It is a battle of two eastern European heavy weights. Prague or Budapest, which city to visit? This is a difficult one for me, I loved both in their own way. I loved Prague from the moment I stepped off the plane, Budapest on the other hand grew on me after a day or two. I wrote a post recently about Budapest if you want a more in depth analysis.
As usual which city you will like better comes down to your style of travel. Are you someone who likes to walk and explore, or do you want things a bit closer together, given you more time to lounge around? How important is food to you? These are the attributes I will be dissecting. I may go a little deeper than usual while digging into these two places, because I loved both cities immensely and want to give them the description they deserve.
Prague or Budapest is not an easy choice. Both cities do have a similar feel. More similar than say Prague or Sicily or Budapest and Tokyo (clearly). The people and atmosphere are very much alike. That is not to say there are not stark differences between the two cities. Once you scratch the surface of both you will find each has a unique feel and culture. Yes, the people are similar (IE grumpy), the food has some similarities, but after you stay awhile you will most likely have an entirely different experience in both areas.
Some may say, why not hit both in one trip? Certainly, you could try to take a 5-hour train ride to one from the other. I do not think that does either Prague or Budapest justice. Both cities deserve at least a week to explore. There is a lot of depth to each, plenty of nooks and crannies to discover. That is difficult to do unless you spend a significant amount of time in either (relatively speaking). Below I will analyze Prague vs. Budapest in terms of food, history, things to do/attractions, beauty, and walkability. I will also highlight some negatives one may have about both cities. Here is how I view Prague vs. Budapest. As always, this is my opinion, your experience may have differed, and I would love to hear about it.
Prague vs. Budapest: Food and Alcohol
I had to include alcohol in this section because both the Czech Republic and Hungary have something to be proud of in terms of drinking. When looking at the food both countries sport heavy dishes, with a big emphasis on meats. Still, I do not think the eating experiences were identical. More similar than other parts of the continent, but not the same by any means.
Prague, first and foremost, had great beer. Pilsner Urquell is found all over the country, I would not be surprised if you could get it at a daycare. When deciding between Prague and Budapest, if beer drinking was your only criteria, I would certainly say Prague. Prague also had Absinthe, which until recently was illegal in the United States. I loved the Absinthe bars in Prague and “wasted” many an afternoon in these establishments.
Since there is more to life than just beer, let us talk about some of the foods. The one that stands out the most in Prague was the giant pork knuckle, it was enough for a family of four or two highly intoxicated people. The meal is just a delicious hunk of pork on the bone. Another dish Svíčková or beef with dumplings was also a staple. Well dumplings with everything and they were tasty. Meats and dumpling, dumplings and meat, I do not recall eating anything that swam (well I had duck once).
Then there is the Trdelnik, a sugary, cinnamon dessert street food that plagued the area. Plagued in the best sense of the word. I loved these snacks. They were very inexpensive and everywhere. I would say that for the most part, Prague had a lot of good pastries and bakeries.
My problem with the food of Prague was there was nothing screaming …this is a dish from Prague. Certainly, they have a style of eating that is different. The spices used made every meal feel like the holidays. Still, the cuisine of Prague did not implant its way into my brain.
Budapest Food ….
Budapest food on the other hand did have an impact on me. First, let me touch on the alcohol. I do think it is a tie with Prague in this category. Prague has great beer; Budapest has outstanding wine. Surprisingly good, I did not realize Hungarian wine was so tasty. Both have a lot of strange drinks I would never order in the United States. Pálinka jets its way to the front of my brain, a very strong fruit brandy.
The food is what I loved in Budapest; I mean gain 20lbs loved. First, the sausage. Yes, Prague had sausage, but not as good as Budapest, at least not where I found it. They have a lot of great game meats, deer better than anywhere as well as a lot of specialty dishes. Stuffed cabbage, Fisherman’s soup, Lángos, (a type of pizza, but not really) there were a lot of unique items. Many covered in one or two heavy sauces. Paprika is a staple in Hungarian food, so I hope you like it!
Then we have desserts, the Dobos Torte the best cake in any dimension, layers upon layers of chocolate, caramel, and buttercream. Strudel is also excellent in Budapest, better than that of Germany. Pastries in both countries were excellent, but I give the nod to Budapest. It is also worth mentioning, if you have a hankering for some horse, it is available as well. I wrote more about where to try food in Budapest here.
So, if you haven’t guessed it, in the battle of Prague vs. Budapest, in terms of food Budapest wins hands down. This is not to say you will not eat great in Prague, I just think Budapest outdid it.
Right now, Budapest or Prague: one-point Budapest
Budapest or Prague: Beauty
Prague was the most beautiful city I have ever visited. I guess you can stop reading, since I led with the ending, but it is true. This is to say the tourist areas were the most beautiful, not to say the rest of the city was terrible, some of it was rather nice. I just think a place like the Old Town Square was something out of a TV show. Maybe it is just the fond memories, but I cannot remember a more stunning atmosphere. There are two churches in the square, Gothic Church of Our Lady before Týn and St Nicholas church. There is also an art museum and various statues.
This place is even more amazing at night when it is all lit up. I have seen pictures of it at Christmas and it looks outstanding as well. This is the best square I have ever been too in terms of looks. To top it off the Astrological clock is in the Old Town Square, an interesting piece of art that must be seen.
Enough about the square, the city overall is beautiful and has some of the most stunning architecture in the world. The cobblestone streets add to the décor as well as the many churches, especially St. Vitus Cathedral. One cannot forget the Charles Bridge or Prague Castle …I can go on, but this is not only a Prague post! There is another city to consider.
Budapest….
Not to be totally outdone, Budapest is no lightweight either in the beauty department. Looking at the Parliament building all lit up at night is hard to beat. That scene is a postcard picture to mail off to grandma. Then there is Buda castle and Hero Square. Budapest is extraordinarily beautiful in its own right, making this comparison tougher than one would think. It is missing a lot of the old Gothic style because of the relative newness of the buildings. I personally think that takes a bit away from this area. I believe I saw a bit more graffiti and run-down sections to Budapest than Prague as well. Most of the city is very nice, but the Russians were not known for their aesthetics.
I am splitting hairs in terms of beauty when it comes to Budapest or Prague, they are both outstanding. Really comparing the two is like choosing between Scarlett Johansson and Kate Beckinsale (I am not saying which city represents which actress). It is a matter of taste for the individual. Still, I believe most will agree Prague has a clear edge in aesthetics.
Prague or Budapest Beauty, Prague takes this one.
Prague or Budapest: Things to Do
A lot of the things to do in Prague revolve around history. There are a bunch of museums, old churches, and nooks to discover. Prague is an old, untouched city. Museums interest me and there was a wide variety of them. There are bigger museums such as the National Gallery. Then there are the smaller spots like the Museum of Medieval Torture. I really liked that one, which says something about my personality.
The entire city is a museum in a sense. Beautiful statues and old buildings around every corner. Let me not forget the churches, not only are they nice to look at from the outside, but also there is more art inside many of them. All of this with more beer than you can shake a stick at. Then for further things to do in Prague you can get really intoxicated in other ways. Absinthe bars bear repeating yet again. One also cannot forget the lovely cannabis lollipops (the good kind) throughout the city. My day consisted of art, beer, church, absinthe, pot lollipop, nap…and repeat (with heavy meats sprinkled in)! Not a bad way to spend a week and a half.
Budapest…
Although Budapest has ways to get f-d up as well, that does not need to be the focus. It has much of what Prague has, art, museums, and history. Even if these activities are not your cup of tea, there is much more to do in this city. Really, I do not know how one can be bored in Budapest. You can spend a week and not do or see 10% of the attractions.
My favorite activity after walking around the market and eating of course were the thermal baths. For a reasonable price for two people you can spend hours soaking in water with thousands of strangers wearing speedos two sizes too small. I joke, but the baths are awesome. There is a big outdoor spot in the Gellert baths, I soaked there for an hour and it started snowing. In my life I do not think I have ever been more relaxed.
Moving on we have the ruin bars that are sprinkled throughout the city. I loved these as well, old abandoned Soviet Union factories that were turned into bars. Where communism fails, capitalism prevails. This makes the nightlife of Budapest vastly superior to that of Prague. There certainly is a nightlife in Prague, I am not sure it is one where you want to bring your wife or girlfriend if you go as a couple. Overall, the number of things to do in Budapest far exceeded Prague. I was never bored in either city, but Budapest just was superior in that sense.
Prague or Budapest: Things to Do…Budapest.
Budapest or Prague: History
If one is a history lover, both cities have a lot to offer. Still I believe there is one clear winner. Let me start with Prague and explain why I believe it is just superior for someone who likes old things (No, I do not mean Sugardaddies.com). Prague is a city that was somehow untouched in World War 2. Well I believe there was an agreement made with the Nazis to keep it intact. This makes a difference in terms of its historical sites.
Prague is old. The Charles Bridge was built in 663, to give you some idea of how far back it dates. Some of the buildings in the Old town square are from the 1300’s. Yes, maybe not Rome old, but old just the same. This makes the history more real for me. I never have been one for replicas or remakes, I want to see things in their original form. Prague offers this opportunity.
Budapest…
Budapest is another story in terms of history. Even though it too is an old city it was decimated by both the Nazis and communists during World War 2. Over 80% of the city was affected, buildings such as the Parliament and Buda castle among them (To learn more an article is linked here). The city was also looted and burned by soldiers, destroying things that can never be brought back. This makes the area suffer in terms of truly historical monuments.
Much of the historical sites in Budapest were just sad relics from World War 2. The Museum of Terror for example discusses both the communists and the Nazis and the atrocities they committed. Not so gleeful compared to a stroll down the Charles Bridge. Still look hard enough and there are things that remained untouched in this city, you can visit the maze under the Buda castle that housed Dracula’s jail cell. In terms of old history, Prague wins this one.
Prague vs. Budapest: For history buffs go to Prague.
Budapest or Prague: Walkability
This may seem like a strange unit of measure as to whether to visit a city. I did not realize how important walkability was until I went to Positano (read my review here). Exploring a city on foot is my favorite way to kill time. Both cities had their advantages and disadvantages in regard to walkability.
Starting with Prague was it walkable? I would say for the most part yes. That is until you crossed the Charles Bridge. The hills were fairly bad near the Prague castle making walking a bit more difficult. The cobblestones also did not help, they look beautiful but can be hell on your feet if you wear the wrong shoes.
One more slight negative about Prague’s walkability, is that at times it felt like a maze. More than once I was hungry and lost. GPS helps, but most of the time it did not know where the hell I was. The main areas are easy to navigate, some of the side streets can be tricky.
This is not to say there are not positive aspects of Prague’s walkability. What I did like was the city had a lot of nooks and crannies to explore. Little side streets that brought you to a church or tower. That is an incredibly fun way to travel. Really, getting lost in a side street is not so bad if it is in a beautiful city with great beer such as Prague.
Budapest…
Budapest was much easier to navigate than Prague. I really do not think I got lost once in this city, and I walked all day. The city is also (for the most part) much flatter than Prague. Although the area near Buda Castle is full of hills. Once again there is always something to walk to, but you really do not need a destination. Andrássy út is stunning, it is worth just strolling it for an hour or two.
If there is any negative about Budapest’s walkability it is that in some cases it feels spread out. The city just is bigger than Prague in terms of size and population. Prague was very compact, most of the major places you will want to see are close to each other. Budapest had things sprinkled all over the city. Still this was not enough for me to penalize Budapest too badly.
In terms of Walkability Prague vs Budapest: Budapest by a foot.
Some Negatives About Each City
I am writing this only to be more helpful for my Budapest or Prague inquiry. I loved both cities immensely, so this is more of a nitpick than a bash. If I had to pick one or two things about Prague I did not like, I would say at the top of the list is it is slightly touristy. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, therefore it will attract a lot of Mildred’s from Arkansas. Mildred’s (and all Americans wearing T-Shirts and Fanny packs) attract selfie stick and magnet sellers to name a few. The Charles Bridge was beautiful, but also had a lot of the things I hate about travel. From the statue guy to the bad guitarist trying to get change. It is almost better to walk it at night to get a picture without the crowded tourist feel.
Tourism also attracts scams, taxi drivers will overcharge as they love to do, in both cities, but Prague is a bit worse. I have also heard about people being tricked when ordering meat from an outside vender, given 4 pounds of ham and charged a ridiculous amount. That did not happen to me, but I was warned about it.
Budapest…
My only real complain about Budapest was, as mentioned earlier, it felt big taking more time to get around. I loved how walkable it was, but sometimes you just want to get to your destination. Taxis helped, but it is very big, so you need to a lot more time exploring the city. Note, once again be careful of taxis they are known to rip tourists off here as well.
I want to add that neither city had people that I would consider warm and fuzzy. Italy, Greece, Croatia, these countries had some of the friendliest people in the world. Budapest and Prague not so much. Having said this, Prague maybe had a few more bright smiles than Budapest in terms of friendliness. Both cities are not known for their people’s warm demeanor.
Budapest or Prague: Which Would I Choose?
As mention, I do not think you will go wrong with either city. Walking into Prague is like walking into a fairytale, everyone needs to see Prague once in this lifetime. Budapest is also beautiful in its own right, but it is bigger with much more to do. It has a newer feel than Prague, and maybe a bit less magical. The food is better in Budapest and it is easier to get around.
My pick when it comes to Budapest vs. Prague is Budapest. Besides all the things mentioned, something about the city just felt right. I talk about cities having their own energy to them, and Budapest had a great one. It was a city I just connected with; it is hard to put into words why. In all my travel, I do not think I have ever felt more relaxed than when visiting Budapest.
I understand the Prague argument, the city is amazing also. I felt that Budapest had more meat to it (metaphorically and literally). These days I can run through Prague in about four days, leaving the rest of the week to drink beer and relax. Not a bad thing, but I like to always have something else to do. Budapest provided that depth of entertainment to me. One note, if you ask me which city I would visit, Prague or Budapest during Christmas, I will change my answer to Prague. The city is a haven for Christmas nuts and cannot be beat during the holiday season. I am going more on research than experience, but it is my two cents from what I have read.
So To Recap My Winner Budapest vs. Prague: Budapest
Conclusion: Prague or Budapest
I think I gave a fairly good overview of these two cities and my reasoning for picking Budapest as the one I would go to first. Really, questions like these are the definition of first world problems, which is great. I miss both places for various reasons and will see both again in this lifetime. Hell, I may even move to one or the other one day. Whichever you ultimately decide on, it is almost a certainty that you will have a good time. As mentioned earlier, this is my opinion having been to both cities. Take it for what it is worth, really the only way to know for sure is to plan two trips.
