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2 weeks in Europe- Suggestions?

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum, but I'm interested in getting a bit of help. I'm planning a 12-14 day trip to Europe in August departing from NYC. This will be my second time to Europe. So far, I have been to Paris, London, Barcelona, and Copenhagen. This time around I am interested in going to Prague, and I am trying to decide what other countries are feasible on the trip. Flights are cheapest from NYC to Prague or Budapest.

I was considering:
Budapest- 3 days
Taking the train to Bratislava for the day before continuing onto Vienna
Vienna- 3 days
and then going to Prague

I would like to add another country, I know it's not alot of time. Alternatively, I was thinking about creating a new itinerary altogether.

I am feeling overwhelmed and could use a bit of help. I am open to all suggestions!

Posted by
4637 posts

You are planning 4 cities in 4 countries in 14 days. I think 4 countries in 14 days is enough, you don't have to add another country. There is plenty to see and do in those 4 cities you chose. If you want to see small towns, take a short day trips from your base cities.

Posted by
22 posts

Absolutely. I'm just wondering if I chose the best itinerary for the area or if there is an alternative set of cities I should consider instead.

Posted by
7010 posts

I'm not sure why you want to add another country. Budapest, Vienna and Prague, with a day in Bratislava will be plenty for 12-14 days, especially if it turns out to be 12 days. Counting nights instead of days gives you more of an idea how much time you'll actually have in a city. I think each of these three cities deserves at least 4 nights, which is 3 full days. I would fly into Budapest and home from Prague (or vice versa) and make Bratislava a day stop between Budapest and Vienna. You could also plan an overnight in Cesky Krumlov between Prague and Vienna, which would give you an additional city, but not an additional country.

Posted by
22 posts

Thanks, Nancy. I was considering flying into Budapest and out of Prague. I wasn't sure if I should scrap this itinerary altogether and plan a different set of locations around Prague.

Posted by
4637 posts

It all depends what you want to see. This is a good itinerary and the other one you are contemplating could be good to. Either you want to see three big important and beautiful cities or you want to concentrate on one big city plus surrounding small towns and castles. You know the best what you want.

Posted by
17639 posts

Everyone’s preferences are going to be different, but here are a couple of ideas. I am going to give 16 days as two weeks with all connected weekends is 16 days. Don’t forget that once you get to Europe the low-cost carriers can get you from point A to point B for under $50 in a lot of situations. That makes the world pretty small. You can go to Google Flights and type in a starting city and use “Europe” as the destination, then narrow it down by Non Stop and under $100 and your options become apparent. The only useful airline that doesn’t show up for some reason is Czech Air so you have to do that search the old way.

Besides no dates or time of year you didn’t discuss budget much. Tell met the budget is $300 a day and I have all sorts of ideas beyond these two.

1 NYC to Kyiv. Sure, why not. Be adventurous
2 Arrive Kyiv. This place is just plain fascinating. If it clicks with you, you will be back, cause a day and a half isn’t enough.
3 Kyiv
4 Kyiv to Lviv non stop on Ukraine Air for about $50. Lviv I think will be the Krakow of the future. Thanks to Ryanair, starting this fall, you can fly direct on to Budapest. If you are going before the fall, then move on to the next idea I have (but your loss)
5 Lviv
6 Lviv Budapest non stop on Ryanair for about $50
7 Budapest
8 Budapest
9 Budapest requires at least 3 full days.
10 Budapest to Vienna on the morning train
11 Vienna
12 Vienna to Prague on a late day train
13 Prague
14 Prague
15 Prague to NYC
Now choose day 16 in either Prague or Vienna or Kyiv.

The old standby tour:
1. NYC to Prauge
2. Arrive Prague
3. Prague
4. Prague
5. Morning Prague to Cesky Krumlov by Bean or CK Shuttle
6. Afternoon Cesky Krumlov to Vienna by Bean or Ck Shuttle
7. Vienna
8. Vienna / Melk
9. Vienna
10. Morning Vienna to Gyor by train – Taxi to Archabbey / winery at Pannonahlma
11. Gyor to Budapest by afternoon train
12. Budapest
13. Budapest
14. Budapest
15. Budapest to NYC
Now choose day 16 in either Prague or Vienna or Budapest

Posted by
22 posts

Sample Itinerary:
1 August 12th- Leave NYC for Budapest
2 August 13th- Arrive at Budapest at night
3 August 14th- Budapest
4 August 15th- Budapest
5 August 16th- Budapest
6 August 17th- Bratislava for lunch- Travel to Vienna
7 August 18th- Vienna
8 August 19th- Vienna
9 August 20th- Vienna- Travel to Prague
10 August 21st- Prague
11 August 22nd- Prague
12 August 23rd- Prague
13 August 24th- Prague
14 August 25th- Prague
15 August 26th- Leave Prague at 6am – 8 hour Layover in Lisbon- Continue flying home
16 August 27th- Arrive home in NYC

Posted by
17639 posts

Sure, why not. The only thing I would look at is if there is any cost difference in going to the other direction. Prague is the highest energy stop, and Vienna and Budapest the lowest energy stops. So wind down in Budapest before heading home.

Posted by
7175 posts

Your plan sounds perfect and very easy to manage, except I think you can swing a night from Prague to Vienna.

With 13 nights...
Budapest (4) >> Vienna (4) >> Prague (5)

An alternative possibility still with Prague though ...
Amsterdam (4) >> Berlin (4) >> Dresden (1) >> Prague (4)

Posted by
22 posts

David, I would love to do the second itinerary, but we are budget conscious.

Posted by
14481 posts

Hi,

Stay with the three main cities to be visited, skip Bratislava.

Posted by
4495 posts

I like James' first tour, but for me Norway and Sweden are next. How weird would it be to combine Norway Sweden Budapest and Lviv into a 3 week trip?

Posted by
17639 posts

Budapest from: Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tampere, Oslo, Helsinki; all direct, non-stop under $100 and most under $60 with (add $30 to $40 for checked luggage). Average flight time is 2 hours

Posted by
20 posts

We're doing this in July thanks to cheap flights to/from Frankfurt:

7/12 arrive in Frankfurt late afternoon, fly to Krakow late evening (booked) - staying at Holiday Inn Old Town
7/13 Krakow - Old Town (Free Walking Tour?), Kazimierz, Schindler Factory
7/14 Krakow - Auschwitz (tour booked), dinner in Krakow, then overnight train to Prague - staying at Boscolo
7/15 Prague - Old Town (Sandeman's Free Walking Tour?), Castle
7/16 Prague - Flea market/antique market (wife's plan), Jewish Quarter
7/17 Morning train to Munich (arrives 3pm), Marienplatz, Hofbrahaus - staying at Aloft
7/18 Munich - 3rd Reich Walking Tour?, English Garden or Museum (weather dependent)
7/19 Day trip - Train/bus to Neuschwanstein and Tegelbergbahn/luge - on our own
7/20 Day trip - Train to Salzburg - on our own
7/21 Morning train from Munich towards Frankfurt Airport with 6 hour stopover in Nuremberg (train booked) - staying at Frankfurt Airport Sheraton
7/22 Fly home

Posted by
14481 posts

I would do a trip of Norway, Sweden, Budapest and Lviv plus Krakow in four weeks using only the ferries and trains, both day and night trains.