Budapest or Berlin

[3kidsareenough]

Hi Mumsnetters

DH and myself are planning a 3 day break and are thinking Budapest or Berlin...anyone able to tell me about their trips to either place...any recommendations would be great on things to do/see and where you stayed.

TIA

Been to both in the last 18 months, with teenagers. Berlin hands down. We are going back in half term. Berlin has so much life, quiet parts too when you need it, culture, transport system and we thought cheaper too.

Budapest was nice, lots of history which I love, but paled in comparison to Berlin. They are different cities though, maybe it because Berlin felt more vibrant and that's what attracted us, depends what you looking for I suppose.

Teenagers liked that the history was very relatable as so much of it happened when DP and I were their ages!

We stayed at Hotel Pestana at Tiergarten. Very good deal and centralish. Next to Tiergarten and beer garden.

Loved the TV tower, we went for breakfast. It was the only expensive thing but worth it.

Big Little Berlin underneath the tower was fab!

Also, Stasi Museum was interesting. It's in the old Stasi headquarters and a must if you've watched 'Deutschland 83' on more4.

I have been to both, and I prefer Berlin although Budapest was lovely too. They were both work trips with some sightseeing so I can’t give you loads of recs but Berlin was more interesting to me. I stayed near Alexanderplatz and found it a buzzy area.
Budapest, we had a day trip to the artists village which was lovely. www.lonelyplanet.com/hungary/budapest/activities/szentendre-artists-village-from-budapest/a/pa-act/v-43641P8/359522, also ate a lot of goulash.

Berlin is great.
If you are of a slightly weird disposition I would highly recommend the Design Panoptikum museum (a short walk from Alexanderplatz). The Wunderkammer is also good (in a slightly macabre way) and if you are a Ramones fan there is a small Ramones museum which does an excellent hot chocolate.

Been to both, and for me it's Budapest, hands down. I loved the city! Architecture is beautiful.

I did Berlin for a birthday weekend and loved it. I did a walking tour looking at Street Art with a local ( from With Locals), found some of the retro photo machines dotted around, ( found a very cool outdoor urban swimming pool ) had a great dinner in a courtyard restaurant called Panama, went to a pub with a vintage bowling alley in the basement, did some vintage clothes shopping. All this was over that exceptionally hot weekend and with a 7 year old so there was some hanging out in the park and eating ice cream in that too.