Budapest and Vienna Trip - Advice?
 

My husband and I will be travelling to Budapest the first week of April for a business trip of mine. Our return flight is out of Munich, so we have several options of travel after the first two days of conferences. Any suggestions on destinations in addition to Budapest (i.e. Vienna, Munich, others). I have been to France but no other European countries and it is my husband's first Europeon vacation, so I want to make it special. Any advice would be wonderful. :)

Budapest is a very nice city, which you will enjoy. I think Vienna would be a good second city because it was a part of the same empire as Budapest so somewhat similar but, because it was always in the West and Budapest still has that eastern feel, the differences are interesting. Vienna is one of my favorite cities--so much to see and do. For lodging, check nethotels.com for Vienna. You can travel up the Danube by boat, see the horses, see the boy's choir, hear Andre Rieu, go to the Opera and/or symphony, shop, visit palaces, ride the big ferris wheel, drink new wine in the Vienna Woods, have coffee and torte at Demel's, eat schnitzel, have a Sacher Torte at the Sacher; well, I could go on but there is lots to do.

Linda is right in her choice. I'd like to add another one. Salzberg is a beautiful medium sized city. It is worth a couple of days.

Linda, <BR> <BR>Just reading your suggestions make me feel like I'm there! About Vienna, should I arrange the trip up the Danube before I leave? Also, should I arrange to see the boy's choir, Andre Rieu, symphany? Where is the Vienna Woods? Also, one last question and I will stop: I checked out nethotels.com and found an enormous amount of hotels. On many other postings, price suggestions were around $50 for many of the hotels that I see for over $100. I don't mind paying the difference, as long as I know that it is appropriate for the season. <BR> <BR>Kind Regards and Warmest Thanks, <BR>Stacey

There is a price difference between low and high season. I was there in December, 2000, and paid about $50 for one inside the ring at Pensionhotel Arenberg. It is part of the Best Western chain but has that posh Vienna feel for a small (24 rooms) place. However, they do have all discounts that BW offers, so you may qualify. Call the BW 1-800 number and get the International area. The Arenberg is a 2-minute walk to the U-Bahn, 3-minute walk to the Air Terminal (where buses from the Airport arrive) and about a 5-minute walk to Stephensplatz (middle of Vienna). Since I was there in December, I was not able to go on the Danube but I would think you could get the information regarding the trip and decide from there if reserving seats now would be the best. I think you might be able to do it cheaper in Budapest but don't know the volume of people. The Vienna Boy's Choir sings every Sunday and those tickets are harder to get; however, they do have other concerts that you can get more easily (Advent Concert when I was there and you are going around Palm Sunday). The nethotels site has events listed. Rieu is also listed if he has a concert. The site will tell you how many tickets are available. I waited and lucked out in Vienna for a little cheaper but it was off-season. The Vienna Woods are just outside the city limits. The U-Bahn will take you close and I believe there is a bus or you can rent a car. They have little cafes and you stop and drink the new wine of the region and have a bite.

Also, in Vienna don't miss the Shoenbrun Palice. It has absolutly beautiful gardens. I would do a Danube boat trip in Budapest. It will be less expensive and is a very pretty ride around the bend. The opra house is also beautiful. The one in Budapest is very simular but somewhat smaller. Also if you wish to go to the Opra, it is very inexpensive in Budapest. <BR>Wish I were going with you. Have a great trip. <BR>

A couple people have mentioned not to take the hydrofoil from Budapest to Vienna - you can't see much, lots of time spent in between locks on the Danube. I know there are leisure boats to Szentendre & Eztergom but I don't know about to Vienna. The hydrofoil, I think, takes about 4 hours - a leisure boat might take a full day - which would be kinda nice if there was outside deck, champagne bar......

There is no leisure boat from Vienna to Budapest,there is one to Szentendre -2 hours- or Esztergom-6 hours.This latter one is terrible boring.2 hours is normal,but it is not a very fancy boat. <BR>I'm a Hungarin veteran guide so if you have any questions contact

My wife and another couple are traveling to Vienna, Prague and Budapest in August. How should we travel between the three cities. We fly into Vienna and two weeks later out of Budapest. Can you rent a car? the trains cost about $600 for four. Is a car cheaper for part of the trip? Thanks

Terry, <BR>We may be renting a car for one day to drive from Vienna to Munich and it will cost about $100 US. I have read on many web sites that cars are very expensive to rent between countries, especially by the day. Some recommendations that I read were: manual transmission, rent at least 3 days, plan for the expensive gas, etc. Good luck!

Hello, Stacey and Terry, <BR>We just returned from Vienna where we spent 9 days and Prague where we spent 3. You will love both/either city. I have several websites that I can send you the address of if you want. Please send me an email and I will send it back. <BR>In Vienna I would add the Kunsthistorisches museum of fine arts, the building alone warrants a look, an Opera at the Weiner Staatsoper, the special Rubens exhibit now going on at the Fine Arts Palace, and a tour of Parliament. The flea market was smallish but, still fun. I was able to pick up a great little souvenir, a 90-100 year old pair of mother of pearl Opera glasses. As I love the Opera, it was a true delight to find something so special, particularly in Vienna! The flea market is open on Saturdays around 8. You may also see the crown jewels and the Lippanzer Stallions at the Hofburg. There is so much to see that you can keep busy in Vienna for several days. <BR>Prague is equally lovely, don't miss the Museum of Decorative Arts, one of the finest I been to. <BR>I side trip to the Melk Monastery was <BR>very nice. They offer tours in English. <BR>The building is very impressive. I thought the "village" a bit touristy, but, that's not the main attraction anyway. <BR>We have rented cars in many European countries and examined the pick up and drop off policy of several companies. You should call several companies and compare before you commit to one. We have found vast differences and companies that did allow the pick up/drop off in two locales without any fee. I have always had the most success with renting directly through the auto companies, but, Patrick, and others regularly recommend AutoEurope (?). <BR>My husband purchased me a pair of gorgeous Garnet earrings in Prague. They were probably 1/6th the cost I would have had to pay here in the States. If you like Garnets, I would surely plan on shopping time for some! <BR>I loved La Boheme at the National Theatre in Prague! It was well done and very inexpensive. We had box seats for about $16.00 per person. The eating places in Prague are unigue. I would ask for a traditional Czech restaurant for really good food. Don't be surprised if they seat you at large tables with other guests! We enjoyed a couple of nights doing this. <BR>Have a wonderful time! <BR>Gloria

Isn't there a Rail pass for Austria and the Czech Rep and Hungary? Anyone know of this or where I can find more information! <BR>Thanks in advance