Graffiti Wall: Rick Steves' Best of Eastern Europe

Rick Steves' Best of Eastern Europe: More Feedback

If you've traveled with this guidebook, please help us improve it for future travelers. How can it be more helpful and accurate? Did any recommended hotels, eateries, or sights disappoint you? Do you have any new experiences or new places we should consider? Any warnings or tips for those traveling with the existing edition?

Vienna, Prague, Budapest
My sister and I visited these three cities late March of this year. We almost exclusively used Rick Steve's guidebooks and found them to be extremely helpful (for the most part)!

Vienna - Follow Rick's advice on getting standing room tickets to see an opera! Tie that scarf on the rail in front of you and the "seat" is yours. Someone did try to steal our spots but we got them back. The opera experience was great even for us non-opera types. We did the Do-It-Yourself Ringstrasse Tram Orientation Tour. The new trams must have come out after the printing of the guidebook. These new trams are more comfortable but do not work very well for the purpose of the tour. We wish we got on an old tram! Look for one that looks like the one pictured in RS's book. We stayed at Pension Hargita and were not that impressed. The location was fine but the room was so cramped even for two petite people. (Maybe it was just the room we got. I looked into the adjacent rooms as they were being cleaned and they were much bigger!) Our room had 2 odd-sized mattresses on two bed frames so we could not separate the beds and one person had to sleep on the seam of two mattresses. There was a shower stall (with glass doors) in the corner of the room along with a sink. (The toilet's down the hall.) We could hardly move around inside the room. we were disappointed with this one.

Prague - We stayed at Pension Unitas and loved it! Both the bedroom and bathrooms were clean. (Stephanie - sorry that you had a bad experience.) We thought it was a great location (we walked everywhere) and the price was very reasonable. There was one night that some people in the hostel were very noisy when they came back late. We still enjoyed our stay there. We probably tried most of RS's recommendations on food and most of the sights as well. We highly recommend Sarka Pelantova as a tour guide. We went on a tour with her at the Jewish Quarter and to Karlstejn. (We took the train to Karlstejn instead of driving out there which cost us a fraction of the price.) She was very knowledgeable and we learned so much about history as well as local tips. It was money very well spent! We especially enjoyed the Jewish Quarter (and we're not Jewish), Prague Castle, and Charles Bridge. The view from the top of the astronomical tower in Old Town Square was also spectacular!

Budapest - I thought Szechenyi Baths and the House of Terror were at least 3-Stars so Rick was right again! The people in Budapest were very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed visiting the Great Market Hall, sampling food and buying paprika and goulash mixes. We got a Budapest card but would have spent less on just individual tickets. (We walked most of the time.) If you get a transportation card, you also need to find out the hours of operation for each type of transportation. We were stranded on the Pest side and had to walk uphill twice to our hotel on the Buda side. (Well, we could have taken a taxi but walking was cheaper!) RS also has interesting information to keep us entertained as we walked down Vaci Utca and Andrassy Ut.
Amy <email>
CA USA Mon 05/09/2005

Pension Unitas
Stephanie - guess you got unlucky with the Unitas. I stayed there for four nights last August, and had no trouble with noise. I don't remember having privacy problems with the bathrooms either, but I do remember both the bathrooms and bedrooms were very clean.
Kathy <email>
Cary, NC USA Sun 05/01/2005

Hotel Stay
Our group of 4 adults used your Best of Eastern Europe Book for 21 days during our travels and found all accommodations just fine except the Hotel Maleho Vitka in Cesky Krumlov. Rooms were clean but lots of torn sheets and terrible beds and bedding in this recommended hotel. It was listed as a $$, but highly overated and I would not stay there again. People were friendly and no complaints about that, but very lacking in overall maintenance of each room. Thanks, shirley
Shirley Darrow <email>
Cesky Krumlov, CZ Sat 04/30/2005

Sleeping in Prague
Don't stay at Pension Unitas if you actually want to sleep. I spent two nights there in April, 2005. While they have signs posted everywhere about quiet time starting at 10pm, this was not enforced. The hostel was across a courtyard from my room. Even with the window closed and earplugs in, the noise still kept me up (and I'm not a light sleeper). I finally went down to the front desk at 2:30 am and got them to do something. There were several other people staying in the "hotel" section who were equally displeased. The room itself was extremely warm, and the bathroom down the hall was like you would find in a dorm -- bathroom stalls and showers that are not exactly private. (ie two shower stalls together behind a curtain...)

All of this would have been acceptable if I were staying in the hostel, but I expected more from the hotel side. The price was also 200Kc higher than quoted in the guidebook.
Stephanie
CA USA Sun 04/24/2005

Krakow, Budapest & Prague
I had a wonderful trip to Krakow, Budapest and Prague this past November with three friends.

Krakow is by far my favorite destination.The people were friendly, the food fantastic and the culture and sites wonderful. My friends and I stayed at Hotel Ester, located in the heart of Kazimierz. The staff was friendly and very helpful. They gave us pointers on how to get to different areas and whether transportation was actually necessary (it never was). They set us up with a driver to take us to Auschwitz. This is definitely the more expensive route, but I felt like it was worth the money. Our driver was full of conversation, telling us about Poland under communism versus Poland today, pointing out local sites and history, and giving us good information on how to maneuver through Auschwitz.

I highly recommend the Ariel for dinner and Klezmer music. Get reservations to be on the safe side. We were there in November and the place was full. The Berdyczowska soup is incredible. I could kick myself for not getting on my knees and begging for the recipe (and if you know how to duplicate the soup email me).

Budapest was not nearly as great as Krakow. Perhaps my expectations were higher, friends had raved about the city. Maybe it was the time of year? We went in late November and the weather was manic. My friends and I awoke to a surprisingly warm sunny morning, dressed without our usual winter layers (we are Houstonians) and set off to town. 30 minutes later, snow began to fall. There was a point in the day that I was sure we were being engulfed in a blizzard, but my snow savvy friend assured me we were not.

We stayed at Helios Panzio. A small friendly place on the hills over looking the city. The hotel has lovely views and a great staff. The Budapest card was a good buy. The House of Terror is definitely a three star experience. Be sure to ask for an English audio guide. They did not offer them to us and we did not think to ask. We got a partial experience of an incredible museum. Budapest has tons of gardens and trees, I think we missed out on a great city by going during the wrong time of year.

Prague rocked! We stayed at Hotel Tri Bubnu, a bit pricey, a whole lot of stairs (we had four flights of narrow stairs to our room), but very comfy and an awesome location. After being in the boonies of Budapest and having to take a serious hilly hike for food, it was wonderful to go downstairs and be surrounded by yummy places to dine. Like Krakow, we got everywhere we wanted in Prague by walking. Even in the gloom of approaching winter the city was full of tourist! I can't imagine what it must be like in high season. Prague is the only place where my friends and I ran into taxi trouble. We told our taxi driver where we wanted to go and he quoted a price. Once we were all in the taxi and on the way, he acted surprised about the location and tried to up the price. The four of us protested at once and he quickly backed down. It was the only time I ran into any kind of crookedness, and thanks to Rick Steve's we knew a scam when it hit us.
Jay Meyers <email>
Houston, TX USA Sat 04/09/2005

anti-Americanism in Europe
My husband and I just returned from two wonderful weeks spent between Prague and Krakow. During that time we did not experience any anti-American sentiments. We usually tend to eat and drink a few to several blocks away from prime tourist sites and we found people overall to be very peleasant, more than accomodating and appreciative of our "few" words of each language that we learned, most importantly, "hello, thankyou, please" etc. We rode the metro daily in Prague, stayed in smaller hotels in the outskirts of the New Town in Prague and a few blocks outside The Planty circle in Krakow. Most people knew at the minimum, a few words of English and if not, a smile and an honest attempt on our part earned us smiles and we feel, the respect of those we were trying to communicate with. Last year when we traveled in Amsterdam and Brussels, we had no bad experiences either. Even the Iraqis that we would encounter who seemed to run a lot of the little breakfast/snack/coffee places were smiling and very friendly to us and if anything, only after we would frequent their establishments a few times, might ask us how Americans in general felt about the situation going on in the States. We love travel, we love traveling and exploring Europe and we are not going to stop. The world has become a very small place. As citizens of it, we need to broaden our "hometown" perspectives and experience the history and people of the rest of it.
Susan Henning <email>
Williamstown, NJ USA Sun 03/13/2005

Eastern Europe Guidebook
Again, my husband and I would like to thank you for your wonderful travel guides. We just returned from the Czech Republic and Poland and the advice, history, ideas, directions and overall "help" that we received from his Eastern Europe book was inmeasurable. We used his book last year also for our trip to Amsterdam and Brussels and felt the same way. We enjoy how he injects a bit of light heartedness and humour into his writing so you do not feel as if you are studying intensively from a history intense "university type" book. His local word and phrases with their easy to read phonetic pronounciations are more than helpful too! Keep up the great work! Susan and Eric Henning Williamstown, N.J.
Susan Henning <email>
Williamstown, NJ USA Sun 03/13/2005

Eastern Europe
Party of 6 used Munich as our gateway to eastern Europe. Stayed at the Pension Margit within two blocks of the train station. The TI at the train station is the best I have ever encountered. The assistant is an American from Boston and extremely helpful. We took in Neushweinstein Castle and was well worth the trip. There was snow on the ground which made the experience even more magical.We stayed at the U Sv. Jana Pension/Hotel in Prague which is a converted church rectory and very nice. Extremely reasonable during the off season and situated on the tram line. There are concerts going on all the time someplace in Prague and most are very reasonably priced. Rick's advice on the cab drivers in Prague was right on point but as long as you are firm about not paying over 7 euros to go any place in the city you will certainly prevail.We rented cars to drive to Czesky Krumlove and found a most appealing pension--U Galleria--with very comfortable rooms with funky furnishings and at an unbelievable cheap rate for the off season. They served food which was also very good.A quick trip to Krakow found us staying at the Hotel Pollera which is very old world but with a fantastic location within one block of the square. Auschwitz is a must see for any traveler to this part of eastern Europe.Our lodging in Budapest was the Hotel Kulturinnov on Castle Hill. Pretty tired furnishings but again the location was dynamite. Rick is right on point giving the House of Terror 3 stars. We found it every bit as profound as the concentration camp in Krakow. The music scene in Budapest is very active and we were able to see a ballett at the state opera house for 1.5 euro!!! Definitely treat yourself to lunch at the market and Sunday brunch at Gundels.Vienna was our final destination and it certainly earns its reputation as the Paris of the east part of Europe. Very classy and aristocratic although can be quite expensive. We stayed at the Pension Hargita which was very reasonable and exceptionally clean and within only a few steps off Marialhilferstrasse. The subway and tram system is very easy to use and a good amount of the attractions are within walking distance. Definitely go to the market and have lunch there or one of the small taverns in the area. Very local and the food is good. You certainly do not want to leave Vienna without having coffee and desert at Cafe Mozart near the opera house (they also have a place at the Hofburg).
Tony Ambrose <email>
Louisville, KY USA Sat 03/12/2005

Eastern Europe
I agree with everyone who is suprised about Rick not covering Romania or much of the Former Yugoslavia countries. I mean Prague??? That place is hardly "Eastern Europe" anymore. Last time I went I was hugely disappointed comapred to my first trip 8 years ago. It was like crowd surfing to get around...and the price of beer had quadrupled. I think the "Eastern Europe" feeling is alive and well in Transylvania though! 30c beers, $1 cab rides, and lots of communication barriers with the locals!!! But then again, maybe keeping it "uncovered" in the guidebooks helps to keep the nightmare of tourism that has decended on Prague from escalating there?? On second thought, keep Romania and the others OUT of the guidebooks...at least for my sake!
Jason <email>
Seattle, WA USA Sat 02/26/2005

Guest House Lida
Guest House Lida, mentioned in Rick's book, is a great place to stay in Prague for families.
D Floyd
CA USA Wed 02/09/2005

Budapest, Hungary
When in Hungary one absolutely must try real Hungarian goulash/gulyas. The best goulash is served at St. Jupat restaurant. Take the Red Line metro to Moskva ter, cross all the tracks towards the Pita House, follow that street and it is right across from the Mammut shopping mall. I lived in Budapest for half a year and have visited since and St. Jupat has By far the best goulash, the greatest staff, and they offer liters of Dreher beer...wonderful, wonderful. Also a word about the baths... entering them can be strange and slightly uncomfortable for those who don't speak the language, but the "effort" is more than worth it! And accomodations, if you're adventuresome get off the Metro at Deak ter with your backpacks wander around and within minutes someone will approach you offering you an apartment to rent at unbeatable prices. I haven't heard of any foul play from those that I've talked to and I myself have safely found accomodations this way in Budapest but of course keep your wits about you and don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable... Happy travels and the best of luck to you in the greatest city in the world!
Sara <email>
Ventura, CA USA Sun 01/30/2005

Prague - English barrier coming down
My husband & I visit his family in Czech Rep every year - this time Dec 2004 & we couldn't believe how much more English is used than the previous year. Almost all of the TV advertisements had American or British music in English. What really floored me was hearing Burl Ives "A Holly Jolly Christmas" blaring at night in Old Town, Prague. In some ways it marred the old Prague charm I've cherished so much over the years. Most of the store clerks in the big towns like Prague & Brno can speak some English. It's still a good idea to keep a Czech-English dictionary with you - especially in the small towns. I've been trying to learn Czech over the last four years to help leap the language barriers & still use it as much as I can first before trying English. Its the respectful & polite thing to do. Many Americans complain about people who can't speak English coming to the USA, so I try my best when the shoe is on the other foot. Many Czechs know a little English, but are shy in trying to speak it, until they hear me misprouncing or using the wrong grammer their language. Its compulsory for 4th grade children to learn English. As these kids grow up & move into the job market the English barrier will go away.
D Floyd
Sunnyvale, CA USA Fri 01/07/2005

Budapest Card
Recommend one Budapest Card together with B-Card brochure for great city guide. Purchase multi-day public transnsport ticket for additional days' travel. Harry November 2004
Harry Ott <email>
Miami, Fl USA Sun 01/02/2005

Budapest Card
Traveled to Budapest in November 2004. Guidebook was excellent with great directions and suggestions.

Good idea to try to check out what is still included in Budapest Card. Many of the places listed no longer accepted it, but we had no way of knowing that until we tried to use it.

If I go again, I'll get a multi-day transportation pass instead.

Dianne
USA Wed 12/29/2004

Prague Metro
Getting around Prague, do not use the 8 kc Metro tickets for traveling more than 4 stops. You will be fined 400 kc on the spot.
James Krogness <email>
Richland, WA USA Sun 12/12/2004

Prague, Thanksgiving 2004
What a storybook time we had in Prague. That means it turned out "happy time there and happily ever after." We enjoyed our tour with Personal Prague Guide: Sarka Pelantova
e-mail address:
saraguide@volny.cz
Tel: (+420) 777 225 205

Our daughter, stationed in Weisbaden, Germany got married on Thanksgiving Day in Prague. Our tour the day before was money & time well spent since Sarka took us on the walking tour that we needed to be able to return to sights again. The wedding was so beautiful and the bridal party looked so happy. I wish I remembered which Lutheran church it was in (my mind was still in a "fog" from jet lag) but it was built in 1117. The bride and groom left the church in a flower and ribboned horse drawn carriage and had photos made on the Charles Bridge. And there was a full moon in the background.

We used the tram on Fri. and we walked over the Charles Bridge to Old Town and wandered around there all day. Did some shopping, and sight seeing, and also went to Jewish synagogue and cemetery. We enjoyed the Grand Cafe several times during the next few days. It is across from the Astronomical clock. We enjoyed a small Christmas market and also heard beautiful music by a children's choir.We did the Old palace, St. Vitus cathedral, the Loreato, & St. Nicholas church and then wandered down to Little Town, and enjoying the shops along the way. Just wanted you to know how much it meant to us to have Sarka Pelantove take us on a tour.
Clary Phipps <email>
Montreat, NC USA Fri 12/03/2004

recent trip to eastern europe
Spent most of August '04 in eastern europe following your guidebook as we have for our last five european vacations. We tell all of our friends about you and plan to use your guidebook in spring of 2006 for a trip to Spain and Portugal.

One suggestion: when we arrived in Berlin we had planned to stay at Pension Peters at Kantstrasse but found out that they were full. When I mentioned that we were traveling with your latest Guidebook...Annika was delighted and made a phone call to her friend Manfred Stuhler who runs the Hotel-Pension Charlottenburg on Kurfurstendamm. We brought along a friend we met on the train.
Manfred treated us so well! His price was the same as Pension Peters and our hotel was just around the corner. Our room was neat and clean with a bathroom in the room. Manfred made sure we were able to get around to all the sights we planned to see and introduced us to a few great restaurants. We hope you'll consider the Pension Charlottenburg for your next year's guidebook recommendations.When we go back to Berlin, we'll stay with Manfred. His email is Hotel-Pension-Charlottenburg@t-online.de and his website is www.pension-charlottenburg.de.

One more suggestion: because we were in Budapest, Krakow, and Prague as well as Berlin and Vienna, we were so grateful that we brought along our calculator for figuring change rates which altered constantly. Better yet, the calculator should be battery, not solar powered, since we were in dark places often. Thanks for all the help you people give us!

Your information (emails before the trip as well as your tv shows and guidebooks) makes our trips to europe so fantastic! Sincerely, Hallie and Tom Denhart

Hallie and Tom Denhart <email>
San Diego, Ca. USA Thu 11/11/2004

Spent most of August '04 in eastern europe following your guidebook as we have for our last five european vacations. We tell all of our friends about you and plan to use your guidebook in spring of 2006 for a trip to Spain and Portugal. One suggestion: when we arrived in Berlin we had planned to stay at Pension Peters at Kantstrasse but found out that they were full. When I mentioned that we were traveling with your latest Guidebook...the propriortor

USA Thu 11/11/2004

Hotels
I spent July and August traveling thorugh E. Europe, visiting most of the places in the guidebook. This is a hotel summary (for more info on places, see my website: www.wilhelmswords.com/rtw2004/index.html) Keep in mind that I was staying in singles, and that it was very hot this summer - a room that is quaint in May may be uninhabitable in July.

Ljubljana: I started out at the Hostel Celica. It's an interesting idea, and the hostel provides a good breakfast and free net access, but cells aren't designed with windows in mind, and mine let in way too much light and way too little air. After one night I moved to the Park - surroundings were no worse and I got a big room with big windows, sink and toilet for only 3 euros more. (BTW I loved Slovenia and Ljubjana.)

Zagreb: I stayed at the recently renovated Central Hotel - actually not central, but right across from the train station. Recommended. No charm but plenty of comfort.

Dubrovnik: Three nights at the Hotel Zagreb. Totally agree the place is charming, but it was almost too hot to sleep. Ceiling fans would help - not sure why Europeans haven't discovered them. The staff recommended a great (cheap) fish restaurant just outside the city walls.

Hvar: Stayed in a private room, but I don't recommend Hvar, it was full of beautiful people and floating penthouses. The new French Riviera.

Split: Another private room, booked from turist-biro-split@st.hinet.hr. The room was marginal and the agent tried to overcharge me.

Plivice: Hotel Plitvice - I also had trouble finding it from the map. Trick is to double back to the right when you see the restaurant. Again, short on charm but plenty comfortable. Plitvice was wonderful, I spent two nights and could have stayed longer. Book ahead, my first choice of dates the place was full because of an international archery competition.

Budapest: Private room from www.tomatour.hu - big room with attached shared bath two doors from the metro on Andrassy Ut. Recommended. I also recommend the 24-hour room finding service located behind the Marriott.

Eger: Started at the pretty Senator Haz (good food). The AC in my room was being fixed when I moved in, and broke again during the night. I woke at 4 am in a pool of sweat. The AC at the Panorama wasn't especially efficient, but it did keep working all night.

Brno and Ceske Budejovice, see below.

Prague: Pension Unitas is a better conversion than the Celica with great bathrooms, although the rooms are very bare. The street felt a bit creepy at night.

Krakow: The stairs at the hotel-sherp.com.pl didn't look very beautiful when I was carrying a pack up them after a long train ride (E. European trains are pretty grim in summer heat) but the room was fine and the location good.

Warsaw: I started at the Mazowiecki, but my room faced directly west (it was amazing how many rooms I had this summer that faced south or west) and I couldn't leave the window open because it was a door onto a shared balcony. After I figured out I had spent seven weeks in E. Europe and only had AC for five and a half nights I gave myself a vaction from my trip and moved into the Marriott for a long weekend. Of course, the day I moved in the weather cooled off, and stayed cool until I moved out, but I came down with a cold the day I moved in and it was a great place to be sick. Travel lesson - if you're sick, it's worth the extra money to be miserable in comfort. The weekend rate at the Marriott included the lavish breakfast buffet, so I didn't need lunch. Sure, it was a little piece of America in Poland, but it had good food, English-speaking staff, English-language TV, lots of free tissues, a masseuse, pool and jacuzzi in the basement, a drug store next door and cheap net access across the road under the train station.

I'll post on Vilnius in the fringe section, but consider adding the Baltics - I count them as E. Europe too.
Kathy <email>
Cary, NC USA Thu 11/11/2004

Prague,Bratislava,Croatia, Slovenia, Salzburg, Ceske Budejovice, Praha
September Trip Report: The highs, lows, and in betweens.Returning to Prague for the fifth time I stayed in an apartment near Nam. Miru. I traveled with a Rick Steves wheeled flight bag and regular flight bag which I usually wore as backpack. I was never unhappy with the more than recommended luggage but did keep in mind the location of the places I stayed relative to public transport. As usual, used public transport from airport to apartment.

The highlight of Prague this time was dinner with Sarka, the guide listed in Rick's book. We had dinner at Restaurace Jachymka on Jachymova street off Parizska street near the Old Town Square in direction of Josefov. Good food at a modest price. Also Sarka pointed out good place to change money was large exchange place on corner of Kaprova and Franze Kafky (minimum of 150 US or euros. I found their rates at least a bit better than other places. Pics of restaurant and exchange place at:http://www.geocities.com/rkh_29/fall2004.htm

I took train to Bratislava where I stayed at Hotel Kyjev, a large old communist style hotel near Tesco, and easily reached by tram and/or bus from train station or airport. I like the breakfast there. Walked around Old Town area and saw fenced/barriered US embassy. BTW next to embassy is high priced Carlton Hotel, but I found it does have very nice bathrooms off lobby. Took a tram to Polus City Center, one of three modern shopping malls in Bratislava, and saw a movie there. Returned in evening to happen on the end of childrens' concert in the Old Town Square. It was a Friday night and the restaurants were filled with outdoor customers.

The next day flew with the budget airline Sky Europe to Split and took a taxi to my apartment in Trogir. Trogir was a very pleasant place. My apartment was about a 10 walk from town on neighboring Ciovo Island. I went swimming several times in the Adriatic near my apartment but I found the water to be chilly and not very comfortable. Trogir was just a good place to relax and one could eat at higher priced restaurants or more modest ones. There were numerous ice cream vendors and one specialized in throwing a scoop high into the air and catching it with the cone. One day took bus #37 to Split. An hour hot ride on public bus which stopped at every stop.

Next I was going to Plitvice National Park by bus and got bad info from tourist office on how to get there. I was told had to take a travel agency bus or have to start in Split. Eventually determined guide books were probably right and bus would stop in Trogir. I did get nervous though when bus was about a half hour late. Arrived at Plitvice about 5 hours later after very interesting scenic ride. For some reason had trouble locating Hotel Plitvice so ended up walking with luggage more than I needed to. The signs there were poor and Rick's map needs improvement especially relating to scale. Also when I had made reservations months earlier Hotel Plitvice said there were no Rick Steves rate(mentioned in guide book), only group rates. The hotel was very good, as was the hotel restaurant. The park was stunning and I highly recommend it. After two nights there waited along highway and got bus to Zagreb. I did not care for Zagreb, at that point another old city. From Zagreb train to Ljubljana with beautiful scenery most of the way.

I really liked Ljubljana although started out a bit off. I went to my hotel City Hotel Turist (3 star hotel) and was told there was a problem with room and I had no room, BUT they had arranged a room at Hotel Lev, a 5 star, at same price, plus they sent me to the hotel by taxi and even gave me a gift for my inconvenience. What a deal, a better hotel with an absolute lavish breakfast and location about same distance from train station and old town as the other hotel. I really liked the café ambience of Ljubljana. A nice mix of modern with the old. The beer and ice cream (ices?)were good there too. The little tourist train to Ljubljana castle is a good way to get there and the castle does offer great views overlooking the city. On a day trip, took bus to Postojna Caves. It is about a 10-15 minute walk from bus depot to go to cave entrance. Caves were okay. Having been to other caves I was not particularly thrilled.

Next train to Salzburg. Good train station in Salzburg and BTW there is a multiplex cinema place several blocks away and I saw a self serve laundromat inside. Old town Salzburg was explored, but for some reason I was underwhelmed.

On to Ceske Budejovice by train and found my place, Hotel Klika, about a 15 minute walk from train station. Room was fine and town was good. I made it just in time at Budvar brewery for tour and afterward sampled the pivo at their restaurant Pivnice (reached brewery by trolley bus). Good food, cheap beer, and large tables encouraged conversation with tablemates. Interestingly, while I was there, several hours I think, we saw 2 or 3 tour groups come and go.Next day bus to Cesky Krumlov. Even though the weather was overcast and dizzily it definitely is a recommended destination.

Back to Prague. I will only mention a couple of things. Took metro to Andel where there is a modern mall with cinemas. Also nearby is Staropramen brewery, I took the tour on a previous trip but wanted to go to their restaurant, Na Verandach. Brewery is one tram away from Andel area. Good cheap food and beer. Finally, I happened to be at Nam. Miru for opening ceremonies for wine festival. Many booths selling crafts, wines, beer, etc. and a stage with music. I got some great woven mats from weaver from town of Radlo.
Bob <email>
South Bend, WA USA Sun 11/07/2004

New Restaurant in Prague
During a very recent visit to Prague we discovered a new restaurant that you should consider trying and adding to your recommended eateries.

Restaurant Na Santince is olocated at:Na Kocince 3Praha 6 160 00Phone: 233-320-367www.nasantince.czinfo@nasantince.cz
Aaron Miller <email>
Dallas, TX USA Thu 11/04/2004

Prague experiences
We recently visited Prague and highly recommend Guest House Lida. They were extremely helpful in addition to having a very nice place.

Also, we highly recommend Sara Pelantova as a private guide. She is personable, enthuastic and knowledgeable. Schedule her in advance, as we did, via email. We spent two half days with her and felt it was very worthwhile. It was difficult to absorb all of the information she was giving us. Also, in seven trips to Europe, we have never experienced the attempted pickpockets that we did in Prague. Thanks goodness for moneybelts!
Russ & Barb <email>
Canton, MI USA Wed 11/03/2004

Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Budapest, Slovakia
Flew to Prague from London thru easyjet 17 pounds not including tax.

Prague - Stayed at Hotel Salvador in a quad. Would not stay there again. We had 2 adjoining rooms - there are no hallways so you have to walk thru the other one to get to the washroom. Bathtub and sink were in one room, the toilet was in another. Another thing - there was a sign that you were not to put toilet paper into the toilet. They had this tiny garbage can beside the toilet where you were suppossed to put the toilet paper. Quite disgusting.The buffet breakfast is big. We stayed 3 nights. The first day was great, everything was fresh. By the third day, they must have still be using the same bread they bought at the beginning of the week as all the bread products were very stale. The beds were very, very hard and uncomfortable. Bring ear plugs as you'll need them. The elevator was broken 2 nights in a row and you could hear people clomping up the stairs.

Cesky Krumlov - Pension Anna - quad consists of 4 beds in a loft. It was actually quite nice. Very nice people operating it. We had to leave early one morning and they served us breakfast early. The breakfast is very fresh and was different every day. We stayed 3 nights. Arrived late from Prague using bus. When buying the bus tickets from the Prague bus station, don't bother going to the information counter, just go right to the ticket seller as that is the person that actually has the bus schedule.

The taxi drivers are very honest in Cesky Krumlov. Did a boat ride down the river. It's a beautiful place so consider staying more days. Leave late from Prague and then leave early for your next destination. Much cheaper too! The one negative about Pension Anna is the tiny shower and the sign saying only shower for 5 min.

Krakow - send e-mail to Hotel Saski and ended up getting an e-mail from the reservation service about an apartment rental on Florianski street. It was fine. Again no hallway. We stayed 3 nights. They don't clean during your visit though. But there is a washing machine, small kitchen. Great location. Internet is very cheap.

Auschwitz - try taking the minibus instead of the main bus. Those minibuses operate like regular buses and pick up and drop off passengers at bus stops. It's cheaper than the regular main bus too. Don't buy a rtn ticket. Buy the ticket on the buses so you can just take the first one back. The tour guides are excellent. The guidebook has the times for the english tours.

Did a night train from Prague to Warsaw, was supposeed to spend the day in Warsaw and sleep in Krakow in the evening. We bought 2nd class sleeper - a big mistake. Go 1st class - you have to ask for it or they'll just give you 2nd class. The person who looked like he was in charge did not have a uniform on. Waved us on and pointed to our sleeper. The lights outside weren't working so it was very dark. Very run down. They don't take your passports there so the border police will knock on your door at 2 in the morning. The train split in the middle of the night. We ended up in Krakow. When that person gave us our tickets back, it said the destination was Krakow on them. He must have switched our tickets with other people on the train. He was very rude and didn't try to communicate with us at all. I think he put us in the wrong one and knew if he gave us different tickets we wouldn't be able to do anything about it. So we ended up missing Warsaw.

Did night train from Krakow to Eger - first class this time -much better, conductor had uniform, spoke english - told us when to get off as we had to transfer at a station to get to Eger. Outside the station, ask locals to direct you to the bankomat - there are 2 in the small town. The toilets in this little train station was the cleanest. The old ladies that look after them clean them constantly.Easy train to Eger - be sure to see the Camera obscura in the teachers college. Stayed at the Panorama. It was great - nice bed and really nice spa that's included so definitely worth it.

Budapest - stayed at the Carleton - it was fine but I wouldn't consider it a 4 star after the Panorama Hotel in Eger. Free internet so very convienient. The House of Terror is the best museum I've ever been to. It's also a memorial to all the people who suffered under the Nazi and Soviet regime.

Vienna - will post in the other section but did a day trip from here to Bratislava. The train schedules are easy to get from deutsche bahn website. Make sure you check the stations and get the trains to and from the Petrozalka, Bratislava station. South - nice trains, nice stations - not Hlavna Stanica - the main station which is quite seedy at night.Hopefully Rick Steves will add this in future editions. Bratislava was wonderful - the least expensive place. I wish I had planned an overnight. You can get a map and it shows all the bus and tram routes. The bus is very cheap - you buy either 10 minute or 30 min tickets. The 10 minutes will get you to most places. Or get a day pass. The buses are really good. They have electronic boards that tell you the name of the next stop.
sc <email>
canada, Wed 10/20/2004

Ceske Krumlov
We recently returned from the CZ, We spent two nights in Ceske Krumlov at the Penzion Onyx. Immaculately clean, conveniently located between the train station and city center and reasonably priced. Owner Peter Saxon is British so information is readily available.
James Baudhuin <email>
New Berlin, WI USA Thu 10/07/2004

Prague/Budapest tips
My wife and I just got back from Prague, Vienna, Budapest. We found a really nice apartment in Prague, right next to the Tyn Church and Old Town Square, for 70 E. I don't know if it's still available at this price, but try this email address for David Jemelka, who was very helpful also in getting us to and from the airport and train station: Reanet@email.cz or 00420 603 891 136. This is a very clean and spacious apartment with a laundry room and you can't beat the location.

We found a great restaurant near the Charles Br, reasonable with great food: Kamenny Most. We also took the Pub Tour with Prague Walking Tours (Orange umbrellas, we also took a Castle Hill tour with them) For about $18, we stopped for 3 beers and a meal and got a chance to talk to our guide, Jana, about the transition from Communism and life in modern C.R. Prague is wonderful town! Enjoyed the accordion and beer hall atmosphere at the pub Djou Kocek.

In Budapest, get the Budapest card as soon as you arrive. We saved about twice the cost of the card, esp on a 3 hour bus tour (book with your hotel)with Budapest Sightseeing. This was a great overview of the city. I disagree with Rick that St Stephan's is a glum church. It's the most beautiful Baroque church interior I've seen after St. Peters, and it looks brand new. Also, if you walk out the front of the church one block and take a left, you'll find a fantastic theme restaurant, the Shakespeare Cafe. Gourmet food at excellent prices. I also highly recommend the show put on by the Danube folk ensemble (Duna Palota). We stayed in the Hotel Delibab, right across from Heroes Square. I'd give this hotel about a star and a half, except that it has a great location next to the subway stop (Hosok Ter) a big filling breakfast and helpful staff (Henrietta was a great help with tours, etc.)

I don't think the public bath was worth the 6 or 7 bucks you spend to get in. Also, my wife and i got separated as we entered into the segregated changing areas. I recommend you have a plan to meet at one of the pools, because it's hard to find the exit for the outside pools. We were charged a flat rate of about $30 to go to the airport, and I think it was worth it for the distance. Also, they seem to take Euros everywhere, so if you have extra Euros as we did leaving Vienna, you'll have no problem spending them in Budapest. The Great Market Hall vendors even took our dollars.
Bob Keeney <email>
Grapevine, TX USA Wed 10/06/2004

Prague
I disagree that the audioguide for the Prague castle is worthwhile. Each stop covers a large area, and unlike other audioguides I've used, it doesn't give any indication where to look. If Sarka isn't available, she recommends another from a circle of licensed guides. We used one (Katarina) who was very interesting, and quite accomodating when a flight delay caused us to miss our first appointment.
Alan
UK Mon 10/04/2004

Slovenia
Slovenia should be a country that everyone to visit. It's small and the people very helpful. My daughter and I only spent two days there, but would rather have apent 2 weeks. We had a rental car which helped us get around. Cultural things to see, Beekeeping museum in Radovljica. Buy a bee board if you have a chance. You will see the hives working in countryside. See the hayrakes that you will not see anywhere else Europe. Visit Ljubljana Grad (Castle) and do the Vitual Tour and see the sights from the Castle Tower. Take the Postojna Caves tours, the Predjama Castle Tour and learn about a different Robin Hood. Go shopping at one of their malls (they are not big). Spend some time at Lake Bled and visit the church on the Island. These are only a few of what can be seen. It's a country worth visiting on your next vacation.
Karen <email>
USA Fri 10/01/2004

Hire a Czech Tour Guide
Before we left on our 3-day adventure in Prague, I combed the Rick Steves Graffiti Wall and took up a few of the more buried recommendations to hire Sarka Pelantova for a day or two. Although she was booked, she found a private guide for us and she was worth every penny. Prague is full of street-choking tours that clog most of the major sites. Hire your own for a truly intimate tour of the city and you won't be disappointed. Plus you'll see more than if you're leaded down with other people.
Jenny Bavisotto <email>
Bucharest, Romania Wed 09/29/2004

Romania
Our family of 5 (2 adults, 3 children ages 14,10 and 7) recently returned from a trip to Europe. We visited Romania (our oldest daughter was born there). You must explore this beautiful country!! It is very inexpensive, the people very friendly and many signs in Bucharest are in English. We spent the majority of our time in Ramnicu Valcea in the Carpathian mountains. We stayed at the Alutus hotel in a 5th floor apartment for $60 a night. It included a living area with pull out sofa, refrig., table + 6 chairs, a master bedroom with full bath, plus another 1/2 bath. A wonderful supermarket down the street, plus good restaurants. Next time there we will visit the Brasov area (home of Dracula's castle). Please explore this area and feature it in upcoming shows and in your guide books. It's worth a trip!
Lisa Thiets <email>
Stillwater, MN USA Thu 09/23/2004

Our visit to Prague
Prague is a beautiful city with a rich history and I would advise travelers to visit it for this reason. This is not to say it doesn't have it downsides and travelers must be on guard at all times. We saw an irate man try to smash the window of a moneychanger who ripped him off. Use the ATMs!

We were soaked at a pub that Rick recommends - Plzenska Restaurace U Dvou Kocek. The bill was a mess of numbers and they charged us for so many things including entertainmnet, tax, and service. On top of this, the same items purchased by two of us had different prices. We gave up fighting the bill, paid it and left in disgust. Waitresses in the places we patronized were surly.

The ticket seller at the Castle refused to give each us a guide - she would only give us one until a member of our party got in her face and said we wouldn't leave until she relented.

There are signs everywhere warning you to watch for pickpockets. All this tends to take away from the charm of a very historic city.
<email>
Pitman, NJ USA Mon 09/20/2004

Eastern Travels
Just returned from 2 weeks in many of the Eastern countries in Ricks Eastern Europe guidebook. Highlights: Krakow is wonderful though a long train ride to get to. You can easily cover everything in the city in a day not including the concentration camp. The night trains are a bit older and worn then the western trains so be prepared for that.

Budapest was great again you can cover most everything in the city in 2 days. We stayed for 3 and took a side trip to Sztendre and the Gellar baths which were good but if you have been to the baths in Baden Baden those are better.

Cesky Krumlov was a highlight of our trip, the theater in the castle is a must see. We were told we could only go on a Czech tour but our guide gave us english explanations and stopped periodically throughout the tour to explain a few things in English. We found out later that there was an English tour and the guide let us come on that since we explained we had been told there was only a Czech tour so we got to see it again with a better explanation.

You can definately tell a difference in the Eastern countries from the West. Not as many musuems, palaces, or castles but still interesting to see and experience. Most of the fun is in wandering and people watching.
Anneka <email>
Salt Lake City, UT USA Thu 09/16/2004

Prague guide link with pics
Here are some pics of Prague guide Sarka mentioned several times below.http://www.geocities.com/rkh_29/spring04.html
Bob <email>
South Bend, WA USA Wed 09/01/2004

Danube Bend, Hungary
We are flying into Hungary next week and are first driving to Lake Balton. We have a night before we checki in and with a car hoped to go to Danube Bend. We want to spend the night there, but Rick guide book has no recommendations. Does anyone have a suggestion, I see his suggestion about walking over in to slovika, would that also be a good place to stay?Thanks
Jim Meehan <email>
McLean VA, VA USA Sun 08/29/2004

Budapest, Hungary
Just returned from Budapest, Hungary, and stayed in Hotel Victoria in Buda. A great hotel overlooking the Danube and the Parliament Building. Wonderful staff that was most helpful and friendly and spoke perfec English. The hotel has 2 rooms on the top floor (there's a lift) with a balcony. Try to get one of these rooms if you like to sit and look out on the Danube and watch the boats to by as well as eat the odd dinner (you'll find a nice table and 2 chairs). The price is very reasonable, the breakfasts (included in price) are very ample, served in a bright, sunny room. I would give this hotel a 10 out of 10 rating. It's great!
Joan Altmann <email>
Toronro, Ontario Canada Thu 08/26/2004

Czech Gelato
Rick has so often extolled the virtues of Italian Gelato (and rightly so), however, if you're in Prague, do yourself the favour of visiting "Cream & Dream", located at #12 Husova, a few blocks from the Old Town Squre, in the direction of Charles Bridge. Their ice cream is exquisite!
Dave Loewen <email>
Abbotsford, BC Canada Wed 08/25/2004

Save Prague for Spring or Autumn
It's not that I didn't enjoy Prague at all, but I would have enjoyed it so much more without wall-to-wall tourists. I felt as if I had gone to the theater and there were so many actors on the stage I couldn't see the sets, never mind the stars. Since the center of Prague is small and the old streets narrow, my usual crowd-avoidance techniques didn't work well - you have to go several blocks off the main drag for empty streets, and then they are usually drab. Getting up early works some if you can manage it - staying up late doesn't, the Charles Bridge was still a river of people at 11:00 at night. The only good, quiet place I found was the south end of Kampa island where there is a grassy area with trees - don't miss the riverside cafe behind the museum, or the jewelry museum at the north end.

I spent three good hours one morning admiring Art Nouveau buildings and talking with guide Katarina Svobodova (I agree with Rick's recommendation) and she said that the season had started at Easter this year. I also didn't find Prague particularly cheap. My single with no plumbing at the Unitas was $42 while in Vienna my single with sink, shower, TV and telephone at the Hargita was $48.

I found the crowds a problem in Cesky Krumlov as well - 1.5 million visitors a year to a town of 15,000 has to be bad news. I'm glad I stayed at Ceske Budejovice (Hotel Bohemia) instead - its admirable arcaded town square is big enough to absorb the crowds. I was even happier I visited Brno (Hotel Pegas), a non-touristy town in South-east Czech Republic with some interesting buildings where I spent a day visiting some nearby caves (mediocre caves but wonderful countryside). I just wish I'd known that Mucha's Slavic epic paintings weren't in Prague, but near his home town, visiting distance from Brno.
Kathy <email>
Cary, NC USA Wed 08/25/2004

Get me outta Praha!
The Eurail Timetable booklet shows the final trip of the day from Prague/Praha to Dresden departing at 19:24. Well, it's gone now, according to the DeutscheBahn website. Be on the 17:24 or you'll be stuck. Also the 08:01 leving Dresden to Praha has also vanished.
Paul Kakazu
Walnut, CA USA Wed 08/04/2004

Travel to Russia
I have just found 2 great travel guides for Russia http://www.waytorussia.com and http://www.visitrussia.com
Arden <email>
Sacramento, CA USA Sat 07/24/2004

Prague personal Guide
Just returned from Prague and wanted to say what a wonderful guide we had - she made our trip truly memorable - we booked her for two half days and learnt more about Prague than we could have managed on our own in six months. If you're visiting Prague for the first time I could not recommend her highly enough - Sarka Pelantova - www.prague-guide.info - Book her early though as she is in demand.
Liz Leonard <email>
Battle, East Sussex, East Sussex UK Wed 07/21/2004

Krakow, Poland
We have traveled Europe with Rick Steve's books since the 80s and find them extremely helpful, fun, and accurate. This June we were in Krakow, Poland and much to our surprise, found the town beautiful, interesting, and inexpensive. In his "Best of Eastern Europe 2004" book, Rick mentions a guide, Marta Chmielowska. My husband and I hired her for a half-day tour in the city, and then a friend and I hired her for a full day in the countryside. She was excellent, and made the trip quite memorable with her range of knowledge concerning the history of Krakow (she was a history teacher before becoming a guide) and her general knowledge of Poland. Beyond that, she's just a genuine, likeable person. In the country, we saw everything from combines cutting wheat to farmers cutting hay by hand (scythe) and both men and women stacking the hay in piles. Some farmers still plough using horses, while others have tractors and the necessary farm equipment - quite a contrast. We were privileged to visit Zalipe, a small village known for painted cottages with flower motifs inside and out - folk art at its finest. In general Poland was a pleasant surprise and the Polish people very friendly and happy to welcome tourists.
Ann
Denver, CO USA Tue 07/20/2004

Eastern Europe highlights - June 04
We had a fantastic time in Eastern Europe - great food, friendly people, interesting places to see, excellent live music scene, great beer (although, in my opinion, Belgium still is the best for this) & reasonable prices. I hope we can return soon!

Budapest: stayed at the Cotton House: highly recommended! If you're in the mood for a splurge on tasty 'modern' & 'hip' Hungarian food, try Articsoka.

Krakow: we had reservations with Sherp, but unfortunately they had a "problem with the gas". Never learned what happened, but they arranged for us to stay at another hotel (the Jordan), which was fine (rather ordinary, but perfectly OK). Excellent jazz at Jazz Club U Muniaka. Tasty food everywhere. We were lucky when we were there as there was some sort of medieval summer festival happening that weekend, which made for some entertaining people watching (actors, traditional dancers & music)! Highly recommend having a meal in Kazimierz & seeing a klezmer concert.

Prague: stayed at Pension Unitas, which was clean & friendly, but definitely has a hostel-like atmosphere (since it IS a hostel too). Prague was really chockablock with tourists, so it wasn't our favorite, but it's still beautiful - & it's fun to dance on the Charles Bridge by moonlight to the music of the street jazz bands. The Jewish Quarter was worth seeing, in my opinion, but the one in Krakow is MUCH more moving/emotional. And you don't have to be Jewish to appreciate these places.

Cesky Krumlov: we loved this town! Totally worth the time it takes to get there... it's really nice to get away from cities & air pollution. Stayed at Pension Mysi Dira, who also do canoe rentals (recommended!). Go ahead & splurge on the 'superior' room, which was vast & lovely & had a fantastic view. Wish we could have stayed longer. Also highly recommend the medieval restaurant Krcma u Dwau Maryi (4 kinds of mead!). Town has lots of tourists during the day, but they are few & far between at night - perfect for a romantic stroll through the medieval streets.

Vienna: stayed at Pension Nossek, which was really great - if you need a single, the room with the bath in the hallway is a really great value. Fantastic breakfasts, kind & helpful people & perfect location. The entrance fees to all of the sights get rather pricey fast, so don't feel like you have to see everything if you don't want to (Vienna is a great city to just stroll around in anyway). Excellent jazz at Jazzland (Franz-Josefs Kai 29).

Bratislava: someone wrote below that the TI in the train station were crooks - I didn't have that experience, & found them to be very kind & enthusiastic about helping (all I did was get a map & ask for directions for the tram, however). Stayed at the Film Hotel (www.filmhotel.sk) - recommended. Didn't get their optional breakfast, but it looked/sounded good. It's easy to find info on Bratislava online - & I highly recommend staying at least a night there if you can arrange it, as not many people visit this very interesting city. It's convenient if you're going between Budapest & Vienna.

Transportation: we got around between all of these cities on the European East Rail Pass - which turned out to be worth the money since we took several night trains (sleeping cars are worth the extra money in my opinion, but if you can't get that, the couchettes are perfectly OK).
Ashley <email>
Hammond, LA USA Mon 07/19/2004

Eastern Europe May 2004
Rick's new Best of Eastern Europe is incredible. We would not have attempted the trip we did without it--Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Krakow, Ljubljana, Dubrovnik, and Split. Vienna is a great gateway city that we flew in and out of--staying at the Schweizer Pension, in the old city, was fantastic (highly recommend). It was easy to get back to Vienna at the end of the trip with SkyEurope airline (from Split--99 Euro, plus 10 Euro bus ride from Bratislava).

Krakow exceeded expectations, the people were very friendly, prices were great, Saski Hotel was a gem. A few steps off the square, very classy and elegant for about $80 US--highly recommend. Overnight train from Vienna and back was a good experience. Two person sleeper was safe and comfortable, met nice people in our car from everywhere. Ljubljana was so very, very nice. Stayed at Gostilna Pri Mraku which is about as good as you can get in this town. Nice, clean, not too pricey and excellent location. The TI in the center had some rooms for those looking for a cheaper place. Ate a couple meals outside along the river at Pr'Skelet which were fantastic and inexpensive. Loved the whole scene in Ljubljana--friendly, youthful, pretty architecture and river, wonderful ambience... Don't miss the Plecnik House tour.

From Ljubljana we took the train to Rijeka, Croatia and hopped the ferry to Dubrovnik. Rick should show in the book that there is a direct train that gets you from Ljubljana to Rijeka and drops you off a short walk from the ferry terminal. We got off the train (around 5:30 pm, I believe), took a 10 minute walk to the Jadrolinija ferry and boarding started at 6 pm for 8 pm departures. This was a really smooth transportation connection that we stumbled onto in a Ljubljana travel agency. Overnight room for two with toilet was about $120 US--great deal. The boat ride was a fun trip. In Dubrovnik we stayed at Paulina Cumbelic's sobe. It is a very nice place and Paulina is a gem. We ended up staying 8 days! Dubrovnik was the highlight of our trip. We took day trips from the old harbor to Cavtat and also to Lokrum--both good trips. Don't miss Cavtat! We also took day trips by bus tour to Montenegro, Mostar, and Medjugorje--about $50 apiece for bus and guide. All were interesting in their own way. Lots to see and do using Dubrovnik as a home base. Go to Dubrovnik!

The only disappointment on this whole trip was the 2 days in Split. Even though the weather was beautiful, the sea perfect, the palm trees and Roman palace a nice touch--the people of Split were distant/not friendly (still healing from the war?). I have made 3 big adventures to Europe in the last 2 years (using Rick's guidebooks) and loved every town and all the people--except Split. It was like a dark cloud hanging over everyone. When you get away from the promenade I have never seen so much graffiti anywhere--even up the businesses to the second floor and beyond. Just a really joyless place. We stayed at Prenociste Slavija Hotel inside the palace. It was newly remodeled and prices were fair, but it was bland and rocked to a loud technobeat through the windows all night long.

Anyway, loved using the new Best of Eastern Europe book--5 stars! I was a little apprehensive heading behind the old iron curtain, but really had a great trip. Most everyone speaks English, prices are good, and lots to see and do...
Richard
Sedro Woolley, WA USA Sun 07/18/2004

Prague tour guide: Sarka Pelantova
Spent 2 days in Prague with my daughter. I was lucky to arrange(before we left the U.S.) for Sarka Pelantova to guide us around for one of the days we were there. She was gracious enough to give us some suggestions on what to see the day before including which trams to take, as well as how to deal with taxis from the train station.

We spent 4 hours delightful hours with her on July 5. She is knowledgable, interesting,speaks impeccable English, and has a good sense of humor. We ended the day with a delightful lunch and recommendations on restaurants for dinner. Her fee is reasonable and I recommend her highly. Be sure to book her ahead as she is very popular. You can reach her at saraguide@volny.cz
Karen Tunnell <email>
Foster City, CA USA Fri 07/16/2004

Prague
We would have been lost on our trip to Europe without Rick's books. However, our biggest disappointment was the Jewish Quarter. We relied so heavily on Rick's suggestions and saw that this was a "3 star" place, so we went and were very disappointed. Perhaps it was because we are not Jewish and did find the significance, but we were disappointed with spending our money here. We spent 2 minutes inside the synagague and left.
JB
USA Sat 07/10/2004

Eastern Europe Guidebook
I just finished reading the Best of Eastern Europe 2004 and was impressed with the amount of information provided. Interestingly, one of our local PBS stations was running his television series on EE as well, notably, Prague & Budapest. As in the book, Prague comes across as lovely, crowded and with some people who like bilking tourists. Even more interestingly, in the week or so it took me to finish the book, another travel show, Globe Trekker, I think, did a thing on Prague, and the woman traveler also mentioned the "Pickpockets of Prague." Now there's a title for a book chapter! I liked the section on Slovenia as I "almost" walked into the country a couple of years ago from Austria. Alas, the snow was too deep, but if the Slovenian side of the Karawankan Mountains is as lovely as the Austrian side, Rick's superlatives are not excessive.
Hilde
Old Bridge, NJ USA Sat 07/10/2004

Prague taxi's
We returned from Prague 06/04. Your guidebook warned about difficulties with Taxi's. We took taxi's daily (not just the recommended AAA taxi's) and found every driver charged a fair price. We learned to say 'How much does it cost" in Czech-don't know if that mattered (It's an easy phrase) Prague was a quaint city. We loved it. Now that the Euro arrived, it's really important to get a couple streets off the main tourist streets in order to get inexpensive meals, etc. Thanks for your book, it was really helpful in all cities.
Mary B <email>
Vero Beach, FL USA Tue 07/06/2004

Budapest
Stayed at the Kalvin Haz. Would highly recommend this hotel. Very friendly staff; great location (near the market hall) and cute rooms which were immaculately clean. I booked a single room over the internet---55 euros a night!

We arranged a customized private tour with Absolute Walking tours via the internet with Benjamin. Our guide Gyiorgy Koppa was just terrific. We covered both Pest and Buda. They have a number of tours listed on their website, however if you would like to combine some of those tours into one, they are very flexible. They are located by Deak Ter metro stop. Absolute Walking tours and Zebra internet are located in the same spot (maybe owned by the same people?). We were given a discount for using their internet. Also, when we were lost, we stopped in Zebra for directions. Both of these companies are extremely helpful.

If you want a superb "splurge"type of meal, I would suggest Voros et Ferher on Andrassy Ut (between the Opera and Ocktagon metro stops). The restaurant was recently featured in a Travel and Leisure artictle. It boasts a huge and varied wine list . Price range was about $65.00 for a dinner for two (including a bottle of wine, appetizer, main dish, desserts and after dinner drinks). A great gourmet dining experience with wonderful decor.
karen kallas
schaumburg, IL USA Mon 07/05/2004

Accomodations in Budapest
We stayed six nights at the Victoria Hotel in Budapest. The view from our room was incredible -- unobstructed view of Pest and the Parliament and river traffic on the Danube. Friendly staff at the hotel.
Kathy Reed <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA Thu 07/01/2004

Rooms in Eastern Europe
Just returned from 5 weeks in Europe and used Rick's guidebooks exclusively. Stayed at Pension Unitas in Czech. Great place. Very clean and accommodating. Stayed at Sherp Guest House in Kracow. Also a great place. Very clean, spacious rooms. Leo Panzio in Budapest far exceeded our expectations. We had a beautiful, spacious room. Desk clerks were very helpful. Would highly recommend it! Stayed at Ildiko Budai in Vienna. Room was shabby and cramped (we had wanted twin beds). Other rooms were nicer and more spacious. She was very helpful.

Am sorry the book did not include information about Slovakia.

Other information I would have appreciated. Wanted to buy crystal. Waited until Kracow because book said it was available and cheap. It was not very available there. Should have bought it in Prague. Another problem we encountered: stores did not mail packages for you anywhere we went in Eastern Europe except Prague.

In Budapest, we needed a taxi from train station (my friend was sick). Taxi drivers wanted to charge a fortune for a ride. TI told us maximum we should pay and I bargained down significantly from there. TI at train station in Budapest was SO helpful. Avoid the TI at train station in Bratislava. They are crooks!
Mary <email>
WI USA Tue 06/29/2004

Go to Plzen
I'm surprised Rick's guide does not mention Plzen, Czech Republic. For the beer lover and home brewer, it is a must. We took a morning train from Prague; the train ride is 90 min. We left our luggage in train station lockers. There are trams, but it is only a few blocks to the town square.

Nearby is the Brewery Museum; the exhibits are very well done; we spent 2 hours there. In May 2004, the only times for public tours at Pilsner Urquell are 12:30pm & 2pm. Our tour guide was 82 years old and told us that she stays healthy by drinking beer every day. This is a great tour, much better than any brewery tour in the US. You walk through the underground storage areas and sample unfiltered beer. Both the museum and tour are only a few dollars each. From Pilsner Urquell, it is only a 10 min walk to the train station, where we caught the late afternoon InterCity train to Nurnberg. A footnote on Plzen: near the entrance to Pilsner Uquell, their competitor, the Czech brewer Budvar, has a huge 3 story billboard painted on the side of a building. Stop in Plzen to experience beer history!
Nancy Ronald <email>
Virginia Beach , VA USA Tue 06/22/2004

Eastern Europe
Help! I am desperate. I lost my Rick Steves Guide to Eastern Europe at Wawel Castle in Kracow today. Need the maps of Budapest and also Vienna as I am staying at Leo Panzio in Budapest and with Ildiko Budai in Vienna. Could someone please scan those maps and send them to me at m_beebe@hotmail.com? Thank you sooo much! Mary
Mary <email>
WI USA Sun 06/06/2004

--> A week in Poland
I just returned from spending the 2nd week of May in Poland and thoroughly enjoyed the sights, people, and food. I'll admit I didn't purchase Rick's book, the "Best of Eastern Europe". However, I borrowed a copy to search for a hotel in Warsaw. For me it was a return trip to Poland where my father had worked for several years when I was a child. That being said we probably spent more time in Warsaw (4 days) re-visiting areas (i.e. school, old home, etc) that most tourists would not. The prices for food, gift items, and museum/palace entrance fees are inexpensive. It's a country rich in history and tradition. If you're thinking of visiting you should go.

WARSAW - The Hotel Harenda where we stayed was a Rick Steves pick. The Harenda has an excellent location, reasonable price, clean and quiet rooms that seem to have fairly new bathrooms. The reception staff spoke some English and the hotel also runs a pub, which is out the main hotel door and down to the left. It's a good place to get some Polish beer and relax after a day of seeing the sights. There's a small Internet cafe right below the hotel as well.

There are plenty of sights all within an easy 10-20 minute walk from the hotel. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, several pretty churches, the Old Town area, Nowy Swiat's shops & restaurants are some places nearby. The Old Town area is great for wandering and has plenty of places to eat, grab a drink, or shop. Royal Castle is there too and is a nice tour. If you get a chance stop in a bookstore or checkout some of the photos of Warsaw after WWII. It's amazing how much was destroyed and how they have re-built the Old Town section so it looked like it used too before WWII.

Pod Messalka is a nice little restaurant we found on Krakowskie Przedmiescie near the hotel. It had good food, service and well priced. Dinner for four with food, drinks, dessert, and tip was just under $50. Rycerzka which is tucked away down a little side street in the Old Town is nice...a little more $ but still reasonable. Mibella, which is in the Bielany section of Warsaw, was a nice little restaurant. Given its in a residential area not too many tourists pass through there. Warsaw has several little kabob places that are good to get a quick inexpensive lunch. I never had a bad meal in Poland. Try some Zurek (soup), roasted duck, schnitzel, pierogi, bigos, or anything else.

KRAKOW - It's only a 2.5 hour train ride from Warsaw Central to Krakow. Krakow is great and we really loved it! We stayed at the Hotel Pollera, which I had found on my own. Later, I discovered Rick Steves recommended it. For the price we were very impressed. It has a great location in the old town, friendly staff, immaculate rooms/bathrooms, and breakfast.

The Cloth Hall in the center of the old town's main is a good place to buy Polish arts/crafts, amber jewelry, and other tasteful souvenirs. A few blocks from the main square is the Moroskie Oko restaurant (it's named after a mountain lake in Poland) that has a large eating area downstairs complete with mountain decor. There are plenty of places to eat along the main square, the old town streets or the little alleys that lead to open courtyards. The main square is great for just sitting in one of the outdoor seating areas of a restaurant and having a beer. Zywiec and Okocim are good Polish beers!

We took a day trip to Auschwitz, which is only an hour away at the most. Spent the remainder of that day driving our one-day rental into the mountains south of there. In spite of the rainy day it was very pretty scenery and good chance to see the Polish countryside. Rather than re-write the highlights of Krakow check out the link below. http://www.ricksteves.com/news/0403/krakow.htm

Only wish we had a little more time in Poland. I hear Wroclaw in the southwest of Poland is beautiful and not as well known as Krakow. If you go learn some Polish or make an attempt to at least pick up the key words. Most people speak some English, but try a few key words in Polish. Everyone we ran into was if not friendly at least polite.
J Kane
Vienna, VA USA Fri 06/04/2004

Eastern Europe
This book should be renamed the "Best of Central Europe". The countries and cities listed in the book are in Central Europe, not Eastern. It would be nice if Rick could do a separate book detailing travel to Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakstan as well as some of the other former Soviet Republics. It would be really great if he added places outside of the well travelled Moscow, Warsaw, and St. Petersburg also.
Jack
USA, USA Thu 06/03/2004

Prague, Budapest, Romania
1. Budapest - Stayed at Leo Panzio recommended by Rick. It was great. However, we paid ahead for all but the last night, as they asked. (We leave the last night to the end, if possible, to use up all our unused local money.) They bugged us to pay the last night during our whole stay even though we explained what we wanted to do.

2. Budapest train station - do NOT buy Budapest card there. We were forced to guess at a start time for the pass & found out later that we could have filled it out ourselves later.

3. Prague - Guest House Lida, recommended by Rick, was delightful. Jan was a wonderful host, providing us with anything we needed including general info & the answers to our questions. We got in late at night & he had provided a car to pick us up at the airport. I would recommend this as the Guesthouse would be hard to find the first time. After that we took public transportation everywhere.

4. All but Prague quoted rates in Euros & then charged in local currency. I didn't like this because the hotels converted the euros to their currency at their rates & hotels are usually not the best rates.

5. We went to Bucharest & Mamaia (Constanta) on the Black Sea. I was sorry that Rick's book did not cover this, but I do not feel that Romania is ready for tourism: a. Trains - they do not put up reserved signs even though the seat is reserved & we got booted out of many seats before we found a free one. b. Few restaurants, sandwich shops, pastry shops - just pizza & McDonalds - other than hotel restaurants c. Hard to find any information. If you ask for a restaurant or internet shop, they said it's a few blocks away, but wouldn't be able to tell you exactly where. d. After getting booted out of many train seats going to Constanta, we went to the reservation office there & asked to make a reservation for the return trip. We were told the reservation office doesn't make reservations (?). You must go to the city center to some kind of office that we never found. e. While walking in Mamaia (Constanta), we were continually sprayed with bug spray from a helicopter that was spraying the area that day.

Jacquey Moss
Sun Lakes, AZ USA Thu 06/03/2004

Slovakia, Budapest, Prague
During the first 2 weeks of May my wife and I, both in our late fifties, visited Prague, Slovakia, and Budapest. I too was surprised that Slovakia was not included in Rick's book. In Bratislava stayed at Hotel Kyjev (www.kyjev-hotel.sk/engsite/main.htm) (for the second time). I like its central location and elaborate buffet breakfasts. Easy to reach by bus and/or tram from airport or train station (2600SKK double).

We also stayed at the Grandhotel Praha in the Tatra mountains in town of Tatranska Lomnica. Beautiful hotel with restaurant and included breakfast. Off season 2600SKK. We were disappointed that the funicular and lifts in the area were all closed for maintenance (contrary to what another guidebook had said). When the weather cooperated the mountains were beautiful. Electric trains allow easy access to several nearby towns. One downside of hotel is it is about a 20 minute walk (for us) from train station uphill so we needed a taxi to and from. Younger, one flight baggers could walk it.

In Budapest, we stayed at Ambra Club Hotel (www.hotelambra.hu) listed in Rick's book. About 2 blocks from Opera metro stop so it is in a great location. We took the condo choice with living room and kitchen. We thought the extra space worth the 10 Euro extra. Double 95 Euro, less 10% for cash, breakfast included. A good choice.

In Prague we had got a good deal through Priceline for the Renaissance Prague Hotel. Excellent location less than a block from Nam. Republiky metro stop. First night in Prague met Sarka Pelantova (private guide listed in Rick's book, page 57, I think) for dinner. We had a pleasant dinner with her at a modestly priced restaurant next to more expensive Golden Lion on Celetna street near the Powder Tower area. She explained the different menu choices, esp. the appetizers and wine choices. After a relaxing dinner and a chance to ask a host of questions about tipping, getting the check, and life in general, took a short walk around the area including some "backdoor" sights such as the upside-down horse that I did not recall reading about. Having a guide and spending part of time having dinner with them may seem an odd use of the guide's time (and your money) but we felt it was equally, if not more, informative, and certainly easier on our feet.

The next day we utilized some of Sarka's suggestions and were on our own. Our last day we met Sarka again for a day's touring. We were amazed at the depth of her knowledge. Some of the highlights for us were lunch at a modest restaurant in the Josefov area and an introduction to honeycake, having her whisk us up through the two elevators at the astronomical clock tower to enjoy the views from the top, visiting St Vitus Cathedral and nearby gardens, and finally a trip to the supermarket part of Kotva (near Nam. Republiky) and having her explain some of their many different offerings, ending up buying stuff for a dinner back at our room. One interesting thing that Sarka mentioned was that she was amazed to receive requests for her to sign Rick's book. Apparently autographing is not as big there as here. Again, stopping for lunch and/or coffees/drinks during the tour may seem a strange way to spend your guide's time, but except for the most driven visitor, I think it proves to be both informative, relaxing, and money well spent.
Bob <email>
South Bend, WA USA Sun 05/23/2004

Missing Countries
While I did enjoy Mr. Steves' "Best of Eastern Europe", I was very suprised and disappointed to discover that Russia and Romania (two lovely jewels of the continent) were left out! I should perhaps blame myself that I did not check the table of contents before buying it, but isn't it pretty much a given that Moscow, St. Petersburg, Brasov and Bucharest should be included as the best in eastern Europe? The title now seems to be slightly misleading.
Katia
Toronto, ON Canada Mon 05/03/2004

Budapest, Hungary - 2 more ...
Food and Sight:

1. Gundel
No need for a jacket for Sunday brunch.

2. Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace
will be open in July 2004. They have renovated the former Gresham Kavehas (coffeehouse). It's on the very same site since 1907. It took 2 years to restore the stained-glass windows, bronzework, mosaics, and wrought-iron doors decorated with peacocks (the palace's emblem). We didn't get a chance to see it. I hope the rest of you do.
Patricia Wang-Kolner
Zuerich, Switzerland, ZH CH Fri 04/23/2004

Budapest, Hungary
Interesting place with lots of beautiful architecture. The people are warm and friendly and did not see any of the tourist scams that was mentioned in the book. People were helpful and ask if they could help when we look lost, just regular people going to work or old folks on the way to the market. Sure, always be careful in a foreign place but don't get too paranoid. The people are very nice.

Sights :
Make a beeline for the House of Terror in the morning, it's a popular place for locals and we had to wait 30 mins before we could get in and it's at least a 2 hr tour. The audio guide and free leaflets in everyroom are excellent. It's now open till 7:30pm on weekends. We did not see any tourists, we were the only ones there and we were in Budapest during the Spring break. So, my suggestion to you would be to see this site first before you see anything else. It's heartbreaking ... I saw many lit candles outside the building and a couple of old folks. An old lady kept wiping away her tears. It wasn't too long ago ...

Changing money :
The best rate is the one on Vaci u. 12 (opp. Douglas), forget about the friendly service ... but rates are the best. Many places show rates that are for big amounts. Know how much you want to change and do the calculation so you know what you will be getting in Forints, check your receipt (make sure all it has on it is your home currency, the rate and the foreign currency that you will be receiving) and money in front of the counter before you walk away. My husband changed money at Chequepoint in castle area who had the worst rates (had to as we didn't have a single Forint on us) gave my husband a map and charged him HUF400 for it without asking him if he wanted it. Anyway, he went back in, gave the map to the lady and ask for his HUF400 back ... I guess that was the only scam we came across and at a licensed money changer too. We later walk into a CIB bank in castle area and changed some money at decent rates and good service. The board that they have up is for account holders but they will gladly change money for non-account holders at a not too bad rate either. If you have more than USD200 or EURO200 to change, just ask if they will give you a better rate. You never know if you don't ask, but please be pleasant. I've had my fair share of loud speaking tourists from all nationalities. Go to this web site, http://www.budapestinfo.hu/en/index.html they are link to another site that can convert any kind of currency for you and having worked in a bank, this one is a good source, it's a mid market rate but it's a good indication of what the buy/sell rate would be if it's US1 to HUF200, expect the money changer to have something like approx. HUF198/202, plus or minus a pt. or 2 on either side. Anything more, I'll walk my elephant through.

Metro:
The escalators are incredibly fast. Hang on tight as they do stop if someone trip, you don't want to lunge forward down 3 stories. That's how long they are. Be careful. Also please validate your ticket or if you have a Budapest Card, it's even simpler, just put down the date and time that you started traveling on it. The metro guys check all the time and I mean all the time. So please don't cheat or hop on one without a ticket.

Errors in the RS's guide book:
It costs HUF500 to use a towel, we did not have to pay a deposit as stated in the book. This is for Szechenyi Baths.
The Legenda boat dock on the map (pg 242) is also wrong, the boat dock is between Chain bridge and Elizabeth bridge. The address on pg 209 is correct.
Food:
Not a lot in RS guide, but we have a few that we have tried and will highly recommend. This is from my LV city guide.
Buda Area:
1. Alabardos - Traditional Food Orszaghaz u. 2 T: 356 0851
Old Buda area:
1. Kehli - Traditional Mokus u. 22 T: 250 4241 2. Kerek - Local Becsi ut. 103 T:250 4261 Pest Area: 1. Bagolyvar - Hungarian Allatkerti Korut 3 T: 321 3550 2. Fatal - Cellar Pinter u/Vaci u. 67 T: 266 2607 3. Kadar Etkezde - Local Klauzal ter 9 T: 321 3622 4. Karpatia - Classic Ferenciek ter T: 317 3596 5. Rosenstein - Traditional Mosonyi u. 3 T: 313 4196 Accomodation: Hotel Hold - 3* Hold u. 5. 5th Phone:36-1/472-048 http://www.hotelhold.hu/angol/index.html Free internet access for hotel guests. Facing the National Bank and at one time the residence of the famous poet and essayist Istvan Vas, this small 19th century mansion was converted into a 3 star hotel in 2001. Family run and since most part is occupied by office buildings, the area is quiet. We had a spacious room and the living room was converted into a bedroom for our daughter where she had her own TV and minibar. We paid Euro100 a night inc. of taxes and b/fast. 2 mins walk to the metro, 5 mins walk to the Parliament and St Stephen's.
Patricia Wang-Kolner
Zuerich, Switzerland, ZH CH Fri 04/23/2004

Eastern Europe is not just Prague
I was disappointed with the scope of the guidebook, which basically covers exactly what Rick covers in his TV shows. After going to Eastern Europe this past fall, I found that the most exciting and interesting places were ones that Rick doesn't ever mention -- Bosnia, Romania, Serbia, etc. I hope to see these countries in future editions of the guidebook!
Ryan Nee <email>
Golden, CO USA 04/05/04

Prague guided walks
I took a guided walk with City Walks (the yellow umbrella) in Prague and found it to be a complete waste of time and money. Worse, it gave me an unpleasant impression of the Czech people. Our group had over 25 people to one guide. I could rarely hear what the guide was saying and when I could hear, he was talking about his other career as an actor, bad-mouthing Jews, bashing America, pressuring us to buy glass at a shop he insisted we visit, or making comments designed to extort a higher tip from us. The lunch included with the tour was pathetic--three pieces of meat in the goulash, one tiny drink, and after waiting for over half an hour for the food, we were rushed in eating it. When I complained to the manager of the company, she gave no apology and found nothing wrong with the guide's behavior. She did disdainfully refund my fee. On a subsequent day, I took a "The Communist Years" guided walk with Daily Walks (the blue umbrellas) and found it to be professional, informative, and enjoyable
Lona Gray
Cocoa Beach, FL USA 04/05/04

Prague
I just received a copy of Rick's new Eastern Europe book and would like to comment on several things. There is a part about Prague mentioning best views but leaves out one that has been frequently left out of many guide books, namely the TV Tower. http://www.tower.cz/english/ It has observation windows, small restaurant, and bathrooms. Closest access by public transport tram stops are Lipanska or Olsanske nam. or metro stop Jiriho Z Podebrad and then about a five block walk. The two times I was there I found few tourists but spectacular views on a clear day.

Also would like to share an experience with changing money. I cashed $500 in travelers checks at American Express and not paying close enough attention was given Czech money for $400. It turned out the clerk chased after me and caught me on the street about a block away and I returned to receive the balance.

Finally, I was happy to see the recommendation for Sara (Sarka) Pelantova as a private guide in Prague. As I have mentioned in previous posts under Eastern Europe I was very impressed with her and frankly have been recommending her services. My wife and I will be seeing her again in May. Some pics of her are at: http://www.geocities.com/b_hall29/sarka.htm with pic of Sarka on left and my wife on far right (also contact info). http://www.geocities.com/b_hall29/ricksarka.htm with pic of Sarka dining with Rick.
Bob <email>
South Bend, WA USA 03/13/04