Age Old

In age-old Vienna, Budapest and Prague,
where emperors once sought to be immortal,
and time dilates, proceeding with a lag --
it's offering the visitor a portal:

One step and you are in the medieval;
another, and you're back into the fray,
beware the tourist traps -- the staff is civil,
but if you aren't buying, please make way.

These cities, once so arrogant and proud,
their empire long dismantled and forsaken,
relying on their bones to get a crowd,
succeeding, hardly any road not taken,

while promising: you ain't seen nothing yet,
and weren't we great once? Please don't forget.