WHERE TO EAT AND WHAT TO SEE
You're going to have some free time in Vienna and Berlin, so we thought we would try to help you figure out what you might like to do with it! We've included some links to useful websites and blogs to help make it easier to figure out where to eat and what to do in these cities. You don't have much time in Prague, but we've even included a few suggestions at the bottom of the page for your night there.
VIENNA
Blogs and Websites
American in Vienna - Michelle, American expat living in Vienna, blogs about what to do in Vienna and lays out some of the differences between American and Viennese culture.
Vienna Würstelstand - One of the best Vienna city guides focusing on what the city is really like and has to offer instead of the overly touristy things.
Spotted by Locals - Learn about Vienna straight from locals. Always up to date!
Austrian Adaptation - Another American expat blogs about what to do in Vienna and what Austrian culture is like.
Vienna for Beginners - This site describes itself as a "virtual melange of daily postcards from Vienna. The "Summer in Vienna" tab may be particularly helpful.
Food in Vienna
Dishes to Try in Vienna
If you want to get a taste of authentic Viennese cuisine, try one of these. Mahlzeit!
1.) Wiener Schnitzel - a very thin, breaded and deep fried schnitzel from veal, it is traditionally served with a vinaigrette potato salad.
2.) Apfelstrudel - a traditional pastry made of apples, it is often served with whipped cream or vanilla sauce, you may also try quark cheese version (Topfenstrudel).
3.) Sachertorte - a specific type of chocolate cake invented by Austrian Franz Sacher in 1832, it is traditionally served with unsweetened whipped cream.
Vegetarian Options in Vienna
Download a list of vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Vienna.
Kosher Options in Vienna
Download a list of kosher restaurants in Vienna.
Activities in Vienna
Download a list of some of the most popular tourist activities and attractions in Vienna.
BERLIN
Blogs and Websites
Thrillist - A VERY comprehensive guide to Berlin. It even includes 12 "facts" about Berlin that are actually lies, an U-Bahn restaurant map, and the 20 Berlin commandments.
Ex Berliner - One of the most recommended guides to Berlin from Berlin's English-language magazine. 14 years and still going strong.
I Heart Berlin - A hip group of local Berliners who love Berlin work to make you love it, too.
And Berlin - Self-described "Berlin-aholic" David blogs about the Berlin he has a strong and ongoing love affair with.
Berlin Loves You - Berlin loves you just as much as David loves Berlin. Find out all it has to offer on this site and maybe you can fall for the city, too.
Food in Berlin
Dishes to Try in Berlin
Berlin has an extremely diverse culinary scene, but if you want an authentic taste of the city, try one of these dishes!
1.) Curry wurst - a fast food dish consisting of pork sausage topped with ketchup (or some sort of spiced tomato sauce) and curry powder
2.) Döner kebab - a dish of Turkish origin, it consists of sliced rotisserie meat (a vegetarian option is usually available!) with salad and different sauces stuffed into pita or döner bread
3.) Berliner/Pfannkuchen - the Berlin jelly donut many think JFK claimed to be - fried sweet yeast dough filled with jelly and topped with icing or powdered sugar
Vegetarian Options in Berlin
Download a list of vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Berlin.
Kosher Options in Berlin
Download a list of kosher restaurants in Berlin.
Activities in Berlin
Download a list of some of the most popular tourist activities and attractions in Berlin.
Etc.
Berlin's Top 7 Neighborhoods
We've taken the liberty of creating a guide to, in our opinion, the top 7 neighborhoods in Berlin.
Parks in Berlin
More into a leisurely stroll in some green space (picninc, anyone?) than perusing museum exhibits? Check out one of the lovely parks in Berlin!
Walking Tours
PRAGUE
Sadly, you have only one evening in Prague. Don't fret, though, you can make the most of it! Prague is objectively, categorically, undeniably a beautiful city - and this particularly applies to summer nights. If you have to pick ONE thing to do on this evening, walk up to Prague Castle. The historic buildings close to visitors at 17:00, but the grounds are open until 22:00. The complex looks beautiful lit up at night and you get a gorgeous view of the city.
It is no mystery that Prague is full of history. Nighttime in Prague, though, is the best time to learn about the mystery history of Prague. McGee's Ghost Tours offers a few different spooky tours of Prague by night that will teach you about the dark facts and fables of the city
If you're not a fan of ghosts and ghouls, you could always walk around on your own, enjoy some cheap food, grab a chimney cake (trdelnik in Czech), and just take in the city. Just be sure to get a good sleep!
Click here for a guide to kosher restaurants in Jewish Prague and here for a guide to eating vegetarian in Prague.