a couple of days we climbed back on our bikes and began to ride south toward our next destination: Hungary.

-Wendy

Europe Bike Trip Part 2: Vienna

After exploring the Czech Republic we ventured into Austria and rode to its stunning capital, Vienna. Awe-struck by the architecture, we all instantly fell in love with the city. Vienna exhibits a variety of architectural styles from Baroque to Art Nouveau. If you’re planning on visiting Vienna, be sure to set some time aside to simply wander the streets and admire the buildings.

Once we had settled into our hotel and taken off our bike gear, we headed out for some sightseeing.  We began with Schönbrunn Palace which was a former imperial summer residence. The grounds are absolutely immaculate and the estate itself is enchanting. Next we visited the vast Museum Quarter which would take weeks to adequately explore.

After some sightseeing we decided to relax with a cold beer at one of the many outdoor cafés. When visiting Austria in the summer, make sure to sample “Radler,” a local drink which consists of Hefewizen beer and lemonade. The combination is unbeatable when you’ve spent the day under the hot summer sun! The food in Austria is beyond delicious, but don’t expect to find dishes that will help you sustain your weight class. However, riding your bike through the country is a great way to keep the pounds at bay, especially when you like to eat and drink as much as we do.

During the summer months of July and August, live music and theatre are projected on a large screen at Radhaus Town Hall. There are also a few stands that sell food and beverages in the area. After taking in some culture, head down to the Danube where you will find countless restaurants and bars lining its banks.

Overall, Vienna is definitely worth a visit and one of our favourite cities in Europe.

-Wendy

Europe Bike Trip Part 1: Czech Republic

A few years ago, Bruce and I embarked on a biking trip through Eastern Europe with our children and our grandchild Cadence in tow. The journey took us through the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. We decided to feature a series of videos cataloging our bike adventure through Eastern Europe and the highlights of our journey. Here is part one of our journey: the Czech Republic.  

Our journey started in Prague where we spent three days. The Czech capital is a pristine city whose architectural beauty seems to have been frozen in time and immaculately preserved. Simply strolling through the city and soaking up the city’s history is a satisfying way to spend your time in Prague. In addition to admiring the city’s elegance, the boys especially enjoyed Prague’s nightlife. After three days, party time was over for the boys and it was time to start cycling and work off the extra beer weight they had accumulated.

Figuring we were all in fairly good shape, no one trained very hard for the trip. The first day seemed like we were riding entirely uphill and everyone felt their legs. After 77Km we reached the town of Cehti only to discover we had ridden 15km past the town we were planning on staying the night. Cehti had no hotels and our only options were to ride back 15Km or continue for another 30Km to the next town. We were all exhausted, so we sat down in a restaurant to decide our next move. I spotted a large flatbed truck and soon Bruce was negotiating with the driver. Money changed hands and we found ourselves in cars driving to a gorgeous hotel on a lake.

The next day we hopped back on our bikes and boy were we sore! We rode 58Km into the beautiful town of Telc. The city was very colourful and everyone was warm, friendly and welcoming. Towns like Telc highlight the advantages of traveling by bike over train. The town was so small that you would likely miss it on a train tour of the country, but it was definitely one of our favourite places.

We were able to sleep in a bit the next morning and then rode 66km to our next destination, Znojmo. That night we dined at a fabulous restaurant where we all got massive pieces of meat served on swords. After dinner, Rob and Erik were sent to go find the train station and they came back quite quickly saying they had. After a great night’s sleep everyone left the hotel to catch a train. We all quickly discovered that the boys had found the train museum and not the train station. We had to scramble to find the station on time, but in the end we all got on the train safely and began our journey to the next destination.

-Wendy