chicagoinabroad

Hello all,

Planning a trip from the US to these 3 cities during the week of thanksgiving. I'm 28 and traveling with my parents whom are youthful and enjoy similar things. Would like to know a few things...

a. how bad is the weather really? are these cities unbearable and dead, or is there still a lot to do?

b. do you miss out on a lot of things due to the season? (beauty, outdoor attractions) a city like chicago is best seen in the spring and summer due to the lake, and visiting during the winter months doesn't do it justice. is that the case for these cities too?

c. with only 7 days, how would you split up the trip? prefer getting a taste for the city through marketplaces, nightlife, restaurants, cultural activities, and popular tourist attractions (architecture, churches, museums,..don't need to see every last museum and building in town).

d. hotel recommendations? prefer to stay in the main bustling city center areas in all 3 cities...




Appreciate the help! Please respond asap as we need to book soon. Thanks.

iris1745

For Prague www.hotel-pariz.cz For Vienna www.kvu.at Information on Prague and Vienna. www.inyourpocket.com With only seven days, consider two cities. Richard

lindy27

I also recommend with only 7 days to choose 2 cities. I would include Vienna as one of the two due to it being in the middle.

If you can fly into your first city and out your second. I would put 4 days onto your first city to leave time to recover from jetlag.

I am a person who will go to Europe no matter the season. I actually find Chicago very beautiful before Christmas with all the lights and sometimes snow.

Michel_Paris

I might consider doing just two of the cities. first day, jet lag, getting from airport to hotel...last day, time lost getting to airport. Every time you switch cities, even more time 'lost' getting there and repeating the hotel thing.

Plot out on a calendar your days, including the above. Then decide if it really allows you enough time to see the place, or just say you were there.

bjl

I agree with the others - choose two cities for such a short trip. True, your experiences will likely be more of the indoor variety but that doesn't change the grandeur of Vienna or the bustle of Budapest. Imagine how cozy a Viennese cafe will be on a chilly day! Imagine the baths in Budapest on a chilly day! Vienna has great museums and the opera will be on. If you go to Budapest, check out the Great Market Hall. Have a bowl of goulash upstairs. Mmmm, a nice hot bowl of goulash on a chilly day...

ellen75005

Given your time, I would also advise two cities. A fair amount of your time will be spent traveling between cities if you go to all three. Seven days isn't a lot, especially since you're evidently traveling from and back to the US.

I've been to Vienna and Budapest (Prague is next). I love both and my daughter absolutely loved Prague which she said has more of a cobblestone, small-town feel than Budapest. In Budapest we stayed at the Gerloczy which I highly recommend (Rick Steves recommends it). http://www.gerloczy.hu/rooms_delux/
It's in a great location on the Pest side, on a quiet street just a few minutes' walk from the river. It's small, with a very European feel and the staff are wonderful (as is the food; there were a lot of locals eating among the tourists).

I always do what Michel suggests; put each leg of it on a calendar and see where you end up.

Let us know when you decide!

Ellen

nytraveler

7 days is tight for 2 cities and transit in between - just not enough for 3 IMHO.

the weather is fall weather - chilly and possibly rainy but probably not really cold or snowy yet (somewhat like Chicago). All have many things to do indoor (not primarily outdoor like a beach, mountain or countryside vacation) but the weather isn;t cold enough to prevent you doing a lot of walkng aorund. Esp like the OldTown walking tours of Prague - which are fascinating. And there is a great music scene - at very low prices.

I've been to all several times and Prague is definitely my favorite. Vienna has a lot to do but Budapest is a little more exotic. But essentially it's a toss-up.

To provide hotel info it would help to have a budget for the rooms.

annhig

I too would suggest picking just two - Prague and Vienna.
Budapest is quite like both of them, so not different enough to provide a satisfactory contrast when paired with either of the other two.

3 nights in Prague [quite enough to see the highlights that time of year] and 4 in Vienna - which isn't enough but you'll get the idea.

have a great trip!

ButterflyGirl06

In Vienna, you will be able to enjoy some of the Christmas Markets. Here's a link: http://www.austria.info/au/people-an...a-1158727.html We are visiting Vienna that same week and are most looking forward to the holiday atmosphere!

joannyc

I've been to all 3 cities on one trip. I did Prague for 5 nights (jet lag), Cesky Krumlov for 1 night, Vienna for 4 nights and Budapest for 4 nights. Loved Prague, CK, and Budapest. Somewhat disappointed in Vienna (maybe I was expecting too much?)

If I had only 7 nights, I'd spend 5 in Prague and 2 in Cesky Krumlov or maybe 4 in Prague, 2 in Cesky Krumlov and 1 somewhere else in CZ.

If you go to Vienna, you'll want to see Melk, Durnstein, Salzburg, Hallstatt, St. Gilgen and/or St. Wolfgang. Yep, you can see these other towns on future trips to Austria if you plan to return but do you plan to return to Austria?

Budapest was great also. But, you unfortunately don't have enough time with 7 nights.

You just have to start planning some more trips! Yea!!!

chanad

I read that the castle in Cesky Krumlov is closed in November, so that might affect your decision to got here.

flygirl

For what it's worth (to the OP who is already gone...) I am in Vienna and just canx'ed my side trip to Budapest. Too much to see in Vienna and the realization that my trip to Budapest would mean 6 hours on the train (plus another 2-ish hours with re-packing, taxi rides, checking in and out...) means wayyyy too much time out of my trip. If I had stayed on course I'd only have tomorrow left in Vienna and I feel like I just got here (because... I just got here).

At any rate, another two full days in Vienna, no train rides, no changing hotels during that two days... bliss. Lots to see and do.

ellen75005

flygirl, I agree, Vienna is one of my favorite cities - so glad you're enjoying it. If you haven't been to Budapest, consider it for your next trip - it's wonderful, too.

Ellen

vvanderlust

chicagoinabroad:
I am considering this exact trip in late spring 2011. Did you find it easy to navigate around without knowing the language (an assumption here). Was it easy traveling from city to city by train? What other tips can you offer for this trip?

Delaine

How many days will you have? If you have enough time, I would highly recommend a visit to Cesky Krumlov; I thought it was enchanting.

I have visited all 3 cities before (Vienna twice), plus Cesky Krumlov. While I took French and Italian in college I have not taken classes in German, Hungarian or Czech. However, I did make it a point to get good language guides for each country and study ahead of time (I was already pretty good with German since I had been to German-speaking countries before). I feel more comfortable if I at least have a vague idea of what something says when it is not translated. That being said, most everything of import is translated into English, or at least has pictures, i.e. a woman on a ladies' room door. Also, many, if not most, of the people with whom you will come in contact speak at least some English. For map purposes, you don't need to know what the street name means, just what it says so you can find it on a map or vice versa (this is however, an issue in Greece, since they use the Greek alphabet on signs). I have also seen some [recent] complaints about Budapest and unfriendliness. I always try and use everyday pleasantries in the language of the country I am visiting, and, perhaps luckily, have never encountered such a problem.

Tips would depend upon what your interests are.

kfusto

We often go to Europe at that time of year, leaving the USA on Thanksgiving Day as we like to take advantage of the extra days off.

We went to Germany and Austria at Thanksgiving in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2008 we had a mix of rainy days and some sunshine. In 2009 almost every day we had rain. This past year we had lots of snow in Germany and Austria both.

The Christmas markets are in full swing at that time and that is one of the reasons we go in late November. It is beautiful and festive and a special time to be there so we are happy to have the chance of less than ideal weather in order to enjoy the festivities of the season.

I cannot speak for the Czech Republic and Budapest but Austria is very nice - IMO and IME - at that time of year and I would not hesitate to travel again in late November.

LSky

I've been to all 3 cities, Prague twice. The first time I went to Prague I stayed for 10 days and took a couple of day trips.
I went back and spent another 4 days in Prague and went on to Vienna and Budapest.
With only a week, pick one city and enjoy it.