Christmas 2026

Peter, in Prague I like the Ventana Hotel. Impossible to beat the location for tourism.

In Budapest, all the hotels listed in this thread are well located. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/budapest-updated-hotel-list
About the markets in Budapest https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/budapest-christmas-markets-d26f8ab1-2048-4160-bfb3-bf13b096683e
Theater https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/updated-budapest-performance-venue-list
Food https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/restaurants-in-budapest-revisited.

Have a great trip.

Oh, since you are skipping Vienna (amount of time I guess), I woud fly from Prague to Budapest. Saves a bit of time and the arrival times are early enough that you still get that day for activities. Right now Ryanair isnt showing any flights in November but there is a good chance they just dont have them posted yet. Discount airlines sometimes do that. I know they are making the trip this month and all year up until October. Wait a few months and keep checking, Otherwise its a 7+ hour train ride in which case a couple of nights in Vienna to break up the trip isnt a bad idea. Good markets too. Almost as good as Budapest LOL.

Thank you. Any advice on Krakow(Poland) to Prague? Train or Plain.?
For history a lesson, can Auschwitz’s be done in 1/2 day?
Also Vienna will be to long. My wife & I have been to Austria & Switzerland. Loved Salzburg and Zermatt.

I havent been to Krakow yet, so this isnt first hand. How from Krakow to Prague? That’s a depender. If I were going to fly it would have to be nonstop, but Ryanair only does that a few days of the week so that would have to line up. Then the flight time would have to be okay. Sometimes they depart crazy early, like 5:30. Not doing that; but an 8am flight would be okay. The November and December flights aren’t being sold yet so it will be a few months before you can check.

Next option are trains. RegioJet has trains. About 6:40 hours for the trip and interestingly train without a change is a sleeper. It departs a little after midnight and arrives about 7am. Not much sleep but saves on a room and it looks like you can buy the entire compartment for 130 euro which is crazy cheap. So cheap in fact that maybe I read something wrong. DB or OBB would clip you that times 3. Now RegioJet isnt sellling tickets for November or December yet, so you have to wait to know for sure. Czech rail wants about 20 euro for their direct train in 2nd class, but for that long a ride I would do 1st class for about 60 euro. Depending on the train 6 to 7.5 hours. I would shoot for an early one to have some of the day in Prague.

That Budapest Christmas Market link I gave you has this year’s dates so move them to the corresponding weekend or day of the week for this year. They generally don’t change. When this years dates get published the list will get updated. Here is a link with other events. Again, what little is here is this year’s dates for November and December but the list will get updated as the new dates come out and other events get published. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/updated-budapest-events-for-january-june-2026 You can’t go to Budapest without seeing a show or a concert, so here is the list of the venues. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/updated-budapest-performance-venue-list And the only problem with food in Budapest is there is too much good food: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/restaurants-in-budapest-revisited
I have a couple more links on my profile page.

Thank you again👍

Thank you. We are now going to stop @ Vienna also for 2-3 days and take the train👍
Also, is it true from what we read that many restaurants, shops & events close or close early on Christmas Eve & Christmas?
Thank you.

Also, is it true from what we read that many restaurants, shops &
events close or close early on Christmas Eve & Christmas?

Yes. Those are days you need to plan. Which city?

How much time do you have for a Christmas trip to Poland, Prague, Budapest and now also Vienna — especially the Poland part? You mention only Auschwitz and trying to do it in half a day, but do you plan any more time than that for Krakow, a wonderful city? Auschwitz is very, very intense and I wouldn’t recommend it for even the most mature 11 year olds. And December days are short and cold. If you want them to learn something about the Holocaust, which children should at an appropriate age, that is also available at your other destinations in a way that while still difficult, might be more suitable at 11 than the vast horror of Auschwitz, in particular Terezin (Theresienstadt) near Prague (which I haven’t been to) and in Budapest the Great Synagogue which has very informative displays and memorials about the fate of Hungary’s Jews, and the “shoes” memorial on the Danube shore. I would leave Poland off this trip if it’s for Auschwitz only.

Thank you. We are now going to stop @ Vienna also for 2-3 days and
take the train

Do you mean, day 1 you arrive late, day 2 you have all day and day 3 you move on?

Thank you about Auschwitz.
But are the markets, restaurants, and shops open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?

Specifically for Prague:
23rd. All markets and restaurants will be open. No restrictions (see note).
24th. Main Holiday. All markets and restaurants will be open but reservations recommended in the evening. Restaurants may sell "ticketed" evening events with special food (fried carp etc). State institutions/banks and larger businesses will either be closed or close early. Museums and tourist attractions may post specific opening times.
25th. Minor Holiday. Market at Peace Square and the Old Market at Republic Square are now closed as they were Advent markets. Other markets at Republic Square, Wenceslas Square and the Old Town Square are open. Museums and tourist attractions may post specific opening times.
NOTE: As our holidays fall on the Thursday/Friday this year a lot of smaller businesses may choose to close for the whole week but centrally you should not notice any difference.

In rough terms. Budapest is the same as Prague. But we have the bath houses that are open 365 days ....