East Europe Trip

If you have been reading posts here then you have probably seen this recommendation from me several times. I make it because it just works and it works well. Not because I did it once and I liked it, because I have spent the last dozen years in and out of the region and for the particular things that most interest me; these are among my favorite places.

DAYS
1. Arrive Berlin
2. Berlin
3. Berlin
4. Morning Train: Berlin to Prague
5. Prague
6. Prague
7. Morning Bean Shuttle: Prague to Cesky Krumlov. This is a amazing town. See if you can get a room with a balcony facing the castle at the hotel Dvorak. By spending the night you will get to enjoy the town with a lot of the tourists gone as they usually arrive on day trips.
8. Morning Bean Shuttle: Cesky Krumlov to Vienna. Okay, Vienna wasn’t on your list but you cant just drive past Vienna. Besides it breaks up the trip to Budapest. So at least spend a night. The night time photos were taken from the hotel balcony: https://vasvaripalvacationphotos.shutterfly.com/czechrep
9. Afternoon Train: Vienna to Gyor / Taxi or Shuttle to Pannonhalma Archabbery. Gyor is an overlooked little town almost exactly halfway between Vienna and Budapest. Just outside the town is the Archabbey at Pannonhalma. I enjoyed it at least as much as Melk. https://vasvaripalvacationphotos.shutterfly.com/hungary and http://bences.hu/lang/en/
10. Morning Train: Gyor to Budapest
11. Budapest
12. Train to Szentendre / Boat to Budapest. This is a half day trip and it’s a great little arts and crafts town.
13. Budapest
14. Budapest. I am very biased. I think Budapest takes 3 full days to appreciate.

15. Budapest to home

If you skip Gyor, or otherwise have an extra day then there are two good choices out of Budapest; Eger as you already observed and Pecs. Both make good overnight trips.

But on the other hand, if you really want to see "Eastern" Europe, you might want to:

1. Arrive Sofia
2. Sofia to Plovdiv
3. Plovdiv to Veliko Tarnovo
4. Veliko Tarnovo to Varna
5. Varna (R&R on the Black Sea)
6. Varna to Bucharest
7. Bucharest to Peles Castle, Bran and Brazov
8. Brasov to Sighisoara
9. A day of relaxation in Sighisoara
10. Sighisoara to Sibiu
11. Sibiu to Timisoara
12. Timisoara to Budapest
13. Budapest
14. Budapest
15. Budapest
16. Depart Home

Now because off the distances and the lack of efficiency of public transport in these areas I would capitalize on the time by hiring a guide. Rates for a decent guide with a car run $250 a day and up. Good clean local hotels with lots of character run 30 euro a night and up. from We haven't done this exact route but over a number of years and several trips we have hit all these locations (and I am leaving out some of the good stuff because you have so little time).

Another interesting route that we have done is land in Sofia and work our way east to Istanbul. Then from Istanbul the flight to Budapest is relatively inexpensive.