Vienna vs. Budapest as Central Europe Destination

Kind of a "what's your favorite flavor ice cream" question, Fred. We all have different preferences. Some people like Vienna more than Budapest or vice versa. Some people even dislike one of them.

Me? I visited Prague, Vienna, and Budapest in one trip, connected by train. I loved Prague, thought Budpaest was interesting, and thought Vienna was...pleasant. I totally fell in love with Prague, a compact walking town with oodles of charm (but lately, even more oodles of tourists). Vienna was next and was just a big letdown compared to Prague - it felt more ordinary, not special. That's probably unfair to Vienna - it's just that I loved Prague so much, and Vienna is different. I'm also not a big fan of museums or classical music.

Budapest was much more interesting to me than Vienna, but I found it hard to love Budapest. It's much bigger and more spread out than Prague, harder to get one's orientation in. I found Budapest felt a bit more edgy and darker in a sense. (This was 2005 mind you, I guess things could have changed.) I kind of want to go back to Budapest again (visited in 2005) and probably will someday, but it's still not one of my favorite places, so it never seems to make it onto future itineraries. I did go back to Prague once, loved it again, would love to go back in the winter when less crowded.

Some people absolutely love Budapest. Some absolutely love Vienna. I guess some love both. I didn't fall in love with either - but found Budapest more interesting. Not sure if that helps you, but there it is!

We have visited Budapest twice and enjoyed both times. It is a very vibrant city and easy to get around by walking, tram, bus and subway. And the hot spring baths are amazing. The first time we visited we also took a train to. Vienna for 2 days. Vienna was beautiful, but must say I preferred Budapest.

I did a trip similar to Andrew's, in reverse. At the time, Prague was my favorite and Vienna surprised me by its beauty and Budapest I found the most interesting though I was definitely not my favorite . . . I love museums and Budapest has quite a selection of them (not including art museums, which they also have), including some quirky ones that I loved. Overall I think my impression was overly impacted by the weather - which was quite rainy and overcast in Budapest, cleared up in Vienna and was sunny in Prague (May). Over the years since then (about 6 or 7), my memories of Budapest were my best.

Since that trip, I've been back to Vienna for a long weekend in early June and thoroughly enjoyed my time there but don't expect to return. A few months ago I finally made it back to Budapest and loved every minute in the city and I definitely plan to visit again.

Apples or oranges? Chocolate or strawberry?

Thank you for your replies. I hear you (Chani & Andrew) about which flavour ... so many choices, so little time. Andrew, when I first started looking into this, you had good remarks ... back in July 2017, so thanks, again.

--Fred, Seattle

The Vienna vs Budapest is now one of the most frequent I see on the forum in the 'this city' vs 'that city' category, and it is truly an ice cream flavor question - chocolate vs vanilla, each has their supporters.

I've been to Vienna twice and loved it. It's a beautiful city with gorgeous architecture and amazing museums and lovely parks and outdoor spaces with great day trip options if you want to get out of the city. So, when someone asks me if they should go there, I say "definitely, go, you'll love it".

However, when I went to Budapest I absolutely fell in love with it and it's hard for me to explain why - there's just something about the vibe I felt there. It also has beautiful architecture, maybe a bit more eclectic and unusual compared to Vienna (or other classical cities in Europe). It has some interesting museums though not as many world class ones as Vienna. But, though I love museums, that is not the only thing that interests me about a city. I loved just walking around Budapest and enjoying the atmosphere of the street life, it invigorated me.

So now, when someone asks me which I prefer, I always say "Budapest", without hesitation.

I went on the Prague-Budapest RS tour in 2015. As others have stated, I loved Prague (interesting, beautiful, friendly, intact after WWII). I also enjoyed Budapest, which has a very interesting history. I suspect having a tour guide who grew up in Budapest probably contributed to my feeling that it is very manageable. The food is wonderful, the castle is beautiful (we saw a bridal couple taking pics there), and the cooking class was fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the baths! Prior to that tour, I went to Vienna for several days. Although rich in a certain type of culture, it felt very cold to me (the side tour to Mauthausen may have been a factor. To be fair, I did visit the Shoes on the Danube and the Holocaust memorial museum in Budapest, but it felt different). Despite having grown up in a musical home with a piano teacher mom, I am not in a hurry to return to Vienna (Prague, yes!). Again, this is very subjective, so your experience and sensibility may differ. Wherever you go, I hope you enjoy your travels.

I will say that my absolute favorite thing about Budapest was the breathtaking view down on Pest from the hilly Buda side, with the Chain Bridge and Parliament building all lit up at night. Gorgeous view! If you get to Budapest, don't miss it!

Been to both and enjoyed both very much.
But I prefer Vienna for the music, museums, lippanzaner show, visit to summer palace. It is a classical european visit, for sure.

For music, Budapest has lots as well as Vienna -- we have attended excellent events at the Liszt Academy for very little money (a plus for us, we stay at Liszt Ferenc Ter so it's a one-block commute.) But when we're planning, it's not Vienna or Budapest, it's Vienna AND Budapest. (Prague -- maybe we'll go back, especially if/when the Slav Epic returns.)

Both are great but I prefer Budapest because it's lower key and not as crowded. A big city where you can slow down and just enjoy being there, vs. feeling like you have to tick off a list of sights. That said, the Terror Museum, castle hill at sunset, statue park are great. I could and have rode the tram up one side of the river and down the other, walking across the Liberty Bridge and the Chain Bridge in between, doing scenic laps along the riverside with my transit pass. Vienna city center can be really teeming with crowds. Budapest has a vibe of being on the edge of something very different than "western" cities (though it's more in central Europe, having been behind the iron curtain feels more exotic and "other" from what you would see in the west). I did not detect any of the seediness of Prague in Budapest. The museums in Vienna are great, also also the Schoenbrunn Palace. The Belvedere is a nice museum, but the Klimts did not knock my socks off like I thought they would. The Kunsthistoriches Museum is the better of the two. I want to go back and give it another chance because based upon what I see online, I may have just been too tired at the end of a busy itinerary to enjoy it fully. Google gallery of their art here. Might not matter to you if your wife is not into museums though. In general, Budapest is a real bargain in terms of expenses, if that matter to you.

I've been to Vienna twice; Budapest +50 times.

If you are only going to do 3 days; then maybe Vienna is better. Less to see in Vienna and if you get bored with it (we did) you have lost less of your life.
Another thing you may want to look at is which location has better connections to the rest of your trip. Im gong to bet Vienna.

Just to comment on your discussion of museums. Vienna has some of the best and most interesting museums in the world. Few places have as much dead stuff under glass as does Vienna. Actually, if you avoid the museums you miss most of the reason to go to Vienna.

OH, Budapest, go to the Hungary forum and there are a few post there that might help.

What makes Budapest somewhat exotic comparing to Vienna and Prague is not that it was behind iron curtain. Prague was too. When I am in Budapest I get little bit of feeling oriental fragrance - something quite more exotic than Vienna or Prague. IMHO that's what was left after 160 years of occupation by Ottoman Empire. I cannot describe it, it's just a feeling. I think that maybe can explain why so many people like Budapest and it's hard for them to explain why. It simply clicks.

My part time business allows me to track or be in contact with a fairly large number of tourists in Budapest each year, and the number of those that are repeat visitors I find sort of astounding. You can see the same on this forum and my perception is that repeat visits to Budapest rank pretty high compared to many other places.

Fluffy, I've been to performances in Vienna, Prague and Budapest. Prague and Vienna were excellent, but when I got to Budapest (and every time since in Budapest) the performances were more enjoyable because they were shared with Hungarians and not with a house full of tourists. Still, what I attended in Vienna was probably technically superior.

What do they think?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nd9DuDGCz0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vApAmydLjjo
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/669377/dumbest-blonde-ever-youtube-viral-video-capital-of-hungary-budapest-shock-geography (couldn’t resist)

one kind of night life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZmUZgZwLN0

and the opposite kind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6OVwASP8gw (I like this one because for a split second I am in the video)
https://www.budapestopera-tickets.com/img/67102hary-gala.jpg (and this one too)

Other
https://www.ispot.tv/ad/720d/viking-river-cruises-budapest-to-nuremberg (75% of this was filmed in Budapest)

Tons to do in Vienna but I think Budapest will fit more with the central Europe theme of your trip.

I was serious, i would choose based on the best connection to the start of the Croatia leg. By train or plane, i suspect the answer is Vienna. UNLESS you get creative and run it in reverse. That would be fly from Budapest to Podgorica and then go north through Croatia and head home from Zagreb or ???

Thanks for sharing...the love for Budapest is impressive here. Lots to consider.

https://explorepartsunknown.com/budapest/bourdains-field-notes-budapest/

So we are taking a very unique, very personal look at what is, without .
question, one of Europe’s most stunningly beautiful cities. I was
kicking myself throughout the shoot for the fact that I hadn’t been
there earlier. If you are into architecture porn, Budapest is for you.
One incredible building after another. Block after block of what is
simply an incredible mix of styles, the imaginations of the creators
gone wild during the city’s years of empire. It is really something to
see. And I felt like a total rube arriving so late. What took me so
long!?

It is also, apparently, the foie gras capital of Europe, so there’s
just no excuse for not having come sooner. The food is delicious. The
people lovely. The scenery unlike anywhere else on earth.

Anthony Bourdain

Thanks, James ... A friend of mine urged Budapest over Vienna ... because of the food.

Then we went out to dinner with him and his wife at a lovely French restaurant, here in Seattle ... and he talked up Vienna over Budapest due to the art.

Decisions, decisions !

For museums go to Vienna. For a very unique living culture, go to Budapest. For the best classical music go to Vienna, for the best classical music experience go to Budapest. I am really biased here. I fell in love with Budapest about 15 years ago and now own a home there. Ive been to Vienna a few times (mostly shopping) and its pretty okay too.

"...because of the food." If it is on that score alone, I heartily agree, all the more so if you are not crazy about German food. I like German food, no doubt about that, but I also like the food in Budapest...great stuff.

Im not a huge traveler. Ive been to maybe 20 countries and the best food i have ever had was in Budapest.

A snack at my favorite wine bar in Budapest https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ai7Zk-szxfTJhaw4S3LcHXVoJk8bPA