Tell me your "magical" experiences in Budapest, Vienna and Prague.
 

I'm traveling with DH to Budapest, Vienna and Prague for 2 weeks on May 18. I have been preparing my itinerary and believe I have a grasp of what the "typical tourist" schedule might look like. Now what I'm interested in knowing from Fodor travelers are what were the moments that truly enriched your travel experience in these three cities. To me, as to many, the things I tend to reflect on most once I'm home from my trip are the special, possibly unplanned, moments that have occurred, not the sights I've checked off a list of "must-sees." While seeing the Sistine Chapel is valuable, so is watching a group of local youths play soccer on the small beach in Vernazza while the sun slowly sets. So now as I look forward to my next trip, I would love to know what enriched Budapest, Vienna or Prague for you. If it was a tourist site, what about it was special for you?
Thanks for sharing.

In Vienna, several special moments:

1. Happening onto a concert Sunday morning at St. Stephen's Cathedral. *Heavenly* music!

2. Getting standing room tickets at the opera. Three euros! And a daytime tour of the opera house.

3. Wander into any interesting coffee house and savor the moment.

4. Very special to me for professional reasons, and also moving for my DH: visiting the Freud Museum (Freud's former apartments/offices). Near the university. I felt well worth the trip. A special inexpensive gift I've given to a number of people is a pen from the Freud Museum.

bookmarking

Watching the sun set over the vineyard covered hills around Sievering outside Vienna at Weinhof Zimmermann, while sipping some excellent Gruner Veltliner wine. Having a late dinner on New Year's Eve while watching the fireworks colorfully light up Vienna at restaurant Englehart in Heiligenstadt, while most of the other patrons waltzed in the New year.

budapest.. sitting in spoon café, (moored floating restaurant) with a drink admiring the lit up chain bridge every night before walking to our marriot ex. apartment a couple short blks away..

For Vienna, it'll have to be the Kuntshistorisches Museum - specifically, the Bruegel room.

Also, being inside the Großer Musikvereinssaal of the Musikverein.

Here's my trip report to Vienna if you're interested:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34905605

Vienna - The Belvedere Museum (formerly a palace, of course). Naschmarkt.

Budpest - The hills of Buda - see them from the Pest side, and then go to them and walk, walk, walk (not just in the Castle Hill district but the small streets surrounding it).

Architecture - End of 19th centurey architecture and Art Nouveu buildings all over the place - some in disrepair and ready to be restored and some already restored. Just the number of them!

The Opera House - See something there, it's wonderful to go out on the balcony with a drink at intermission with all the other Budapesters (ians?).

For Prague, one would be the December morning that my teenaged daughter and I got up early and walked up to the castle with our SLR cameras and shot rolls of film before the tourists arrived. It had 'iced' the night before, and the castle guards were having to spread salt on their paths so they would not slip as they marched for the changing of the guard. These normally stony-faced lads were making faces at each other and sneaking some smiles. We caught some of their antics on camera. Then we slipped and slid our way down the 'back' staircase, gripping the handrail for dear life.

Vienna-the Belvedere museum was indeed magical, I never liked Klimt before I actually saw the real "The Kiss" but more importantly, who knew Klimt did landscape art, on the order of a Pizarro? I didn't. Also learning more about the art of Egon Schiele, whom I believe to be underrated as an artist.

Also, walking through the City Park last May on an absolutely gorgeous afternoon, everyone out, going to the 19th century cafe on the grounds and having an "Eiskaffe."

Budapest-loved it-the onion spires of the ancient churches, walking along the Danube, having an excellent meal at a romantic restaurant down from Gellert Hill, (Arany Kaviar) going to a Bach organ concert in the beautiful St. Matthias church, being impressed by the Byzantine architecture, and the setting, so ideal for such a concert.

My favorite experience in Budapest, however, was going down, down, down into the ancient 13th century "FAUST wine cellar" which once belonged to the Dominican Order, and when getting to the bottom, being surprised and amazed to see this small cave-like room, lit with candles, and benches, with soft New Age music playing, and some of the most excellent wines I've had anywhere in the world mine for the asking, to sample and drink, for a mere 2 Euro or so, in this incredibly atmospheric setting. Wonderful experience, and highly recommended.

Prague, just walking the city and drinking in the views from the Charles Bridge, then having an excellent fish meal behind Wenceslas Square in a restaurant built along the ruins of an ancient medieval church during an unrushed and beautiful afternoon last May.

Budapest: Watching the sunset from Fisherman's Bastion. The play of lights on the city and river was magical!

Vienna: The Kunsthistorische Museum - not just for its outstanding collection, but the breathtaking murals by Klimt surrounding the central stairway.

Prague: Wandering around pretty much any where!

Enjoy!

Budapest - sitting in our corner room at the Hotel Victoria - with an incredible view from floor to ceiling windows over the river to the Parliment Building.
We did this every night after sightseeing, enjoying wine we bought at a shop right up the street from the hotel.
It was a truly wonderful way to end the day! http://www.victoria.hu/

Prague - Can't say any one experience was "magical" as we loved our entire stay there...it was our favorite over the three you lisited.

Have a wonderful trip.

Shadowing your post...we're going to Budapest, Vienna and Prague on May 17th. Flying into Budapest and taking the train to Vienna then on to Prague.

The thing is, the typical tourist things are so incredible in these cities.
Budapest:
Walking up Gellert hill (via the most difficult route, as is our want)--it was 90 degrees and the cafe at the top provided the most refreshing beer ever. Walking down as the sun set...

Prague:
While taking the train to Kutna Hora to see the ossuary, we got off at the wrong stop. We just had to wait a while for the next train, so we cat and people watched. Sitting at the train station overlooking Kutna Hora was also memorable in an inexplicable way.
In the city, I enjoyed the park by the river.

In Budapest while walking along the gravel/grass pathway next to the Danube and finding the bronze shoes of Holocaust victims who had fallen into the river at the hands of the Nazis. Then turning around and walking back down the path towards the Chain Bridge and see the lights of the bridge come on...the experience was both moving and magical.

I loved the Vienna cafes, and the wonderful art museums.

Can I ask about the wine bar in Budapest, girlspytravel? That sounds nice and very close to where I'm staying. But I read somewhere that the dresscode is formal? Would it be weird just to stroll in as a single person, casually dressed, and just get a drink?

We had some magical experiences climbing up through the gardens in Vienna at Schonbrunn Palace. It was incredible despite the weather. We have some great photos from that excusion, but this is a personal opinion.

Budapest- swimming in the Szechenyi baths and have rain shower happen...it was great...the water was warm and wonderful.

The Danube curve at sunset...beautiful!

Have a wonderful time. I was there a year ago May...very jealous that you're going.

JoeTro-this is not a wine bar, but a wine tasting cave-with the best of the best Hungarian red and white wines.

Heard it was formal? I think you must be thinking of some other place-nothing formal about a small 13th century crypt-like room -you most assuredly can go down there dressed anyway you like, and going by yourself is not only okay, you can sit and talk with the guy who is pouring the wines, and discuss the wines as you're tasting them. It's great-you feel like you're in a dungeon-it wasn't used for that-it was a monastery back in this period-but it is really ancient-and you feel that atmosphere. Loved it, and of course I'll go back, I have to try more wines!

Thanks, girlspy. I got the formal dress information from Hilton's website:

http://tinyurl.com/2woddx

but thought it odd.

In any event, it sounds like a very nice setting for good wine and would give me a chance to explore the Hilton which sounds nice too.

I love this thread. It brings out what is special about travel. Not the pre-planned list of must-sees, but the little moments that are nevertheless memorable.