Catch the Changing of the Guard at Prague Castle on a whistle-stop tour of central Europe’s beautiful cities of Budapest, Prague and Vienna.
What better way to enjoy the glories of three of central Europe’s most beautiful cities than by visiting three countries in one trip? Budapest, Prague and Vienna lie landlocked among photogenic landscapes and within easy access of each other.
Two days in the Czech Republic’s glorious capital city of Prague gives just enough time to experience the Gothic and Baroque delights of the Old Town, see the amazing stained-glass windows in St Vitus Cathedral and watch the Changing of the Guard at Prague Castle. Fit in a morning’s guided tour of the city, stopping off the State Opera, Wenceslas Square – where the Velvet Revolution took place in 1989 – and the jumble of graves in the Jewish Cemetery. Be sure to catch the Procession of the Apostles on the hour at the Astronomical Clock in Old Town Square and dig deep into the city’s cobbled streets to eat in cozy traditional restaurants.
The 250-km (155-mile) train journey south from Prague to Vienna in Austria takes in the remote rolling countryside of South Bohemia; make time in Vienna to see the splendid legacy of the Habsburg dynasty at the Schloss Schönbrunn and perhaps enjoy a night out at the Vienna State Opera. You’ll be spoilt for choice at the museums – head for the world’s premier collection of Klimt paintings at the Belvedere, explore the Habsburg legacy of decorative arts at the Kunsthistoriches Museum or discover 20th-century Austrian art at the Leopold. Foodies should head for the gourmet delights of the Naschmarkt or tuck into strudel and Sacher torte at a traditional Viennese coffee house.
After two days of high-brow Austrian culture, hop aboard the train for the three-hour ride to Budapest, the capital city of Hungary sprawling along the River Danube. Head west over the iconic Chain Bridge to the medieval splendors of UNESCO-listed Buda Castle and check out the city views from Fisherman’s Bastion. Venture back across the river to the fast-paced contemporary city of Pest for majestic churches, concert halls and the monuments of Heroes’ Square. Enjoy the high-end shopping along Andrássy Avenue or Váci utca and maybe even take well-earned time out in the restorative waters of the wildly Baroque Széchenyi thermal baths.
Three Countries, One Trip: Budapest, Prague and Vienna from Budapest Things to Do