Berlin or Budapest?
Aug 23rd, 2006, 12:25 PM
#1
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Berlin or Budapest?
My husband, son (16y.o) and myself will be in Vienna for 4 days at the end of March, 2007. We are planning to visit one more city.
I have researched transportation to either city and they seem easy enough. We like good food, architecture , and wandering around new places. We've been to Prague 2 years ago. What would you suggest?
I have researched transportation to either city and they seem easy enough. We like good food, architecture , and wandering around new places. We've been to Prague 2 years ago. What would you suggest?
Aug 23rd, 2006, 12:31 PM
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I have been to both cities (I'm of Hungarian origin, so I have relatives in Budapest) and I would say Budapest. It's closer to Vienna than Berlin is and it'll be a totally new experience, especially language-wise. It's a gorgeous city and Hungary is a bit less expensive than other countries.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 01:09 PM
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Berlin.
I don't mean to belittle Budapest, but Prague, Vienna and Budapest were part of the Catholic. Austro-Hungarian, Hapsburg Empire while Berlin was part of the Protestant, Prussian, House of Hohenzollern. Berlin is a dynamic, complex, cosmopolitan city full of contrasts.
You really couldn't go wrong with either city. Good luck
I don't mean to belittle Budapest, but Prague, Vienna and Budapest were part of the Catholic. Austro-Hungarian, Hapsburg Empire while Berlin was part of the Protestant, Prussian, House of Hohenzollern. Berlin is a dynamic, complex, cosmopolitan city full of contrasts.
You really couldn't go wrong with either city. Good luck
Aug 23rd, 2006, 01:57 PM
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Budapest is much closer to Vienna and is more picturesque than Berlin. Berlin has more important museums and is much more modern in its core, which may be why people prefer Munich. Berlin is also much more difficult to get connected to, I think. If you choose Berlin, you might want to look at the guidebood <i>BerlinWalks</i> which offers 5 different walking tours of 5 very different areas. However, it would be out of date as concerns Postdamer Platz and the area around the Reichstag unless you find that it has been re-edited very recently. If you choose Budapest, you might want to look into the B&B Bellevue. It is very well located and the owners speak fluent English.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 02:09 PM
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Berlin! My sister lives there (in Charlottenburg) and loves it there. It is a vibrant, pulsing city with an eclectic mix of peoples, things to do/see, restaurants, etc. Check Point Charlie is a fascinating place that your 16 yr old would enjoy, as well as taking the "Berlin Walks" tour which is a walking tour of the city (down Unter den Linden Blvd, Memorial Kirche, past Humboldt Univ, Opera, Brandenburg Gate, etc). For restaurants, a couple of my favorites are "Marche" (near the Ku'Damm dept store and Berlin's Zooglischer station) and the "12 Apostles" restaurant, located in the university area by Humboldt, as well as near Richard Wagner Platz/Charlottenburg.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 02:14 PM
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Thanks for all your suggestions. At this point, I'm leaning more towards Berlin since it is easier to connect there (via air berlin) from Amsterdam than to Budapest. I have to attend a medical seminar in Amsterdam first.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 02:22 PM
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Berlin, as others have suggested, will be a greater contrast to Vienna than Budapest. It is a huge, mostly modern metropolis. (Not really a wandering around kind of place, in my opinion. Certain neighborhoods perhaps...)
I much preferred Budapest. More manageable. More beautiful. 1000 times more "old world." Loved the churches and the historic bathhouses.
But I was in Berlin 10 years ago when the city was under a haze of construction dust. Maybe that has changed.
I much preferred Budapest. More manageable. More beautiful. 1000 times more "old world." Loved the churches and the historic bathhouses.
But I was in Berlin 10 years ago when the city was under a haze of construction dust. Maybe that has changed.
Aug 23rd, 2006, 03:34 PM
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I have been to both of these cities several times. I like them both. Berlin has excellent museums. In Budapest I love to walk along the Danube at night on the Pest side looking over at Castle Hill which is lit up at night. This is one of the most beautiful scenery that I have seen in Europe. Budapest is a more compact city. Berlin is more spread out and takes longer to go to places of interest. They both have excellent public transportation. Budapest is cheaper than Berlin. Some of the things that I would consider is: How much time is it going to take to get to these cities. How many days are you going to be in the city? If you don't have much time to spend in the city, Budapest would probably be the best. Are the museums going to be open in Berlin? What is the weather like in March in these cities?
Aug 23rd, 2006, 04:01 PM
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We plan to spend 3 days in the city (Berlin or Budapest). I just found out that SkyEurope flies from Amsterdam (where we're coming from ) to Budapest in March. I checked air berlin earlier and they don't til May. So know, I'm more torn.Although , I think my 16 year old son might enjoy Berlin better, i.e, walking tours, WWII history...
Aug 24th, 2006, 04:19 PM
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I think that the first thing that I would do is to check how much it is going to cost to fly to Berlin. This might decide it for you. If you have access to a library that has a travel section, check to see if they have books or a cd on Berlin and Budapest. Look thru the books and decide what you like best or if you have a book store that sells travel books. Have you checked the typical weather in march in Berlin? It could get pretty cold on these walking tours. In Berlin on the large stone columns you will sometimes see round spots on the column that is lighter. This is where they patched bullet holes from WWII. In East Berlin some of the bullet holes from WWII have not been repaired.
In Berlin I find most tours are done on your own. In Budapest, you can arrange a guided tour through your hotel. When you say that you have 3 days. Is this 3 full days or is there some travel time here?
In Berlin I find most tours are done on your own. In Budapest, you can arrange a guided tour through your hotel. When you say that you have 3 days. Is this 3 full days or is there some travel time here?
Aug 24th, 2006, 04:30 PM
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Yes, this is 4 nights and 3 full days. The cost of flying from Amsterdam to Berlin and AMS to Budapest is about the same at 33 euros/person. I have guide a book from our local library on budapest and have RS guide book for Germany & Austria. My son told me last night that he would be more interested in Berlin.
Aug 24th, 2006, 06:04 PM
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old world, majestic impressive charm.. budapest. fun baths... floatin griver restaurant... music galore.. more folklore.
berlin.. like said, more modern, still lots of charm in certain plazas,but more like the west with all its high rises now.. and architecural displays.
MUCH more spread out.
lots of traversing....miles wide.
budapest is much more manageable.. and perhaps will have changed more in the next 10 years...
but i love both.. but would be inclined to take my family to what i feel is more different.. budapest.
berlin.. like said, more modern, still lots of charm in certain plazas,but more like the west with all its high rises now.. and architecural displays.
MUCH more spread out.
lots of traversing....miles wide.
budapest is much more manageable.. and perhaps will have changed more in the next 10 years...
but i love both.. but would be inclined to take my family to what i feel is more different.. budapest.
Mar 24th, 2007, 02:15 PM
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To Kenav,
Sorry to have missed your message, but we arrived at the B&B Bellevue today (and staying for 3 nights), really like it so far! Judit and Husband are just gracious hosts and very informative,too. When do you stay here?
Sorry to have missed your message, but we arrived at the B&B Bellevue today (and staying for 3 nights), really like it so far! Judit and Husband are just gracious hosts and very informative,too. When do you stay here?
