MareW

I know this is a subjective question. My husband and I have an upcoming trip to Budapest and Prague this spring. Is it worth stopping at Vienna for only 3 nights, or should we save it for a later trip when we can stay longer? That trip would be Budapest 7 nights, Vienna for 3, and Prague for 7 nights. Our alternative is Budapest 7 nights, Bratislava for one or two nights to break up the train ride, and the extra 1-2 nights would be spent in Prague. We intend to do some daytrips there.

We haven't been to any of the three cities, but spent a week in other parts of Austria. We probably will get to Vienna in the future if we don't make it this trip, probably on a winter trip. We don't want to shorten either the Budapest or Prague stays to add more time to Vienna on this trip, as we want to get to know them a bit.

Any thoughts?

PalenQ

I'd put more time in Vienna and less time in Budapest - Veinna offers a great day trip to the Wachau Valley - train to Melk, see famous abbey, hop on a boat thru the fantastic Wachau Valley (Danube) to Durnstein and Krems and then train back to Vienna - think about adding a day at least to Vienna for this fantastic excursion.

https://www.google.com/search?q=wach...bih=1075&dpr=1

If taking trains and doing several trips, including day trips look at the European East Railpass that lets you hop on just about any train anytime in Austria, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia - for lots of great info on Eastern European trains check out these IMO superb informative sites - www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

If doing the Wachau excursion you can buy a ticket covering everything, including admission to the Melk Abbey, trains and boat at the train station in Vienna.

Vienna IMO offers a whole lot more to see and do than either Prague or Budapest - even a day trip to Salzburg would be easy - a scenic ride to see one of Europe's most physically gorgeous cities.

I did Bratislava as a day trip from Vienna - just one hour by train or you can take a hydrofoil in season - Bratislava IMO is a one day place - nice restored old town surrounded by blah modern development - relocating always takes a half day - consider doing Bratislava as a day trip from Vienna. Seven days in Prague for me would be about 4 too many - having been there several times - really neat town and yes there are some nice day trips but a week for most IMO would be too much.

Bedar

Agree with Pal. Vienna offers much more than either Prague or Budapest. Spend more time there. You'll want to return.

MareW

Hmmm. Thank you for the suggestions! I know there's a lot to see in Vienna, which was why I was wondering if such a short stay was worth it. We did spend a week in Austria before, including Salzburg.

JulieCallahan

I would keep the trip as is with 3 nights in Vienna. If you like Vienna, you can return. If not, you can cover some of the top sites and be done with it. Vienna is my least favorite of those 3 cities. But I have friends who love it. Why not stop....

PalenQ

What will you do for 7 days in Budapest? Buda and Pest were nice cities for me but I could not fathom staying just in town for a whole week - what day trips do you envision - none stand out as stellar to me.

MareW

We're not really planning on doing day trips from Budapest--just from Prague. Day one will pretty much be a wash due to jet lag and settling in to our apartment so we'll really have six days there.

I think JulieCallahan is right--it's probably silly not to at least stop in Vienna while we have the chance. For some reason, Austria didn't really grab us the way some places have, but I know Vienna will be a totally different experience.

kja

I would also think that it's worth considering adding some time to Vienna. Of course, it depends on what you want to see and experience, but with 4 or (better) 5 full days in Vienna, you could see quite a lot.

Bamaman

We're flying 3/25/2014 into Budapest (4 nights), train to Bratislava (2 nights), train to Vienna (4 nights) and train to Budapest (4 nights).

All of these are great European cities and worthy of at least the time I have allotted.

jelopez33

We have been to all three cities. Vienna is, by far, the best and most beautiful.
IMO, 4 days are enough in Budapest and Prague, but 7 days are not enough in Vienna,
But, of course, Prague and Budapest are nice.I think you can't go wrong anyway.

Enjoy your trip

MareW

Thank you! I may do a slight re-arranging, based on all the comments here, so I appreciate the opinions and goof wishes!

MareW

That should have been "good" wishes, LOL.

PalenQ

Without doing any day trips I still wonder what there is in Buda or Pest themselves to occupy seven days? Would be curious as to plans - maybe just siting at cafes and people watching, etc which is fine but for the average bloke a whole week there would be rather boring I believe. Curious as to why 7 days in Buda and Pest?

annhig

There are excellent day trips to be done from Vienna - one to the Wachau Vallley, another to Baden, a third to the Heurige of Grinzing and Heiligenstadt. Add in a day to see the Hofburg and Schoenbrun Palaces [not necessarily on the same day, but they each take 1/2 a day at least] another to see the Belvedere, the Prater and at least one of the many museums, Then there's the Cathedral, the opera, the Hunderwasserhaus, the Spanish Riding School, - and virtually all of these places are significantly different to the others, so you are not going to get bored.

I've been to Vienna, Prague and Budapest, and although I liked the latter two, I agree with others that there is a lot more to see and do in Vienna.

JulieCallahan

When our friends visit us in Budapest, it takes three very full days to cover the core of the city. And in that amount of time we do not visit a museum, bath , music event, hit Obuda or take any day trips. There are some day trips I would recommend.

If you are planning a full week because of an apartment rental, I would say go for it. If you want to spread the days evenly between the three, that will work too. I would be hesitant to try to figure out which one you will like the best as the opinions on that vary widely across this board. It is something only you will be able to answer for yourself.

Annhig, I have been to Vienna perhaps 10 times, and I do get bored there.. So unsure how to make that guarantee. Yet, I have a very good friend who just can't get enough of it... Go figure.

fourfortravel

I live in Vienna, have visited Prague for 12 (some non-consecutive) days, and Budapest for 4 days (one long weekend and a day trip). Budapest does not inspire me the way Prague does; so I, too, would like to see an itinerary for how to spend more than 3 or 4 days in Budapest.

Three days in Vienna should cover the highlights, but I would add a day or two to appreciate non-Imperial Vienna if possible. With a week allotted for Prague you should consider one or two day trips--PalenQ has some good suggestions.

PalenQ

Well I hve visited Budapest several times and overall like the city and I guess you could spend a week anywhere soaking up the culture and local lifestyle. Yet I would spend that long in another city with more more to do - but everywhere has different requisites and whatever pleases one is the best to do.

annhig

Annhig, I have been to Vienna perhaps 10 times, and I do get bored there.>>

Julie - after 10 times, it's not so surprising you get bored. but the OP hasn't been to any of these places.

I was simply saying that IME, having visited all three places only once, there are more things to do, and more variety of things to do, in Vienna. Given that the OP has 17 nights, she could give, say, 7 nights to Vienna, and 5 each to Budapest and Prague, see most of which each city has to offer, and have a terrific time.

thursdaysd

"What will you do for 7 days in Budapest?"

There is plenty to do in Budapest (I'm not going to write a list, guidebooks have those). I have visited three times for a total of nearly two weeks, and would be happy to go back. Of course, I love Vienna too, but I find Budapest more interesting as it is changing much more than Vienna.

As for day trips from Budapest - Szentendre, Estergom and Godollo for starters. I suppose you could do Gyor or Eger as day trips although I'd rather overnight.

JulieCallahan

I guess I should have specified... I was bored time 1, time 2, time 3, time 4... etc...

Unfortunately Annhig, I lived an hour from Vienna - and all our American friends just had to see Vienna.! (most of them were as bored as me, but I dismissed their boredom as I imagine I was projecting). But don't you ever want to buy a can of black spray paint and rough things up a bit? I do.

I think any distribution of time is fine. With these particular 3 cities though (and not sure why), the reactions are so very different (btw, I also do not like Prague, and I have also been there 5 or 6 times - same American friends who had to see Vienna).