austria vs hungary tourism

• Austria , Hungary

Hungary vs. Austria

Table of Contents

These two European gems have something for everyone, whether you’re a history buff, a food lover, or an outdoor enthusiast. Curious to know more about Hungary and Austria and how they measure up against each other? Keep reading to explore the wonders of these two captivating destinations and find the perfect fit for your next adventure.

History & Culture

Hungary and Austria each have rich histories and unique cultures. In this section, you’ll see how they compare.

In Hungary, history comes alive. This country has seen many rulers, from Romans to Turks. As a result, you’ll find diverse influences in its architecture and traditions. Hungarian folk art and music are also important parts of the culture, adding color and joy to your visit.

Austria, on the other hand, has a royal past. The Habsburg Empire left behind grand palaces and elegant buildings. Classical music is huge in Austria, with famous composers like Mozart and Beethoven calling it home. The arts thrive here, giving you a chance to explore galleries and museums.

Both countries have vibrant histories and cultures. If you’re a fan of diverse influences and folk art, Hungary might be the place for you. But if classical music and regal architecture are more your style, Austria could be your perfect destination.

Attractions & Activities

Hungary and Austria both offer amazing attractions and activities for travelers. In this section, you’ll discover what makes each country stand out.

In Hungary, you can explore historic landmarks like Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion. These spots provide stunning views of Budapest, the capital city. For a relaxing experience, head to one of Hungary’s famous thermal baths, like Gellért or Széchenyi. These baths are a perfect way to unwind after a day of sightseeing.

Austria boasts a mix of natural and man-made wonders. You can visit the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna or admire the baroque beauty of Salzburg’s old town. If you love nature, the Austrian Alps offer hiking, skiing, and breathtaking views. The picturesque village of Hallstatt, nestled between mountains and a lake, is another must-see attraction.

Both Hungary and Austria have plenty to see and do. If you enjoy historic sites and relaxing thermal baths, Hungary may be the perfect fit. But if you prefer a blend of natural beauty and architectural marvels, Austria could be your ideal destination.

Eating, Drinking & Nightlife

The culinary scene and nightlife in Hungary and Austria are quite different. In this section, you’ll learn what each country has to offer in terms of food, drinks, and evening entertainment.

Hungarian cuisine is rich and flavorful. You’ll find dishes like goulash, a hearty stew, and chimney cake, a sweet treat. Traditional Hungarian meals are often seasoned with paprika, giving them a unique taste. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes where you can sample these delicious foods.

Austrian food, on the other hand, leans towards savory pastries and comforting dishes. Wiener schnitzel, a breaded and fried veal cutlet, is a must-try. Don’t miss out on their famous apple strudel for dessert. Austrian cuisine offers an array of mouthwatering options to satisfy your cravings.

When it comes to drinking, Hungary is famous for its wines. Tokaji, a sweet dessert wine, is one of the most well-known varieties. You’ll also find excellent reds and whites produced in the country’s wine regions.

In Austria, beer is king. The country has a rich brewing tradition, and you can sample various local brews at beer gardens and pubs. Austrian wines, particularly from the Wachau region, are also worth trying.

Nightlife in Hungary is lively, with Budapest offering a range of bars, clubs, and unique ruin pubs. These converted spaces offer a one-of-a-kind experience, perfect for socializing and enjoying a night out.

Austrian nightlife, especially in Vienna, is more refined. You might attend a classical music concert or enjoy a night at the opera. There are also bars and clubs, but the atmosphere tends to be more relaxed compared to Hungary’s energetic scene.

In conclusion, if you’re seeking flavorful food and lively nightlife, Hungary might be the perfect choice. But if you prefer comforting dishes, excellent beer, and a more relaxed evening atmosphere, Austria could be your ideal destination.

Shopping is an exciting part of any trip, and both Hungary and Austria offer unique experiences. In this section, you’ll learn about shopping opportunities in each country.

In Hungary, Budapest is the shopping hub. You can visit the Great Market Hall, a historic venue with local produce, crafts, and souvenirs. There are also modern shopping malls, like WestEnd City Center, where you’ll find popular international brands.

Austria, particularly Vienna, is known for its elegant shopping streets. The Graben and Kohlmarkt are famous for luxury boutiques and designer stores. If you’re looking for traditional Austrian items, such as hand-painted porcelain or delicate crystal, you can find them in specialty shops throughout the city.

Both Hungary and Austria offer great shopping experiences. If you’re after local crafts and a bustling market atmosphere, Hungary might be your perfect destination. But if high-end boutiques and exclusive designer goods appeal to you, Austria could be the ideal choice.

Accommodation

Finding the perfect place to stay is important when traveling. In this section, you’ll see how accommodation options compare in Hungary and Austria.

In Hungary, you can find a wide range of accommodations, from budget-friendly hostels to luxurious hotels. Budapest offers many charming boutique hotels and guesthouses, allowing you to experience the city’s historic charm while enjoying modern amenities.

Austria also has a variety of lodging options, including cozy inns and upscale hotels. Cities like Vienna and Salzburg feature elegant hotels with impressive architecture and top-notch service. You can also find unique accommodations, such as castle hotels, for a truly memorable stay.

Both Hungary and Austria offer excellent accommodation choices to suit your needs and budget. Whether you prefer budget-friendly options or luxurious stays, you’re sure to find the perfect place in either country.

Family-Friendliness & Children’s Activities

Traveling with family can be a fantastic experience, and both Hungary and Austria have plenty to offer. In this section, you’ll learn about family-friendly activities in each country.

In Hungary, Budapest is a great place for families. The city has several parks, like the beautiful Margaret Island, where kids can play and explore. Families can also visit the Budapest Zoo or the Palace of Wonders, an interactive science museum that will spark children’s curiosity.

Austria is also a family-friendly destination, with a variety of attractions and activities for all ages. You can visit the Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna, one of the oldest zoos in the world, or explore the Haus der Natur, a natural history museum in Salzburg. For outdoor fun, the Austrian Alps provide opportunities for skiing and hiking, perfect for family adventures.

Both Hungary and Austria cater to families with engaging activities and attractions. If you’re looking for city-based entertainment and interactive museums, Hungary might be the ideal destination. However, if outdoor activities and a mix of cultural experiences appeal to you, Austria could be the perfect choice for your family vacation.

Getting There & Getting Around

Traveling to and navigating through a new country can be a crucial part of your trip. In this section, you’ll learn about getting to and around Hungary and Austria.

To reach Hungary, you’ll likely fly into Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport. It’s about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the city center. Several major airlines operate flights to and from Budapest, connecting it with major cities worldwide.

Austria’s main international gateway is Vienna International Airport, located approximately 11 miles (18 kilometers) from Vienna’s city center. With numerous airlines serving the airport, you can easily find flights from major cities around the globe.

Once you’ve arrived in Hungary, public transportation is a convenient way to explore the country. Budapest has an extensive network of buses, trams, and a metro system. Taxis and ridesharing services are also available. For longer distances, trains can take you to other cities and towns.

In Austria, you’ll find an efficient public transportation system, including trains, buses, and trams. Vienna’s metro system is reliable and easy to use. For travel outside the cities, trains connect you to various regions, and driving is another option if you prefer more flexibility.

Both Hungary and Austria have well-developed transportation systems that make getting around a breeze. Whether you choose to explore by public transit or rent a car, you’ll be able to discover the beauty and charm of these two amazing countries.

The weather can play a significant role in your travel experience. In this section, you’ll discover the climate differences between Hungary and Austria.

Hungary’s climate is continental, with warm summers and cold winters. Summer temperatures range from 68°F to 81°F (20°C to 27°C), making it a pleasant time to visit. Winters can be quite chilly, with temperatures ranging from 28°F to 37°F (-2°C to 3°C).

Austria’s climate is also continental but tends to be more moderate due to its location in the Alps. Summer temperatures in Austria are similar to Hungary, averaging between 66°F and 79°F (19°C and 26°C). However, winters in Austria are colder, especially in the mountainous regions, with temperatures ranging from 23°F to 35°F (-5°C to 2°C).

Both Hungary and Austria have distinct seasons, offering different experiences throughout the year. If you prefer warmer weather, summer is a great time to visit either country. For winter sports enthusiasts, Austria’s colder climate and snowy mountains make it an ideal destination.

When planning a trip, safety is always a top concern. In this section, you’ll learn about the safety aspects of Hungary and Austria.

Both Hungary and Austria are considered safe countries for tourists. Common sense and usual precautions, such as not leaving belongings unattended and avoiding poorly lit areas at night, will help ensure a worry-free visit.

In Hungary, petty crimes like pickpocketing can occur in tourist areas, but violent crime is rare. It’s important to be aware of your surroundings, especially in crowded places like public transportation or popular attractions.

Austria has a reputation for being one of the safest countries in Europe. Like Hungary, petty crime is the primary concern, but it is still relatively low compared to other destinations.

One unique aspect of safety in Austria is its mountainous terrain. If you plan to hike or ski in the Alps, make sure to follow safety guidelines and be prepared for changes in weather conditions.

In conclusion, both Hungary and Austria are generally safe destinations for travelers. By staying vigilant and taking common-sense precautions, you can enjoy your trip with peace of mind.

Budgeting for a trip is essential, and understanding the cost of visiting Hungary and Austria will help you plan accordingly. This section compares the expenses you may encounter in both destinations.

Hungary is known for being a budget-friendly destination. Accommodation, food, and transportation are generally more affordable here. For example, a mid-range hotel room might cost around 20,000 HUF (about $65) per night, while a meal in a nice restaurant could be around 4,000 HUF (about $13).

Austria, on the other hand, tends to be more expensive. Accommodation costs in Austria are higher, with a mid-range hotel room averaging about €80 (about $90) per night. Dining out in Austria can also be pricier, with a meal in a nice restaurant costing around €25 (about $28).

Both countries offer a range of options for travelers with different budgets. While Hungary is generally more affordable, Austria provides a more luxurious experience. By researching and planning ahead, you can make the most of your budget and enjoy your time in either destination.

Which Is Better – Hungary or Austria?

Choosing between Hungary and Austria can be a challenge, as each destination offers unique experiences and attractions. Here’s a summary of the main differences to help you decide which country is the best fit for your travel plans.

For history and culture enthusiasts, both Hungary and Austria boast rich heritages and fascinating pasts. Hungary’s unique blend of Eastern and Western influences creates a distinct atmosphere, while Austria’s artistic legacy and imperial history offer an air of sophistication.

When it comes to attractions and activities, Hungary has plenty to offer, from historic sites to thermal baths. Austria, on the other hand, is known for its stunning Alpine landscapes, ideal for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy hiking and skiing.

If your focus is on eating, drinking, and nightlife, both countries have diverse and exciting culinary scenes. Hungary is famous for its hearty dishes and unique wines, while Austria is renowned for its elegant cafes and world-class beer.

For shopaholics, Hungary is a great destination to find traditional handicrafts and local goods. Austria’s shopping scene is more upscale, with designer boutiques and luxury shops.

In terms of accommodation, Hungary is generally more budget-friendly, with a wide range of affordable options. Austria offers more luxurious lodging choices but can be more expensive.

Family-friendliness and children’s activities are abundant in both countries. Hungary has a variety of kid-friendly attractions, while Austria’s picturesque landscape is perfect for family adventures in nature.

Getting to and around both Hungary and Austria is relatively easy. The well-connected transportation networks in both countries ensure a smooth travel experience. However, Austria’s mountainous terrain may require extra planning for those exploring the Alps.

Weather-wise, Hungary and Austria share a continental climate. Hungary tends to have slightly warmer summers and milder winters, while Austria’s winters can be colder, particularly in the Alpine regions.

Safety is a priority for both Hungary and Austria, with low crime rates and a general feeling of security. However, always follow safety guidelines when exploring the outdoors in Austria’s mountainous areas.

Lastly, Hungary is the more budget-friendly option, while Austria offers a luxurious experience at a higher cost.

In conclusion, your choice between Hungary and Austria will depend on your travel preferences, interests, and budget. Hungary is ideal for those seeking a budget-friendly destination with a unique cultural experience. Austria is perfect for travelers seeking a more luxurious trip, with beautiful landscapes and outdoor activities. By considering these factors, you can make an informed decision and plan a memorable trip to either Hungary or Austria.

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Austria Vs. Hungary

SUMMER IDEAS

Mikhil Rialch

Last updated: Apr 3, 2017

Author Recommends

Austria Hello: Guten Tag How are you?: Wie gehts? Do you speak English?: Sprechen sie Englische? Hungary Hello: Szia How are you?: Hogy van? Do you speak English?: Beszel angolul?

Vienna: Take a tour of the Schonbrunn Palace, complete with dinner and a concert. Budapest: Take a bath in the immense pool of the Szechenyi Bath, which is also a natural hot spring.

Austria: Traditional fares like Wiener Schnitzel and apple strudel come highly recommended for those who want to get a taste of Austrian cuisine. Hungary: Magyar cuisine such as goulash is a special delight in Hungary. Hungarians are very proud of their cuisine so be sure to sink your teeth into all their culinary offerings.

Vienna: Vienna is celebrated for its porcelain works, handmade dolls and Jugendstil (art noveau) furniture and jewellery. Budapest: Pottery works from the Herend village and a bottle or two of the traditional palinka (fruit wine) should definitely be on your shopping list.

Vienna: A picture of you with the Melk Abbey in the background is sure to impress the folks back home. Budapest: The neo-Gothic building of the Fisherman’s Bastion gives a sense of the imposing style of Budapest’s architectural milieus.

If there ever was a time to say ‘brothers from the same mother’, this would be it.

Most of you would know that once upon a time, Austria and Hungary were part of the same empire. That is, until World War I came knocking, and engineered a divorce. Neighbouring nations now, Austria and Hungary share a number of features, among them – rivalry.

There’s really not much by way of comparison between the sophistication of Vienna and the cultural munificence of Budapest. Both the cities and their respective countries are worthy contenders for the crown when it comes to travel.

So let’s get down to the specifics, shall we?

Ah, what could be said of Vienna that hasn’t been said before? The capital of Austria and the sentinel of civility itself, Vienna is still reputed to hold over 200 elegant balls every year. Vienna’s reputation as a musical entrepot is well-deserved – with composers such as Mozart, Strauss, Schubert, Beethoven, and Brahms being among its arsenal. The royal palace of Hofburg was once the seat of Austrian and – to a large extent – European power and influence, so make sure you do give it a visit. Art enthusiasts can find their feet to the Kunsthistorisches – housing an enviable collection of the finest arts by the old masters. There’s far too much cultural jewels such as those mentioned here to pack into one trip, so don’t make a heavy schedule. Make sure you give yourself plenty of breaks lounging at one of the many cafes that Vienna is famous for. 

It is said that some of Mozart’s best music was inspired by the views of Salzburg . The birthplace of Mozart, who remains arguably the world’s most famous musical composer, Salzburg is a picturesque mountainous city and the fourth-largest in Austria. Visitors here are spell-bound by the magnificent vistas of medieval fortressed perched atop Alpine scenery, Old Towns such as Altstadt and historical masterpieces such as the 17 th century Baroque Mirabell Palace. Often called the place that inspired the ‘beginning of music’, Salzburg also happens to be the setting for the renowned Von Trapp family, the inspiration behind the popular musical The Sound of Music . Whether you have an ear for music or not, do make sure you visit Mozart’s birthplace and remodelled home.

How to Get There

Vienna and Salzburg are very popular destinations – as is Austria as a whole. So it behoves a traveller to book tickets well in advance because the later one books, the costlier the tickets get. Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Swiss Airlines and good ole’ Air India fly there. If you wish to book your ticket, please search here .

Fast becoming one of Europe’s go-to spots for a holiday, Budapest combines cheap travel costs with the best of what Europe has to offer. From Art Noveau architecture, to an abundance of hot springs and bathhouses that would give Istanbul a run for its money, to a dining culture par excellence and historical landmarks such as the Danube Memorial and the ignoble Terror House – Budapest is awash with tourist fancies. Get a gander of the remarkable cityscape from one of its innumerable bridges, or visit some of the attractions that harken to Hungary’s Golden Age. Budapest is sure to delight you while remaining easy on the pockets (relatively speaking!).

In contrast to the cities mentioned here, Esztergom can only be called a town. But its claims to fame are several – and it offers a much-needed respite from the city scrambles to picturesque town side wanderings along the banks of the Danube River. The cultural and religious seat of influence for the Roman Catholic faith for over a thousand years, Esztergom has a number of historical landmarks up for visit. Unique amongst them is the domed Basilica, mounted atop a hilltop on the Danube. The reflections of the Basilica on the river are sights to die for, by day and by the night. 

Budapest is a very popular destination with Indians so do book in advance. If you have a travel portal account, best use it to avail air miles and discounts on travel because these tickets do not come cheap. Aeroflot, Lufthansa, Air France, Emirates and Etihad Airways are popular carriers operating between India and Hungary. If you wish to book your ticket, please search here .

*All prices are approximate and subject to change.

While Hungary is definitely a cheaper bet than Austria, there is something about the symphony of Salzburg, and the cultural extravaganza of Vienna that draws tourists here. If you are looking to save up on the cash, we’d suggest Hungary . But if you’re a lover of art, architecture, history and music – and have the cash to foot the bills – Austria will reward you and how. 

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  [An * means an affiliate relationship; see footer] City guide | Search the site | April tips

Visiting Vienna

Austria-Hungary

It’s 1867 and time for another formal name change for the Habsburg realms. Say goodbye (sort of) to the Austrian Empire and say hello to Austria-Hungary.

But how did this happen? And why?

• Reboot gave Hungary more autonomy
• But Austria retained control over defence, foreign policy and similar
• Book a tour * of the Habsburg capital
• Previous: The Austrian Empire
• Next: What is Austria?

Revolution and change

(A battle scene from the 1848 revolution in Vienna, published that year by Franz Werner; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 87978; excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)

Censorship and strict control on political freedoms characterised the early 19th century in Vienna, indirectly ushering in the homely Biedermeier era of art, lifestyle, and design.

The human spirit being what it is, though, a backlash was inevitable. So, when a slew of revolutions struck Europe in 1848, the Viennese joined in.

Vienna never rebelled in the same way that, for example, France did. Nevertheless, the disturbances provoked some political change and local liberalisation. For example, Emperor Ferdinand I (son of Franz II/I) abdicated in favour of his young nephew, Franz Joseph .

(Prince Metternich, Austrian chancellor in the early 19th century, spymaster and guardian of the Austrian Empire’s conservative values. He resigned during the 1848 revolution. He’s also why we have Sachertorte . Image courtesy of the Rijksmuseum)

Other Habsburg lands also shared some of that revolutionary spirit. Hungary, in particular, regularly got a bit frisky, even resulting in a brief war of independence in (no surprise) 1848.

The Hungarian “rebels” lost, however, and the Austrian Empire cracked down hard. The emperor dissolved the local Hungarian parliament and effectively introduced totalitarian rule from Vienna.

All these counter-revolutionary efforts by the Habsburg authorities did not, however, put an end to nationalist and liberal sentiments across their territories.

( Hungary / The trials of the soldier in winter ; scenes from the 1848/1849 Hungarian campaign; lithograph by Joseph Albrecht, published by L. Mossbeck, 1849; Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 88638, excerpt reproduced with permission under the terms of the CC0 licence)

Internal and external events continued to chip away at the Habsburg map in the years after 1848.

For example, the Austro-Prussian war of 1866 led to the Venetian lands switching to Italian rule. And the Hungarians were never truly happy with the state of their relationship with their rulers in Vienna.

Franz Joseph eventually decided to redefine the imperial power lines to take the wind out of the sails of Hungarian independence efforts and free up military and other resources tied down keeping Hungary quiet.

Franz Joseph’s wife ( Empress Elisabeth ) was actually a noted supporter of Hungarian causes, which might also have helped influence the emperor’s thought processes.

The result was the 1867 Austro-Hungarian Compromise, which saw our informal Habsburg Empire (now the formal Austrian Empire) officially morph into Austria-Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

(Coin commemorating Franz Joseph’s coronation as King of Hungary in 1867; Josef Tautenhayn d. Ä. (medalist); 1867 (Production), Wien Museum Inv.-Nr. 6991, reproduced under the terms of the  CC BY 4.0 license ; photo: Wien Museum)

This change effectively split the empire into two semi-independent halves: the Kingdom of Hungary and the Austrian Empire. Hungary got back its parliament and authority over most internal affairs, but Franz Joseph remained head of state. So he was both Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary.

On top of all that, certain aspects of political power remained centralised: the monarchy retained authority, for example, over foreign affairs and the military.

So it was Austria-Hungary as a whole and not just the Austrian Empire part that went to war in 1914 under Franz Joseph. Unfortunately for the Habsburgs, World War I would bring about the end of their rule and the birth of modern Austria .

Tip: You can learn a lot about the life and times of Franz Joseph at the Hofburg .

15 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Hungary

Written by Bryan Dearsley Updated Sep 24, 2021

From Hungary's magnificent capital city of Budapest - appropriately called "the city of lights" - to its many quaint villages and fantastic scenery, this Eastern European country evokes a strong sense of history and tradition at every turn. Budapest is justifiably compared to cities such as Prague and even Paris, and as a result has become the country's biggest tourist draw.

But not all the best places to visit and things to do in Hungary are in the capital. Picturesque cities and towns of all sizes in Hungary have preserved their classic old historical attractions. Many of them clearly exhibit influences from a variety of different regional cultures, including everything from Turkish invaders to Italian Renaissance designers.

Hungary's countryside includes some of the most beautiful scenery to be found anywhere in Europe . In fact, wherever you are in Hungary, you're never far from spectacular mountains and lakes, beautiful river scenes (the Danube runs right through the country), and lush valleys. All of these stunning backdrops also provide many great opportunities for adventure sports enthusiasts, including hiking, biking, climbing, camping, and other outdoor activities.

To help you make the most of your sightseeing in this remarkable European country, be sure to refer often to our list of the top attractions and things to do in Hungary.

1. Buda Castle, Budapest

2. the danube river, 3. historic spa towns, 4. esztergom basilica, 5. hungarian parliament building, budapest, 7. the caves of lillafüred, 8. hortobágy national park, 9. the hungarian open air museum, 11. eger castle, 12. pecs cathedral, 13. visegrád royal palace, 14. the buda hills, 15. aggtelek national park & caves, best places to visit near hungary.

When you first set eyes on spectacular Buda Castle (Budavári Palota) in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, you'll appreciate why so many people consider the city the "Paris of the East." This spectacular historic landmark - now a UNESCO World Heritage Site - ranks right up there with Versailles in France in terms of its majestic proportions and wonderful design.

Built on the site of a palace destroyed during the Ottoman Empire's Siege of 1686, this newer structure was rebuilt in the 18th century for the Habsburg monarchy and includes more than 200 rooms. Its symmetrical layout focuses on the lovely 61-meter-high central dome facing the Danube , where you can get stunning views of the castle and the other buildings on Castle Hill .

Parts of the original medieval building have been carefully reconstructed, including the Buzogány Tower and the impressive 15th-century South Tower .

Address: 1014 Budapest, Szent György tér 2, Hungary

Official site: http://budacastlebudapest.com

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Budapest

The beautiful Danube River flows through Hungary from north to south, and as it passes through Budapest, it splits the city in two. One of the best sunset views of the river and of both Buda and Pest is from the Freedom Bridge , a favorite spot for locals who can often be seen watching the spectacle, along with passing boat traffic, from the bridge's huge cables (though at street level).

Other great places from which to view this majestic river are at the Danube Bend , one of the country's most popular recreational and excursion spots. This is where the river winds its way through the heavily wooded Visegrád Mountains before turning sharply south (the river's "knee") towards Budapest. The area is popular with hikers and nature lovers and is included in the many excellent river cruises that travel the Danube from as far as neighboring Austria.

The Danube Cycle Path is a popular way for active travelers to see the river as it winds through the hills between Budapest and Vienna. Stretching all the way from Germany to Budapest, along with constantly-changing river scenery, you'll pass elegant Esztergom, the Roman fort of Kelemantia, and traditional Hungarian villages like Szigetmonostor.

Official site: www.danube-cycle-path.com

If you're looking for a vacation that combines some down time with a rich cultural experience, Hungary certainly delivers. There are many historic spa towns and facilities throughout the country that offer everything from simple bathing in regenerative waters to longer stays in lovely spa resorts.

Hungary's reputation for its hot springs and baths dates back more than 2,000 years to the time of the Romans, who highly valued the healing effects of Hungarian thermal waters. Then, in the 16th century, it was the turn of the Turks who built the many Turkish Baths still in use today.

All told, more than 1,000 springs provide medicinal and thermal water to natural and medical spas. One of the most popular is Lake Hévíz with its 25 degrees Celsius yearly average water temperature. This stunning spot is in fact the largest biologically active thermal lake in Europe.

For those staying in Budapest, excellent spa packages are available at the lovely Szechenyi Thermal Bath (Széchenyi gyógyfürdo), built in 1913, and numerous other locations across the city. It's extremely easy to spend a day in Szechenyi and on its charming grounds.

Official site: http://szechenyispabaths.com/

Dominating the attractive skyline of one of the oldest of Hungarian towns, the spectacular edifice that is Esztergom Basilica (Esztergomi bazilika) is well worth the 46-kilometer journey from Budapest.

Set overlooking the Danube River on Castle Hill, this impressive Catholic church - officially called the Primatial Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary Assumed Into Heaven and St. Adalbert - was built in 1507. Not only is it the country's biggest religious structure, it's also the tallest, with its huge dome stretching 100 meters into the air.

Notable features include its epic altarpiece, a nearly 14-meter-long artwork of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary that holds the record as the world's largest painting. Other notable artworks include Hungary's most important collection of Renaissance-era paintings.

Also worth noting is the massive crypt, added in 1831 and constructed in Old Egyptian style. A visit here will reveal a fascinating underworld of tombs and memorials.

The church is also home to Hungary's largest organ . Built in 1856, this impressive instrument boasts pipes as long as 11 meters. English language guided tours of the church and its impressive Treasury are available and come highly recommended.

Address: Esztergom, Szent István tér 1, 2500 Hungary

Official site: www.bazilika-esztergom.hu/en/

It's hard to miss the spectacularly proportioned Hungarian Parliament Building (Országház) when exploring Budapest. Whether you're taking a tour boat ride along the Danube (highly recommended) or viewing this huge structure from Castle Hill on the opposite bank, you won't fail to be impressed by its palatial appearance and dimensions, a particular treat at night when it's lit up beautifully.

The building is flanked by the no less impressive Ministry of Agriculture building and the Museum of Ethnography. Even if you can't linger here too long, it's fun just spending time wandering around the exterior as you take in the details of one of the largest parliament buildings in all of Europe.

If you have time in your schedule - and assuming parliament isn't sitting - head to the visitor center to check the availability of a guided tour. Available in English, they're well worth it. In less than an hour, you'll be whisked around a handful of the more than 690 rooms the building houses, along with the main entrance hall and its main lobby areas. You'll also get a peek at the nation's crown jewels.

Address: Budapest, Kossuth Lajos tér 1-3, 1055, Hungary

Official site: www.parlament.hu/en/web/house-of-the-national-assembly

Tihany is one of the most popular holiday resorts on Lake Balaton . Originally an island, this tiny peninsula covers just eight square kilometers yet boasts some of Hungary's most extraordinary scenery. Designated a nature reserve, the southwestern section is closed to traffic and is wonderful to explore on foot along the well-marked trail network.

A must-visit landmark in the town itself is the beautiful 17th-century Benedictine Abbey (Tihanyi Bencés Apátság) with its spectacular views of the lake and the surrounding area. It's a particular treat in early spring, when the region's almond trees are in bloom, and in June, when the fragrance of lavender fills the air.

From the abbey, be sure to walk to the lovely old Inner Harbor . Here, you'll find numerous moorings for passenger ships and a pleasant lakeside promenade.

Lillafüred in the Bükk Mountains is another very popular spa destination in Hungary. It's also famous for its many spectacular caves, all within an easy walk of the town. Some of the most interesting to explore are the István Cave with its fantastic stalactite formations, and the Petofi Cave , famous the world over for the impressions of extinct plant species left in its limestone walls.

For a more adventurous hike, take the trail to the Szeleta Cave . Here, you'll see a fascinating collection of relics dating from the Ice Age, including skillfully made arrows and spears. When you're done with all that exploring, take a ride on the old narrow-gauge railway through one of the most rugged part of the mountains.

Located in the eastern corner of the country, Hortobágy National Park (Hortobágyi Nemzeti Park) is what you might call quintessential Hungary. Here, you can explore a variety of superb attractions and fun things to do, all while soaking up the rich culture of the country's people and their traditions.

Established in 1973, the park is part of Hungary's Great Plain, an area that's protected as Europe's biggest natural grassland. Highlights of a visit include catching glimpses of its diverse animal life, including everything from an abundance of birdlife to herds of horses can be seen here. Also fun is spending an evening in its dark sky preserve, which offers incredible stargazing opportunities without the distraction of city lights.

In addition to its informative visitor center and its collection of native fauna to view up close, there are plenty of other things to see. Fun things to do include exploring the area's many hiking and biking trails, or even getting in a little horse riding adventure.

Speaking of horses, a visit to the Herdsman Museum is a must-do. This fascinating tourist attraction provides a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the locals. There's also a Country House worth visiting, which offers a look at domestic life over the centuries.

Official site: www.hnp.hu/en

Another great way to get a taste for traditional Hungarian cultural activities is paying a visit to the world-class Hungarian Open Air Museum (Szentendrei Szabadtéri Néprajzi Múzeum). Established over 50 years ago and only 23 kilometers from downtown Budapest, it has since grown into one of the country's most significant tourist attractions.

Offering visitors a glimpse into traditional life over the ages, this first-rate museum is divided into eight sections, approximating different regions and time periods. Each of these is connected by many pleasant walking trails (expect to do plenty of walking!).

Highlights include the chance to explore working stables and barns, and workshops, including a working blacksmith's shop. For kids, there's also an authentic old steam train that offers fun rides.

Address: Szentendre, Sztaravodai út 75, 2000, Hungary

Official site: https://skanzen.hu/en

The historic city of Sopron is well worth a visit. Located just 64 kilometers south of Vienna and eight kilometers from the Austrian border, it's location near the eastern foothills of the Alps makes it a popular destination for day-trippers.

Its allure stems as much from its attractive surroundings as from its many well-preserved medieval and Baroque buildings. Sopron boasts an impressive 240 protected buildings, 115 of which are officially listed monuments, making it one of the largest such collections in Europe.

All the buildings in the Old Town are found within the confines of the medieval town wall built on Roman ruins. Many of these buildings contain features added from other historical periods, so you'll never know quite what to expect as you explore.

Hungary has many delightful historic forts, castles, and palaces, each steeped in history. One of the best known is Eger Castle (Egri vár). Located in the lovely spa town of Eger on the southern slopes of the Bükk Mountains , Eger Castle once protected the gateway into northern Hungary.

Extended in the 16th century, the "new" design was based on contemporary Italian fortresses, and was again added to after the Turks took over in 1596. Visitors today can explore the remaining towers high above the town, as well as many ruins, all of them providing a sense of the size and strength of this once great fortress.

This spectacular fortress also serves as a convenient place from which to explore the old medieval and Baroque architecture in the lower town, with its excellent restaurants and cafés.

Address: Eger, Vár 1, 3300 Hungary

Official site: www.egrivar.hu/en

Dominating the northwest corner of the fortified Old Town of Pecs stands the picturesque Sts. Peter and Paul's Cathedral Basilica (Szent Péter és Szent Pál székesegyház). Most often referred to simply as Pecs Cathedral, it was built on the site of an ancient Roman burial chapel, the cathedral, like so many historic attractions in Hungary, shows influences from many different cultures.

Founded in 1009, the original church lasted well into the 12th century, was rebuilt, and then suffered even more damage due to Mongol attacks. After years of neglect - including a spell as a mosque and an arms store - the church was completely rebuilt in 1891, creating the splendid structure you see today.

And it's well worth taking the time to explore. Inside, many unique religious artifacts from throughout Hungarian history have been collected and are on display, as are a number of graves from the Early Christian cemetery.

Afterwards, take a walk over to the nearby Mosque of Yakovali Hassan Pasha, with its 22-meter-high minaret and museum. In the center of the Old Town, look for Szénchenyi tér , a lovely medieval marketplace.

Address: Pécs, Dóm tér 2, 7621 Hungary

Official site: https://pecsiegyhazmegye.hu/en/

Located above the beautiful old town of Visegrád in the Danube Bend , just 40 kilometers north of Budapest, and the ruins of Visegrád Royal Palace , this beautiful old citadel is an easy day trip from Hungary's capital. It's well worth including in your Hungary travel itinerary.

The first Royal Palace was built under Charles I after he and his court moved to Visegrád in 1316, and was extended a hundred years later with many Italian flourishes. It soon after gained a reputation as one of the finest palaces in all of Europe.

While now largely ruins - the legendary palace was only "rediscovered" in the 1930s - the palace impresses with its dimensions and incredible views over the Danube and the surrounding area. It's extremely fun to explore as you try to recall what it must have looked like in its heyday. A word of caution, though: Be prepared for plenty of walking.

Address: Visegrád, Fő u. 31, 2025 Hungary

Official site: https://visitvisegrad.hu/en/sights/citadel

The Buda Hills, on the western outskirts of Budapest, rise to heights of more than 518 meters and are crisscrossed by an extensive network of trails, perfect for walking or biking. Numerous bike rental companies can be found throughout the city.

Alternatively, you can take the tram to the terminus of the Cog Railway that climbs to the lovely residential neighborhood Széchenyi-hegy. From here, the narrow-gauge Children's Railway follows a scenic route to Huvösvölgy.

There are also plenty of walking trails from any stop, or you can get off at the highest stop, János-hegy, and ride the Budapest Chairlift down for some of the finest views over the city.

One of the largest and most impressive stalactite caves anywhere in Europe - and the largest in Hungary - Baradla Cave is protected by Aggtelek National Park (Aggteleki Nemzeti Park) in north Hungary on the Slovak border about 2.5 hours by car from Budapest.

The park covers almost 200 square kilometers, much of it also protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The Baradla Cave stretches for more than 25 kilometers, with a seven-kilometer-long main tunnel. Its passages were formed over thousands of years as rain and melting snow eroded away the limestone, with dripping mineral-rich water forming giant stalactites and stalagmites in fantastic shapes and bizarre colors.

Excavations show that the cave was used as a shelter for humans for more than 7,000 years. Three other caves have recently been opened to visitors: the Imre Vass Cave , the Béke Cave , and the Rákóczi Cave .

The park is popular with hikers and walkers from all over Europe. These adventurers follow its network of well-marked trails, and along with guided cave tours , the park offers ecology, zoology, and botanical tours . Guided walks also explore the natural and cultural environment of the village of Jósvafo , where festivals mark the harvest and religious holidays.

Address: Aggtelek National Park Directorate, H-3758 Jósvafo, Tengerszem oldal. 1, Hungary

Official site: http://anp.nemzetipark.gov.hu

After you've seen the top attractions in Budapest and the many other destinations you can reach on fun day trips from Budapest , you may want to tour some of the other major capitals of Eastern Europe, many of them within easy reach by train or car. Our favorites include Bucharest in Romania , as well as the historic (and incredibly beautiful) city of Prague in the Czech Republic .

On the way to Prague, be sure to stop in the Czech city of Brno to admire its landmark modernist architecture. Another great option to consider is to follow the mighty Danube River by boat, bike, or car into beautiful Austria and its capital city of Vienna .

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World Comparison

Austria vs hungary – country comparison.

• Austria , Hungary

Austria vs Hungary: A Comparative Analysis

In the heart of Europe, two countries stand as proud representatives of the rich history and diverse culture that this continent has to offer. Austria and Hungary, neighbors with a shared border, have fascinating stories to tell.

This article aims to provide an in-depth comparison of various aspects of these two nations, ranging from their geographic location and governmental structures to their economic performance. Join us on this enlightening journey as we unravel the unique characteristics that make Austria and Hungary stand out.

Area and Capital:

Austria, a landlocked country, covers an area of approximately 83,871 square kilometers. Its capital, Vienna, is not only the largest city in Austria but also serves as the nation’s political and economic center.

Hungary, on the other hand, boasts a larger land area, spanning over 93,030 square kilometers. Budapest, the enchanting capital of Hungary, gracefully straddles the Danube River, giving the city a mesmerizing charm.

Official Language and Currency:

German is the official language of Austria, reflecting the country’s historic ties with the Germanic region. In Hungary, Hungarian, a unique and distinct language, enjoys the status of being the official language.

As for currency, Austria adopted the Euro in 2002, aligning itself with the economic bloc of the European Union. In contrast, Hungary maintains its own currency, the Hungarian Forint, reflecting the nation’s independent monetary policies.

Government Form:

Austria is a federal parliamentary republic, characterized by a democratic system in which power is shared between the central government and its nine regions. Hungary, on the other hand, follows a unitary parliamentary republic system with a unicameral legislature.

Both countries prioritize democratic principles, ensuring that the voices of their citizens are heard and respected.

GDP per Capita:

When examining the economic performance of two countries, it is crucial to consider the GDP per capita, a measure that reflects the average economic well-being of individuals. As of 2021, Austria boasts a higher GDP per capita compared to Hungary.

With an estimated GDP per capita of around $53,300, Austria enjoys a higher standard of living. In contrast, Hungary’s GDP per capita hovers around $17,600, signaling a relatively lower economic status.

Inflation Rate:

As with any thriving economy, monitoring inflation rates is of utmost importance. In Austria, the inflation rate has remained comparably stable over the years, with recent figures hovering around 1.6%.

Hungary, on the other hand, has experienced slightly higher inflation rates, averaging around 3.2% in recent years. These variations in inflation rates are crucial in understanding the economic climate of each country and the impact it has on their respective populations.

Austria and Hungary, though different in various aspects, share a rich history and a promising future. Their geographic locations, governmental structures, and economic performances shape their identities and impact the lives of their citizens.

By recognizing and appreciating the unique characteristics of each country, we cultivate a deeper understanding of the world around us. As we conclude this comparative analysis, may you embark on further exploration of these fascinating countries and discover the stories that lie beneath their picturesque landscapes and vibrant cities.

Austria and Hungary await your open mind and adventurous spirit. Topic 3: Population

Subtopic 1: Life Expectancy:

A nation’s life expectancy is a crucial indicator of the overall well-being and quality of life of its citizens.

Austria and Hungary both boast respectable life expectancy statistics. In Austria, the average life expectancy stands at around 81 years, placing it among the top countries globally.

This can be attributed to the nation’s robust healthcare system, high living standards, and access to quality education. Hungary, on the other hand, has a slightly lower life expectancy of around 76 years.

While this places Hungary slightly below the global average, the country has made significant strides in recent years in improving healthcare facilities and promoting healthier lifestyles. Subtopic 2: Unemployment Rate:

Understanding a country’s unemployment rate is crucial in gauging the strength and stability of its economy.

Austria has maintained a relatively low unemployment rate compared to many European nations, averaging around 4% in recent years. This low unemployment rate can be attributed to Austria’s strong labor market policies and its emphasis on vocational education, which equips individuals with the skills needed to succeed in the job market.

Hungary, on the other hand, has had a higher unemployment rate, hovering around 6% in recent years. However, it’s important to note that Hungary has seen a gradual decline in unemployment rates, thanks to government initiatives aimed at boosting job creation and economic growth.

Subtopic 3: Average Income:

Average income is a crucial factor in determining the economic well-being of a nation’s population. In Austria, the average income stands at approximately $52,000 per year.

This relatively high average income reflects the nation’s strong economy, productive labor force, and favorable business environment. Hungary, on the other hand, has a lower average income, estimated at around $23,000 per year.

However, it’s important to note that Hungary is still transitioning from being a centrally planned economy to a market-oriented one. As such, efforts are being made to improve income levels and reduce income disparities among the population.

Topic 4: Infrastructure

Subtopic 1: Roadways and Harbors:

Infrastructure plays a vital role in economic development and connectivity. Both Austria and Hungary have invested significantly in their transportation networks, ensuring efficient mobility for their citizens and facilitating trade.

Austria, known for its well-maintained road network, boasts over 200,000 kilometers of roads, connecting cities and towns across the country. Additionally, Austria’s location alongside the Danube River provides access to several modern harbors, facilitating transport and trade within Europe.

Hungary, too, has a comprehensive road network, spanning over 160,000 kilometers and connecting major cities and rural areas. The country also boasts the Danube River, which enables transportation via its harbors and facilitates trade with neighboring countries.

Subtopic 2: Passenger Airports:

Air transportation is essential for international connectivity and tourism. Both Austria and Hungary have well-developed airports that serve as hubs for domestic and international travel.

Vienna International Airport, located in the capital of Austria, is the country’s main international gateway. It not only handles a significant number of international passengers but also offers numerous domestic flights connecting different regions of Austria.

In Hungary, Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport serves as the primary airport and acts as a key connection point for travelers in Eastern Europe. With its modern facilities and a wide range of international flights, Budapest Airport helps drive tourism and economic growth in the region.

Additionally, both countries have regional airports that contribute to domestic travel and regional economic development. In conclusion, Austria and Hungary share numerous similarities and differences when it comes to population and infrastructure.

While Austria boasts higher life expectancy, a lower unemployment rate, and a higher average income, Hungary is gradually closing these gaps through various initiatives. In terms of infrastructure, both countries have invested significantly in roadways, harbors, and passenger airports, ensuring efficient transportation and connectivity for their citizens.

Understanding these factors helps us appreciate the unique characteristics of each nation and opens up a world of possibilities for exploration and collaboration. Topic 5: Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)

Subtopic 1: Population Below the Poverty Line:

The issue of poverty is a critical concern for any nation, and understanding the percentage of the population living below the poverty line provides valuable insights into the socio-economic landscape.

In Austria, the percentage of the population below the poverty line is relatively low, standing at around 14%. This can be attributed to the country’s robust social welfare system, comprehensive healthcare coverage, and strong focus on education and skills development.

Hungary, on the other hand, faces a higher poverty rate, with approximately 26% of its population living below the poverty line. Despite efforts to reduce poverty levels, Hungary continues to grapple with income disparities and social challenges, especially in rural areas.

Subtopic 2: Human Freedom Index:

The Human Freedom Index (HFI) measures the level of personal, political, and economic freedom enjoyed by the citizens of a country. Austria and Hungary both have respectable scores on the HFI, reflecting their commitment to safeguarding individual liberties.

Austria consistently ranks high on the index, attributing its success to a strong democratic framework, respect for human rights, and a favorable business environment. Hungary, although slightly lower on the index, still maintains a relatively high level of human freedom.

However, concerns have been raised in recent years regarding restrictions on media freedom and the independence of the judiciary, which have led to a decrease in Hungary’s HFI score. Efforts are underway to address these issues and strengthen human freedom within the country.

Topic 6: Percentage of Internet Users

Subtopic 1: English-Speaking Population:

The internet has become an indispensable tool for communication, information sharing, and economic growth. Understanding the percentage of English-speaking internet users within a country provides insights into their digital connectivity and global interaction.

In Austria, English proficiency is comparatively high, with a large percentage of the population being able to communicate in English. As a result, the country enjoys a significant number of English-speaking internet users, allowing for seamless interaction with the global digital community.

Hungary, although not as proficient in English as Austria, has made significant strides in recent years to improve English language education. As a result, the number of English-speaking internet users has steadily increased, facilitating cross-cultural exchange and attracting international business opportunities.

As we delve into the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), we gain a deeper understanding of the levels of corruption, poverty, human freedom, and digital connectivity within Austria and Hungary. While Austria exhibits lower poverty rates and higher human freedom, Hungary faces certain challenges that require attention and reform.

However, both countries are actively working towards addressing these issues and creating greater opportunities for their citizens. By recognizing and acknowledging these factors, we can contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding transparency, socio-economic development, and individual liberties.

Moreover, as we explore the percentage of internet users, we witness the power of connectivity and language proficiency in shaping a nation’s digital landscape. Both Austria and Hungary have embraced the digital age, with a significant portion of their populations accessing the internet.

In Austria, the proficiency in English enables seamless communication and interaction with the global digital community, while Hungary is steadily increasing its English language skills to enhance its connectivity. This not only fosters cross-cultural exchange but also stimulates economic growth and innovation.

As we conclude this comprehensive analysis, it is evident that Austria and Hungary share similarities and differences in areas such as corruption, poverty, human freedom, and internet usage. Acknowledging these nuances highlights the progress made and the areas that require further attention.

By continually striving for improvement, these countries pave the way for a brighter and more prosperous future for their citizens.

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A guide to visiting Czechia, Poland, Hungary, Austria, and Slovakia in 1 trip

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Central and Eastern Europe are regions worth exploring because of their distinct history, architecture, and culture. Prague, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, and Bratislava are popular destinations for travelers exploring the region. The area is also a personal favorite because of all the things that I’ve mentioned and except for Vienna and Salzburg, the places in this itinerary are affordable destinations.  

Getting a visa

Some of the basic requirements for visa applications include:

• Valid passport
• Photo (35x45mm)
• Accommodation confirmation
• Application form
• Proof of occupation or business registration
• Proof of funds (bank certificate, credit card statements, bank statements, etc.)

Contact the embassy you’ll apply in or visit their VFS page for a complete list of requirements.

For this itinerary, you can either start in Prague (Czechia) or Vienna (Austria). I’ve gotten two Schengen visas from both countries. You can check their VFS pages here:

Get into Europe

For this itinerary, you’ll start in Prague then return to Manila from Vienna. I often use Skyscanner to find affordable flights then book directly with an airline. Use the multi-city option to book tickets.

Get out of the airport

It’s easy to get to the city center from Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague. The most convenient and straightforward way is to take the Airport Express bus. The fare is around CZK100.

Currencies 

The countries in this itinerary are all in the European Union. However, not all of them use the euro (€). Austria and Slovakia use the € while Czechia uses Czech Koruna (CZK), Poland uses zloty (zl), and Hungary uses Forint (HUF). You can use PH debit and credit cards during your trip. Bring euros and change only small amounts if you need to pay in cash. 

Itinerary and places to visit

*This itinerary assumes you’ll start with one full day.

Get around Prague

You might not have to take public transportation if you’re an avid walker. However, the city is well connected with trams, buses, and a metro rail network to make exploring the city convenient. You can purchase a 24-hours transportation ticket for roughly CZK120. 

On your first full day in Prague, grab a quick bite and/or coffee and head out early to the old town to avoid the huge crowds. The historic center is one of the loveliest places in the city despite the crowds as the day goes on. The area is surrounded by beautiful buildings that are centuries old, restaurants, and cafes. Here you’ll find the town hall and the Astronomical Clock. Not too far from the clock is another famous landmark, the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn. 

After exploring the square, make your way to the Klementinum. You’ll have to join a tour of the interior to get inside. Here you’ll find one of the most beautiful libraries in Europe and fetching overlooking views of the city. Head on over to Wenceslas Square. Take your time and admire the city. The square dates to the 14 th century when it used to be a horse market. Fast forward to today, it’s a popular place for events and gatherings. Here you’ll find the National Museum and numerous cafes, fast food chains, restaurants, and small food joints. You can have lunch here before heading out to other attractions in the city.

After eating, take the tram or walk to another famous destination, the Dancing House. Frank Gehry designed this modern architectural gem in the city. The curves of the building make it seem like a couple is dancing (hence the name!). After taking several photos, head on over to Vysehrad. The latter is a centuries old fortress overlooking the Vltava River. During ancient times, kings would stop here to pay their respects to their ancestors before their coronation.

After a long day of walking and sightseeing, you can get something to eat at Wenceslas Square or the old town square.

• CZK250 – National Museum
• CZK300 – Klementinum
• CZK300 – Astronomical Clock (inside) 
• CZK90 – Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in Vysehrad

On your second day, explore a different part of the city. After breakfast, make your way to Charles Bridge. The bridge is one of the oldest in Europe, dating to the 1350s. It provides beautiful views of the river and the city as you approach either side of it. Many statues of important figures line the bridge as you cross such as Emperor Charles IV, St. Wenceslas, St. John the Baptist, St. John of Nepomuk, and others.

Before heading for the castle, make a quick stop at the John Lennon Wall. Here you’ll find all sorts of graffiti commemorating the late Beatles member. After taking photos, take a leisurely walk to the Prague Castle complex. The area is surrounded by beautiful architectural gems, restaurants, cafes, and shops. You might want to grab a bite somewhere here if you want to eat lunch already.

On your way up to the castle, you might want to enter the baroque St. Nicholas Church. This 18 th century church has a fetching façade and interiors full of frescoes and statues. After a quick visit to the church, head on over to the castle. 

Prague Castle dates to 870 AD when it was a walled fortress. The castle grounds have grown over the centuries. You’ll find attractions such as the St. Vitus Cathedral, Vladislav Hall, Old Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica, and others within its walls. The castle provides visitors with beautiful overlooking views of the city. The castle complex is huge and takes some hours to explore. The grounds are also a popular spot for a night visit.

Prague is lovely at night regardless of where you explore and linger. The castle grounds, Wenceslas Square, and the old town square are popular spots for visitors. You can end your days in any of these places.

• CZK100 – St. Nicolas Church
• CZK250 – Prague Castle combo ticket  

After doing most of your sightseeing the first two days, take your time and revisit your favorite spots in the city or visit other neighborhoods and attractions before you take the overnight bus to Krakow. 

You can look for schedules and book bus tickets here.

Get around Krakow

Krakow is easy to explore on foot. Most of the attractions are within walking distance of each other. The furthest I walked was to the Jewish quarter. If you want to move around quickly, there are trams and buses. A single journey costs anywhere between zl3.80 to zl6 depending on the validity and zone. You can purchase a 24-hours travel card for zl15 (zone 1) or zl20 (zones 1 and 2). There are travel cards for longer stays. You could also use the ride hailing app Bolt. Using this is affordable since the city is quite small.

You’ll most likely arrive early in the morning, head straight to your accommodation, and leave your things to hit the ground running. Grab something to eat at a café or bakery that’s open early. After eating, make the Wawel Castle complex your first stop. 

The castle complex dates to the 16 th century. Fast forward to today, the area is now home to multiple museums with displays and exhibits showcasing the lives of the royal court and the history of Poland. You can choose which among the exhibits you’d like to see such as the state rooms and/or royal apartments and others. After exploring the castle, make your way to Wawel Cathedral. The cathedral played an important role in the history of the country. This was where the Polish royal families held coronations, baptismal ceremonies, weddings, and funerals. The interior is opulent with many beautiful chapels built over the centuries. 

After spending half a day exploring the Wawel Castle grounds, make your way back to the old town for the afternoon. The neighborhood feels like you stepped back in time with its cobblestone streets and centuries-old buildings and churches. Experience the hustle and bustle of market square, one of the biggest medieval town squares in Europe. The centuries old Cloth Hall used to be a main trading stop for merchants swapping goods for salt from Wieliczka. You’ll also find the fetching St. Mary’s Basilica not too far from the Cloth Hall. Inside you’ll find a striking altarpiece, nave, and stained-glass windows.  

End your day in one of the cafes, restaurants, and pubs in the old town.

• zl22 – Wawel Cathedral
• zl30-35 – Wawel Castle, visit here to purchase tickets online
• zl15 – St. Mary’s Basilica

On your second day, go on a day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Wieliczka Salt Mine. I would recommend booking an organized tour to maximize your day and visit both places efficiently. I booked a tour through GetYourGuide . There are tours for just Auschwitz-Birkenau or the salt mine if you don’t have the budget for a combined trip. 

The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum is a former concentration camp the Nazis used. The Nazis imprisoned more than a million Jews in this concentration camp, many of which either died because of dire living conditions or murder. Prepare for a heartbreaking experience from start to finish as the guide illustrates the modes of torture or murder, and they’ll also show you the poor living quarters the prisoners endured. You’ll see photos of prisoners and exhibits of clothes, pots, shoes, pans, and even hair which the Nazis intended to sell. 

After your visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau, your guide will take you to the salt mine but before the tour starts, you’ll have a lunch break. Eat at one of the cafes or restaurants in the area.

IMO the Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of the highlights of a trip to Poland. The salt mine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors are allowed to see a few sections of the mine. You’ll have to follow your guide as you weave your way through chambers and up and down stairs. Each stop provides you with insights into how people extracted salt from the mine. You’ll also see detailed and fetching sculptures made of salt. After the tour, your guide will take you back to the city. Grab dinner in one of the restaurants in the old town or anywhere in the city.

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After breakfast, check out of your accommodation and leave your bags in the storage room. Make your way to the city’s Jewish quarter.

Make Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory your first stop. Oskar Schindler managed to save more than a thousand Jews during the Holocaust. He insisted that they were important to the production of enamelware in his factory. Steven Spielberg also made a movie about his actions in Schindler’s List, which came out in 1993. Some say Schindler was a hero while others say he was just an opportunist. You’ll get to know more about the complex decisions he made during the Nazi Occupation. Other than exhibits about Oskar Schindler, the factory is also a museum depicting different events during World War II and exhibits about various aspects of life during that time. 

You may have noticed an area with empty chairs on your way to the Enamel Factory. These are a memorial to the Jews whom the Nazis forced to relocate. After a day of exploring the Jewish Quarter, you can return to the old town area to relax and eat while waiting for your overnight bus bound for Budapest.

• zl37 – Schindler’s Enamel Factory

Get around Budapest

Like the other cities on this list, Budapest is easy to move around in whether you go on foot or take public transportation. I often walked but also took the trams, buses, and metro during my visit. You can buy a 24-hour pass for HUF2,500 and a 72-hour pass for HUF5,500. 

After dropping your bags at your accommodation, make your way to St. Stephen’s Basilica. The church draws tourists with its remarkable façade. The church was only dedicated in 1905 because of numerous setbacks when construction started in the 1850s. The church is named after and dedicated to the country’s holy king, St. Stephen. The interiors are just as fetching as its exteriors with its mosaics, bronze reliefs, statues, and altarpiece. 

Make your way to the Hungarian Parliament Building, one of the most striking architectural gems in Hungary. The walk to the building will take you through one of the prettiest parts of the city. The Parliament Building’s inauguration in 1886 marked the 1,000 th anniversary of the country. Take a few photos (or many) and grab brunch in one of the cafes and restaurants nearby. FYI this side of the city also provides you with great views of Buda and its most recognizable landmarks such as the Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, Buda Castle, and a couple of pretty churches. As you walk further away from the Parliament Building, you’ll see a memorial which is the Shoes on the Danube. The latter are a collection of shoes memorializing the victims of the Nazis. 

After crossing the river, make your way up to Castle Hill. You can take the funicular but walking up is free. Buda Castle is an 18 th century relic that towers over the hill. It’s home to museums such as the Budapest History Museum and the Hungarian National Gallery. The castle grounds, courtyards, and the surrounding area take you back to a different time. The Buda Castle Complex is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

After exploring the castle grounds, make your way to Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church. The church immediately grabs your attention with its striking exterior. It dates to 1269 and later became a mosque during the occupation of the Turks. It became a church again when the Turk’s occupation ended. Over the centuries, it has been the venue of many historic events such as coronations. You can go up the tower for overlooking views of the Danube River and the Pest side of the city for a fee. However, you can get similar views from the Fisherman’s Bastion for free. The Fisherman’s Bastion comprises of an assortment of more than a century old colonnades, towers, walls, and courtyards. 

You can spend the rest of the afternoon here until sunset. The view of the Parliament Building from here is one of the best in the city. The Buda Castle complex, Matthias Church, and the Hungarian Parliament Building are all lit up at night. You can take several night pictures while making your way back to your accommodation or a place to eat. If you’re looking for a place to hang and get drinks, drop by Szimpla Kert. It’s one of the most famous ruin bars in Budapest.

• HUF2,500 – Matthias Church

Grab breakfast or brunch in Budapest Central Market Hall. Here you’ll find shops, restaurants, and food stalls. You can’t leave Hungary without trying langos (fried bread with toppings) and Hungarian sausage (of course!). After getting your fill of Hungarian food, make your way to the City Park. Here you’ll find the Heroes and the Millennium Monument. Take some photos and check out the Vajdahunyad Castle. There are museums scattered in different parts of the park or just outside it if you want to check them out, these include the Museum of Fine Arts and Palace of Art. One of the main draws of the area is the famous Szechenyi Thermal Bath. The latter is one of the most popular in Budapest. If you have the budget and want to spend a few hours dipping in hot waters, Szechenyi is the spot for you. Check their website out for prices. 

Spend the remainder of the day exploring different neighborhoods in Budapest. The Jewish Quarter has some nice, restaurants, cafes, and bars. The city itself is quite lovely. I enjoyed walking around. Budapest is a nice city to just chill around.

Check out of your accommodation and spend your last day in Budapest hanging out in your favorite spots in the city or visiting other attractions. Buy souvenirs or shop for whatever floats your boat. The city is one of the cheapest places to visit in Europe. Take the late afternoon train bound for Vienna. You could also eat an early dinner in Budapest (because it’s much cheaper!) and then take an evening train to Vienna. 

Look for schedules and book tickets:

• For Hungary trains
• For Austria trains

After arriving in Vienna, check in your accommodation and look for a place to eat, if you haven’t eaten yet. There are limited options in the train station or go to the city center to look for more places to eat.

Get around Vienna

Vienna is a walkable city with many of its attractions placed near each other or within walking distance of a tram, bus, or metro stop. Walking is still your cheapest option, but if you want to reduce traveling time, public transportation is a convenient and affordable option. You can purchase a 24-hour ticket for €8, a 48-hour ticket for €14.10, or a 72-hour ticket for €17.10. Don’t forget to validate your ticket at one of the machines before boarding. If you plan to do a lot of sightseeing per day, you can get a Vienna City Card. You can buy a 24-hour card for €17, a 48-hour card for €25, and a 72-hour card for €29. The card isn’t just for unlimited public transportation use, but it also provides discounts to some attractions. Read more about the card here.

Check out of your accommodation and grab something to eat before exploring the city. Make your way to Karlskirche or St. Charles Church. This fetching baroque building dates to 1737. After a quick stop, head straight for Stephansplatz. The most prominent and popular attraction in this part of the city is the St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The cathedral has a history dating to the 12 th century. It has undergone many renovations and additions since then with a mix of different architectural influences such as Gothic and Romanesque. The interior is just as lovely as the exterior. The cathedral is surrounded by various shops, cafes, and restaurants. 

Vienna is a city of museums, art galleries, statues of famous people, and fetching architecture. There’s many within walking distance of the cathedral. The Hofburg is a historic palace that used to be the seat of the Habsburgs. Fast forward to modern times, it’s now used by the President of Austria. Some parts of the palace are open to tourists and serve as museums. Other museums include the Albertina, Museum of Natural History, and the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Drop by some of the most striking architectural works in the city which include the Rathaus and the Vienna Opera House. After sightseeing and eating, make your way back to your accommodation. Take the late afternoon train bound for Salzburg.

• €17.50 – Sisi Museum Hofburg
• €18.90 – Albertina 
• €8 – Karlskirche 

Check out of your accommodation and grab something to eat before exploring Salzburg. Before heading to the old town, drop by Mirabell Palace. The latter is a popular attraction because it was one of the filming locations of “The Sound of Music.” Visitors can only enter a few rooms inside the palace. The garden is also quite lovely for a leisurely stroll. Make your way to Salzburg’s charming old town.  

The historic center oozes with plenty of old-world charm with its architecture and laid-back atmosphere. Explore the quaint squares such as the Residenzplatz and Mozartplatz and narrow lanes. There are also many cafes and restaurants where you can rest, relax, and soak the ambiance in. Salzburg has plenty of beautiful churches such as the Salzburg Cathedral, Collegiate Church, St. Sebastian’s Church, and St. Peter’s Church. You’ll also find Mozart’s Birthplace (which is now a museum) in the city.

After lunch, spend the afternoon exploring Fortress Hohensalzburg. The fort is the most prominent feature of the city’s skyline. It provides beautiful views of the city below. The fort has a history that spans centuries dating to 1077. The complex is home to museums such as the Prince’s Apartments, Church of St. George, and the Fortress Museum.

After exploring Salzburg, take the train back to Vienna. 

How to get to Salzburg: There are regular trains departing from Vienna to Salzburg. Buy your tickets weeks before your planned trip to get the lowest possible price. Look for schedules and prices here.  

• €5 – Salzburg Cathedral
• €10.80 – Fortress Hohensalzburg basic ticket

Get an early start so that you can spend a whole day exploring Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. The main tourist sites are concentrated in the historic center and just outside of it. If you’re hungry, you can grab a bite somewhere in the old town. After eating, check out the Church of St. Elizabeth or more popularly known as the Blue Church. It dates to 1909 and has drawn the attention of tourists because of its distinct bright blue color. Make your way back to the old town square to see some of the city’s highlights. One of the fetching buildings you’ll see while exploring is the Primate’s Palace. The latter dates to the 18 th century and is the venue where the Holy Roman Emperor and Napoleon signed the Peace of Pressburg in 1805. 

Another landmark you’ll see while walking around the old town is the towering Michael’s Gate. The latter is a vestige of the walks constructed in the 14 th century. Wander around Kapitulska Street and Hviezdoslav Square. You may have noticed some quirky statues while walking around the old town. One of the most popular and most photographed is Cumil, a statue of a worker sticking his head out of a manhole. If you’re already hungry after all that walking, you can eat in the old town before heading out to the castle in the afternoon.

You’ll immediately notice Bratislava Castle looming over the old town from a distance. It’s one of the most recognizable places in the city. The castle provides visitors with overlooking views and is also a museum with exhibits, displays, and paintings. After exploring the castle, you can return to Vienna or spend the evening and have dinner in the city.  

How to get to Bratislava: The cheapest way to reach this Slovakian city is by bus from Vienna. The one-way trip takes around 1.5 hours. I would recommend buying a return ticket for this day trip. You can book tickets here. 

• €12 – Bratislava Castle

Spend half a day exploring the Schonbrunn Palace complex. The palace has a long history that spans three centuries. It used to be the summer residence of the Habsburgs. It has more than a thousand rooms and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some of the notable stops while touring the palace include the Walnut Room, Imperial Apartments, and the rooms of Empress Maria Theresa. After visiting some of the rooms of the palace, you can wander around the gardens. Other places you can visit while in the palace complex include Gloriette, Privy and Orangery Gardens, and the Maze and Labyrinth. 

How to get to Schonbrunn Palace: 

Board a U4 line metro and alight at Schonbrunn. You can also board tram 10 or 16 and alight at Schonbrunn. Bus 10 A can also get you to the palace complex. 

For the rest of the day, you can check out the museums you didn’t visit during your first day in Vienna. I only visited the Albertina during my visit. Some of the works you’ll see there include Picasso, Modigliani, Cezanne, Miro, and others. The Albertina also has temporary exhibits. I got to see some of Andy Warhol’s works when I visited. If you want to see another palace, the Belvedere is an option. 

Fees: 

• €29 – Schonbrunn Palace Grand Tour ticket
• €34 – Schonbrunn Palace Classic Pass and other attractions
• Visit  here for more information about ticket prices and passes.
• €16.70 – Upper Belvedere Palace ticket
• €14.60 – Lower Belvedere Palace ticket

Depending on your chosen departure time, you might have one day left in Vienna. You can spend the day visiting another museum if it’s within your budget, shop for souvenirs or whatever you fancy, or simply just hang out in one of the cafes or restaurants somewhere around St. Stephen’s Cathedral. After a hectic two weeks traveling around Central and Eastern Europe, might as well spend your last day relaxing.

How to get to the airport: Public transportation is your most affordable option. 

A ticket bound for the airport costs €9.50 with reduced prices for those that fit into the categories. 

Check here for more information.

You can take the express train (S-Bahn line 7) for around €4.80 or the CAT (City Airport Train) for €14.90. The CAT train only departs from Wien Mitte Station. 

Check here if you’re taking the CAT.

How much will you spend?

Except for Vienna and Salzburg in Austria, the other cities in this itinerary are budget-friendly. A budget of roughly €60 a day covers public transport, 1-2 paid attractions a day, food and drinks from supermarkets, groceries, and bakeries, the occasional meal in a budget restaurant, a day trip, and a bed in a hostel dorm. This is a rough average daily budget. You’ll spend more or less depending on the city. This budget doesn’t include flights, nights out, and shopping.

Vienna and Salzburg can cost you up to €80 a day while Budapest is one of the cheapest cities in Europe. You can spend just around €40 a day in Budapest following the same spending habits mentioned earlier. You’ll spend around €50 a day in Prague and Bratislava. Your budget for Krakow depends on whether you do the tour to both the salt mine and Auschwitz-Birkenau or if you don’t do any at all. If you decide to go on an organized day tour to both, your budget is around €70 a day. If you don’t bother going and just stay in the city, your budget is around €50. 

You can go over the €60 a day budget if you can afford it and prefer staying in private rooms. You have plenty of accommodation types to choose from. Sky’s the limit for big time spenders.

Money saving tips

The most expensive country for this trip is Austria and all the others are affordable European destinations. However, you can still save money during each stop.

• Consider staying in a hostel dorm. You not only save money but can also meet and make new friends. This is an option if you’re traveling alone.
• The cheapest meals, food, and drinks you can buy are in supermarkets, kebab joints, bakeries, and pizza places. 
• If you want to sample local food at a restaurant, eat out for lunch because it’s cheaper than dinner.
• Buy the day or multi-day transportation passes. This pays off quickly when you take multiple trips on the bus or metro. However, walking is still your cheapest option to get around.
• If you’re doing a lot of sightseeing in a short amount of time, consider buying a city pass which includes multiple attractions and activities.
• Buy your bus and train tickets weeks in advance, prices are usually cheaper this way.

– Rappler.com

Joshua Berida is a writer that loves to travel. He blogs at  www.thewanderingjuan.net .

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Austro-Hungarian Empire

• 2 Understand
• 3 Get around
• 5.1 Austria
• 5.2 Hungary
• 5.3 Bosnia-Herzegovina
• 5.4 Croatia
• 5.5 Czech Republic
• 5.8 Romania
• 5.10 Slovakia
• 5.11 Slovenia
• 5.12 Switzerland
• 5.13 Ukraine
• 6 Itineraries

The Austro - Hungarian Empire (German: Österreichisch-Ungarische Monarchie , Hungarian: Osztrák–Magyar Monarchia ) and its predecessors (the Habsburg Monarchy, and the Austrian Empire) dominated Central Europe and the northern Balkans from the end of the Middle Ages until its collapse at the end of World War I . At the time of its greatest extent, in the mid-19th century, it spanned about a thousand miles (1600 km) from Pavia in Northern Italy to Ternopil in Western Ukraine.

The empire was ruled by the House of Habsburg, arguably Europe's mightiest dynasty. All countries within the Austro-Hungarian realm are republics today, very few people with memories from the empire are alive, and very few heirs to the Habsburg family are left; still, many palaces and artefacts have survived to this day. And even though the Cold War has severed many ties, feelings of kinship and cooperation still and once more exist between the former parts of the empire.

During the 19th century, the empire was often seen as horrendously "backward" and in an era of rising nationalism it was dubbed "prison of nations". However, the "Austrian" half of the empire in particular granted remarkable linguistic and cultural rights for minorities and in the 21st century, the attempt at peaceful multi-ethnic coexistence – however flawed it was – is often retrospectively seen as something lost in the catastrophic World War I , rather than a "backwardness" to be replaced by ethnically cleansed nation states.

Regions [ edit ]

Empire of Austria (Cisleithania) :

2. Bukovina

3. Carinthia

4. Carniola (see Slovenia )

5. Dalmatia (including the Bay of Kotor )

6. Galicia (see Małopolskie , Podkarpackie and Western Ukraine )

7. Austrian Littoral (see Istria , Gorizia - Gradisca , and Trieste )

8. Lower Austria

9. Moravia (see North Moravia and Silesia and South Moravia )

10. Salzburg

11. Silesia (see North Moravia and Silesia )

12. Styria (including Eastern Slovenia )

13. Tyrol (including South Tyrol )

14. Upper Austria

15. Vorarlberg

Kingdom of Hungary (Transleithania) :

16. Hungary including Slovakia , Burgenland , Transylvania , Crișana , Maramureș , Banat and Vojvodina

17. Croatia - Slavonia

• Fiume (un-numbered)

Austro-Hungarian Condominium :

18. Bosnia and Herzegovina

Older provinces, lost before the Great War

• Lombardy - Venetia

Overseas possessions:

• Tianjin (part)

Understand [ edit ]

The Early Middle Ages saw the rise of monarchies and city-states in Central Europe, which came to be united in the Frankish Empire . The empire was divided in the 10th century, with most of Germanic Europe being split in a complex patchwork of city-states. From AD 962, many of them were united in a loose confederation known as the Holy Roman Empire , with the claim to succeed the ancient Roman Empire . The German word for Emperor, Kaiser , as well as the Russian equivalent czar , derives from the name "Caesar", that was pronounced rather similarly to the modern German word "Kaiser" in classical Latin. Over the centuries, the Holy Roman Empire lost power to local rulers, and the Emperor became an electoral position of mostly sentimental value.

Meanwhile, the East Roman Empire survived as the Byzantine Empire, ruled from Constantinople. As the city was lost to the Ottoman Empire who changed the capital's name to Istanbul , both the Ottomans themselves and the Russian Empire claimed succession from Rome. The Ottomans and Russia came to be Austria's main rivals, though occasionally their allies.

The house of Habsburg, whose ancestral seat is in the Swiss canton of Aargau , ascended the throne of Austria in 1282. From 1438 to 1806 the dynasty almost continually held the titles of German king and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. From 1516 to 1700, the Habsburgs also controlled the vast Spanish Empire . Ferdinand I of Austria was elected King of Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic ) in 1526 and annexed Hungary in the same year, thereby also acquiring Croatia and Slovakia .

While the Protestant Reformation swept northern Europe, Austria remained Catholic. In the early 17th century, Protestant states revolted against the Holy Roman Empire. The conflict evolved to the Thirty Years' War , in which the Holy Roman Emperor lost all significant power outside Austria and Bohemia. The multiethnic Habsburg Monarchy, lying partly within and partly outside the Empire, became a great power in its own right, and a destination on the Grand Tour . Vienna became a centre for European classical music and other arts, boasting composers such as Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert.

Following the 1789 French Revolution, the Kingdom of France became Austria's main rival in the French Revolutionary Wars, and later the Napoleonic Wars . Napoleon Bonaparte became Emperor of the French in May 1804 to usurp the Imperial glory. He planned to conquer more of Europe, and thereby chances to be elected as Holy Roman Emperor. Francis II styled himself Emperor of Austria two months later, to secure his title. In 1805, Napoleon defeated Austria, and forced them to cede much territory. Francis formally dissolved the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, to avoid losing the crown to Napoleon. Austria was weakened, and defeated by Napoleon again in 1812. As much of Napoleon's army perished in a campaign against the Russian Empire , Austria joined a coalition that eventually defeated the Napoleonic Empire, and the 1815 Congress of Vienna restored the Austrian Empire as one of Europe's great powers.

Prussia led an alliance that defeated Austria in the 1866 Austro-Prussian war, and became the core state of the German Empire in 1871, with an emperor of their own. Austria-Hungary was no longer the dominant power in Central Europe. However, the 1870s Gründerzeit ("founders' period") brought a great economic boom as well as a long-lasting construction boom and the emergence of a highly ornamental, eclectic-historicist architectural style that is considered typical for the Habsburg lands. The most representative examples of this period are along the Vienna Ring Road, but buildings of a similar style can be found all over the former Empire.

In contrast to most other European empires, Austria-Hungary had no persistent colonies overseas. In 1778, the Empire founded settlements on the Nicobar Islands , and on Maputo Bay in Mozambique . Both were abandoned within a few years. After suppressing the Qing Dynasty -backed Boxer Rebellion as part of the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1901, Austria-Hungary had a concession zone in Tianjin from 1901 to 1917.

In the 19th century, particularly in the long reign of emperor Franz Joseph (1848-1916), nationalism swept Europe, and many ethnic groups requested independence, or at least more autonomy. The Kingdom of Hungary earned more recognition in the Compromise of 1867, styling the empire as Austria-Hungary. While other European countries were formed or reformed according to nationalist and democratic ideas, the empire was still based on divine right, feudalism, and royal marriages. After 1867, many institutions of the Empire were styled "imperial and royal", referring to the two crowns of Austria and Hungary, kaiserlich und königlich in German. This was usually abbreviated to "k. u. k." in Austria and "k. k." in Hungary (the butt of many jokes in military and diplomatic circles) and led to the country's nicknames "k. u. k Monarchie" or "Kakanien".

Discontent among the Slavic peoples was supported by the Russian Empire , and led up to the 1914 assassination of Franz Joseph's heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand (married to a Czech countess, he supported Slavic rights within the empire, if only to knock down the Magyars a peg) in Sarajevo , which became the igniting spark of World War I ; at its time known as "The Great War". The war and the subsequent political revolts led to the fall of Austria-Hungary, as well as the Russian, German and Ottoman empires.

The empire was a forerunner in science and technology. Vienna and Prague were connected by a telegraph line as early as 1847. The Telefon Hírmondó was a broadcast service in Budapest founded in 1893, the first and most successful of its kind. Budapest arguably has the world's second oldest underground railway. The Orient Express was a legendary rail line, with much of its length through Austria-Hungary.

Other than Austria and Hungary , the empire's territory is today divided between Italy , Slovenia , Croatia , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Serbia , Romania , Ukraine , Slovakia , the Czech Republic and Poland .

Get around [ edit ]

The Austro-Hungarian Empire was tied together by railroads and many of them survived the Cold War and the general neglect of railway infrastructure in the twentieth century or have been restored in recent times. In addition to that, there was an effort even through the years of European division to ensure a state of good repair for some roads linking Germany and other destination countries for work migrants with their former homelands to the South and East. As the Iron Curtain opened, traffic flows changed once more and the Austrian Railway, ÖBB, is slowly but surely acquiring an amount of international connections out of proportion with the size of the country, largely focused in the "k.u.k. lands" ( kaiserlich und königlich , i.e. the former Austria-Hungary), Germany and Switzerland.

Talk [ edit ]

German used to be the lingua franca of the empire and Central Europe in general. This ended after World War II , as millions of German-speakers were expelled from the Soviet Union , Poland, Czechoslovakia and several other nations, to present-day Germany and Austria. Still, the empire was multi-ethnic, with recognition of local languages—its krone banknotes bore text in no less than eight languages in addition to German and Hungarian. During the 19th century the Hungarian half of the Empire had an even more aggressive language policy marginalizing linguistic minorities and strongly Magyarizing many places, the effects of which can be seen to this day.

In addition, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was, for a time, a major patron of operas in Italian as well as German, and many of the upper class German-speaking subjects of the empire also understood some Italian and French. German still plays some role as a second or third language in the area, but oftentimes it has been relegated to a secondary position behind English or Russian, not least because the German-language states want to avoid the appearance of cultural imperialism.

Destinations [ edit ]

Austria [ edit ]

• 48.208 16.373 1 Vienna ( Wien; Bécs ). The primary capital. Big parts of its architecture and urban design date from an era when it was supposed it would "soon" become a major imperial capital of four million or more inhabitants  
• 47.0667 15.4333 2 Graz . Capital of Inner Austria, with an Old Town recognized by the UNESCO. The famous Schlossberg fortress repelled many Ottoman attacks.  
• 47.8 13.05 3 Salzburg . Former capital of an archbishopric that was a separate state within the Holy Roman Empire and was only annexed by Austria in 1805. Hence, Salzburg's most famous son, Mozart, was considered a foreigner when he came to Vienna. ( updated Nov 2019 )
• 48.2282 15.3306 4 Melk . Enormous Baroque abbey looking over the picturesque Danube valley of Wachau . An exemplary symbol of Counter-Reformation and absolutistic pageantry.  
• 47.833 16.75 5 Neusiedl Lake ( Fertő ). Located on the Austro-Hungarian border in the multiethnic Burgenland region (German-speaking Austrians, Hungarians, Croatians), the cultural landscape around the lake is a UNESCO World Heritage site. ( updated Nov 2019 )

Hungary [ edit ]

• 47.4908 19.081 6 Budapest . The capital of the Hungarian half of the empire. It boomed massively during the late-19th century, resulting in splendid boulevards lined with representative Habsburg-style buildings, and one of the first subway lines in the world.  
• 47.6882 17.6344 7 Győr ( Raab ). Former "royal free city" of the Kingdom of Hungary, traditional trade center with Baroque old town. Since the transformation of 1990 it is once again an economic boomtown in the centre of the triangle Vienna–Bratislava–Budapest.  
• 46.0764 18.228 8 Pécs ( Fünfkirchen; Five Churches ). Hungary's fifth largest city has a strongly multicultural heritage. The cultural centre of Hungary's Germans and Romani hosts associations and cultural institutions of nine ethnic minority groups.  
• 47.6817 16.5917 9 Sopron ( Ödenburg ). Beautiful old town with medieval and Baroque buildings. It belonged to the Hungarian half of the empire even though the majority population was German-speaking.  
• 46.2539 20.149 10 Szeged ( Segedin ). Temporary capital of Hungary during the 1848/49 revolution; now located near the Hungarian–Romanian–Serbian border triangle. Famous for paprika and salami.  

Bosnia-Herzegovina [ edit ]

• 43.85136 18.38867 11 Sarajevo ( Sarajewo; Szarajevó ). The city where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, marking the beginning of the end for the Empire.  

Croatia [ edit ]

• 45.8167 15.9833 12 Zagreb ( Agram; Zágráb ). Capital of Croatia, which was an autonomous kingdom within the Empire.  
• 45.3278 14.4445 13 Rijeka ( Fiume; St. Veit am Flaum ). Mediterranean seaport that belonged to Hungary but had a multiethnic population of Italians, Croats, Slovenes, Hungarians and Germans. After the dissolution of Austro-Hungary, it was subject of the "Fiume Question", leading to the creation of a short-lived independent free state.  

Czech Republic [ edit ]

• 50.0664 14.373 14 Prague ( Prag; Praha ). Capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia that was the Habsburg rulers' main residence from 1583 to 1611.  
• 49.2 16.6167 15 Brno ( Brünn ). Historic capital of the Moravia region and second-biggest city of the Czech Republic. It grew significantly during the 18th and 19th century which can be seen from its typical Habsburg-style architecture. ( updated Nov 2019 )
• 48.8111 14.3152 16 Český Krumlov ( Böhmisch Krumau ). One of the most beautiful old towns in Bohemia with rich Baroque architecture and an impressive castle. Until 1945, most of the population was German-speaking. ( updated Nov 2019 )
• 50.2305 12.8725 17 West Bohemian Spa Triangle ( Westböhmisches Bäderdreieck ). Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), Františkovy Lázně (Franzensbad) and Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad) – the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy's favorite places to relax and recover.  
• 49.153 16.8786 18 Slavkov u Brna ( Austerlitz ) ( 20 km east of Brno ). Site of the Battle of Austerlitz of 1805, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, Austria's decisive defeat in the Napoleonic Wars . ( updated Nov 2019 )
• 48.781 16.786 19 Lednice–Valtice Cultural Landscape ( Lednicko-valtický areál; Kulturlandschaft Eisgrub–Feldsberg ). Vast landscape park with several palaces and stately homes, created under the Dukes of Liechtenstein during the 17th to 19th centuries. UNESCO World Heritage site.  
• 50.2972 15.7403 1 Site of the Battle of Königgrätz , Sadová ( 15 km northwest of Hradec Králové ). Decisive Prussian victory over Austria in the German Fraternal War (1866). It marked the exclusion of Austria from Germany and led to the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, the rift within the lute of Austrian great power status.  

Italy [ edit ]

• 46.5 11.33 20 South Tyrol ( Südtirol; Alto Adige ). A predominantly German-speaking region that was separated from Austrian Tyrol after World War I.  
• 45.6333 13.8 21 Trieste ( Triest; Trst ). The empire's major port and naval base. Europe's three main cultural and linguistic regions meet here: Romance, Germanic, and Slavic.  
• 45.4625 9.1864 22 Milan ( Mailand; Milano ). The Northern Italian city was under Austrian rule from 1704 until the Italian Risorgimento 1859. During that period, the Teatro alla Scala was built and Verdi's opera Nabucco debuted. ( updated Nov 2019 )
• 45.438611 12.3266 23 Venice ( Venedig; Venezia ). Once the seat of the mighty Venetian Republic and the cradle of the Renaissance , Venice was only briefly part of Austria-Hungary, and some Habsburg obelisks and monuments in Venedig remain.  

Poland [ edit ]

• 50.06185 19.93686 24 Kraków ( Cracow; Krakau ). The erstwhile royal capital of Poland was a Free City under shared Austrian, Prussian and Russian protectorate until it was annexed by Austria in 1846. In the following decades it served as the cultural centre of the Empire's Polish possessions, until Polish sovereignty was restored in 1918. Representative architecture from the late-19th and early-20th century along the main boulevards are reminiscent of Vienna or Budapest.  
• 51.1098 17.0327 25 Wrocław ( Breslau ). The capital of Silesia belonged to the Bohemian crown, and therefore the Habsburg Empire, until Prussia won the First Silesian War in 1742. Nevertheless many Renaissance and Baroque buildings remain from the Austrian era. With its cosmopolitan lifestyle, theatres and numerous cafés, the city still has a certain Viennese charm.  

Romania [ edit ]

• 46.0764 23.5728 26 Alba Iulia ( Gyulafehérvár, Karlsburg ). Former capital of Transylvania . Within a large, well-preserved 18th-century citadel, its old town features a number of Habsburg-era Baroque buildings.  
• 46.7706 23.5905 27 Cluj-Napoca ( Kolozsvár, Klausenburg ). Unofficial capital of Transylvania and biggest city in the formerly Austro-Hungarian part of Romania. Many buildings in the Hungarian Art Nouveau (Secession) style, two national theatres and two opera houses (one each for Romanian- and Hungarian-speakers), as well as trilingual signage of public buildings bear evidence of this heritage.  
• 45.7561 21.2294 28 Timișoara ( Temesvár, Temeschwar ). Historical capital of the Banat region which has been called a "little Vienna" for its rich Habsburg-era architecture and lifestyle  
• 46.55 24.5667 29 Târgu Mureș ( Marosvásárhely, Neumarkt am Mieresch ). Capital of Szeklerland , an ethnic Hungarian-majority region in central Romania. City centre with Hungarian Secession (Art Nouveau) styled buildings from the early-1900s. ( updated Nov 2019 )

Serbia [ edit ]

• 45.255 19.8447 30 Novi Sad ( Neoplanta; Neusatz; Újvidék ). Capital of the formerly Austro-Hungarian Vojvodina , now part of Serbia.  

Slovakia [ edit ]

• 48.143889 17.109722 31 Bratislava ( Pressburg; Pozsony ). Capital of the Hungarian Kingdom, until Buda(pest) took this role in 1783, Bratislava remained the seat of its parliament until 1848. Before World War I, most inhabitants spoke German or Hungarian, while less than 20 % were Slovaks.  
• 48.7203 21.2581 32 Košice ( Kaschau; Kassa ). De-facto capital of Eastern Slovakia, beautiful old town with heritage buildings from Gothic to Art Nouveau. European Capital of Culture of 2013.  
• 49.013 20.678 33 Spiš ( Zips; Szepes ). This region at the foot of the Tatras used to be a predominantly German-speaking enclave within the Kingdom of Hungary, thus another piece of the multiethnic patchwork that formed the Danube monarchy. The Renaissance town of Levoča and the medieval castle of Spišsky hrad are on the Unesco World Heritage list.  

Slovenia [ edit ]

• 46.055556 14.508333 34 Ljubljana ( Laibach ). The capital of Slovenia, with many beautiful Habsburg-era buildings. ( updated Jul 2019 )
• 46.5575 15.6455 35 Maribor ( Marburg an der Drau ). Former capital of Lower Styria, now eastern Slovenia, it was a predominantly German-speaking city. Beautiful old town with medieval, Renaissance and Baroque structures.  

Switzerland [ edit ]

• 47.4627 8.181 2 Habsburg ( 4 km southwest of Brugg ). Ancestral castle of the Habsburg dynasty, in Switzerland. ( updated Jul 2019 )

Ukraine [ edit ]

• 49.85 24.0167 36 Lviv ( Lemberg ). The capital of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, and the Empire's largest city in present-day Ukraine. Today, it remains a bastion of Catholicism in majority Eastern Orthodox Ukraine.  
• 48.2922 25.9353 37 Chernivtsi ( Czernowitz ). The capital and university city of the formerly Austro-Hungarian region Bukovina , classic example of a strongly multi-ethnic region.  
• 48.6239 22.295 38 Uzhhorod ( Ungvár ). Capital of Carpatho-Ukraine that once belonged to the Hungarian half of the empire. Uzhhorod was a stronghold of the anti-Habsburg rebels during Rákóczi's War of Independence (1703–1711). Old town with Baroque Greek Catholic cathedral and former synagogue.  

China [ edit ]

• 39.1336 117.2054 39 Tianjin ( Tientsin ). The main port city serving the Chinese capital Beijing today, it was home to numerous foreign concessions in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Austria-Hungary was part of the Eight-Nation Alliance that suppressed the Qing Dynasty-backed Boxer Rebellion in 1901, resulting in it obtaining a concession in Tianjin from 1901-1917. Today, the former Austro-Hungarian concession is still home to numerous colonial buildings that were built in an Austrian architectural style.  

Itineraries [ edit ]

• Orient Express , a legendary rail line between Paris and Istanbul, with much of its distance within Austria-Hungary
• The Danube flows through many of the most important cities of the former Empire
• EuroVelo cycling routes EV4 (Prague–Brno–Kraków–Lviv), EV6 ( Danube Cycleway : Vienna–Bratislava–Budapest–Belgrade), EV7 (Prague–Linz–Salzburg–Bolzano), EV9 (Wrocław–Brno–Vienna–Ljubljana–Trieste), EV11 (Kraków–Košice–Szeged), EV13 ( Iron Curtain Trail )
• The Ćiro Trail is a 157-km rail trail for cycling in what was the southern reaches of the empire between Mostar and Dubrovnik . It follows the tracks of a dismantled Austro-Hungarian narrow gauge railway, and crosses several 19th-century tunnels and bridges.

See also [ edit ]

• British Empire
• Danish Empire
• Dutch Empire
• French Colonial Empire
• German Empire
• Italian Empire
• Japanese colonial empire
• Portuguese Empire
• Russian Empire
• Spanish Empire
• Swedish Empire

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Austria vs Hungary: A rivalry that stands the test of time

Since 1902, Austria and Hungary have clashed 137 times, making it the second-most-played international fixture in football history

The 1902 match marked the debut of both national teams and was the first official international match involving two non-British teams

Hungary currently lead the head-to-head duel, with 67 wins to Austria’s 40 and 31 draws

The two nations met only once at a FIFA World Cup in 1934, where Austria beat Hungary 2-1

Shilarze Saha Roy

The Austro-Hungarian empire may have ceased to exist, but the deep-seated rivalry between Austria and Hungary still lives on, especially in football. The intense animosity between the two nations dates back to the early 20th century when they first met on the football pitch. Austria and Hungary’s first encounter on the football pitch was in 1902. In those days, football was still in its infancy, and the game was played for the sheer love of it. The Austrians emerged victorious in that match, winning 5-0, but little did they know that it would mark the beginning of a fierce and enduring rivalry. The match also marked the official debut of the Austrian and Hungarian national teams and was the first official international match involving two non-British teams. Although the teams were representing Vienna and Budapest, both countries consider this their official international debut, with the game played at the WAC-Plata, a stone’s throw from the modern Ernst-Happel-Stadion.

Furthermore, it was the second official international match played outside the British Isles after a game between Argentina and Uruguay in July 1902, and is considered a landmark moment in football history. The game also marked the birth of an Austrian football hero, Jan Studnicka, who netted a hat-trick after Josef Taurer had opened the scoring in the fifth minute. Gustav Huber had scored the third goal for Austria. Over the years, Austria and Hungary have played each other 138 times, making it the second-most played international fixture in football history. Only Uruguay and Argentina have met more often. Hungary currently lead the head-to-head duel, with 67 wins to Austria’s 40 and 31 draws. Despite their lopsided record against Hungary, Austria had once been the dominant force in football. In the 1930s, they had one of the first world-beating sides, ‘ Das Wunderteam ’ (Hyperlink). They had lost just three out of 31 matches and scored 101 goals in an incredible run between 1931 and 1934, beating Scotland 5-0 in Vienna in May 1931 and thrashing Germany. This team was led by Matthias Sindelar, dubbed “The Paper Man”, who was one of the leading playmakers in European football at the time.

However, political unrest in Austria and a typical miserly Italian defence at the 1934 FIFA World Cup prevented Das Wunderteam from achieving their full potential as they were beaten in the semi-finals. Nevertheless, they made their mark on the international stage by making the final of the 1936 Olympics football event. After the Second World War, Hungary stole Austria’s glory. They had their own wonder-team, the celebrated golden squad of the 1950s, also known as the Mighty Magyars and produced legendary footballers like Ferenc Puskas, Nandor Hidegkuti and Sandor Kocsis. This team revolutionized the game, introducing a four-man defence and a passing game that ran circles around other European opponents. One of their most famous games was a 6-3 dismantling of England at Wembley in November 1953. The Hungarian side went undefeated for four years and won Olympic gold but saw their run end against West Germany in the Wankdorf stadium at the 1954 FIFA World Cup final. In the same year, they played one of the most famous matches against Austria, defeating them 6-1 in Vienna. This match is considered one of the most outstanding performances by a team in the history of football.

Despite their glorious past, both Austria and Hungary have fallen on hard times in recent years. In fact, their only competitive encounter at a major tournament was at the 1934 FIFA World Cup, where Austria beat Hungary 2-1 in the quarter-finals before they met at the 2016 UEFA Euro Championships, where Hungary got the better of them 2-0. Austria’s last appearance at the World Cup was in 1978 when they failed to make it past the group stage. At the Euro 2016, they were eliminated in the round of 16. Hungary’s last major tournament appearance was at Euro 2016, where they surprised many by making it to the knockout stages before being eliminated by Belgium. However, football fans in Austria and Hungary still hold onto the hope of a revival of their respective national teams. The rivalry between the two nations still burns bright, and any encounter on the football pitch is sure to be hotly contested. Who knows, maybe one day we'll see the return of Das Wunderteam and the Mighty Magyars, and a new chapter will be written in the history of this historic footballing rivalry.

Salzburg vs Vienna: which awesome Austrian city has more allure?

Oct 9, 2023 • 7 min read

Are you more dazzled by Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg, or St Francis of Assisi Church in Vienna? © iStock

Mountains, music and sweets mit Schlag : Austria’s charms are irresistible, and draw millions of visitors each year.

Two of the country’s most populous cities, Salzburg and Vienna are – justifiably – also two of its most popular. But which one offers the better introduction to Austrian art and culture? Below, two well-published experts offer the case for their preferred place.  

Salzburg: Austria in a (beautifully baroque) nutshell  

Kerry Walker lost her heart to Salzburg when she first authored the Lonely Planet Austria guide in 2007. Since then, she has roamed every crowd-free alley and climbed (almost) every mountain on the city’s fringes. 

Nowhere says “visit Austria !” like Salzburg – not even Vienna. This is, after all, where Mozart was born, got off to a flying start as a composer at age five, and where his tunes still reverberate in gilded concert halls that are among Europe’s finest.

This city was built grand and glorious by filthy-rich and madly ambitious prince-archbishops, who plonked a massive fortress high on a hill 900 years ago and went on to fill the Altstadt (now a Unesco World Heritage site) with palaces, galleries, domes, churches and baroque plazas. And it was here that everyone’s favorite yodeling nun – Maria von Trapp (played Julie Andrews) – taught the world to sing in The Sound of Music .  

Then, of course, there is that cinematic Alpine backdrop you can’t quite take your eyes off, which will send your soul soaring higher than Julie’s octave-leaping vocals.  

Vienna has its whirl of Habsburg palaces, galleries stuffed to the rafters with Klimts, coffee houses haunted by the ghosts of Sigmund Freud and Stalin, and the stately Ringstrasse boulevard.  But its grandeur can be overwhelming, and the city can feel standoffish.  

Not so with Salzburg. Sitting astride the turquoise Salzach River, this perfectly sized and laid-out city is crammed with a lifetime’s worth of culture and history – but you need never battle traffic or so much as hop on a tram or U-Bahn to see it. All you need is cobble-friendly shoes (and stout boots for straying into the mountains). And its petite proportions mean you can dive deep in a long weekend.   

While the rest of the world rushes through the 21st century, Salzburg rolls back the centuries. The Residenz palace is a joyous romp through time, with its chandelier-lit state apartments and gallery brimming with paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and their ilk. Trot a few minutes uphill and you’re at Stift Nonnberg , a Benedictine abbey echoing with 1300 years of history and festooned with Romanesque frescoes. (This was where novice nun Maria proved a problem in The Sound of Music .) Arrive at 6:45am, as the sun rises and the nuns sing Gregorian chorales, for a hairs-on-end moment. From here, you can walk above the city’s spires and rooftops to Salzburg’s cake-topper castle,  Festung Hohensalzburg , and along the steeply wooded cliffs of Mönchsberg to Museum der Moderne , with its high-caliber exhibitions of contemporary art.

Not bad for a morning’s stroll, right? 

Back at ground level, there’s more: the fabulously baroque Dom cathedral and Erzabtei St Peter , the oldest abbey-church and monastery in the world, founded by an itinerant bishop named Rupert in 696. Skip across the river and you reach Schloss Mirabell ’s gardens, with roses, mythical sculptures and fortress-framing views that drive Instagrammers wild. 

Food? Salzburg pushes all the right buttons: whether you want to fill your tankard at the pump and scoff pork knuckles and giant pretzels under the chestnut trees in the beer garden at monk-founded Augustiner Bräustübl ; dig a dainty fork into chocolate cake at Sacher (yep, Salzburg has posh coffeehouses, too); or go all out with a romantic date-night dinner at the Michelin-starred likes of The Glass Garden  (who’s in for chamois haunch with spruce, blueberry and wood sorrel?).

And there’s always a reason to dust off your dirndl or lederhosen in this high-spirited city, with the party peaking during summer’s epic, five-week Salzburg Festival , one of the world’s greatest celebrations of opera, drama and classical music. At Christmas, Salzburg sparkles festively, with markets, snow dusting the surrounding Alps and carollers singing “Stille Nacht”(“Silent Night”), which was penned right here by homegrown priest Joseph Mohr in 1816. 

About the crowds: yes, if you mosey up in August you will find Salzburg fit to burst. If you prefer things quieter, visit in spring and autumn instead. But even in summer, you can escape to the river or leg it into the mountains. Untersberg gives you a proper blast of the Alps, 1973m (6475ft) up, and you can hoof across ragged karst heights to Bavaria . Or take a picnic to Schloss Hellbrunn , where Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus dodged his spiritual duties and threw drunken parties in exotic gardens full of trick fountains in the 17th century. 

If you want the full-on Austrian dream, Salzburg, in the country’s Alpine heartland, delivers. With a grumble, even the Viennese will admit that. 

Vienna: grandeur that knows no bounds

Luke Waterson used to live one hour outside Vienna, and has written about the city for outlets such as Adventure.com and Morning Calm magazine .

From its landmark sights to eating out and entertainment, from its haughtiest baroque palace to its most daring ultramodern building, Vienna casually swats away most competitors in Europe who dare to challenge its appeal. And it won’t even break a sweat.

Getting panicky about potential rivals elsewhere in the world has never been Vienna’s style. The city has been all about coolly, calmly establishing itself as Nummer Eins for a good few centuries now. 

So it’s an interesting run-in to pit Austria’s other key cultural heavyweight, Salzburg, against the capital.

But since these two have similar claims to the king of classical music, Mozart, the cultural clash boils down to The Sound of Music versus Gustav Klimt’s groundbreaking art, Lucien Freud’s psychoanalysis, some of the most important compositions of Ludwig van Beethoven and chamber music maestro Joseph Haydn, the world’s most extra chocolate cake in Hotel Sacher’s namesake torte, and a roster of other triumphs there isn’t space to detail here. And however much we all grew up watching Julie Andrews frockling in Salzburg’s surrounding mountains, is that really what you’re after now? 

Aesthetically, yes, Salzburg does sport that devastatingly gorgeous mountain backdrop – but in Vienna you don’t need to gaze into the far distance, since many of Europe’s grandest buildings are jostling for your attention in the foreground. Cue the Hofburg palace complex, from which the Habsburg dynasty once controlled one of the world’s mightiest empires, where the crown jewels mesmerically twinkle and where the most famous equine ballet on the planet breathtakingly takes place at the Spanish Riding School . Cue the Schloss Belvedere palace and grounds, built to compete in ostentatious beauty with Versailles. It’s all nonstop finery, radiating out from the Unesco-listed historic center. 

And that’s why I love Vienna. The taste the Viennese have acquired through the course of their history for life’s loveliest things just rubs off on you and makes you think that’s how life should be everywhere. Except it’s not – not to the same impeccable standards. Perhaps this is why the city secured top spot on  The Economist ’s Global Liveability Index for four of the last five years.

What precisely makes it so livable? Everything. There are hundred-odd museums here, including numerous world-class repositories of art like the Leopold Museum – and at least as many other sorts of sights again, tributes to Vienna’s glamorous lives and great deeds past and present. Viennese coffeehouse culture has Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage status, not only for the ornateness of the premises but for the pedigree of former patrons (you’re drinking where Klimt, Freud, Trotsky once did – if these walls could talk…) and types of drink served with their locally specific backstories (like the Einspänner , a double espresso topped with foam so city coachmen could keep their hot drinks insulated in the cold).

The city relishes its wine just as much – and as one of the world’s few capitals with appellation wine grown within it quaffs the good stuff in dedicated Heurigen (wine taverns). It’s rich in social improvement projects, too, such as Magdas – a hotel staffed by refugees. Even its waste incineration plant in Spittelau is a stunning tourist attraction, bedecked in the vibrant art of Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Let’s not forget, either, that the capital gave the world both the waltz and opera glasses.

No further evidence needed that this city embraces the good life like nowhere else.  

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Prague vs Budapest – Which One to Visit?

Most travelers have to choose Prague vs Budapest for their first visit to Central Eastern Europe . We are talking about two of Europe’s most remarkable cities. The only reason to choose between the two is time constraints. If you have enough time, do yourself a favor and go to both. Both cities are outstandingly beautiful and offer plenty of things to do.

Now, if you must decide between Prague or Budapest, we’ll help you make that decision. We’ve been to both places several times, a couple of times for a month or so. Both cities changed tremendously over the past two decades. Therefore, if you read something about them some time ago, you better forget about it!

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Prague or Budapest

Quick comparison.

Let’s take a look at both cities. Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic , a country of 10.7 million people. Budapest is the capital of Hungary , where 9.7 million people live. One would expect Prague to be bigger, but it’s the opposite. Budapest is home to some 3.3 million people in its metropolitan area. Prague’s metropolitan area is the home of 2.7 million people.

Prague is far more touristic. Approximately 8 million people visited in 2019. In Budapest, that number stood at close to 5 million. Since Prague is more compact, its tourist area feels packed. In Budapest, you can find yourself surrounded by fewer people. So, does this mean you should visit Budapest? It’s not that simple!

If You Have to Choose

Choosing between two fabulous places is never easy. If you have less than 5 days for your entire trip, you have to choose either Budapest or Prague. Chose Budapest if you cannot stand the crowds. If you love elegant architecture, good food, lively nightlife, and indulging yourself in thermal baths, then Budapest is your place.

Go to Prague if you love architecture. The city hosts some of the best examples of numerous architectural styles and periods. If you love a good beer, then Prague should be your choice. Finally, if you plan to escape the city and visit the surrounding area, Prague perhaps offers more. If you have more than 5 days to spend, visit both cities!

Prague opened to the world in the 1990s and became an instant sensation. People from all over the world flocked to the city. No wonder, considering its spectacular architecture. From Romanesque and Gothic to Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, and Contemporary Architecture, you’ll find it all here. As if that was not enough, the Czech Capital is the birthplace of Czech Cubism , a unique style that flourished in the early 20 th Century.

Different historical layers blend in perfect harmony in Prague. The big old town extends on both sides of the River Vltava. A castle complex and numerous palaces dot the hill above the old town. There is also another fortress 2 miles (3 km) south of the old town and magnificent views all along the river.

Main Sights

Prague has more impressive sights than Budapest. The city’s most spectacular sight is the Charles Bridge (Karlův Most), which connects the city’s Old and Lesser Towns. The baroque Lesser Town opens up to the magnificent Prague Castle . Together with the Cathedral of St. Vitus and several palaces, museums, and gardens, it is the largest medieval castle in the world.

Most of Prague’s sights are in the so-called Stare Mesto (Old Town), just east of Vltava River. The iconic Old Town Hall with the Astronomical Clock is in Prague’s main square, Staromestske Namesti. The gothic Powder House and the art nouveau Municipal House are east of the square. North of the Square, we love spending time in Josefov, the former Jewish neighborhood.

Prague is home to close to 80 museums and galleries, both big and small. The National Museum is the largest in the Czech Republic. It hosts almost 14 million artifacts in the areas of nature, history, arts, music, and librarianship. The main building is a neo-renaissance palace from 1891 that presides over central Wenceslas Square.

We believe Prague offers a better cultural experience than Budapest. The city is famous around the world for its classical music. We always go to the lavish National Theatre , opened in 1883. The Estates Theatre is older and even more impressive. You can also attend concerts at The Spanish Hall and St. John’s Cathedral in Prague Castle.

Outdoor Activities

The city is full of parks and hills to walk about. We love walking about Petrin Gardens for hours admiring the plants. The views from the garden’s tower are epic. Letna Park also offers outstanding views. It’s on top of a hill and has an area dedicated to children. We always spend some time on the islands in the middle of the Vltava River.

There are always crowds in summer, so visiting Prague in winter is a great idea. The nicest Christmas Markets are in the Castle and the Old Town Square. If you like skiing, go to Ski Parka Prague 6. They have everything, including equipment and instructors. Our favorite skate rinks are Na Frantisku close to the river and Tower Ice Park beneath Zizkov TV Tower.

Prague is a popular tourist destination with more than 800 hotels. You can find a hotel, guesthouse, or a private room in any size and shape you can think of. One of our favorite hotels in Prague is the Art Deco Imperial Hotel . This lavishly decorated palace has original art deco mosaics and hand-painted tiles.

Another hotel we absolutely love is Hotel CUBE Prague . The slick hotel is at the edge of the old town. Since it’s close to the National Theater, it’s perfect to escape the crowds. If you are looking for private apartments, we highly recommend Gold Art Apartments . Ideally located in the middle of Josefov, they offer fully furnished apartments in a beautiful setting.

Local Cuisine

Though there are restaurants for every taste in Prague, the city is not a culinary Mecca. Let’s be honest, Czech cuisine is not the most famous cuisine in the world. Prague is in Central Europe. Since winters are long and cold, most of its food is heavy with meat and potatoes as regular dishes. On the other hand, Prague is one of the world’s beer capitals .

The lack of delicious local cuisine has prompted local restaurant owners to seek an alternative. That’s why Indian restaurants mushroomed all over the city. Today, there are many first-class Indian restaurants in Prague. The best-rated one is Indian by Nature . It’s got two locations, one in Prague 8 and the other in Prague 6. The best restaurant serving Czech food is Mlynec , close to the Charles Bridge.

We think Prague has a better nightlife than Budapest. No homophobia here! We always go dancing to Roxy , an institution in the city. Swim is another fantastic disco. It’s in a pool! Our favorite LGBT clubs are next to each other: Termax and Termix . For live music, head to Lucerna Music Bar . It’s all about the 80s!

MeetFactory cultural center in a former abattoir holds concerts and parties for all tastes and fancies. For cocktails go to Hemingway . You can try any of its 200 rums! Klub 007 Strahov opened in 1969 and still the best underground bar in Prague. For a fancy night out, go to the UNESCO listed Terasa U Prince . The views and the cocktails will take your breath away.

Moving Around

Prague is a compact city, and most of its sites are relatively close to each other. Therefore, you can walk everywhere. Most of the city is flat, except for the hills west of the river. Biking is a good option, but you should avoid the Old Town and the Lesser Town. In Prague, just like in several other Czech cities, you can use the bike-sharing system called Nextbike .

The city has a fairly good public transport network. The metro is by far the easiest and fastest transportation option. There are currently three lines, which cover most of Prague’s attractions. Additionally, there is an extensive network of buses and trams. Though a bit slower, you get to enjoy the views!

Prague offers more varied and spectacular day trips than Budapest. The city is in the middle of the Czech Republic. Since the country has an extensive transport network, you can be in fantastic places in just a few hours. The most popular day trip close to Prague is the fabulous gothic castle Karlštejn . The 14th-Century castle sits on a majestic hill. It offers incredible hiking.

Kutná Hora is another fabulous place and an easy day trip from Prague. This small town is famous all around the world for its bones chapel. Tourists visit Český Krumlov for its picture-perfect appearance, even though it’s more than 2 hours away. You can even go to the baroque pearl of Dresden (Germany) as a day trip. It’s only two and a half hours away on a train.

What’s Special about Prague

So, it’s clear that Prague is an outstandingly beautiful city worth visiting. But what is it that makes it truly special? We believe it’s the unique Czech Cubism that adorns more than a dozen of Prague’s buildings. The style inspired by Cubism in art only spread in the Czech Republic (mostly in Prague). You’ll recognize it by the broken lines and pyramidal shapes on the façades.

The iconic House of the Black Madonna is the style’s most famous building. The Czech Museum of Cubism is here. Though you can find cubist buildings all around the city, four of the best are close to each other in Vyšehrad. Some buildings belong to the so-called rondo cubism, a version of the original style. The Adria Palace is the most famous one.

Budapest is less compact than Prague. Actually, it feels like a double city. Buda on the hill west of the Danube River is mountainous, green, and scarcely populated. Pest, on the east side, is flat, urban, and full of large avenues and monumental squares. The Danube is much bigger than the Vltava, and again there are great views all along.

Architecture-wise, Budapest is equally if not more beautiful than Prague. The only difference is that most of its architecture is from when Budapest was the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867-1918). But that’s not all. Budapest is home to some of Europe’s coolest thermal baths housed in lavish palaces. The city is also known for its unique ruin pubs.

Just like in Prague, Budapest’s Castle stands on top of the hill west of the river. The Royal Palace, Matthias Church, and Fishermen Bastion are here. Though Budapest’s bridges are much newer than Prague’s, they are equally beautiful. The 19 th -Century Chain Bridge with four lions on two sides is the grandest of them all.

The rest of the major attractions are in Pest. The Basilica of St. Stephen is the city’s main church. The Nearby spectacular neo-gothic Parliament Building is Hungary’s largest building. Close to the main square, we loved visiting the Great Synagogue , Europe’s largest.

Though Budapest has fewer museums than Prague (close to 60), they don’t lack quality. The Hungarian National Museum is the biggest in Hungary. It centers on national history, art, and archaeology. The museum building is incredible too. We are talking about an 1847 neoclassical palace. Be sure to check their website for temporary exhibits.

The biggest cultural center in Budapest is The Palace of Arts . The contemporary building homes the Bela Bartok National Concert Hall, considered among the best in the world. Vigado Hall in Pest is much older. Liszt and Bartok played here. For opera head to the Budapest Operetta Theatre and the Hungarian State Opera . The Capital Circus is in the City Park.

Budapest offers better opportunities for outdoor activities than Prague. The city is full of wonderful parks. The City Park (Városliget) is our favorite. You can walk rest, admire the architecture and dip in Europe’s biggest thermal spa: Szechenyi. Rudas baths has an outdoor jacuzzi with incredible views. Gellert Baths has a massive outdoor pool. Both are next to Citadella Park, a small hill by the river.

Evidently, Margarita Island is the best place in the city for outdoor activities. It’s got fountains gardens, statues, and outdoor pools. In winter you have to visit the Christmas markets. The biggest takes place in Vorosmarty Square. You can ride one of the trams decorated with Christmas lights. The biggest ice skating ring in Europe is in the City Park.

Budapest is a fairly popular tourist destination with close to 300 hotels within its city limits. Though there are fewer hotels than in Prague, these excel in sophistication and price. Budapest is home to some of the most lavish hotels in Europe. Just think of the Gresham Palace , Párisi Udvar , and Matild Palace , three spectacular palaces.

Generally speaking, hotels in Budapest are 20-30% cheaper than in Prague. Thus, they are great value for money. We love Hotel Rum , close to the Central Market. This medium-sized design hotel features elegant rooms and first-class service. If you want to stay in a private apartment, the Lakeside Budapest Residences are a fantastic choice. Set by a small lake in peaceful Buda, it’s a great place to rest after a busy day in the city.

Budapest is a better choice if you are into food. Hungarian cuisine does have a name on the international stage. You’ve probably heard of Goulash, a meat stew seasoned with paprika. Perhaps you know Dobos Torte, the famous Hungarian sponge cake. Finally, you are surely familiar with Pálinka, the traditional fruit brandy.

The only two-star Michelin restaurant in Budapest is Onyx . The restaurant is in the same building as the iconic Gerbaud and specializes in traditional Hungarian cuisine with a modern twist. If you are looking for something more casual, we recommend Menza . This café serves unusual food in a kitsch setting.

We are night owls so we love partying in Budapest. Our favorite place to do so is Otkert , near the 4 Seasons Hotel. It’s got an incredible sound system, a terrace, and a restaurant. Another of our favorite places is Durer Kert . You can have a beer with friends in the garden, relax in a hammock, listen to live music, and party at night.

For a totally different experience head to A38 , a boat and platform docked in the Danube. It’s got several bars, a dance floor, and a concert stand. Our favorite rooftop bar is 360 . Their cocktails are fabulous, and the views over the city unforgettable. If you are in Budapest on a Saturday, you have to go to Sparty in Szechenyi Baths. Unbelievable fun!

Budapest is a big city spread out over an extensive territory. Buda is mountainous, thus ideal for walking. If you are coming from Pest, you can take the funicular to climb the hill. Pest, on the contrary, is completely flat, with wide avenues and bike lanes. Thus it’s perfect for biking. Of course, you can also stroll along its colorful streets. The city’s bike-sharing system is called Mol BUBI .

The extensive network of public transport covers every corner of the city. Four metro lines connect the different sides of Budapest. Four suburban train lines complete the rapid transit network. There are also countless bus, tram, and trolleybus lines. Thus, you can get anywhere in no time. We love taking the Cog-wheel railway to the remote hills of Buda.

Most day trips from Budapest are to lovely Hungarian cities. Except if you are into lakes. Hungary has one big lake. Balaton is also one of its most popular tourist destinations. It takes just over an hour and a half to get to the lake, though you should add an hour if you are heading to the thermal town of Hévíz .

Since it’s only 14 miles (22 km) north of the city, the charming little town of Szentendre is the easiest day trip from Budapest. If you prefer larger cities, Gy őr and Kecskemét are only an hour away. Both are beautiful mid-sized cities. Our favorite Hungarian city is a bit further away. Pécs , 125 miles (200 km) south of Budapest, is packed with outstanding heritage.

What’s Special about Budapest

Apart from its colorful secessionist architecture, two things set Budapest apart: thermal baths and ruin pubs . The spa tradition goes back to Roman times. Today, there are a dozen thermal baths in the city, five of them impressive historic buildings. You can relax in three Ottoman baths and two secessionist palaces (Gellert and Széchenyi baths ). Amazing, right?

Another thing that has put Budapest on the world map is its unique ruin pubs. These are abandoned buildings in downtown Budapest turned into bars and clubs. Most places started as popular hangouts for locals, but have since become tourist attractions. Even if you are not a party animal, you should visit a few to check their wonderful interiors.

Our opinion

Budapest vs Prague, whichever you choose you won’t go wrong. Both places are outstandingly beautiful and offer just about everything. Prague might be a bit flashier, wowing you from the start. Budapest conquers you slowly. Consequently, we recommend going to Prague if you have a day or two. If you can spend at least three days, go to Budapest.

When it comes to cultural offer, hotels, and the way you move around, both cities come neck and neck. Budapest has slightly better hotels (though they are far fewer) and a much better gastronomical offer. Prague, on the other hand, offers more varied architecture and day trips. Thus, if you are a hotel or restaurant queen go to Budapest. If, on the other hand, you want to base yourself in a city and do several day trips, go to Prague.

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Preview: Austria v Hungary

Monday, June 13, 2016 by Paul Saffer in Bordeaux

Article summary

Neighbours Austria and Hungary face off for the 138th time – but the first in a final tournament since 1934 – and Marcel Koller is confident while Bernd Storck wants a "miracle".

Article top media content

Article body.

• Neighbours face off in first final tournament encounter for 82 years
• Hungary hold edge in their past contests (W66 D31 L40)
• Austria currently on nine-game competitive winning streak
• Hungary goalkeeper Gábor Kiraly set to become first 40-year-old to play at UEFA EURO finals
• Follow our team reporters for the inside track:  @UEFAcomDanielT and  @UEFAcomMattWB
• Other game in Group F: Portugal v Iceland (21.00CET Tuesday, Saint-Etienne)

Possible line-ups Austria : Almer; Klein, Dragović, Prödl, Fuchs; Alaba, Baumgartlinger; Harnik, Junuzović, Arnautović; Janko. Out : none Doubtful : none

Hungary : Király; Fiola, Guzmics, Lang, Kádár; Gera, Nagy; Dzsudzsák, Kleinheisler, Németh; Szalai. Out : Lovrencsics (knee) Doubtful : Kádár (ankle)

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Coach quotes Marcel Koller, Austria coach Everyone's fit. We've had a great preparation period and I think it's time to finally get started. We hope to really be able to play as we want; of course there will be a few nerves but we hope we can quickly find our best playing style. [Hungary] are very strong at the back. They also attack very well and are good on the counter. Clearly I'm familiar with the history [of the fixture]. You could say it's a sort of derby.

Bernd Storck, Hungary coach This is a historic game – to be here [facing Austria] after such a long time. Unfortunately, Gergő Lovrencsics will miss the game. He's got a bad knee injury and maybe we'll have to replace him – we will see tomorrow. With Tamás Kádár, I am confident he will be able to train today in this wonderful stadium. We will see and hopefully he can play tomorrow.

I expect the same as we have seen in recent games, especially against Germany and Ivory Coast, from a defensive point of view: we were well-organised and disciplined. And we also have to score. We want to win and we have to score. This is very important for us. [A victory] would be unbelievable – it's the first game and it would be a miracle coming against the favourites [for this match], Austria. It would also be fantastic for the upcoming games. It would give us confidence for the next match and it would be amazing.

UEFA.com team reporters Daniel Thacker, Austria ( @UEFAcomDanielT ) Despite a friendly defeat by the Netherlands prior to departing for France, the Austrian squad have been in relaxed mood since arriving last Wednesday. An unbeaten qualifying campaign and superior individual quality should give them the edge over Hungary; the only question mark surrounding the line-up is whether Martin Harnik or Marcel Sabitzer will start on the right of midfield.

Matthew Watson-Broughton, Hung ary ( @UEFAcomMattWB ) After a 44-year wait Hungary are finally taking part in another EURO and it’s easy to sense they're itching to get back on the pitch. Late injuries to Kádár and Lovrencsics are a concern but will not be allowed to affect Storck’s detailed planning. Goalkeeper Gábor Király will become the oldest ever player at a EURO, while it will be interesting to see if Ádám Szalai – without a goal in all competitions since December 2014 – retains his place as the lone striker.

Form guide (all games, most recent first) Austria : LWLWLWWWWW Hungary : LDDWLWDDWW

Predict every game at EURO

Did you know? Their first competitive tussle came at the 1934 FIFA World Cup, where Austria overcame Hungary 2-1 in Bologna to reach the semi-finals. That remains the countries' only final tournament meeting.  Find out more in our extensive match background .

Follow the game on social media (#AUTHUN) @UEFAEURO UEFA EURO on Facebook UEFA EURO on Instagram

• Countries data: Demographic and economy

Country comparison Austria vs Hungary

• Capital : Vienna
• Population : 9,104,772
• Surface Area : 83,879 km2
• Currency : Euros
• Religion : Mostly Christianity
• Belongs to : CoE , EA , EEA , IMF , OECD , UN , OSCE , EU
• Capital : Budapest
• Population : 9,599,744
• Surface Area : 93,030 km2
• Currency : Hungarian forints (1 EUR=394.6300 HUF)
• Belongs to : CoE , EEA , IMF , NATO , OECD , UN , OSCE , EU

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Cost of Living Comparison Between Hungary and Austria  

• Quality of Life in Hungary
• Crime in Hungary
• Health Care in Hungary
• Pollution in Hungary
• Property Prices in Hungary
• Traffic in Hungary
• Quality of Life in Austria
• Crime in Austria
• Health Care in Austria
• Pollution in Austria
• Property Prices in Austria
• Traffic in Austria
• Quality of Life Comparison Hungary vs Austria
• Crime Comparison Hungary vs Austria
• Health Care Comparison Hungary vs Austria
• Pollution Comparison Hungary vs Austria
• Property Prices Comparison Hungary vs Austria
• Traffic Comparison Hungary vs Austria

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• Jean-Georges Vongerichten On His New York

The Starry chef breaks down his go-to spots in Gotham.

Chef Interview My NYC Editor's Pick NYC New York

There are few chefs known by just their first name, but Jean-Georges has built his empire around it. The downtown denizen has revamped Manhattan from downtown (the Tin Building) to midtown ( 425 Park Avenue ), while still retaining his Two MICHELIN Stars for his eponymous Columbus Circle boîte. 

However, leave it to the chef to frequent some of New York's coolest hidden gems including Soho sushi celeb magnet Omen Azen, haute book shop McNally Jackson, and haute West Village spot Dante (for Negronis on tap).

Below, get Vongerichten's spots for everything from a quick coffee spot to the places where you can linger a little over sumptuous meals. 

Coffee: 

A neighborhood favorite of mine is The Elk. Before I start my workday, I stop by for my daily cappuccino. I’m very particular about how my cappuccino is made and The Elk, from my first visit to my visit this morning (9 years after they opened), nails it every time.

A few favorite restaurants:

Omen Azen is a restaurant I have been going to for many, many years. The family-owned business is in the heart of Soho and offers the best Kyoto-style cuisine I have had in NYC. They also have a location in Kyoto which I have yet to visit (however, I have an upcoming trip to Kyoto so I might have to stop in.)

Whenever I am craving tacos, Atla is my go-to. There are so many options in NYC and while Los Tacos is a close second, if I am looking for a sit-down experience, Atla it is! Their mole, agua frescas, margaritas and seasonal offerings are always so flavorful, hitting all of the right spots. I love sitting at the bar on my own or at one of the corner tables with a group of friends or family. Inside tip – get the Overproof Margarita, it’s my go-to.

I have been coming to Blue Ribbon Sushi for many, many years. I’m actually a big fan of all of their establishments - every year for Super Bowl, I host people at my house, and we order Blue Ribbon fried chicken! Blue Ribbon Sushi is my family’s go-to restaurant for family dinner. From my brother Philippe and his family to my son Cedric, Louise, Chloe and more – when everyone shows up, we essentially take up half the restaurant! Amazing sushi, sake and more, every time.

I recently visited Torrisi for the first time and while I enjoy going to all the Major Food Group establishments regularly no matter what city I am in, I thought Torrisi was very special and delicious. Just a unique blend of Italian, Chinese and American ingredients and flavors.

Where we might find you on your day off:

Some people may be surprised to hear this given the demands of my job, but I love to read – not on my phone, not on a computer, but a physical book or magazine. I love the selection at McNally Jackson in The Seaport – their selection isn't overwhelming, it's the perfect mix of renowned vs. rising writers. The team there are extremely knowledgeable, and I love the coffee shop. They also have a great selection of original greeting cards and stationery.

Cocktails/Late Night:   You might be sensing a theme here… Japan. The Japanese are true masters of the Highball and my favorite in NYC is at Katana Kitten. All of their cocktails are great but I especially love their Highballs – signatures and seasonals. The overall vibe in there as well, makes me miss Tokyo so much and gets me so excited to visit every year.

Located just around the corner from my apartment, I love going to Dante on Hudson Street for a Negroni on Tap (or two.) Whether I’m catching up with friends or going for a night cap, they always welcome with me with such warmth and have my Negroni waiting for me. In case you’re feeling hungry and want to nibble on something, the charcoal oven baked bread, steak tartare and oysters are great shareable plates.

Hero image: Courtesy of Jean-Georges

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