How we got there.
As with most of our trips, we found cheap flights. The tickets cost us a little over $500 with direct-to-Europe flights out of Salt Lake. They were on Delta as well which was great.
Once in Austria, we booked train tickets to Hungary and Austria. They were extremely affordable and only a couple of hours away. We used Omio and it was pretty easy and stress-free. In hindsight, I might use Omio to find the trains and then go to the specific company’s site to book tickets. We always try to avoid third-party bookings. Rejiojet and OBB were the two different trains we used.
What we did.
Chrismas markets of course! What else is there to do in these countries in snowy December? Vienna had the most and the largest. The Ratausplatz Plaza had the largest market and the one we visited the most. It sits at the base of an incredible city hall and the market has everything you need.
There are many incredible buildings outside the Christmas markets, and we spent the daylight hours wandering through the cities. Both Bratislava and Budapest have castles and they’re worth the visit. The castle in Bratislava has an “old-fashioned” Christmas market that has a very nice vibe.
In Budapest, we did a hop-off hop on bus and it was definitely worth it. It took us to all the important parts of the city and it also included a short river cruise.
Budapest has some really incredible buildings. The castle, the parliament building, the synagogue, there is so much to see in this city. We wish we had stayed there for longer.
The Christmas markets are all incredible. We worried they might be the same from area to area but they have lots of variety and lots of delicious food.
Where we stayed.
We have always been extremely lucky with our Airbnbs and hotels. We were a little outside of downtown Vienna but the location was still great and we were right next to a tram station which is really all that matters. It was also right across the street from a small Christmas market. Check it out.
Budapest was in a great location. Right next to one of the most popular markets in Europe. Check it out.
Our Bratislava Airbnb couldn’t have been better. It was in a perfect location and extremely nice. The old town area is beautiful and a great area to stay. Check it out.
Our final night was spent in the Moxy Hotel near the Vienna Airport. It cost a little bit more but we had a 5-minute walk to the airport the following morning at 4:30 am. Well worth the extra $50.
Transportation
Vienna has a massive transit system. You can get anywhere with trams and metros. They’re everywhere. They’ve got an app you can use to buy tickets and we were able to get on and off with very little effort.
Budapest has a decent transit system but it’s not quite as robust as Vienna. At least the trams and metro aren’t as abundant. We were able to walk to a lot of places and we mostly used the hop off hop on bus as our transportation.
Bratislava has the smallest system of the three. That being said, it’s also a very small city and we could walk everywhere we needed to go. We used the tram to and from the train station, but that was the only time we used it.
What we ate.
Market food and a lot of it. Each country has its styles and we indulged in lots of them. The markets are a little pricey but the food is delicious. Some things worth mentioning: The bratwurst are all great. Budapest has paprika chicken which is amazing. All the places had good pizza and schnitzel and the pastries and desserts were always worth getting.
We ate at a few restaurants but nothing worth mentioning. The food was all good and the restaurants were endless.
What we learned.
Everyone loves Christmas markets. There were some nights with a ton of people. If you go to Europe for the markets, go early in the month. Can’t imagine how bad it gets closer to Christmas.
Don’t forget about the smaller markets. They have far fewer people and a much more charming atmosphere.
Hungary uses the Forint and at the time of our trip, it was 1 USD = 353 Forints.