Meredith

Hi, everyone,

My husband and I are hoping to get away to Europe around Christmastime. We would likely leave Atlanta on Dec. 23 and return on Dec. 31.

After doing lots of research and looking at the best airfare, I think we've narrowed our trip down to two possible itineraries. I'd love to hear some feedback on which of these would be better for late December.

Option 1:
Fly roundtrip to Munich. We would likely split our time between Munich and Salzburg, possibly with sidetrips to Hallstatt and Fussen (or perhaps instead of Fussen, we'd day trip to some Romantic Road town north of Munich, like Rothenburg).

Option 2:
Fly roundtrip to Budapest. We would spend a few days in Budapest, take a train to Vienna for a few days, and then get back to Budapest for our flight home. (We looked into flying out of Vienna - but it is several hundred dollars more.)

Thoughts? We love good food and drink, museums, history, and pretty scenery. Normally we love to do some outdoor activities like hiking, but we're not expecting to do too much like that on this trip because of the cold weather.

Thanks!

traveller1959

>>We love good food and drink, museums, history, and pretty scenery. Normally we love to do some outdoor activities like hiking, but we're not expecting to do too much like that on this trip because of the cold weather.<<

Option 1 will satisfy all your needs.

In München, you will find some of the world's best restaurants as well as rustic beerhalls. In Salzburg and other parts of Bavaria, you will also have enough options for good food, good beer and excellent (regional) wines. Museums and history are abundant (as well as in Budapest and Vienna).

The Bavarian and Salzkammergut Alps will provide breathtaking scenery, with snow-capped mountains.

There are zillions of well-marked hiking-trails, e.g. in the National Park Berchtesgaden. Since you have a variety of altitudes, you will have a selection of dry trails and snow-cleaned trails in the mountains.

Please post again to ask more specific questions if you have made up your mind regarding options 1 and 2.

P.S. Best regards to Atlanta. We enjoyed our dinners at Quinones and Bluepointe.

Meredith

Thank you, Traveller1959 - we have never been to those two Atlanta restaurants you listed, but I have heard great things about them. I'll have to remember to give them a try sometime!

As for our two options, we have been leaning towards Option 1 (Munich/Salzburg), simply because that's what we have researched more. We happened to see a great airfare to Budapest, so we thought we should throw that into the mix as an option.

If we go with this option, and with potential day trips in mind, is it easy to do everything by train? I had been discussing train vs. car with some other Fodorites on another post, and everyone seemed to agree that traveling by car might be too much of a hassle because of parking and potential snow/ice. But if we do several day trips, then having a car sure seems more convenient... Thoughts?

Thanks!

traveldawg

I agree with the selection of Munich/Salzberg We have been to both locations you are asking about.

Get a car. The driving is easy and they keep the roads in good condition. Both will have their Christmas fairs still in progress, I think, so that will be fun.

We stayed at the Hotel Bristol in Salzburg last summer. Great location and very nice people. Herr Ricky in the bar is fantastic. The hotel is not expensive and it an easy walk across the river to Old Town.

Go to Berchtesgaden also. Very close to Salzburg. If the weather turns bad outside the Salt Mine tour is a great way to spend a few hours. The area has beautiful scenery all around.

Judyrem

Meredith, I was thinking of the exact same itineraries. We are going to go mid feb for 12 days. Are you going Delta/lufthansa. Did you get your tkts yet? I will be watching your post! BTW, I am in Atl too!

lucy_d

Here is a lovely trip report with a Salzburg focus:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34938757

bobthenavigator

I too vote for option 1---hard to beat that time of year.

bratsandbeer

We had a wonderful time in Budapest in October. It is much cheaper to fly round trip to Budapest than Vienna or Prague. It was a surprise.

You have the warm baths in Budapest, good food - we really liked Budapest.

Two years ago we flew to Munich, rented a car and drove to Rothenburg. From there we drove the Romantic Road and stayed in Ruette. We visited the castles and Ommeramagau. (sp?)
Then we drove to Salzburg. Loved the Berchtesgaden Salt Mine tour as a day trip from Salzburg.

Either option will be great.

Meredith

Great comments, thanks to all! I'll have to discuss this with my husband, but I am now definitely leaning waaaaaaay towards Munich/Salzburg.

Hi, Judy (waving to you from Smyrna!) - we haven't purchased our tickets yet, but I think we will in the next couple of days. We are flying Delta only - we have some vouchers to use up, so we haven't even looked at other airlines. These are the best prices I am seeing right now (on Delta, including taxes, leaving Dec. 23 and returning Dec. 31):

Munich roundtrip (non-stop) - $737.23
Budapest roundtrip (w/layovers) - $672.46

Are you seeing similar prices for February?

Again, thanks to everyone for your comments and (to lucy) for linking to that trip report!

Meredith

Meredith

Oh, and bratsandbeer, I agree with you about flights to Budapest. I am also surprised at how low the price is. In fact, I've been looking at airfare from ATL to cities pretty much all over the world for those dates, and Budapest is the absolute cheapest that I've seen.

Judyrem

Hi Meredith, back at you from Johns Creek! You are doing what I have been doing...searching for best airfares. It is driving me batty. I would like Budapest, but I would like to germany/austria first. Let me know when you get your fare, ok?

Meredith

Will do, Judy. And I think I just jinxed myself because I looked up the airfare after posting those prices above, and it looks like both flights have gone up by $80. I hate when that happens!

agedude

Hi Meridith,

I'm flying into Munich on 17 Dec and Renting a car for a trip to Budapest(Via Melk Abbey, Austria) for a week. It will be my first trip to Budapest, but have been to Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna. I don't think you could go wrong with either itinerary. If I had to choose, I would do the Munich/Salzburg option. I think Germany is so magical at Christmas time, but be forewarned, they close the Christmas Markets on 24 Dec at the latest. Rothenburg is phenomenal and there is a little town called Dinkelsbuhl, less than an hour south, that is almost as beautiful. Fussen and Regensburg are both great for a day of sightseeing.
If you go to Salzburg, the Salzwelten salt mine tour is a hoot. I fought my wife about going but had a blast. It is open in winter and the temp underground is about the same year-round.

tedgale

Budapest is one of the great cities of Europe. And it goes without saying that Vienna is another.

I don't know Salzburg and Munich but I question whether they can equal 2 national capitals -- each of which was a capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, back when Salzburg was a provincial oasis and Munich was -- just Munich.

World-class art. World-class architecture. Classical music (Yes, I'm aware of Salzburg's fame in this regard)

I'm saying that Option 2 is not just "settling" for 2nd best, to get a cheap airfare. It's a knockout-punch combo of fantastic cities. And no car rental, BTW.....

lincasanova

i think the contrast of vienna/budapest would be very interesting. i go along the lines of tedgale, however, each combination has its attraction, i feel budspest/vienna has so much more to see and do, especially in WINTER.

you maybe able to do an open jaw, and take the train between the two.

WillTravel

I may not be doing a fair comparison, but I feel even Vienna alone (as I don't know Budapest) would be better than Munich/Salzburg.

Meredith

Thank you all for the feedback! We have decided to go to Munich/Salzburg - we purchased our tickets to Munich a few days ago. I'm still VERY interested in Vienna and Budapest, but we will have to save that for another trip.

Thanks again!