Travel Notes | Travel to 4 European Countries (Part 2)

Accommodation: B&B

Our B&B in Prague was amazing! (Hehe, I need Amway’s private chat) Because there are 4 of us, even though we are not allowed to drive in Prague, it is quite cost-effective for the 4 of us to travel by taxi. So we chose to stay 10 minutes away from the old town.

I have seen a lot of comments about Prague on Instagram, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu. Because everyone wrote well, the photos taken in Prague are also beautiful. It is said that Prague is a place with endless red roofs and The city of spiers, therefore, I am full of expectations for Prague. Before going to Prague, my husband and I held a wedding, and the wedding design was the Prague Castle. (The girl’s heart is bursting with laughter, haha.)

When you come to Prague, you must go to Old Town Square (old town square) , because it was one of the most important markets for Sino-European trade in the 11th and 12th centuries. It has the famous Gothic Tyne Church (also known as Devil's Church), but we did not visit it.

When going to the Old Town Square, you must go to the Old Town Town Hall Tower. The elevator is very designed and you can overlook the panoramic view of Prague from the top floor observation deck. There is also the famous Astronomical Clock outside the City Hall, where many people choose to take wedding photos.

Prague Square is also the venue for the Christmas market. During the market, many people will gather in the market from morning to night. There are many snacks and boutiques, and it is very lively. There is also a big stage where there are performances every night.

Here we also show you the delicious food we had in Prague, but my favorite is Vietnamese noodles! Not far from the B&B, I found a small, super delicious pho shop that only accepts cash and the clerk doesn’t speak English and can only communicate in Vietnamese or Czech! (If you are interested, please feel free to chat privately). The food in Prague is the best I have eaten in the past 10 days! (Of course, you have to know how to look for /giggle)

Charles Bridge is also a check-in point. On this bridge, you can see various sculptures, and seagulls usually stand on the heads of the sculptures. I have to admire that European sculpture craftsmanship is really great.

You can also see many street performers on the bridge, as well as many vendors selling souvenirs and homeless people. Do you still remember Jay Chou's MV that was shot in Prague? Several scenes were shot on the Charles Bridge. If you don’t get up particularly early (for example, go to Charles Bridge at 6 o’clock in winter), it will be difficult for you to take good photos. Once it reaches 8 o’clock, people are coming and going on the bridge and it is crowded. Let alone taking pictures, you have to be careful of things being stolen. !

At one end of the bridge (forgot which end), there is a tower, which is an excellent location for taking pictures of the Charles Bridge at nightfall. But in winter, as soon as 3 o'clock (sunset at almost 4 o'clock), there are people standing on top carrying long lanterns. Lens photography enthusiasts find it difficult to find a location to take photos. So, we chose to climb up to see it when it was completely dark.

Although Prague's Vyehrad Citadel has a longer history than Prague Castle , we chose to see Prague Castle due to the weather. Prague Castle used to be the king's palace, but now it has become the office of the Czech president and a place to receive foreign ambassadors or leaders. You need to purchase tickets to enter the tour, which are divided into 3 types. The ticket we purchased is Package B: 250CZK, which visits 4 places, the Old Palace, St. George's Church, Golden Alley and St. Vitus Cathedral.

You need to queue up for security check to enter the palace. We are not allowed to enter during the shift change ceremony of the soldiers. The handover ceremony was solemn and the scene was spectacular. We thought there was some large-scale event taking place that we couldn't enter.

The castle is huge, but we think the most beautiful thing is St.Vitus Cathedral.

The most amazing thing in the church is its colorful windows. Although I can't understand the meaning of the painting, the colors are enough to attract the eye.

The picture above is golden lane . It was originally a place where servants and craftsmen lived. Later, it got its name because many magicians gathered to make alchemy for the king. The colors of the houses are very rich, just like being in a fairy tale, and some are open to the public. Here you can visit the residences of craftsmen or warlocks, and also visit the shields where weapons were made in the past. However, there were a lot of people visiting, so I basically left in a hurry.

After the visit, it was almost dusk in Prague. The weather was nice and the scenery in Prague was beautiful. On the way out of the castle, you would see buskers sitting on the stairs playing and singing.

When night falls, I stand opposite the castle and look at the castle and the flocks of seagulls on the other side of the river. The picture is beautiful at first sight, but trypophobia comes after a few more glances.ヽ(*.>Д

The location of the Vltava River in Prague, the mother river of the Czech Republic, is under the Charles Bridge. The place where you see the most people feeding swans is Le. I'm afraid of birds, but now that I'm here, I mustered up the courage to take photos with them. /Afraid Then I saw several very large rats-like animals. They were not afraid of people and were looking for food.

Prague Municipal Library has an Internet celebrity "Book Cave", which is free to visit. There are not many people in the library and the learning atmosphere is very good, so be sure to visit quietly! But I personally feel that it is not as spectacular as the State Library in Melbourne.

Another popular check-in spot on Instagram is Light Bulb Staircase. Search on Google Maps: House of the Black Madonna, not far from the Powder Tower. The House of the Black Madonna is a café. There is a small door next door that you can walk in. The door says that there is an exhibition upstairs that you can pay to visit.

Maybe it was because when I went to Prague, the weather was bad, there was little sun, and the fog was very heavy (comparable to Chongqing). In addition, the cleanliness of the city was really average, so I was personally a little disappointed.

Accommodation: B&B

Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria and enjoys the reputation of the capital of music. When I first arrived in Vienna, it was raining heavily (it must have been three days since I arrived, and the weather was not good and it was gray).

We arrived on the same day, had an early dinner, and went to the famous Wiener Musikverein to watch a performance. The performance was Mozart's works, and the performance location was the Grober Saal (although the performances were all in the same building There are many venues, not necessarily in the Golden Hall, so pay attention to the performance location when booking tickets.

Official ticket booking website: (www.musikverein.com). In order to keep the ticket stub, we took the reservation letter from the email to the ticket office and paid 3 euros to print out the ticket. There are basically no dress requirements, as long as you are comfortable and decent. However, when we arrived, we found that if you wear jeans and sneakers, you will find that you are out of tune with everyone. Many of the Waiguoren who come here to listen to the performance are wearing formal attire. It is not recommended to bring a lot of things, because backpacks, handbags, cameras, coats, water bottles all have to be stored, and photography is prohibited inside.

As mentioned in the guide, the Golden Hall is magnificent and can accommodate 2,000 people, but it doesn't look very big. The performance is divided into two parts. After one part, everyone will stand up and applaud for 5 minutes, which is quite spectacular. Conversation was also prohibited during the performance, and everyone enjoyed the performance quietly.

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Before waiting to enter the venue, with about an hour left, we went to the small park with Karl's Church opposite the Golden Hall to visit the small Christmas market. There are not many people in the market. It may not be a big market in the inner city, but I unexpectedly like this market. The small gifts they sell are relatively exquisite and niche, so I bought them hard! Here I also met a very talkative uncle who makes super delicious waffles.

The next day, I made an appointment with a good friend who works in Vienna to meet in the inner city and then go visit. We first visited St. Stephen's Cathedral, which is called the heart of Vienna and is located in the center of Vienna. It is not only the symbol of Vienna, but also the most important Gothic building in Austria. Because it was Sunday and there were prayer activities in the church, we could only go in and visit outside the door behind the seats. The church is magnificent both inside and out.

Then we went to visit Hofburg Palace and Heroesplatz. The Hofburg Palace was the former winter palace of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor of the Habsburg Dynasty and the current president of Austria. official residence. When I had time to visit, it was said that I could see all European architectural styles. We just took some photos and checked in before leaving.

Due to limited time, between Belvedere Palace and Schönbrunn Palace , we chose the more representative Schönbrunn Palace to visit (many famous attractions are in the inner city, but Schönbrunn Palace It is far away and the journey is relatively long). Schönbrunn Palace is the second largest palace in Europe and is the palace of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Habsburg dynasty.

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There are 1,441 rooms in Schönbrunn Palace, of which 45 are open to the public. It took about 60 minutes to complete the visit. We did not buy tickets to visit because there were so many people queuing up, so we chose to visit the Royal Garden. The Royal Garden is very large, and it would take 1 or 2 hours to walk through it carefully. But I have to say that the Royal Garden is really comfortable, and if the weather is good, it will definitely be more beautiful.

After our visit to Schonbrunn Palace, we returned to the inner city for shopping. The inner city contains almost all brands, ranging from DIOR, CHANEL, LV and so on. I personally feel that the most important thing is that the lighting in the inner city is really beautiful, and I am intoxicated by such gorgeous lights.

Vienna’s largest Christmas market is also in the inner city! But it was really an invincible crowd. After walking around for a while, we left.

 

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The food in Vienna was also very appetizing, and I was very full after every meal, so I won’t list the restaurants one by one. On the last day in Vienna, we took Uber to go shopping at the largest outlet (PANDORF) in Central Europe (it was open on the last day of the Christmas holiday, so I was so happy to shop like crazy/tired and excited!)

Accommodation: HILTON BUDAPEST Hilton Budapest (next to Fisherman’s Bastion)

Highly recommend this Hilton! Because it is located on Castle Hill and right next to Fisherman's Bastion, it only takes 1 minute to walk from the hotel entrance. Magash Church is also next door, and there is a direct road to the Buda Palace.

The key is that the price is fair and the breakfast is delicious. If you can choose a good location for breakfast, you can sit by the window near Fisherman's Bastion and have breakfast! It can be said to be very comfortable.

Budapest is the capital of Hungary, located on both sides of the Danube River, connecting the cities of Buda and Pest. The main attractions in Buda are Castle Hill, including Fisherman's Bastion, Matthias Church, and Buda Palace. Pest is on the other side of the river from Buda. The main attractions are the Hungarian Parliament Building, Shoes on the Danube, Budapest Central Market, Váci Street, NEW YORK CAFE, thermal baths, etc.

Fisherman's Bastion Halászbástya ） It is one of the most famous attractions in Budapest. It was originally a fish market. Later, fishermen built this fort for defense in order to protect their own interests. It is now a neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque viewpoint. tower.

If you want to come here to take pictures of the beautiful Fisherman's Bastion, it is recommended that you arrive at the Fisherman's Bastion at 7 o'clock in the morning, otherwise you will see various tour groups arriving one after another starting from 8 o'clock.

I stayed in Budapest for 3 days. I got up at 6 o'clock every day to take pictures at Fisherman's Bastion. After taking pictures, I went back to the hotel for breakfast. (It can be said that it is very, very hard!)

Fisherman’s Bastion is beautiful to take pictures from many angles, and I can’t help but share a lot of pictures with you. From the tower and observation deck you can also see panoramic views of the Danube, Margaret Island, Pest on the other side of the river, and the Gellért Hill (Gellért Hill).

Matthias Church (Matthias Church) is also called the "Coronation Church" because the coronation ceremonies of all Hungarian kings were held here . It is located on the side of Fisherman's Bastion and is also a very representative landmark. My first impression of the church was that the exterior walls of the church are mainly white, and its roof is very beautiful and colorful, which is different from the churches I have seen before. To visit the church, you need to buy a ticket at the kiosk opposite the church.

The interior of the church is also very vivid, with painted murals and glass, and many patterns, but you will not feel visual fatigue when watching it. Although the church does not occupy a large area, it has several floors that can be visited. Worth a visit.

There is a green bronze statue between Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion. The first Hungarian saint Stephen I , King St. Stephen's statue, he was the first Catholic king of Hungary (crowned in 1000 AD), and it can also be said that he was the founder of the Hungarian state By.

After visiting the Fisherman’s Bastion and other attractions, follow the instructions to visit the Buda Palace. Buda Castle is a neo-Baroque building, is the ancient palace of Hungary and one of the most splendid palaces in Europe at the end of the 15th century.

Here you can visit the Hungarian National Gallery, the Museum of the Hungarian Workers’ Movement and the State Széchenyi Library. The palace was under renovation when we visited, so we only visited the external facilities such as the gardens. There are many green bronze statues here, all of which are famous local mythological or historical figures.

On the edge of the palace, there are several roads for tourists to walk up and down freely. Walking down the path, we arrived at the bottom of Castle Hill. Looking around you can see the famous Chain Bridge.

There are a total of 9 bridges connecting Buda and Pest, and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge is the oldest, most famous and most spectacular. There are two majestic stone triumphal arches on the bridge, and on both sides of the gate are stone statues of lions. As the symbol of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, they are like the patron saint of the bridge, guarding this sacred bridge day and night. . If you want to take pictures of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge overlooking it, it is recommended to take pictures at the top of Castle Hill! (I heard that if a couple holds hands and walks back and forth on this bridge 9 times, their love will last forever! n(*≧▽≦*)n)

The second more famous bridge is the magical retro green Liberty Bridge, which is collectively known as the third more famous bridge, the more Western-looking Elizabeth Bridge (Elizabeth Bridge). "Couple Bridge" symbolizes freedom and love respectively. The middle section of the Liberty Bridge is specially reserved for pedestrians to rest. Watching the sunset from the bridge is beautiful.

When the weather is good in the evening, I suggest you take a walk by the river and enjoy the night view of Hungary. To be honest, I don’t feel that the night view is as spectacular as that of Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shanghai. However, the lights in Hungary are very soft at night and it is very comfortable to watch. , on the bank of the Buda River you can see the iconic Hungarian Parliament Building , which is magnificent and magnificent.

Visiting the Parliament Building, the second largest parliament in Europe, in the morning will give you a unique feeling, because this 96-meter-high luxury building uses 40 kilograms of gold as building materials. It is said that the 96-meter-high building is because of the Kingdom of the Marza people. The country was founded in 896 AD, and Hungary was founded in 1896, so it is quite commemorative. If you need to visit the interior, you should go to its official website in advance to understand the opening hours and book tickets. There are explanations. Under a clear sky, it looks particularly majestic and shocking.

There are other attractions, such as Heroes Square, Statue of Liberty in Budapest, Shoes on the Danube Bank, National Opera House, Budapest Central Market, New York Cafe, etc.. If you don’t want to take public transportation to visit, it is recommended to take the There are several types of sightseeing bus fares, and some include taking a cruise to visit. The time is also divided into 12 hours, 24 hours and 36 hours. Because we had plenty of time, we chose the 24-hour bus. As long as you hold the ticket, you can take the bus without paying twice. There are stops at each attraction. You only need to wait for up to 15 minutes to take the next bus to other attractions. .

In fact, Budapest is really beautiful no matter how you shoot it, (maybe because the weather is very good) you can make a movie just by taking a photo hehe. No wonder it is called the Paris of the East. Because we stayed in Budapest from December 24th to 26th, we were lucky enough to see the little yellow bus covered with colorful lights during Christmas. φ(≧ω≦*)♪

 

There are actually quite a lot of places to eat in Budapest, but during the Christmas period, it’s really hard to find food outside! Using Google, tripadvisor, facebook, ins and other apps, you can even call the store directly to inquire whether there is a place and you can make a reservation for dinner. ╮(╯▽╰)╭ Otherwise, we can only look for food in the hotel every day.

Before boarding the plane from Budapest Airport, you must handle the tax refund properly, and the tax refund envelope must be put into the mailbox of the tax refund company corresponding to the airport and the envelope. Do not throw it indiscriminately, otherwise part of it will be deducted. Tax refund fee! Budapest Airport is very small, so you don’t have much time for shopping haha.

Interlude:

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We were transferring from Dubai, but of course I didn’t see it clearly when I bought the plane tickets. The flight to Dubai was at 11 o’clock in the evening, and the flight back to Guangzhou was at 11 o’clock in the morning. That means that we could only get there in 11 hours. I went to sleep, but at that time I didn’t think so much and didn’t book a hotel. Finally, I took an Uber to visit Dubai at 2 or 3 o’clock late at night. I walked under the Burj Khalifa and was wearing UGG. I was the most handsome kid in Dubai! Finally, I returned to the airport around 4 o'clock, found a place to eat and then slept. It’s super unforgettable! ! (┳＿┳)…

Random thoughts:

Again, I hope the global epidemic will subside soon and that a vaccine will be developed soon, because I really want to travel! Japan, Australia, the UK, etc. Also, the weather is really hot, so everyone must take precautions against heatstroke when going out! See you next time.ヾ(￣▽￣)Bye~Bye~