Anonymous wrote:I used to live in Helsinki and love it, but dear God, do not go there in January unless you absolutely have to!! It's very cold, hopefully snowy, and very dark! I'm talking 5-6 hours of daylight that's more like twilight dark. There are awesome restaurants, a couple of good museums, but so much of visiting Helsinki is about being outside, which is pretty much impossible in January. Try June or July, it's wonderful!

+1

I used to live in Helsinki and love it, but dear God, do not go there in January unless you absolutely have to!! It's very cold, hopefully snowy, and very dark! I'm talking 5-6 hours of daylight that's more like twilight dark. There are awesome restaurants, a couple of good museums, but so much of visiting Helsinki is about being outside, which is pretty much impossible in January. Try June or July, it's wonderful!

All those places are really bleak and cold in January, unless you like grey short days you may regret the expense. It's post-Christmas too so all the cheerful markets and lights will be gone. Sorry to sound discouraging but it's something to consider.

Anonymous wrote:I would go to Budapest, and then to Vienna.

Yeah, me too. Prague is beautiful but overrun with tourists.

Scandinavia is awesome, but crazy expensive.

Berlin and Prague is a great combo. Or Warsaw, Budapest, anywhere, really. Eastern Europe is still affordable, and absolutely amazing.

We went to Stockholm and Copenhagen last year. Housing wasn't super expensive but food was. A decent meal (not high end but sit-down--e.g a plate of Swedish meatballs) was $60-80 for just the food. Kids' meals were $40.
That said, we went in March and it was fine. A bit cold and blustery but not frigid. Copenhagen is one of my favorite places in the world.

Don't go to Scandinavia in January.

I'd choose Riga and Tallinn over Helsinki and Stockholm.
Old town Tallinn is easily accessible by boat and by plane. The airport is in the city and there is never a security line.
I'd visit Berlin, Prague, Vienna, one of the Scandinavian cities.
Your money goes so much further in the Baltics. Go skiing, skating, visit spas, go to sauna, get your hair done, nails. All there services are top notch and much cheaper than in US or in Scandinavia. Food is fresh and fairly cheap. Cafes and bakeries are everywhere.
http://www.visitestonia.com/en

Yes, Scandinavia is more expensive than DC. I think I paid $9 for a Burger King Whopper in a city in northern Sweden last time I was there.

I've been all over the region, and prefer winter as fewer tourists and more locals. Baltics are cheaper for sure, and perfectly safe. Scandi countries are more orderly and organized, and no old Soviet-era buildings or nostalgia (for better or for worse). Depends on what floats your boat.

Err.. speaking of boats, you can take an overnight cruise from Stockholm to Riga or Tallinn; or a day cruise (2-3 hours) to Tallinn.. so you can get both areas visited if you like. They all are in the Shengen area, EU, and use Euros (except Sweden) so no visas or additional money-changing needed.

Anonymous wrote:great nightlife, food, interesting sight seeing

If that is what you are looking for, stay away from eastern Europe. Former communist countries are poor and not safe

Wow, so far no one on this thread knows anything accurate about Hungary.

Budapest (and other cities) has nightlife, amazing food, sightseeing for weeks. My family is from there, I've been many times. Not dangerous, not particularly poor (I couldn't afford to live there), and never been accosted/ mugged/ etc. If you don't go just because it's a formerly Communist country, you will miss out. I went when it was Communist, and had a great time too.

great nightlife, food, interesting sight seeing

If that is what you are looking for, stay away from eastern Europe. Former communist countries are poor and not safe

Hungary is central Europe.

Scandinavian cities are extremely expensive and bleak in the winters. You'd probably still have a good time but it sounds like your instincts are already leaning towards Eastern Europe (or rather, central Europe).

A trip split between Berlin and Prague is one I did many moons ago and it was fantastic. Berlin for the fabulous museums and nightlife, then take the train (or a cheap discount flight) to Prague for another 3-4 days. Spectacularly beautiful, great food and great beer, and very, very cheap. Wonderful atmosphere. The city itself is a museum and just wandering around the streets and the castle is a pleasure in itself.

If you go to Prague, don't stay in Mala Strena (the old town at the heart because it's very touristy) but stay in Mala Strena, just across the river and below the castle and an easy walk or tram ride away (Prague is so compact that if you're fit you can easily avoid taking trams/buses and just walk everywhere).

I would go to Budapest, and then to Vienna.

Escaping for a week in mid January to avoid the DC inauguration madness. We are planning on visiting Berlin for 4-5 days but there are some seriously good deals from DC to Prague, Budapest, Helsinki and Stockholm now in the $400s. Berlin is an amazing city unto itself but where would you go for 3-4 days in mid winter for a combination of great nightlife, food and interesting sightseeing. We are 30 and not pinching pennies but Scandinavia sounds silly expensive compared to the values in Eastern Europe and the Baltics. No?