Hi

I will be working in Budapest from Tuesday June 2nd night through Thursday night June 4th. Can arrive on Sat May 31st and leave on Monday June 8th, so besides work will have about 5.5 days left for sightseeing vacation etc.

Asking for suggestions of other places to visit either in Hungary or Central Europe. I have been to Vienna for 4 days, Budapest for 3 and also visited Prague, Krakow, Sarajevo, Mostar and the coast of Croatia before.

My thoughts are use the days to travel around hungary and visit other places there, or possibly go to Slovakia or Romania or northern Serbia (seems like the places that are close by). Of course given that I could fly if needed can extend a bit further too.

Suggestions appreciated, for places to visit (any can't miss places) beyond Budapest. and also transportation suggestions (I am comfortable driving in Europe, have done so in Croatia, France, England etc)

Shri

Sorry should have read Eastern Europe

There are other places worth seeing in Hungary - I like the southern cities as I am a big fan of Art Nouveau - Pecs and Szeged especially. A lot of people like Eger.

I enjoyed visiting southern Romania last fall - click on my name for my TR.

Near to Budapest are Szentendre and Estergom that could make for half-day trips. We also spent a few days last spring in Romania; specifically Sapanta and a much-too short overnight in Cluj as a last minute road trip. That area of Romania is beautiful.

Interested in architecture? Look for Hungarian Organic Architecture in various towns. You can see some examples in this set: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...003638578/show

click on "show info" to know where the picture was taken.

"central Europe", Eastern is Ukraine and beyond.

Fourfortravel has good advice, I'd also look at Eger (lovely University town where the bull's blood wine comes from, GyonGyos with a pleasant spa, Miskolc which is a bit more dumpy but has an old castle and an underground spa and Tokaj which is where the world's best wines come from, small town nice run of restaurants along the river and a good hotel. All of these are on the railway so easy to get to.

The Bukki national park is good walking or bike riding and there is a narrow guage railway that gets to its heart.

Romania, is best in Transylvania and up towards the country of Moldova (not the country) where there are the famous painted monestries. Bucherest is getting better but still awash with corruption and the obvious affects of the same.

Slovenia, is more westernised but suffering finacially at the moment. The capital is worth about 8 hours visit, small but perfectly formed while Lake Bled and the hiking around there is fantastic.

Consider taking the train unless you rent a car in one country and return it in the same country there may be huge drop-off charges for returning it in another country from that you picked it up in and trains in central Europe though not high-speed run a dense network with very frequent departures.

Some great sites for learning about central European trains: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. Train travel is still cheap there - no railpass would be cost-effective for your seemingly relatively limited train travels.

Michael - Where exactly were your Hungarian Organic Architecture pictures taken?

Sorry brain not engaged

"Romania, is best in Transylvania and up towards the COUNTY of Moldova (not the country)"

My pictures are all geo-tagged, giving the location. Moreover, they are labeled as to where they were taken, such as Eger, Csenger, etc. The latter information can be seen by clicking on "show info" on the upper right of the picture screen, the former can be seen by looking at the individual picture and clicking on the location given on the map below the picture itself.

Short trips (1 night stay) out to Eger, great for wine tasting or going to nearby thermal baths is great. Or to lake Heviz.

Train trip to Bratislava is great as is this city for a 1 night two day stay.

Or train to Serbia to Subotica- cute town and can also do trip out to nearby vineyards/natural park

I did a day trip to Bratislava from Vienna and spent a whole day there - better to stay overnight but in one day you can savor this neatly restored town on the Danube - you can also take hyrofoils there on the Danube.

Bratislava is easier from Vienna because they're thisclose. It's 5-6 hours RT from Budapest, so either a LONG day trip or a good overnighter. And Bratislava is small so a good target for a short trip.

Looked at some of our travel notes from the past three years...you would be best served with a car, though, for these suggestions.

In Hungary, Sopron, where the Iron Curtain first fell (Berlin just had better PR); Pannonhalma (small, small town but with a beautiful abbey); and the Eszterhazy Palace in Fertod.

In Austria, Rust (Austria), for its stork nests; Eisenstadt for the "other" Eszterhazy Palace.

In Slovakia, the Danubiana Museum; a Trabant tour of the Petrazalka area of Bratislava (if you're into that sort of history).

In Austria, Rust (Austria), for its stork nests; Eisenstadt for the "other" Eszterhazy Palace.>

Yes indeedy - remember well driving east of Vienna towards Budapest and seeing dozens of humungous storks in nests - seemingly everywhere.

Rust for its fine wine as well.

I (as local) would recommend you this:
http://www.bazilika-esztergom.hu/hu/ good view is from Sturovo - http://vadas.sk, plus Komarno and watermills http://www.canoetrips.sk/vodne-mlyny,
then http://www.ssj.sk/en/jaskyna/12-ocht...aragonite-cave and http://www.ssj.sk/en/jaskyna/7-domica-cave
Kosice city and National Park Slovak Kras http://slovakia.travel/en/national-p...slovensky-kras
http://www.bojnicecastle.sk/index.html
http://www.banskastiavnica.travel/en/