Prague - Krakow - Budapest - Vienna - Best things to do with a 15yo?

[TheyBuiltThePyramids]

I have been to all these places before but not in at least 16 years and not with a teen in tow . The trip was her idea so I suggested she do some research, but would love to hear any suggestions of brilliant days out and places to eat.

Me too

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The Jewish quarter and the lovely main square in Krakow, and a day trip to Auschwitz, would be my essentials there.

Krakow: Pinball museum is fun for a few hours if it rains/dark and gloomy

I liked the traditional Polish food at lots of places in Krakow, but also some good modern options, it's a lot cheaper than in the UK, and generally very good :)

Wandering around the Jewish Quarters and seeing the Shindler's factory.

Saltmines

I never visit concentration camps, as it makes the entire trip a depressing experience (IME, I can't visit Auschwitz then relax and eat out happily. The horror hangs over me like a cloud for days....but other people cope with it better)

You can go to Zakopane for mountain hikes or skiing, even just for a day or 2 (2hr drive) (GoSki)

I have two teens and we spent 5 days in Krakow and Zakopane last February half terms and it was their favourite trip (esp the 2 days skiing, the food and the Pinball museum)

Been to all places listed.
Going to Krakow in Feb. Am going to all the places suggested. Can't wait.

Presumably your 15 year old will love all those places equally. Ds1 just go back for a weeks trip/school exchange to Poland and was affected by his Auschwitz visit, which is the way it should be.

Vienna & Budapest, so safe and so much to do. You could start out in Budapest as flight out would be cheaper, then take a boat (v scenic) to Vienna and fly back from there. X

Ooh - can you get a boat from Budapest to Vienna? I will investigate. Some great ideas here.

Krakow - Would do Saltmines and maybe a Segway tour - definitely worth twinning with Zakopane (We visited amazing Therme and also did the Kasprowy Wierch Cable Car). The Jewish area is lovely in Krakow.

Budapest - Probably the Thermal Baths - but the castle area is lovely and its nice to have afternoon tea in New York Palace Cafe....if in the summer hire bikes on Margaret Island.

Vienna - museum of optical illusions springs to mind - you can also hire a paddle boat on the Danube.

Prague - Its been so long since we visited (pre teen years in fact pre teen).

I think you can get an overnight train between some of these places which maybe fun....we did the overnight from Paris to Venice which was a fun experience.

I've spent a week in Zakopane before so not planning to visit on this trip. It is lovely though and I would like to go back,

Krakow - we enjoyed wandering about the beautiful main square; we stayed in the Jewish Quarter - loads of cool, quirky bars & restaurants there; we visited Shindlers Factory and the Jewish Ghetto and the Eagle Pharmacy Museum - all recommended. Great hot chocolate & cake in the E. Wedel Cafe on the main square. We did the Saltmines but it was my least favourite thing to do there.

Budapest - we did a Jewish walking tour and you can find the last remaining part of the Ghetto wall tucked down an alleyway - very moving. Coffee / cake in the fabulous New York Cafe, and also in Gerbauds Cafe, we visited the Gellert Baths and spent most of a day there - amazing, get the funicualr up to the castle and spend half a day exploring that, we did a bus tour where the bus drove into the Danube and became a boat tour!

Prague - have coffee / cake in the amazing restored Grant Orient Cubist Cafe upstairs over the House of the Black Madonna, have coffee / cake in the Imperial Cafe in the Town Hall - glorious interior, visit the castle and also visit the Alchemy Museum with the underground alchemy lab - highly recommend this, check out the Astronomical clock and we also did a WWII walking tour with a guide and we visited the underground tunnels as part of this

We brought DD on these trips so they were also interspersed with looking around shops etc!

Have not been to Vienna yet but it is on our list and we would like to see the Scessionist architecture, the horse riding school amongst other things.

LOVE all of those cities though - so much to see and do. We love history.

Making notes! Thanks for some great ideas. I have swapped Krakow for Bratislava as the train trips were otherwise very long.