Please help me narrow this darned list down!
 

Hey everyone,

Normally I hate posting lists like this, but I'm having serious troubles narrowing it down. When I visit my friend in London, we typically like to leave for a couple days to go somewhere else. Usually I check out the cheapest flights first, and go from there. Last time we went to Riga.

This time, I've narrowed it down to the following:
Copenhagen, Budapest, Zurich, Gdansk, Salzburg, Vienna.

The catch is that we'd be going for 2 nights, during the last week of November. That said, I won't expect great weather. What I do want is, prettiness (architecture, etc.) good shopping, Christmas markets (the cozier and prettier, the better), and nice bars and coffee shops. My mom is a painter and I like to also take photos of really nice scenery and buildings, for her to paint. The most expensive place seemed to be Zurich, but for two nights I won't worry about prices too much.

I know it's kind of hard to just generally compare six different places, but if anyone can help me knock off a couple of places based on what I want that's mentioned above, that would be great!

One day is so little time that, for me at least, the destination wouldn't matter very much. Vienna, maybe.

Why not just save the bother of flying, especially in winter when weather can wreak havoc with flights, visit a place you haven't yet in the UK. Don't know if fall Brexit could impact plans but for 1 day, I don't see the point.

We loved Budapest-stayed on the Pest side.

Well, I wouldn't bother, either, but it would be a cinch for me to knock places off that list: Zurich, Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, buh-bye!

It would be more than a day - wherever we go we'd arrive by late morning day 1, have full day 2, and leave in late afternoon/early evening day 3. We did this with Riga, for example, and found we had plenty of time to see a ton of things.

>>It would be more than a day - wherever we go we'd arrive by late morning day 1, have full day 2, and leave in late afternoon/early evening day 3<<

Still only a little over 1.5 days. (after Oct 31 -- immigration into Schengen/the EU may be more complicated/time consuming so a late AM arrival might not get you to your hotel until mid afternoon).

Have you see everything/everyplace in the UK? York or Edinburgh or Bath or someplace would be better logistically. If it has to be one from your list, I probably choose Copenhagen (but that is just me)

Entry in to the EU/Schengen will be no different if both OP and their friend have non UK passports. If one or both has an UK passport who knows what will be involved. The UK resident will need travel insurance in any case as they will no longer be covered by EHIC.

I agree with visitng somewhere in the UK rather than added to your carbon footprint and flying somewhere for such a short time. If you must travel then what about Lille or Bruges and go by train.

I've been to Edinburgh (which you helped me with a ton, five years ago!) and to some of the Cotswolds, as well as Rye.

It's so much more expensive to fly to these European places from Toronto, hence why I try to mosey on over to one whenever I'm in England. Weather be damned.

I think you should do Vienna or Salzburg for the Christmas markets - I'd choose Salzburg, personally, because it's SO cute and definitely more "cozy" than Vienna. But both have great markets.

I love Budapest, which also has a Christmas market. It is getting crowded, although not as bad as Vienna.

Before deciding to fly somewhere (especially in winter, when flights may be canceled for bad weather) you might read this: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...2d3_story.html

York or Bath would be obvious destinations in the UK, along with Oxford and Cambridge. A less well-known place like Norwich or Worcester would also be worth a look. All accessible by train.

I like the Vienna / Christmas markets idea best... but I've never been so this is only my fantasy answer.

Why go to Europe and stay at a Hilton???

These aren't on your list but how about Lucerne or Bruges? Lucerne is nicer than Zurich and less than an hour from Zurich so still doable in your timeframe. Bruges is lovely, is small enough to really get a feel in your two-ish days, and you could take the Eurostar to Brussels w/ a ticket that includes the train journey on to Bruges.

Budapest for the spas.

Bruges actually popped up on my radar today, especially when I found out you can take the train there from London. I feel like that's a ton easier and more efficient than flying somewhere? Plus it seems like a more reasonably-sized place to walk around for just under two days?

I think from my original list posted, it's down now to Copenhagen or Salzburg...just need to decide between these three now!