RT wrote:
We are planning a trip to eastern
europe,,Budapest,Pargue,Vienna,Krakow maybe Warsaw,,question,,are we
better off on a tour or planning it ourselves,and if so what are the
risks,,any tips would be helpful

Do it yourself. Tours are much more expensive, and you are stuck with
the tour's itinerary. And you will meet a lot more local people
travelling on your own rather than in a large group of Americans. You
can always hire a guide to take you around a specific sight or city
rather than be on a tour the whole time.

As far as risks, violent crime is almost non-existent, but there is a
moderate amount of petty theft, especially in tourist areas of Budapest
and Prague. I would get a "money belt" - a pouch that you wear under
your clothes that keeps your money and valuables - so that you can't be
pickpocketed. You should never leave your bags alone (e.g. in a train
station while you go to the counter or in a cafe while you go to the
restroom). If you have two people, one person should always stay with
the bags.