Straddling the Danube river - 250 km downstream from Vienna, the co-capitol of the Austro-Hungarian empire - Budapest is the real deal. Less touristy and expesive than Prague, Hungary offers a more exotic experience of an eastern-bloc country - especially since they speak a unique non-Indo-European language. Even weirder, you can check out the 1,000-year-old withered hand of St. Stephen, Hungary's first king.

Of course, after a $1.00 massage in the opulent public baths, you'll feel right at home.