We are looking at a ten day trip in October. Right now we’re thinking 3 days in Buda, 3 in Prague, and 4 days travelling in between to see some smaller towns and culture. We will be travelling by train (or bus if we have to). We don’t mind 1 or 2 nights in a town. For reference, one of the highlights of my last trip to France was Les Baux and the carrieres de lumieres exhibition. And wine and food! We are two friends travelling together. Thanks!
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7360 posts
Unless you’re planning a diagonal, shortest route between those 2 points, head west then north, thru Austria. We started from Vienna and followed the Danube up river, finally taking the train from Ybbs, Austria to Prague. One highlight in Austria was Melk, with an ornate Abby perched high above everything else.
In the Czech Republic, we stopped for a night and parts of 2 days in Czesky Krumlov, with plenty to see and do, before continuing by train to Prague.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thanks! I did find an itinerary on here that included Cesky but started in Krakow and side trip to Auschwitz. Your trip sounds excellent as well. How did you travel between places?
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17917 posts
3 days in Buda is a bit much. One day is plenty. Of course, since you are so close to Pest I would spend nothing less than 3 full days there. That makes Budapest four days which is pretty okay. But 4 FULL days.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17917 posts
I'm boring. With just 10 days I would stick to Budapest, Vienna, Prague. Or spend 5 days in Budapest with a day trip or overnight trip, fly to Prague and do the same.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7360 posts
nakinner7 - this was way back 20 years ago, back when the Austrian railway rented out bicycles from pretty much every station, and you could turn in your bike at any station. There’s a path leading from Vienna to Passau, Germany - probably even beyond those cities - and we pedaled our way west. Stops and stays included Durnstein, Krems, and, again Melk. Seems to me the train tracks followed the same route alongside the river, so doing it by train should be possible, but I don’t know how ticketing, reserving, or fare discount passes, if any, would work nowadays. I understand the train stations are no longer in the bike rental business, which is too bad, as it was so convenient!
Same trip, but before the cycling part, we visited the Mauthausen concentration camp, in Austria. Very sobering and educational experience.