Budapest, Rome, Bologna, Bucharest or Prague?

[Arubasea]

I am looking to buy DH a long weekend away at the end of November. I ideally would have booked to go somewhere in Poland because we love it there but can't get flights with the right times.
Which of the above would you visit? Priorities are plenty to do in the day, great food and lively bars.
Thanks for any help.

I went to Budapest at Easter this year. It depends on what you like doing. There are lots of lovely old buildings and an amazing church (with a cool severed hand in a box), a nice walk up a big hill (although the fort at the top was closed when we were there), lots of cafes and restaurants around pleasant squares. Food was nice - not amazing but pleasant. Lots of good cakes and pastries!
It wasn’t somewhere I would race back to but for a couple of days, if you like history, old buildings and coffee and cakes, it’s great.
I was there with young kids but there seemed to be a whole area full of bars.

Buda Castle was also v impressive.

Been to Budapest this summer and it was great. Lots to see from a wandering around perspective and agree food was nice (and reasonably priced) but not amazing. What set it apart from the other cities was you mention was the public geothermal spa baths. We went to two and it was lovely to do a city break that also involved lots of sitting in hot water/swimming. There are lots of good bars as well.
Rome is amazing if you’ve not been there but maybe harder work.

@lilyfire why is Rome hard work?
Thanks for the replies

Another vote for Budapest. Went at the beginning of the year and loved it. Wasn’t so keen on Rome.

1. Rome
2. Budapest

Both STRONGLY recommended

1. Prague - nice but v busy with tourists. Not been to the other 2.

We have booked a long weekend in Ljubljana which looks great.

Bologna is great. Rome and Prague are very touristy (but lovely) but Bologna is a proper working/university city and the food is amazing! It’s flat and walkable and there’s loads to see.

Rome is hard work in a good way in that there’s lots to see and it’s fairly easy to walk so you end up doing lots of steps. We went at Easter so more tourists than November but you need to think about queues for things, book ahead and maybe get up early to avoid them. You should definitely go to Rome at some point - it’s a more ‘must see’ historically, culturally than Budapest. If you want a more chilled out but interesting weekend though I’d go for Budapest.

Another vote for Bologna - fantastic food, easy to walk about and lovely architecture.

I vote for Prague. It's such a beautiful city. The Xmas markets are lovely and I'd expect they would be up and running by the end of November.

Definitely Bologna - food capital of Italy

I've been to all of them and would recommend Budapest above all the others for a mini break at that time of year. It's big enough to have lots to do whilst not overwhelmingly so.

Not Bucharest. Full of communist flats and nothing else.
(Other parts of Romania are amazing, and would definitely recommend it)

Rome is great, can easily see all the major sites in a weekend.

Budapest for the reasons mentioned. Plus would add in the food hall upstairs in the market, really good authentic and home cooked food ( disclaimer, I went some years ago and it could have changed) . Also the zoo because it has the most amazing buildings and an eye wateringly lack of health and safety regulations, “yes of course small child, you can hand feed this sharp toothed monkey, and give the macaw with a beak that can crack walnuts a peanut or two” . The public transport is efficient and cheap, but they do have very sudden and ruthless plainclothes inspectors who check up on tickets.

All of them apart from Prague! Too many tourists in too small an area.

Budapest is beautiful and easy to get around. Bucharest is slightly more challenging (greater language barrier, infrastructure less good) but such an eye opener. Romania in general is so underrated by travellers, it's beautiful, histoircal, amazing food and culture.

Just back from Rome, lots to see, if staying central not too bad for walking to see everything, I'd imagine you could see most of the main sites in a weekend. Obviously not very cheap! It is beautiful though.

Prague is next on my list!

That time of year I’d go to Rome. It will be as empty as it would ever be and it won’t be freezing. You’ll still need a coat but you won’t have to dress like an arctic explorer.

Rome is also insanely walkable. You can cover the majority of it on foot with a hop on a metro if necessary.

I’d go just for the in season fried artichoke if nothing else.

Romania in general is so underrated by travellers, it's beautiful, histoircal, amazing food and culture.

It is indeed. But a long weekend in Buch is going to be somewhat different to the rural Romania. One would not stay in central London for the weekend and expect to visit the Cotswolds.

If you enjoy turkish baths, Budapest is amazing, spent a lovely winter week doing mostly that.

Prague is beautiful, nice winding streets.

Not been to the others.

Rome is stunning! Absolutely so much to see and do and eat! But, I’m not sure a weekend is enough, I’d say a minimum of 5 days is needed. Budapest is nice and there’s enough to do in a weekend but the food isn’t quite as good. Prague is also really lovely, and also good for a weekend break.

Have you considered Florence? Really beautiful, so walkable and like Rome’s little sister.

For a long weekend Budapest or Prague - though it will be cold - the Xmas markets might have started at the very end of the month. Both city centres are relatively compact and have brilliant public transport. Lovely cosy bars and restaurants. Rome is massive with so much to see, but often long queues that I think it deserves more than a weekend.

Thanks for all the great replies, I think I am leaning towards Budapest and Bologna now. Although I have realised we could also do Malaga as the flights suit so now another option to consider!

Recently enjoyed a trip to Budapest, and would go back. Not on your list, but Lisbon would tick all your boxes, love it for a long weekend.

Budapest is wonderful and you have to go here! It will be fantastic in October I reckon.
https://bathsbudapest.com/szechenyi-bath

Sorry, November not October. At that time the Christmas markets will probably be on too which will be lovely.