Prague/Berlin or Prague/Budapest??
 

My husband and i will be traveling to Prague in June for 4 nights and have 4 more nights to travel. Should we take the train to Berlin or Budapest? Which city is most special? Thanks for your feedback!

Is the World Cup going on during your visit? If so, I'd think twice about Berlin, although I really, really like it. Take a look at hotel prices for your dates - that should give a clue. I haven't been to Budapest, though.

If you want to go to two cities which are vastly (IMO) different then make them Prague/Berlin.

I like both Berlin and Budapest but depending on your interests...which are?????...you may get better recommednations

Thanks for the feedback. We will be there June 25 thru July 4 so i don't know if that coincides...good point!We are interested in sightseeing, history, food/wine, and shopping.

There will be a world cup quarter final game in Berlin on the 30th. There's a game just before you arrive on the 23rd too.

I much prefer Budapest to Berlin. Much more old world in flavor. Smaller, less frenetic, more beautiful. Nice churches, parks, the Danube, art nouveau bath houses.

Berlin was too big, too modern, too ugly and in too much a cloud of dust from all the construction for my taste (this was 10 years ago).

Both of them are special. Berlin is bigger, with a lot of museums, palaces and interiors to visit. It is also a lot of history, you can take walking tours on different themes, like Red Berlin, The third Reich, etc.
Budapest is beautiful, and also here there are a lot of things to be visited.
All what you are interested in - food, wine, shopping, history - all these are in both cities.

Because of World Cup, I would go now to Budapest, and leave Berlin for another time.
And it is also another reason: I do not think that 4 nights are enough for Berlin. You should plan also a day here to visit Potsdam. I recommend for Berlin plus Potsdam 7 nights.

After Prague, I think you would be disappointed with Budapest, which is quite similar, but not quite as nice [my opinion only, but you did ask] Whereas Berlin is much bigger, brighter, and would give a better contrast. Though if the World Cup is on, go for Budapest, or What about Vienna?

I do not agree with Annhig regarding Budapest. For me, it is not similar at all with Prague. Both Prague and Budapest are charming, but each of them in its way. In my opinion, I can compare Budapest with Vienna (but I can not say what of them is more beautiful !!).

We had been to Budapest and Prague (separate holidays) then 2 years later our friends asked us to go away with them for New year to Prague for 4 days , take the train through to Budapest and stay there 3 nights. Again we adored Prague,but although we had enjoyed Budapest on our first trip there ,it really wasnt so good after being in Prague. Our friends really disliked it and wished we had stayed in Prague.I also think Berlin would be a good contrast.

The days when people said, "The [construction] crane is the state bird of Berlin" seem to have eased somewhat but the city continues to race ahead apparently trying to leave WWII behind as fast as possible.

I do feel you'll ultimately find more to see and do in Berlin vs. Budapest. I agree with Guy18 that Budapest perhaps offers more charm and old world feeling/ambience.

A lot would depend on one's particular interests and the prices during Wolrd Cup events might make it somewhat uninviting.

It's true that Berlin would provide the biggest contrast. So if a HUGE metropolis doesn't put you off, consider it. And while Budapest is not nearly so beautiful as Prague (or Vienna) in my opinion, it has enough of a distinctive flavor of its own that I wasn't the least bit dissapointed with it.

Two things I loved about Budapest 10 years ago were 1) how you could still feel the vestiges of communism all about you--things not feeling fully Western and up-to-date maybe? and 2) how cheap it was! I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who's been there more recently if these things are still the case.

I first visited Budapest in 1970 and in those days it seemed a bit grim (and for good reason given the political regime, etc.). Guides loved to point out the holes and "pockmarks" on the sides of buildings which had occurred as a result of the "recent revolt."

The mostr recent visit was about five years ago and naturally, things have "improved" significantly. The city seems very much "old world" (not as "medieval" looking as parts of Prague IMO) but it is definitely NOT the modern metropolis that parts of Berlin have become (which is why i had orginially said if you want a great contrast make the two cities Berlin and Prague).

I think all three are "special" and for different reasons/. Ultimately it depends on what appeals to someone the most I suppose.

REgarding prices in budapest, from our experience in December 2005, I'd say that budapest is more expensive than Prague or Berlin. Still not london or Paris prices, but not cheap, and coffees/drinks are comparable with anywhere.