RAR

Saw this question on another message board and decided to bring it here... what lesser-known but amazing big-town or city will become the next Prague? Or what place deserves more attention than it currently gets?

samtraveler

Since I haven't been there in 6 years, I'm not sure it's as relatively undiscovered as it was when I was there, but my vote would be Budapest. What a wonderful city. It seems like it's gaining popularity and a good candidate for the "next Prague," Prague is still my favorite!

Patrick

Gee I thought Budapest was the Prague before Prague became the Prague. In other words I thought it was "discovered" before Prague was.

I vote for Ljubljana, Slovenia.

jor

"the Prague before Prague became the Prague"??? come on uncle sam \/.

samtraveler

Good one, Patrick! Maybe you're right about Budapest being Prague before Prague became Prague, but it sure didn't feel like the Prague before Prague became Prague when I was there 6 years ago

Scarlett

Why is this making sense to me ?

Patrick

Because it makes perfect sense, Scarlett!!

RAR

I found the before Prague Prague when I was in Prague last January, but that's probably because I went there in January when the tourists were all in warmer climates

samtraveler

So if Budapest is the Prague before Prague became Prague, then what's the Prague before Budapest became Prague?

Patrick

Krakow.

Dave_

Tallinn in Estonia.

Although that's long on its way to being "discovered" so maybe doesn't count as being undiscovered anymore.

welltraveledbrit

I'm leaving for Prague tomorrow so this question just makes me feel out of date! I'll let you know if Prague is still Prague when I return!

ben_haines_london

Prague, Krakow and Budapest and on a smaller scale Cesky Krumlov have already arrived as destinations for summer holidays from north America and winter weekend breaks from Britain. I agree that Tallinn and Wroclaw are in line to join them within a year or so. Then Vilnius, Riga, and Ljubljana are coming along nicely. Well behind just now are the equally enchanting cities of Lviv, Sibiu and Sigisoara.

I say this on the basis of amounts of questioning on this forum and on the Lonely Planet forum, of e-mails that I get, of my newspaper reading, and of my own judgement of the beauty of each place ? and every one of these is a gem.

I write from London, so am influenced by what places have a no-frills flight from here. Places that do are Tallinn, Prague, Wroclaw, and next year Krakow. Places with such a flight landing at an airport four hours away by good train are Budapest (fly SkyEurope to Bratislava) Cesky Krumlov (fly Easyjet to Prague) and Ljubljana (fly Easyjet or Ryanair to Venice or Trieste). From London Sibiu and Sigisoara are hard to reach by no-frills flight: you fly to Bratislava and carry on overnight in a sleeper to Transylvania. From Venice they are easier, as Volare Airlines fly from there to Bucharest. Vilnius and Lviv can be reached by Air Polonia to Warsaw, then a railway sleeper and for Riga a bus. While no-frills services are best from London (Stansted), many of these cities of central Europe have flights from Paris or Brussels too. I can supply airlines and their web addresses if you name a destination and ask me.

Welcome to the new Europe, which is the old Europe alive again. I am not a fan of Ronald Reagan, but in this matter he is a historic figure (with a little help from his friends). Indeed, all Americans of his generation (which is mine)can be proud of their long and sustained work (Do you remember Elvis Presley in uniform ?).

There, you never expected to see me agree with the correspondent Uncle Sam, did you ? But then again, it is Christmas.

[email protected]

RAR

Very nice post Ben. I'm planning a trip to Eastern Europe, and your post was further impetus to my desires to go there.

jmv

What about Dubrovnik, or was it a Prague before the wars?

ira

If you want to see what Prague was like before it was discovered, and well in advance of its becoming the next Prague, go to Czernowizc.

It is an old, walled city that has changed little since before WWII.

It used to be in Rumania, but has since been moved to Ukraine.

Patrick

By the way, my post of "Krakow" above was not a suggestion for the "next Prague". I think it was "discovered" long ago. I meant that as an answer to the question posed by Sam the Traveler as the 'Prague before Budapest'.

Judyrem

Yes, I am interested in central and eastern Europe too! I am 100% of Lithuanian descent and my husband is 1/2 Polish. Krakow is definitely on my must see list as is Prague, Budapest and Vilnius (of course). To all those Eastern Europe fans, when we finally make the plunge into that part of Europe( with a little trepidation, I confess), I hope you(all) will help me through it. Right now, MY emphasis is on the UK(my first love) with my 2 week trip around the UK coming up in Sept. Judy

Sue_xx_yy

Waitress: Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and Prague; egg bacon and Prague; egg bacon sausage and Prague; Prague bacon sausage and Prague; Prague egg Prague Prague bacon and Prague; Prague sausage Prague Prague bacon Prague tomato and Prague;

Tourists: Prague Prague Prague Prague...

Waitress: ...Prague Prague Prague egg and Prague; Prague Prague Prague Prague Prague baked beans Prague Prague Prague...

Tourists: Prague! Lovely Prague! Lovely Prague!

Fodorite: Haven't you anything without Prague?

Waitress: Only if it's the "next" Prague.

(apologies to Monty Python..)

SAnParis

Krakow is already considered a 'mini' Prague, I think Dubrovik as well as mentioned by jmv.