Prague
The capital of the Czech Republic is one of Europe‘s most popular destinations; considered by many one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Prague, ‘The City of a Hundred Spires’ is the perfect city for those who are searching for a perfect weekend in a romantic, ancient and cosmopolitan atmosphere.
WHEN TO GO?
The best months to visit Prague are from May to September. The weather is often quite pleasant with temperatures in the 20s°C, sunny or partly sunny skies, and mild evenings. If you like it hot, you should visit in July and August. You may also want to consider the daylight hours, which are long in late spring and summer (it stays light till 9 p.m. in May, 10 p.m. in July) and shorter in the fall (8 p.m. in September). I went in December, it was cold but the days where beautiful. It didn’t rain and the city was very charming with lots of christmas markets. Prague Video – Watch the video I did during my amazing weekend in Prague
GET AROUND
Well, Prague is not a huge city, you can easily explore the city by foot, I didn’t get any taxi, bus or subway… I only took a taxi from the airport to the hotel (25€ and it took about 30 min). Website: AAA taxi Airport Shuttles is also a good option. Hours of operation: 05:00 – 22:00 Price: 20€ for 1-4 passengers, and 35€ for 5-8 passengers. Website: Prague Airport Shuttle Bus: Standard public transportation is available from airport to Prague from 4:15AM until midnight and from Prague to the airport between 5AM and midnight . The airport bus stop is located in front of Terminal 1. Bus tickets cost 1€. Tickets can be purchased at the Public transport information desk in the airport, from the machine at the bus stop (which takes Czech coins), or from the driver.
COSTS
Food: If you have plans to seat in a nice restaurant and drink some wine expect to pay at least 30€ per person. Of course you can also eat some Hot Dog with hot wine in the markets for about 5€. Prague Attraction And Museum Prices: Part of Prague’s beauty is strolling the streets and admiring the architecture — which helps keep costs down. Many of the main sights don’t charge admission.
- Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral: Free but some extra areas require a ticket.
- National Theater Opera Tickets: around 40€
- Church of St. Nicholas: 2€
- Walking Tours: Free (but you should tip the guides) or 10€ – 25€ (for paid tours)
- Bike Tour: 20€
- Boat tour: 11€
- Standard beer: 1,5€
- Bottle of (drinkable) wine from grocery store: 4€
- Espresso: 1.5€
Acommodation: Hostels starting at 10€ per night (sharing room). Hotels – from 50€ to 100€ night, luxury hotels starting at 250€ night.
TIPS
- Always book a table before heading for dinner. Most of the restaurants are full, specially during the weekend.
- Say dobrou chuť (bon appetit) before starting your meal.
- Tipping is 10%, though by Czech standards this rate is considered generous. Tipping in bars, restaurants, taxis, and beauty and massage parlors is customary.
- Every hour, on the hour, people come to see the clock in the Old Town Square and its “Walk of the Apostles”. There are also moving figures of the four things most hated when the clock was built: Vanity, a Miser, Death and a stereotypical Turk.
- Traditional Czech beers are available everywhere in Prague, but for something different try the microbrewery Pivovarsky Dum, five minutes’ walk from Wenceslas Square at the corner of Jenca and Lipova streets
- Visit the Café Europa, attached to the Europa Hotel (224 215387; www.evropahotel.cz) on Wenceslas Square, a beautiful and original example of art deco.
- Try “U Fleku” – beer and a shot glass containing Becherovka. Interesting taste. The beer is good and it just keeps coming but I suggest you decline the Becherovka after a couple.
- Eat an Hot Dog and a glass of Hot Wine in the street markets, delicious and cheap.
WHERE TO SPLEEP?
The Emblem Hotel
The hotel has the best location ever! Located in the center of Prague, 50 meters away from the old town square. Is like a home for travelers and a haven for locals, dedicated to creating a community in the very heart of the city. This Lifestyle hotel offers 59 rooms (including 4 junior suites and 3 luxury suites), a chill-out lounge with several “Living Spaces” (The Maharal Club), state-of-the-art restaurant and bar (George Prime Steak), and spa (The M Spa) with an unbeatable rooftop terrace with great views to one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Read more…
WHERE TO EAT?
CottoCrudo, Four Seasons If I had to do a list of the best dinners I ever had, cottocrudo would be without a doubt in my top 3. Jesus, the food was beyond amazing!!! The stylish restaurant, bar and lounge CottoCrudo is located at Four Seasons Hotel Prague. CottoCrudo means “cooked and raw” and introduces a new dining and lounge concept to the city. CottoCrudo offers an extensive menu of Italian and Mediterranean dishes, including fresh seafood, homemade pasta, choice meat cuts, and artisan products from the Piedmont and Tuscany regions of Italy. An Italian classics menu with a modern twist, a central culinary station with prime Italian delicacies, a crudo bar, variable seating options and a unique design showcases the latest in dining trends. Executive Chef Leonardo Di Clemente was exceptional and all my 5 dishes were delicious. The wine list of the hotel is also incredible… each plate is accompanied by a different wine. I totally recommend!!
- Reservations: COTTOCRUDO – Four Seasons Prague, Veleslavinova 1098/2a, Prague 1, 110 00. Tel: +420 221 426 880
PASTA FRESCA, near Old Town Square The Head Chef, Tomáš Mykytyn, prepares regional Italian dishes from freshly made homemade pasta using fresh, seasonal ingredients according to Italian tradition. I’m not sure if it was the wine (I had a bit more than usual, eheh) but everything was perfect. The basis of good food served is good quality, natural and freshly processed ingredients. There is a separate wine cellar with a unique collection of Italian wines and three experienced sommeliers.
- Reservations: Celetná 11, 110 00 Prague 1. Tel. 224 230 244. E-mail: celetna@ambi.cz
TOP 15 THINGS TO DO
1 – Charles Bridge
Commissioned by King Charles IV in 1357, Prague’s most stunning bridge spans 16 arches and is lined with 30 Baroque statues of religious figures. The bridge’s 1,700 ft. (520 m) of cobblestone are used for wholly temporal purposes, however. Each afternoon, painters and hot-dog vendors fight for space with — and custom from — the hordes of tourists who are themselves elbowing one another for the best views of the Vltava River. If you arrive at dawn, you’ll beat the crowds and enjoy a glorious scenery.
2 – Museum of Communism
Under communist rule, authorities arrested more than 200,000 Czechs and shot 327 others dead as they tried to flee across the border. The simple but stirring Memorial to the Victims of Communism captures that agony with six sculptures of a man in progressive decay. Just as moving are the literal depictions of state-sponsored terrorism, told through photos, propaganda and videos at the Museum of Communism — although here the story ends on a high note, with galleries on the peaceful “velvet revolution” that ended the nightmare.
3 – Petrin Hill
For some fresh air, catch the funicular railway from Ujezd to the top of the 1,000-ft. (300 m) Petrin Hill, one of Prague’s greenest spaces. The area’s eclectic sights include landscaped gardens, a miniature version of the Eiffel Tower, a mirror maze and, quirkiest of all, the Church of St. Michael — a 17th century wooden building relocated here from a village in the Ukraine for national enlightenment.
4 – Prague Castle
Roughly the size of seven football fields, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. Built and renovated during 13 centuries, the complex includes churches, gardens, alleyways and royal residences that would take days to appreciate. Don’t miss the St. Vitus Cathedral. In addition to Art Nouveau stained-glass windows and a wooden depiction of the crucifixion, it houses treasures like the tomb of St. John of Nepomuk — a blinding two-metric-ton vault that is held up by an army of silver angels.
5 – Old Town Square
Despite a number of foreign invaders, Prague’s Old Town Square has remained virtually untouched since the 10th century. Today’s marauders consist largely of tourists who congregate to eat alfresco while admiring a hodgepodge of architecture — including the Rococo Kinsky Palace, the Gothic Tyn Cathedral and the Baroque St. Nicholas Church, to name a few. An ever-changing cast of musicians, protesters, dance troupes, punks and vendors make the square as colorful as the buildings that surround it.
6 – National Theater
The National Theater is the place to come if you want to see opera, theater or ballet in Prague. Even if you are not going to see any show you should visit the build and admire the incredible masterpiece of architecture.
7 – Jewish Quarter
Prague’s historic Jewish Quarter is home to several significant sites, including a number of important synagogues like the Spanish Synagogue and the Old New Synagogue. The Old Jewish Cemetery is a sight to behold. There are 12,000 visible graves and countless more underneath. With space at a premium, it became necessary for graves to be placed on top of each other, as many as 12 layers deep.
8 – Boat Tour
A river cruise on the Vltava is a memorable experience and an ideal way of seeing the beautiful, historical Prague from a different perspective. You defiantly should do at least 1 Hour boat tour to take some amazing pictures.
9 – The Lennon Wall
Perhaps one of Eastern Europe’s most unlikely attractions, Prague’s Lennon Wall has stood since the 1980s as a tribute to former Beatle and peace campaigner John Lennon. Things got started almost immediately after the singer’s murder in 1980 when this otherwise unassuming wall near the Charles Bridge became a place for fans to demonstrate their grief, painting pictures and slogans attributed to the star.
10 – The Spanish Synagogue
Colorful stained glass, stylised Oriental motifs and the glow of gold – the most beautiful synagogue in the Prague Jewish Town This, newest of the six historic Prague synagogues was built in the Spanish Moorish style in the second half of the 19th century.
11 – St. Nicholas Church
There are three St. Nicholas churches in Prague. Construction of St. Nicholas Church in the Lesser Town began in 1703, on the site of a former parish church, the records for which date back to 1283.The main one lies at the centre of the Lesser Town Square and is the largest of Prague’s churches founded by the Jesuits.
12 – The Prague Astronomical Clock
The Prague Astronomical Clock has been around since the 15th century, though it has required repairs many times over its history. This clock doesn’t display the time of day. Rather, it’s meant to be used to determine the phases of the moon and the equinoxes.
13 – Wenceslas Square
Wenceslas Square in Prague is a vibrant area of hotels, apartments, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. There are also banks and local and international shops. It is the entertainment and nightlife centre of Prague, and the main shopping and commercial district begins here. Wenceslas Square lies at the heart of the New Town – the word new is misleading though, as the area was actually laid out in 1348 by Charles IV. Wenceslas Square is really a boulevard, measuring 750m long by 60m wide. It was originally laid out as the Prague horse market 650 years ago.
14 – The Dancing House
Dancing House is set in a fine location by the Vltava River in Prague. Its design is unique, and especially striking in the city centre because it is a modern building surrounded by historic architecture. I Have to be honest, I hate this kind of architecture, however is an Icon of the the city and that is the reason why I’m including in their list. Dancing House was constructed between 1992-1996. It has daring, curvy outlines, which led its architects Vlado Milunic and the American Frank Owen Gehry to initially name it the “Fred and Ginger Building”, after the legendary dance duo.
15 – Letná Park
Want to take amazing pictures? This is the place to go… Letná Park is a large park on Letná hill, built on a plateau above steep embankments along the Vltava River in Prague. Letná’s elevation and location afford commanding views of the Prague Old Town.
Hi! My name is João Cajuda, I’m a travel blogger from Portugal and founder of this website. In this blog I share my adventures around the world and give you tips about hotels, restaurants, activities and destinations to visit. You can travel through my videos or join my group tours that I organize to selected destinations. Visit my Adventure Travel Agency LEVA-ME and join one of my journeys!