Central Europe

An overly formal vacation proposal

Goals

• Start and end at cities with international airports
• Train/bus, but no trips > 4 hours
• Get out of the big cities
• Playgrounds required
• No Munich
• Lots of goulash

Proposed Itinerary

• Vienna
• Hallstatt, Austria (train, 3 hours)
• Cesky Krumlov, Czech Rep. (bus, 3 hours)
• Prague (train, 3 hours)

Example Timetable

• Vienna: 2 nights
• Hallstatt: 4 nights
• Cesky Krumlov: 1 night
• Prague: 2 nights

* sequence can be reversed

Vienna

• Primary value: city tourism
• 2 nights gives both couples a chance for a night out
• Childrens' museum with dress up clothes
• Oldest zoo in the world (with pandas, train)

Vienna

Evidence of playgrounds (Joseph Strauss Park)

Wiener Fiakergulasch

Subtitle

Hallstatt, Austria

Hallstatt, Austria

• Primary value: relaxation, outdoors
• UNESCO World Heritage site
• Resort hotels have indoor pools, playgrounds
• Hikes
• Ferries
• Paragliding!?

Hallstatt, Austria

Evidence of playgrounds

Hallstatt, Austria

• There are other train-friendly lake towns in the area with benefits such as
  • More rural/hike friendly
  • Less touristy
  • Less net train travel
• Options include:
  • Obertraun
  • Traunkirchen

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Rep.

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Rep.

• Primary value: halfway stop to Prague
• Designated UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its well-preserved Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture.
• Castle from the 1300s
• Not a big city (12,000)

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Rep.

Evidence of playgrounds

Hovězí guláš

Prague, Czech Rep.

• Primary value: walkable city tourism
• 2 nights gives bros and gals a night out
• Cute town center, pedestrian bridge, castle
• "Prague's Central Park" has a multi-story playground right next to a pub

Prague, Czech Rep.

Evidence of playgrounds

Vienna flights

Direct to DC: Yes (Austrian)

Direct to Boston: No

Prague flights

Direct to DC: No

Direct to Boston: No

European East Pass

• covers Czech, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia
• Toddlers are free
• 1st class: $361
• 2nd class: $248