Debating on whether or not to make my trip focused on the christmas markets - looking to hit prague vienna budapest or going to explore spain, portugal. What's everyones thoughts? I've never been to either. Going the first week of december for about 2 weeks.
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Republic of Texas / U.S.A. / Magyarország / Budapest
23241 posts
looking to hit prague vienna budapest or going to explore spain,
portugal.
Both could be interesting. Spain and Portugal will be warmer possibly, some of it more touristed but with it being the winter I suspect that the anti-tourism protests will have died down. Overall I suspect when stops in 3 places are considered against stops in Prague, Vienna and Budapest that the cost will be about the same, or at least not significantly more in Spain. Travel times between the two choices could be about the same with both or significantly more with Spain and Portugal, depends on which stops you choose and how you travel. All that being said, it really comes down to which locations call you the strongest.
Others will have to help you with suggestions for Spain and Portugal; I can get you started on Prague, Vienna and Budapest.
For Prague, Vienna and Budapest
- Temps in all three cities will most likely be between 30 and 45F
- Its about the driest time of year for all three cities.
- Daylight hours will be between 8 and 8.75 hours, but thats not a bad thing: https://youtu.be/57U9k3M04o0?si=eit2GfKnWf1RtoM_ and https://youtube.com/shorts/PCgmLIw3PqY?si=7wkKWSIOP7JkanWr
- Budapest has award winning Christmas Markets and the ones in Vienna always rank way up at the top.
- Winter is theater season in all three. So if you are into classical
music, opera, ballet or Broadway type musicals they are all
available.
Saturday, 29 November: Depart USA
Sunday, 30 November: Arrive Prauge about 2pm / Stay adjacent to Old Town / Easy walk and dinner
Monday, 1 December: Markets and Old Town
Tuesday, 2 December: Castle District
Wednesday, 3 December: Morning Train to Vienna (about 4 hours +/-) / Stay close to Ringstrass / easy walking day
Thursday, 4 December: Vienna (I will let the Vienna experts do this as there is enough to see that it needs to be done well).
Friday, 5 December: Vienna
Saturday, 6 December: Day trip to Melk
Sunday, 7 December: Vienna
Monday, 8 December: Morning train to Budapest (about 2.7 hours +/-) / Stay on the Andrassy ut corridor. Walk Heroes Square to the River.
Tuesday 9, December: Jewish Quarter, Pest part one
Wednesday 10, December: Pest tour part two
Thursday 11, December; Lower Buda and trip to Szentendre
Friday 12, December: Buda Castle
Saturday 13, December: Depart to the US
Now, by my calculations you have 1 more day unaccounted for. Because I did pretty much the minimum for each stop. So you get to plug it in where you are most interested.
More Budapest Stuff
- Favorite Tourism Video of Budapest https://youtu.be/1nd5AtZIrTk?feature=shared
- Anthony Bourdain describing how visually pleasurable Budapest is https://youtu.be/0nd9DuDGCz0?si=aa0c19KaJHEtabkX
- Christmas Market Thread: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/the-christmas-markets-open-soon-in-budapest
(the dates are for 2024 but I think its pretty safe to assume the
same day of the week for the start, so where the Vorosmarty market
begain on Friday, 15 November in 2024 it should start on Friday, 14
November in 2025).
- Hotel Thread: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/rs-forum-favorite-hotels-and-their-cost
- Restaurant Thread: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/restaurants-in-budapest-revisited
- Things Going On Thread: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/list-of-budapest-events-july-through-october-25
- Concert Venue Thread: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/concerts-in-budapest