Prague, Vienna and Budapest

[Guest Mini]

I am going to spend my X'mas vacation in the above places, from Dec 18 to Jan 6. Can anyone give me some suguestion on where I must go?

 

I am traveling with a straight friend, so I am not looking for sex or escort service at all, more like a pure sightseeing recommendation, especially in such cold condition? Do anyone know any special events happening over there? Actually I am concern about the safety, too, I am a very small build Asian, would that be matter?

 

Any help would be appreciated. Thankyou

 

:7

[Guest njguy62]

I've been to both Prague and Budapest, but not Vienna. Prague is a magical city. Spend a day in the "castle" area, as well as in the "old" downtown. Beautiful architecture and lively crowds. I was there in the spring so I don't know what the weather would be like in the winter, but dress warm, and be prepared to walk around alot. It is a very manageable city. If you like classical music, there's at least one event every night somewhere in the city, often in old churches where the acoustics are marvelous. The "municiple building" is also worth visiting. There's also a part of the city that contains an ancient jewish cemetery, which is very interesting, particularly for those of jewish descent. The food in Prague is nothing to write home about. In general, beware of pick-pockets, they are everywhere. Keep your wallet/valuables closely guarded. Definitely not a "wallet-in-the-back-pocket" place. And don't hail any taxi's on your own - always use a hotel concierge.

 

I didn't find Budapest nearly as enjoyable. There are some cool authentic hungarian spa/baths - you can get a massage and take a dip in a hot tub/pool. The food however, was excellent, very rich, and lot's of cream!

 

It's definitely worth getting a guide book to help steer you to the various attractions. There's also several day trips that you can take via bus to areas outside the city, but close by, that could be of interest depending on your tastes.

 

Enjoy the trip!

 

Dan

[Guest Everett]

I've been to Vienna, and it's a beautiful city. While there I stayed at the Pension Pertschy. The pension is an old palace that's been converted to guestrooms. The location is great - right in the heart of the Old City. The rooms are decent sized, and I believe they all have private baths. People there are very helpful as well.

 

I was there a few years ago, and was planning to visit Salzburg and Hallstatt, Austria, but I liked Vienna so much I stayed there longer than I had planned and eliminated Salzburg from my trip.

 

As far as what to see, I would visit the Staatsoper (opera house). You might want to look into getting tickets to a performance, since winter is the opera season. The Hofburg and Schoenbrunn Palaces are definitely worth seeing. Schoenbrunn was especially impressive, and it's relaxing to stroll around the gardens surrounding the palace. I don't know what they would be like in the winter, however.

 

The Treasury is something to see. It contains the secular and religious treasures of the Habsburgs. The crown jewels rival anything else in the world.

 

Two things I did not see while there, but wanted to, were the Lipazzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School and Kunshistorisches Museum. The horses don't perform in August, which was when I was there. And I did not have time to see the Kunshistorisches Museum, which contains the art collection of the Habsburgs.

 

The Old Center of the city is made for strolling, so don't pack in too many things to see. Take some time to just stroll around and admire your surroundings.

 

Some of the restaurants I ate in and would recommed would be the Brezel-Gwoelb, the Stadtbeisl, Gigerl Stadtheuriger, and the Esterhazykeller. While there I would also go to the Hotel Sacher for some Sachertorte some evening. And of course Austria has some great beers and wines to enjoy with your meals.

 

One other suggestion would be to try to learn a little German before you go. Most people speak English, especially in tourist-laden areas. Older people are less likely to know English, however. I have found that people are much more friendly and open to you if you attempt to speak to them in German, no matter how badly you distort the language. I never studied German in school, but I learned some conversational German before I traveled there. Meeting random people who live in the area in which you are traveling is one of the most enjoyable aspects of traveling, in my opinion, and it breaks down cultural barriers when you make that attempt to speak their language.