# Prauge & Budapest



## easyrider (Jul 15, 2013)

Im trying to put together a 12 - 16 day itinerary for the Czech Republic. I was thinking about going during Oktoberfest but now think it might be harder to get rooms and see some of the breweries that we want to visit. The 3 cities we want to visit are Budapest, Prauge and Vienna in no particular order. The goal is to visit breweries and castles. Any thoughts ?

Thanks
Bill


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## vacationhopeful (Jul 15, 2013)

Mineral spas are a wonderful place to visit also --- helps the legs from cobblestone walking and the head from drinking too much. Get to join something very European.

I loved Budapest ... just loved it. Small city and the major spa opened at 6AM - mostly locals reading their AM papers before work.

I like Praha .... opera was easier to get a ticket for. 

From Praha to Karlovy Vary is the road thru many small towns with brewerys - it is a hops growing region, I believe. About 2 hours, without stopping.

I love Karlovy Vary - go rent the remake of Last Holiday with LL Cool J and Queen Latifia or Casino Royale with Daniel Craig --- both filmed in Karlovy Vary -- if only 1, rent Last Holiday with almost NO BLUE SCREEN touch ups. 

SIDE NOTE: I remember my 1989 Vienna visit --- Late November of 1989. What a time to be in that area of the world. I just happen to have the plane flight over on the 15th.


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## Passepartout (Jul 15, 2013)

Bill, we have had good luck with this provider: http://www.go-today.com/czech-republic-vacations.aspx You can add days wherever you want, change the itinerary. They will do as much hand-holding as you desire. Or as little.

Hard to make recommendations when we have no idea how comfortable you are with making your own arrangements when English is not widely spoken (outside the cities). Sometimes we like to have the basic/main logistics of how to get to the cities and where to lay our heads at night taken care of. However we have no desire to follow a guide with a little flag or umbrella through endless museums. Go-today has that type European experience. 

Jim


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## bobpark56 (Jul 15, 2013)

vacationhopeful;

I love Karlovy Vary .[/QUOTE said:
			
		

> Hmmmpf....We much preferred Cesky Krumlov.


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## vacationhopeful (Jul 15, 2013)

When I went over 10+ years ago with a friend, we had RT (2 weeks later)Continental plane tickets to Budapest with only a Eastern European 5 day rail pass.

He wanted to go to Krakow & Prague and I, Vienna. And we started and would end in Budapest. He had never taken the trains or overnight trains where I had. Neither of us spoke any of the local language. 

I forced him to go to a opera in the State Opera house in Prague. I found the pension in Budapest which we loved; he chose the 4 floor walkup in Prague which inspired me to read my travel guide and traded my 3 nights in Vienna for 1 night in Karlovy Vary which we extended to 2 nights as we drove into the small city and extended by 2 more nights as we explored the beautiful historical spa town. I had pastries and coffee at the Grand Pupp Hotel - 6 weeks before the start of filming the Last Holiday movie. I shopped and brought cut glass crystal goblets with a decanter --- I got all home with any breakage. He paid to tour the Budapest Opera House and told me after, we should have gone and enjoyed an opera performance as we did in Praha.

His extended and well-wishing family had the 14 days SOLD in a family betting pool as to when he would dump me by the side of the road; we made plans on the plane back to the states for a repeat trip 50 weeks later. We did the trip slightly differently - with additional friends. And still had a good time.

No one knew much English (spoken or in print) on the first trip; 1 year later, a lot of the charm of trying to get by with the locals was gone. English was widely spoken and everything was translated in the cities. 

Guide books are great for ideas - we took local buses, intercity & local trains and Metros. 

After I was back a couple of years, I found that Czech liquor we were drinking and the smooth herbal favors is still remembered by my siblings and their spouses.  Remembered and cursed for several forgotten nights around our different kitchen tables.

PS Never missed the Vienna portion on the first trip; Never put it on the agenda for the 2nd trip. 

I would add KRAKOW onto your trip --- night train up from Budapest or Praha when we went; did one way trip from Budapest/Praha. First year, we did it as a daytrip; 2nd year, I did 3 nights in Krakow. Great city and was my favorite highlight the 2nd trip. I recommended extending a daytrip for good friends several years later. Very experience son was taking his 88yo father and well travel brother on a 12+ day CONCEIGNOR (fatcat trip). Well travel brother called and ask about what I had thought about their plan on that European trip. Basicly, battlefields of WWII as his father was in that WWII theater. Talked to him for 30 minutes; he called his brother and added a 3 night stay on the Old Town Square in Krakow. When they returned, my friend called me and just raved about Krakow was THE BEST PLACE they had stayed at and enjoyed the local environment. They did jazz clubs with the college students, ate at little local dives, visit the Jewish cemeteries, did the 800 yo Salt Mine, seen the da Vinci painting, the St Mary's church, the Wawal Castle and cripts ... etc 
His so very well travelled brother - was very, very pleased. Presently pleased.


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## easyrider (Jul 15, 2013)

Thanks for the info everyone. 

Jim , the link you gave me has an itinerary that includes airfare from Seattle for a really good price. I see a Prague, Vienna and Munich trip that might work and I think we could add some extra days for Budapest. Anyway, nice link.

The people that were going with are like us, very comfortable in different surroundings and they have just winged it a few times in Mexico. I like a plan. The goal is to visit breweries. 

Bill


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## beach.bar.bob (Jul 15, 2013)

easyrider said:


> Im trying to put together a 12 - 16 day itinerary for the Czech Republic. I was thinking about going during Oktoberfest but now think it might be harder to get rooms and see some of the breweries that we want to visit. The 3 cities we want to visit are Budapest, Prauge and Vienna in no particular order. The goal is to visit breweries and castles. Any thoughts ?
> 
> Thanks
> Bill



Hey Bill - 

We were just on a similar trip in early June. We started in Munich (missed Salzburg due to flooding that shut down the rails for a few days) took the train to Vienna and then Prague ending up in Amsterdam where I had work for a few days. Thus Budapest wasn't on our itinerary.  

I enjoyed Munich...the biergarten's are to die for! Not to mention that the local German brews are so much better than what they send over here. If you find a trip that includes Munich (especially during Oktoberfest) I'd seriously consider that. Great palace and fun(ny) crown jewels to see in Munich. Plenty to see in 3-4 days. 

We were only in Vienna for two days. Great palace there and the Sisi Museum is something. We didn't catch the opera. 

Munich and Vienna was just the two of us and we pretty much took things as they came at us...winged it as you said...easy to do.  

We met Pam's sister in Prague for three days. Pretty interesting city. Really inexpensive compared to most of Europe. Unbelievable what drinks/dinners cost compared to the rest of Europe. One nite we went to an extremely high end Italian restaurant, had plenty of refreshments, big meals (Steak Florentine) with deserts and finished with lemoncello...$45 per couple! Unreal. Great castle tour in town, plenty of other sites to keep you busy. 

While brewery tours weren't specifically part of our agenda, we did do the tour at the Staropramen Brewery.  Good fun. Drank plenty of Pilner Urquell and Budvar too.  Again, we winged it without any problems. 

Overall, we had a great trip...other than a ton of rain while we were there that hurt the fun factor a bit...just bad luck. The locals we meet everywhere were very nice and welcoming...just like in Mexico if you give them a chance. Language was not really a problem if you were patient...although I found Czech really hard to figure out. I usually like to at least learn a few phrases of the local language when I travel but for some reason Czech was beyond me. 

PM me if you have any questions. 

Do it...you'll have a great time. 

bbb


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## easyrider (Jul 16, 2013)

Thanks Bob
I think were going to somewhat wing it .  A plan is developing.


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## Pompey Family (Jul 16, 2013)

Budapest is fantastic, the Szechenyi Bath and Spa really has to be visited.  Plunge pools of varying temperatures, both hot and cold, saunas and pools along with very inexpensive massages is a great way to spend half a day.  There are some fantastic restaurants many of which are very reasonable away from the riverside particularly in the Jewish district.

Prague and Kracow are equally as wonderful, full of history and fantastic architecture.  If you do visit Kracow then you simply have to take a day to visit Auschwitz, a very sobering but essential experience if you're in the area.

There's some travelling involved but it's not excessive and it's part of the fun of travelling throughout Eastern Europe.


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## vacationhopeful (Jul 16, 2013)

Pompey Family said:


> Budapest is fantastic, the Szechenyi Bath and Spa really has to be visited.  Plunge pools of varying temperatures, both hot and cold, saunas and pools along with very inexpensive massages is a great way to spend half a day.  There are some fantastic restaurants many of which are very reasonable away from the riverside particularly in the Jewish district. These are the baths which open at 6AM -there are several outdoor pools where the water changes every 6 minutes; the indoor pools with different temperatures is where the serious bathers (locals) can be found.
> 
> Prague and Kracow are equally as wonderful, full of history and fantastic architecture.  If you do visit Kracow then you simply have to take a day to visit Auschwitz, a very sobering but essential experience if you're in the area.
> 
> There's some travelling involved but it's not excessive and it's part of the fun of travelling throughout Eastern Europe.



As another poster mentioned, the costs in Budapest, Praha and Krakow are MUCH less then Western Europe. As I have explained to others, the height of classic building was done during the Austro-Hungarian Empire era ... there were 2 capital cities, Vienna and Budapest. And Krakow Old City Square was NOT bombed during WWII, also.


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## ursula5342 (Aug 26, 2014)

Pompey Family said:


> Budapest is fantastic, the Szechenyi Bath and Spa really has to be visited.  Plunge pools of varying temperatures, both hot and cold, saunas and pools along with very inexpensive massages is a great way to spend half a day.  There are some fantastic restaurants many of which are very reasonable away from the riverside particularly in the Jewish district.
> 
> Prague and Kracow are equally as wonderful, full of history and fantastic architecture.  If you do visit Kracow then you simply have to take a day to visit Auschwitz, a very sobering but essential experience if you're in the area.
> 
> There's some travelling involved but it's not excessive and it's part of the fun of travelling throughout Eastern Europe.


I agree with you I visited Auschwitz last year, now I think everyone have to be there especially young people. If you will be in Krakow it's very easy to go there, you can use public transport, train or transfer services. We were there with Krakowdirect, we didn't have too much time, in the same day We had to go to the airport  Good idea to there,
I was in Budapest too but It was ten years ago and I can't remember what I was doing there :/


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## CCR (Aug 26, 2014)

Not sure when you are going but these were some of my favorite things in Prague (Taking the public transportation is fairly doable as outlined in good old Rick Steve's book)

Český Krumlov (Whole city is UNESCO World Heritage Site) It is like being in a fairy tale land).  The castle is also neat there with Bears living in the moat. We ate at a fun medieval tavern called "Krcma v Satlavske" with delicious food.  We took the very affordable student agency bus to here.   We did a tour of the downtown area that probably could have been skipped.  http://www.studentagencybus.com/ 

Terezín Memorial and Concentration Camp (took the regular transportation bus to here).  The tour here was well worth it, don't miss the Jewish Cemetery in the back but there is a disturbing crematorium there as well.

Kutná Hora was a little odd but the bone church is interesting and the down town was pretty.  (took the trains to Kutná Hora).

Prague is an amazing city with it having avoided many of the bombs from WWII.  We went to a beautiful concert in the old State house (so many opportunities for beautiful concerts everywhere.  We took a communism tour of Prague (very interesting to hear the history of WWII and being under communism rule for many years). We also did a tour of the city that included the Jewish Ghetto of Prague (wow the cemetery there and the museum was very much worth seeing)

I would have loved to visit Kraków and Auschwitz if we would have had more time and probably also a day trip to Vienna.


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## Ken555 (Aug 26, 2014)

CCR said:


> and probably also a day trip to Vienna.




Vienna needs a lot more time than just a day.


Sent from my iPad


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## Passepartout (Aug 26, 2014)

Ken555 said:


> Vienna needs a lot more time than just a day.



Amen. In 1996, We spent a week in Prague, a week in Budapest, 3-4 days in Krakow 5-6 days in Vienna, and days in transit in Brno, Auschwitz, salt mines, and so much more after the Wall fell and the East was opened. I'd go back and venture further afield. DW sat in with the Czech Phil, I sat in on a college class on post-war communism and Prague Spring. Great memories! I had spent a period of the Cold War in the service of King Nixon (oh, sorry) in Southern Germany with a side trip into Czechoslovakia in the trunk of a girlfriend's car. 

So many places to return to, so little time.....

Jim


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## vacationhopeful (Aug 27, 2014)

I was in France visiting the families of 2 of my summer exchange students - late November, 1989. We spent most evening watching various news reports on the opening of the Berlin gates between East & West. I had planned a several day train trip to Vienna --- I just worshiped the Spanish Riding School and really wanted to see the jumping/dancing horse (Wonderful World Of Disney) - and had a former co-worker living in Geneva. Off I went on the train; great time in Switzerland. Off to Vienna in a coachette sleeping car, Now that was a blast; the one girl was from Prague heading home after visiting her boyfriend. She invited us all to come home with her .... but I had been cautioned by my French host family to stay in Switzerland.

I had a great time in 1989 and years later got to Budapest and Prague --- loved those cities before ValueJet arrived.


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