• DON'T MISS: Rynek Glowny, Krakow's elegant central plaza, with its small museums and Cloth Hall, the 700-year-old "shopping mall" in Old Town . . . Well-preserved historic towns such as Torun, Wroclaw and Poznan . . . Wooden churches and wild horses in the Bieszczady Mountains . . . Hiking, skiing or paragliding in the Tatra Mountains . . . The Royal Trail in Gdansk, starting at the High Gate . . . A concert at the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw . . . Visiting one of the country's moving concentration camp memorials, such as Auschwitz or Grossrosen.
• SAMPLE PACKAGE: Adventures Aboard has tours of northern or southern Poland, starting and ending in Warsaw. The $2,118 price includes round-trip air from New York (add $100 for Washington), eight (south) or seven (north) days of sightseeing, three- and four-star accommodations and most meals. Sample visits on the southern trip include Krakow, the Wieliczka salt mines and a funicular ride in Zakopane; depart May 26, June 30 or Sept. 1. For the north, see the homes of Copernicus and Chopin, as well as Gdansk and the world's largest brick church; depart June 1, July 6 or Sept. 7. Add $140 in taxes. Info: 800-665-3998, www.adventures-abroad.com.
The open market in Ljubljana is more than just shopping, it's also about the architecture in Slovenia's capital.
(J. Skok - Slovenian Tourist Board)
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On a Tour of the New EU, Take Two or More
Those trying to tick off the new EU members before the next crop is added on should consider a combination trip that visits several of the countries in one big swoop. Examples:
• A Baltic capitals tour is a popular option, and Nordique Tours (800-995-7997, www.nordiquetours.com) offers eight days in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia for $799, including first-class lodging, guided tours and breakfast. Air extra. Depart Fridays May 28-Sept. 24. Company can also arrange airfare, with round-trip fares from Dulles costing $826 to $910.
• Crown Travel (800-853-6453, www.crown-travel.com) lets travelers experience Hungary and Slovenia with a six-night, $1,338 package that includes round-trip air from New York to Ljubljana (add $30 for Philly or $125 from Dulles); first-class train between the two countries; three nights each in a four-star property in Budapest and the Slovenian capital; and breakfast. Book by June 28 for midweek November-December travel. Taxes of $135 additional.
• Summit International (800-527-8664, www.summittours.com) can pair Prague with a new EU state, such as Poland (Warsaw, Krakow) or Hungary (Budapest). Prices start at $752 and include international and inter-city flights, three nights' lodging in each city, breakfasts and a tour in each destination.
• Odysseys Unlimited has a Discover Eastern Europe package that covers Poland, Hungary, the Czech Replublic and (oldie but goodie) Austria from $3,395. The 17-day trip includes round-trip air from Washington to Warsaw (arrival) and Prague (departure); 15 nights' accommodations; some meals; and a full plate of excursions, such as the Danube Bend, dinner with a Polish family and a night at a restored Jesuit school in Cesky Krumlov. Departures are in May, July, September and October; add $122 in taxes. Info: 888-370-6765, www.odysseys-unlimited.com.
• Rail Europe is offering multi-country train passes (as well as single countries, such as Czech Republic or Hungary flexipasses from $48 for three days and $76 for five days, respectively) that crisscross many of the new EU countries. The European East Pass, for one, chugs through the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Austria for $158 (second class) to $225 (first class) for five days of travel within a month. Info: 888-382-7245, www.raileurope.com.
-- Andrea Sachs
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• INFO: Polish National Tourist Office, 201-420-9910, www.polandtour.org.
Slovakia
• WHERE: Central Europe, between Austria, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic.
• WHY GO: The low-key capital of Bratislava is perfect for travelers who want to step back a decade or two into Old Europe. The locals are warm, the pub life lively and the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra is a treat. But the spas are the real hidden treasure, and they are far more affordable than their counterparts in Western Europe.
• DON'T MISS: The art-deco Thermia Palace in the quiet spa town of Piestany, for treatments, three meals a day and a room for a little as $80 a day . . . Hiking in the refreshing High Tatras . . . Liptovska Sielnica village, a cluster of well-preserved Slovakian homes from different historical periods . . . Any of the country's 12 caves, including such standouts as the aragonite cave in Ochtina, Domica Cave and Dobsinska Ice Cave . . . The ruins and dungeon (with torture instruments) of Spissky hrad (Zipser Burg), the country's largest castle, which sits above the town of Spisske Podhradie.
• SAMPLE PACKAGE: Our-Slovakia has a festive trip, July 3-14, that focuses on the country's folkloric culture, such as a Zemplin party, the Detva Folk Festival and a goulash picnic in the forest. Cost of $2,349 includes round-trip air from New York to Kosice (arrival) and Bratislava (departure), lodging, some meals, and all sightseeing and celebrations. The company can also help travelers track down long-lost Slovakian relatives. Info: 888-529-7150 or 860-668-6089, www.our-slovakia.com.
• INFO: Slovak Republic Embassy, 202-237-1054, www.slovakembassy-us.org, or Slovak Tourist Board, www.slovakiatourism.sk.
Slovenia
• WHERE: Southern Europe, bordering Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia.
• WHY GO: This compact country, home to the magnificent Julian Alps, is everything a skier would want, with 40 resorts that are less crowded and more affordable than other European ski centers. In milder weather, there is excellent hiking. And with natural springs popping up everywhere, the country is dotted with spas. The Soca River is great for canoeing and other water sports. Lake Bled, with its 11th-century castle, is one of the most striking scenes in southern Europe.
• DON'T MISS: Skiing in Kranjska Gora, site of World Cup ski races . . . Ljubljana's Roman ruins, fine art museums and lively cafe scene . . . Rogaska Slatina, a particularly beloved locale for spa-goers . . . The Soca Valley, whose small scenic towns Hemingway immortalized in "A Farewell to Arms" . . . Lake Bled, with its storybook 11th-century castle . . . Wine tasting in the Podravje Region, or Slovenian specialties at one of the hundreds of tourist farms countrywide.
• SAMPLE PACKAGE: The Slovenian company Kompas (800-233-6422, www.kompas.net) can arrange tours from the coast to the countryside. Its base package is the mini-stay in Bled, with two nights' lodging, breakfast and arrival transfer from the Ljubljana airport (about a half-hour away). Prices range from $127 to $257. The company also can arrange air, with a sample D.C.-Ljubljana fare in May for $885 round trip.
• INFO: Slovenian Tourist Board, 954-491-0112, www.sloveniatourism.si, or Embassy of Slovenia, 202-667-5363, www.embassy.org/slovenia.
Gary Lee and Andrea Sachs will be online Monday at 2 p.m. to discuss this story during the Travel section's regular weekly chat on www.washingtonpost.com.
