Spring City Break - help me decide

[Shetlanddonkey]

DP and I are looking to book a city break in May, possibly for 5 or 6 nights. We’re struggling to decide where and after eliminating places that we’ve visited before we’ve come up with Lisbon, Berlin, Budapest or Vienna. Would love to hear views on which people have liked best.

We like:

Nice food and wine (not big drinkers or into bars etc, but like decent restaurants in the evening with good local wine)
Exploring cities on foot, but also happy to venture out of the area for a day trip.
Interesting museums, galleries and historical buildings
Nice hotel but mid range ideally.
Parks and gardens.

I’d love to hear others’ thoughts on the cities we’re thinking about.

OP- I think you and your DH are our twins! 😆
Of your list, I've only been to Berlin pre-covid and Budapest 3 weeks ago! Sorry- this is long!

For museums- Berlin would be my choice. They have museum island with several museums on it. The Nefertiti head and the massive Egyptian displays in the neunes museums are just some of the many things I recall. DH was there for a conference, so I travelled around, walked and even got the tube one and felt very safe. I also recall a pathology museum which was fascinating (I work in healthcare though, so might not suit everyone!). The Jewish museum was fascinating and very little focused on WW2. The wall, Brandenburg gate and check-point Charlie etc.

Budapest is on the Florin, although some things were advertised in euro. Apparently since covid, prices everywhere have shot up, so it wasn't as cheap as I was expecting. We had an apartment (which was fabulous and I'd give you the details if going), and although we ate out, did buy things in too. Food prices were cheaper than the UK, but not to the extend I'd assumed. A 2min return trip in a funicular up the hill was £10 EACH. A mini bus up the same hill return was £12 each. The Basilica including viewing platform and church £12 each. This might be all over Europe, but many places were £X for those from the European Union, and twice that price for 'Others'. UK are now 'Others'. We enjoyed the Gellert spa, walked around the central food hall, Christmas markets and the Danube. Although we enjoyed it, and would return, I'd prefer to go somewhere else next time, whereas some places- I'd eagerly return.

You might have been to these places before, but I too enjoy a day trip elsewhere. My favourites:
Stayed Malaga- day trip via train to Ronda to see the famous bridge. Loved Malaga and went 3x (not the resorts along the coast, but the 'city' itself). Some fantastic restaurants and things to see/do.
Stayed Rome- day trip via train to Toledo to see the amazing cathedral, town and delicious, fresh marzipan
Stayed Naples- day trip via train to Pompeii and Herculaneum
Stayed Rethymon, Crete- Day trip via a bus to Heraklion to see Knossos and the museum

I've never been to Vienna but out of the other three, Lisbon was my favourite. It definitely ticks the boxes for beautiful buildings (take a day trip to Sintra), nice food and parks/gardens/miradouros. It's a lovely place to wander around enjoying the nice views and colourful buildings. Plus the tile museum is awesome!

Vienna fits your criteria. Compact, historic palaces and gardens, parks , art galleries, easy to navigate trams, pedestrianised centre, coffee shops and variety of restaurants.

I found Vienna very dull - totally lacking in ambience. I love the other 3 though - maybe Lisbon, Budapest, Berlin in order. My favourite city break is Seville though.

Thank you for the quick responses!

@JC03745 to be honest, I’d never considered Berlin until this year when several people I know paid it a bit. It sounds fascinating. Thanks for the details on Budapest - it was the option I feel I know least about so probably not top of the list I guess.

i agree with the recommendations of Malaga and Seville and have visited both in the past. I love Spanish cities!

Interesting the different views on Vienna, I’ll need to think about that a bit more.

Only been to Lisbon but I loved it, wonderful place to mooch about, so colorful, warm and vibrant😎

Sorry, me again!

Zaragoza is a Spanish city I'd never considered till DH had a conference there. I walked around on my own each day. There was an amazing origami museum, cathedral on the river, Goya and Pablo museums and great food. Really enjoyed it.

From Prague, we did a 1/2 day visit to the Sedlec ossuary. I've since heard Cesky Krumlov is fantastic to visit too from Prague.

Food…has to be San Sebastian, perhaps combined with Bilbao. ( though not cheap).

I absolutely adored our Christmas break, in Budapest and would return. Perfection. Hotel, hot outdoor baths, ice skating, Christmas markets. We were lucky enough that our week away included Christmas Day and Boxing Day when all of the entry fees are removed ( basilica, etc)

Prague fits your bill. There are a lot of museums, the only stag do we have met was in the Mucha museum. Restaurants vary from the really basic to Michelin starred.

I haven't been to Lisbon but of the others Budapest is my fave - the Szechenyi baths are a must, Gellert is nice but not as good IMO. Lovely wandering along the side of the river.
Vienna I went to years ago, very expensive even then I think, I wasn't really feeling it at the time - Salzburg is much nicer IMO but maybe too small for 5 or 6 nights. Berlin has lots to see but is too grey and industrial feeling for me - going up the Reichstag at night was definitely the highlight though so definitely do that if you go.
What about Palermo Sicily? The roof top walk on the cathedral is a must and there are several really good/easy day trips from there such as Agrigento or Cefalu.