Stephnovs

Hi everyone!,

Me and my boyfriend are planning on going through Budapest, Vienna, Prague, and Berlin this summer. I wanted to know good places to stop between the cities and places in the cities themselves to go and how long you think it would take?

We don't have a set timetable for how long we will be away so things are flexible but not trying to get too crazy with the length of the trip. I heard Bratislava is a good place to go too since it's a short train ride away from Vienna. And I've heard of many more great cities but there are so many I need help deciding on a couple extra. We are in our early/mid 20's and want to get the best of each city, get a feel for the culture, but also go out and have fun. All advice is appreciated!

Also we are coming from a previous trip so we will have our large luggage with us. We want to go by train, will this be a problem?

lanejohann

hi
Ive only been to prague and vienna out of the places youre planning to visit

we took the hop on/off bus in vienna...walked the districts
stayed in the graben..the old area..at pension nossek where Mozart lived at one time
the pension was great...not far from st stephens church and station
theres a quirky crooked house which is a tourist attraction and the area is quite nice too...good cafes...hundertwasserhaus..check it out..very colourful...there are apartments so you cant actually go upstairs but theres a public washroom done in that style and shops downstairs...

the next day we caught a train and a bus right up to grunzig..this is really special..there are lots of little towns up in the hills of vienna...we got up to leopoldsberg.... the views and forest are beautiful...we walked a portion of the way and caught the bus down the hill
there was a lovely restaurant/pub up there...we had it to ourselves
just a gorgeous day out


as for prague
I was disappointed with how grubby it was
the river was littered with debris and the streets were dirty too
but the architecture is beautiful

we took a day trip to cesky krumlov by train
that is a TREAT!
definitely doable as a daytrip
we got the 630 am ..got to cesky k about ten-ish and then caught the 3pm or something back to prague
easy!
lovely town with fantastic photo opportunities

we had a good meal...locals suggested this place..at stoletiye...I think it means...century or 100 years
its in the artists/theatre area

only catch the AA taxis...lots of guys driving cars and they will charge a fortune...we were caught out like that when our concierge called a taxi but it really was his uncle and we got stung
the registered cabs are quite reasonably priced


meals around the astronomical clock are so-so..wouldn't recommend...and they did charge for any pre dinner snacks they put out...nothing complimentary so be aware and they do expect tips

I wasn't left with a good impression of Prague and maybe it was because I had huge expectations...friends described it as romantic...I saw it as seedy ...

count your change..know the currency...
I guess that will happen everywhere .. I just happened to have experience it in Prague

Christina

This is just a wild estimate, but you want to do 4 major cities, and maybe some places in-between. So if you plan for at least 4 days in each city that's 16 days, then say 4 days for travel and another 4 for a couple extra stops (you could do more, obviously). So at a minimum, I'd guess you want about 24 days, certainly at least 3 weeks.

How do you plan to get between all these places? I would suggest train as those cities can be done fairly efficiently by train: Budapest, Vienna, Prague then Berlin (or vice versa). That should work well.

I haven't been to Bratislava so can't comment on that, but you are right in that it isn't that far from Vienna. If you go there, I think it is on the train line in-between Budapest and Vienna, so you'd save time doing it on the way rather than backtracking somehow if you go to Vienna first.

As for the large luggage, how large are you talking about? As for being on a previous trip, how is that relevant to how much luggage you have? Unless it was some kind of special trip that required special equipment or something. Otherwise, it would be the same time period so the same clothing should work. Given all this travel, you should not have more than a 25 inch roller-bag, I would say (and a small totebag or small daypack backpack in addition--that is NOT another huge 22 inch suitcase or large backpack). I have traveled by train with several changes and can handle a 25 inch rollerbag, so that isn't too bad. Some people say they can travel for months with only a 22 inch, but I cannot. If you mean larger than 24-25 inches, I would say -- do not do it! And get a suitcase that is one of the lightweight versions.


As for places to stop in-between, I'd suggest Dresden for in-between Prague and Berlin. Between Vienna and Prague, I think it is a slight sidetrip, but Cesky Krumlov could be done then. It's not on the same rail line.

PalenQ

Also we are coming from a previous trip so we will have our large luggage with us. We want to go by train, will this be a problem?>

How large? You can pretty much take anything on trains you can carry - adequate room for large suitcases, backpacks, etc- anyway for a fix on European trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

You may want to look at railpasses once you get your itinerary fixed - several longish trains could make the Eastern European Pass a good deal or a Eurail Select - bargain youthpass if under 26.

PalenQ

I always advocate for luggage with wheels - which can go up and down staircases and easily roll thru crowded areas.

Do you have wheels on that large luggage?

kiwiabroad3000

We spent 5 days in Berlin and 4 in Prague during August this year. We didn't find Prague dirty, not compared Paris, for example. (Don't get me wrong, i LOVE paris, but it is a pretty smelly city).

5 days for us was almost too much in Berlin. 4 days in Prague was definitely not enough. Make sure you go for a walk to one of the lookouts around the Letna gardens area - when we were there we stumbled across a pop up circus, a skatepark bar and some of the best views i've ever seen.

kja

It really depends on what you want to see and experience, and only you can decide that. But FWIW, I would think visiting these cities, alone (not counting stops in between), could easily take 3 weeks – about 5 days per city, plus time for transportation and getting adjusted.

You might want to decide on some of your priorities, check hours (some things will be closed on some days), and mark up a calendar, including your transportation and time on either side to pack / unpack, check in / out, get to / from your hotel, get re-oriented to a different place and different culture….

As for your luggage, you will need to negotiate it onto your trains, so be sure you can heft each piece easily and that the dimensions are suitable. The less you pack, the better!

Good luck!

Surfergirl

The question on luggage should be more how wide it is rather than how large it is. My husband travels heavy and I travel light. No suitcase is too large for my husband, much to my dismay. I don't complain because I figure as long as he can drag and lift it, let him. His latest suitcase can double as a backpack and has wheels, so it's tall and not so wide he can't get it down the aisle of a train. In fact, it easily got into our night compartment (we had a double) on our train ride from Budapest to Prague this September. Mind, that compartment had a large space for luggage and accommodated his big suitcase, my small suitcase, and both our backpacks. Great compartment!

He also had no trouble on the train from Prague to Berlin this same trip. It stored fine at the end of the car. I bring a skinny bike cable and lock our suitcases to the rack.

Your plans mean a 3 week trip, especially if you want to stop between cities, if you are not a slow, savor the place kind of person. Our trip was similar, but we didn't go to Vienna (been there several times before). Instead, our last stop was Amsterdam, which added more train time than your trip. In terms of planning, we dismiss the overnight travel day from LA to Europe, and don't count the first day we arrive, since we sometimes get major jet lag, no matter how early we get in. For our trip, we ended up 4 full days in Budapest, 3 full days in Prague, 3 1/2 days in Berlin, and 2 full days (3 nights) in Amsterdam. Amsterdam was the only place we've been to many times, and it was just a place to kick back, see some stuff we hadn't before, and fly out.

While others might find that rushed, we felt it pretty chill, and got to do a lot of fun things. Only downside (for me, anyway) was not getting to any concerts. There was one festival going on in Berlin, but I'd already seen all the bands before, so nothing I HAD to see.

If I were you, I'd buy the book "Let's Go, Europe", which is written by Harvard students. It's fun, witty, and gives great advice for the younger (and young thinking) travelers. I did find a couple of errors in the latest edition, like the fact that they threw in a blurb about Istanbul and the Blue Mosque in the overview on the chapter on Budapest! But generally right on in terms of where to buy transport passes, bars, cheap, but good places to eat, interesting things to visit, like the Shoes on the Danube in Budapest or when to walk the Charles Bridge or visit the Castle in Prague. As well as what tours and sites you shouldn't bother with.

The chapters are short enough to give you a lot of info, as well as places to visit outside a city (day trips).

PalenQ

2nd Let's Go Europe as an excellent guidebook for younger and or budget travelers- superb coverage of budget accommodations for all ages but especially on youth hostels and more Bohemian youth hotels.

kja

I agree about <i>Let's Go Europe</i> -- and would throw the <i>Lonely Planet</i> and the <i>Rough Guide</i> into the mix. Check them out at your local bookstore or library and see which one(s) suit your needs best.

Taltul

We were just in Vienna and also considered a side trip to Bratislava. In the end, we decided that we didn't need to see another city and took the day trip to Melk to see the abbey and cruise down the Danube. There are lots of posts about this day trip - it's super easy and great to see something besides cities. Prague, Budapest and Vienna have a lot in common in the sort of atmosphere etc...- of course there are also lots of differences - and I think Bratislava would probably be similar. Berlin is spread out and made up of different neighborhoods so it's different.
Prague and Vienna are very walkable in the center of the city where there are lots of sites. Vienna transportation system is awesome (if you need to leave the center) and so is the Berlin system. We got around Budapest on the trams and got to every corner.
If you're going in the summer, remember that all these cities are full of tourists so it may be worthwhile reserving places (hotel, pension etc...) ahead of time. If you do it on an online booking site, you can use the free cancellation option to give yourself flexibility.
We travelled from Prague to Berlin by train. There weren't elevators to the platforms at the Prague railway station (well, we couldn't find them) and we had to drag our suitcases up the stairs. So take that into account! We always travel with a 24 inch trolley and a 20 inch carry on trolley (which is fine for a 2 week + trip if you do laundry in the middle and don't get bored wearing the same clothes)

Surfergirl

Taltul, you must have missed the elevator AND the escalators! Each platform has one set of stairs, and on the opposite side of the tunnel you pass through to get to the track from where the stairs are located is the escalator. There is also a lift. There are 3 signs that show lift, wheelchair access and luggage.

PalenQ

I agree about Let's Go Europe -- and would throw the Lonely Planet and the Rough Guide into the mix. Check them out at your local bookstore or library and see which one(s) suit your needs best.>

Or go to the library check out each and photo copy the few relevant sections of each - thus carrying three takes on places instead of one and throw the sheets out as you go. No need to carry hefty guidebooks around.

PalenQ

In the end, we decided that we didn't need to see another city and took the day trip to Melk to see the abbey and cruise down the Danube. There are lots of posts about this day trip - it's super easy and great to see something besides cities>

Yes yes yes - something besides huge cities - some ofthe loveliest scenery in Europe - the Danube Wachau Valley. Very easy day trip from Vienna.

nytraveler

You have picked 4 great cities, and yes, you can also visit places in between and also do day trips. But we're really limited as to what to reco unless we know how many weeks you have for this trip.

If your time and money are unlimited let us know and we can suggest an incredible trip. If you're like most of us and have limits - do give us a clue so we can be most helpful.

michelhuebeli

OP started a new thread - click his name and see.

kja

Thanks, michelhuebeli!