Kerry's Eastern Europe Travel Blog

Gdansk, a Baltic seaport, is a major Polish city worth incorporating in your Poland itinerary. This city is known for its amber, its seafood, and its history. Called "Danzig" by the Germans, Gdansk has seen centuries of maritime involvement. The large 14th century crane, which overlooks the Motlowa River, attests to this, as do the monuments to shipyard workers who struggled to form a union powerful enough to be recognized by the government during the latter half of the 20th century.

In Gdansk, you'll be spoiled for choice when you shop for amber souvenirs. Vendors sell chunks of it on the street, and jewelers offer everything from tiny amber earrings to necklaces crafted from heavy carved amber beads.

• Gdansk Poland Profile
• Caring for Amber Jewelry

Early May in Poland is an ideal time to travel for those who want to beat the summer rush and still experience this East-Central European nation during the warm-weather months. While technically still springtime, days can be quite warm and sunny. Lilacs are abloom and flowers are for sale on the streets. Nights are chilly, and a sudden shower will cool the air considerably, but this means that it isn't a problem if your hotel doesn't offer air conditioning (and many don't). If the weather does get too warm, step inside a church, where the temperature will be several degrees lower, or purchase an ice cream from one of the ubiquitous "lody" stands that stay busy when citizens and tourists are out and about during the daytime.

This universal currency converter is a handy tool for looking up current currency exchange rates. Use it at home or while abroad to get an idea of how far your money will go when you're traveling.

Maybe you aren't a worrier. Maybe you're one of those happy-go-lucky travelers who delights in last-minute deals and spur-of-the-moment decisions. I envy you - I'm not one of those people. If you're like me, you need to reduce travel anxiety by minimizing stress before and during travel. Some tips for doing so are common sense, like planning ahead, booking hotels in advance, and researching your destination well. But you should also consider traveling with someone who you can trust, pack the minimal necessities, and be flexible.

Ten Tips to Make Eastern Europe Travel Less Stressful

If you're traveling to Warsaw and you have questions about hotels, attractions, restaurants, or transporations, contact the Warsaw Tourist Office. Its website also offers valuable information about touring Warsaw. The Warsaw Tourist Card may also be considered a good deal, depending upon your schedule - the card acts as a pass or discount card to museums and other attractions, can get you discounts on food, accomodations, and tours, and comes with a public transport ticket. The Warsaw Tourist Card can be purchased at various locations throughout the city.

If you're traveling throughout Poland, train is a great way to travel. The national train service has timetables and a route planner in English on its website, www.pkp.pl. You can purchase rail tickets when you're in Poland, or purchase a Eurail Poland Pass (Buy Direct) in advance. Express trains can take you from one end of the country to the other overnight or within a day. Trips between large cities may be only a couple of hours long.

Viking River Cruises offer several packages that include ports of call in Russia, Ukraine, and major East-Central European cities like Budapest and Prague. "Waterways of the Czars" is a cruise through Russia that includes St. Petersburg, Moscow, Uglich, and Yaroslavl. If you like the idea of a package tour or cruise, the Viking River Cruises website can provide you with more information about river cruises through Eastern and Central Europe. Complete itineraries, price lists, and brochures are available, so planning a river cruise involves minimal hassle.

When visiting the Kremlin, Moscow's most popular tourist attraction, be sure to devote some time to the State Amoury Museum. This museum is home to some of Russia's most beautiful - and most important - treasures, including royal crowns and thrones, jewel-encrusted religious artifacts, and pieces from the Faberge workshops. Each item in the museum is breathtaking for its artistic, intrinsic, and historical value, from medieval icon covers to the coronation dress of Catherine the Great. It will be difficult not to press your nose to the glass while you inspect fairy-tale crowns and gowns made from silver threads, and the gold-decorated carriages are ostentatious and impressive.

• Moscow Kremlin's State Amoury Museum
• Photo Tour of the Moscow Kremlin
• Moscow Must-See Sights
• Moscow Luxury Hotels

If you're headed to East-Central Europe and you love wine, consider Hungary's wine region as a possible destination. Wine tasting tours of Hungary offer travelers peeks into the Hungarian wine industry's past in dusty cellars, and hosts of wine tastings are often quite generous with samples. While Tokaj is Hungary's most famous wine region, Lake Balaton is also the location of one of Hungary's wine regions. This popular resort area caters to health nuts, sun seekers, history buffs, students on break, and those interested in sampling Balaton's wines.

Warmer weather is approaching, and while the air in Eastern Europe may still contain spring's fading chill, summers in Eastern Europe can be quite hot. This is good news, though, for travelers who like to travel light, because cotton clothing can be packed into small suitcases and a jacket worn on the plane is usually more comfortable than less. Think carefully about footwear, which can be bulky to pack, and include at least one outfit that can be worn to establishments that require more formal clothing. A small umbrella is also recommended, as impromptu showers can quickly drench unprepared travelers.

Summer Dress for Eastern Europe Travel