Three capitals. Three personalities. One unforgettable week. This 7-day Vienna–Budapest–Prague itinerary blends imperial grandeur, café culture, river panoramas, and cobbled lanes with efficient train hops and well-chosen tours.

Vienna sets the tone with Habsburg palaces, world-class museums, and waltz-worthy evenings. Budapest dazzles after dark, its bridges glowing over the Danube and its century-old thermal baths steaming by day. Prague then steals the finale with gothic spires, a hilltop castle, and Old Town lanes that seem drawn from a novel.

Practical notes: bring euros (Austria), forints (Hungary), and Czech crowns (Czechia). Trains between cities are frequent and affordable; pack comfortable shoes for stone streets. For flights into Europe and within the region, compare on Omio (flights); for cross-border trains and buses, use Omio (trains) and Omio (buses).

Vienna

Vienna is the former Habsburg capital where coffeehouses function as living rooms and music fills gilded halls. Stroll the Ringstrasse, step into palaces, and punctuate your day with a slice of Sachertorte.

• Don’t miss: Schönbrunn Palace, Hofburg & Sisi Museum, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Belvedere’s “The Kiss,” MuseumsQuartier.
• Eat/drink: Café Central (grand coffeehouse classics), Zum Schwarzen Kameel (Austrian canapés), Plachutta (tafelspitz), NENI at Naschmarkt (Middle Eastern market fare).
• Fun fact: Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn all premiered works here—the city’s calendar still brims with concerts in historic halls.

Where to stay (Hotels.com/VRBO):

• Classic: Hotel Sacher Wien (iconic address opposite the Opera)
• Stylish-value: Motel One Wien-Staatsoper, Hilton Vienna Park
• Budget: Wombat's City Hostel Vienna Naschmarkt
• Waterfront/leisure: Hilton Vienna Danube Waterfront
• Browse more: Hotels.com Vienna | VRBO Vienna

Getting there: Fly into Vienna International Airport (VIE). Compare options on Omio (flights). From the airport, the City Airport Train (~16 min) or S7 commuter line (~25 min) takes you into town; taxis/Uber run ~25–35 min depending on traffic.

Day 1: Arrive in Vienna (afternoon arrival)

Afternoon: Drop bags and get your bearings around St. Stephen’s Cathedral, climbing the tower for a tiled-roof view if time allows. Pause at Café Central for velvety melange and a slice of Esterházy torte under soaring vaults.

Evening: Ease into Vienna’s music scene with a candlelit performance at St. Peter’s. Book the Vienna Classical Concert at St. Peter’s Church (compact, atmospheric, and central).

Dinner: Choose Plachutta Wollzeile for textbook boiled beef (tafelspitz) carved tableside; or Zum Schwarzen Kameel for an informal lineup of legendary open-faced sandwiches and Austrian wines.

Day 2: Schönbrunn and the Ring

Morning: Tour the Habsburgs’ summer residence on a guided, skip-the-line visit: Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens Guided Tour (about 2 hours).

Afternoon: Explore the Baroque gardens and hike up to the Gloriette for sweeping city views. For lunch, Café Residenz by the palace bakes still-warm apple strudel and hearty soup; later, take the tram around the Ringstrasse to admire the Opera, Parliament, and Rathaus.

Evening: Graze through the Naschmarkt: try sabich and hummus at NENI, then oysters or schnitzel at DO-AN. Cap the night with a glass of grüner veltliner at a cozy wine bar in the 1st District.

Day 3: Hofburg history and heuriger evening

Morning: Meet Empress Elisabeth (“Sisi”) through her rooms and personal effects with skip-the-line access: Sisi Museum, Hofburg and Gardens Tour.

Afternoon: Art hour: choose Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss” at the Upper Belvedere or the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s Old Masters. For lunch, swing by Trzesniewski for rye-bread finger sandwiches or Figlmüller for its famously plate-sized schnitzel.

Evening: Celebrate the Viennese love of wine in the villagey 19th district: at a heuriger (wine tavern) like Mayer am Pfarrplatz, pair young riesling with schnitzel, potato salad, and live Schrammelmusik.

Budapest

Budapest brims with Art Nouveau façades, the stately Parliament, and thermal baths fueled by hot springs since Ottoman times. It’s equal parts spa capital and nightlife superstar.

• Don’t miss: Buda Castle & Fisherman’s Bastion, Széchenyi or Gellért Baths, Great Market Hall, the Shoes on the Danube memorial, ruin bars.
• Eat/drink: Ruszwurm (Buda cream cakes), Menza (retro Hungarian classics), Paprika (goulash, chicken paprikash), Mazel Tov (Middle Eastern in a leafy courtyard), Dobrumba (Levant meets the Caucasus).
• Fun fact: Budapest is really two cities—hilly Buda and flat Pest—united by bridges only in 1873.

Where to stay (Hotels.com/VRBO):

• Landmark luxury: Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest
• Views/history: Hilton Budapest (Castle District)
• Value/boutique: Maverick City Lodge
• Family fun: Aquaworld Resort Budapest
• Browse more: Hotels.com Budapest | VRBO Budapest

Day 4: Vienna to Budapest (morning train), Castle District and Danube night

Morning: Depart Vienna by Railjet to Budapest Keleti (~2h40). Check schedules and book on Omio (trains); expect ~€20–45 if booked ahead. Taxis or Metro M4 take you downtown quickly from Keleti.

Afternoon: Walk the Buda Castle quarter: Matthias Church’s patterned roof, neo-medieval Fisherman’s Bastion, and cobbled streets with turret views over the Parliament. Coffee and krémes at Ruszwurm (since 1827), then cross Chain Bridge back to Pest.

Evening: See Budapest’s floodlit skyline from the water on a 1-hour cruise with a welcome drink: Budapest Danube River Sightseeing Night Cruise with Drink.

Dine afterward at Menza (updated classics in a retro setting) or Dobrumba (vibrant small plates) and toast with a glass of Tokaji.

Day 5: Thermal baths, markets, and ruin bars

Morning: Soak like a local at the city’s grandest complex with tickets to Széchenyi Thermal Spa.

Alternate hot and cold pools; the outdoor steaming pools are magic year-round.

Afternoon: Lunch on lángos at Retro Lángos or explore Great Market Hall for sausage, pickled peppers, and paprika to take home. Stroll Andrássy Avenue to the Opera House, then the solemn Shoes on the Danube memorial.

Evening: Experience the city’s unique nightlife with a guided wander through its famed courtyards-turned-pubs: Budapest Ruin Bars Evening Walking Tour.

Pre-game with chicken paprikash at Paprika or book Mazel Tov for grilled halloumi, dips, and wood-fired mains in a lively garden space.

Prague

Prague is the “City of a Hundred Spires,” where the Vltava reflects bridges and the world’s largest ancient castle crowns the skyline. Baroque churches chime hours as the medieval Astronomical Clock whirs to life.

• Don’t miss: Charles Bridge at dawn, Old Town Square, Josefov (Jewish Quarter), Prague Castle & St. Vitus Cathedral, Letná Park views.
• Eat/drink: Café Louvre (1902 café), Lokál Dlouhááá (pub classics), Kantýna (butcher’s grill), Nase maso (tiny shrine to Czech beef), Hemingway Bar (serious cocktails).
• Fun fact: The “defenestrations of Prague” sparked major political shifts—people literally thrown out of windows changed European history.

Where to stay (Hotels.com/VRBO):

• Luxury on the river: Four Seasons Hotel Prague
• Boutique/value: Hotel Julian, Motel One Prague-Florentinum
• Riverside calm: Hotel Kampa Garden
• Hostel: Hostel One Home
• Browse more: Hotels.com Prague | VRBO Prague

Day 6: Budapest to Prague (morning), Old Town and river night

Morning: Travel day. Train Budapest–Prague is ~6h45 on EuroCity/Railjet (from ~€25–60 on Omio (trains)), scenic but long. If you prefer speed, flights take ~1h10 (plan ~3.5 hours door-to-door) and often price from ~€60–120 on Omio (flights). Buses run ~6h45 as a budget option via Omio (buses).

Afternoon: Check in and head to Old Town Square for gothic Týn Church and the Astronomical Clock show. Cross Charles Bridge for street musicians and statues, then pause for coffee at Café Louvre or espresso at EMA Espresso Bar.

Evening: See Prague from the water with a relaxed dinner and illuminated monuments on the Prague Boats 3-hour Dinner Cruise.

Prefer to stay on land? Reserve Kantýna for dry-aged steaks by the butcher counter or Lokál Dlouhááá for perfect svíčková and tank Pilsner.

Day 7: Prague Castle and farewell (afternoon departure)

Morning: Climb to the castle for stained glass by Mucha and sweeping views on a guided visit that includes tickets: Prague Castle Tour Including Admission Ticket (2.5 hours).

Wander the Golden Lane’s tiny houses before strolling down through the Lesser Town.

Afternoon: Early lunch near the bridge at Lokál U Bílé Kuželky (crispy schnitzel, potato salad) or pop into Nase maso for a quick burger and beer. Pick up koláče for the road, then transfer to the airport or station for your afternoon departure.

Evening: If your schedule allows extra time, close with a toast at Hemingway Bar (reservations recommended) or a sunset viewpoint in Letná Park overlooking the Vltava’s elegant bridges.

Getting between cities: quick guide

• Vienna → Budapest: Railjet ~2h40, from ~€20–45 on Omio (trains). Buses ~3h–3h30 on Omio (buses).
• Budapest → Prague: Train ~6h45 (scenic, budget-friendly) on Omio (trains); flight ~1h10 on Omio (flights) for faster travel.

Daily coffee, breakfast, and dining picks at a glance

• Vienna: Breakfast at Café Sperl (classic), coffee at Café Central or Demel; lunch at Trzesniewski or Naschmarkt stalls; dinner at Plachutta, Figlmüller, or Zum Schwarzen Kameel.
• Budapest: Breakfast at New York Café (opulent) or Fekete (third-wave); lunch at Great Market Hall or Menza; dinner at Paprika, Dobrumba, or Kiosk; drinks at Szimpla Kert.
• Prague: Breakfast at Café Louvre; coffee at EMA; lunch at Lokál or Nase maso; dinner at Kantýna or on the river cruise; nightcap at Hemingway Bar.

Optional tours you can swap in if you crave more food-forward or music-centric experiences:

• Vienna food walk: Vienna for Food Lovers.

  

• Budapest prosecco cruise: Unlimited Prosecco, Beer & Aperol Spritz Cruise.

  

• Prague food tour: Eat, Sip and Make Friends by Taste of Prague.

  

In one week you’ll waltz through Vienna’s salons, bathe and boat along Budapest’s Danube, then castle-hop across Prague’s hilltops. With fast trains, compact historic centers, and cafés to refuel at every turn, this trio makes an effortlessly rich first (or fifteenth) taste of Central Europe.