Prague - Getting around etc.

gadger999

Hiya All,
8 Adults staying at Plaza Alta Hotel in May
Any suggestions on best way to get around, Places to go (Culture ,Drinking, Eating ) etc
Seems to be a Beerfest on - Anyone been before ? What are food & Drink prices like.
Any ideas welcome
Cheers.........

ollyshaw

The tram and metro systems are excellent. I like the trumpet pub at the top of the old town square.

Last time I was there was 2006 and prices in the centre of town were about the same as a British city. There were some great bargains out of town though.

Olly

lufcgirl

Yeah seconded on the tram systems, and make sure you use the hotels reccommended taxi company as we got ripped off by one just in a street!

I loved Old Town Square, bit different because it was Christmas and Caffreys Irish Bar. For touristy things going to the top of the Astronomical Clock Tower is good and Wencelas Square and Charles Bridge. The places are only a short walk from each other too.

Kazipoo

My friend and I spent a long weekend in Prague back in 2004, we stayed in a lovely hotel just off Wencelas Square and we plodded around on foot, the town and old town are certainly in walking distance, and you have to experience the bridge, so many artists and crafty types selling their wares, it was fabulous.

With regard to transfers, I had read up beforehand that a "!!!!!" type organisation ran the taxi service over there, and British tourists were regularly targetted as easy pickings, whether true or not, we decided to err on the side of caution and our hotel arranged for a car to pick us up at the airport, at the time it cost around £15 each way, which I didn't think was too bad.

As we were only there for the weekend, we just stayed in the more touristy areas and ate takeaway food (breakfast was catered for).

My sister visited Prague the following year and I believe they hired a car. My sister has a morbid fascination with concentration camps and world war 2, so they tended to visit places linked with this, whereas I just shopped!!

gadger999

thanks for the info guys.
regarding World war 2 historical sites we visited auchwitz
last year(very humbling)
Are there any similar things around prague
Thanks...........

terryw

gadger999 wrote: »

thanks for the info guys.
regarding World war 2 historical sites we visited auchwitz
last year(very humbling)
Are there any similar things around prague
Thanks...........

Fascinating bit of WW2 history....the assassination of Reinhart Heydrich. Here's a quick link, but there is loads of reading on the net.
http://www.travelwatchdog.com/

The Church where the partisans were caught (and committed suicide) is well worth a visit.

There is an excellent old movie - "Operation Daybreak" - available on DVD and which turns up on television at odds times which gives a very factual account of the whole affair. Try to watch this before you go for some background.

terryw

A few other points for a visit to Prague:
1. Buy a transport ticket for each day or few days that you are in Prague. Far cheaper and easier than individual tickets. As mentioned the transport by bus, tram and tube is quick and easy to understand. Do not ride without a ticket.

2. Move away from tourist area for cheaper prices. Even last month I was only paying 50p a pint for good strong lager as opposed to £3 in the tourist spots.

3. Watch your change particularly from the cheap hot-dog stalls. Short-changing is the national sport.

4. Watch the "girls" in the city centre streets late at night.....the close contact is to assist in pickpocketing!

5. Just wallow in the majesty of the buildings.

6. Take in a cheap Mozart concert...advertised everywhere.

7. Also many pubs/venues have live music catering for all tastes.

In my opinion, Prague is the finest city in the world. And that is some recommendation.

Kazipoo

gadger999... my sister went to Auschwitz last year, she said it was a very sombre experience, you could feel the terror, she highly recommended it though, despite the fact that it reduced her to tears.

terryw... I think the church you are talking about is one of the places my sister visited, I think she also went somewhere (possibly another concentration camp) where they regularly took prisoners of war to be shot, I remember her talking about the wall they were stood against... not really my kettle of fish though, but definitely fascinating. I will try and find out.

Kazipoo

terryw wrote: »

A few other points for a visit to Prague:
1. Buy a transport ticket for each day or few days that you are in Prague. Far cheaper and easier than individual tickets. As mentioned the transport by bus, tram and tube is quick and easy to understand. Do not ride without a ticket.

2. Move away from tourist area for cheaper prices. Even last month I was only paying 50p a pint for good strong lager as opposed to £3 in the tourist spots.

3. Watch your change particularly from the cheap hot-dog stalls. Short-changing is the national sport.

4. Watch the "girls" in the city centre streets late at night.....the close contact is to assist in pickpocketing!

5. Just wallow in the majesty of the buildings.

6. Take in a cheap Mozart concert...advertised everywhere.

7. Also many pubs/venues have live music catering for all tastes.

In my opinion, Prague is the finest city in the world. And that is some recommendation.

I agree with all of the above except.... in my opinion Prague comes a close second.... Rome just has the edge for me!

LJW_2

Yes it is a great place. We went in 08 but my OH went last year and was amazed at how the beer prices had gone up! They were all different prices but dearer the more 'touristy' it was. So yes shop around.

We stayed right facing the clock...bad idea... lovely hotel but clock doesn't stop chiming, don't suppose clocks do but you don't realise till you try to sleep!

Had a great time though!

metrobus

terryw wrote: »

2. Move away from tourist area for cheaper prices. Even last month I was only paying 50p a pint for good strong lager as opposed to £3 in the tourist spots.

3. Watch your change particularly from the cheap hot-dog stalls. Short-changing is the national sport.

I go there every 3/4 months and totally agree with points 2 and 3

Just a short walk away from the main tourist areas and you will find bars/restaurants
with better food and beer for 1/2 the price.

One bar I can recommend is Ferdinanda (google it) only a 3 min walk away from Wenc Sq,upstairs if you are a non smoker, great beer and very good value food try the goulash,I have it at least 3 or 4 times every visit to Prague.

The biggest rip off joints are the so called irish bars who charge 100cr a pint when around the corner far better beer is available for 28cr a pint.

The women at the stalls on wenchelcas square have short changing down to a art form,one trick they do is give your change and food at exactly the same time making both hands full and not able to count the change without finding somewhere to put your food down.
Also be very careful in the touristy restaurants should you venture into one, bill padding is the norm.

You can get a 8 seater mini bus from the airport (pre book it) direct to the plaza alta,it should take about 20mins and will cost about £27 but worth it in the time and hassle you save .

http://www.prague-airport-transfers.co.uk/transfers-price.htm

Once your settled get a travel pass 300cr for 3 days unlimited travel on the metro,trams,buses,and funicular .

There is a tram stop just over the road from plaza alta making it easy to get into and back from the centre..