Choosing Between Vienna, Budapest, Prague or Bratislava [2024]
/Choosing between whether to visit Vienna, Budapest, Prague or Bratislava? We have no doubt that you would enjoy a visit to any of these cities, but if you’re having trouble choosing which one to visit on that short itinerary, then read on.
Should I visit Vienna, Budapest, Prague or Bratislava?
Solidifying any kind of travel itinerary can be difficult, especially when there are so many places seemingly worth visiting. This is most definitely the case when traveling across Central Europe. So many cities, so little time.
Budapest, Hungary
This brief guide will help you choose between the four major capitals of Central Europe – Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Bratislava. All so very different, but all amazing in their own right. We have no doubt that you would enjoy a visit to any of these cities, but if you’re having trouble choosing which one to visit on that oh-so-short itinerary, then read on.
Prague, Czech Republic
First thing’s first, let’s talk about the geography of these countries.
Where are these cities located?
Vienna is in Austria. Budapest is in Hungary. Prague is in the Czech Republic. Bratislava is in Slovakia. These countries are located in a cluster, and many of the countries’ borders are shared.
Map of Central Europe
Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava are all closely bunched up together – so they are easy to tick off if you want to see all of them in a short amount of time.
Prague is a little further away from the other cities, but is still reachable from Vienna and Bratislava via a 3.5-hour drive or a 4+ hour train ride.
However, if you’re particularly tight on time, those 4 hours will count for a lot. Prague is located the furthest away from Budapest – approximately a 5 hour 15-minute drive away or a 6.5-hour train ride.
Generally, visiting Prague and Vienna will work out better for you if you’re also visiting Western Europe (for example, Germany, Switzerland, Italy), and visiting Budapest and Bratislava will work out better if you’re visiting Eastern Europe (Romania, Bulgaria) or the Balkans (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Where to Stay
Where to Stay in Vienna
Vienna isn’t the cheapest place to stay, but with a little searching, you can find great places to stay that won’t break the bank. Here are some of the best places to stay in Vienna.
Budget: Space Home Hostel - City Hall
This space hotel is about as cheap as they come when booking a stay at somewhere clean, central and stylish. The Space Home Hostel - City Hall is located in a highly convenient location, and is a comfortable, futuristic-looking capsule hotel. If you’re on a budget and don’t mind staying in a hostel, we would highly recommend staying here.
Take a closer look at the the Space Home Hostel - City Hall by clicking here.
Mid-Range: Ibis Styles Wien City
The Ibis Styles Wien City is an extremely affordable option for what you get. Colourful, well-designed and family friendly, the Ibis is known to have some excellent hotels in their property group - and this one is no different. Vienna’s major attractions, such as Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, the Hofburg and the Opera house, are all easily reachable via public transport.
Take a closer look at the Ibis Styles Wien City by clicking here.
Luxury: Grand Ferdinand Vienna
Widely considered to be one of the best hotels in Vienna, the Grand Ferdinand is a chic, opulent hotel that will tick off every luxury traveler’s box. This 5 star hotel features a stunning pool area, fitness center and immaculately designed rooms. In terms of location - this is as central as it gets to Vienna’s city center and attractions.
Take a closer look at the Grand Ferdinand by clicking here.
Where to stay in Budapest
Budapest is a thriving city with lots of great places to stay. It is one of the most affordable cities on this list, and is definitely less expensive to stay here than in Vienna. Here are some of our picks.
Budget: City Hotel Budapest
The City Hotel Budapest is a great little budget hotel that services most traveler’s needs as they pass through Budapest. The hotel is situated in a central location, close to a metro station and some major attractions. It also features an outdoor seating area and well-appointed rooms. While this hotel isn’t anything fancy, it comes with an extremely affordable price tag.
Take a closer look at the City Hotel Budapest by clicking here.
Mid-Range: SB Hotel
The SB Hotel is a young property that earns plus points in both style and location. Reviewers have praised the hotel for being located in short walking distance to pretty much everything in Budapest, and being super clean and comfortable to stay in. We would recommend this hotel for sure.
Staying here would be a truly magical experience. Featuring gold, opulent decor and contemporary rooms, the Anantara New York Palace truly looks just like a palace. Pamper yourself with a sauna and steam bath experience, or hop into the relaxation pool. This hotel is truly amazing.
Take a closer look at the Anantara New York Palace Budapest by clicking here.
Where to stay in Prague
So you’ve decided to visit the fairy tale city of Prague. Great choice! Although there are tons of great properties to stay at in Prague, we know it can be a tough choice narrowing it down to just a few. Here’s our top choices for where to stay in Prague.
Budget: Hotel Brixen
Hotel Brixen is a no-frills, 3-star establishment. Still, it’s a clean, comfortable and most importantly, affordable place to stay in Prague. Located in the heart of Prague’s New Town, guests especially loved Hotel Brixen’s central location, friendly service and cleanliness.
You can book a stay at Hotel Brixen by clicking here.
Mid-Range: EA ApartHotel Melantrich
In terms of location, it can’t get much better than this Apart-Hotel. The EA ApartHotel Melantrich is situated right in the middle of the main boulevard, Wenceslas Square. All of Prague’s main attractions are practically reachable on foot from here. Not to mention, the apartments are spacious, well-kept and stylish. This is a great choice for those with a little bit more of a budget to allocate into accomodation.
You can book a stay at the EA ApartHotel Melantrich by clicking here.
While there are more opulent and luxurious hotels in Prague, we think that this hotel is our number one choice because of its significance. The ‘Dancing House’ is actually already a Prague icon from the outside - many people come to visit this building to take pictures of it. However, what most people don’t know is that the Dancing House is just as beautiful inside. Why not tick off an attraction and have it double up as a great hotel?
You can book a stay at Dancing House - Tančící dům hotel by clicking here.
Where to Stay in Bratislava
Off-beat Bratislava also packs a punch, with a range of great accommodation options to choose from. Here are our choices for the best places to stay in Bratislava.
The Ibis Bratislava Centrum isn’t your typical budget hotel as it’s still a 3-star establishment, but in a city as affordable as Bratislava, you’ll still be saving some serious dollars by staying here. Friendly staff, central location and clean rooms - this is a great choice for the budget-minded traveler.
You can book a stay at the Ibis Bratislava Centrum by clicking here.
Mid-Range: Palace Apartments
One thing I love about Bratislava is the city’s knack for turning old things new again. They do this with remodeled cafes and stores, and it’s no different with hotels and apartments. These apartments are absolutely gorgeous, and in the perfect location. You have to be quick if you want to stay in these, though - they’re known to be pretty popular!
You can book a stay at Palace Apartments by clicking here.
Luxury: Roset Hotel & Residence
Get ready to relax and unwind! The Roset Hotel & Residence is an amazing place for you to kick up your feet when in Bratislava. Featuring a central location and amazing interior design, this is a luxury experience you don’t want to miss when in Bratislava.
You can book a stay at the Roset Hotel & Residence by clicking here.
How to get to From City to City
Visiting more than one city? The good news is, all these cities are centrally located in Europe, and it’s easy to get from place to place by train. Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava are all close to each other, and getting from one city to another usually won’t take more than 3 hours by train.
If you’re traveling to Prague from Budapest/Vienna and vice versa, then I would recommend traveling by plane instead. There usually several short direct routes on any given day between those cities, and fares are ridiculously cheap if you can book early (I’m talking less than 30AUD per ticket).
Skyscanner really is the best website to book your tickets, as you can directly compare fares from thousands of different airlines and travel operators, allowing you to choose the fare that best suits you.
You can check out flights between each city by clicking here.
Want to score Last Minute Flight deals on Skyscanner? Click here!
Otherwise, you can also get to city to city by private transfer or day trip - this will cost a bit more money, but will be the most hassle-free and easiest option. I’ve handpicked highly rated transfers and tours between each city here:
From Vienna
From Budapest
Budapest Private Transfer from or to Prague with optional Bratislava stop
Budapest Private Transfer from or to Vienna or Vienna Airport
From Bratislava
From Prague
Vienna
The Hofburg, Vienna
Visit Vienna if...
You enjoy clean, classically beautiful architecture.
You don’t mind spending a little more on your holiday.
You’re interested in culture, art and music.
You’re visiting during Christmas time.
You love visiting castles and palaces.
Safety is of the highest importance to you.
Streets of Vienna
In a nutshell, Vienna is...
Classic, elegant, safe, extravagant and pristine. Vienna is the cleanest of the four cities. The Austrian capital is almost what you would ‘expect’ out of visiting an important European city. Lots of history. Lots of people. Lots of expensive stuff.
If Vienna had a downside, I would say that it can be perceived as slightly boring and clinical. Things are almost too perfect and too orderly. As amazing as Vienna is, some would say nothing really stands out. Most of the attractions look similar to each other, and the architecture is very consistent throughout the whole city. It’s a city that is incredibly impressive, but lacks the ‘surprise’ element.
If you haven’t visited Western Europe and would like to visit a place with a similar atmosphere, Vienna would be the choice out of these four cities.
Visiting Vienna? Check out these tours from the Austrian capital.
Budapest
Budapest, Hungary
Visit Budapest if...
You enjoy partying and exploring unique bars.
You’re a creature of the night.
You enjoy vast, dramatic views.
You’re looking for a more offbeat, unique experience.
You’re looking to learn about a unique culture and history.
You’re looking to visit thermal baths.
You’re a little tight on your spending budget.
You like your cities slightly run down and rough around the edges.
Night views over Budapest
In a nutshell, Budapest is...
An amazing city if you keep your mind open. Budapest is different from any other European capital for a lot of reasons. Its main attractions, unlike a lot of other European cities, are completely different from each other and spread out between two sides of the city – the Buda side and the Pest side.
Budapest is a little quirky, and a little rough around the edges. There’s a certain ‘diamond-in-the-rough’ charm about it. This city is all about views, views, views, as well as striking gothic architecture. It’s also an incredibly affordable city for European standards.
We’re going to keep it 100% real here – Budapest definitely felt a bit more run down than the other three cities. There was a little bit of a sketchy or ‘dodgy’ vibe in the city, especially at night. Safety seemed to be more of an issue here, and we found ourselves clutching at our belongings a little tighter than we did in the other cities. Yes, there are nice areas, but there are also a lot poorly lit backstreets. excessive graffiti everywhere and loiterers at night.
If you don’t mind navigating your way through a slightly less organised city, then Budapest is your destination.
Visiting Budapest? Check out these tours from the Hungarian capital.
Prague
Prague, Czech Republic
Visit Prague if...
You’re looking for a romantic getaway.
You like your cities pretty and having a fairy tale-like quality.
Compact and easily explored by foot.
You’re a fan of Disneyland and conventional-looking castles.
You’re shorter on time.
You don’t mind sharing the city with millions of tourists.
In a nutshell, Prague is...
Prague is your destination if you only have a weekend. Most of the main sights can be seen in about a day and a half because they’re all so close to each other. Prague’s main drawcard is that the Old Town really is picture perfect. No matter where you shoot your camera, it’s as if everything is ready to be printed on a postcard.
Even though we read online that Prague and Budapest’s crime rates are comparable, Prague felt much, much safer than Budapest at night. In fact, Prague had a naturally romantic feel to it, and especially after the sun had set.
The Czech Republic capital looks like it came out of a Disney movie, and for this reason, we also think that it’s extremely family friendly.
We absolutely adored Prague, but if it had a downside, it would be that is a little lacking in the sightseeing department, especially compared to Vienna and Budapest. Almost all the main sights can be easily seen on foot in less than 2 days, and there was a certain ‘tourist circuit’ vibe to the sights.
Visiting Prague? Check out these tours from the Czech capital.
Best of Prague: City Walking Tour, Boat Cruise, and Typical Czech Lunch (most popular tour in Prague)
MOST POPULAR: The Best of 2 Countries in 1 Day: Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland (really awesome day trip from Prague)
Cesky Krumlov: Full day tour from Prague and back. (Cesky Krumlov is one of the prettiest towns in Europe)
Bratislava
Bratislava, Slovakia
Visit Bratislava if...
You’re very short on time.
You enjoy exploring cute cafés and shops.
You enjoy walking through narrow, winding streets at your own pace.
You prefer a more relaxed holiday.
You really enjoy compact cities very easily explored on foot.
You prefer your cities quieter and less frequented by tourists.
You’re not big on sightseeing and prefer to soak in the atmosphere and vibe of a city.
In a nutshell, Bratislava is...
Bratislava is so cute and compact that it almost hurts. If Prague is perfect for a weekend break, the bulk of Bratislava could be done in even less than 2 days. Often dwarfed by its more well-known neighbours in terms of international fame, population and volume of attractions, where Bratislava excels is its quirky and authentic old town vibe.
Even though the Old Town can still get busy during peak seasons, it is much less crowded than Vienna, Budapest and Prague which all can seem overrun by tourists at times. Because of this, walking through the narrow streets of Bratislava will feel more authentic than the streets of its more famous neighbours.
The underrated Slovakian Capital also has a cool café culture thing going on. Within the Old Town, you’ll find plenty of trendy cafés with interesting and chic interiors. If you visit Bratislava, make sure you stop by one of these cafés for lunch or a coffee stop.
If you’re looking to explore a city with plenty of attractions to keep you occupied for many days, Bratislava will probably not be your jam. The city is so compact that realistically, we wouldn’t recommend you staying longer than 1 night.
Visiting Bratislava? Check out these tours from the Slovakian capital.
Panoramic Tour in Bratislava by Presporacik Sightseeing Vehicle
Bratislava Post-Communism Tour (this tour is super interesting if you want to learn about Bratislava’s communist history)
Which One Should You Visit? - Our Opinion
We would encourage you to make your unbiased decision, backed by your own research on the web. To help make your mind up, these are our rankings of the cities ordered from most preferred to least preferred, judging by our recent trip to Central Europe.
1. Prague
Prague
We thought Prague had just the right mix of beautiful architecture and postcard-perfect views. Almost everything was walkable. We felt safe at all times. It still had a ‘big city vibe’ without losing its Old Town charm. Prague felt like walking around in a fairy tale, and we would come back in a heartbeat. Yes, it’s a little touristy, but there’s obviously a good reason for that.
2. Vienna
Vienna
Vienna was a great city. It virtually ticked off everything from the “What Makes a Great City” list. Stunning palaces? Check. A plethora of attractions? Check. Safety and cleanliness? Check. Efficient public transport? Check. So what was missing? Well, Vienna lacked a certain ‘X Factor’ that the other three cities had. Don’t ask us how – we just felt that way somehow! Everything was almost too pristine and proper that it suffered in the fun department.
3. Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava was a well needed rest break during our busy Europe trip, but it was hard to place this city much higher than number three on our list. Although it kept our intrigue for a full day, we couldn’t imagine exploring for another day in this city. Still, it’s an underrated destination in Europe and if you have the time, you should definitely pay a short visit.
4. Budapest
Budapest
Sorry, Budapest. We wanted to love you. We really, really did. After years and years of reading about how great this city was, we had high expectations. Sadly, the city didn’t live up to the hype. Don’t get us wrong. Budapest is a beautiful city. In fact, it probably tops this list in terms of the number of jaw-dropping ‘wow’ attractions we visited.
It really is such an aesthetically striking city. But.... and this is a big but.... we didn’t enjoy our experience here because of the vibe. We found Budapest to be full of sketchy characters looking to make a quick dollar out of tourists. We were asked to buy cocaine and weed 5 times in less than 3 days. We were harassed by local women asking us to party with them. We were fined $80AUD for accidentally purchasing the wrong ticket on the Metro. We were subject to dirty looks and verbal harassment on the Budapest streets at night. Honestly, we could go on about our less-than-pleasant experiences in Budapest, but we’ll leave it at that.
Despite this, you should go to as many of these cities as possible and make your own decision.
Visited, or planning to visit any of these Central European cities? Let us know in the comments below!
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Curious to get a realistic picture of what tourist-magnet Prague is really like? Check out these 15 unedited photographs of the Czech capital.