Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Berlin

Just back from 4 nights Budapest, 5 nights Vienna, 5 nights Prague, 10
nights Berlin. I travelled alone, my first visit to each city, speak
German fairly fluently, but no Czech or Hungarian.

I used DK Eyewitness Guides for each city -- heavy to tote, weak on
hotels and restaurants, but wonderful for sightseeing. The Vienna
volume has a problem -- they have cut the city into illogical
sections, and I often got lost moving from one section to the next.

BUDAPEST:
Hotel -- the City Hotel Matyas. Easy to reach by shuttle from the
airport. Excellent location, right by the Elizabeth bridge. My room
was on second floor, front, very noisy with bridge traffic all night,
which didn't bother me at all, but most people would have asked for a
different room. The breakfast buffet was sumptuous, a regular feast.
Highlights -- the Danube at night; the illuminated Palace, Parliament
and bridges are an unforgettable sight. The Sechenyi Baths -- I was
worried about not knowing the procedures, but it was no problem; keep
your receipt and turn it in for a partial refund when you leave; don't
miss the whirlpool and the chess players. Statue Park -- kind of a
tourist trap, not worth a long visit, but the statues were interesting
and it was good to get out of the city a bit; take the tour bus from
Deak ter. The Palace and the Old Town nearby.
Transportation -- I'm not a museum person, so I didn't get the
Budapest Card. I got a transportation pass instead, and used it
often, mostly on the subway.
Overview -- a beautiful city, though lots of grafitti everywhere.
Much to see and do, they are clearly reaching out for the tourist
trade. I definitely recommend a visit, though I doubt I'll go a
second time.

VIENNA:
Hotel -- Pension Wild. Excellent location, near the Rathaus, close to
two subway stations. Breakfast was barely adequate. (It is run by
gays, and there is a gay sauna attached, but I suspect this is
invisible to most guests, the marjority of whom were straight.) One
of the most comfortable beds I've ever slept in.
Highlights -- the Freud Museum; as I said, I'm not a museum person,
and have no particular interest in Freud, but he's such a big part of
Viennese history that I thought I'd give it 10 minutes; I stayed an
hour and a half! Fascinating material, very well presented. The
Riesenrad at the Prater; the Prater is tacky in the extreme, and the
Riesenrad isn't the greatest ferris wheel, but it's an homage to "The
Third Man" and the views are wonderful.
Disappointments -- The Beethoven frieze in the Succession; what this
has to do with Beethoven completely escapes me; and while I like
Klimt's work, there's very little of it here. Stephansdom tower; I
climbed ALL THE WAY to the top, only to find most views blocked by
scaffolding.
Transportation -- I bought a transit pass, used it several times a
day. The subway system is excellent, you're never more than a couple
of blocks from a station.
Food -- the wienerschnitzel at Figlmuller is huge, as big as a
frisbee, but rather tasteless; I had a much better one at Cafe Eiles,
smaller but with a crisper coating. Excellent pork medallions at Alte
Backstube, with a pleasant ambiance. Excellent pork roulade at Alte
Rathaus Cafe. One guidebook said that Cafe Sperl (Hitler's hangout)
had large tagesteller; it doesn't. But I got wonderful meals
everywhere, at places not in guidebooks; Vienna is indeed a culinary
delight. Of course Sachertorte at Hotel Sacher, and pastry at Demel,
a little pricey, but worth it. "Mohr im Hemd" at Cafe Eiles, a small
ring of chocolate and hazelnut cake, a pool of chocolate sauce in the
center, dollops of whipped cream around the edge.
Overview -- A wonderful city, easy to get around (but easy to get
lost), much to see, excellent meals. Just spending time in a
plush-upholstered seat in a wood-panelled coffeehouse is a delight. I
think I'll be returning here again and again.

PRAGUE:
Hotel -- Am Krale Jiriho, excellent location. I had the attic room,
#15, a TERRIBLY long climb, but rewarded with wonderful views of the
rooftops of the city. Barely adequate breakfast.
Highlights -- View of the river and its bridges from Letna Park.
Disappointments -- Crowds, crowds, crowds everywhere! Reminded me a
lot of Florence in that respect; most sights are confined to a few
small areas, where all the tourists congregate.
Transportation -- No pass, but none needed. Walked almost everywhere,
except a bus up to Strahov Monastery and the Castle, and metro to and
from the train station.
Food -- excellent mixed plate (Maries Roulade?) at Marie Theresie.
Cream & Dream gelato on Husova.
Overview -- a beautiful city, though it could use a cleaning; the
statues and buildings are BLACK with grime. Tourists everywhere. I
feel I've seen what I wanted to see, and probably won't go back.

BERLIN:
Hotel -- Sylter Hof. Excellent location, near the Bahnhof Zoo and
Wittenbergplatz, which are transit hubs. About 2/3 of guests were
businessmen, wearing coats and ties to breakfast. Sumptuous breakfast
buffet.
Highlights -- 6th floor of KaDeWe; if Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills had
a Food Court, this is what it would be like. Reichstag Dome, a long
wait but worth it. Walk through the Tiergarten from the Reichstag
(actually from Entlastungsstrasse near the Soviet memorial) to the
Siegessaule on a path running parallel to, and just a few feet north
from, Strasse des 17. Juni.
Disappointments -- Berlin Walks. I took the highly-recommended
Discover Berlin tour on my first day. The guide (a Scotsman named
Robbie) was nice but uninspired, and I got NOTHING that wasn't in the
guidebooks, except the site of Hitler's bunker, which is now an
unmarked parking lot. Olympic Stadium -- I went ALL THE WAY out
there, to find that it is closed to visitors, nothing to see except
the towers with the Olympic symbol hanging between them.
Transportation -- I got a 7-day transit pass, which I got more than
full value from. The transit system is confusing (do I go up and take
the S-Bahn, or down and take the U-Bahn), but stations are everywhere
and it's essential to getting around the huge city.
Food -- well, let's just say that you don't go to Berlin for the
cuisine....
Overview -- there is much to see, and the sights are spread out all
through the city. It's new, exciting, bustling, construction
everywhere, constantly changing. I'm definitely returning many times;
I felt very comfortable in Berlin.

Agree with your views on Budapest, Vienna and Prague. Prague also has lots
of graffitti problems. And Vienna is expensive. Of the three, Prague and
Vienna are the two I would pay a return visit or two.


"Terryo" wrote in message
om...
Just back from 4 nights Budapest, 5 nights Vienna, 5 nights Prague, 10
nights Berlin. I travelled alone, my first visit to each city, speak
German fairly fluently, but no Czech or Hungarian.

I used DK Eyewitness Guides for each city -- heavy to tote, weak on
hotels and restaurants, but wonderful for sightseeing. The Vienna
volume has a problem -- they have cut the city into illogical
sections, and I often got lost moving from one section to the next.

BUDAPEST:
Hotel -- the City Hotel Matyas. Easy to reach by shuttle from the
airport. Excellent location, right by the Elizabeth bridge. My room
was on second floor, front, very noisy with bridge traffic all night,
which didn't bother me at all, but most people would have asked for a
different room. The breakfast buffet was sumptuous, a regular feast.
Highlights -- the Danube at night; the illuminated Palace, Parliament
and bridges are an unforgettable sight. The Sechenyi Baths -- I was
worried about not knowing the procedures, but it was no problem; keep
your receipt and turn it in for a partial refund when you leave; don't
miss the whirlpool and the chess players. Statue Park -- kind of a
tourist trap, not worth a long visit, but the statues were interesting
and it was good to get out of the city a bit; take the tour bus from
Deak ter. The Palace and the Old Town nearby.
Transportation -- I'm not a museum person, so I didn't get the
Budapest Card. I got a transportation pass instead, and used it
often, mostly on the subway.
Overview -- a beautiful city, though lots of grafitti everywhere.
Much to see and do, they are clearly reaching out for the tourist
trade. I definitely recommend a visit, though I doubt I'll go a
second time.

VIENNA:
Hotel -- Pension Wild. Excellent location, near the Rathaus, close to
two subway stations. Breakfast was barely adequate. (It is run by
gays, and there is a gay sauna attached, but I suspect this is
invisible to most guests, the marjority of whom were straight.) One
of the most comfortable beds I've ever slept in.
Highlights -- the Freud Museum; as I said, I'm not a museum person,
and have no particular interest in Freud, but he's such a big part of
Viennese history that I thought I'd give it 10 minutes; I stayed an
hour and a half! Fascinating material, very well presented. The
Riesenrad at the Prater; the Prater is tacky in the extreme, and the
Riesenrad isn't the greatest ferris wheel, but it's an homage to "The
Third Man" and the views are wonderful.
Disappointments -- The Beethoven frieze in the Succession; what this
has to do with Beethoven completely escapes me; and while I like
Klimt's work, there's very little of it here. Stephansdom tower; I
climbed ALL THE WAY to the top, only to find most views blocked by
scaffolding.
Transportation -- I bought a transit pass, used it several times a
day. The subway system is excellent, you're never more than a couple
of blocks from a station.
Food -- the wienerschnitzel at Figlmuller is huge, as big as a
frisbee, but rather tasteless; I had a much better one at Cafe Eiles,
smaller but with a crisper coating. Excellent pork medallions at Alte
Backstube, with a pleasant ambiance. Excellent pork roulade at Alte
Rathaus Cafe. One guidebook said that Cafe Sperl (Hitler's hangout)
had large tagesteller; it doesn't. But I got wonderful meals
everywhere, at places not in guidebooks; Vienna is indeed a culinary
delight. Of course Sachertorte at Hotel Sacher, and pastry at Demel,
a little pricey, but worth it. "Mohr im Hemd" at Cafe Eiles, a small
ring of chocolate and hazelnut cake, a pool of chocolate sauce in the
center, dollops of whipped cream around the edge.
Overview -- A wonderful city, easy to get around (but easy to get
lost), much to see, excellent meals. Just spending time in a
plush-upholstered seat in a wood-panelled coffeehouse is a delight. I
think I'll be returning here again and again.

PRAGUE:
Hotel -- Am Krale Jiriho, excellent location. I had the attic room,
#15, a TERRIBLY long climb, but rewarded with wonderful views of the
rooftops of the city. Barely adequate breakfast.
Highlights -- View of the river and its bridges from Letna Park.
Disappointments -- Crowds, crowds, crowds everywhere! Reminded me a
lot of Florence in that respect; most sights are confined to a few
small areas, where all the tourists congregate.
Transportation -- No pass, but none needed. Walked almost everywhere,
except a bus up to Strahov Monastery and the Castle, and metro to and
from the train station.
Food -- excellent mixed plate (Maries Roulade?) at Marie Theresie.
Cream & Dream gelato on Husova.
Overview -- a beautiful city, though it could use a cleaning; the
statues and buildings are BLACK with grime. Tourists everywhere. I
feel I've seen what I wanted to see, and probably won't go back.

BERLIN:
Hotel -- Sylter Hof. Excellent location, near the Bahnhof Zoo and
Wittenbergplatz, which are transit hubs. About 2/3 of guests were
businessmen, wearing coats and ties to breakfast. Sumptuous breakfast
buffet.
Highlights -- 6th floor of KaDeWe; if Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills had
a Food Court, this is what it would be like. Reichstag Dome, a long
wait but worth it. Walk through the Tiergarten from the Reichstag
(actually from Entlastungsstrasse near the Soviet memorial) to the
Siegessaule on a path running parallel to, and just a few feet north
from, Strasse des 17. Juni.
Disappointments -- Berlin Walks. I took the highly-recommended
Discover Berlin tour on my first day. The guide (a Scotsman named
Robbie) was nice but uninspired, and I got NOTHING that wasn't in the
guidebooks, except the site of Hitler's bunker, which is now an
unmarked parking lot. Olympic Stadium -- I went ALL THE WAY out
there, to find that it is closed to visitors, nothing to see except
the towers with the Olympic symbol hanging between them.
Transportation -- I got a 7-day transit pass, which I got more than
full value from. The transit system is confusing (do I go up and take
the S-Bahn, or down and take the U-Bahn), but stations are everywhere
and it's essential to getting around the huge city.
Food -- well, let's just say that you don't go to Berlin for the
cuisine....
Overview -- there is much to see, and the sights are spread out all
through the city. It's new, exciting, bustling, construction
everywhere, constantly changing. I'm definitely returning many times;
I felt very comfortable in Berlin.

BERLIN:
Olympic Stadium -- I went ALL THE WAY out
there, to find that it is closed to visitors, nothing to see except
the towers with the Olympic symbol hanging between them.

Here a page with information about all major building projects in Berlin
http://www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.d...index_en.shtml

And here a site with even more information about the reconstruction of the
Olympic Stadium
http://194.221.85.108/en/projekte/re...iastadion.html

(Terryo) wrote in message . com...

BERLIN:
Hotel -- Sylter Hof. Excellent location, near the Bahnhof Zoo and
Wittenbergplatz, which are transit hubs. About 2/3 of guests were
businessmen, wearing coats and ties to breakfast. Sumptuous breakfast
buffet.

The most interesting sites is located in the center and slightly east,
southeast, south of the center. I think you could find an even better
site, for instance in the Kreutzberg area.

Highlights -- 6th floor of KaDeWe; if Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills had
a Food Court, this is what it would be like. Reichstag Dome, a long
wait but worth it. Walk through the Tiergarten from the Reichstag
(actually from Entlastungsstrasse near the Soviet memorial) to the
Siegessaule on a path running parallel to, and just a few feet north
from, Strasse des 17. Juni.

The television tower at Alexander Platz has a great view and gives you
a very relaxed sightsieng.

Disappointments -- Berlin Walks.

Never heard anything but positive comments about the walks. My own
experience is also excellent. Perhaps a bad day.

I took the highly-recommended
Discover Berlin tour on my first day. The guide (a Scotsman named
Robbie) was nice but uninspired, and I got NOTHING that wasn't in the
guidebooks,

A walk of Berlins most famous sights necesairly has to be more or less
100% covered by a decent guidebook. What had you expected? The point
is to visit the sights.

except the site of Hitler's bunker, which is now an
unmarked parking lot.

And actually a kindergarten

The transit system is confusing

Very surprising. Berlin is famous for its excellent metro network.

Food -- well, let's just say that you don't go to Berlin for the
cuisine....

Surprising to. Berlin has restaurants from all over the world. At
Bergmann Strasse in Kreutzberg for inctance for find lots and lots of
all kinds of ethnic restaurants with nice priced and tasty cooking.

Overview -- there is much to see, and the sights are spread out all
through the city.

True, but the center and southern part (Old Russian and American
sectors) cover most of the interesting things.

I felt very comfortable in Berlin.

I can believe that. There are many of us

Jan

(Terryo) wrote in message . com...

BERLIN:

By the way you can find photos from Berlin on this link if interested:
http://www.thorsnas.com/ferie2003.htm

Jan

"Terryo" skrev i meddelandet
om...
PRAGUE:
Transportation -- No pass, but none needed. Walked almost everywhere,
except a bus up to Strahov Monastery and the Castle, and metro to and
from the train station.
---------------------------------------
Yes there are passes for the Prague transport.
24h,72h , 7day,15day prices from 70Czk 24h.
As the normal fare for for 60 min traveling is 12 Czk you need to travel a
lot until the passes are paid back
http://www.dp-praha.cz/en/index.htm

Disappointments -- Berlin Walks.

Never heard anything but positive comments about the walks. My own
experience is also excellent. Perhaps a bad day.


If your legs are in good form, I highly recommend Brewers tours. They do an
all day one, where you end up walking for about 6 hours. I was blown away by
it.

The transit system is confusing

Very surprising. Berlin is famous for its excellent metro network.


I thought it was pretty good too. It's a very spread out city by Europeans
standards, but getting around is a piece of cake!

Food -- well, let's just say that you don't go to Berlin for the
cuisine....

Surprising to. Berlin has restaurants from all over the world. At
Bergmann Strasse in Kreutzberg for inctance for find lots and lots of
all kinds of ethnic restaurants with nice priced and tasty cooking.


Yep, I found HEAPS of good food in Berlin. Not always standard German fare,
but good stuff nonetheless.


I felt very comfortable in Berlin.

I can believe that. There are many of us

I would love to live there if I sprechen a bit of deutsche.

Does anything know of the name of the artists centre housed in an abandoned
building that is located on Oranienburgerstrasse? I was sold on Berlin when
I found that place!
---
DFM

In message , Terryo
writes
PRAGUE:
Transportation -- No pass, but none needed.

Yes there is -- 70 Kc for 24 hours, from the ordinary ticket machines,
and 200 Kc for 3 days, 250 Kc for 7 days, 280 Kc for 15 days from ticket
offices, not forgetting 420 Kc for a month, 1150 Kc for a quarter, or
3800 Kc for a year.

The 1 and 3 day tickets are more of a convenience than a bargain, to
avoid having to validate ordinary tickets all the time, but you can
travel for 60 minutes (90 minutes at weekends and after 8 p.m. on
weekdays) on ordinary 12 Kc tickets, but if you're there for a week or
more the passes are a real bargain.

--
Arwel Parry
http://www.cartref.demon.co.uk/