Wish You Were Here: Steam trains in Germany, classical music in Prague

Looking to escape? Here are two recent trips local readers took to Germany, Austria, Hungary and Czech Republic. Check them out, then find more reader travel inspiration at www.mercurynews.com/tag/wish-you-were-here/.

GERMANY: In July, 2025, Sean and Caroline Sorenson, of Oakland, visited Caroline’s sister, Margaret Thompson (formerly of Oakland) who lives in Pirna, Germany, near Dresden. They toured downtown Dresden, which has been beautifully rebuilt after WWII, and took a steam train to Moritzberg, which is a hunting lodge and park.

TRAVEL TIPS: Says Caroline: “Be prepared for thunderstorms in the summer because they can come up quickly. Most people in Dresden speak English, but in the smaller towns, it isn’t as common, because the older people learned Russian when they were growing up. People are very friendly and helpful! The Dresden airport is small and convenient to fly to, and the main train station is only about a 30 minute train ride away.”

GERMANY, AUSTRIA, HUNGARY, CZECH REPUBLIC: San Jose residents Steven Sosnowski and Christopher Kenward took a cruise with AMA Waterways on the new ship, Magana, and traveled through Europe down the Danube river. They began in Budapest and made stops in Passau, Vienna, Salzburg and Prague, as well as smaller towns like Linz, Melk and Esztergom. Their favorite part was traveling with other members of their Mercury Wine club, which made up about a quarter of the ship’s guests.

TRAVEL TIPS: Sosnowski says: “Prague is a city filled with classical music concerts typically held in churches and synagogues. The price of admission is reasonable, and the music is wonderful. We went to a different concert each night we were in Prague. Our last night, the sunset was especially beautiful over Prague Castle.”

Join the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jmastrodonato@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers go there, too.