A special thanks to Veronie Hrabalova for being my personal tour guide through the great cities of Bratislava and Vienna! Thank you!!
I had a 2-week break during the holidays and did not want to let the time go to waste. I realized my planning of what to do was lacking but with one of my goals to be more spontaneous, why not plan it last minute? So, I planned a somewhat aggressive schedule to get my fix of travel in between Christmas and NYE. My travels would cover 3 countries in 4 days. While this seems virtually impossible if I was in North America, it’s much more common here in Europe (as I write this, I recount a conversation I had with a few other North American travelers I met in Budapest who were in the same “awe” as I when we can go from country-to-country so effortlessly here).
My travels began in Prague and took me first to the capital city of Slovakia: Bratislava. With it being the holidays, I booked tickets between most of the destinations in advance as many popular routes were filling up fast. I left early on the morning of December 26th, arriving midday to their central bus terminal.
The city center is quite small and can be easily seen on foot in a couple of hours. The city resides on the border of both Austria and Hungary (only national capital to border two countries) and while it is not on many travel destination lists, the city has plenty of charm to offer.
After having lunch at a local café bearing the name of L’udovit Stur, the man responsible for the contemporary version of Slovak language, we made our way up towards the Castle.
From the top, we had magnificent views of the city along the Danube.
We proceeded to meander through the remaining streets and along the road towards the train station that would bring me to Budapest that evening. On our way, we passed the Presidential House and gardens. Upon leaving Bratislava, I had a relaxing 2.5 hour ride to Budapest, arriving late that evening to one of their main train stations.
After checking into my hostel, the receptionist showed me to my room. I passed through the kitchen and as I said hello to a few people hanging out in the common area, someone tapped me on the shoulder…it was one of the people I had met at a holiday party…in Prague! I knew a few people would be traveling to Budapest but what are the odds they would be here at the same hostel at the same time!
In the moring, I decided to take a free-walking tour of the city. While a free-walking tour isn’t really free, as it is customary to tip the guide what you feel is respectable at the end of the tour, it’s a great way to see the city if you are traveling solo or want to hear about the history of a city from a local guide. Budapest is actually made up of two former cities; Buda and Pest (separated by the Danube River). The history of Budapest is filled with tragedy and the city has been rebuilt time and time again. However, today, it is a sprawling city that has been called one of the most beautiful and livable in Europe. It has several World UNESCO Heritage sites and has a great location in Central Europe. Our 3 hour tour covered many of the main sites, and besides the cold, it was absolutely beautiful out.
That evening, after exploring most of the city, I met up with a few people and went to one of the famed “Ruin Bars”-Szimpla Kert. These are bars located in old, formerly abandoned buildings and are made up of a mixture of odds & ends.
The following morning, I awoke and decided that I wanted to go to one of the famous Thermal Baths. The two well known baths are Széchenyi Bath and Gellert Baths. I made my way up to Széchenyi Bath and passed one of the monuments dedicated to former national leaders.
The baths were incredible. Even though it was below freezing outside, hundreds of people spent hours relaxing in 18 indoor and outdoor baths. The temperatures of the thermal waters ranged anywhere from 16 to 40 C. It was a relaxing and enjoyable time, much needed to recharge my batteries for the final leg of my trip.
Final Stop: Vienna. The one day I had in Vienna was something out of a winter wonderland story. While below freezing, it was a beautiful city to explore in the snow and the snow-cover made the former palaces and castles even more picturesque. It was very busy with many people exploring the city. I explored the outer castles and palaces before heading toward the inner part of the city, known as “The Ring”.
The “Ring” is downtown, where one can find most of the main sites, museums, and attractions.
The day sped by and while I say many sites, I am determined to come back when the weather is warmer to explore even further and capture more of the beauty this city has to offer. It’s a 5 hour bus ride from Prague, so it is easily accessible for a weekend trip.
As I rode the bus back to Prague, I reflected on the types of people I met along the way and the interesting stories they all have of their travels. From Au Pairs to Peace Corp workers, it’s so fascinating and makes me want to travel even more in 2015. It’s motivation to get out from behind the computer and see and experience the world. Others have told me that travel makes you a different person and that is can be hard to sum up in words. As I slowly grow my travel experiences, I begin to understand what they mean…and the prospects of exploring more in the coming year is one thing I cannot wait to do!
What are some of your best travel experiences and memories? Is there one word you can use to sum up your views or thoughts towards travel?
Travelnues 