Wow, sounds like an awesome trip.
OT: Vacations
- Thread starter hockeylover
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Wow, sounds like an awesome trip.
number17
Mod Squad
So I'm planning a trip to middle Europe later this year, wanna visit Vienna, Budapest and Prague. But wife can only get 11 days off instead of 14 (2 full weeks) I previously hoped for, so I'm thinking if 11 days may be too tight for 3 cities and if I should just go to 2 instead (which will be Budapest and Prague most probably ... Vienna is expensive and I can always visit in another future trip to Germany) ...
Has anyone visited these cities before? Any suggestion? Thinking of flying into Vienna, spend ~ 2 days and take train to Budapest, spend ~ 3 days then drive to Prague and spend 3 days before flying back to Toronto.
Has anyone visited these cities before? Any suggestion? Thinking of flying into Vienna, spend ~ 2 days and take train to Budapest, spend ~ 3 days then drive to Prague and spend 3 days before flying back to Toronto.
Did all three two years ago. Schonbrunn in Vienna is nice. There is also the old ferris wheel. Might also want to take a day trip to Salzburg or a Mozart concert at Musikverein.
Prague, just do old town Charles Bridge and Prague Castle.
Budapest has the parliament, the Opera House tour and hospital in the rocks.
Prague, just do old town Charles Bridge and Prague Castle.
Budapest has the parliament, the Opera House tour and hospital in the rocks.
You can also go to Teresin Czech Republic where the Thereseinstadt Concentration Camp is.
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
Ms. Eye and I are looking into honeymooning in central europe next spring...that sounds like a pleasant day trip on a honeymoon, I'll add it to the list.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
Where would you guys recommend for a few days of burnout recovery and alone time?
I’m thinking some beachy place, but not too far. Only thing that keeps popping into my head is Miami, but I’m not feeling it. Somewhere that can really recharge the batteries.
I’m thinking some beachy place, but not too far. Only thing that keeps popping into my head is Miami, but I’m not feeling it. Somewhere that can really recharge the batteries.
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
Alone time?
There is a beach town that is only accesible by boat/water taxi from Puerto Vallarta by the name of Yelapa. Wonderful beach with water about as nice as you're going to get on the pacific side of Mexico. A handful of nice boutique hotels right on the water that are quite nice (I dig off the beaten path locations, but I'm a bitch about bed quality and overall room comfort when I travel)
Pack light, it's a 40 minute water taxi ride from Vallarta. I would imagine that flights from Cali to Vallarta would be short and quite cheap. With Semana Santa just finished, the quiet season has officially started in Vallarta so it won't be as busy for getting in and out.
Bring a couple of books, and your sunscreen. Drink mexican beer on the beach for a week and catch up on your reading in a palapa.
I spent a few days there a couple of winters ago, and it's more or less exactly what you would expect from a smallish town (10-12K now I think) on a secluded beach only accessible by boat. Short on amenities, but long on charm and chill.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
Very interesting recommendation. Thanks.
I’ll look into it.
Is it just locals there or might there be some gringos hanging there?
I’ll look into it.
Is it just locals there or might there be some gringos hanging there?
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
There's a solid American & Canadian ex pat community there. About a thousand strong from what I've been told. I was there during the high season (I think it was January) and there were a couple hundred tourists on and around the beaches on any given day. In April though that might be a different story.
If you're looking for a place that isn't a lengthy flight (only about 2:30 from SoCal) and is easy to unplug from (uhhh...the wifi situation is less than ideal, which made it a ****ing awesome place to disappear for a few days), that's my suggestion.
If you don't want to be quite so far away from everything (like, being able to access the place without a boat) with access to better amenities, Mismaloya is a 15 minute drive from viejo vallarta
and if you head north, Sayulita is about 35 minutes from Vallarta
In January both would be jammed with gringos, in April though both would be a lot quieter while still having easy access to Vallarta for good restaurants, shopping, movie theatres, bars, etc.
Should be able to find high end Airbnb spots for rent for low season prices right now as well. I rented a luxury beach front pad in Mismaloya for a couple of nights as part of one of my last trips down there, it's a nice way to unwind as well.
Aberdeen
Well-known member
I spent a week in Budapest, but I stayed with relatives so I can't comment on accommodations. I mean it all depends on what interests you. Castle Hill on the Buda side is lovely to walk around. Take a ride up the funicular, see the sites (Fisherman's Bastion etc). Line 1 of the Metro is one of the oldest subway lines in the world and it's kinda fun to ride on if you're into that sort of thing. There are plenty of squares and statues and that all over. I'm not really into Turkish baths, but Szechenyi Spa is pretty neat if the weather is good.
JackBurton
Well-known member
I want to hike in Switzerland. Anyone done the Euro hiking thing?
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
The whole region is ****ing incredible, but yeah Sayulita is one of my favourite spots there.
They're starting to have problems with water/waste management though during high season apparently. It's gotten too popular for the infrastructure they've put in. Jalisco's infrastructure money goes towards Nuevo & Puerto Vallarta after Guadalajara gets it's cut.
I wouldn't visit during the busiest points of high season until they sort that out. I'd go in April-May or October-November and that's about it.
They're starting to have problems with water/waste management though during high season apparently. It's gotten too popular for the infrastructure they've put in. Jalisco's infrastructure money goes towards Nuevo & Puerto Vallarta after Guadalajara gets it's cut.
I wouldn't visit during the busiest points of high season until they sort that out. I'd go in April-May or October-November and that's about it.
number17
Mod Squad
Thanks all who have commented.
For those who have gone, do you think 3 cities for 11 days (inc. travel time) is too tight? If I am to do 3 cities in 11 days I'll probably do
Day 1 - Arrive in Vienna, adjust to jet lag
Day 2 - Tour Vienna
Day 3 - half day @ Vienna, then take 3 hrs train to Budapest
Day 4 - Budapest
Day 5 - Budapest
Day 6 - Budapest
Day 7 - half day @ Budapest, take train / drive to Bratislava
Day 8 - half day @ Bratislava, take train / drive to Prague
Day 9 - Prague
Day 10 - Prague
Day 11 - Prague, fly back to Toronto
Is that too tight or is that enough time in each city?
For those who have gone, do you think 3 cities for 11 days (inc. travel time) is too tight? If I am to do 3 cities in 11 days I'll probably do
Day 1 - Arrive in Vienna, adjust to jet lag
Day 2 - Tour Vienna
Day 3 - half day @ Vienna, then take 3 hrs train to Budapest
Day 4 - Budapest
Day 5 - Budapest
Day 6 - Budapest
Day 7 - half day @ Budapest, take train / drive to Bratislava
Day 8 - half day @ Bratislava, take train / drive to Prague
Day 9 - Prague
Day 10 - Prague
Day 11 - Prague, fly back to Toronto
Is that too tight or is that enough time in each city?
UWHabs
Well-known member
Should be fine. I did them (without Bratislava) in like 9 days, although could have used an extra couple in total to not have to rush them all.
Definitely I would suggest to be flexible on that, though, when you transit cities to adjust if you need more/less time in some.
number17
Mod Squad
Right ... last time I did Lisbon, Madrid and Porto in 12 days and in hindsight I wish I had just stuck to Lisbon and Porto ... Madrid was kinda lame imo and i didn't get to spend enough time in any city, cause traveling and worse, making arrangement for travel (packing your stuff, hotel check in /our, getting to the airport / train station ahead of time, etc.) takes time ...
So part of me kinda want to take Vienna out of the trip and do some more day-trips from Budapest and Prague, to cut down on time wasted on traveling ... plus, Vienna is much more expensive than Prague and Budapest. At the same time, the total plane/ train cost for 3 cities vs 2 cities are virtually the same, and a colleague here tells me of all the European cities he's been to Vienna is top 3 on his list, and he absolutely loved Vienna - the food, the city, the culture, the people ... so I figure maybe I'll keep Vienna in there for now.
So part of me kinda want to take Vienna out of the trip and do some more day-trips from Budapest and Prague, to cut down on time wasted on traveling ... plus, Vienna is much more expensive than Prague and Budapest. At the same time, the total plane/ train cost for 3 cities vs 2 cities are virtually the same, and a colleague here tells me of all the European cities he's been to Vienna is top 3 on his list, and he absolutely loved Vienna - the food, the city, the culture, the people ... so I figure maybe I'll keep Vienna in there for now.
UWHabs
Well-known member
Personally I liked Vienna least of the 3, but it is nice to break up the other cities as it's different from them - Prague and Budapest are similar in many ways. And others seem to love it.
Another option that I've heard people do is to just stay a few nights in Bratislava instead and do Vienna during a day trip. Then you save a little money, can still see it, but don't have as much packing up of your stuff to do. You won't get through the whole city in a day trip, but can at least see the highlights and get a sense of it.
anne25
Well-known member
I guess it depends on your interest. I spent three days in Vienna and still felt like I needed more time to see and do all I would have liked to do. I wouldn't have minded staying for a week. However, it is a lot more expensive now than when I was there so today Vienna would be the vacation.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
There's a solid American & Canadian ex pat community there. About a thousand strong from what I've been told. I was there during the high season (I think it was January) and there were a couple hundred tourists on and around the beaches on any given day. In April though that might be a different story.
If you're looking for a place that isn't a lengthy flight (only about 2:30 from SoCal) and is easy to unplug from (uhhh...the wifi situation is less than ideal, which made it a ****ing awesome place to disappear for a few days), that's my suggestion.
If you don't want to be quite so far away from everything (like, being able to access the place without a boat) with access to better amenities, Mismaloya is a 15 minute drive from viejo vallarta
and if you head north, Sayulita is about 35 minutes from Vallarta
In January both would be jammed with gringos, in April though both would be a lot quieter while still having easy access to Vallarta for good restaurants, shopping, movie theatres, bars, etc.
Should be able to find high end Airbnb spots for rent for low season prices right now as well. I rented a luxury beach front pad in Mismaloya for a couple of nights as part of one of my last trips down there, it's a nice way to unwind as well.
I'm seeing these pics on the computer for the first time, rather than the cell. And wow.
I know this breaks the distance criterion, but thoughts on Mykonos? I just assume you've been.