Ideas for Prague?

Andypandyboy

We are off to Prague soon, I have done the usual research but I want insider tips of where to go and what not to miss.

Any ideas?

Ballard

It's been donkeys years since I went there but I really liked walking up to the castle. From memory you can start at the main square (with the clock & Jan Huus monument), cross Korlov Most (Charles Bridge) and up to the castle (at something like Hradcanske). I think that the National Gallery (Galarie Narodny?) next to the castle.

The national museum at the top of Wenceslas Square is great if you are really into rocks but if not then it's well worth giving it a miss.

This is all pretty much standard tourist stuff so I'm not really answering your question but it's worth doing nonetheless.

PenguinOfDeath

Try to avoid the tourist trap horror area at the end of Charles Bridge (if you see signs for Irish bars and Sky Tv...run!)

The funicular railway up to the park and a trip up the tower is a nice few hours

The Staropramen museum is supposed to be good but we just went to the attached bar which was nice.

We also wanted to visit Kuna Hora and the ossary but...well can't remember why we didn't now and I regret it...

The public transport was good value and easy to use to save the legs a bit

*j*

Please be sure to visit the memorial to Jan Palach, who set himself on fire in Wenceslas Square in January 1969 as a protest against the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Others did the same.

Wikipedia has details of the events and of how the authorities treated his family for some years after his death.

And Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church, memorial to the victims of the Heydrich terror in Resslova Street.

Never forget what they gave...

System

Don't eat/drink in the Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square as its a rip off.

Also, some restaurants charge for condiments even though you never used them, you get charged because they are on the table. A friend got charged 20czk (62p) for this earlier this year. She and her OH left the money for just the food and drink they actually consumed and left.

Their pizza restaurants are fab. Goulash in a bread bowl is fab too.

lorna01

go to the tv tower its fab , 3 euros to get in and you go up the lift to the observation deck and have a cocktail and enjoy the stunning views, also go to the absinth bars , eat in local pubs a few streets back from the main shops its so cheap and the locals are great and just generally enjoy the city its gorgeous

Tuesday_Tenor

My friend lived at the east end of Letna/Letynsky park so I had a wonderful 1.5/2.0 mile flat walk through the park to the castle at the other end, with lovely views of both it and the river. I went into some of the galleries/ museums near the castle. The castle itself was SO crowded by the time I got there that I decided I would leave it to a future visit. If you want to go in, get there VERY early. I walked back the more obvious way with the rest of the tourists and over Charles Bridge. Would recommend the round trip walk as you get to see the tourist 'must see' of the bridge, but only once, and in the park you'll only see a few locals walking their dogs.

The museum of Communism was very interesting. A reminder of what life was like for the older generation. In Letna Park the previous day I'd passed the massive plinth with the metronome sculpture. It wasn't till I was in the Museum that I realised that the plinth was where the massive statue of Stalin had stood.

I'm not usually one for art galleries, but I loved the massive Art Nouveau murals of the Slav Epic, by Mucha. It was in The National Gallery, but I think the NG operates over several different sites so check for which one and how go get there. ( sorry I'm not much help here as I walked from my friends flat nearby). There was a tour in English just as I arrived; think I needed this, as my knowledge of Slav history was pretty minimal! Mucha is also famous for his stylised Art Nouveau poster women - you've probably seen posters without knowing who painted them. That's a different gallery. Also enjoyed these, but it was the Slav Epic I'd go back to see again.

daveyjp

Few years since we went, but we were bored of the centre so jumped on a tram and stayed on it until the terminus. It was also February and freezing!

No idea where we ended up, but we found a great local bar, had beers at half the cost in town and some excellent food.

PompeyPete

daveyjp wrote: »

Few years since we went, but we were bored of the centre so jumped on a tram and stayed on it until the terminus. It was also February and freezing!

No idea where we ended up, but we found a great local bar, had beers at half the cost in town and some excellent food.

That's the way to do it. Just takes a bit of confidence to veer slightly off the beaten track, and there'll usually be a reward at the end of it.

When we went we stayed in a hostel in Prague, which was on the site of the old Secret Service HQ. Our room was a stark cell with bunk beds, and I remember the toilets and shower being a long walk down a corridor.

It was mid-November, and very wet for the first couple of days in Prague. Had some memorable meals away from the tourist areas in smoky basement restaurants, accompanied by live jazz.

Then the rain turned to snow, and it was a complete white-out for the next 12 days. We got the train out of Prague and stayed in some of the typical Czech towns.

Our favourite place was Česk! Budějovice...

http://www.czechtourism.com/c/ceske-budejovice-budvar/

...the home of Budweiser Budvar, one of the world's great beers...

http://www.budejovickybudvar.cz/en/index.html

This is a great place to spend an evening or two in Prague...

https://www.pragueexperience.com/places.asp?PlaceID=1008

:beer:

barbarawright

The special effects museum just off Charles Bridge is really charming especially if you've got kids

http://www.muzeumkarlazemana.cz/en

The Jewish ghetto is really fascinating

The Cubist cafe is definitely worth a visit and if you're looking for breakfast/brunch, this place has the best scrambled eggs I have ever had https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274707-d4224872-Reviews-Narodni_Kavarna-Prague_Bohemia.html

BarryBlue

We have been to Prague three times and love the place. Firstly, get your transport ticket at the kiosk in the airport arrivals area. It will cover everything, including the airport bus, from which you can change onto the Metro at a suitable location where they meet. You can get 3 or 5 day tickets and, once validated, you just get on and off as you wish.

For travel around the city, the trams are most useful. They are frequent and cover the area well. Get yourself a transport map and you will see what alternatives there are for various locations. Tip: Don't walk up the hill to the castle - get one of the trams that runs above the castle (22 and 25 when we were there, I think) and walk downhill after your visit back into town.

There are so many things to see, look on Trip Advisor for what takes your fancy. But for lunch try the pubs with their wonderful beer and traditional Czech food. We always liked Pivovarsky Dum, where they make their own fantastic to wash down traditional fare. But you will find excellent ones all over the place.