mrsgo

Darn! We have to choose between a visit to Vienna or Budapest in September. We like people watching, outdoor fun, markets, quaint medieval, winded streets, and food. What do you think? How many days to see the sights and enjoy the city? THANK YOU!!

StCirq

We just spent 6 days in Budapest. We, rather unexpectedly, were not smitten with the city. We loved the old Jewish Quarter and Dohány Synagogue; Andrássy was delightful; we spent a good part of a day at the Grand Market and a couple of specialty food shops, and that was intriguing; and the Szechenyi thermal baths were a lot of fun. But so much of the city seemed to be wildly over-touristy, with tacky souvenir shops everywhere you looked and row upon row of pizza parlors, hamburger joints, and places with enormous laminated menus with pictures of the food. The food we ate was mostly pretty tasty, but the same 5 or 6 items were on every menu. The waterfront area on both sides of the city was just ugly, dirty, and downright dangerous in places. We took a cruise out to Margret's Island, which the guidebooks made out to be "an oasis of calm" with spectacular fall foliage. Apart from the enormous whimsical fountain and accompanying playlist of American music, it was dull, flat, and covered with machinery, pipes, and construction materials. The general attitude of shopkeepers and restaurant staff seemed to be "I can't really be bothered" (except for the staff at our hotel, who were fabulous). And why does every block of the city seem to have at least two Thai massage parlors? What's that about?

It may well have been our own fault for not doing enough research or making poor choices, but in 6 days we can usually find a lot of wonderful things to enjoy in a new city. Didn't happen for us in Budapest.

We then spent 2 nights in Bratislava and had completely the opposite experience. Beautiful, well-kept buildings, marvelous and varied food, a thrumming intellectual vibe at every turn, friendly and gracious staff and shopkeepers, a well-tended waterfront, gorgeous churches, a warren of medieval cobblestone alleys with sophisticated but inexpensive wine bars, stunning old coffee houses...We wish we had spent the 6 days there and 2 in Budapest.

I haven't been to Vienna for a very long time, so won't comment on that.

tripplanner001

I've visited both in the last couple of years and enjoy them both. Four nights in either city would give you enough time to enjoy its major highlights, more if you want to take day trips. I spent eight nights in Vienna and was not bored, although we did break up our time by venturing out of the city. If you have time, do both. If not, you can't go wrong with either.

Michael

Budapest: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...730601912/show


Vienna: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...927111169/show

You decide, although I think that Vienna has more important museums.

WoinParis

Fish or meat ?

Bedar

We enjoyed Budapest. Stayed up in the Castle District (Buda) where there were tons of antique shops and old building. You felt you were in another century. Only went to Pest once and fled back to lovely Buda.
Vienna is more of a world capital with all that entails. I'd go to Vienna were I you.

fourfortravel

We live in Vienna, and have spent a fair amount of time in Budapest. Yours is a difficult decision, to be certain.

September is grape harvest season, and Vienna (and nearby villages) host vineyard wandering weekends, where one wanders through the vineyards from one pop-up wine tavern to another, sampling both food and wine, and excellent people watching. Budapest and surrounds offer similar activities.

You might do well to consult the events/festival calendars for each city; you may find one city more enjoyable than the other if there is something of interest going on. We do this quite often for day trips from Vienna; what might be an "ordinary" beautiful old Central European city takes on a whole different charm when a festival is added.

With respect to food, you'll have to do your research well. Meat and potatoes are still the norm at traditional and "tourist" restaurants. With a little effort, though, you can find updated and fresh takes on the classic cuisines.

I hope this is helpful.

Cathinjoetown

If I had to choose, Vienna.

How much time do you have? It's around three hours by train between the two.

BigRuss

Budapest.

Imperial seat of self-important misnamed "empire" less interesting than Paris on the Danube, which has far more interesting 20th century history.

phillyboy

I tend to agree with StCirq's assessment of Budapest. Add to her list of disappointments, what I felt was a rather heavy feeling of communist block-type, foreboding-looking buildings that gave large chunks of the city a depressed feel. It's one of two European cities (Berlin being the other; though it is a favorite of many these days, I was disappointed) that, given the chance to return, I would take a pass.

Though it's been about 10 years since I was there, really loved Vienna. Just a beautiful, "living on past glory" type of place. Found the food to be good and people very nice, much more so than Budapest.

Michael

<i>what I felt was a rather heavy feeling of communist block-type, foreboding-looking buildings that gave large chunks of the city a depressed feel. </i>

I did not see that in the core of the city, although some of the residential neighborhoods simply have dreary early 20th century buildings. Here's an example:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7670730601912/

but continue on our walk and the buildings change.

Michael

and I forgot; there is an amazing number of art noubeau buildings in the city.

BigRuss

<<Add to her list of disappointments, what I felt was a rather heavy feeling of communist block-type, foreboding-looking buildings that gave large chunks of the city a depressed feel.>>

Uh, yeah. That's part of the point. Budapest has the Buda Castle district, the Parliament, St. Istvan's, Dohany Street, the Chain Bridge, and Andrassy all in part of their former glory. But it was beaten down and thrashed about by the bloody Soviets (thus, the Hungarians keep Szoborpark statue garden to remember their history). The commie-block housing is not in the main tourist areas, but it exists and is common in Obuda.

Hungary was also the swastika-bedecked crocodile's last major national victim (pardon the Churchillian paraphrase) in WWII - thus the Weeping Willow (only Poland had more Jews killed than Hungary even though the Holocaust only reached the Magyars in 1944) and the Lutz Memorial and the Shoes on the Danube.

thursdaysd

Am stunned by St. Cirq's report on Budapest. It is one of my favorite cities, I have been four times and would be happy to go back. I simply don't recognize it from her description. I stay in Buda, since then I can look at Pest, and there are more options for eating and better transport. And Michael is right about the Art Nouveau buildings. Plus, Budapest makes a feature of its river (do take an evening boat cruise), while Vienna turns her back on the Danube.

That said, I do enjoy Vienna, and it has more museums - although don't miss Budapest's Gold Museum.

For some of my visits to Budapest, go here and put Budapest in the search box:

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com

Dianedancer

We loved Budapest. Part of what we loved was that it wasn't all shiny clean. That doesn't mean that we found it dirty. We didn't. But it was interesting to see some buildings that were scarred - so no Disneyland here. We felt the history. We also stayed in the Buda area at a B&B. We loved it. We went to Andrassy Street only once and thought it was just a typical tourist street. Didn't know why it was so touted in travel guides.

We loved Vienna too which is more grand. Tough decision.

Aknox53

It definitely depends on what you like, they are very different cities!!

I prefer Vienna, but I wouldn't describe it as quaint. It is a large city with beautiful architecture. Reminds me a lot of Rome. However, we rented bikes and rode along the Danube river from Krems to Durnstein, stopping at wineries along the way in very cute, quaint towns. One of my favorite days!

Budapest is big and rough around the edges. Has some beautiful things to see as well. It has good food and art. Budapest seemed to me like a good party city if you like bars and nightclubs.

kja

I'm another traveler who loved both cities, if for very different reasons.

For me, the museums of Vienna make it one of Europe's most appealing cities, and once I add in its other assets, it is -- again, for me -- one of Europe's gems.

Budapest has an incredible range of architecture from Roman ruins through modern structures (including, as noted above, some of Europe's finest Art Nouveau), glorious views, delicious Hungarian food, ....

Tough call, only one the OP can make, and probably best made by doing some serious research with good guide books. JMO.