Touring Eastern Europe
 

We will be touring Eastern Europe in October. We will be going to Warsaw, Prague, Bratislava, Vienna, Budapest and Vienna. Although we will be on a formal tour, I was wondering if there are any hidden gems you have come across on your travels. Our hotel is in the middle of most of the cities and we love to walk. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Hi Nancy... First, be prepared. The smartest people in the world (aka Fodorites) are about to tell you this is not "eastern europe". That said, I lived in Bratislava and now live in Budapest and my local friends always refer to this region as "eastern europe". Do not worry on this one.

Also, you will be asked what you enjoy - that is a valid question!... So please, share. Classical music, museums, wandering, food, ??

I blog about this region at www.centraleuropebeyondprague.com and have a lot of information on Bratislava, less on Budapest - and a post on Vienna and Prague.

So please, just think about some more specific guidance for us.

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

It IS Central Europe - if locals call it "Eastern" it's for the same reason outsiders may - Cold War alignments that have become geographic shorthands.

For Nancy:

What tour?

Why Warsaw? Why Vienna twice? No Krakow?

Check out www.inyourpocket.com for good guides on most major and minor cities in the former Soviet bloc.

In Vienna check out the Hundertwasser museum.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57622927111169 and the next two pictures.

Central europe -

You are correct it IS central europe - unless they have moved Russia and the Ukraine. Tour groups say eastern since they consider anything that was part of the Soviet bloc to be so (allowing 50 years of history to overcome the previous thousand years).

Some of my favorite things:

Budapest - visit the castle in depth

Vienna - find a place they have waltzing one evening and try it out (VERY fast - nothing like in the US)
Check out the Venus of Willindorf - one of my favorite prehistoric gods in the whole world (about 24K years old)

Prague - has an incredible music scene and if you can;t find something at the opera house visit a concert in one of the churches
And drink some real "Budweiser" - Budvar - tastes nothing alike

Sorry if Iused the wrong terminolgy when describing where we are going but here in the United States the tour companies refer to this area as Eastern Europe in their catalogues.

We are on Odysseys tour which leaves from Newark Airport. I didn't mean to write Vienna twice - must have been distracted. My husband and I enjoy walking, museums, anything to do with history specifically Jeiwsh history in each area. I would also appreicate if you could recommend some moderate prices restaurants.

We loved Budapest last year and would recommend the following if they aren't already on your tour.

Hospital in the Rock (WWII hospital and cold war nuclear fallout shelter preserved just the way they left it in the 60s) http://www.sziklakorhaz.eu/en/ The entrance isn’t easy to find but you go down the stairs in the wall behind the castle and it is just to the right at the bottom.)

Wine tasting at Hungarian House of Wines (right near the castle too). Hungary has an amazing variety of very good wine (and it is not easy to find the US.)

http://www.destinationguidebudapest....hrough-hungary

Secret Prison Museum http://www.terrorhaza.hu/ (Not just about the prison but also about 20th century Hungarian history and politics.)

Hungarian National Museum http://www.hnm.hu/ (Hungary has a very interesting and ancient history among European countries and this museum is quite nice with plenty of English.)

We are going to Krakow and I have been doing some reading about the history of these areas. My husband and I are the younger side of being senior citizens who have traveled extenisvely but at this time we want to maximize what we see so we have decided on a tour.

>>but here in the United States the tour companies refer to this area as Eastern Europe in their catalogues.<<

Not tour companies that know what they are talking about. Is and pretty much has always been central Europe.

<< Then there is the Oscar Schindler Museum >>

It's the Krakow Under the Occupation Museum as it is concerned with life during the war, not Oskar Schindler. This is a wonderful museum which I highly recommend. It's in chronological order so you start on the first floor and go upward. It's full of sounds and sights and lots of small rooms representing various aspects of life during WWII.

Also recommend the Salt Mine (which will take more than half a day) and the University tour (surprisingly interesting).

The Museum of 19th Century Polish Art is worth a look - it's on the second floor of the Cloth Hall. Just outside the museum entrance is a lovely cafe that I believe it mostly goes unnoticed. You get a great view over the square. If you don't want to linger for a drink then you can spend a few minutes looking at the square without buying a drink.

Prague - The Municipal House tour and the Mucha Museum.

Warsaw - the only thing I saw there that impressed me was the Uprising Museum (also called the Rising Museum for those who speak British English).

As tours go, that one looks pretty good.

Gemmas - the tour goes to Auschwitz and the Salt Mines.

Nancy - check into Szoborpark in Budapest and the terror museum.

For restaurants in Budapest I don't remember exactly where we ate but I found the recommendations from a blog that an American who lives in Budapest writes and all were great (she has written a book, magazine articles and gives food tours there too). http://www.thehungarydish.com/ She is Carolyn Banfalvi.

nancy18k is correct. In most all tour books these countries are referred to as Eastern Europe. Every single one. I have also looked extensively at tours in the region.

Let me know how it was when you return. I will be curious. Have a great time.

no trip reports, just a bunch of phtos to familiarize you with some of the things you may or may not see on your tour. I was driving all over Central and Eastern Europe doiing research/interviews. etc. back in the 70's and 80's up to the 2000's...when it was not a very popular thing to do for most western travelers. A few anxious moments but all in all, fascinating, during Iron Curtain days when petrol and food were a daily challenge to find. Enjoy your trip.

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...1980SAnd1990S#

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...fSlovakia1993#

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...cenesOfPrague#

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...nna1980S1990S#

I also have hundreds of Poland, the former Yugoslavia, Romania and the new and old Russia (SSR) as far east as Uzbekistan. Although it doesn't seem like you'll be seeing those areas.

"nancy18k is correct. In most all tour books these countries are referred to as Eastern Europe. Every single one."

American tour companies, maybe. Pick an Australian company - e.g. Intrepid - or a UK one - e.g. Exodus - and ask for a tour that includes Hungary and they'll list tours of Central Europe.

I am looking at my Lonely Planet "Eastern Europe" which covers (amongst other things) Hungary.

In Prague also explore the Loreto Church - magnificent.

Lonely Planet also publishes "Central Europe", including Hungary.

See: http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/europe/...avel-guide-10/