Questions about pre- and post- days in Prague & Vienna

[sayhello]

Well, it looks like I do have the power to copy posts to a new thread! (I knew I could move them, but this time I just copied them!)

So I'm looking for input on how many days I should allocate as pre-days in Prague and post-days in Vienna for my Central Europe ABD next September.

Any opinions and suggestions of things to do and see are GREATLY appreciated! I know absolutely nothing about the area!

Thanks!

Cousin Orville, you will love Prague! We did 4 days on our own before the Central Europe ABD, and it really didn't take that much planning. I used the Lonely Planet Pocket Guide to Prague to rough out our days, and it worked out great. We did two day trips: one to Karlstjen Castle which we did on our own by train and one to Kutna Hora, which we did through The Prague Experience. If it makes you feel better, I think I enjoyed the on our own time in Prague more than the actual ABD, although the ABD was a really great trip.

Cousin Orville, It is soooo easy to do Prague on your own. Definitely a place I would have been talking to myself if I'd spent the money for ABD. ( of course, I wouldn't pay for the Nashville trip either, and others would. To each their own ).

Anyway, I wandered all over all by my lone during the day, and with DH (there for work) in the evenings and loved every minute. If you like beer, you will be in heaven. So many awesome, non tourist, places brew their own basically right in front of you. I can't wait to go back!

I agree. Prague is a wonderful city that offers many tours that can be booked at your front hotel desk. They even come pick you up at your hotel. Budapest is also an easy city to explore on your own. Very walkable. People are very friendly and many historic places like the Opera House and Zoo. Loved both. Vienna also can be traveled by street car and walking. Great food also.

So how many pre- and post- days would you guys recommend in Prague and Vienna? I'm starting (sort of) to think about airfare for the Central Europe ABD, and of course part of that involves how many pre- and post- days to allow for!

Sayhello

 

[kristilew]

So how many pre- and post- days would you guys recommend in Prague and Vienna? I'm starting (sort of) to think about airfare for the Central Europe ABD, and of course part of that involves how many pre- and post- days to allow for!

Sayhello

Can't say for Vienna as I haven't been there (yet!). For Prague, considering the ABD covers the central old town, you could probably do some pretty comprehensive touring in 2-3 days, if you were willing to go all day.

Even though the ABD goes to Prague Castle, I would spend a day there on your own, doing the complete audio tour. There is just so much to see. Add on a tour of Lobkowicz Palace, on the grounds. For some reason the guide books downplay this but it was a highlight of the trip. Check the times and wander to the front of the Castle complex for a changing of the guard ceremony. Eat lunch in one of the little cafes. For the full tour, you can also explore the beautiful old hunting grounds if you are so inclined. If you start first thing, you should be done around 2 or 3 and can spend the rest of the day in the Hradcany district. From the front of the Castle complex, walk about 10 minutes up Loretanska and tour the Loreto. You can then backtrack and go down the old castle steps, stopping in all the little shops and ending up along the river (and in an area where you can see many other sights if you're not exhausted.)

On another day, I would tour the Josefov, or Jewish quarter. There is another audio tour, this one taking you around to the different synagogues (including the one where the legend of the Golem originates!), the Jewish cemetery, and various memorials. It is incredibly moving. You can do this area in a long morning or an afternoon. I did it in a morning then had lunch and spent the afternoon at the Museum of Decorative Arts in the same general area. Looking at all the beautiful fashion lightened my mood after a somber morning.

Those are the two biggies. Everything else I did could be summed up as "poking around." If you wanted to spend an extra day or two doing the same, I'll be happy to share ideas and pictures. (maybe on a new thread? I feel like I've hijacked Rapunzellover's original one!)

I will add that everyone spoke English and no one bothered me walking around by myself. I wish I could fly over and do your predays with you!

 

[carpenta]

I agree with Kristilew, Prague is a great city where you could fill 3 days full of tours and exploring. There are many, many day tours available from your hotel that run from art to Nazi occupation. Everyone does speak English quite well. Vienna is also an historic city where you can tour the summer and winter palaces and reach both by trolley car. A couple days at least IMO. Budapest is wonderful and was so easy to navigate and explore. The world famous baths are something you could partake along with an opera and they also have a casino if that is what you wish to do. Hungary has their own money which I found was a positive exchange rate in our favor and helped us feel like big spenders. Budapest has a large indoor market that you can take in all the foods and drinks along with local items such as paprika. Oh boy now I'm hungry for Hungarian food.....[/I]

 

[sayhello]

Thanks, kristilew & carpenta. I do love a city that's wanderable. I think I will start a new thread, so we're not hijacking Repunzellover's thread any more. I wonder if I have the power to copy these last few posts to a new thread...

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

Can't say for Vienna as I haven't been there (yet!). For Prague, considering the ABD covers the central old town, you could probably do some pretty comprehensive touring in 2-3 days, if you were willing to go all day.

Even though the ABD goes to Prague Castle, I would spend a day there on your own, doing the complete audio tour. There is just so much to see. Add on a tour of Lobkowicz Palace, on the grounds. For some reason the guide books downplay this but it was a highlight of the trip. Check the times and wander to the front of the Castle complex for a changing of the guard ceremony. Eat lunch in one of the little cafes. For the full tour, you can also explore the beautiful old hunting grounds if you are so inclined. If you start first thing, you should be done around 2 or 3 and can spend the rest of the day in the Hradcany district. From the front of the Castle complex, walk about 10 minutes up Loretanska and tour the Loreto. You can then backtrack and go down the old castle steps, stopping in all the little shops and ending up along the river (and in an area where you can see many other sights if you're not exhausted.)

So are you saying Lobkowicz Palace is on the grounds of Prague Castel? This really sounds like a cool way to spend a day.

On another day, I would tour the Josefov, or Jewish quarter. There is another audio tour, this one taking you around to the different synagogues (including the one where the legend of the Golem originates!), the Jewish cemetery, and various memorials. It is incredibly moving. You can do this area in a long morning or an afternoon. I did it in a morning then had lunch and spent the afternoon at the Museum of Decorative Arts in the same general area. Looking at all the beautiful fashion lightened my mood after a somber morning.

Those are the two biggies. Everything else I did could be summed up as "poking around." If you wanted to spend an extra day or two doing the same, I'll be happy to share ideas and pictures. (maybe on a new thread? I feel like I've hijacked Rapunzellover's original one!)

I will add that everyone spoke English and no one bothered me walking around by myself. I wish I could fly over and do your predays with you!

Where did you get these audio tours you've mentioned? Do you get them actually at the sites, or was this something you downloaded ahead of time?

I really like all your suggestions. I really know nothing about Prague, so I was considering just coming in the day before the tour, but you've definitely changed my mind now.

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

I agree with Kristilew, Prague is a great city where you could fill 3 days full of tours and exploring. There are many, many day tours available from your hotel that run from art to Nazi occupation. Everyone does speak English quite well. Vienna is also an historic city where you can tour the summer and winter palaces and reach both by trolley car. A couple days at least IMO. Budapest is wonderful and was so easy to navigate and explore. The world famous baths are something you could partake along with an opera and they also have a casino if that is what you wish to do. Hungary has their own money which I found was a positive exchange rate in our favor and helped us feel like big spenders. Budapest has a large indoor market that you can take in all the foods and drinks along with local items such as paprika. Oh boy now I'm hungry for Hungarian food.....[/I]

Wow! It definitely sounds like I need to allocate a few extra days both before & after this ABD! Thanks!

Sayhello

 

[kristilew]

So are you saying Lobkowicz Palace is on the grounds of Prague Castel? This really sounds like a cool way to spend a day.

Yes. The "castle" is acutally a complex of many buildings. There are so many neat sections to explore. Lobkowicz Palace requires a separate entrance fee and has its own audio tour (part of your admission, I think) that guides you through the rooms. You will also want to download Rick Steves' podcast "An American Nobleman in Prague." It is a long interview with the current, restored Prince Lobkowicz, who was raised in America and is very engaging. He is the one who restored the Palace after it was restored to the family when communism ended in the CR.

Where did you get these audio tours you've mentioned? Do you get them actually at the sites, or was this something you downloaded ahead of time?

The audio tours are rented at the sites. At Prague Castle you get them in the ticket office. In the Josevof, if I'm remembering correctly, you can get the audio tour at whichever site you begin to tour. It may have been part of the ticket, and it definitely included all the sights. It tells you which way to walk and what order. You leave your id, and get it back when you return the device. I think I started at the Pinkas Synagogue, which is the suggested first stop in the DK Eyewitness travel Top 10 Prague guide book.

I really like all your suggestions. I really know nothing about Prague, so I was considering just coming in the day before the tour, but you've definitely changed my mind now.

It looks like you would miss so much doing just the ABD portion! I guess because it's so easy to do on your own, maybe they expected people to come early? Also, even though I was there in July, nothing I did was crowded, except Wencelas Square, which is where apparently many stag parties start. We did see a lot of drunken German young men in this area!

Sayhello

Keep us posted as you plan!

 

[Calfan]

I definitely agree with the others that you should allocate at least 3 days to Prague before the ABD. As I mentioned in my trip report, I think you will be disappointed if you rely on the ABD to really show you Prague. It is such a fabulous city. Probably my new favorite in Europe. There are also a number of day trips you can do from Prague. If you want to do any of those, I would bump up the pre-days. We had 4.5 pre-days (all of which we did in go go mode) and we could have easily filled up another 2 at least. For Vienna, remember that there is quite a bit of free time there with the ABD: 2 full afternoons for at least 10 hours. It may be that we didn't care for Vienna as much as Prague, but I wouldn't say any post days are needed there. We ended up with one post-day due to the way our flights worked out. We did enjoy it but mostly because we met up with friends who live in Vienna.

 

[sayhello]

Keep us posted as you plan!

Thanks for all the input! I will definitely let you know as the plans gel!

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

I definitely agree with the others that you should allocate at least 3 days to Prague before the ABD. As I mentioned in my trip report, I think you will be disappointed if you rely on the ABD to really show you Prague. It is such a fabulous city. Probably my new favorite in Europe. There are also a number of day trips you can do from Prague. If you want to do any of those, I would bump up the pre-days. We had 4.5 pre-days (all of which we did in go go mode) and we could have easily filled up another 2 at least. For Vienna, remember that there is quite a bit of free time there with the ABD: 2 full afternoons for at least 10 hours. It may be that we didn't care for Vienna as much as Prague, but I wouldn't say any post days are needed there. We ended up with one post-day due to the way our flights worked out. We did enjoy it but mostly because we met up with friends who live in Vienna.

Thanks, this is definitely what I wanted to know!

Sayhello

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

We stayed 3 nights before our trip in Prague and loved every minute. It is an easy city to walk and the public transport is amazing. One of my son's favorite things we did was a Segway tour, which lasted a half day. It was so much fun (be careful going down the hills )! We also enjoyed a nice lunch on a rooftop cafe overlooking the main square (sorry I can't recall the name -- but it was voted the best rooftop restaurant in Prague!!). My son is a beer lover so we took the bus to Pilsner, but I wouldn't recommend this tour unless you are a die hard beer lover (I did not love the tour and would not have done it if my son were not with me; also no one outside of the brewery staff speak English in the town, so getting lost is not a desirable option).

I recommend staying somewhere other than the Marriott for pre-days in Prague. I found it completely lacking in local flavor, the a/c barely worked, the bathroom was incredibly small and the hotel was always packed (with accompanying lineups for the elevators). I was glad to leave the hotel. We stayed at the Augustine for our pre-days and we loved it! Location was great, staff was incredible, the breakfasts were amazing and the rooms were heavenly!

For Vienna, we did have quite a bit of free time there and covered most of the major sites with ABD. However we stayed an additional 2 days and loved every minute. We spent many hours at cafes relaxing while enjoying Viennese coffee and desserts! The Ritz Carlton is a lovely hotel (but I think they may have changed hotels there next year?) with many amenities as well.

If you had to choose which city to spend more time in, I'd definitely go with Prague. We fell in love with the city, culture, people and the food .

 

[sayhello]

We stayed 3 nights before our trip in Prague and loved every minute. It is an easy city to walk and the public transport is amazing. One of my son's favorite things we did was a Segway tour, which lasted a half day. It was so much fun (be careful going down the hills )! We also enjoyed a nice lunch on a rooftop cafe overlooking the main square (sorry I can't recall the name -- but it was voted the best rooftop restaurant in Prague!!). My son is a beer lover so we took the bus to Pilsner, but I wouldn't recommend this tour unless you are a die hard beer lover (I did not love the tour and would not have done it if my son were not with me; also no one outside of the brewery staff speak English in the town, so getting lost is not a desirable option).

Ooo! A Segway tour! I've done that a couple of times, and I really loved it. If you still have the info on that, I'd love it, thanks! Not really into beer, so I'll skip that one.

I recommend staying somewhere other than the Marriott for pre-days in Prague. I found it completely lacking in local flavor, the a/c barely worked, the bathroom was incredibly small and the hotel was always packed (with accompanying lineups for the elevators). I was glad to leave the hotel. We stayed at the Augustine for our pre-days and we loved it! Location was great, staff was incredible, the breakfasts were amazing and the rooms were heavenly![/quote!]Yikes! I'll have to look into that.

For Vienna, we did have quite a bit of free time there and covered most of the major sites with ABD. However we stayed an additional 2 days and loved every minute. We spent many hours at cafes relaxing while enjoying Viennese coffee and desserts! The Ritz Carlton is a lovely hotel (but I think they may have changed hotels there next year?) with many amenities as well.

That does sound nice, but not "essential", I guess. We'll see how the timing works out.

If you had to choose which city to spend more time in, I'd definitely go with Prague. We fell in love with the city, culture, people and the food .

Thanks! Prague is definitely sounding like my kind of place!

Sayhello

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

We did the 3 hour city tour with Prague Segway Tours. Philip was our guide and I *highly* recommend both the tour and him as a guide! He was exceptional and a great photographer to boot!

If your tour of the castle is on Sunday, be sure to tour St. Vitus Cathedral beforehand as it closes for services on Sunday mornings and Disney does not have access. It is definitely worth it.

I felt that ABD didn't really do a thorough tour of the Jewish Quarter, which had to do with lack of time to see the entire city in a short period of time. We hired a private guide and asked for concentration on St. Vitus Cathedral and the Jewish Quarter. I will say it was worth every penny. We found the quarter full of history -- we went inside the oldest synagogue still being used for services in Europe - it was an amazing experience. You will not regret any time you spend in this historical and fascinating part of Prague.

On our last day in Vienna we took a boat down the Danube. It was breathtaking. We had to take a train to a town where we boarded the ferry (thank goodness I have a good sense of direction because there were no signs between the train station and the boat dock and the locals did not speak English). We got off at a small town (population 1,000) for lunch (it is heavily populated with tourists in the summer months). At the last stop we got off the boat and took the train back to Vienna. If you want to do this, which I suggest, you might want to research your options beforehand. The trains can be a bit confusing . It was a very relaxing journey - we sat outside on the top deck at a table with full service while enjoying the incredible scenery. Thinking about it makes me miss Europe .

 

[sayhello]

We did the 3 hour city tour with Prague Segway Tours. Philip was our guide and I *highly* recommend both the tour and him as a guide! He was exceptional and a great photographer to boot!

If your tour of the castle is on Sunday, be sure to tour St. Vitus Cathedral beforehand as it closes for services on Sunday mornings and Disney does not have access. It is definitely worth it.

I felt that ABD didn't really do a thorough tour of the Jewish Quarter, which had to do with lack of time to see the entire city in a short period of time. We hired a private guide and asked for concentration on St. Vitus Cathedral and the Jewish Quarter. I will say it was worth every penny. We found the quarter full of history -- we went inside the oldest synagogue still being used for services in Europe - it was an amazing experience. You will not regret any time you spend in this historical and fascinating part of Prague.

On our last day in Vienna we took a boat down the Danube. It was breathtaking. We had to take a train to a town where we boarded the ferry (thank goodness I have a good sense of direction because there were no signs between the train station and the boat dock and the locals did not speak English). We got off at a small town (population 1,000) for lunch (it is heavily populated with tourists in the summer months). At the last stop we got off the boat and took the train back to Vienna. If you want to do this, which I suggest, you might want to research your options beforehand. The trains can be a bit confusing . It was a very relaxing journey - we sat outside on the top deck at a table with full service while enjoying the incredible scenery. Thinking about it makes me miss Europe .

Thanks, *WDW*Groupie*! I've taken note of all of this! I'm sure I'll have more questions later!

Sayhello

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Thanks, *WDW*Groupie*! I've taken note of all of this! I'm sure I'll have more questions later!

Sayhello

We elected not to do the all day Danube cruise that departs from Vienna (it goes down the Danube and comes back up). Our itinerary turned out to be a little longer than a half day. I highly recommend this as the scenery was spectacular and the boat ride was also lovely. However be sure to research this carefully as it is not a course of action most visitors choose (most go with the full day option out of Vienna).

I would consider cruising the Danube as a *must do* activity on a visit to Vienna. Also, I would consider taking additional waltzing lessons as this was an activity that I REALLY enjoyed -- perhaps one of my favorite on the tour (I think I was in the minority on this as most didn't seem to take to it like I did).

 

[sayhello]

We elected not to do the all day Danube cruise that departs from Vienna (it goes down the Danube and comes back up). Our itinerary turned out to be a little longer than a half day. I highly recommend this as the scenery was spectacular and the boat ride was also lovely. However be sure to research this carefully as it is not a course of action most visitors choose (most go with the full day option out of Vienna).

I would consider cruising the Danube as a *must do* activity on a visit to Vienna. Also, I would consider taking additional waltzing lessons as this was an activity that I REALLY enjoyed -- perhaps one of my favorite on the tour (I think I was in the minority on this as most didn't seem to take to it like I did).

Thanks, *WDW*Groupie*! The Danube cruise does sound wonderful, but I can see the appeal of not spending an entire day on it if not necessary.

That's interesting about the waltzing lessons! Traveling solo, I'd probably get paired up with one of the Guides! Not sure how that would work if I signed up for additional lessons on my own. But worth looking into. I love all sorts of dancing!

Sayhello

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Thanks, *WDW*Groupie*! The Danube cruise does sound wonderful, but I can see the appeal of not spending an entire day on it if not necessary.

That's interesting about the waltzing lessons! Traveling solo, I'd probably get paired up with one of the Guides! Not sure how that would work if I signed up for additional lessons on my own. But worth looking into. I love all sorts of dancing!

Sayhello

My ds did not enjoy the dancing, so I was paired up with one of the dancing instructors (the guides were busy snapping photos)! Brush off your dancing shoes -- it was so much fun. I have now added attending a formal Viennese waltz on my bucket list .

 

[sayhello]

My ds did not enjoy the dancing, so I was paired up with one of the dancing instructors (the guides were busy snapping photos)! Brush off your dancing shoes -- it was so much fun. I have now added attending a formal Viennese waltz on my bucket list .

Oh, OK, that makes sense, pairing with the instructors. A formal Viennese waltz... what do you wear???

Sayhello

 

[Cousin Orville]

We just got back from Prague, Vienna and Budapest. Not on an ABD (we had our 5yo and 2yo which ruled out ABD). But still had a fantastic time. I’m strongly considering going back with my oldest on the ABD. My thoughts:

Prague -
My new favorite city in all of Europe. It’s just lovely to walk around and one of the prettiest cities in Europe for me.

Things that we enjoyed that do not appear to be on the ABD itinerary are going inside St. James Cathedral, going inside St. Vitus Cathedral, walking into some of the Synagogues in the Jewish Quarter. We went into the Pinkas Synagogue which has the names of the Czech victims of the Holocaust written on it’s walls, and they had an exhibit (not sure if it was temporary or not) of pictures drawn by children in the concentration camps that no doubt most likely died soon after. Picture a child’s drawing of a grassy field and flower with a sun in the corner, and replace it with a drawing of prison fences and a guard tower in the corner. Makes you want to cry. Very moving. The famous Jewish cemetery is behind the Pinkas Synagogue. On the same comprehensive entrance ticket we also walked over a couple of blocks to the Spanish Synagogue. Absolutely stunning. For reference, I have never been inside a Synagogue before, and a visit to these was a highlight for us.

We ate at a number of good restaurants/taverns. I’m a new found lover of Czech food (very hearty) and pilsner. We also had coffee, apple strudel, and strawberry crepes over at the Cubist Grand Cafe. That was cool and a bit different from the standard central European cafes. Everything is very Cubist in style - very geometrics, lots of right angles. I wouldn’t make it a high priorty, but it was a nice place to relax and wasn’t crowded when we went. If you’re around the area, it’s worth a visit.

We also went to the Mucha museum. I had never heard of him prior to this trip and I’m not sure I fully appreciated what Art Nouveau was before visiting Prague, but the museum is small and beautiful and worth a visit. This was another highlight for me. Both seeing the museum and walking seeing all the building facades in the Art Nouveau style was a pleasure. The best examples of buildings are around the Jewish Quarter. There is a street with Louis Vuitton and Burberry off the old town square and Jewish Quarter. Those buildings on that street (and adjacent streets) are amazing.

Other than that, we walked around a lot. You could walk around Prague for a couple of days without getting bored. The one thing I would also try to do, but couldn’t with children would be to see a concert at night. Especially at the Prague Municipal Hall. As a newly converted Art Nouveau fan, that place is looks beautiful.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Some more pics...

My DW on the left and our 3 little travelers and our Prague guide on the right who was wonderful.

Inside St. James Cathedral. If it's not Baroque... don't fix it. Hehe.

St. James

Opera House where many of Mozart's operas premiered

Pretty little square between the Old Town Square and Charles Bridge. Hard Rock Cafe is on the 1st floor of that elaborately painted building.

My 5yo testing out the Hot Cocoa at Restaurant Mlejnice. I'd recommend this restaurant and U Dvou Sester for casual Czech food.

St. Vitus

Inside St. Vitus

Wenceslas Square - (I would put this on the "B" Column of things to do)

Jewish Cemetery

(
Cubist) Grand Cafe

Inside the Grand Cafe