vanenechy

Hi everyone,

We have 12 days to explore these cities and towns and would like your input as to distributing our time in each.

So far we've determined:

Arrive Prague
4 nights
Train to Salzburg
2 nights
Train to Vienna 5 nights
Fly from Vienna home

But are also still considering:

Arrive Prague
3 nights
Train to Vienna
3 nights
Train to Munich ????
5 nights (day trip to Salzburg)

What do you all think? Is squeezing Munich and cutting short Prague and Vienna worth it for this trip or is it better to hold out and plan on Munich some other time when we have more time to explore Germany.

Can't wait to hear your responses.

Thanks in advance,
V.

doug_stallings

If it were me, I'd probably add one night in Prague (to get over jet lag) and subtract one night in Munich, but I'd definitely choose Munich over Salzburg. Just remember that you will have a long travel day when you move from Vienna to Munich, so I'd suggest you consider flying from Prague to Munich and ending your trip in Vienna to maximize your vacation time. You can do cheap flights on Condor if you book ahead.

vanenechy

Thank you for responding to my thread and I'm assuming you liked the latter itineary (with Munich) better than the 1st one I proposed. Can you elaborate a bit more as to why you believe Munich is a fun place to visit while touring through Vienna and Prague?

Thanks agian and I'm super humbled that you responded.

V-

vanenechy

I should probably add that I was told by some that I should omitt Vienna from my itineary because it was too far out, let alone Prague. With that said, we decided to omitt Munich instead and plan for that trip at another time. But for some reason, it seems as though the majority lean more towards Munich than Prague or Vienna. I don't really understand because its like comparing apples to oranges. Perhaps that is why I am so confused. Any insight will greatly help.

Kindly,
V-

tcreath

I love Vienna and Salzburg. Can't comment on Prague because I haven't (yet!) been there.

I love Salzburg but its a very small and compact city. You could see most of it in a day or two. Vienna is terrific and deserves at least 4 nights. But in my mind the Austrian countryside is some of the best that Europe has to offer and it would be a tease to visit Salzburg without visiting the breathtaking scenery that lies just a half hour/hour away. Once you get there and see the mountain setting you will know what I'm talking about!

If it were me, I would subtract a day from Vienna, add it to Salzburg, and spend a day touring the Salzkammergut. If you don't know anything about it, do a search on this board and you will find tons of information. Hallstatt is a favorite in the area so that would be a start. So here is what I would do:

Arrive Prague
4 nights
Train to Salzburg
3 nights (with daytrip to Salzkammergut)
Train to Vienna
4 nights
Home

This is obviously just my suggestion. Your overall itinerary looks pretty good. I liked Munich but I would skip it for this trip.

Good luck!
Tracy

doug_stallings

A lot of the editors here try to look through the boards and respond when we have something to add. I hope you get a wider range of opinions, because many of the posters here have different likes than I do and have spent much more time in the region than I have.

Munich is a much larger and more interesting city than Salzburg, and it's more laid back (and considerably cheaper) than Vienna. I also like it better. It's good for nightlife and beer, and I have a lot of fond memories of the time I've spent there. You can get out of the city to see Neuschwanstein, which is a beautiful castle that's not far.

Prague is also beautiful, though very touristy. I still liked it a great deal because of the history, and once you pay for your hotel room, it's remarkably cheap, and there area lot of good day-trips you can do if you want to see more of the Czech Republic.

Vienna is one of Europe's great cities, and it should be at the top of your list if you like fine food, art, and music, but if you're not so much into those, then it might not be worthwhile for you because of the high cost of visiting there (it's also one of Europe's most expensive cities). You can listen to great classical music or opera in Prague as well. One reason many people include Vienna on their trips to Central Europe is that you can often get really good vacation deals on Austrian Airlines.

I've just done Salzburg as a day-trip, but if you like music and opera (and Mozart), it's a good place to spend a few days. I'm sure other people could extol its charms better than I.

Unfortunately, I'm responding more from my personal likes than from yours. If you told us a bit more about what you are looking for and what you want to get out of this vacation, we might be able to help you more. I understand about leaving out Munich because it's much further than the other cities on your itinerary, and that's a legitimate reason to save it for another trip, even though it's a great place.

cambe

Hi V,

I was in all 3 cities (and others) Julu/August this year and would very much agree with the above post. The Salzkammergut area is beautiful and if it were me and I was doing it again. I would hire a car for 2 days and tour this area.

Prague and Vienna are great but I found spending too much time in cities alone very tiring.

bobthenavigator

Do not miss Salzburg and at least a day trip into Salkammergut.

JEFF_

Salzburg is an easy day trip from Munich. I did the major sites in Salzburg and was happy to get back to Munich. I don't feel that Salzburg lives up to it's hype. It's overburdened with tour buses and Mozart silliness. If you like the urban experience,I'd stick with Prague, Vienna and Munich. They each have their own special character and are 3 to 4 hours apart by train.

lyb

bookmarking

tcreath

JEFF, to each their own. I've been to Munich twice and, with the exception of a few beer halls, didn't care much for the city either time. Its all a matter of personal opinion and preference.

Tracy

Underhill

I liked Munich much better than Salzburg, and it's certainly less expensive. There's just more to see, and it isn't as crowded.

vanenechy

Thanks to all the diverse responses. It was fun to read all of your opinions.

Tracey, I think I am leaning more towards your suggestion and do Prague, Salzburg and Vienna. I am an interior designer and visiting both Prague and Vienna are a cultural must. Salzburg and its quaint towns sounds like such a wonderful break from the urban-ness of the latter two cities. Besides we hope to travel in late OCtober and I am so looking forward to Fall and the changing of the leaves since I live in a warm climate.

Munich sounds like lots of fun but I'm kind of strapped for time and would rather focus on the Austrian countryside and in the future (I hope) be able to travel to Germany and do Berlin, Colgne, and Munich or course.

Thanks to all that wrote in.
Kind regards,
V-

Sue_xx_yy

4 nights Prague (esp since as Doug Stallings pointed out, you need to get over jet lag;

Vienna 3 nights;

Train to Hallstatt in Salzhammergut en route Salzburg. You pass through this region and Salzburg on the way to Munich anyway. The lakes region makes a nice change from the cities, plus seeing it as a daytrip from Salzburg can be awkward by public transit. Spend 1 night;

train to Salzburg 1 night;

Quick train (only 90 mins) to Munich 2 nights. Fly home from Munich.

Some will say this is a lot of changing of hotels, but by public transit it can well be worth it to have a place to 'hang one's hat' in each visited area. With this itinerary you also get a flavour of Munich to see if you like it (I don't, particularly, but you won't know till you see it.)

Felly

Don't forget that there are beautiful and quaint places very close to Vienna, as well that won't require the 4 hour train ride that going from Vienna to Salzburg entails. It's just a short hop to Melk, Krems, Durnstein (perhaps the quaintest of the daytrips from Vienna that I took), Eisenstadt, etc.

I don't want to throw a wrench in the works, but I think it might actually make more sense to cut out Salzburg for now and save it for your Munich trip next time. Many people do trips that have Munich-Salzburg-Romantic Road, while a lot of people do trips that cover Prague-Vienna-Budapest.

SAnParis

I'm not certain why you started another thread. No one was saying they liked Munich better, just from a geographical standpoint that you would be spending a ton of time on the train. Now it appears you are flying into Prague rather than Frankfort which changes things. In lieu of Salzburg, I would suggest Cesky Krumlov or Karlovy Vary. Salzburg, is now a tad far to travel for two days. The second makes more sense, if you are flying out of MUC.

MaureenB

We visited Vienna, Prague and Munich in one two-week stretch, traveling by train between them. It was a good plan: 5 nights Vienna (my husband had a conference there, so this time-frame was pre-determined), 3 nights Prague, 4 nights Munich.

From Munich, we took day-trips to Fussen and Salzburg, by train, which was perfect.

If you visit Vienna, it's fun to get a "combi-pass" at the train depot which covers train/boat combination up the Danube to Krems. You can get off at Melk, and visit the beautiful hilltop monastery there (your combi-pass even includes the entrance fee). On the boat you will travel through the pretty wine country, too. It's a very fun day.

noe847

Without reading your previous thread, here are my thoughts. We traveled to the same area twice for 2 week trips; in 2002 (Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Germany) and 2005 (Prague, Vienna, Munich, Germany), both winter. I've also traveled through Austria 20 years ago. I've always used the trains.

Given your interest in design, I would suggest that you not skimp on Vienna The Kunsthistorisches Museum is a must. Not only are the collections amazing, the building is fascinating - they had some major artists do murals on the interior walls. There are lots of other wonderful museums. (I was an art history major, so I was in heaven in Vienna).

The architecture is worth seeing - lots of Art Nouveau buildings in addition to the Baroque, NeoClassical and the stray Medieval. The Hundertwasser house would be worth a visit. The food, shopping and cultural events are very good, and Vienna itself has a very bustling cosmopolitan vibe.

Prague is amazing just for soaking up the different visual asthetic. The city views are outstanding - so many spires. Such a different feel. The city is very packed with tourists, but it does make for a fun and happening atmosphere - and very international. People visit there from everywhere, it seems. The Charles Bridge is such an experience. It might be undergoing construction in the near future - it will still be passable but I imagine the performers and street artists might not be there.

Munich and Salzburg are very close and would be a good pairing, as they are close to each other. They aren't particularly close to Berlin or to COlogne, however. We spent two nights in Munich, and everyone in the family (husband, myself, two college aged daughters) wished we had more time. That being said, I wouldn't choose it over Vienna or Prague.

Salzburg it is very pretty (in an overwhelmingly Baroque sort of way, except for the fortress which is splendidly medieval) and very compact. You could see it as a day trip or two days, maximum. As with Prague, the old town doesn't feel quite "real". In contrast, Munich and Vienna had the feel of a city-with-history-and-tourists.

One suggestion might be to split your time between Vienna and Prague, with little excursions into the countryside - either as day trips or for an overnight. There are so many wonderful little villages in Austria, and you could do some hiking/walking. Save Munich/Salzburg for another trip.

If you want to see all, I would suggest something similar to what Sue xx yy says. But I'd give Prague 3 nights, Vienna 4 nights, split the other 4 in the Salzburg/Munich vicinity.

LindaNZ

Whilst Salzburg is small (and gorgeous), it is definitely worthwhile spending a day in the surrounding region. Scenery is great, you can go to the salt mines, to Hitler's Eagles Nest facility (which is amazing), and to the Sound of Music house (if you didn't do it the day before).

Prague is great, and I'd give yourself more than three nights there. I've been to Vienna a couple of times, and find it a little staid. Salzburg and Prague were bigger highlights for me. (And Budapest but that just confuses you more!) Never been to Munich though so can't comment there.

Have you thought of driving? It gives you some more flexibility, and enables you to see the scenery. I always wanted to stop in the little village of Cesky Krumlov (or something like that) which is supposed to be stunning, between Prague and Salzburg. (But we went in the winter). Driving in Europe is really easy - and you can get great travel directions off a number of websites.

In my experience of travelling (over 20 years), it is far better to take some time and be relaxed and enjoy what you are seeing, and have time to follow up unexpected delights, rather than to be too rushed and try to see everything all at once. Some of my most special travel memories are the ones I hadn't planned, but where we'd taken some extra time just to explore.

Hope that helps.

JPJH

We did 3 nights in Prague and it was not enough. This is a great city to visit so I would say make this a 5 night stay. You may want to make one of those nights in the town of Karlouvy Vary, which is a must visit city.

Salzberburg could be a one night stay as the town is small and can be seen in a day or so. But it is worth the visit and a great little city to just hang out.

We did 5 nights in Vienna and that was for us one night too many. It is also a great city, but got to be a bit much.

We have not been to Munich, so no advice for you there. But my guess is the once you are done with your trip you will say that Prague was the highlight.