Gloria

My husband and I have been to Europe several times, never to Austria. We have 11 days. How much time should we allow for Vienna? Has anyone gone to Prague or Budapest on a short trip? And, was that long enough for those cities? Happy to hear from my fellow travelers! <BR>Thank you! <BR>Gloria

Paige

Hi Gloria! A few years ago we went to Vienna and I think we had 3 1/2 days there, which was ok. I'm sure others will tell you that you can spend a lot more time there, but it depends on what all you want to do with your 11 days. <BR>How short of a trip to Budapest or Prague are you thinking? I'd give Prague at least 3 days, but 2 days is better than nothing if you don't think you'll make it back to that area. We spent 5 days there and that was enough for us (although I'd like to go back!). <BR>Everyone will tell you that Salzburg is a must-see. I agree. I really like it. I've been several times just for a day (with guests) and that always seems to work. You could definitely spend more time there but with a day you can walk around the old city, tour the castle and see some of the churches. With more time you could explore the area better. <BR>I also really like Innsbruck. I think the mountain setting is just awesome. We spent a couple of days there and stayed entertained. <BR>Have fun!

joao

Budapeste in Hungary is worth 1 or 2 days. <BR>Don't miss the magnificent New York Cafe, with the violin players playing for each table at a time, against the reward of a tip. <BR>I remember that a complete meal in the New York, costs almost nothing. <BR>In Budapest, it's worth to see the Castle and the Parlament House (nearby there is the street market). And the Danube is always beautiful. <BR>Outside Budapest there is Szentendre (sp?), beautiful old town, no cars allowed inside, and the right spot to buy souvenirs (handycrafts of all kinds, the uniforms of the former soviet army, the official old style clock of Red Army). These are incredibly cheap. <BR>One night in Budapest and 2 days, I think is the right time to spend there. <BR>Szentendre is outside Budapest (approx. one hour, by train). <BR> <BR>

Bob Brown

There is SO much to see in Austria. <BR>Innsbruck is lovely; perhaps 2 days for the high spots. <BR>Salzburg is wonderfully serene and very interesting; perhaps 2 or 3 full days there. <BR>Vienna is another story. We were there 3.5 days and ran outselves ragged. I think if we had taken 5 days, we would have been able to go at a more liesurely pace, and we could have seen some features that we missed. <BR>I had reserved tickets for a performance at the Volksoper, and we went to a concert at Schloss Schönbrunn. The perfomance at Schönbrunn was touristy, but well performed. Schönbrunn will take the better part of an 8 hour day. <BR>I enjoyed the tour because it gave me a better idea of what the Hapsburg Monarchy was all about. (Franz Joseph must have been a ram rod of a stickler for minute detail and he had consideration for those around him similar to that of a hungry T-Rex. And then there was Maria Theresia and the War of the Austrian Succession.) <BR> <BR>The Belevedere is worth about 3 to 4 hours. The Hofburg, including the Spanish Riding School, has so many attractions, seprately priced, that you could spend a 3 to 5 hours there with no trouble. The art museum is interesting, worth perhaps 2 hours if you are an art fan. <BR>We went out to the Prater and looked at that giant ferris wheel, the Riesenrad, but had no interest in waiting out the line. The Austrians seem to think riding that contraption is the thing to do, and I decided that I did not want to stand in their way. We also found just walking around the central shopping district inside the ring was intersting. <BR>Given that you will be there 11 days, you might also consider stopping in Linz as well. The area around Salzburg has many lovely area and small towns like St. Gilgen and Mondsee.

dan woodlief

So far my only stop in Austria was Vienna, but I have also been to Prague and Budapest. I would allow at least three days for Vienna to see most of what you will really want to see (what I assume you will want to see anyway). Bob is right about Schonbrunn. It is worth at least 4 hours. Do see the Treasury in the Hofburg Palace too for an incredible collection of artifacts. You can see the main sights in Prague in two days. One day will not allow you to do justice to this beautiful city. Three would be an ideal first visit. In my opinion to really experience Budapest, you need at least 3 days. However, the most important sights are all pretty close to the river. In one day, you could take a 2-3 hour walking tour of Pest and have plenty of time for the castle complex. If you are there at night, the opera is very good and inexpensive.

Linda

Vienna is beautiful & has so much to see and do. You could spend a week & not see it all. Prague needs at least 4 days and Budapest the same. You, of course, can see the main areas in less time. Budapest is a little closer to Vienna than Prague & it is about an 8-hour train ride from Prague to Budapest. If you take 2 days to travel to and from cities, you may want to pick 2 of the 3; but spending almost 3 days in each city, you could do it. All 3 cities remind me of each other because they were a part of the same empire. However, Vienna has been in the West always; Prague embraced capitalism much sooner than Budapest, so they are different. Try nethotels.com for accommodations in Vienna and Prague. If you don't want to spend a lot but have a nice lodging in Vienna, I recommend Hotelpension Arenberg. It is within the ring, close to the Air Terminal (if you are flying in or out of Vienna & take a bus into town), and in a short walking distance from Stephensplatz. It is affiliated with Best Western but has the old posh Vienna feel. There are only 24 rooms and the original owner had signed pictures of conductors, actors, etc. on the wall. They also had homemade muesli. ($50/1). If you like B&B's, we stayed with a couple in Budapest (he's a retired English-speaking lawyer/chemistry professor) whose home overlooks the city ($40/2). Email me if you are interested. In Prague, we stayed at Penzion Balbin--not as posh as Arenberg but nice & convenient to everything ($80/2 in high season). Be sure to see the Charles Bridge at night in Prague--very romantic. They are great cities.

dougd

You didn't mention what time of year you are going - this could make a big difference on your outdoor activities. We spent 10 days in Austria in September and loved it. Vienna is worth at least 2 nights, it is a wonderful city. Most of the major attractions were covered in the other posts. If you'd like to experience a real smokey, small, brick walled european jazz club, seek out 'Jazz World' in the Bermuda Triangle district. On our drive from Vienna to Salzburg, we spent a night in a tiny hamlet called Weissenkirchen on the Danube, and rented bikes. This was one of the highlights of our trip.There are several nice villages in this area, in the heart of Austria's wine country. Another beautiful town was Hallstat, although I don't know how it would be in winter.

Ellen

I too am going to Austria this spring. No one has mentioned the Salt Mines outside of Salzburg. Is this worth a 1/2 day of my time?

John

Go to the ALPS!!! Awesome!! <BR> <BR>Ellen: Don't bother with the saltmines..unless you have kids. It is a full day, hard walking to and from the entrances, and pretty much reduced to a "Slide, Boat, and some dark areas with equiptment" Not like it was in 1975! Now that was a "Salt Mine Tour"!!!ask me! <BR> <BR>JOHN

Ellen

Thank you John. Most helpful. About the Alps, I have been to Lake Como in Italy, taken the funicular to Brunate, hiked 2 hours to the lighthouse, climbed some stairs and saw clear into Switzerland. Anything different with regard to the Austrian Alps?

steve

The salt mine tour wasn't as much fun when I took it in '87 as compared to '70, but I would still recommend it. <BR> <BR>Salzburg is my no 1 destination in Austria. Also the surrounding region. I especially liked the Ice Caves at Werfen (ICE - dress warmly) Very Unique

BOB THE NAVIGATOR

Hello Gloria, Well, to me Austria is not about cities and opulent palaces. <BR>Vienna is worth 2 days but the real Austrian experience can be found on this itinerary: <BR>Salzburg <BR>St. Gilgen [ Salzkammergut] <BR>Hallstatt <BR>Melk <BR>Durnstein [ Wachau region] <BR>This is Austria to me, and wonderful.

gloria

Thank you! We appreciate all your comments! We usually go to a country, spend 9-10 days in one of the major cities and then rent a car and get lost for another week or two. What would driving conditions be in March? We been through England and France in March and have had no problems...anyone? <BR>Obrigado! <BR>Gloria

mark

It's a 4 hour hydrofoil trip on the Danube from Vienna to Budapest. Budapest is a wonderful city. I'm going back this May to explore it some more.

Gloria

Well, the countdown in on. We are packed and ready to go. We will be staying in Vienna for 8 days, and will be in Prague for 3. If we find that we need a quiet, day trip, out of Vienna, where would you go? <BR>Art and Linda have given me great information on Budapest. I would really like to go there, but, we will combine that with our Italy trip next year. <BR>So, that leaves... <BR>Melk or... <BR>I'd appreciate any sharing. <BR>Thank you all for your input. I know our trip will be the better for it! <BR>Gloria <BR>

Jeff

Gloria, <BR>Tour Salzburg. It is a long day but very worthwhile. much to see.

Linda

The Vienna Woods is a nice jaunt and, in December, we went to Krems--has castle with moat, and is through the wine country of Austria. Both with the Woods and near Krems, you stop in a small village, eat at a local cafe and sample that area's young wine. The town where we ate is called Langenlois and the restaurant was just off the town square (don't know the name) but the town isn't that large.

Gloria

Linda, <BR>Thank you for the advice. I will look into Krems. I have a feeling that we may want to escape into a little quietude after the business of Vienna. We usually rent a car and get to the country for a few days. I think we may miss that this year. <BR>I looked at your pictures and really had a difficult time trying to decide between Prague and Budapest. I think we will visit Budapest next year, however. <BR>I appreciate your many kindnesses as we plan this trip, Linda. <BR>Ciao, <BR>Gloria

Rex

I have never been to Austria but I do have a must-see village for you to visit. It is called St. Radegund, a small village 20 miles of Hitler's hometown of Braunau. A heroic young man named Franz Jagerstatter grew up in St. Radegund at the time of Hitler's rise to power. A peasant, Jagerstatter grew to be a handsome, rambunctious man who rode motorcycles much in the fashion of Marlon Brando in "The Wild One." He sired an illegitimate daughter in 1935 before settling down and marrying in 1938. Jagerstatter became religious and was anti-Nazi. He denounced the German takeover of Austria in 1938. Jagerstatter refused to join the Nazi army. When drafted in 1943, Jagerstatter refused to be inducted and he was imprisoned in another Hitler hometown called Linz. He did much writing from prison. One line- "Whoever is ashamed of his faith shows that he knows not Jesus Christ." Jagerstatter was sent to prison in Berlin where he was beheaded on 9 August, 1943. Said the prison chaplain, "For the only time in my life I had met a saint." One year after the war ended, Mrs. Jagerstatter brought her husband's body back to St. Radegund for internment. Jagerstatter's humble grave is on the premises of a small church founded in 1422. Only a small crucifix adorns the grave though there is a bronze plaque on a church wall with a poem written by an American inscribed. The poem begins, "Thanks be to God for Jagerstatter, He knew that all of us are brothers...." There is a guestbook at this church with the comments of many people, not just Germans or Austrians. One entry is from a German soldier of World War Two. It reads, "I was a German soldier. I know now that Franz Jagerstatter was the one who did his duty to our people." <BR>SOURCE- John Lukacs, Destinations Past <BR> <BR>Sorry to be rambling but I just had to share. I certainly plan to visit St. Radegund before I die and pay homage to a man who should be declared a saint.

Gloria

Topping this for Chris.