Hi all,
Planning at trip for late September--early October. It won't surprise many to learn that our itinerary is: Prague (3 nights)-->??? (3 nights)--->Vienna (3 nights)-->Bratislava (1 night, my husband is very keen on this)--> Budapest (3 nights).
In between Prague and Vienna, we have 3 nights set aside for small town/countryside exploration. My questions for the forum:
What small city or town would you base out of in southern Czechia? We are interested in hiking, relaxed biking (easy, well-marked cycling on paths/roads I should say. NOT mountain biking or 20+ mile days), history, and slowing down a bit. Not very interested in wineries. Slavonice draws my attention at this point.
What town(s) do you recommend for rental car pickup/return?
What information can I give my husband to ease his concerns about driving in Czechia? He has driven in Provence and in rural Mexico. I think he's most nervous about the our lack of Czech language skills and therefore worried re: navigation. (We get international data and have used GPS on prior trips, so I think this is mostly in his head). Tell me about something wonderful that would be difficult to access via public transit!
Also, beyond starting in Prague and ending in Budapest, the itinerary is quite flexible at this point. So if you have suggestions of another small town/city in a different region that is perfect for slowing down and getting outdoors, I'm all ears.
Bonus question: if you have personal experience with any small group tours in any of these destinations, please share! (I know RS has recs in the guidebooks, but if you have a personal experience, I'd love to hear it from you, too). I love a tour guide who weaves together a cohesive narrative. Prefer small groups, and I'd rather pay upfront for a guide in a small group than join a larger "pay what you want" tour.