Cycling Amber Trail:
Bicycle tour Budapest - Krakow

10-day trip itinerary (Cycling 362 km/226 miles)

Day 1)
Budapest - Szentendre
Arrival in Budapest and own transfer to Szentendre (12 miles). The town of Szentendre is easy to reach by car on highway 11, or by train (HÉV), by bus (VOLAN), or even by boat on the Danube (MAHART). Szentendre with its unique atmosphere has two dozen museums, seven churches, 13 galleries, and countless coffee shops and little pubs. The nearby Open Air Museum offers visitors a look at traditional Hungarian village architecture.
Overnight in Szentendre.

Day 2)
Szentendre - Esztergom (51 km / 32 miles)
The bicycle route leads along the right bank of the Danube to Lenyefalu, where we take the ferry across to Szentendre Island, and after riding down the whole length of the island we board the ferry again and get on the road to Esztergom. The hard-core cyclist can take an extra trip up the steep hill to Visegrad Castle, where there is a fantastic view of the Danube valley. Esztergom, the historic seat of the Hungarian bishops with its massive castle, is the climax of the Hungarian leg of the Amber Trail.
Overnight in Esztergom.

Day 3)
Esztergom/Sturovo - Dudince (59 km / 36 miles)
The Slovak leg of our journey starts when we cross the Danube from Esztergom to Sturovo. The relatively easy route leads through rolling terrain to the spa town of Dudince, built in the true spirit of Socialist Realism. Even today the spa offers a look back to times not so long ago and a day spent here is a very interesting experience. Another point of interest is the set of Roman bathtubs, carved out of the travertine rock.
Overnight in Dudince.

Day 4)
Dudince - Banska Stiavnica (40 km / 25 miles)
The challenging part of the Slovakia leg of the trip starts here. We get into the Stiavnicky Hills, which is a little rehearsal for the mountainous parts later in the Slovakia segment. Less machine-like cyclists need not panic, however, as the length of the daily rides can be changed according to momentary conditions, and the rest of the day's trip can be taken in a van. Banska Stiavnica, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with an extraordinarily well- preserved historical center and an ancient legacy of mining, is one of the best stops along the whole Amber Trail.
Overnight in Banska Stiavnica.

Day 5)
Banska Stiavnica - Kremnica - Banska Bystrica (37 km / 23 miles)
A trip to Kremnica is in the cards today for the active cyclist. This is one of the difficult routes (two long climbs), but there is an attractive shorter alternative available, taking advantage of an enchanting little train ride through tunnels, and with excellent views from Hronska Dubrava to Kremnica. Kremnica lies in one of the prettiest locations in Slovakia. It sits at the center of the Kremnica Hills in a valley surrounded by 7 peaks. The dominant feature of the town is the Town Castle. From Kremnica transportation is arranged to Banska Bystrica, with a stop and a look at an important and interesting monument - the wooden church in Hronsek. Banska Bystrica is the governmental and cultural center of Central Slovakia. The historic center of town is surprising for its size and the quality of the restoration that has done so much to put the town's recent unhappy past behind it. For those who want a longer rest the bike ride can be cancelled for that day and we will take you by car from Banska Stiavnica to Banska Bystrica, where you can spend the day.
Overnight in Banska Bystrica.

Day 6)
Banska Bystrica - Liptovska Osada - Liptovsky Mikulas (44 km / 28 miles)
Transfer is arranged from Banska Bystrica to Liptovska Osada (30 min.), because the only thoroughfare through the valley is a busy highway. There is a nice stop along the way in the village of Vlkolinec. This is a historical reserve containing the most undisturbed and complete collection of traditional architecture in Slovakia, protected by UNESCO as it represents a unique piece of the world's cultural heritage. After climbing up from Liptovska Osada, we come to the difficult biking terrain of the Low Tatras. It starts out with a 7-mile-long ascent, but the chance for a good view and the beauty of the country are an ample reward for the effort of making it up. The second half of this day's trip will be a less demanding stretch around the Liptovska Mara reservoir, a popular recreation center. Todays ride ends in Liptovsky Mikulas, a pleasant historical town, remembered for the story of the famous robber, the 'Slovak Robin Hood', Juraj Janosik, whose story is told in the local museum.
Overnight in Liptovsky Mikulas.

Day 7)
Liptovsky Mikulas - Dolny Kubin (47 km / 29 miles)
This leg of the journey leads through the hilly terrain of the Chocsky and Oravsky Hills, and is one of the prettiest segments of the Slovak part of the Amber Trail. It takes us to the town of Malatina, where you can watch rugs being hand-made on an original wooden loom. In the village of Lestiny there is a rare wooden church built without a single nail.
Overnight in Dolny Kubin.

Day 8)
Dolny Kubin - Trstena - Sucha Beskidzka (51 km/ 32 miles)
The climax of this segment is the view of massive Orava Castle, a huge Gothic fortress, towering high above the river in the village of Oravsky Podzamok. The view from the castle tower is an unforgettable experience. This day's ride ends in Trstene a little town on the Slovak-Polish border, from which transport is arranged to the place of overnight acco-mmodation in Poland in the village of Sucha Beskidzdka.
Overnight in Sucha Beskidzdka.

Day 9)
Sucha Beskidzka - Kalwaria Zebrzydowska - Wielizcka - Cracow (29 km / 18 miles)
The last day of the bicycle route takes us to the picturesque village of Lanckorona, with a model project for reviving folk crafts and efforts to preserve the traditional local architecture. The goal of the trip today is the famous Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, another UNESCO - protected site, where the Stations of the Cross consisting of 32 chapels and chaplets end at an imposing Bernardine monastery. From here you will be taken by car for a tour of the famous salt mine in Wieliczka, and finally to Cracow itself, our destination on the Amber Trail.
Overnight in Cracow.

Day 10)
Cracow
In Cracow you'll probably want to spend more than one day, of course: Wawel Castle, the Old Market Square, the Kazimierz Jewish quarter, or the town walls and Royal Way could easily take a day. To really soak up the atmosphere of this living city you must get into cafes or pubs, theaters or clubs and that takes more than a day too...

Time to go

Climate

On the continent in Central Europe the weather is cold with snow in the winter but the summers are lengthy with a lot of sunshine and clear days. Our cycling tours run from the beginning of April to the end of October – the optimum months here for a good bicycle trip. May, June and September are the times to experience the cooler, but still warm and sunny weather. The temperate in the summer can get quite high, so July and August are perfect for sun loving people. April and October are wonderfully changeable and can be chilly. These times are perfect for people wanting to experience the changing of the seasons as they cycle.

Tourist numbers
July and August tend to be the busiest times in terms of crowds. We feel it is important to mention this in case you are expecting to see some national monuments relatively crowd free.

Festivals and events
Central Europe is rich in festivals and cultural events. Worth mentioning are the local festivals celebrating the grape harvest in September/October - vinobrani. There is much merrymaking by the local residents with consumption of delicious wine. In some areas a folk culture is connected to wine growing and this can particularly be seen during the vinobrani.

Please see the cultural events page on our site - Topbicycle.com owned by Greenways Travel Club.