Hello everyone!
My wife and I are planning our 20 year anniversary trip for December 2025 and have narrowed it down to likely either Austria or Belgium. Due to limited vacation time from work and our kids staying with relatives we will only be on the ground in Europe for 5 days with a travel day each direction. I have been to Europe several times but this will be my wife's first time in Europe. She has been reluctant to travel outside of the US so im trying my best to make it a great trip for her. The main things she will want to see are the Christmas markets and really cool/pretty buildings and infrastructure. Also museums and things like that are of interest. Which destination would be best for the things I've listed? Also as for the food, my wife has had gastric bypass surgery and eats a keto diet. She avoids all sugars, breads, etc. As it makes her sick. Is one destination or the other a better fit for her diet?
We are also open to suggestions for alternative destinations if someone here has been somewhere that better checks the boxes of what we hope to see. I've already been to several places in Germany and we would like to go somewhere together that neither of us have explored before.
Thank you in advance for any information you can share!
-Derek
Posted by
Northwest Arkansas
722 posts
Christmas markets and really cool/pretty buildings and infrastructure.
Also museums and things like that are of interest.
IMO a trip to Austria is the better fit of the two. Christmarkets are very common in Austria. Vienna alone has something like 15. Somewhere on this site you will find reviews of them and Salzburg. Museum-wise, again Vienna has dozens...royal, classic, impressionist, modern and more. Plus, The Third Man. Yes, many good museums in Belgium, but not the breadth and depth of Vienna and Salzburg.
Can't say about the restaurants. Only thought is that Vienna, due to it's population size, may have more no-carb options.
If you go with Austria, get to Melk for a day if you can.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
20697 posts
If you have 2 or 3 weeks I would do Budapest. Vienna, Salzburg. Salzburg isn't among my favorites but at Christmas, maybe so. Vienna and Budapest have excellent, but different, markets and excellent but different architecture and culture (and being 2.5 hours apart, hard to explain not combining them) if you have the time.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7991 posts
Number of nights on the ground in Europe? Return from a different city?
I've been both places, and I also think Vienna fits the bill best. Check on must-book in advance, like the Lipizzaner horse show (assuming it runs in December.) I don't know if the royal Treasuries (religious and non-religious) require advance booking, but they are musts for a first-time to Europe.
I hope she will consult her doctor about "small cheating" that he/she thinks is safe to do in a pinch. And what is medically necessary, and what is simply nutritionally desirable. (No need to discuss here.) I would point out that you need to spend enough on dining so that you can communicate well with your server. I know English is widely spoken in places like Austria, but you need to make up a card in German before you leave, and print a few copies, because this is technical language.
I wonder if Christmas markets are a little better in Germany? (No interest on my part.)
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
20697 posts
Also as for the food, my wife has had gastric bypass surgery and eats
a keto diet. She avoids all sugars, breads, etc. As it makes her sick
There are a few restaurants around Budapest that promote keto in their menu so I would imagine the same would be true in Vienna. Salzburg might be a tad harder.
All three locations are known for sausage and sour cream. Liver pate and duck are on most menus on Hungary and a lot in Austria. I really don't think it will be a problem, in Budapest at least, even the cheap and local restaurants will have English speaking staff. I wouldn't worry too much about note cards.
If Budapest does make your list, post it in the Hungary forum and I bet you get lots of restaurant help.
Favorite Tourism Video of Budapest: https://youtu.be/1nd5AtZIrTk?feature=shared
Anthony Bourdain describing how visually pleasurable Budapest is: https://youtu.be/0nd9DuDGCz0?si=aa0c19KaJHEtabkX
Favorite Guide Book because its small and does the essentials: DK Eyewitness Budapest Top 10 https://a.co/d/6JD82mf
Posted by
2287 posts
If Budapest does make your list, ...
The OP's choice was Belgium or Austria. No need peddling Budapest all the time. :-))
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
20697 posts
wmt1, i responded to the question.
We are also open to suggestions for alternative destinations if
someone here has been somewhere that better checks the boxes of what
we hope to see.
In this case, it checks the boxes and complements the thoughts they already have (Vienna).
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5524 posts
With 5 days on the ground, I would suggest that you split your time equally between Vienna and Salzburg, especially for the Christmas Markets. Vienna is a museum king and a Christmas market king. Salzburg is very different from Vienna and the Christmas markets there are some of the best I've visited (be sure to visit Hellbrunn's market).
With food, you are in luck with Austria as all food is required to be labeled visibly with food allergens and intolerances. This article provides an overview:
https://www.visitingvienna.com/eatingdrinking/allergy-letters/
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
20697 posts
Emily, dont know how I missed the 5 days. Yes, stay in one city; maybe take a day trip but Salzburg would be a bit far for a day trip from Vienna and Vienna is so much better I think. Add two more days then think about city two.
we will only be on the ground in Europe for 5 days with a travel day
each direction