We were very happy with our stay at the boutique art'otel Budapest. It’s on the bank of the Danube and only a 10-minute walk from both the Buda Castle and the downtown pedestrian shopping area. And there is tram stop about half a block from the front door.

The web-site features photos of mostly a young clientele but we took a couple walking tours with Absolute Tours (http://www.absolutetours.com/) and didn’t feel out of place. We also got a much better feel for the city than we would have on a coach tour.

In Prague, we would also recommend the walking tours we did with Prague Walks (http://www.praguewalks.com/)

If you have the time, schedule an over-night side trip out of Prague to Český Krumlov. The entire central city is a UNESCO World Heritage site with more than 300 historical buildings, some dating back to the 12th century. Day trips are available but spending a night there will be a much better experience.

Everywhere you turn, you see another historic building but the main attraction in Český Krumlov is the Gothic Castle built on the rock cliffs rising over the Vltava. The first thought that comes to mind when looking at the Castle is “This is what Walt Disney was looking at when he conceived the castle at Disneyland.”