My husband and I have 8 days of travel originating in Kansas City. We are intrigued with Eastern Europe and can't decide on an itinerary. Cost is definitely a motivator. We enjoy natural beauty/hiking/history/shopping (especially markets/thrift shops). Museums are probably the least of our interest.
Budapest to Julian Alps? Coast of Slovenia to Coast of Croatia? Istanbul and the closest Greek island of Lesvos?
Any ideas?
You understand you said 8 days of travel originating in Kansas City? Meaning that after a day and a half to get some place and a day to get home you have 5.5 days of vacation. Your list is pretty spread out, especially since cost is a motivator. You could easily spend all 5.5 days in one location and two fairly adjacent locations is probably the limit.
So, Istanbul and the Black Sea coast towns of Bulgaria. Best done with a guide/driver from Istanbul to Bulgaria on your time schedule. Open jaw ticket into Istanbul and out of Varna or Burgas. Not cheap
Istanbul to Budapest by air for about USD300 a ticket. Open jaw ticket into Istanbul and out of Budapest maybe USD1000 to USD1400.
Budapest to Vienna by train. Very common trips. USD1000 to USD1300 Open jaw airline ticket into Budapest and out of Vienna. Budapest is fairly cheap, but Vienna isn’t.
Or Stay in Hungary: The air fare will be somewhat cheaper as it will be a Round Trip to Budapest as opposed to an Open Jaw ticket. You can rent an apartment in Budapest for USD50 and up with the average in a really good location being something like USD80 a night. Dining out costs are a little cheaper than Kansas City, but the food is outrageously good. Any entrance fees you run into will be in the neighborhood of about USD5. Wine, beer and the pubs are good and inexpensive. The road trip I suggested below will run you about USD60 for two tickets. Hotels in the three towns can be had for USD80 a night or less.
Friday
Leave
Saturday
Arrive Budapest mid to late afternoon (with jetlag….. or not)
http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7wvw/viking-river-cruises-see-things-differently- (majority filmed in Budapest)
Sunday
Budapest Antique shops and flea markets
http://lostandfoundinbudapest.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/what-to-do-on-a-sunday-morning-flea-markets-in-budapest/
http://visitbudapest.travel/local-secrets/falk-miksa-street/
Monday
Budapest
See my itinerary ideas in the Hungary part of the Forum
Tuesday
OPTION: Morning Train to Pecs (about 3 hours) A fantastic little town in the south complete with wonderful Pedestrian zones, cathedrals and ancient mosques.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5FxsHmUdNs
OPTION: Morning Train to Eger (about 2 hous). This is a wine town with cellars and vineyards, a fortress and wonderful pedestrian zones surrounded by romantic architecture.
http://visitbudapest.travel/activities/hungary-countryside/eger/
OPTION: Morning Train to Gyor for the old town center and the Archabbey at Pannonhalma and the winery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MArgjzdSUs
http://bences.hu/lang/en/
Wednesday
Late afternoon Train back to Budapest
Thursday
Budapest, parks historic old bath houses, the Buda hills, wine on the embankment. Do a lot or do absolutely nothing and love it.
Friday
Budapest to Kansas
I spent 9 days in Istanbul and did not see everything there that I wanted to see so it is on my list of places to return to. If the previous posters arithmetic is correct, I would suggest that you could spend your remaining days in one location thus saving on time and the cost of relocating. If you could provide more specific information to your post, such as time of travel, number of visits to Europe, you might get more accurate replies.
Charlie, we are going to "test" Istanbul in a few weeks. I am not wildly sure that it will end up in my top ten. I am pretty apprehensive about it. Of course I hope I am wrong. Still it is one of those places that must be seen and I was going to be very close (eastern Bulgaria) so.......... I knew the airfare cost Istanbul to Budapest because I just booked it for my trip.
@James If you don't at least really enjoy Istanbul, you'll need to seek treatment from a gaggle of psychiatrists.
I have my fingers crossed.
@James A trip report upon conclusion?
@James
Thanks for all this info! Leaving in September on a Wednesday to return the following week on Thursday. We have nixed Istanbul because we just don't have the time.
So, your itinerary is truly fab, but would like to at least add Slovenia or maybe a stop in Croatia. Thoughts?
Thanks, especially for the flea market link. I am already getting giddy about it!
@James
Thanks for all this info! Leaving in September on a Wednesday to return the following week on Thursday. We have nixed Istanbul because we just don't have the time.
So, your itinerary is truly fab, but would like to at least add Slovenia or maybe a stop in Croatia. Thoughts?
Thanks, especially for the flea market link. I am already getting giddy about it!
@ klkreighbaum
I am not against whirlwind trips. I have done a few myself. To get from Budapest to any place interesting in Slovenia, Lake Bled for instance, will take an entire day out of your already short trip. If Slovenia is your goal then look at pairing it with some place in northern Italy; Venice for instance.
@Bruce, yes.
I would happily spend 5 or 6 days just in Istanbul. Long bus travel from Istanbul to Ayvalik to catch the infrequent Lesvos ferry would not be make sense in this time frame. If you have a few days to spend on a side trip, you can fly roundtrip to Izmir (for Ephesus) or Nevsehir (for Cappadocia).
If your destination is Budapest, then it's relatively easy add another town within a few hours train ride.
