Hello all! I am a 22 year old on a solo backpacking trip through Europe and I am seeking advice on what to do after seeing Budapest, Hungary.
I've come up with three proposed routes, please let me know if you have done one or more of these routes and comment on your experiences! I am also open to feedback if you believe there is another route or maybe another city that I could fit into one of these itineraries. This regards the dates of August 1st - August 7th. Please note that I have a europass so the train ticket costs should not be taken into consideration.
Option 1:
Budapest -> Vienna (1 night) -> Prague (2 nights) -> Berlin (3 nights)
This route would be ideal from a budget standpoint. With my Europass, I could travel all of these routes without paying for a plane or train ticket. This route is likely the most common route of the three I have proposed. I have heard incredible feedback about Prague, and I have heard Vienna is stunning as well. These cities are ones that I will most likely travel to in my future, so it could be a route that I save for another time.
Option 2:
Budapest -> Krakow (3 nights) -> Berlin (3 nights)
This option certainly regards a road less traveled, especially compared to the first route. From Krakow, I would do a day trip to Auschwitz. Also, I would plan to see the Wieliczka salt mine (an underground city). A flight from Krakow to Berlin is 13 euros, so the price for this route is just about as cheap as the first proposed route.
Option 3:
Budapest -> Zagreb (1 night) -> Zadar/Split (2 nights) -> Berlin (flight) (3 nights)
I have looked into some of the national parks in Croatia and they are absolutely Stunning. Plitvice national park and Krka national park are the two that I am most interested in. If I did this route, there would be some more travelling involved with longer train rides, but it would be absolutely worth it to see the natural beauty of this country. Like the second route, this is also a route among the road less traveled in comparison to the first route. It also must be taken into consideration that, though I could ride the trains throughout Croatia for free/cheap, the flight to Berlin would cost approximately 130 euros, making this the most expensive route by 130 euros.
In short, it seems that I am faced with a decision between seeing popular cities with beautiful architecture, incredibly important historical landmarks, or natural beauty. I love all of these things, so I know I can't go wrong, though I would appreciate some advice from your experiences if you have ever done any of these cities! Thanks