First Time in Prague and Budapest
 

In September 2007, I will be traveling with (3) other people to Prague and Budapest. This is the first time I will be traveling there (and the first time my husband will even be in Europe). We already know where we're staying in each place: The Hotel Ventana in Prague (4 nights) and the Marriott Residence in Budapest (4 nights). What I need help with is what to do in each city. I have generally researched the touristy stuff and the general sites, but I would love to hear specifics from people as to places they absolutely loved and highly recommend (including restaurants, tours, must-sees, must-dos).

Thanks in advance for help with this. I am a novice traveler and would love to hear from people w/lots more experience than I.

A couple of things in Prague:

go to the tourist officein the city hall to find out about walking tours - there are several, each usually of one area - and we found them fascinating.

Second - the amount of music in Prague is incredible - opera, symphony, chamger music, all types of choral works and constant musical activity in churches, various halls etc, never mind popular music. The quality is usually excellent and the prices are rock bottom versus the US. Again - check out the town hall tourist office for a listing.

Budapest is much more spread out than Prague.

I found that while the castle in Prague is a must-see, I was quite disappointed in it.

The old part of Prague is really beautiful. The Jewish area is a blocvk away from the main square and is exrtremely well organized with its presntations.

The Charles Bridge (I don't know the status of the reconstruction) is an event. I got up early one morning and visited at sunrise when there were only a few people there. All day it's packed with people and in the evening the same as the sun sets and it eventually got dark.

One hidden is Wallenstein Palace. All of the guide books write up the gardens but i found a very small write-up about the Palace.

It's one of the Government chambers. It's open only on the weekend and it's free!!! A great deal. Schedule the gardens and Palace for a weekend.

You can see my travel photos (select Prage, Budapest, Brugges & Amsterdam) at:

www.travelwalks.com

They're both great cities to visit.

We stayed at the Marriot Executive Apartments (I assume that's where you're staying). Excellent location. Near the main shopping street, river and not a long walk to the Chain Bridge.

Langiage. I normally learn a few words of the local language. Things like hello, good-bye, thank you and your welcome.

I took a look at them in Hungarian and Czech and didn't bother. It was impossible. No need. Everybody speaks English. They learned the ways of capitalism very quickly.

In Prague do a tour of the Municipal House - it's an art nouveau gem and well worth it. Afterwards you can have lunch/dinner/afternoon tea in one of its restaurants.
www.obecnidum.cz/e_index.htm

I second nytraveler's recommendation about music. The opera theatres are lovely and tickets are cheap - especially if you wait until you are there to buy them from the box office. It's also a great excuse to dress up!

Thanks for all your help so far. I will definitely check out all your recommendations. What about restaurants? Are there any places that we must get reservations before hand? Other recommendations?

From Pest, take the boat to Szentendre. It's a lovely old art-village near Budapest. You can take the HEV back to Budapest (30 min.)
Visit some of Budapests famous coffee houses, like Ruszwurm in Buda and New York in Pest.
In Prague, just walking the streets is what you should do. The whole city is a museum. Don't take the metro up to the castle, but climb the Nerudova. The view from the top of that street is unbelievable! Karlovy Vary is a good daytrip from Prague.

How far is Karlovy Vary from prague? Is it a castle? Do you think w/3 and 1/2 days in each city that we should take day trips, or is that too much? Also, what about the hungarian countryside, is that worth a day trip?

Angie,

I was just wondering. Did the hotels in Prague and Budapest quote you in the local currency or "for your convenience" in Euros.

We were quoted in Euros "for our convenience" and it didn't occur to me why. Now I know. On checkout they convert to the local currency at "their bank rate" which isn't really a very good rate for you.

Insist on quotes in their currency.

I just made a trip report of Budapest if you are interested. Click on my name and you should find it.

I'd recommend eating at Cafe Kor.

Myer, Thanks for the tip. I'm going to look into it. Joe, I will definitely check out your trip report. Was there anything particular on your trip that was the most memorable? Any restaurants or sites that were must eat-ats or must-sees?

Thanks again everybody for the responses.

The renovation work on Charles' Bridge should start in June/July this summer according to some articles I read and it should last for about 1 - 1,5 years. They do it one side at a time so that people can still cross over the bridge on another side. I hope it will not make the view too ugly but I will plan to travel in Prague at least once before the end of the year anyway. Did it 3 time in last 6 months and loved the city every time. One expensive restaurant for food and for its terrace with the view over the bridge is Kampa Park at the foot of the bridge, Mala Strana side. Here you better reserve either beforehand by e-mail(I have not eaten there but you can google and find the site easily )or perhaps as soon as you get in Prague. Of course there are many other places for dinning. If you don't get enough info here, try Prague forum on tripadvisor.com. This is a topic that pops up all the time there. I can recommend Bellavista for a dining on the terrace with a super view of the city and the castle. Last April, I went there just for a glass of beer in the afternoon so no reservation. The restaurnat is located on the right side of Petrin Hill in front of Strahovsky covent.

Also try walking up or down (or both) from Ujezd street in Mala Strana area to Petrin Hill. You can take the funicular to the top but on foot, you will have much better view and the hill is not that steep where easy paths are all over.

This is one of the views I had walking up the hill. St.Nikulas Church/Mala Strana with apple trees (there are planted all over the hill side.)

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...t=P1030015.jpg

Wow, Kappa, that picture is beautiful. What is your absolute favorite thing to do in Prague? What about absolute favorite restaurant?

Kappa,

I really enjoyed you photos.

Could you tell me about 2 of them.

1) You have a photo of the Charles Bridge (center) where it appears you are in the river but at the height of the bridge. Where are you?

2) Prague's Broken Chair. I took the same photo, on the Island, on a sunny day (it's on my web site) and was told it's a promo for a museum. Do you know if there's a story there?

I had great meals at Pater Marcus, Cafe Kor and Via Luna, and I loved walking along the Danube at dark to see the city lit up.

Prague is a great waliking city for me (+ a bit of help by it's great and inexpensive tramway system). I admire arcihtecture just walking around the old town, mala strana and along the river. I also like beautiful views so recommend, if you have time, to go up to :
- Petrin Hill as mentioned above (on foot and by funiculy)
- Clock Tower (by elevator was CZK60 or 100)
- Castle's tower (on foot, about 280 steps)
- Letna Park (Hill) on foot

The follwing album has :
- first 8 photos from the clock tower, all within 1 hour, best time is around the closing time 17:00, best lighting. Some snows as it was January.
- Some of others are from Letna , and from Petrin.
http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q...aha%20Jan2007/

Retaraurant-wise, I am modest, not a foodie so the maximum I paid was like CZK500 per person. The places I liked and have returned. Thai - Italian place Lemon Leaf (very popular - reservation usually recommended) not far from National Theater or Manes or Olympia (A Pilsner beer restaurant / Czech and Italian, also very popular).

I hear only good things about Hotel Ventana, expensive isn't it?

Myer, thanks.

To answer your questions :
1) You have a photo of the Charles Bridge (center) where it appears you are in the river but at the height of the bridge. Where are you?

You mean the 3rd one (2nd page) from the last? I took this photo from the next bridge, Manesuv Bridge.

2) Prague's Broken Chair. I took the same photo, on the Island, on a sunny day (it's on my web site) and was told it's a promo for a museum. Do you know if there's a story there?

I had not think the chair was related to the modern art museum neaby on the Kampa Park but now that you say that ...

I called it Broken Chair because the one I know in Geneva where I live was named so. Practically idenatical form, one leg broken but lighter color and much higher. It was set at the United Nations Square for a few years about not any more since about 1 year. It was the momument for anti-land mine movement that Lady Diana promoted (so some people called it Diana's monument). I wonder if the one in Prague is of the same origine. Possibly? Maybe I will try a search to find out.

The Ventana is our "splurge" hotel. We try to do at least one really nice hotel on each trip, so that's why we picked it. What about side trips, would you recomend any in the 3 and 1/2 days we're in each city, or is that going to be too much?

Both Budapest and Prague are worth three full days, but I'd never go to Budapest without an afternoon in Szentendre.

Karlovy Vary is one of the most famous spa cities in Europe. It's better known by it's German name: Karlsbad. If you're more interested in castles: Karlstejn is close to Prague:
http://www.hradkarlstejn.cz/galerie/fotogalerie/
But with your schedule I'd skip the daytrip in Prague.

Kappa,

That explains the angle you have to the Charles Bridge. I don't travel with a long telephoto. I find that when travelling I wanr wider rather than longer.

I checked the Exif on many of your photos and wonder why some of the shutters speeds are so fast giving you a small aperture and thus a narrow depth of field. Did you do this on purpose?

Thanks for sharing your photos. Bring back memories of our trip.

> I don't travel with a long telephoto.

I don't neither ;-) The following is my camera since 1 year now. It was advertised as the smallest comapc camera with optic zoom of x10.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0602/06...nasonictz1.asp

> why some of the shutters speeds are so fast giving you a small aperture and thus a narrow depth of field. Did you do this on purpose?

No, mostly I let my camera do all automatically. I'm really an beginner/amateur. I hear it's new model DMC-TZ3 has wider 28-280mm lens.