The more touristy a place the more likely there to be pickpockets etc. I’ve never used a money belt or anything like that and have never had a problem keeping wallet and phone in my front pockets and a backpack with the rest of my daily stuff.
For me the times of traveling around with a DSLR are done. I MIGHT bring a small point and shoot camera but for me the iPhone camera is more than adequate for memories. I prefer to soak in the scenery and enjoy it while I’m there as opposed to taking a million pictures
Budapest is really easy to get around and google maps etc actually tell you exactly where to go, which platform to use when using the metro, which car to get on etc. Data in some form on your phone is an absolute must for self-guided city travel.
Personally for me Prague was OK but may have been my least favorite city of my recent trip as the tourist pressure there is as bad as it gets. From Budapest I’d probably go to Croatia or further east as opposed to coming west.
Slovakia/Bratislava can be missed, and Vienna is a two day trip at most. Vienna is boring af unless you’re enthralled by museums and churches etc. The Klimt’s are the only reason why I’d ever bring anyone back there because they are truly breathtaking. But for me, I’ve gotten my lifetime fill of churches and “grand” buildings and have little desire to wait in lines or spend hours trudging through halls of some grand old estate.
Wherever you end up going you have to weigh travel time between cities. Most city centers have a main train station within walking distance or a short metro right whereas the airport is usually 30 min to 1 hour outside. Personally I prefer staying on the ground in between cities as opposed to getting back on s plane, but sometimes the time savings are impossible to ignore. However, a 5-6 hour train ride usually isn’t as bad as it sounds.
One of the things you absolutely have to do if you go to Budapest is go to the Szécheny baths. Even if you feel u formcortavle wirh the thought of think it’s not for you, you absolutely must go. The baths were maybe the highlight of our entire 4 week trip, both my wife and I loved them and we actually went and found 2 more thermal baths around Budapest as well:
