drop bratislava, find somewhere else better

Eger, Linz, Brno

Maybe try an underground spa at say Miskolc http://www.visitspas.eu/miskolc-586/ or Cesky Krumlov

We have friends in Bratislava so will be visiting them

I like the spa idea, thanks!

Has anyone been to any of these places during the holidays? Also since I know a lot of places will be closed in Budapest I'm looking at a larger hotel with it's own bar/restaurant. Usually we stay in small boutique places. Any larger places that don't feel corporate?

Sorry, I don't go to cold places in the winter, but the town square in Bratislava is very nice during the nicer months.

I'm addicted to pig's knuckle (which is really like half a pig's leg) and tall glasses of pivo.

Why not spend Christmas in Vienna?

Thanks easytraveler, we will be spending new years in Vienna with friends, it's an annual trip (not the place, just he time)

Mmmm pigs knuckle! Had some in Munich once!

We had the best Schwienhaxen along the Romantic Road. I order it each time I go to Germany, it's good but never as good as that place. I'll have to see if I have it in a note somewhere.

(pig knuckle)

I remember that name now!

I never forget the name but I have to look up the spelling each time The last time we had it, it was fried. While it wasn't wholly awful, it wasn't wholly good but they had great beer.

Ah, the name of the town where I had the best is Lands am See, it was in a restaurant right across the street from the hotel Mueller.

My wife and I spent Christmas in Budapest about 5 years ago. On Christmas day, we caught one of the services at St. Stephens Basilica. I don't speak Hungarian, I ain't Catholic, but I really enjoyed the service and the spectacle of it all. Get there early because it was packed. After the service, we went to the Nutcracker at the Opera House. I bought the tickets online here in America and was surprised how easy it was and how inexpensive the tickets were. The Opera House is right behind the Basilica.

If you have a car, try and get to the Esztergom Basilica, about an hour from Budapest. I also loved walking around in in Szentendre, a medieval village about 20 minutes north of Budapest. It's easy to hit Exztergom, the castle at Visegrad and Szentendre in the same day.

Unlike Germany, the Christmas markets in Prague were open after Christmas so I went there 27 and 28 Dec.

The best Christmas day I ever spent was in Krakow, not sure if you can squeeze it in, but it's definitely worthwhile.

Great info!