We are planning a 2 week trip to include Prague and Budapest, we like cities, but like the countryside best. Any itinerary suggestions including these cities and time in away from the city?

Cesky Krumlov is a beautiful little town south of Prague. A UNESCO World Heritage site with 1 of the 2 remaining baroque theaters in the world! Well worth a night (or preferrably two).

You can get there by car, bus, or train from Prague.

In Hungary, your options include areas along the Danube where there are a string of historical towns like Esztergom and Gyor, areas around Lake Balaton (very touristy in July August, quieter other times), and areas northeast of Budapest where there are further historical towns, chiefly Vac, Holloko and Eger, and hills and mountains (e.g. Matras; most of Hungary is rather flat) for hiking, riding, wine-tasting (e.g. Bulls Blood and sweet Tokaj), and pretty villages with old churches.

1. IMO Prague is worth 3 days minimum; Budapest also. Skip Bratislava. Cesky K is worth a whole day. Skip Holloko. Eger was very nice. Could go on, but don't know your likes/dislikes/interests/disinterests

Thanks for your helpful responses.

A year ago, we made the kind of trip you may have in mind. We flew into Prague, and spent 4 nights there.

From there, we picked up a rental car and drove (visiting castles on the way) to Telc, in the southern Czech Republic, where we spent two nights. From there, we drove east to Olomouc, spending two nights there. Then a LONG drive east to eastern Slovakia, the town of Levoca, for two nights, primarily to visit their best-known castle, Spissky Hrad.

On to Hungary. From Levoca, we drove south into Hungary, where we spent two nights in Eger, a gorgeous little town. Then back west, where we spent one night in one of the Danube towns before ending our trip with four nights in Hungary.

Our focus in the countryside was pretty towns and visiting castles. There are a LOT of castles in that part of Europe, as that region was for a long time the border and bulwark between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire.

Also, Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) is a pretty little spa town about a (very pleasant and easy) 70 minute drive from Prague airport. I recently spent 2 nights there. On the way to it and beyond, there are several tiny quaint villages and towns to visit and stay in, many of them sporting their own castles, Locket, for example. That whole part of Bohemia is very pretty and interesting.

And the same goes for Budapest, as Lexma90 says above.
Hungary is one of my favourite countries.

You need to understand the Spas. There is a fault line that goes East/West along the country. Out of this come the many spas. As a result, in these areas are many spas and generally these are either very clean or a bit "chalky"/"muddy". Either way this is a great way to meet people and join in with a locals. Some of the best areas are around Lake Balaton, Budapest or to the east of Budapest say around Eger, Miscolc and of course the wine area of Tokai is a wonder (though fewer spas)

If it's countryside you're looking for, the Teplice skaly region is spectacular. http://www.jeremytaylor.eu/adrspach_...e_skaly_1.html and the Sumava region on the Czech German border is stunning - great hiking and great cross country skiing in winter (no pictures yet but I'll sort them out soon). Even more spectacular scenery can be found in Slovakia http://www.jeremytaylor.eu/slovakia_1.html. Prague is a great city but it is also great to get out and get some fresh air.