Originally Posted by mikebe
If you would like to see something of Europe, I'd recommend going to cities that are not yet high on the tourist radar, such as the Baltic states.
Other cities in the same vein would include Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Bratislava (Slovak Republic) - the latter is a 50 minute train ride from Vienna.
Also, be aware that August 15th is a Catholic holiday (Assumption Day, IIRC) and many European countries observe these days as legal holidays (lots of attractions and stores shut down).