east europe

<p>i am planning to visit eastern Europe in first week of june 2013. i am interested in landscapes mostly of nature and cities. i would cover street and people categories too.<br>

kindly suggest itinerary.<br>

kindly suggest reading material for planning my trip. <br>

usual travel sites are not usually useful beyond certain limits.<br>

i want to read blogs of photographers who have visited these places with similar interests.<br>

anand</p>

<p><a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Hungary">http://wikitravel.org/en/Budapest</a></p>

<p><a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Slovakia">http://wikitravel.org/en/Slovakia</a></p>

<p><a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Prague">http://wikitravel.org/en/Prague</a></p>

 

<p>I have not been round eastern europe (unless you count the FR of Yugoslavia in the 1970's) but I generally find the Trripadvisor website has lots of helpful advice and interesting user content.<br>

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/</p>

<p>My tips for "Eastern Europe" all go back to the Warsaw Pact days, so indicating that you get in touch with the various national tourist bureaus has to be translated into doing a Google search for the various tourism departments, etc.</p>

<p>"Eastern Europe" is pretty large, and if you have only a week, you are not likely to be everywhere for everything. I think you'll need to narrow it down a little.</p>

<p>Saying you will be in Eastern Europe is a little vague. If, however, your trip will take you to Prague, I strongly recommend that you consider visiting 2 nearby towns that offer spectacular photo ops. First is Ceske Budejovice and the second is Cesky Krumlov. They are both easily accessible from downtown Prague by car, train or bus. If you have the chance, I recommend spending a night in each town. If your schedule permits only a visit to one, I would suggest Cesky Krumlov. <br>

<a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/%C4%8Cesk%C3%BD_Krumlov">http://wikitravel.org/en/%C4%8Cesk%C3%BD_Krumlov</a><br>

and<br>

<a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/%C4%8Cesk%C3%A9_Bud%C4%9Bjovice">http://wikitravel.org/en/%C4%8Cesk%C3%A9_Bud%C4%9Bjovice</a></p>

<p>If you are a beer drinker, Ceske Budejovice is the home of Budweiser - not the crap that is produced by Anheuser Busch in America, but the REAL Budweiser which has been brewed in the Czech Republic since the 1600's or so. If you like beer (and even if you don't) vist the brewery and be sure to buy at least a pint or two at any cafe. Best beer in the world, to my taste.</p>

<p><strong>Pivovar Budějovický Budvar</strong> is the brewery and look here:</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Budvar-mug.JPG">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Budvar-mug.JPG</a></p>

<p>I will put in a plug for Prague based on the photos my friends put together in this terrific overview of the city - <br>

<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/prague-a-photographic-guide/id546761289?mt=11">https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/prague-a-photographic-guide/id546761289?mt=11</a> </p>

<p>Unfortunately it requires an iPad to view and it is no longer free, but should you have access to an iPad you can view many of the photos and outline freely through the Apple Bookstore. It made me consider putting this city on my list and this is not an area I travel to at all.</p>

<p>I suggest reading what these fine folks have given you and approach the tourist help desk when you arrive. Ask if there are excellent places for photographers and see if you can be accompanied by a tour guide. I'd bring a telephoto, portrait prime, and an 18-55mm.</p>

<p>There's a huge difference between a circuit of tourist cities like Prague, Budapest, Krakow, Tallinn etc that are attractive, pretty safe, arguably spoiled, and massively touristed and photographed; and the less travelled interiors of countries like Romania and Bulgaria where the tourist infrastructure is far less developed, people are still very poor by European standards, and where gangs and organised crime could be an issue if you wander into certain environments out of ignorance.</p>

<p>You can make this an easy tourist holiday or a much more difficult and adventurous trip, more exploratory and finding your own stuff. What are you looking to do? </p>