Favorite duet: Prague and Budapest. New Year.
In a nutshell:... good, but not enough : -)
If “the way you celebrate the new year is the way you will spend it, ” then a great trip from the Accord Tour guarantees me a successful 2010.
Before the trip, I read a lot of negative reviews about the work of the Accord, but not a single significant comment on the work of the company was found during the entire trip. Moreover, of all the operators with whom we traveled to Europe, the Accord turned out to be the most thorough (and this despite the fact that all previous trips were also pleasing).
What I will highlight in the work of the tour operator: the most complete information about the tour (route, excursions, hotels - we were already informed about everything long before departure), a “rolled back” program without unpleasant overlays that could spoil the whole impression of the trip, a good selection of hotels ( hotel reviews are already partially posted on my blog, the rest will be a little later) and wonderful guides: Masha in Hungary, Lena in Austria, Maya in the Czech Republic and Harold in Germany.
Special thanks to the travel agency through which we bought tickets - "Gallop across Europe" to Friendship of Peoples and personally to its director Yulia Olekhova - they treat tourists like relatives. Thanks!
In Lviv, a representative of the company met us at the station and showed us where the bus would be waiting for us (the train arrived 2 hours before the departure for the tour). At 9 am already in the bus. The head of the group, Orest Yarosh, is a smart, very correct, competent escort, during the journey he voiced everything, even seemingly insignificant, but such useful necessary information!
Special thanks to our drivers - Roma and Oleg: they drove the bus carefully and were very friendly to all passengers.
The first stop, at 11 o'clock, was made back in Ukraine: a fast-food restaurant at the O'Key Hotel - hot and fresh - is already good. Moreover, everyone arrived by night trains and had no opportunity to eat normally before leaving.
We passed the border for about two hours - there were no buses in front of us, but the Hungarian customs officers very meticulously examined the luggage - they shoveled all the suitcases and bags. We had 4 packs of cigarettes in our suitcase, the “border guards” were indignant, it’s impossible, like. My husband pointed to me - a suitcase, he said, a common one, each just 40 allowed cigarettes. So they asked to turn out the pockets : -)
The starting point of our journey was Tokai, where we arrived after dark. In the wine cellar of Mr. Dimetriou and his hospitable wife Maria, the group was waiting for hot goulash (Hungarians say gouyash), cheese pies and a tasting of 5 varieties of white wine from our host's vineyards. The wine was poured with a generous hand, but, I think, no one was left in the loser - after dinner everyone was well stocked in the shop at the cellar. Prices - from 3 to 11 euros per bottle, more than adequate.
We were at the hotel around 23:00.
After breakfast we had a tour of Budapest. It took about 4 hours, but not very tired - the tour was a walking-bus tour.
Objects are standard: Fisherman's Bastion, with its beautiful views; Cathedral of King Matthias; Royal Palace (now a museum complex); Basilica of St. Stephen, a beautiful temple, which is worth it to come back and "breathe" it without haste; Parliament; Heroes Square; Varoshliget park with the famous figure of the unknown chronicler Anonymus and the Vaidahunyan castle. In the castle, you can buy souvenirs - there is a huge choice, the prices are not the most exorbitant.
After lunch, an excursion to the city of St. Andrew - Szentendre was offered. In the evening - the program "In the light of a thousand lights" on a boat on the Danube with champagne. And although it's worth it, we abandoned the trip to the cute marzipan town, and the excursion to the Caprice jewelry factory that came with it, and contemplation of the magical view of the city from the Danube, in favor of an independent walk around Budapest (our excursion in Szentendre, to a jewelry factory and a boat trip along the Danube, I described in a review of a previous trip to Hungary).
Saying goodbye to the guide and the group in Varosliget park, we started our promenade. The weather pleased with positive temperature, no wind, no precipitation - beauty. We had lunch at the Paprika restaurant, which is literally a 10-minute walk from the park on Dozsa Gyorgy street (standing with your back to the Geroev-left colonnade) - there is classic Hungarian cuisine: goulash, fish soup, duck, stewed cabbage, for dessert - dumplings (this is the name of a very tasty pastry! ) A hearty lunch for two with wine – approx. 40 euros.
After lunch, we walked along Andrá ssy Boulevard, we wanted to get to the opera house, but we were only strong enough for half the way : -) We returned to the hotel, having promised to come here in the summer. In the evening we also went to the huge Arena shopping center "(shopaholic's paradise), which is located not far from our hotel on the Stadionok metro station. I only had enough strength to buy groceries at Tesco and indulge in desserts in the cafe on the second floor.
Early breakfast and departure to Austria. Almost 5 hours on the road -250 kilometers + one sanitary stop. In Vienna, on Maria Theresa Square, we pick up the guide Lena and go to the building, which is called the "Hundertwasser House" in honor of its eccentric architect: not a single straight line, all materials are only natural, each apartment is represented on the facade with its own color - red, blue , in yellow, and common areas in grey. Impressive. Opposite there are cafes and souvenir shops, we drink coffee and buy souvenirs : -) Silk scarves and bottles of liqueurs (50 and 100 ml each) in the form of a violin stand out from the souvenirs. I'm not even talking about Mozart sweets.
After - a circle on the bus along the Ring and, having landed on the same Maria Theresa Square, we set off for a two-hour sightseeing walk. The residence of the Austrian monarchs is the Hofburg castle; a building of stables with well-groomed, melancholy chewing horses; slowly passing carriages; plague column; the Cathedral of St. Stephen, on which the measures of size and length are visible, and under which are the catacombs; City Hall; Parliament…. The smell of coffee and sausages. . .
At the end of the walk, tired, chilled and hungry, we reward ourselves with a hearty lunch at the Rosenberger self-service restaurant. The prices are touching: a portion of spaghetti 5.2 euros, Bolognese sauce to it -3 euros, Viennese schnitzel -10.9 euros, Viennese strudel -3.3, Kaiser melange (coffee) -3.1 euros, and more salads, fresh juices, famous sausages… the bill for two is 46 euros.
After a hearty meal, you want to sleep, but we have 4 hours of free time in the beautiful Christmas Vienna. Alas and ah, the longed-for Museum of Art and History and the Museum of Natural History, located opposite each other, on both sides of the monument to Maria Theresa, were closed on Monday. As a result, armed with a map, we wandered around the city (trying not to move too far from the center), went to coffee houses, shops, enjoyed the night city decorated with thousands of garlands, similar to a picture from a fairy tale.
At 19 o'clock, on the same square of the "mother-in-law of Europe" (Maria Theresa), a bus was waiting for us, a three-hour transfer to the Czech Republic and a settlement in a transit hotel.
The first half of the day was given to Moravia, the wine-growing part of the Czech Republic, which used to almost completely belong to the princes of Liechtenstein (the principality of Liechtenstein is, in fact, the current patrimony of the offspring of the famous family). First, the bus took us to the Neo-Gothic Lednice Castle, the winter residence of the former owners. Since the castle is closed for tourists during the cold season, we admire what we can from the outside and drive to Valdice, a baroque summer residence. (A little misfortune - we arrived too early in Lednice, we could not buy wine, the guide Maya said that good wine is made by local craftsmen).
In Valdice, we had 40 minutes to walk through the park, which stretches for many kilometers between both castles. The park, ponds, artificial islands - everything is man-made. More than a hundred species of conifers and about five hundred species of deciduous trees brought from all over the world. Squirrels. Ducks. Minaret. It would be here in the summer, but for the whole day - to wander not to ferment!
Then an hour tour of the castle. Incredibly beautiful wooden carvings on the ceiling and stairs; majestic halls for receptions; princess rooms; a library, a greenhouse… everything is impressive, but it’s a bit chilly – the castle is summer, it’s understandable – it’s almost impossible to heat such a domina.
After the tour we go to Prague, stopping at a roadside cafe for lunch.
We arrived in Prague when it was already getting dark and we were on our way! Objects, again standard: starting from the Republic Square, we passed the Powder Tower, the Estates Theater, the Carolinum; exchanged money with the Arabs; on the Old Town Square they were delayed for 15 minutes - to wait until the skeleton on the Astronomical Clock (Old Town Chimes) rings its bell and the procession of the twelve apostles defiles in the window; frescoed; Tynsky temple House "At the minute"; Jewish (Josefov) quarter with an old cemetery and synagogues; Na Przykope street with banks, restaurants and expensive shops.
At the end of the tour, right on the street, we eat fried sausages, drink some hot wine, some cold beer and go to the hotel.
Day 5 My birthday, I want a holiday.
The company offered a continuation of the walking tour (Stragov Monastery, Loretta, St. Vitus Cathedral... ) and an evening boat trip along the Vltava. Since this is not the first time in Prague, we have seen and tried everything announced, we resolutely refuse.
As a result, who goes where, and we have shopping. I have repeatedly spoken tenderly about the Fashion Arena Outlet shopping center (Prumyslova, Praha 10 - Sterboholy) on the site and I repeat once again - you will not find cheaper! There are many brand stores here (including Mango, Ecco, Salamander, Mexx, Levi's, Wrangler, Adidas and others dear to my heart), all year round prices with a discount of 30% to 70%. Right there, on the second floor, you can dine in fast foods or drink real hot chocolate and cake in a lovely cafe. I didn’t get such pleasure for a long time and I didn’t buy steel clothes at a time either.
In the evening - dinner at the Novomestsky brewery: mushroom soup in a bread pot, pork in cream with lemon and lingonberry sauce, boar knee, banana beer, just beer... cheesecake... beer... Birthday was a success! : -)
According to the tour plan - an excursion to Kutná Hora with a visit to the Ossuary Chapel. Last time we didn’t get any pleasure from contemplating the ennobled skulls and bones, so again the whole day is ours.
We drive from the hotel (on the 133rd bus) to the Vltava embankment in the area of Stefan's Bridge (I'm not sure about the correct spelling of some objects in Russian, we had a map in Czech), and we go along the river to the Charles Bridge. On the way, sometimes we turn a few tens of meters deep into the city to admire the sights that come across: the Church of St. Gestahl; buildings of the Faculty of Law and Philosophy of Charles University; Rudolfinum (House of the Arts), Church of St. Francis. Swans swim importantly along the Vltava, sometimes chasing passing boats. We looked closely - the passengers throw bread to the birds. Under the bridges are whole families of ducks and wild geese. We are defiling along the Charles Bridge – the gloomy December sun and scaffolding, which blocked most of the views, deprive this building of the lion's share of charm.
Along Karlova street, making a small detour through Karolinum and the house At the black Mother of God, we go out to Narodni street, where we have a delicious lunch at the restaurant "U Medvidku". Here is a very tasty garlic soup, which is served with diced cheese, ham and croutons; Tabor delicacy (great dish with pork, sausage, smoked neck, cabbage, dumplings and beer); tuna salad and pancakes with ice cream. Not to mention beer: Budweiser, Old Gott and X-33!
In the evening we had dinner at the nice restaurant U Kozla (near the hotel) - the prices are simply ridiculous, comparing with Pivovar and Medvidki. The bill is three times less, Kozel beer, both light and dark, on tap is something! The same boar knee (which, by the way, is also served in Kiev restaurants, only under the name "pork knuckle") - 119 kroons, in Pivovar -350. Dinner for two with beer -380 CZK (15 euros).
At 11 p. m. we go to the center - we want local color, romance and an unusual celebration of the New Year. As a result, we drink champagne on Wenceslas Square in the Russian- and Italian-speaking crowd. From the smoke of fireworks to midnight, visibility at a distance of 100 meters is zero. We feel like students, have fun.
Day 7 January 1st.
At noon, we remember that we did not buy souvenirs. We went to the center, wandered around the souvenir shops, bought a bunch of semi-unnecessary little things for friends, children and ourselves : -). In the grocery supermarket of the shopping center "Palladium" we complete the purchase of souvenirs with a fair amount of beer, local wine, Gremmelin cheese and wafers (round wafers from Karlovy Vary).
In the evening there is no energy to go anywhere. Let's go back to the Goat : -)
The choice, of course, is not the same as in the restaurants of the center, there are no desserts at all, but everything is tasty, satisfying, homely sweet. It is worth trying the onion soup and what is called something like “Bramborashki with salami” on the menu - it looks like our potato pancakes with finely chopped sausage in them. Also delicious meat with cabbage and sweet corn boiled in milk.
At 11 o'clock we arrive in Dresden. All days the weather pleased with stable +2... +4, and here in the morning -2 and snow, snow, snow.
First -1.5 hours of free time. There was no question of how to hold it - of course, in the Dresden Gallery, which in German is called the "Gallery of Old Masters". Entrance 10 euros, a ticket for the whole day and not only to the art gallery, but also to the museums of weapons and porcelain (entrance from the courtyard), for 3 euros you can take an audio guide in Russian. Raphael, Rembrandt, Canaletto, Botticelli, Veronese, Tiapolo. . . what is an hour and a half? . .
Then - a little less than 2 hours - a sightseeing tour of the Old Town, accompanied by the German Harold: a very good guide, in love with his native city and its history. We started from Theater Square; walked along the Brü hl terrace along the Elbe; further - the Museum of the history of the city; Georgenbau Palace; Fustenzug - a huge painting lined with porcelain tiles; Zwinger with its luxurious buildings… At 16:00 – departure to Poland, where we will spend the night in a transit hotel.
For half a day in Dresden, we did not see even a quarter of what we would like... Well, there will be a reason to return!
P. S. – so my beloved and I saw and felt this tour. We were with a group where 28 other people made up their minds. Perhaps different from ours, but I really hope that it is also positive. I didn't see anything bad.
P. S. S. – at the beginning of the trip, we were asked why we should go to Hungary and the Czech Republic, if we had already been to them. After the trip, no one, it seems to me, left such questions: these countries are worth returning again and again.
Thank you for reading this review! Have a nice trip!
