Eastern Europe
 

Hello everyone! I am planning a trip to Europe next year in May to Eastern Europe. Instead of booking hotels and flights seperately I will purchase, for lack of a better term, one trip around Europe. It will include rail passes, travel insurance, and hostel's for me to stay in Europe through STA Travel.

I will go to Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. Can anyone tell me what it is like in those three cities? Should I be worried about going to these "Eastern Europe" cities (specifically Prague and Budapest)? Thanks for your help!

First of all Vienna is not an Eastern European City. And as far as those other two that are, it's always good to take precautionary on pick pocketings just like you would do elsewhere. But other than that there should be nothing to worry about if you go about on your common sense especiall for cities like Budapest and Prague, which AFAIK, are the two most frequently tourist visited cities in all of Eastern Europe.

It would be a different story if you were heading to Moscow though!

Like going to Disneyland
 

Prague is without question one of the most beautiful cities in the world! While it was somewhat behind western European cities for many years, at this point it has caught up in almost all ways (especially lodging prices!). It reminds me of Disneyland in that many of the gothic building are uplight. You half expect someone to fly down from the top.

As there is a great deal of tourist traffic you have all the good and bad that comes with that. So, no need to take any more or any less precautions. One thing to note is that Prague is becoming a destination city for Brits as a pre-wedding fling. (think "what happen in Prague...). The Charles Bridge is where Jon Voight faked his death in Mission Impossible.

In Budapest there is a great pedestrian street with great shopping. Again normal issues. Try the Mariott for a great dessert buffet, right on the Danube and last time I was there is was about $6-7 dollars for all you can eat including coffee or tea.

Have a great time.

Don't ever exchange money on the street. No matter how good the exchange rate they promise is, it is a scam and you will lose your money.

While I hope I don't start a chain reaction of posts listing other cities you should visit, I do highly recommend Krakow, Poland as a nearby place to visit while you are on your trip. The city itself is beautiful, and there are numerous exciting day trip possibilities from Krakow.

There seems to be a lot of faking going on around that guy! After all, George bought his car, or didn´t he?

Sorry, couldn´t resist. Have fun on your trip!

Well Vienna is definitely not an eastern European city!!!
It is just as modern, safe, and wealthy as any other European city, Amsterdam, Paris, London whatever.

For Prague and Budapest I wouldn't worry too much. I've been to both cities and they are both generally safe.
Both cities are very touristy nowadays so people are used to tourists.
The biggest risk is probably that a taxi driver will overcharge you or that you encounter a pickpocket.
The best way to avoid this is to try not to 'advertise' you're a tourist, put the camera, the map and the guidebook in your bag!

I would also second the suggestion of going to Krakow, lovely city and very traditional, Budapest and Prague are just packed with tourists nowadays.
Or perhaps one of the countries on the northern part of the Balkan like Slovenia and Croatia.

Try Bratislava
 

Since you're going to Vienna you ought to try Bratislava. It is only 40 minutes from the Vienna airport and not yet as touristy as the rest. Very beautiful, great prices for both housing and food. A large mall near the city center which for no other reason has a great internet cafe.

After Brat. you can triain up to Krakow for about $40-50. As others have said it is absolutely beautiful as well.

You are right. East European cities are not modern, they are unsafe and also they are very poor. Sad to see that name of Vienna was insulted in such way.

I think the statement regarding "very poor" for East European cities is a bit harsh IMO. Sure they are not at the same level as those in the Western part of the continent but they have improved dramatically over the last decade and in no means are "very poor" especially with Budapest and Prague. The statement "very poor" would certainly describe scenes of hunger, famine, abundant street beggers/sleepers, something I hardly saw the last time I visited Prague and Budapest.

I always find it curious (not in a bad way) what preconceptions my compatriots have of so-called Eastern Europe. Even back in '96 on my first visit to Prague I thought it seemed very well-acclimated to a more western market-type economy (while Slovokia seemed to be languishing), and lodging prices were indeed quite high in the areas populated by tourists and businesspeople: ~$120 at the Interconti, for example. (I managed to find a lovely pension/B&B right by the Skalka metro stop for ~$30/night; on my second trip I rented an apartment in the same neighborhood for two weeks.)

Funny, most Americans are surprised to hear that Vienna is actually farther east than Prague. :)

That all said, all three cities are indeed absolute gems and as previous posters have indicated just use your common sense as would anywhere esle in the world and you'll be just fine. Have a splendid time. If you're inclined to take a day or 2-day trip to the spa town of Karlovy Vary northwest of Prague, PM me.

Now going OT just a little bit, I'm planning a month next June around a philosophy conference I'm attending in Belgrade as well as a visit to a friend in Minsk. I'll be staying with friends in both places so I have ample guidance therein. That said I'd be very appreciative of any suggestions for Montenegro, Croatia and north of Belarus into the Baltics (Vilnius, Riga, Tallin, etc.) Might as well get my money's worth while I'm over there! <g>

I think an "Eastern European country" in this context would best be defined as a country that was located east of the iron curtain until 1990 with a communistic government etc.
Hungary and Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia) were part of that but not Austria.
The notion is that these countries are now a lot poorer and undeveloped than Western European countries.
This is in many aspects very true, but what is also true is that since 1990 many countries have come a long way in improving living standards, facilities etc and in the most developed and modernised cities like Budapest and Prague (where the OP is planning to go) you hardly even notice these things anymore.
I was in Prague in both 2001 and again this year 2005 and during those four years the city had changed drastically.
Now most people speak good English, there are large modern shopping centres and department stores and the airport is one of the most modern and stylish airports in Europe.

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To be honest, I would no longer consider Hungary or the Czech Republic to be 'Eastern European'. The term 'Central Europe' tends to be more common (and accurate) these days.

Thanks for all the help and advice! When I mentioned Vienna as an "Eastern Europe" city I was getting that from STA Travel (the package I am getting is called "Eastern Europe Experience"). When I hit the button to post the thread I realized that Vienna probably isn't considered an Eastern Europe city. I agree with what has been said, people refer to country's East of the Iron Wall as Eastern Europe.

Sounds like all three cities should be a blast! I am mostly excited about going to Vienna -- I love Germany (and the area around it, such as Austria/Switzerland), almost everything about it. I might extend my stay in Europe and go to Zurich and Munich as well. Thanks for all the help!