chelselizapnw

I have about 4 days to explore another major city. I will be there Mid December (yes i know, freezing cold) I am from Washington State though so hopefully i'll already be acclimated to the cold.

Its down to Vienna, Munich or Berlin. Opinions?

PalenQ

all would be great IMO - I would chose Berlin because it has a panoply of varied sights - especially if into Third Reich relics but any would work - neither should be very cold at that time though could be- Berlin is I think colder typically than the others.

kja

Depends on your interests! For my tastes and interests, I would want more than 4 days in either Vienna or Berlin, and would think 4 days in Munich about right -- but you need to figure out what YOU want to see and how much time it will take to do it.

Sue81

I love Vienna. Great coffee pastry shops. The Belvedere Palace is a great art museum,(Gustaf Klimpt/Woman in gold/now in US, but more Klimpt in museum) the Spanish Riding school is amazing to see the beautiful horses in the ring with chandeliers abouve, and right next to the palace which is a fine tour too. Need tickets ahead for Spanish Riding school. Check out the history in WW II how the US soldiers rode the horses out of Vienna to avoid harm to them. Also the great church nearby with the lovely tiled roofs/forgot the name. Also the great Vienna Opera House has fine music programs, got tickets over the Internet for a Wagner Ring once. I would opt for the whole 4 days in Vienna to see it well and not be fatigued. Also excellent trolleys that run all over town. Sue

Dukey1

Well, there are always the holiday markets assuming they are still operating.

fourfortravel

I would suggest Berlin for its variety, unless you are coming from a large city and seek a different experience. We like Munich (and history), but without a day trip elsewhere I'm not sure I could fill four days there. Living in Vienna we find the city especially magical during the holiday market season; and four days in Vienna would be enough to sample the main sights, enjoy a cafe, and wander the markets.

Central Europe isn't usually "freezing cold" in mid-December. Skies tend to be gray, daylight hours are shorter, and of course, with any precipitation there will be dampness. The best preparation would be layering and proper footwear; once cobblestones become cold, they stay cold for a long time.

RM67

Recent trip to Berlin in the colder months, if you want some ideas...

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...he-lindens.cfm

danon

Berlin is a great city, but for 4 days Vinnea might be more " intimate "
and charming that time of the year.

frencharmoire

One question you might ask yourself is whether it matters to you if, when you leave, you feel like you've "done" the city, meaning, you've seen pretty much all the sights you wanted to see. Sometimes I pick a short-stay or "long weekend" destination based on its compactness, and save the bigger cities for a longer stay. For me, Berlin would have so much to offer, I would feel a bit frustrated only having 4 days there. Plus, it sprawls and while transportation is good, it still is harder to get a complete sense of the city in 4 days.

Vienna is physically compact -- but it is also packed with a tremendous variety of things to do: music, Freud, the Secessionist art movement, cakes and coffee and wine, horses and palaces and one fantastic historic art museum with world class treasures.

But if I wanted to relax rather than cram in a lot of sightseeing, I have to admit I might pick Munich because it has such beautiful art and crafts in its museums, a cheerful disposition, lovely market and interesting WW2 history. It sprawls more than Vienna but has very easy to use public transportation.

danon

We stayed in Munich for five days ( one day trip) and certainly did not see
" everything".
How much one wishes to cover in a short stay is individual's choice.
Some travellers have a list of " musts " , others prefer a more unstructured,
relaxing stay.

PalenQ

I am from Washington State though so hopefully i'll already be acclimated to the cold.>

How cold and where- most of Washington State would be much warmer in winter than central Europe which will not usually be freezing cold

But point is cold is relative. You could have snow - not usually but could - I was in Munich one late December and the sidewalks were icy. Not much fun edging along - but again rare I think but possible.

traveldawg

Munich. I have been to all three cities.....Vienna about four times.....and I would do Munich. If you run out of things to do in the city the Alps are close by.