Vienna or Budapest

Both are excellent cities to visit based upon your criteria. I give Vienna the top rating of the two because of the world class museums. Oh, and riding in the ferris wheel from The Third Man.

Agree, both excellent choices. Easy public transit in both. Budapest setting much more picturesque on the river, similar to Prague. Vienna mostly flat, slightly more upscale? Budapest maybe a bigger variety of neighborhoods..? Both are great...

We like sightseeing, shopping and restaurants. \ We also like getting
around by walking or bus/trams.

Well, thats a depender. Like noted above if you like museum you could spend every moment of 4 days in Vienna museums and never see the daylight. Some of the best museums in Europe as well.

Getting around by walking and bus and trams. Both cities, by reputation, have great public transportation systems. Here is Budapest's metro map: https://www.urbanrail.net/eu/hu/budapest/budapest-map.png and here is Vienna's metro system: https://rail.cc/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/svp-juli-2016_188878.png I'm sorry, but I look at the Vienna system and i immediately assume the fetal posistion. But to be fair, if you look at the Budapest map, the only metro you will use will be the yellow line. We do most everything in surface trams and tourists are best served if they know the routes of three of the trams (one on the river front and two consecutive half circles - river to river - around Pest).

Vienna has a tight very well defined historic district. Its a few square miles i size and very easy to comprehend. But yes, good stuff outside that area as well. Budapest's historic district is pretty much 75% of the city and covers 10 or more square miles. But thats why we have that yellow line and three important tourist trams.

But here is what might be your deal breaker. Croatia to Budapest non-stop is only from Zadar. I am not a huge fan of Croatia (having been 3 times) but Zadar isnt even in the top half of what is worth seeing in Croatia. So, if you like Budapest the best option is to fly out of Podgorica if you are ending your trip in Dubrovnik. All the other end points will require a flight with a stop. Oh, there is a seasonal train that runs to Split I believe.

So the Podgorica flight is at 8 am two days a week (Wizz Air). The day prior you drive down the coast and visit Perast and Kotor and buy some prociutto and visit a winery or an olive plantation in Montenegro. Then sleep in Podgorica maybe board with someone I know that does a real nice tourist night with home cooking ... and fly out the next morining. Very rich experience. But admittedly Vienna with more direct flights is easier and quicker .... but then again, Vienna is substantially more expensive if you have a budget.

Bottom line. Both good. Think them thorugh

... and here is Vienna's metro system: ...

MR Ê's reference is more than 8 years old, hence outdated.

Vienna's metro and S-train system (fast connections):
https://www.wienerlinien.at/documents/2424499/7499660/SVP_Website.pdf/3355f454-480b-c616-895d-1db267993e39?t=1752495703184

Viennas complete public transport system (trams, busses, etc.):
https://www.wienerlinien.at/documents/2424499/7499660/Gesamtnetzplan_Tag.pdf/7d41243a-ef96-60d8-4b6d-fd1699f036ac?t=1759316459661
(This is for day services; there is a similar map for late night services.)

After reading Emily from Vienna’s Viennese Food Crawl thread I would choose Vienna.
PS I have been to both cities a few times, can’t go wrong with either one.

It’s close but Vienna has better shopping and sightseeing. The only drawback is it is also a little more expensive. If you’re looking for a nice place to stay try Motel One. It’s about 2 blocks from the Opera House.

I think people on the forum are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. But, no one knows you, and what appeals differs between people. IMO, both those cities are amazing. Vienna is a bit more refined and Budapest is a bit edgy, in a great way. If it were me, I'd watch the Rick Steves episodes for both cities and maybe some Youtube videos to see which city speaks to you more.

For my first trip to Europe, I went to Budapest first. I really got the, "wow, we are no longer in Kansas" feel, or in my case, St. Paul, MN. I didn't feel that so much when we went on to Vienna.

MR Ê's reference is more than 8 years old, hence outdated.

WOW!!! Since I doubt they filled in any of the holes, I suspect the new maps are even scarier! But you have to understand that I am a farm boy (actually ranch) from Texas and where I come from the only things that run underground is water and prairie dogs. So, it was all pretty wild for me to imagine. But this is sort of nice: https://youtu.be/0nd9DuDGCz0?si=aa0c19KaJHEtabkX

Barbara, Emily's post might get me back too. That was excellent.

... and where I come from the only things that run underground is water and ...

The Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I. seemed to have had the same sentiment. After Budapest had built the first subway on continental Europe in 1896 Vienna wanted to follow suit, but the Emperor allegedly remarked: "My Viennese folks need not to crawl underground." This delayed the first subway in Vienna for about 80 years.

As most people above have noted, it really is going to vary depending on what you like.

I will tell you that I've been to both Vienna and Budapest, and I loved Budapest. It was such a wonderful place to just walk around and enjoy the vibe, and eat at the wonderful restaurants I found. I did like Vienna, but it wasn't quite the same. Vienna was beautiful, and it has some gorgeous museums and sites and cemeteries to see, but I prefer Budapest.

If you google the question there are a number of articles on the very subject. Some say one thing, others the opposite and some are astute enough to realize different strokes for different folks. All worth reading as they open up a little more information. Its impossible to catagorize who will enjoy what the most, but a few points are worth noting.

Vienna
Museum hounds
Polished and shinny
Repurposed for tourism
Lipizzaner Stallions
Western Europe - Germany
Theater and arts for the well versed
Compact
Over 50
Cost 1.5

Budapest
Neighborhood hounds
Unrestored, still what it was despite the tourism
Visually stunning setting
Hungarian "Cowboys" on horses
Eastern Europe - Commies and Ottomans
Theater and arts for the common people
Never ending scale c.1890
Under 50
Cost 1.0

Now you can argue any of this (and someone will) but its my perspective.

Here are a couple of videos that I think are well done. Three on Budpaest (I am biased) and one on Vienna (same guy as the Budapest tourist video. I sort of like him).

In the Mood for Budapest https://youtu.be/1nd5AtZIrTk?feature=shared
In the Mood for Vienna https://youtu.be/aZkulG-jtv8?si=JwLcaclny1AY1dSN
Anthony Bourdain describing how visually pleasurable Budapest is: https://youtu.be/0nd9DuDGCz0?si=aa0c19KaJHEtabkX
The full Anthony Bourdain segment: https://youtu.be/17ollavKuNM?si=QH0ddrjQ-y_xtdDO

I like Budapest the best. There are some museums but the sites and baths feel more like normal people. Vienna, with all its music (much free) in the summer is wonderful. The museums were meh to us. Unfortunately I think you are too early for the outdoor music. As others have said, Vienna is more sophisticated/expensive than Budapest. Pick what fits your travel style. They are an easy train trip apart.