Vacation 2019 - Budapest, Vienna and Prague

Pictures of this trip are available on Google photos. Click here to view.

This year's vacation was planned to the 3 cities of Budapest Hungary, Vienna Austria and Prague in Czech Republic. This trip was planned thanks to help from my good Hungarian colleague Anita.

These are the itinerary that she provided is at the bottom of the page.

We flew into Budapest on the 6th of May via Doha and landed there around 2pm. Took a cab to the Airbnb which was on district 3 by the Mercure hotel
5. Kecskeméti street, Budapest, Budapest 1053, Hungary

3 countries, 3 currencies - Hungarian Forint, Austrian Euro and Czech Koruna

Day 1 : After settling in the apartment we met Anita for dinner at a Restaurant called Vakvarju. Had some good Hungarian food and beer. The goulash soup and the duck dishes were really good.

The place was a good walk from our room and it was nice to get a feel for the city.  The down side was that it was raining and cold. After a quick shopping for warm clothes we were on our way.

The first impression was that it was a beautiful city with lots of heritage building and wide roads. The public transportation which was a combination of tram, buses, metro, bike Lanes and walkways were very well planned and laid out. People seemed to be well versed in English and friendly.

Day 2: after fixing a breakfast of eggs and bread we started by walking to the Jewish synagogue. After a quick tour we then headed to St Jacob church.

We had booked a tour of the Hungarian Parliament @ 3:30 pm. We walked around the Danube river and took plenty of pictures soaking in the beautiful sights of the city.

The Parliament was an impressive structure and the tour worthwhile. We took the tram to the Liberty bridge walked around the shopping districts had coffee and snacks along the way and took out some Thai food for dinner. We settle down for the evening with some wine and beer.

Day 3: The next morning started slow with a breakfast of more eggs, bread and jam.

We got ready and headed to the the Buda side across the Danube river. Again we decided to walk the stretch. It was a beautiful sunny day and we walked by the river taking pictures and just enjoying the company and sights. We crossed the river at the chain bridge.

We went over to the Buda castle and the fisherman's wharf. It offered some incredible views of the Parliament and the landscape of the city across the Danube.

We walked back this time taking the Elisiabeth bridge to get back to the pest side. The evening was spent shopping and strolling.

We also had to try the Palinka, a fruit infused whisky. We took a cherry infused Palinka to the apartment after a dinner outing of Greek food. 

A nice end to the day with shots of Palinka and recollection of good times spent together.

Day 4: This day marks the end of phase 1. We started the day early as we wanted to checkout the local market(City market). We packed up finished breakfast by 8 and walked to the market. Spent a few hours there, shipped small goodies and returned to the room by the checkout time of 10 AM.

The market was incredibly clean. Do check out the pictures to get an idea.

We took the metro to the Kelety station from where we boarded a train to Munch and hopped of in Vienna.

Well as I hopped of the train at Wein station I looked to pick up my camera bag that I had kept on the over head rack, it was missing. Frantically I walked around looking for it and it finally dawned that it was stolen.

It was quite depression to lose my priced procession for 10 years and more importantly it had all of our pictures from Budapest. Along with it I lost the old expired passports and the house keys.

I found a police station and filed a complaint for the record. The police were friendly and said that theft was quite common on this route. With a sunken feeling we found our way to the apartment.

Once we settled in and found. We purchased the Vienna pass and a 3 day city pass to use the metro. These passes ensured that our expenses were contained.

The evening in Vienna was spent by taking the train to the Stephan's dome. We walked around the historical church and then had some Gelato and walked around the city.

Dinner was at the apartment and it consisted of rice, dal, pickles with some roasted chicken along with some Austrian wine. 

Day 5: The day started with breakfast at the apartment and consisted of eggs, croissant, and fruits. We then headed to the Schonburnn palace. A quick hop on to the metro and we got of right beside the palace. It was quite a magnificent place and spread over a large area. We walked through the manicured lawns, beautiful fountains and it turned out to be the perfect day to be outdoors.

We took a tour of the place at 2:30 after which we head to the Nash market. It was one of the the largest markets of the city. We had some custom made pasta and Greek food seems to be every where so we had a healthy dose of gyros and falafel as well.

The evening was spent playing games at the apartment and some home made food.

Day 6: This day was spent by visiting the Belvedere palace. We then took the hop on hop off city tours. We stopped at innerstad where we had lunch and some gelato. The evening was spent cruising on the Danube canal that cuts across the city. 

Day 7: Today we head to the 3rd phase of the trip to Prague. We had breakfast at the apartment and wrapped up from our stay. We took the metro to Wien hbf from where we boarded the railjet train to Prague. It was a 4 hour journey through the beautiful European country side.

We arrived at the city Central station and our house was right across the street from the station. We stayed at

It was the most comfortable and best accommodation that we had amongst the 3 Airbnb stays. The address of the Airbnb was

Opletalova 1608/43, Prague , Prague 110 00, Czech Republic

That evening we walked to the old town square and general had a good time getting to know the touristy side of town. One of the biggest attractions was the astronomical clock.

This place was thronging with tourists and some of the spots were so crowded. We found our place to the market place catering to tourists and had lunch at one such spot.

Day 8: May 13 and a birthday in Prague for Veena. Today we headed to St. Charles bridge and walked around the place taking pictures.

The temperature was in the single digits and we had to bundle up as the wind gusts through the narrow streets made it feel even colder.

That evening we went out for some Czech cuisine at a Restaurant called Havelska Corunna by the market. It was recommended by our Airbnb person. Food was very filling and sumptuous. Dinner was at the apartment and comprised of some dal and rice.

We bought some cakes to celebrate the birthday and spent the evening just chit chatting and poking fun at each other.

Day 9: The day started out like a lazy morning. Slept in late, had toast and eggs for breakfast a we went to the Prague castle. It was a cold with the occasional shower. We saw more of the traditional churches and familiar building topology of east European architecture. The tram way was impressive and it looked like Europeans had mastered the art of public transportation and city planning to a model that many a cities around the globe can emulate.

We spent the evening at the apartment packing for the return and generally musing about the past memories and a  reinforcement of our friendship with Vivek and Nitasha.

Day 10: Adios (not so)East Europe. We headed to the airport at 5:15 to catch the shuttle at 5:30 and boarded a flight to Doha and Bangalore on Qatar airways.

Another year has gone by and another memory to relish as we watch the kids grow and reach the brink of adult hood and prepare to head of their independent ways.

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Recommendations:

To Stay

I would recommend Pest, as several attractions are there, I would recommend the 5.th or the 6.th district. Part of 7 and 8 can be dangerous, we have some ethnics and some dangerous folks there, so maybe better avoid. 13th can be good too, or if Buda then 1st district

To Visit/do

∑      Buda Castle - National Museum to visit in it ( it in a hill, you can walk up or use the Cogwheel - it 100 years old :))

∑      Halasz Bastya (in the castle area) - Really good view from here day&Night, recommend to do both

∑      Parliament - you can even visit inside, it worth! (just check the tickets - early morning for the next day)

∑      Walk near the Parlament area on the bank of Danube, or you can take a boat and have a small ride on Danube

∑      Gellert Hill - Awesome panorama day&night

∑      One of our thermal SPAs (Gellert, Rudas or Szechenyi Spa) - you can spend a half of a full day here

∑      Vajdahunyad Castle - Varosliget (if you have time we have a really nice Zoo here)

∑      Hero Square - Fine arts Museum

∑      Margaret Island - really nice to walk around or rend bike from spring till Autumn

∑      Chain Bridge/Liberty Bridge - (Really all bridges in Budapest - you can wall through from Buda to Pest)

∑      If you come on 20 August we have a our national day and have a huge firework around 21:00 over the Danube, priceless, and only once per year and on NY Eve!

∑      St Stephen Basilica - our shopping street - Vacai street (near Dear Ter)

∑      Party area -  Kiraly utca  and Gozsdu negyed - here if you want to have a night out you can go to Di Vino a nice vine place

To Eat:

∑      Raday Street (full with affordable restaurants)

∑      Liszt Ferenc Ter - Full with rather a bit more expensive restaurants I highly recommend here Menza (You can taste Hungarian dishes but in a modern way)- or if you like Fish then Big Fish nearby

∑      Brunch - nearby any cosy coffee place. There is one nice near the Parlament too- Szamos Today, or a way fancier but an old one where our famous poets use to make - Central

∑      Balna - it is a complexum of cosy coffee places further

∑      Vasarcsarnok (Local marketplace - you can also buy local food here on the first floor)

Food to try:

∑      Langos (it is like a fried bread with cottage cheese and sour cream on the top) ( you can get them in Varosliget as well near the Zoo for 2 Euros)

∑      Turosczusza - paste with cottage cheese 

∑      Gulyas Leves - a famous type of soupe

∑      Porkolt - stew (you can choose your try or meet)

∑      Paprikas csirke - Chicken with sour cream & paprika and dumplings

∑      Fokhagyma kremleves cipoban - Garlic cream soup in a bread pot (you can eat the pot too:) )

∑       

To drink

∑      Palinka (local spirit, very strong in different flavour)

∑      Wine - we have a lot of wine region most famous -Tokai, Eger, Villany, Badacsony (from these you can choose any) one of the best red vine - Egri Bikaver

∑      We have beer too - Borsodi, Soproni or some local craft one

∑       

General/Transportation

Hungarian speaks Hungarian which is not similar to any other language :), We use Forint to pay which is 320HUF - 1 Euros currently. Overall between Vienna - Prague and Budapest, Budapest is the most affordable. you can buy a coffee 1,8 Euros, in Vienna it is around 4.

Roughly 2 million people are leaving in Budapest but most of them goes out to the suburb, the city gets to big and crowded and accommodation very expensive. However we have a very good transportation, so feel free to use that when here. Buy a 1-2-3 days ticket, 1 day is roughly 4-5 Euros and valid for Metro/tam/bus. You can even download the application BKV Futar, it is also available in English and you can plan your routs with public transport and see the real time whereabouts of the vehicle.

From Airport you can use Fo Taxi (fix Rates) or take the Airport bus till Kobanya Kispeset station and then use Metro.

EXTRA TIPS FOR

Prague

You ll walk and walk and walk. Everything is in walking distance, the town center is quite concentrated.

·      Castle ( to go some more inner streets you need to pay) – nice view from here

·      Charles Bridge

·      Astronomical clock on old square

·      Any beer place (here you will find in every corner) there is an nice old and cheap one ont he way up to the castel called – Rstaurant U Glaubicu

·      Dancing house

·      Kampa

·      Black Tower

·      Old Jewish Cemetery/distric – just walk around

In Prague you want to stay within 1, on hte right side or worse case upper 5, 2 or 3 (near to district 1) so you really do not need to waist time to public transport

Also Czeck people are meet eaters and they have a special bread they serve next to there stew, they have special prinkeled cheese and cabage soup as well, try! J

Vienna

Most of the time you can Walk in Vienna if you like to walk, only use public transport to go to Schonbroune ( do nto forget you must go There for any cost! J)

You want to find accommodation within the Ring (Operating) District 1, otherwise again you lose a lot of time just to get in the town, everywhere else you need to walk anyway.

·      Stephen’s Dome

·      Hundetwasser House

·      Museum Quarter

·      Mariahilfe Strasse (Shopping Street)

·      Walk from Stephen’s done to National Museum

·      Ring street (Opera, National Museum, Major)

·      Schonbroune Castle (full day, go inside it is like little Versaille,worth every time and Penny) walk in the garden and it has a really nice Zoo (With Pandas and Koalas)

·      Prater (very old-traditional fun park)

·      Eat Sacher cake and try the famous coffe there too, and Winner snitzzel (pork meet in bread crumps with potato salad), or some wurstle

·      If you have time and you rent a car or you go by train you can visit from here Bratislava(Slovakia) it is the smallest capital in Europe. You can check it out withn a half day/day