August 29 – 30, 2024
I joined a private tour group to visit three beautiful cities in Eastern Europe: Budapest, Vienna, and Prague. After an overnight flight from JFK, we arrived early in the morning in Budapest, Hungary. We met our tour leader, Jurgen, at the airport, boarded a bus, and drove to the center of “Pesht.”
The capital city of Hungary was created by combining three smaller cities: Pest, Buda, and Obuda. Our group of 20 strolled along Vaci Utca which is a pedestrian street lined with many shops, restaurants, and bars.
The temperature was 91 degrees when we stopped for lunch and iced tea at Anna’s Cafe. Afterwards, I crossed the street to see the famous Great Central Market Hall which was built in 1897. It had changed since 2005 when I last visited Budapest. A new Aldi’s supermarket was installed in the basement and a large food court filled most of the balcony of the market.
Saturday, August 31, 2024
After a tasty buffet breakfast at our hotel, we went on a tour of the Buda Castle District. Our local guide, Belaj, led us around Buda Hill.
Holy Trinity Square, outside St. Matthias Church, is the heart of the Buda Castle District. We admired the view across the Danube River from Fisherman’s Bastion and enjoyed a casual outdoor lunch.
The Church of Our Lady of Buda Castle, also known as St. Matthias Church, was originally built in 1015 but the current structure was built in the late 14th century.The building had been used as the main mosque of Buda during the Ottoman occupation from 1541 to 1686.
St. Matthias Church is historically important because two Austro-Hungarian Habsburg monarchs were crowned there: Franz Joseph I in 1848 and Charles IV in 1916.
Buda Castle is the palace complex of the former Hungarian kings. The oldest part of the building was first completed in 1265 but the current structure was completed in 1769. The palace was extensively damaged during World War II and rebuilt during the communist era.
Today, the huge building houses several museums, the national library, and offices. We entered Buda Castle museum to see St. Stephen’s Hall which is a replica of a room used during the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph in 1897. It was meticulously recreated and opened to the public in 2021.
On Jurgen’s recommendation, we had a traditional Hungarian dinner at the Klauzal Cafe which was a short walk from the hotel. Of course, I had delicious homestyle beef goulash with small dumplings.
Sunday September 1, 2024
Today we toured the old Jewish District of Budapest which is located on the Pest (pronounced “pesht”) side of the Danube. We met our lovely local tour guide, Niki, and followed her along the ancient streets as she described the history of the Jews in Budapest.
Eventually we came upon the Dohany Street Synagogue which is the largest synagogue in Europe. The Moorish Revival style building was completed in 1859. The complex includes the Hungarian Jewish Museum and Archives, the Heroes Temple, a Jewish cemetery, the Wallenberg Holocaust Memorial Park, as well as the magnificent Synagogue.
Afterwards, we visited the Hungarian National Museum where there was an exhibit of Ancient Roman silver. Later in the afternoon our coach drove us to the Hungarian State Opera.
The Opera House, located on the famous Andrassy Avenue, opened to the public in 1884. It was funded by the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph I.
The neo-Renaissance style building holds 1,261 people and has the third best acoustics in Europe. We enjoyed a guided tour of the magnificent building and we were also treated to a short performance.
Monday September 2, 2024
The most impressive structure in Budapest is the Parliament Building which is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary.
Construction was planned after the unification of the three cities of Buda, Obuda, and Pest. The building was completed in 1904 to symbolize the sovereignty of Hungary.
With 691 rooms, it is the third largest Parliament Building in the world.
We also saw the 11th century Hungarian Crown of St. Stephen which was heavily guarded under and kept under the great cupola in the center of the impressive building.
We made a quick stop at Heroes’ Square which was built as a tribute to the ancient founders of Hungary and also to honor the country’s historic people.
For our last night in Budapest, we had dinner in “the most beautiful cafe in the world,” the New York Cafe. We enjoyed a delicious Hungarian dinner in a magnificent setting.
Tuesday September 3, 2024
We traveled from Budapest, Hungary to Vienna, Austria with a stop in Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
Bratislava is the capital city of the Slovak Republic which was formed in 1989 following the end of Communist rule in the region.
The Old Town of Bratislava is the historic medieval center of the city and houses many monuments, churches, and government institutions. We enjoyed lunch and explored the scenic old town.
We reached Vienna in the late afternoon and stopped at Schonbrunn Castle to see the garden. Built in 1642, the castle is the largest palace in Vienna and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wednesday September 4, 2024
This morning, our coach drove us to the lovely town of Durnstein where we boarded a riverboat for a 3-hour cruise on the Danube River to Melk Abbey.
The castle of Durnstein was the place where King Richard the Lionheart of England was imprisoned on his way home during the Crusades. A huge ransom was paid and he was released in 1194.
The Wachau Valley is the picturesque area along the Danube River between the towns of Melk and Krems. The riverboat cruise was lovely as we glided past lovely villages, medieval fortresses, wineries, and rolling farmland.
Unfortunately, photography was prohibited in Melk Abbey. The abbey was founded in 1089 as a monastic school. Today’s impressive Baroque building was completed in 1736, and extensive restoration was completed in 1995 after a fire. The ornate library contains over 100,000 books.
Thursday September 5, 2024
Vienna is the capital city of Austria and is known as the “City of Music” due to all the classical musicians who lived and worked there. The city center is designated a UNESCO World heritage Site.
Hoffburg Palace located in the center of Vienna was the residence of the royal family of the Habsburgs as well as their place of governance up to the twentieth century.
Cafe Landtmann is an upscale restaurant serving coffee and pastries in the traditional manner of Viennese coffee houses dating back to 1873. Of course, I had to have the famous Sacher Torte. Delicious!!
Vienna is a liberal city which is accepting and open to everyone. Uni-sex traffic lights reflect the city’s openness.
The Viennese Giant Ferris Wheel is a historical landmark with breathtaking views over the roofs of Vienna. The large “wagons” hold up to 15 people and are available to rent for lunch or dinner.
Called the “Wiener Riesenrad” in German, the Ferris Wheel was built in 1897 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Emperor Franz Josef I.
A “Heuriger” is the Viennese word for a wine tavern. It is a small rustic family-owned restaurant designed for people to enjoy traditional Viennese comfort food and fresh wine direct from local vineyards. We had a delicious dinner at the Schreiberhaus Heurigen in the suburbs of Vienna.
Friday September 6, 2024
Today we visited the famous Vienna Museum of Art History – the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Emperor Franz Joseph I of the Austro-Hungarian Empire opened the building in 1891 to house the Habsburgs’ extensive art collection and also to make it available to the general public.
The interiors of the museum are lavishly decorated with marble, gold leaf, and murals. The grand stairway features paintings by Gustav Klimt and other famous European artists.
Later, I stopped in at the Hofzuckerbackerei Demel – pastry shop – and tasted a Kaiserschmarrn.
The Hofburg Palace complex houses three museums which are open to the public. We visited the Sisi Museum to see the personal effects of Empress Elizabeth, who was a popular monarch in the late 19th century.
We had a guided tour of Vienna’s Spanish Riding School which included visiting the stables of the famous Lipizzaner stallions. We learned a lot about the beautiful white horses.
Saturday September 7, 2024
We left Vienna and were on our way to Prague. On the way, we stopped at the town of Lednice, Czech Republic to visit the castle. The Liechtenstein family had owned the entire region since the 13th century.
The current castle was rebuilt in 1858 in English Gothic style architecture. The Lednice-Valtice area is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After our tour of Lednice Castle, we were taken to the lovely town of Valtice. We found a local pizzeria and sat outside for a pizza lunch.
Afterwards, we went to the Chateau Valtice Winery and had a very interesting guided tour of their cellars.
Sunday, September 8, 2024
The Prague Jewish Museum consists of six historic monuments. We visited the Old-New Synagogue which is the oldest synagogue in Europe. It was built in 1270 and is still in use today.
The interior of the Pinkas Synagogue is simple with the names of victims of the Holocaust carved on the walls. In the center is the raised reader’s platform where the Torah scroll is placed to be read.
The Old Jewish Cemetery is one of the most important Jewish historical monuments in Prague. It was used from the early 15th century until 1786. Many famous religious people are buried there.
The Maisel Synagogue dates from 1592 and rebuilt in 1893 in Neo-Gothic style. It is currently used as a performance space and a museum with exhibits of Hebrew manuscripts, historical maps, and artifacts.
The Old Town Square of Prague was founded in the 12th century and served as the central marketplace of Prague. Over the centuries, wealthy merchants built impressive buildings around the square.
The Old Town Hall today houses a tourist information center and a magnificent tower. On one side of the tower is the famous 15th century Astronomical Clock which activates as the clock strikes the hour.
In the evening, we attended an excellent performance of Nabucco written by Giuseppe Verdi at The State Opera which is one of three opera houses in Prague. It was built in 1883 as the New German Theatre during the Austro-Hungarian era.
Monday September 9, 2024
The Prague Castle complex is the official residence and offices of the president of the Czech Republic. The huge complex is made up of several churches, palaces, halls, towers, and gardens most of which are open to the public. A highlight for most tourists is the magnificent St. Vitus Cathedral.
The guide led our group through much of the complex including St. George’s Basilica which was founded in 921AD and is the oldest church building within Prague Castle.
The weather today was cool and rainy in the morning so the famous Charles Bridge was not crowded with tourists. Construction of the bridge over the Vltava River began in 1357 by King Charles IV.
Tuesday September 10, 2024
Today we rode the bus about an hour away from Prague to the town of Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad in English). The city has numerous hot springs and is the largest spa complex in Europe.
Karlovy Vary is a lovely town with pastel painted buildings. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name of “Great Spa Towns of Europe.”
Over the centuries many internationally famous people have visited Karlovy Vary. Our group enjoyed Viennese coffee and pastries at the luxurious Grandhotel Pupp.
Tourists collected and drank mineral water from several natural springs in the Mill Colonnade below.
Wednesday September 11, 2024
We started the dayt at the National Museum located on Wenceslas Square. Founded in 1818, the museum houses natural scientific and historical collections of the Czech Republic.
After several hours exploring the National Museum, we walked the length of Wenceslas Boulevard and admired the Art Nouveau buildings on both sides of the street.
The Municipal House, a striking example of Art Nouveau architecture, was built from 1905 to 1912. Smetana Hall, named after the Czech composer, serves as a concert venue and ballroom.
We had a wonderful tour of the building and admired the beautiful murals painted by Alfons Mucha and other artists.
In the evening, our group enjoyed a festive farewell dinner at Strahov Abbey. We flew home on September 12th from Prague to JFK with a stopover in Frankfurt Germany.
The statement below was written on a wall in Vienna. I think it is wonderful and good advice for everyone.
