Thursday, September 26, 2013

Introduction to Hungary

Hungary is in Central Europe bordered by Slovakia to the north, Austria and Slovenia to the west, Croatia and Serbia to the south, and Romania and Ukraine to the east and north-east. The nation was created when a branch of Uralic speakers migrated from their earlier homeland near the Ural mountains and settled in various places in Eastern Europe. They eventually captured the Carpathian Basin between the 9th and 10th centuries. Hungary has a democratically-elected, parliament, the National Assembly. The majority of the population speaks Hungarian and the country is 35,919 sq miles (93,030 km²) in area.

When I was younger, I wonder where the name "Hungary" came from and I discovered that there are several possible origins. The most accepted origin was from the name of the Ungri tribe which lived in the steppes of Russia and eventually dominated the area now know as Hungary. Medieval Latin would have added the H prefix to create the word Hungri.

Today, the population of Hungary is just under 10 million. However the are large populations of descendants of the original Ungri line found in Europe and the United States.
The language they speak is Hungarian.


The capital of Hungary is Budapest, the "Little Paris of Eastern Europe".  It has become the delight of European youth because of its vibrant nightlife, youthful atmosphere, and world class classical music. Scenically located on the banks of the Danube, the architecture and unique culture has resulted in a listing in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Here you will find remains from the Ottoman Empire, Roman Empire, and Austrian Empire. While the city is actually divided into 23 districts, it is usually referred to as Buda and Pest, the two sides of the Danube.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Where should you stay going to Vienna


There are so many hotels in Vienna, it is a lot of research. I chose the ones that I think are the best for the money. Enjoy your stay in Vienna.I will give you 2 (5 stars) Hotels because both are very different from one another and different prices:

1. Hotel Sacher Wein (5 stars)
I mentioned this hotel in the food section. It was opened in 1876 by the son of the baker who made the first Sacher Torte! In addition to its long and important history in Vienna, it is also decorated with:
  • Valuable antiques
  • Beautiful period furniture
  • Famous paintings
  • All the Sacher Torte you can eat ;-)
Both the public and private rooms are very elegant. It is a very classy hotel in a central location with all the amenities the high end traveler expects such as:
The Sacher Spa offers a wide range of massages and beauty and spa treatments
  • Business meeting rooms
  • WIFI and cable service
  • Concierge
  • Room service
It's central location on Philharmoniker-Straße puts it right in the middle of the old town and a short walk to: 
  • Kärntner Straße a wonderful shopping street and pedestrian zone
  • The Ringstraße
  • The Albertina Museum
  • St. Stephen’s Cathedral
  • The Hofburg Imperial Palace
  • The State Opera 







Address: Philharmoniker-Straße 4, 01. Innere Stadt, 1010 Vienna
Phone: (USA & Canada) Call 1 800 745 8883
Price starts at $559 dollars per night




2. Hotel Imperial (5 stars)
The sumptuous surroundings of the Luxury Collection Hotel Imperial Vienna were originally created in 1863 as the Vienna residence of the prince of Württemberg. His palace on the Ring Boulevard was transformed into the Hotel Imperial for the universal exhibition in 1873. Due to the grand facility, outstanding service and royal heritage, this 5-star hotel epitomizes European discretion and royal service.
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Address: Kärntner Ring 16, 01. Innere Stadt, 1015 Vienna
Phone: (43)(1) 501100
Price starts at $461 dollars






3. Hotel Astoria (4 stars)
Also located in the heart of Vienna, this family-friendly hotel is walking distance to:
  • Capuchin Church
  • Ringstrassen Galerien
  • Castle Garden
A little longer walk gets you to:
  • Kohlmarkt Street
  • Rotenturm Street
The Hotel Astoria also offers:
  • Austria Trend, a bar/lounge
  • Complimentary WIFI available throughout the property
  • High-Speed wired access in the rooms





Address: Kärntner Straße 32-34, Vienna+
Phone: +43 1 51577
Price starts at $163 dollars






4. Hotel Austria (3 stars)

The Hotel Austria is also located in the center of Vienna's old town, within walking distance to the key sites you will want to visit:
  • St. Stephen's Cathedral
  • State Opera
  • Museums 
  • Main shopping area with many cafes and restaurants
Built in 1848,this hotel is warm, friendly and quiet. As you can see, it is located on a dead end street in the old Medieval meat market area. Inside it strikes a traditional Viennese atmosphere with excellent service and recently updated comforts of a more modern hotel.

The hotel also provides:
  • 24 Hour Complementary Internet Point in the lobby
  • Complementary WIFI throughout the hotel
  • Coffee and wine service on the terrace
  • Bicycles for exploring the old city




Address: Karntner Strasse 32-34
Vienna, Austria, 1010

Phone: +43 1 51577
Price starts at $142 dollars



Reasonable accommodations 
Old Vienna apartments
Conveniently located in the area of Leopoldstadt, Old Vienna. These non-smoking apartments offer family style accommodations. Some of the local attractions are:
  • St. Mary on the Strand, 
  • Jewish Museum
  • Sigmund Freud Museum
  • Johann-Strauss-Museum
  • St. Ruprecht's Church
Apartment accommodations provide:
  • Televisions
  • Irons/ironing boards
  • Clock radios
  • Kitchens with stove tops, cookware, dishes, utensils,  and kitchen linens.
  • Complimentary wireless Internet access.

Address: Herminengasse 12, Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43-676-7448-234
Price starts at $ 52.00