6 or 7 days in Vienna and Prague

London, Vienna and Prague are truly great European cities, and you're cutting Prague and Vienna short @ 3 days if you're including travel days. They're worthy of a full 4 days time there.

I sense that you underestimate the quality of these cities. You should go on Wikipedia and read about each of these cities in detail.

Salzburg and Cesky Krumlov are very popular tourist cities, and they too are worthy of more than just a few hours' visit. Both are a little far from Vienna and Prague respectively for a day trip, and might be best saved for your next trip.
We're going to be in Vienna in 3 weeks, and there are many large sights that I've missed on my previous two trips there. We're also going to Prague for the first time--and Budapest.

When you say 3 days, do you mean full days? A day where you wake up and go to bed in the same town? Because everyone's interest is different you are going to get all sorts of definitive answers to this post.
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The truth is that its all about what interest you. Excluding any day trips both Prague and Vienna generally require at least 2 full days to determine if you like them or not and if you do like them you might regret not having 3 full days; again at a minimum. If your "days" include travel time between the cities then it becomes sort of a rushed trip but still consistent with what the organized tour companies do, so I guess it isn't horrible. You are probably spending quite a bit of money getting to Europe and the return on the investment increases with each day you spend in Europe. As an alternative to you plan you might just pick one of the two cities rent an apartment and do a couple of day trips and really get comfortable in that city for a week.

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My style, if I had gone to Prague without seeing Cesky Krumlov I would never see Cesky Krumlov because it just isn't convenient unless you go back to Prague (more or less), but Salzburg is an easier "next trip". Prague sites lay in a pretty structure tourist zone, Vienna is only slightly more expanded. Prague is more outside looking up, Vienna is more inside looking down. Prague attracts more under 30 while Vienna more over 40. Budapest, as mentioned by David is yet another style where those interested in ticking the boxes have a miserable time and those interested in "the setting" and the culture generally have an excellent time; or not. All are excellent, just different. I tend to people that for my interests it is in full days the minimum is: Prague 3, Vienna 2, Budapest 4 to which you add any day trips, but preferably overnight trips so you can enjoy the secondary locations to their potential.

I would stay the extra day before I would come back to reality any sooner than I had to:)) There is probably more to do in Vienna, but I actually prefer Prague and would definitely keep the Cesky Krumlov part of the trip. I did drive there from Prague and enjoyed both the drive as well as the time in CK . It was a little crowded during the day but not overly packed. I was there in late May, but I did enjoy the quiet time in the evening and early morning, so would stay the nite if possible.

Thanks for all your suggestions . Yes, it is 3 full days in both Prague and Vienna , not including travel days. It is true the cost of airfare this time is more than what it was on my last trip 3 years ago . An extra day would lessen the regret of me wishing I have a little more time to see just a little more but which city ? There will be four of us - one 17 years old and two of us in our early 50's and one in early 60's -that is if age matters.

Your plan sounds fine to me - day trips & all. Personally I would stay the extra day in Prague (it appears you are returning home from there) just chillin' after the day trip to Cesky Krumlov as that will be a long day.
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I don't know about the rest of ya'll but I go to Europe to "tour" not to do an "in depth", see everything in one city at a time visit. Two to three days in a city at a time is fine for me - so what if I miss some things - I can always return for a future visit if desired. Perhaps I will feel differently after going 30 or 40 times.
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Regardless of what many feel a travel day is not a wasted day - most times we arrive in a new city by early afternoon to see at least one thing and always in time for some dinner & a walk, perhaps some nightlife.
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Have a great time!

Christi / Sally, I don't think either of you are wrong. Everyone has different interests, resources, circumstances, etc and benefits from unique planning which varies with the locations and the situations. It's all good and it's all better than sitting in front of the TV.
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For me circumstances and interests have dictated from a week in one town; to the other extreme of a two night stays in world class cities only to participate in a special event. I have been in locations that everyone raved about only to wonder, why? And I have been in places that are to be avoided at all costs and had a pretty good time. Rarely, and I know I shouldn't ever, have I been negative about a place because I know everyone sees things differently. I know that if I arrive looking for doom and gloom that I am pretty likely to find it.

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It's the exploration and the discovery that is most of the fun for me. I threw out some minimums which are pretty cookie cutter ideas as a place to start, but only that. As far as travel days? I have had some great travel days that were better than what I found upon arrival. I was just trying to define the time period we were discussing so I was on the same intended page.

Hi,

How to decide how many days for Prague and Vienna? I suggest unless you have a definite list of sights/museums, etc. you want to see in either city, then split the time up , 3 days and 3 days, since this is a general visit. My first time to them I spent 4 days, 5 nights but I had a specific list I was going after, esp museums. But your focus is not museums per se. Equal time for both or just choose one over the other. I would pick in that case Vienna since I like the food better.

Europe is so exciting that I never go home earlier than necessary, even if the first day back at work is a drag. And I have never run out of things to do with three days in Vienna or three days in Prague, so an extra day would help you to fit in a side trip. Vienna to Salzburg as a daytrip takes 2.5 hours each way by direct train or Vienna to Bratislava makes an easy daytrip at 1 hour each way by direct train (both have plenty of departures and no reservation requirement). From Prague to Cesky Krumlov as a day trip takes 3.5 hours each way by bus, which is a bit long. Daytrips to Kutna Hora, Terezin Concentration Camp Memorial, or Konopiste castle (no crowds when I was there in fall) are shorter.

Rick's web site has added some listings from his books about highlights of each city, with star ratings, which I've always found pretty reliable. For instance, see http://www.ricksteves.com/europe/austria/vienna and then "At a Glance."