please help me plan two winter trips
 

I've posted a similar message, but now my schedule is a little more set, and I've been toying around with some ideas.

I'll have a break from school at Oxford from basically Dec 7 to January 15. I plan to go home (to the States) for most of the Christmas break, but I'd like to take a trip before Christmas, and one in January after New Years. They'd probably be about 5-6 days each.

I was thinking that one trip should be Bratislava (1 day) and Vienna (4 days? 5 days?) and the second one could be Berlin (5 days?).

It seems like most everything would be open in both places. I'd miss out on some of the nice gardens in both Berlin and Vienna, but the castles/palaces should still be open, right? I think some of the Potsdam palaces will be closed, but the big ones will be open? I know I won't get to see everything that I could do in the Spring or Summer, but I have to travel around these dates.

Other options include the following. Should I swap out any of these for the places above, or add on new places I hadn't even considered?

Prague - avoiding b/c Cesky Krumlov and Konopiste are closed; this seems like a Spring thing.

Dresden - some of the big sites are under renovation/construction, so maybe this is saved for later in my life.

Munich/Salzburg (would probably take at least a week to properly see, and the palace near Salzburg (name is escaping me, but starts with an H) would be closed.

Lisbon - could be good for this time of year, but it's lower on my list than all the places above.

Warsaw/Krakow (lower on my list than other places; maybe this is unfair).

Alternatively, if I could do Berlin (including Potsdam)in 4 days or Vienna in 3 days, I could maybe add on two extra days. If I can do this, is there another place I could go for that length of time (maybe Budapest or Dresden or even Copenhagen?) It seems like these cities deserve more time than 2 days, and 4 days Berlin or 3 days Vienna seems short with all of the museums I'd want to see.

Thanks for your help.

ttt

What are some of your interests (ie. architecture, history, pubs and dining, shopping, theatre, sports, etc...)? What has those places on the top of your list?

It will help people make good recommendations if they know a bit more. Also, have you been other places in Europe? I ask this because I don't see a few of the popular "firsts" on your list....like Paris or Venice or Rome or Amsterdam.

How cool that you will be at Oxford and have a chance to take a few trips! Sounds like a great opportunity. Have fun whatever you decide. :-)

Sorry for the lack of info. I really like art museums, especially Impressionism, and castles, palaces and gardens. I studied at Oxford last year as an undergrad, and it will be nice to be back.

I've been to London and Paris often. Also Rome, Venice, Florence, Madrid, Barcelona, Cologne, Edinburgh, Zurich, Oslo, Brussels ... I'm probably leaving some out. At any rate, that's why I'm really focused on Eastern Europe, since it's going to change so rapidly and has already (Prague). I'm also planning Glasgow and Ljubjana, but as weekend trips.

Oh, I else enjoy wine, especially sweet white kinds, hence my interest in Germany, Austria and Slovenia.

Oh, I also enjoy wine, especially sweet white kinds, hence my interest in Germany, Austria and Slovenia.

i love vienna and think you can do vienna and salzburg on that trip.
i have been four times in winter with snow and once in summer, and frankly, since i live in spain, i love it with snow.

you will also get to see the xmas markets, which will be special and get you in the mood for the holidays.

i especially enjoyed a library (name escapes me)that was not far from the museums near the riding school (vienna). got standing rom at opera/ballet every night.

there is so much to do, if you only have 5 days, skip salzburg for NOW, but if you can add on a couple, i think you can do both if you can fly into one and out the other.

Thanks for the advice. Are the XMAS markets something really special to Salzburg? Someone else on a previous post had mentioned that, so going before XMAS might be a good thing.

I'd need to fly into Bratislava to get on the no-frills airlines, plus I'd really like to see that city, but only for a long day and overnight. If I spend 1 day there and 3-4 in Vienna, I might could fit in 1-2 days in Salzburg. I'd worry that would be rushing things in both Vienna and Salzburg, and my only problem with Salzburg during that time is that the Hellbrunn Palace would be closed, and I also think the Cathedral or another famous Church is closed then. Am I right? Any other closures to be aware of? That's really my main concern in any place, that I'd be missing some really cool stuff that would the point of a visit, although maybe that's just to be expected during winter travels.

topping.

unless you are flying out of salzburg it will put quite a few extra hours eaten up by travelling back to bratislava.

maybe go to GRAZ instead of salzburg.

i hear it is beautiful.

Sorry; if I went in to Bratislava and to Salzburg, I'd fly out of Salzburg. Or, I'd just go to Bratislava and Vienna and then back to the Bratislava airport, it's only an hour. Thanks for the tip about Graz; I've been thinking about that.

You will find good wines in Vienna; head up to Nussdorf, Sievering, or Dobling to find some excellent Heuriger (wine taverns with food). These areas are all easily accessible by tram from the Ring in Vienna. Many posters will tell you to go to Grinzing, which is okay, but the Heurigers there are mainly for the tourists. If you stick to the aforementioned areas you'll be getting a more authentic experience. You can also take a day trip up to the Wachau along the Danube and find many excellent places for wine as well. If you are there for the Christkindl Markt, try the Punsch at the various stalls there...good stuff! If you to try wine in Vienna, go to Cafe Immervoll, the so-called Heuriger in Vienna proper are for the tourists.

Budapest may be a good bet for you. Lots of interesting places, definited
ly known for their sweet white wine (Tokajj), historical vale, pedestrian shopping area, markets, good food...

Budapest may be a good bet for you. Lots of interesting places, definitely known for their sweet white wine (Tokajj), historical value, pedestrian shopping area, markets, good food...

I loved the Christmas markets and the whole holiday atmposphere in Salzburg last December, so much so that I am returning this year for my honeymoon.

I live in FL so there is little holiday decoration, etc. to enjoy here. The gluhwein, the carolling, the snow covered peaks and sleigh rides - these were all simply breaktaking to me!