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Welcome to
Prague (Praha)!
Check Out Our Visitor's
Guide to the Czech Republic Capitol
The famous Charles
Bridge (top) and people enjoying Old Town Square.
In the world of destinations, Prague
is a world away from other major cities.
Prague is old – the castle dates back to about 880 AD – but
it's also new to explore. That's because it was not until the early
90s that the Soviet Union withdrew and the Czech Republic was formed.
In that short span, though, it has become a favorite place for travelers
as well as a home for people from all over the world – particularly
Americans – who are attracted by Prague's carefree existence, its
beauty and incredibly inexpensive food and drinks. Yes, beers in Prague
really do cost slightly more than a US dollar.
The appeal is readily apparent. We'll make this Prague-nostication:
You'll like Prague.
Arrival & Orientation, Getting Around Prague
Look for Landmarks – And Keep the Map in Easy Reach
A common site in
Prague is tourists checking their street map.
Prague is a majestic city with cobblestone
streets, dozens of church spires, a famous pedestrian brick bridge connecting
the city to a real-life castle and a casual conscience.
But one has to get there first.
'The airport is northwest of the city. To town, buses numbers
100 and 119 cost 20KC while taxis are about 600KC. (app. 30 minutes).
The central train station is a casual 10-15-minute walk to the
central point of town. When coming in by train it's important to note
there are two Prague stations; the second stop is the main station.
Old Town Square is the main square, though it's not exactly
located in the center of Prague. It is framed by two huge churches –
one of which sports the popular astrology clock that attracts hundreds
to watch it twitch every hour – and surrounded by cafes. A statue
of reformer John Hus occupies one corner and is one of the city's top
hangout spots.
From there, it's a straight shot (well, as "straight' as anything
can be in Prague) to the world-famous Charles Bridge. Leading
to the Prague Castle, the pedestrian and cobblestone Charles Bridge
is the city's signature landmark. Vendors on each side sell jewelry,
paintings and oddball arts while musicians squeezing out a living in
their idillic world play for tips.
Beautiful old buildings make walking in Prague a pleasure.
TRANSPORTATION AND GETTING AROUND – Pack a solid pair of
shoes; this will be as valuable as a map. Prague is a great walking
city and unlike
Paris, where landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de
Triumph appear to be close only to be several kilometers in the
distance, Prague's major parts can be reached in a charming 10-20 minutes.
It's likely to be a confusing journey. There are few major streets
and fewer still that are in a straight line. Rather, they curve and
go off at angles, making getting from one place to another seem like
a board game. There are no street signs, just occasional green ones
on the side of corner buildings. Locals navigate by going under archways,
through shopping malls and down tiny alleys. Tourists do the same, though
largely unintentionally. An essential tool is a good map and
by far the best is the multi-foldout Prague City Map & Guide from
Prague Navigator.
One of the more typical scenes in Prague is of people standing on streetcorners,
maps out, fingers pointing in one area and a look of utter confusion
on their faces. TIPS – Look up often and search for recognizable
landmarks, like a familiar church steeple or clock. Find the Vltava
River; it runs north, then curves to the west of the city. On nice days
the sun can be a very effective navigational beacon. And remember, attitude
is the difference between ordeal and adventure, so relax and enjoy the
adventure. If nothing else, take a break at one of the city's many bars;
they are practically every streetcorner.
 Walking
is safe and drivers are among the most courteous in Europe. They
actually stop to allow pedestrians to cross without them having to worry
about getting pummeled. (Perhaps it's because locals tend to walk on
the streets as much as they do on the sidewalks.)
Still, there are few intersections or even traffic lights so look carefully
in all directions. Where there are crosswalks, be like the locals and
wait for the crossing light. They have an amusing ticking system – when
it's red the ticking is slow, like a clock. But when it goes green it
speeds up like one of those Acme devises from the Wiley Coyte cartoons
or Inspector Clouseau movies, as if to say: "Hurry up or else!"
Prague is such a good walking city that the Metro, street cars and
taxis don't really ever come into play. As an FYI, the Metro
is only 17KC but have exact change, even at the ticket booths. Taxi
drivers have a well-deserved reputation for rip-offs; take only cabs
with fares posted on the door and ask the price ahead of time. AAA
Taxi is the city's best and most reliable cab company.
CURENCY – Prague has its own monetary system, the
krown, shown as KC at shops, restaurants and bars. Bills come in 50,
100, 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000, with coins up to 50KC. Telling the 10
from the 20 from the 50 takes a bit of concentration and good lighting.
Bank ATMs, while certainly not on every corner, are prevalent
enough.
TIPPING – Generally, round off to the nearest KC or for
a meal, the nearest hundred KC.
Accommodations & Where to Stay
It's Best to Have a Reservation Secured in Advance
To maximize time in Prague, make a hotel
reservation. It can be particularly time-consuming to find a hotel,
especially May thru September. It's not impossible to get a room –
the airport and train station have accommodation-finding services and
walking around can reveal a real find - but securing a place at the
right price and location can take hours. There is better time to be
spent in Prague.
As far as location, any place around Old Town Square is ideal.
Most of the city can be walked in 5-10 minutes from this centrally-located
area. Most hotels have the number of stars posted by the entrance. There
are a few hostels in Prague, as well as a number of 3, 4 and 5-star
properties.
Somewhat strangely, even three-star hotels charge in the 2000-2500KC
range, which seems a bit steep for town where a beer around the corner
is just 30KC. Cheaper accommodations (1500-1700) are available behind
the train station near the needle tower; while this is about 20 minutes
from Old Town Square, the area does have its own interesting sights,
restaurants and bars.
HOTEL TIPS – Most hotels offer discounts for payments
in cash. This ranges from 5-40% depending on the hotel and time of the
year, so it's always worth asking a particular property's policy. Hotel
prices include some type of breakfast (juice, breads, meats).
Watch for the P&P's
– pickpockets and prostitutes – at Wenceslas Square.
Avoid the immediate temptation to stay along the double-wide street
at Wenceslas Square. It's tempting because it's full of life, has many
hotels on both sides of the streets and is just five minutes from the
train station (out to the left, right at McDonald's). But by nightfall,
it becomes what we call Prague's P&P Place – pickpockets and
prostitutes.
And while on the subject, pickpockets are a prickling annoyance
and perhaps Prage's biggest problem. We've heard of pants legs and pocketbook
strings being cut and wallets lifted without the occupants even knowing
until later. The worst place for the P&Ps is Wenceslas Square at
night. So be on the alert anywhere in Prague and only carry the minimum
amount of cash or credit cards, especially here and on trains. Perhaps
a good deterrent to this petty but nagging crime would be to send offenders
to the Museum of Torture for punishment.
The Sites of Prague:
Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, The Prague Castle...
The Charles Bridge
(top) and the beautiful Municipal House (below)
The sights of Prague are qute a sight.
Cobblestone streets, Old Town, a magnificant castle, the majestic Municipal
House, classic buildings and views from high above Prague that are a
short walk from city center comprise the visual highlights and delights
of Prague.
CHARLES BRIDGE– Prague's splendor begins with the Charles
Bridge, the city's signature landmark as well as its cultural heartbeat.
The Gothic structure, constructed in 1357 for Czech King Charles IV,
is a pedestrian pleasure, gently arching over the Vltava River.
 Hours
can be spent spanning the span, for it is lined with artists, musicians
and expatriates from many countries (the USA in particular) who are
carving out a simple living simply because they love to live in Prague.
Paintings, protraits, jewlery and CDs from bands playing on the bridge
are sold along the edges, much to the shopping delights of the thousands
of tourists who slowly travel over it tiime and time again throughout
the day and evening.
Framed by towers on each side, which can be climbed for a view from
above, the bridge is Prague's invitation to exploration. On one side
sits the Prague Castle. On the other side, the tower serves as a meeting
and gathering place while it also houses a tunnel of shopping, fast
food and even a couple of nightclubs.
At night, from the city center side, dressed up in lights, glistening
against the river and with the lit-up castle in the background, the
Charles Bridge is stop-in-the-tracks breathtakingly beautiful.
The Cathedral is one of the spectacular visual elements of the castle.
PRAGUE CASTLE – Looking down on the city like a watchful
parent over a playground is the massive Prague Castle. Long the home
of the Czech government, it is one of the city's premier sights and
attractions.
The main entrance and the changing of the guards at Prague Castle.
Walking the grounds and gawking at the buildings – particularly
the St. Vitus Cathedral – is free. One of the most
popular attractions is the changing of the guards at the main gate,
which occurs every hour on the hour. There is admission to go inside
certain areas (50-350KC, good for two days; inside the cathedral is
an extra 100KC).
It's a uphill hike to the castle across the Charles Bridge, though
the there are several shops and beer stops along the way.
A less-touristed approach is through Letna Park, a long, pleasant
stroll high above Prague. On the far end is a popular Letna Park
beer garden, an afternoon delight among locals with picnic
tables overlooking the city. Sights along the way include the The
Hanau Pavilion, a gorgeous – and pricey, by Prague's standards
– tiny restaurant that looks like an observatory, and what locals
refer to as the "Stalin statue," a rusting metal pulley
atop a concrete block that was once a huge statue of Stalin during the
Soviet occupation. Today it's a locals' lookout and makeshift skateboarding
park while the city tries to figure out exactly what to make of it.
Once year the city has it figured out - it's where Prague paints the
sky with fireworks for New
Year's Eve. The Stefanikuv bridge, three up from the
Charles Bridge by the Intercontinental hotel, leads directly to the
beer garden. Letna Park is also an excellent place for running and
rollerblading.
Letna Park has a novel restaurant, running paths, a beer garden and
great views.
AROUND THE CASTLE – If it seems the vantage points
of the city never end from across the river, that's practically the
case. Surrounding the castle is a small – and steep – village
with a monastery, restaurants, shops and one of the best authentic Czech
bars in Prague.
Crystal shops, so prevalent in Prague, are less crowded here along
the main street of Nerudova. At the top – and it's a slow, fairly
steep incline – awaits a park with one of those views. Bellavista,
a restaurant-bar by the monastery, is a nice resting spot (grills
meats, fish and pasta in the 250KC range); they'll even wrap patrons
in blankets if the cool wind blows.
By the time one locates The Black Bull – or U Cernacho
Vola – it will be time for a good, strong Czech beer. A real
find – it's down from the castle on Lorentánské across from a pair
of "No Pezi Zone" signs – it's as authentic as it gets.
That's because it's real. A small, smoky joint it has old picnic tables
and good, strong beer. Locals come in for a puff and pour; go in, sit
down and order a beer at the very friendly cost of just 24KC. This is
is a favorite spot of the Czech national hockey team coach.
Old Town Square is the heartbeat of Prague.
OLD TOWN SQUARE – Whle the Charles Bridge may bridge any
of Prague's cultural gaps, Old Town Square is the city's true heartbeat.
This is the primary hangout area where one can feel the pulse of the
city's activity. Framed by outdoor cafes and not one but two churches
– including the oddly popular astrology clock which attracts numerous
tourists when it moves each hour – it's the gateway to the main
part of Prague.
A maze of streets lead to Old Town Square, filled with shops (one featurues
Medieval armor), restaurants and watering holes. Exit to the north,
through the arches, and one of the city's best bars– Chateau
Rouge – awaits. To the south, past the outdoor afternoon market,
is Mozart's house and the watering hole where he frequented.
Frequently. (For more details, read our bars
of Prague article).
Dining in Prague
Even "Expensive" Restaurants Are Inexpensive
Cafes arouund
Old Town Square combine great people-watching with dinner.
Here's one fact about dining in Prague:
If it's on a hoof, it's served here. People in the Czech Republic consume
more meat than just about any place on the planet. There's no shortage
of plates with pork or beef, so have at it.
Menus with prices are posted outside just about every restaurant so
its easy to stroll along and see the choices.
A dish on just about every menu is goulash, which is meat with
dumplings; those breaded balls are ideal for scooping up the meat juices.
It's easy to spot Czech restaurants - they have pretzels on a type
of hanger on wooden tables. U Vejuodu is a classic cool local-style
bar with creaky wood floors, an arched ceiling and a kettle pot over
the bar (a node to modern life are the plasma TVs). Among its meal choices
is a huge hunk of meat on a rack to be enjoyed by a group.
Another authentic spot is U Medvidku – just behind Mozart's
old residence – is a bar with an adjacent restaurant that
is very popular among the Czechs.
Musetti Cafe is another good Czech restaurant – start the
eating process with the stuffed tomatoes. Both are in the "Mozart
area" near the famous composer's house; U Vejuoda is on Jilska
Street and Musetti Cafe is directly across from a sex store.
Cafes along Old Town Square are in the most desirable location
because of the interesting people-watching activity while dining. As
such, they tend to be more expensive – mind you, expensive by Prague
standards means the equivalent of $20-25USD for a good meal and drink
– and charge10-20% more to be seated outside.
On the other side of the tracks – literally, behind the train
station in the neighborhood of the big needle (the Soviets constructed
it to block radio transmissions but the Czechs now use it to bring in
everything around the world) – is a highly popular semi-trendy.
semi-traditional restaurant. On Seifertova, at the first corner of a
cool area that has a plethora of small bars and relatively inexpensive
hotels, Hureuh Didkrch has soft mood lights, music, great food
(100-300 KC, beers 30KC, full bar) and, in what is a novelty in Europe,
plenty of napkins. That comes in handy because the designer of the cutlery
apparently never met the designer of the plates. After dinner, go downstairs
to check out the live music.
Two blocks up the corner street is Fantasie Restaurance, a place
so authentic the locals look at visitors entering the building like
they are aliens from another planet. The tables are mostly full for
dinner anyway so best to go for lunch (tasty meals are just 75-200KC).
This area is a 15-minute walk from city center (Trams 5, 9, 18).
Prague Fast Facts
More Info to Know Before You Go
Powder Gate is a gateway to the astrology clock at Old Town Square.
Here's are some other interesting facts
and information about Prague:
PLAYS AND CONCERTS – Its cultural roots never seem
more than a step away in Prague. Nearly every night, there are concerts
or plays; information is posted on billboards throughout town, especially
around Old Town Square. The striking Municipal House, which has classical
concerts, is one of the best places to spend an evening.
PRAHA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... – Many maps refer to areas as being
in "Praha 1" or another number. While certainly useful for
some it's hardly necessary to learn it all; most of a visitor's time
is spent in "Praha 1."
The world-famous Globe is a cool, hip cafe with wireless Internet.
INTERNET BOOKSTORE – Rest those tired feet – and check
up on the e-mail with a good meal and cold beer – at The Globe.
Long a Prague haven for backpackers, it's been recently purchased (and
thus saved) by an American from Chicago (and run by an American from
Boston, ironically both named Mike) who have turned it into a cool,
hip hangout. It has good food, good company and wireless Internet. Here's
its website.
SHOPPING – Crystal is a great bargain in the Czech
Republic and hundreds of shops, from small ones on narrow streets by
Old Town Square and other tourist areas to high-end places where it's
not wise to enter if you've had a few Czech brews, are all over Prague.
There are also trinket and t-shirt shops and dozens of tiny shoe
stores almost hidden on side streets. More mainstream shops, and
even a mall, is on Na Prikope, between Powder Gate (an arch leading
to Old Town Square adjacent to the Municipal House) and Wenceslas Square.
LAUNDRY – The best way to get laundry done in Prague is
by giving it to the hotel maid. She will provide same-day service (about
800KC for a full load).
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER – The English-language newspaper,
which has an entertainment section, is the Prague Post.
WEATHER – Prague is warm in the summer and cold in
winter. We could leave it at that, but for temperatures, it ranges from
1 to -5 (C) in January to 25-30 in July. It does snow in the winter,
which makes for a beautiful wonderland while at the same time less pleasant
walking conditions.
 Take
Our Tour of Prague's Bars and Nightlife!
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