Post-Cruise Munich or Prague?

[bigpaluka]

we have option of Munich or Prague post cruise on AMA. We usually do our own thing, but decided to let cruise line handle this time.

Munich seems a little more industrial, but has the castles.

Prague a little farther from Danube, but seems to be more older buildings and history.

What is the consensus on best place-we will have 2 1/2 days.

Haven't sailed AMA before-reviews are outstanding-any thoughts on how they perform?

Sailing early April

[Host Jazzbeau]

we have option of Munich or Prague post cruise on AMA. We usually do our own thing, but decided to let cruise line handle this time.

Munich seems a little more industrial, but has the castles.

Prague a little farther from Danube, but seems to be more older buildings and history.

What is the consensus on best place-we will have 2 1/2 days.

Haven't sailed AMA before-reviews are outstanding-any thoughts on how they perform?

Sailing early April

 

AMA does a great job, and because their ships have a shallow draft they have been able to keep sailing this summer when most other boats were stuck. Prague seems to be everybody's favorite city.

[orchestrapal]

One vote for Munich which is much less touristy than Prague. We found Prague so over run with tourists that the entire city geared to just that.

We have spent many weeks in Munich where we enjoy not being treated like the camera touting gaucking American tourists. Wonderful opera, concerts and outstanding museums in Munich in which one can spend days if interested.

Travel home is also much easier from Munich from which we can fly non stop.

 

I'm sure you will enjoy either choice you make.

[Poconolady]

Love them both. I think Munich is more modern and Prague is more old town. Both have great restaurants, and I could spend weeks in either place.

[Hydrokitty]

Haven't been to Munich (yet) but Prague was wonderful. Great food and restaurants, the castle is an all day adventure and the people are delightful. Prague is officially my second favorite European city....Budapest is first. :D

[janetcbl]

One huge vote for Prague! We spent one week there, loved every minute and still didn't get to do everything we planned. Spent 2 days in Munich....very commercial and expensive, IMO.

[nancyevans]

Been to both. If you want Old World charm, Prague hands down. As for the tourists, it depends on where you stay and where you go. For example, we took an 8 am tour and there were no hordes of tourists in front of the Astronomical Clock or on the Charles Bridge. Later in the day, these places are packed. Few tourists in the Jewish Quarter; no tourist in the castle district in the evening. We rode public transport all over and even went to Archduke Franz Ferdinand's hunting lodge via train on our own. (49 km from Prague).

No problem with language and found people to be very helpful.

[jpalbny]

Considering how much we loved Munich, I guess we're in for a real treat when we finally have the chance to visit Prague! Seriously, we have enjoyed Munich thoroughly every time. We have looked at Prague a few times but haven't been - yet! Doubt we'll have time this spring to add it to our Danube itinerary.

 

As orchestrapal hinted at, one consideration could be transportation. If you end in Passau, for example, Munich is probably an easier trip though Prague isn't terrible. And flights home from Munich (at least for us) are easier for us, as opposed to flights I've researched from Prague. Something to consider, if you are like us, and have to come home to work the next day...

[nancyevans]

You can take a train from Passau to Prague.

[Rebel54]

Having lived in Munich, I love it, but I really love Prague even more. So much to see and do and you can get around by foot to just about everything.

[Shebely]

Haven't been to Munich (yet) but Prague was wonderful. Great food and restaurants, the castle is an all day adventure and the people are delightful. Prague is officially my second favorite European city....Budapest is first. :D

 

1. Budapest 2. Vienna 3. Prague

[Hydrokitty]

1. Budapest 2. Vienna 3. Prague

 

Everyone seems to love Budapest, there's just something magical about it. :D

[Andromeda93]

We went to all three cities on our last river cruise (Munich, Budapest and Prague) and Prague was our favorite of the three. They are all interesting and enjoyable however.

 

We found the language to be the most difficult in Budapest in terms of our successfully speaking a bit in the native tongue. We did leave people laughing in all three cities with our attempts.

 

One thing to do wherever you go is hire a private guide to show you around the city, if it's your first time there. We had two half-day private tours for our party of four in Prague and it really brought the city to life for us. It's much less expensive in non-Euro currency cities. Totally made our visit there.

[nancyevans]

In Prague, if you want some of the benefits of private guide without some of the expense, take a look at The Naked Tour Guide. Marcus only has 8 people on each tour so you have the opportunity to ask a lot of questions. At the end of each tour, you have the opportunity to sit down with Marcus or whoever led the tour, to ask questions and get ideas about what to see or do in Prague.

Also, don't worry about striking out on your own in Prague, public transport there is easy to use.

[bubbulz]

I'm looking for post-cruise ideas similar to the OP. We will be sailing from Vienna to Nuremberg. We figured we'd spend a couple of days on the front end in Vienna, but are still pretty open re: the end of the trip. We like to add 2-3 nights, and were thinking of Munich and areas around it. Flying home to the US out of Munich also lets us fly nonstop. Anyplace else we should consider heading after disembarking in Nuremberg instead? Appreciate all ideas ... (and love traveling by train).

[caviargal]

One vote for Munich which is much less touristy than Prague. We found Prague so over run with tourists that the entire city geared to just that.

We have spent many weeks in Munich where we enjoy not being treated like the camera touting gaucking American tourists. Wonderful opera, concerts and outstanding museums in Munich in which one can spend days if interested.

Travel home is also much easier from Munich from which we can fly non stop.

 

I'm sure you will enjoy either choice you make.

 

I agree that both are good options and we have enjoyed both but Munich is definitely less touristy. I would not describe it as industrial and we have had a great time whenever we stayed there over the years.

 

Prague is much smaller and can get really packed with tourists.

[franski]

I'm looking for post-cruise ideas similar to the OP. We will be sailing from Vienna to Nuremberg. We figured we'd spend a couple of days on the front end in Vienna, but are still pretty open re: the end of the trip. We like to add 2-3 nights, and were thinking of Munich and areas around it. Flying home to the US out of Munich also lets us fly nonstop. Anyplace else we should consider heading after disembarking in Nuremberg instead? Appreciate all ideas ... (and love traveling by train).

 

Why not stay an extra day or two) in Nuremberg before heading onward?? You could stay an extra day in Nuremberg and then take a train or bus to Prague.

 

On our last Danube cruise, we stayed in Nuremberg while many went on to Prague. We stayed in the old town - very walkable. We went into the **** art bunker, visited the Toy Musuem and then hired a private guide to walk us through the castle (I had been there before - but DH did the Parade grounds tour) and before going to the documentation centre. We stayed 2 nights - and could have easily stayed one more.

 

We had been to Prague before (hence our decision to stay in Nuremburg). We are visiting Munich next year after our Rhine cruise.

 

 

Fran

Edited September 28, 2015 by franski

[bubbulz]

Why not stay an extra day or two) in Nuremberg before heading onward?? You could stay an extra day in Nuremberg and then take a train or bus to Prague.

 

On our last Danube cruise, we stayed in Nuremberg while many went on to Prague. We stayed in the old town - very walkable. We went into the **** art bunker, visited the Toy Musuem and then hired a private guide to walk us through the castle (I had been there before - but DH did the Parade grounds tour) and before going to the documentation centre. We stayed 2 nights - and could have easily stayed one more.

 

We had been to Prague before (hence our decision to stay in Nuremburg). We are visiting Munich next year after our Rhine cruise.

 

 

Fran

 

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback. Since we'll probably only add 3 nights, we're thinking of 2 in Nuremberg and the last in Munich before flying out. The train to Prague looks less straightforward and I don't think we're not really up for a 4+ hour bus ride - and it would make the trip home longer and more expensive. I wasn't sure if there were some smaller spots along the way we may want to consider.

[jpalbny]

Nuremberg is great. Plenty to do for 2 days. Close to Munich by train, for a convenient journey home.

 

If you get bored there, it's less than an hour to Ingolstadt by train. It may also be close enough to Bamberg; I haven't investigated that train. Either of those would make an easy day trip, and both are worth seeing.

[bubbulz]

Nuremberg is great. Plenty to do for 2 days. Close to Munich by train, for a convenient journey home.

 

If you get bored there, it's less than an hour to Ingolstadt by train. It may also be close enough to Bamberg; I haven't investigated that train. Either of those would make an easy day trip, and both are worth seeing.

 

Thanks for the ideas! Appreciate it!!

[franski]

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback. Since we'll probably only add 3 nights, we're thinking of 2 in Nuremberg and the last in Munich before flying out. The train to Prague looks less straightforward and I don't think we're not really up for a 4+ hour bus ride - and it would make the trip home longer and more expensive. I wasn't sure if there were some smaller spots along the way we may want to consider.

 

If you are looking for a hotel, we stayed at the Hotel Agneshof. Easily walkable to the city centre and to the castle. Lots of good restaurants close by.

 

Fran

[bubbulz]

If you are looking for a hotel, we stayed at the Hotel Agneshof. Easily walkable to the city centre and to the castle. Lots of good restaurants close by.

 

Fran

 

Thanks for the recommendation. Much appreciated!