Hungary, Slovakia, Austria | Or… a week in the Former Austro-Hungarian Empire
A tale of old towns, schnitzel, and a refugee
I visited a city and didn’t think much of it. It happened, finally, and I’m glad! Yes, Budapest. I’m talking to you. If I never visit you again, I won’t feel like I’m missing out.
You might be asking yourself:
“Why are you cheerful that you went to a place and you don’t want to return there?” Or you might say: “Budapest? Why? I’ve heard good things about it.”
Maybe my expectations were a bit high. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I believe I went through the perfect storm to not be pleased with my time there. Here’s what I think went wrong:
What Went Wrong in Budapest
🏨 Hostel: I stayed at a place that was kind of weird. The guests weren’t fun and there was little interaction. It was one of the last ones available, as I totally forgot about the Labor Day (May 1st) holiday. Lately, I’ve noticed that the hostel you stay at really sets the tone for your experience.
🟰 Sameness: After spending the previous month in cities like Munich, Prague, Berlin, Poznan, and Krakow, everything started to feel the same. Yes, there were nice castles and nice churches. No, it wasn’t a waste of time. I just didn’t think Budapest was as clean as the other places, though it felt bigger and way more chaotic. So, less intimate and more precarious. Not a fun combo.
☀️ Weather: It was way too hot for my liking there, which means it was around 20–25°C. I guess I’m too used to the cold weather by now and I’ll suffer in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Time to mentally prepare myself.
👨🏻🦱 People: They weren’t very friendly. Almost like they didn’t want you there. Maybe they actually don’t
🥔 Food: Ever heard about that trendy and always busy Hungarian restaurant in NYC (or insert your city)? No? Me neither. Hungarian food is bland. Not as hearty as Polish or Russian food, not as tasty as Italian or other Mediterranean cuisines. An unlucky in-between. If lángos were good, you’d see them taking over the late-night restaurant niche, and nobody would be eating pizza, burritos, gyros, or kebabs. But guess what? I didn’t even know what lángos were until I got to Budapest.
💰Prices: There’s this common perception that the formerly communist countries in Europe are very cheap. Though it is true that they are cheaper than the US and Western European countries, I didn’t quite find them inexpensive. This might be a new reality from the post-COVID inflation years, but the whole time I wasn’t thinking, “Oh my god, it is so cheap!”
✈️ Tourist Crowds: Tossing this one in here as a bit of a wild card, but there were two main types of tourists—the ones obsessively taking pictures with a castle and a church, and the ones drinking their problems away. After seeing this scene every day, it starts to get old.
In short, it felt more of the same, albeit not as nice and not as cheap as I had thought.
For example, kebab prices were 33% above the benchmark.
Ok, I’m sounding too much like a consultant. I know. Am I missing work? No, I’m not. My brain has just been trained to behave a certain way when I write, but I don’t feel particularly inspired.
Was Budapest a Mistake?
Now, do I regret going to Budapest? No, absolutely not. If I had been so close to it and not visited it, I’d forever be wondering why I didn’t go there.
The Hungarian capital, undeniably, has an allure. Buda and Pest united to become Budapest. It tried to be an Olympic city a few times. Don’t like history or sports? Wes Anderson put it on the map for you with one of his masterpieces, Grand Hotel Budapest.
It also has a cultural gravitas. Budapest was one of the major cities of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, one of the dominant empires in history. Though not as grandiose as the Roman, British, Spanish, Portuguese, or Mongol empires, the Austro-Hungarian Empire is, however, one of the most recent. It existed until World War I, which started with the assassination in Sarajevo of its presumptive heir, Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
At the end of the day, I surprisingly felt a bit relieved when I left, and I did not have that itch to come back. I’ve been almost flawlessly telling myself that I’ll go back to the cities I’ve been to on this trip, but I cannot reasonably expect to return to all of them. At least not in the short or medium term.
It feels good to be able to say:
“Ok, I’ve been there. If life takes me there, fine, but I don’t think I’ll make an effort to visit it again.”
Bratislava Chill
After a few days in Budapest, I headed northwest to Bratislava. More Old Town, more clock towers. The weather there was a bit nippy, which I guess matched with the former communist vibes.
This time, however, I made sure I stayed in a hostel that encouraged interaction among guests. That’s how I ended up in a place called Wild Elephants, which, most importantly, had comfortable and tame mattresses.
The Old Town in Bratislava is small. You can see the entirety of it in 3 hours, which I did. Now, Bratislava (also part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire) is one of those places that cater to local tourism. No one will ever leave NYC for a weekend in Bratislava, though they may come in from Berlin or London. I’ve never heard about anyone saving for a lifetime just to visit Bratislava.
The main reason I came here? I was around and the hostel was much cheaper than in Vienna. They are only 1 hour apart, so it was the logical choice.
With rainy weather, it was a good week of recharging, reading, and planning for the month ahead. Despite the occasional partying at Wild Elephants, I managed to sit in a café, order a nice piece of cake, and read on and on.
Reading is one of my favorite activities, but in adulthood I seldom find time to read as much as I’d like. Now on a sabbatical… I can leisurely read on a Tuesday at 2 p.m.
This is priceless.
Wandering Vienna
As planned, I went to Vienna for a day while staying in Bratislava. The unlimited train pass works beautifully and I’m making the most of it.
Vienna is one of those “grand” cities of Europe. Though not as global as London, Paris, or Berlin, it is still cosmopolitan and just being there you can feel all the history and grandeur of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is clean and everything works.
Unlike Budapest, I left craving more of it, wishing to return when visiting the museums doesn’t mean I’m sacrificing half of my daily budget (yes, per museum).
Once I had walked most gardens and seen most buildings (from the outside), I decided to treat myself before returning to Bratislava. Which, in Vienna, of course, meant I’d be having a local Wiener Schnitzel. Quick German lesson: Vienna is Wien, so Wiener means Viennese.
I had walked around the entire day in the city center, an awe-inspiring neighborhood, but I wanted to see a bit of the “real” Vienna. So, I searched for the trendiest neighborhood, settling for this one called Neubau. Upon arriving there, I looked for a good spot to eat the famous schnitzel. After all, I didn’t want to have it in one of those trappy places in front of a magnificent cathedral.
The Austrian Way
I found a spot called Schnitzelwirt, or “host of schnitzel.” I walked in and told the waiter it was just me. He then pointed me to a table with a guy already sitting there, which left me extremely confused.
The guy saw my puzzled look, smiled, and said:
“This is the Austrian way.”
Ok, I thought. After all, I was trying to escape the touristy experience. Let’s roll with it.
But then… do we talk? Or do we just eat silently, ignoring each other’s presence?
I’m Brazilian, so the natural thing for me would be to strike up a conversation. But in Austria? After my experience in Hungary and Slovakia, with most people seemingly cold, would that be weird?
After a few minutes, we started chatting. I don’t remember who began the conversation, but we went on for the entire meal. Just like in the early days of college when you sit with someone you’ve never met before and start to get to know each other.
My new friend was a Syrian refugee who had been in Europe for over 12 years and he is now fully integrated into society. He told me he worked at a global hotel chain and he was excited because his 2-year-old kid had just started kindergarten this past week.
We had a good conversation, exchanging experiences as expats. His status as a refugee means he cannot return to Syria, so he hasn’t seen most of his family since he left. It must be very hard and I empathize with him.
Although I’m also an immigrant, I get to see my family regularly and I can choose to return to my home country basically any time I want. I can hardly imagine what it’s like to say goodbye to your homeland without the certainty you can go back one day and see your loved ones.
The Side Quest
Just before he left, we were told the restaurant was cash-only. He only had cards, so he said:
“I’ll be back. Don’t leave until I return.”
He then left—quickly. I immediately started wondering if I’d have to foot the entire check. We were sitting at the same table… did the waiter remember we didn’t know each other?
In the end, he came back in about 5 minutes, paid, and left after a firm handshake and a dessert recommendation:
“You should try the Sachertorte,” he said, then explaining that it’s a traditional Austrian dessert with two layers of chocolate and apricot jam between the sponges.
To finish up my day, I had one final side quest: finding the Sachertorte. I searched for a café in the neighborhood and ended up at a place called Café Kreuzberg.
To my surprise, the place was bustling with about 20 people gathered to play chess. It was their weekly chess gathering, and I asked if I could join.
This is how I finished my day in Vienna: with 2 hours of chess in a Viennese café, with a side of Sachertorte and a cold beer.
It was the perfect day I needed for my imperfect week.
Upcoming Itinerary:
📍May 12th–13th: Munich, DE
📍May 13th–15th: Lake Bled, SI
📍May 15th–18th: Ljubljana, SI
💬 I’d love to hear your take. Have you ever visited a place that left you underwhelmed? Or had a meal or moment that completely turned a trip around? Drop your thoughts below!
Bio
Hi, I’m Guido—a Brazilian traveler who spent 13 years in the US before life nudged me toward a long-awaited dream: a year of exploring the world. I started this page to share my journey with family and friends, but if you’ve found your way here, I’m grateful you came along!
Entendo perfeitamente o que você quis dizer, me senti assim em Belize. Às vezes. A energia simplesmente não bate. Nesses casos, a melhor coisa é simplesmente partir pra outra mesmo. Agora sobre a comida... não provou um goulasch autêntico??
Sempre tem um jeito de melhorar, né? Adorei as aventuras desta semana.