Trip ideas: London, Prague, Vienna (July 2024)
May 6, 2024 7:17 AM Subscribe
My wife and I are traveling to these locations
* London,
* Prague
* Vienna
over 8 days the first week of July this year (2024) and are looking for ideas on what to see and do when we are there. A couple days in each location. Relatively flexible.
We are 60ish, vegetarians, moderately active. Will be visiting our daughter in Prague.
What are your 'Must See!' and 'If you have Time' lists?
What are your go-to guides online or book form for trips like this?
Thank you
We are 60ish, vegetarians, moderately active. Will be visiting our daughter in Prague.
What are your 'Must See!' and 'If you have Time' lists?
What are your go-to guides online or book form for trips like this?
Thank you
We stumbled across the Karel Zeman Museum in Prague while there and had a blast. It wasn't on our list, but it was so fun. Zeman is sort of a post-Melies/proto-Terry Gilliam filmmaker who made delightful movies that mix live action, animation, puppets, stop motion, rear projection, and hand-painted sets and props. The displays are fun and interactive and you can even shoot your own Zeman-like scenes and shots with their props and sets.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:06 AM on May 6
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:06 AM on May 6
Preferences (e.g., art, architecture, nature, people-watching, shopping)?
posted by praemunire at 8:07 AM on May 6
posted by praemunire at 8:07 AM on May 6
Response by poster: @Laura in Canada: thanks! What is the 'V&A'?
posted by GernBlandston at 8:27 AM on May 6
posted by GernBlandston at 8:27 AM on May 6
Response by poster: @praemunire: local sites, museums, historic, art, music, book stores, nature. We're not big shoppers.
posted by GernBlandston at 8:29 AM on May 6
posted by GernBlandston at 8:29 AM on May 6
We just got back from London. Things I recommend: the Tate Britain, walking tour with Bowl of Chalk, walking tour with Rebel Tours, lunch at Ottolenghi (expensive but worth it; very vegetarian friendly), dinner at Dishoom (very vegetarian friendly).
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:39 AM on May 6
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:39 AM on May 6
V&A: Victoria and Albert Museum.
If an evening out in Vienna sounds good, the Staatsoper is world-class. There's also plenty of Mozart in plenty of venues for all the obvious reasons.
If you're into bling, the Habsburgs had a lot of it and there's plenty on display in theHabsburg Bling Museum Hofburg, specifically the Imperial Treasury (Kaiserliche Schatzkammer Wien).
posted by humbug at 8:44 AM on May 6 [2 favorites]
If an evening out in Vienna sounds good, the Staatsoper is world-class. There's also plenty of Mozart in plenty of venues for all the obvious reasons.
If you're into bling, the Habsburgs had a lot of it and there's plenty on display in the
posted by humbug at 8:44 AM on May 6 [2 favorites]
If you like wine, a visit to one of the heurigers outside Vienna could be nice. It's possible to hike to them or just go there directly.
posted by monologish at 8:49 AM on May 6 [4 favorites]
posted by monologish at 8:49 AM on May 6 [4 favorites]
Hotrod Vienna Daylight Tour - the most famous & fastest Tour in Víenna
posted by pracowity at 9:24 AM on May 6
posted by pracowity at 9:24 AM on May 6
One more vote for the V&A, and for Karel Zeman too.
I also like the Museum of Natural History in London.
In Vienna, I think I'd go for the Secession building, I'm not sure. But definitely the Naschmarkt.
A couple of thoughts: It is a short visit, which is fine, but that means the best is to choose 2 or 3 things in each city and spend the rest of your time just walking about and enjoying the atmosphere.
BUT July will be insanely hot and it is when the tourists really start to arrive. So you might want to plan to spend your outdoor walking time as early as possible, then have a nice, very long lunch break, and finally hit some air-conditioned museums during the afternoon. Maybe even take a nap after lunch if you can, so you can enjoy the evening life in streets and parks.
posted by mumimor at 10:10 AM on May 6 [6 favorites]
I also like the Museum of Natural History in London.
In Vienna, I think I'd go for the Secession building, I'm not sure. But definitely the Naschmarkt.
A couple of thoughts: It is a short visit, which is fine, but that means the best is to choose 2 or 3 things in each city and spend the rest of your time just walking about and enjoying the atmosphere.
BUT July will be insanely hot and it is when the tourists really start to arrive. So you might want to plan to spend your outdoor walking time as early as possible, then have a nice, very long lunch break, and finally hit some air-conditioned museums during the afternoon. Maybe even take a nap after lunch if you can, so you can enjoy the evening life in streets and parks.
posted by mumimor at 10:10 AM on May 6 [6 favorites]
If you are not already planning to, consider taking the train from Prague to Vienna. It is about four hours and a rather pleasant experience, especially if you lunch in the dining car.
Seat 61, the very useful train website, describes it better than i could
Catering: The CD/ÖBB railjets have a proper restaurant car with draught beer on tap. The menu includes hot dishes, making CD/ÖBB a better bet if you want a proper cooked meal. In 1st & business class a steward takes your restaurant order and serves it at your seat (paid for, not complimentary, other than the welcome drink in business class). On RegioJet there's no restaurant car, but attentive at-seat service of food & drink in all classes except Low cost, at prices significantly cheaper than ÖBB/CD. The RegioJet menu even includes sushi, and you get complimentary Italian Illy coffee & bottled water on RegioJet in all classes except Low cost, you don't on ÖBB/CD.
posted by 15L06 at 10:21 AM on May 6 [3 favorites]
Seat 61, the very useful train website, describes it better than i could
Catering: The CD/ÖBB railjets have a proper restaurant car with draught beer on tap. The menu includes hot dishes, making CD/ÖBB a better bet if you want a proper cooked meal. In 1st & business class a steward takes your restaurant order and serves it at your seat (paid for, not complimentary, other than the welcome drink in business class). On RegioJet there's no restaurant car, but attentive at-seat service of food & drink in all classes except Low cost, at prices significantly cheaper than ÖBB/CD. The RegioJet menu even includes sushi, and you get complimentary Italian Illy coffee & bottled water on RegioJet in all classes except Low cost, you don't on ÖBB/CD.
posted by 15L06 at 10:21 AM on May 6 [3 favorites]
As mentioned, V&A is the Victoria & Albert museum. Sorry I didn't link it originally.
Also, if you like parks and nature, it's a great time of the year to hang out in Hyde Park. I only had enough time to walk through on my way somewhere else, but I thought it was a really nice park.
posted by Laura in Canada at 10:50 AM on May 6
Also, if you like parks and nature, it's a great time of the year to hang out in Hyde Park. I only had enough time to walk through on my way somewhere else, but I thought it was a really nice park.
posted by Laura in Canada at 10:50 AM on May 6
I'd definitely recommend visiting the Jewish Quarter in Prague. It's a lovely part of the city to walk around and has some very poignant pieces of history. Definitely avoid the big tourist spots unless you go very early in the morning -- Charles Bridge and the Astronomical Clock are packed in the summer by 11am. It's going to be very, very busy in general, so keep that in mind.
Seconding mumimor's caution about the heat. In London we've been getting temperatures of 30C+ in July over the last few years, which doesn't sound like much, but the city gets very humid and it can be really gross, especially if you're using the tube. It's a gorgeous time of year to visit, but it might feel more tiring to walk around than in cooler months.
posted by fight or flight at 1:04 PM on May 6 [1 favorite]
Seconding mumimor's caution about the heat. In London we've been getting temperatures of 30C+ in July over the last few years, which doesn't sound like much, but the city gets very humid and it can be really gross, especially if you're using the tube. It's a gorgeous time of year to visit, but it might feel more tiring to walk around than in cooler months.
posted by fight or flight at 1:04 PM on May 6 [1 favorite]
For all three cities, I cannot recommend guided tours with Sandeman's (mobile, so no link) enough. I did a few in Paris and they were AMAZING.
posted by Tamanna at 11:37 AM on May 7
posted by Tamanna at 11:37 AM on May 7
I go to the Tate Modern pretty much every time I visit London, and the area around there is always interesting to walk & explore around too.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 12:25 AM on May 8
posted by Jon Mitchell at 12:25 AM on May 8
Another vote for some of the London recs - Tate, V&A and Dishoom (the mango lassi was amazing and all their locations are very cool spaces). Also enjoyed the Design museum and Sir John Soane's museum.
On my trip I also took the train to Bath and had afternoon tea at The Pump Room which was fun. Bath is a great town to wander around - the royal crescent, the roman baths, pretty parks and views, the Jane Austen Centre (if you are a nerd for brit lit like me). Definitely want to go back for a longer visit.
posted by Julnyes at 11:51 AM on May 9
On my trip I also took the train to Bath and had afternoon tea at The Pump Room which was fun. Bath is a great town to wander around - the royal crescent, the roman baths, pretty parks and views, the Jane Austen Centre (if you are a nerd for brit lit like me). Definitely want to go back for a longer visit.
posted by Julnyes at 11:51 AM on May 9
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If you have time for a day tour, I took this tour "Stonehenge, Bath & Secret Place" with the English Bus Tour company. It was a very small group and excellently guided with a good amount of free time as well; the secret place is chosen during the tour from a selection that the guide has ready.
For a unique walking tour, I suggest Unseen Tours (Walking tours and experiences curated and led by people who have been affected by homelessness).
Another restaurant high on my list would be: Tofu vegan Spitalfields.
Oh, and the V&A if not on your list, should be. I spent hours there and need to go back to see it all; it was fantastic.
[I'll be going to Vienna this year and so will be watching the thread for the responses there as well :)]
posted by Laura in Canada at 7:51 AM on May 6 [2 favorites]