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Trip Report
Visiting Central Europe Capitals: Budapest, Vienna and Prague
6 days exploring splendid Budapest, Vienna and Prague
EuropeHungary, Austria, Czechia5 days / September 2019
Highs & Lows
Hungarian food diversity
Some streets in Prague were overpacked with tourists
Itinerary Overview

Budapest
Most beautiful city in the Danube
After a two hour flight from Stockholm I found myself in a much nicer weather. I checked in on an Airbnb on the Pest side of the city. That first night I took a walk on the neighborhood to find the St. Stephen's basilica and then took the tram 2 that goes along the Danube. Next morning was time to explore the Danube but this time on a river cruise, it is possible to see many of Budapest's main landmarks: the chain bridge, the Buda castle and the magnificent Hungarian parliament. For lunch I wanted to try some true local food so I headed for the Budapest main historic market. A very nice place to see some of the local ingredients and souvenirs. I can recommend going there in the morning since it gets too crowded around lunch time. On my last day in Budapest I climbed the citadella looking for a broad view of the city. Later I took a walk up to the castle district to see the Fisherman’s bastion and the Matthias church.

Vienna
Mozart's city and best city lo live in the world
I took the train from Budapest to Vienna, I stayed in a hotel about 40 min south of the main train station. On my first day I visited the Schönbrunn palace home of the Augsburg empire. The gardens are free to visit, but to enter the palace it is required to buy a tour. Fortunately the weather was just perfect, so I could deeply explore the palace’s gardens, forests and the Orangery. That night I ended up going to a Strauss and Mozart concert in the palace mirror hall, it was a time traveling experience, I wasn’t dressed for the occasion though. Next day I headed to the city centre and I took a look at the Stephansdom before entering the catacombs where some Imperial treasures and walls of stacked bones. I finished my day by visiting the museum's quartier where I found a very welcoming young vibe and a good display of Vienna's avant garde art scene.

Prague
Medieval vibes and cheap beer
I took the train from Vienna to Prague. Once in Prague’s central station I took an Uber to my hotel. This was one of the craziest rides in my life, (and I am used to chaotic Bogotá taxi drivers) sidewalks, grass, construction sites were all roads for this driver, later he told me he used to be an ambulance driver. From the hotel I took a random tram to get a glimpse of the city vibe and escape the pouring rain. Later that night I crossed the Charles bridge enjoying the artists and musicians on it. For the next day I walked up the Hrad to see the Prague castle, and climbed to the top of st. Nicholas church tower to see the sunset. I also went to see the famous dancing house and the old time square with its church and the notable towers that seem to be a Prague staple. Also the Astronomical clock was a rarity worth checking out. The line for the Prague castle complex is so long it’s almost not worth it, I recommend buying tickets in advance if possible.
Q & A
What would you have changed?
Would have tried more Hungarian food and stayed in Prague a couple more days
Anything go wrong during the trip?
Got scammed with currency exchange in Prague
Restaurant recommendations?
Hungarian food stands out with the Töltött Paprika and the goulash
Tips you would give a friend?
Exchange small amounts of money at a time in Hungary and Czech Republic
Packing tips?
Nothing special, depend on the weather
Transportation Tips?
Take the Tram 2 in Budapest
Any surprises?
I found more people willing to speak Spanish than English in Budapest
Booking details?
I used Hostels.com for all my reservations, it was the cheapest
Lodging
Airbnb
Hotel in Rosenberg
Taurus Hotel