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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed

    Vienna/Prague/Budapest/Salzburg advice

    Turning to my go-to, DBR. Contemplating a trip next summer mainly based out of Vienna. Possible trips to areas within a four or five hour train ride. May fly through Prague for logistical reasons. Bratislava and Berchtesgaden also on the idea list.

    Suggestions/warnings/thoughts?

    Danke in advance!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Winston’Salem
    Quote Originally Posted by OldPhiKap View Post
    Turning to my go-to, DBR. Contemplating a trip next summer mainly based out of Vienna. Possible trips to areas within a four or five hour train ride. May fly through Prague for logistical reasons. Bratislava and Berchtesgaden also on the idea list.

    Suggestions/warnings/thoughts?

    Danke in advance!
    It has been a gabillion years (meaning 35), but Salzburg is fantastic. The hills really are alive ...

    And, although it may be farther west than you want to go, a strong vote for Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps.
    "Amazing what a minute can do."

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Quote Originally Posted by Tripping William View Post
    It has been a gabillion years (meaning 35), but Salzburg is fantastic. The hills really are alive ...

    And, although it may be farther west than you want to go, a strong vote for Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps.
    Thanks. We’re you skiing at G-P? Looks beautiful although I would likely be there in summer. Still . . . .

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Winston-Salem
    Quote Originally Posted by OldPhiKap View Post
    Turning to my go-to, DBR. Contemplating a trip next summer mainly based out of Vienna. Possible trips to areas within a four or five hour train ride. May fly through Prague for logistical reasons. Bratislava and Berchtesgaden also on the idea list.

    Suggestions/warnings/thoughts?

    Danke in advance!
    I went to Budapest May of last year and loved it! Feel free to PM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh
    Quote Originally Posted by Tripping William View Post
    It has been a gabillion years (meaning 35), but Salzburg is fantastic. The hills really are alive ...

    And, although it may be farther west than you want to go, a strong vote for Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps.
    OMG! We skied there in March, 1992, right around the time of "The Shot."
    [redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh
    Quote Originally Posted by OldPhiKap View Post
    Turning to my go-to, DBR. Contemplating a trip next summer mainly based out of Vienna. Possible trips to areas within a four or five hour train ride. May fly through Prague for logistical reasons. Bratislava and Berchtesgaden also on the idea list.

    Suggestions/warnings/thoughts?

    Danke in advance!
    I'm still waiting for your Belgian beer reviews...

    [redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.

  7. #7

    If Going to Budapest ...

    A few highlights from our trip to Budapest a couple years ago (our second visit):
    Walking tour of the Castle District
    Great Market Hall (aka Central Market Hall)
    Tour of the Opera House (pay extra for the short performance afterwards)
    Enjoy a lazy morning with coffee and pastries at the Central Cafe and Restaurant (beautiful coffee house)
    Lunch or dinner at Cafe Kispiac (divine food)
    Drinks on the Rooftop Bar at Hotel Aria
    Walk the Szechenyi Chain Bridge at night

    If you want an English tour of the Parliament Building, be sure to get reservation > 1 week in advance (we didn't and missed it).

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    About 150 feet in front of the Duke Chapel doors.
    I am not a huge fan of opera, but the highlight of my one short trip to Vienna was seeing "The Magic Flute" at the Vienna State Opera (Staatsoper) and then taking a backstage tour. The number of productions they put on every year and the logistics infrastructure they've developed to support them are astounding. If you enjoy opera or theater and learning about how live entertainment is done, I highly recommend it.
    JBDuke

    Andre Dawkins: “People ask me if I can still shoot, and I ask them if they can still breathe. That’s kind of the same thing.”

  9. #9
    We visited all four of those cities during our Europe trip in June and July 2017 -- flew into Prague, then went to Nuremberg before continuing on to Salzburg, then to Vienna, and finally to Budapest, where we boarded a Viking River Cruise up the Danube and Rhine to Amsterdam. We stayed at least 3 nights in each city, which we've determined from experience is the minimum required for us to "become acquainted" with the character of a place. Here are my principal recommendations:

    Prague: First, if you'll be there for at least a couple of days, get the Prague Card. On your first full day, take Discover Prague's Free Walking Tour at 10:00 a.m., and their Castle District and Strahov Monastery Tour (not free, but reasonably priced, as are most things in Prague) at 2:00 p.m. -- those tours combined will provide an excellent overview of the city, its culture, and history. Enjoy a lunch or dinner at the Cafe Imperial if possible, but definitely make reservations to have dinner at Hergetova Cihelna (request a table overlooking the river with a view of the Charles Bridge). You must, of course, sample the local beers, including an obligatory Pilsner Urquell -- tasty, refreshing, and often less expensive than a bottled water.

    Salzburg: Be sure to visit the Fortress, the Mirabell Gardens, the Mozart House, and the areas around the Residenzplatz. Allow some time to savor a coffee and sachertorte at the Cafe Sacher, then cross the footbridge and simply wander the streets and shops on the south side of the river. Dinner at Imlauer Sky Bar & Restaurant is well worth the time and cost. If you can spare a full day, my top recommendation would be to take the Sound of Music/Hallstatt Tour, by Bob’s Tours. It's a small group tour that lasts about 8-9 hours, and takes you all around the scenic Lakes District (including some of the locations used in the Sound of Music), but most importantly it take you to the charming lakeside village of Hallstatt, which is widely recognized as one of the most spectacular places in all of Europe. Here's one of the photos I took there:

    IMG_20170630_124116333_HDR -- Swans on the Lake at Hallstadt.jpg

    Vienna: Again, if you're spending a few days, get the Vienna Pass for free transportation and museum admissions, and start with the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour for an overview. The main sights you'll want to see are the Hofburg Palace and adjoining Volksgarten, the Schonbrunn Palace and grounds, the incomparable Opera House, and (time permitting) the Fine Arts and History Museums. A mid-afternoon break for refreshments at the legendary Cafe Landtmann is highly recommended. And if you feel like a quiet rest stop for a glass of wine before dinner, there's a very nice rooftop bar at the Ritz Carlton.

    Budapest: I suggest starting with the free walking tours of both sides (Buda and Pest), then you'll have an idea of how you'd like to spend the rest of your time. The Castle District, including Fisherman's Bastion and Matthias Church, should be a top priority -- allow several hours for exploring that area. If you're fit and feel energetic, climb up Gellert Hill to the Liberty Statue at the Citadel on top -- it affords a view along the Danube and across the entire city that is truly spectacular. Heroes' Square and the surrounding park merit a visit if time permits. The language and money conversion are a bit more difficult than in most places, but familiarize yourself with a few common phrases and put a currency converter app on your phone, and you'll be fine.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by OldPhiKap View Post
    ... summer mainly based out of Vienna ...
    The Vienna Philharmonic is in town thru June 14 (neat calendar function on its website -- Duke should get a Rolex sponsorship for its calendar function): https://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/...nt-id/%2010118

    And the Radio Symphony Orchestra is showing performances through June 25: https://rso.orf.at/programm?form_nam...so_filter_form

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Thanks, all! I’m likely looking at about 8 days on the ground in the area, Mrs.PK will be there for about 3 weeks.

    (dd, I always got the local beers and didn’t take notes because I figured I’d never get it stateside. Will try harder in Czech Republic and Bavaria time around).

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Winston’Salem
    Quote Originally Posted by OldPhiKap View Post
    Thanks. We’re you skiing at G-P? Looks beautiful although I would likely be there in summer. Still . . . .
    Nope, no skiing. I was there in summer as well.
    "Amazing what a minute can do."

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh
    Quote Originally Posted by OldPhiKap View Post
    Thanks, all! I’m likely looking at about 8 days on the ground in the area, Mrs.PK will be there for about 3 weeks.

    (dd, I always got the local beers and didn’t take notes because I figured I’d never get it stateside. Will try harder in Czech Republic and Bavaria time around).

    No problem! I'd have read them anyway .
    [redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Quote Originally Posted by devildeac View Post
    No problem! I'd have read them anyway .
    Rest assured, they were good.

    Belgians take beer, mussels and waffles/fries VERY seriously. For VERY good reason. (Chocolate too, although France and Switzerland are the top of the game IMHO). If you like beer, I seriously recommend Belgium.

    Which is part of why the Czech Republic and Prague are so intriguing.

  15. #15
    Put your Q to someone who lives in Vienna. Reply:

    Budapest pretty close and also can go by boat (Bratislava also an easy boat ride). Salzburg and Munich both accessible, or do Venice on an overnight train then on to Florence. Come back in daytime--long but beautiful trip. And there are way too many totally charming Austrian villages on lakes and by mountains to even count them all (Gmunden, Traunkirchen ... Hallstat is great but perhaps overtouristed.).

  16. #16
    I always find myself chuckling a little when someone admonishes that a place has become "too touristy." Reminds me of the immortal words attributed to Yogi Berra: "No one goes there anymore -- it's too crowded."

    Generally, there's a reason why so many tourists go to those places. While I understand and appreciate that large groups of tourists tend to diminish the enjoyment of an experience, it's an unfortunate fact that if you want to visit the most impressive and historically significant sites in Europe -- including those designated as World Heritage Sites -- and you choose to do so during a period when the weather is typically pleasant for venturing around outdoors, you're going to encounter numerous other visitors who have been attracted to the same places for the same reasons. What we like to do is vary our destinations to include occasional side trips to places less frequented by those following the popular itineraries. For example, after enduring the hordes of tourists crowding the streets (and museums and restaurants) of Rome and Florence, it's refreshing to spend a few days exploring the quiet hill towns of Umbria from a home base in Orvieto.

    Yes, you are likely to find many tourists in the streets of Hallstatt. But if you nonetheless choose to visit that enchanting lakeside village, I trust that you will find the experience well worth the inconvenience of having to share the space with others.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Thanks all. Likely there for about 10 days, looking like 3 each in Budapest, Vienna and Prague with an extra day trip to Bratislava. Mrs.PK going to Salzburg for a few days (she has visited the area before, this is my first trip) so that may have to wait for another adventure. I am like Stray, I would rather spend longer in fewer places than zip through the max possible and a visit to the Salzburg area for my calendar would be little more than a touch-and-go. I’m still short-changing all of these places as is.

    Good places to stay in Budapest or Vienna? B&B in Prague probably settled by a fellow traveler. Restaurants in all three? Can’t miss local foods?

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Winston’Salem
    Quote Originally Posted by OldPhiKap View Post
    Thanks all. Likely there for about 10 days, looking like 3 each in Budapest, Vienna and Prague with an extra day trip to Bratislava. Mrs.PK going to Salzburg for a few days (she has visited the area before, this is my first trip) so that may have to wait for another adventure. I am like Stray, I would rather spend longer in fewer places than zip through the max possible and a visit to the Salzburg area for my calendar would be little more than a touch-and-go. I’m still short-changing all of these places as is.

    Good places to stay in Budapest or Vienna? B&B in Prague probably settled by a fellow traveler. Restaurants in all three? Can’t miss local foods?
    I have a feeling the rest of this thread is gonna make me Hungary ....
    "Amazing what a minute can do."

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Tripping William View Post
    I have a feeling the rest of this thread is gonna make me Hungary ...
    Yeah but....we can Stein up to it 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh
    Quote Originally Posted by Tripping William View Post
    I have a feeling the rest of this thread is gonna make me Hungary ...
    And, when he returns from Vienna, the wurst he might say would be I never sausage a place...
    [redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.

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