Build my travel itinerary - Eastern Europe in June

[TornACL 7713]

Anchor of the trip is Budapest June 9, 10, 11. I have the 12th-16th free before I have to fly home on Jun 17. Where do I go from Budapest? I have been to most of Western Europe plenty so I'm interested in new places. Basically draw a line down Germany, Czech, Austria, Italy and I've been everywhere west of there and nowhere east of there.

I was thinking about going up to Bratislava for a day or so and then to southern Poland...Krakow?  From what I've heard so far, Bratislava isn't good for much more than a day, but if I'm heading north it seemed like a decent diversion.

Or I could head to the Black Sea. Or just hop on a plane from BUD-FCO and spend the rest of the time in Rome. While I have been to northern Italy I have never been to Rome.

I like seeing cool shit, activities, good looking women, good pubs. I generally prefer big cities to getting out into the mountains or some village with 65 people in it.

[ChiTownDoc 21154]

Wife from Slovakia.  Been there few times. Budapest is badass.  Nice call there...

After that consider Vienna or Prague.  Sounds like you did Austria/Vienna...so Prague it is.  Not shit in Bratislava.   

Rome is so badass, you need to get there at some point but different trip makes sense.  If you’ve hit Vienna and Prague already I’ll strongly suggest Rome or Dubrovnik.  

Edited March 29, 2018 by ChiTownDoc

[Bone3421 716]

For your time frame and budapest hub sounds like poland would be best...could hit krakow and warsaw for 2 days each plus the 5th day as travel hours

If you havent been Croatia would be a nice option also split between zagreb and the coast or to the plitvice lakes

[Bone3421 716]

Didnt mention those because assumed he has done it but those are the top options chi

[Grimas 669]

Do Prague if you havent done it.  Baltics are nice and cheap(ish) if you want to go north, Croatia (as mentioned) is great as well... Depends on what you want - Italy-lite along the Adriatic and before the European tourists arrive for summer vacation (but starting to get hot) or less populated but cooler temps without getting raped by Scandinavian prices further north...

[Bone3421 716]

For budapest checkout the faust wine cellar...might need to get a reservation 

Its underneath the hilton on the buda side in an old monastery.Bring cash as they dont take cc since buried in a hill

Can choose from 3,5,9 wine tasting all from hungary and food if wanted

Was like 4 years ago but hopefully still good

[Grippe 313]

Ahem, as a former resident of Prague (and a Shag news video poster foreign correspondent) I can definitely offer insight if desired.

[Robin Masters 122]

Do you want to see Auschwitz? Go to Krakow. No? Go to Prague. Probably more to do/see in Prague.

[Bone3421 716]

Ok tornacl..lets just get this out of the way

Have you been to prague?

OP i read would sound like you have...we need a answer so everyone quits yelling prague at you.

If not go lol

[TornACL 7713]

I have been to Prague. Granted it was a long, long time ago. But I thought it was great, and even as a starving student I could eat and drink like a king there at the time. 

I am not entirely opposed to returning there. 

[Bone3421 716]

Well as stated above gave you options for new places....but prague/vienna like chidoc said is great if you want to go back

Prague is the tits 

[Bort 9]

Another vote for Croatia. Really nice place. 

[ChiTownDoc 21154]

33 minutes ago, Bort said:

Another vote for Croatia. Really nice place. 

And tourism is growing like crazy in Dubrovnik/Croatia.  I don't think it will be the same in 3-5 years.  Even the European summer party scene is huge in Dubrovnik now vs Greece/Spain...you'll be going at a great time as others mentioned, before the shitshow. 

If you haven't been that might be option but can't go wrong with Prague. 

 

Some cool cities in and around Russia, smaller, like Tallinn - but you sound like me, larger, more metropolitan cities are my preference...St. Petersburg supposed to be great but I have not been myself.  

[Spankytoes 1742]

Prague is worth 1-2 days, no more. Pretty place and cheap but there’s not much to do there. I preferred Budapest, albeit, Budapest only has slightly more entertainment value. 

Try the Bucharest to Budapest trek. Go up to Bran Castle for the Dracula kitsch and ride the train west. End in Prague. Hell of a roadtrip if you don’t mind driving. 

Krakow is ok. Auschwitz is a must-see if you go there of course. I wouldn’t go out of the way to do it unless you are Jewish or a major WWII buff. 

It sounds basic, but have you considered Russia? Wouldn’t be surprised if a travel ban was put in place the next few years. St Petersburg is awesome and Moscow is cool. You’d need a visa.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Spankytoes

[52-80 19169]

Flying out of where? 

Renting car a possibility?

Best nightlife and whores will be Belgrade.  If you fly, an even better option is Kiev.

You can get a good sampler of CZ in smaller cities like Brno, Ceske Krumlov, Ostrava, etc.  None are big cities (of the global metropolitan scale), but you wont get that in this region.

Krakow and Wroclaw are great cities.  And the Poles are really good people.

You don't want small towney stuff, but I'd consider chilling out around Lake Balaton after partying in Budapest.

If flying, LCC WizzAir from Budapest opens lots of opportunities.  Including Greece, Israel, Romania, even Russia if you get a Visa

[HenryJames 66127]

This should help.

[52-80 19169]

22% , says the Gypsies Romani.

Edited March 29, 2018 by 52-80

[Txzen 498]

Would have to agree on Krakow - amazing place. Nice to hear Wroclaw mentioned as it has a very different flavor. Gdańsk is also worth a visit as well. 

I would say every person should visit Auschwitz in their lifetime, but it can be a very, very tough visit. 

Edited March 29, 2018 by Txzen

[mycox 582]

Poland.
A bit out of the way, but Estonia is an amazing country.

[nycHorn 3037]

Budapest is amazing.  You can get into all sorts of trouble if you want.  

Prague is worth a couple days, maybe a day to a small city like Cesky Krumlov or even Kunta Hora for the Bone Museum.

Croatia is great.  If you have the time, go island hopping, but be careful because the ferries don't run everyday.  Vis was a little gem 10 years ago.  Hvar & Korcula was a party.  

 

[TxEx99 31]

I loved Prague.  I also loved Krakow for very different reasons.  Everyone should see Auschwitz/Birkenau if you can handle it and the downtown square is a fun place to spend an evening.

If you're going to head north Riga, Latvia was unexpected.  The Occupation Museum is definitely worth a visit.

Going south Venice and Croatia are each amazing in their own way.  

[DaysOff 7951]

On 3/29/2018 at 7:52 AM, HenryJames said:

This should help.

Oy vey that is awful. 

 

Still. Subscribed to this thread for personal interests. 

[Brisketexan 105158]

10 minutes ago, TxEx99 said:

I loved Prague.  I also loved Krakow for very different reasons.  Everyone should see Auschwitz/Birkenau if you can handle it and the downtown square is a fun place to spend an evening.

If you're going to head north Riga, Latvia was unexpected.  The Occupation Museum is definitely worth a visit.

Going south Venice and Croatia are each amazing in their own way.  

Subscribed.  We have friends with the State Dept who will be stationed in Riga soon.  Thinking of visiting next summer.  Info is appreciated.

[Spankytoes 1742]

1 hour ago, DaysOff said:

Oy vey that is awful. 

 

Still. Subscribed to this thread for personal interests. 

Yeah, who doesn’t love the Jews?

[DixonHur 11341]

On 3/28/2018 at 11:11 PM, Spankytoes said:

Prague is worth 1-2 days, no more. Pretty place and cheap but there’s not much to do there.

Ok, this statement should disqualify you from giving any travel advice.  There is a shit ton to do in and around Prague, you just have to get out of Old Town to know about it.  That said, I will agree that the thermal baths and funky bars do give Budapest a slight edge...although I decided to move to Prague instead.

As for the OP, if you decide to head to Krakow you should stop in Vienna instead of Bratislava, and if you've already been to Prague (not sure from your line description), you should give Brno a try on the way through the Czech Republic.

If you want to head south, I would recommend Zagreb, Ljubljana and Pula.  While in Ljubljana you should take a side trip to Predjama Castle...it's literally a caste built into a cave.

There are also a lot of very cheap flights out of Budapest (Ryan Air, Easyjet, Wizz, to name a few).  If you want to fly somewhere, Helsinki is nice and you can take a ferry over to Tallin, Estonia which is a really fun place.  If you're a Depeche Mode fan, there is a bar entirely devoted to them.

Riga is cool too...fun fact, it's home to the original Christmas tree...but it's not really near anything else of note.

Personally, I wouldn't do the Black Sea.  It reminds me of the Texas gulf shore, but way more expensive.  Stick to Croatia for beaches.

 

[RiceOwl 74]

I saw Helsinki mention. It’s one of the most boring places in the world IMO... If you want to do a Scandanavian city, I’d go to Stockholm or Copenhagen. 

That said, I wouldn’t combine Scandanavia with BUD... Have you considered Athens? Lots of bucket list type attractions to check off there. If you want to do hardcore sightseeing, it’s really the only city in Eastern Europe that can compete in terms of quantity with London, Paris, Rome, etc.

 

 

[DixonHur 11341]

5 hours ago, RiceOwl said:

I saw Helsinki mention. It’s one of the most boring places in the world IMO.

I guess it depends on what you're looking for.  It's really pretty, has a great foodie culture, and amazing architecture.  But my main reasons for putting it on the list are that it's cheap to get to from Budapest and really close to Tallinn, which is anything but boring in terms of nightlife.

That said, my choice would be to head south to Croatia and Slovenia, but I wanted to give multiple options.

[52-80 19169]

6 hours ago, RiceOwl said:

I saw Helsinki mention. It’s one of the most boring places in the world IMO... If you want to do a Scandanavian city, I’d go to Stockholm or Copenhagen. 

That said, I wouldn’t combine Scandanavia with BUD... Have you considered Athens? Lots of bucket list type attractions to check off there. If you want to do hardcore sightseeing, it’s really the only city in Eastern Europe that can compete in terms of quantity with London, Paris, Rome, etc.

 

 

jup... helsinki is very dull from a sightseeing and awe perspective.  same for stockholm too, and to a lesser extent copenhagen (atleast they have the postcard nyhavn waterfront).  the real attraction in scandinavia are the smaller cities, the outdoors, and in particular the norwegian natural landscapes

[Bone3421 716]

Acl you decide yet....fill us in where you decided

Also for personal reasons wondered if you looked into faust wine cellar in budapest

Edited May 5, 2018 by Bone3421

[TornACL 7713]

I laughed when I saw this thread back up at the top because I forgot to tell you guys that I blew off the whole thing and am spending 10 days in Greece instead, later in the summer. But I am saving the advice and will do that trip, or some variant of it, some time soon.

 

 

[Doug E. Fresh 452]

Think about catching a cheap flight to Riga or Tallinn since you’ve already been to Prague.

[Spankytoes 1742]

On 5/5/2018 at 12:35 AM, DixonHur said:

Ok, this statement should disqualify you from giving any travel advice.  There is a shit ton to do in and around Prague, you just have to get out of Old Town to know about it.  That said, I will agree that the thermal baths and funky bars do give Budapest a slight edge...although I decided to move to Prague instead.

There is something to do in every big city. Prague is no different. If one were to visit Old Town, Wenceslas Square, the clock, the Charles Bridge and maybe walk to the castle lookout, you’ve pretty much seen the best of Prague. You don’t need a week there to appreciate it. 2 days is plenty. 

[Chopper 17238]

On 3/28/2018 at 5:31 PM, TornACL said:

Anchor of the trip is Budapest June 9, 10, 11. I have the 12th-16th free before I have to fly home on Jun 17. Where do I go from Budapest? I have been to most of Western Europe plenty so I'm interested in new places. Basically draw a line down Germany, Czech, Austria, Italy and I've been everywhere west of there and nowhere east of there.

I was thinking about going up to Bratislava for a day or so and then to southern Poland...Krakow?  From what I've heard so far, Bratislava isn't good for much more than a day, but if I'm heading north it seemed like a decent diversion.

Or I could head to the Black Sea. Or just hop on a plane from BUD-FCO and spend the rest of the time in Rome. While I have been to northern Italy I have never been to Rome.

I like seeing cool shit, activities, good looking women, good pubs. I generally prefer big cities to getting out into the mountains or some village with 65 people in it.

OP how'd this trip turn out for you?

So much to do. Would've been difficult to go wrong. I will add the women in Bratislava are unreal. Though you might not appreciate it until the weather warmed up.

[4th&Five 41558]

I’m planning a similar trip for July. Fly into Prague, meeting a good friend in Dresden and flying home from Budapest. Bratislava seems like our only concrete plan other than those. Any other tips or suggestions would be appreciated. 

[Chopper 17238]

1 hour ago, 4th&Five said:

I’m planning a similar trip for July. Fly into Prague, meeting a good friend in Dresden and flying home from Budapest. Bratislava seems like our only concrete plan other than those. Any other tips or suggestions would be appreciated. 

I understand Bratislava has changed a lot since I lived there, which was before they switched to the euro. The old town is well preserved but small with not much going on. The rest of the city got the shit bombed out of it in ww2 and was later soviet-ized. They do have a pretty great, flat bike path that runs along the Danube and an offshoot, with a beer garden along the way. I used to love going to the Central Market Mileticova (farmers market) for the street food, especially the stall that sells langoš, a delicious potato flat bread. Obchodna Ulica is the main shopping street for locals, just outside the old town. On it, you'll find the Slovak Pub which used to be a pretty decent place to eat and drink. Good people watching. There's some good places to buy folk art in Bratislava but it's not really a great tourist stop unless you enjoy exploring strange cities and exploring local culture. There's usually something going on at the National Theater Slovenské národné divadlo if you like ballet or opera.

As mentioned above, Brno is a good stop if you're taking the train between Prague and Bratislava. A lot of people pass up Bratislava altogether and just go to Vienna.

[Jim Thompson 22]

Bratislava is cheap and seriously underrated. There are plenty old, weathered pubs where you can drink regional pilsners and eat fried foods. There's a local riff on chicken fried steak that subs pork for beef that's particularly good and omnipresent on local menus. As someone else mentioned the local women are beauteous and dress impeccably. We preferred Bratislava to Vienna which is a short train ride away. You can also hop on a boat and be in Budapest in a few hours via the Danube River.

[52-80 19169]

Bratislava is pretty terrible, unless you have a month on vacation and run out of things to see.  The only reason to go to BTS from Vienna, is if it's sunday and you need to shop for groceries.

[4th&Five 41558]

now i'm confused.

[TankedBevo 2483]

The wife and I were planning a June trip to Prague then taking the train to Vienna. 3 days in each spot. From the sounds of it maybe we could do the Prague, Vienna, Budapest train vacation without feeling rushed to visit everything? The one thing I regret about my trip to London is that I didn't give myself nearly enough time to see everything (fckin noob)

[Chopper 17238]

1 hour ago, 52-80 said:

Bratislava is pretty terrible, unless you have a month on vacation and run out of things to see.  The only reason to go to BTS from Vienna, is if it's sunday and you need to shop for groceries.

1 hour ago, 4th&Five said:

now i'm confused.

52-80's take is fucken terrible.

 

[Chopper 17238]

1 hour ago, TankedBevo said:

The wife and I were planning a June trip to Prague then taking the train to Vienna. 3 days in each spot. From the sounds of it maybe we could do the Prague, Vienna, Budapest train vacation without feeling rushed to visit everything? The one thing I regret about my trip to London is that I didn't give myself nearly enough time to see everything (fckin noob)

Budapest will be the most low-key of the 3. Prague and Vienna will be especially crowded with tourists. The typical tourist areas of Budapest are more spread out. But 3 days in each isn't bad. You could easily spend a month in each and not get bored. I thought a lot of the things I'd heard people rave about Vienna were over-rated, like the cafes, and seeing old churches and Lippizaners prance about is not my thing. But their museums are spectacular as is some of the scenery. If you have never seen the film The Third Man watch it before your trip there...it'll make the city feel more real, plus it's an incredible film that holds up amazingly well despite being made so long ago.

[52-80 19169]

4 hours ago, 4th&Five said:

now i'm confused.

9/10 people will tell you bratislava is the most skip-worthy of all the aforementioned cities.  chopper/10 will tell you otherwise.

why would you go to this opera house

when this one is in budapest

and theres this one in vienna

 

Langos is traditionally a hungarian food... and Bratislava is a day-trip, not a destination. 

 

[Chopper 17238]

1 hour ago, 52-80 said:

Langos is traditionally a hungarian food... and Bratislava is a day-trip, not a destination. 

 

Since you're so obtuse that you believe the history of Slovakia began when the country was created in 1993, this conversation need go no further. You should learn when to stfu. Did you go to aTm or are you still in 5th grade? Too many drugs interfere with your reading comprehension and ability to use logic? What a fucking regard.

Edited January 7, 2020 by Chopper

[52-80 19169]

16 minutes ago, Chopper said:

Since you're so obtuse that you believe the history of Slovakia began when the country was created in 1993, this conversation need go no further. You should learn when to stfu. Did you go to aTm or are you still in 5th grade? Too many drugs interfere with your reading comprehension and ability to use logic? What a fucking regard.

Ok chopper

[Chopper 17238]

57 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

Ok chopper

Have you been out of the country besides dashing to Mexico for cheap booze, drugs and hookers? Perhaps you don't even own a passport. Do you think the sole purpose of travel is to look at pretty buildings?

Does this sentence from my post above mean anything to you -- and my apologies if you are truly special needs based on anything not your own doing such as your mom being addicted to meth  -- or are you a serious retard?

Quote

There's some good places to buy folk art in Bratislava but it's not really a great tourist stop unless you enjoy exploring strange cities and exploring local culture.

And here's a further hint given the likelihood you haven't managed to figure it out yet: present day Slovakia was part of the Hungarian Empire all the way back to the 10th or so Century. Learn that and you'll be ahead of the curve of all the other retards at TAMU.

Learn how to make points besides setting up straw-man arguments. And learn how to fucking read, you imbecile.

 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Chopper

[52-80 19169]

6 hours ago, Chopper said:

Have you been out of the country besides dashing to Mexico for cheap booze, drugs and hookers? Perhaps you don't even own a passport. Do you think the sole purpose of travel is to look at pretty buildings?

Does this sentence from my post above mean anything to you -- and my apologies if you are truly special needs based on anything not your own doing such as your mom being addicted to meth  -- or are you a serious retard?

And here's a further hint given the likelihood you haven't managed to figure it out yet: present day Slovakia was part of the Hungarian Empire all the way back to the 10th or so Century. Learn that and you'll be ahead of the curve of all the other retards at TAMU.

Learn how to make points besides setting up straw-man arguments. And learn how to fucking read, you imbecile.

 

Slovakia and Slovakians are ethnically distinct from Hungarians. 

Because for a period of time they were incorporated into the Kingdom of Hungary, and the Austro-Hungarian empire, does not give them claim to Langos, nor the Hungarians to Schnitzel, not the Welsh to Guinness.

I'm actually flying to Mexico from Budapest at the end of this month.  Any recs for Brisket or Gumbo?

[Chopper 17238]

7 hours ago, 52-80 said:

Slovakia and Slovakians are ethnically distinct from Hungarians.

"Ethnically distinct." Now that's a loaded term. Pull that bullshit statement from your favorite nazi website? It means everything and nothing in regards to food, and is particularly out of place in response to something I said I enjoyed about the city. Really, it's the perfect retort for a fucktard like you.

And yes, I heard about your trip and the book you're working on tracing the beginnings of Texas barbecue. I think there's quite a few around here who'd take issue with your thesis that Central Texas barbecue began when John Mueller rented a place on Manor Ave. Also maybe you should write a second book about langos since you love acting like you know so much about it.

Enjoy your imaginary trip. Maybe you can afford a passport and a plane ticket one day instead of just looking at pretty pictures on the internet. You fucking twat.

Edited January 8, 2020 by Chopper

[52-80 19169]

2 minutes ago, Chopper said:

"Ethnically distinct." Now that's a loaded term. And of course it means nothing at all in regards to food. The perfect retort for a fucktard like you.

And yes, I heard about your trip and the book you're working on tracing the beginnings of Texas barbecue. I think there's quite a few around here who'd take issue with your thesis that Central Texas barbecue began when John Mueller rented a place on Manor Ave. Also maybe you should write a second book about langos since you seem to know and care so much about it.

Enjoy your imaginary trip. Maybe you can afford a passport and a place ticket one day instead of just looking at pretty pictures on the internet. You fucking twat.

There's nothing confusing about the concept of ethnicity.  Sorry you're confused about that.  The Slovaks today (=Slavic people) don't identify with Hungary, just as Hungarians (=Magyars) don't identify with Slovakia.  Maybe they've also developed a kinship for the Soviets when they were occupied by them.

You left Slovakia before 1999?  I lived almost this entire decade in Vienna.  I've visited Bratislava by boat, by train, by car, and even by bicycle. 

Tampa Florida is a strange city with interesting culture, but I wouldnt recommend someone crossing the Atlantic for 2 weeks to stop by.

If I wanted to write a book about langos, I'd consult my in-laws.  Don't know about a BBQ book, but I'll happily accept the royalty checks when they come.  In fact, I don't know anything about TAMU, either.  Are you deeply confused, or just born dumb?

 

 

[Chopper 17238]

13 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

There's nothing confusing about the concept of ethnicity.  Sorry you're confused about that.  The Slovaks today (=Slavic people) don't identify with Hungary, just as Hungarians (=Magyars) don't identify with Slovakia.  Maybe they've also developed a kinship for the Soviets when they were occupied by them.

You left Slovakia before 1999?  I lived almost this entire decade in Vienna.  I've visited Bratislava by boat, by train, by car, and even by bicycle. 

Tampa Florida is a strange city with interesting culture, but I wouldnt recommend someone crossing the Atlantic for 2 weeks to stop by.

If I wanted to write a book about langos, I'd consult my in-laws.  Don't know about a BBQ book, but I'll happily accept the royalty checks when they come.  In fact, I don't know anything about TAMU, either.  Are you deeply confused, or just born dumb?

 

 

You seriously lack reading comprehension and your quick reading of wiki to try to prove how much you know is backfiring. Jesus, what a fucking retard you are. Sorry about your mom and that meth addiction she had when pregnant. You simply can't get your facts half straight and so I know you're completely full of shit. Slovakia wasn't a country until 1993. They weren't on the euro until 2009. I said nothing about it being a great tourist destination. No Austrian in their right mind would ever "drive to Slovakia for groceries." There'd be no point or advantage in that. The current country of Hungary has no exclusive claim to the invention of Langos. Or goulash for that matter. Go back to posting pretty pictures on the that website for retards you frequent.

You're now on ignore...a very exclusive list with a couple other full-on fucktards.

Sorry this thread got hijacked by a retard and that I responded.

Edited January 8, 2020 by Chopper

[52-80 19169]

5 minutes ago, Chopper said:

You seriously lack reading comprehension and your quick reading of wiki to try to prove how much you know is backfiring. Jesus, what a fucking retard you are. Sorry about your mom and that meth addiction she had when pregnant. You simply can't get your facts half straight and so I know you're completely full of shit. Slovakia wasn't a country until 1993. They weren't on the euro until 2009. I said nothing about it being a great tourist destination. No Austrian in their right mind would ever "drive to Slovakia for groceries." There'd be no point or advantage in that. The current country of Hungary has no exclusive claim to the invention of Langos. Or goulash for that matter. Go back to posting pretty pictures on the that website for retards you frequent.

You're now on ignore...a very exclusive list with a couple other full-on fucktards.

Sorry this thread got hijacked by a retard and that I responded.

are you okay? i think the neurologist let you out way too soon