Bratislava and Prague are four hours apart by train but worlds apart in feel. Prague is a gorgeous city, with architectural gems that make you feel as though you're walking in a fairytale--a fairytale that gets interrupted by roving bands of young drunks (and that's why Prague is great for a visit, but it's not somewhere I could live). There are endless things to do, including simply getting lost in the narrow, winding streets of the historic center. I think everyone knows how beautiful and inexpensive Prague is, and that's why it was so crowded. Prague's elbow-to-elbow crowds in the main square were in stark contrast to the quiet, nearly-empty streets of Bratislava.
Bratislava was the underdog of this trip. No guide books pay it much attention, nor does Rick Steves give it much of an endorsement in his program. But we really enjoyed it. We had the best meals of the trip here, and we were relaxed just meandering the streets. If you're in Vienna (which is where we started this trip), I highly recommend a night in Bratislava.
We did a triangular train route beginning in Vienna. My recommendation is to buy the Prague train tickets in advance on this Czech site. The Vienna-Bratislava route departs pretty much every hour, and those fares don't change. The routes to and from Prague have dining cars, which become essential if your assigned car is full of crazies or screaming children. Once you arrive at the main stations, you can either take taxis or trams to the city centers.
It was New Year's Eve 2010, and we were having drinks at a bar in Istanbul with Eszter Torda, a Hungarian diplomat. With Hungary set to run the presidency of the Council of the EU the next year, Eszter was returning to Budapest and said to let her know should our travels find us there. Five years later, we finally made it happen, albeit without Eszter, as she moved on to other posts.
Budapest, to us, is a coalescence of influences--the cafés of Vienna, the castle district of Prague, and some strong undertones of Russia. It's a city that requires more than a couple days to see the major sites, especially with the distances between them. But with a nice dinner for two costing less than $50, staying a while isn't a problem.
We flew into Vienna on a direct flight on Austrian Airlines. From there, we took an easy 2.5 hour train to Budapest-Keleti Station. The Metro and Tram system is really easy to use and less than a dollar per ride. Be prepared, though, for some serious walking. Distances in Budapest are farther than they might appear on a map. I was convinced I had permanently damaged my feet by the end of our second day.
This video was to capture the sound of the band at the Easter Market in Budapest. It's one of the few we've been to at which the people are all attentively listening to the music--and rightfully so! The music almost rivaled the food.
Our timing was good this day, as we got to witness this just as we reached the Parliament. I like that the famous Tram 2 goes by in the background.