Prague

Voyager2002

Nordictat2 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the tips. I have saved some of the info./links but sadly my husband has said NO to the idea but I talked him into a little trip to London (better than nothing heh).

Thanks again

Did he say why?

Anyway, can I take you to Prague?

(Only half joking: I do have spare time at the moment, and getting a visa for my wife to go there would be an absolute nightmare. But I would love to spend a few days revisiting one of my favourite cities, and would prefer company for such an occasion.)

And a warning to all husbands: if you block your OH's cherished wishes, other men will appear who would be honoured to help make such dreams come true.

MercilessKiller

Don't worry Voyager. I'm taking my girlfriend without her knowing (yet) Quite the opposite! We're not all bad

MrSmartprice

Prague is a great place for a few days away. (A hell of a lot better - and cheaper - than London, even including the travel!)

Transport is easy, cheap and frequent. Get your card at the kiosk in Arrivals at the airport, 220KC for 3 days, 280KC for 7 days. Validate it on the bus, 119 from the airport, and you don't need to show it again unless an inspector asks you. The system has no barriers. Trams are the best way to get around the city, ask for a plan at a Metro station.

As for security, there's no great problem, though I use a moneybelt to be on the safe side in any big city. Just be aware of Roma gypsies who are sometimes hanging around stations looking for an unwary tourist to rob. They are easy to spot, and the police give them a hard time when they encounter hem.

As for the pubs, there are plenty of really excellent ones, most doing good cheap food too. We tended to eat Czech pub food at lunchtime with their wonderful cheap beer, and find a restaurant at night. Pizzas are particularly good value in Prague, but there are plenty of other choices too. If you are a beer drinker, try the dark beer (tmavy) which is a revelation. The best beer we found was at Pivovarsky Dum, where they make their own.

Try this for pub reviews. http://www.praguepubs.co.uk/

pattycake

The 3 day, 5 day, 7 day travel tickets have been discontinued from the 1 January. They were incredible value for money. The price of tram/metro tickets has also increased. It is is still possible to buy a sheaf of tickets and then just validate them on each journey. This is as soon as you get onto a tram using the yellow machine near the door or as you enter the metro station.

MercilessKiller

I thought they still did the 7 day ones but the 3 and 5 are discontinued?

pattycake

Sorry, I have misled you somewhat. The 5 day ticket is still available but at a cost of 500kr. Unless you are going to be using public transport a huge amount the price is ridiculous (around £14). I admit the convenience of having the ticket is brilliant and I always used to get one when I spend time there but now I will just get a sheaf of tickets and use them as and when I need to.

My husband who is resident in Prague gets a monthly ticket now but this is not really a viable option for tourists. When I go over for the Easter break, I shall probably use his ticket as he will be at work for some of the time.

No matter how long I spend in Prague or how many times I go, I still find things to do and see. We have been lucky enough over the past seven years to explore the rest of the Czech Republic too which has been fascinating. Our next project in the summer is to take a trip to Bratislava for a few nights. My husband has spent time there on business and reckons it is worth a visit. We shall probably then use the hydrofoil to travel down the Danube and have a day in Vienna.

Simstwins

I went to Prague last month for my 40th birthday, and stayed at the K+K Hotel Fenix as a special treat. They regularly have offers posted on their website for special deals, but I used airmiles on this occasion. The hotel was great and the staff were helpful.
The Hotel is 4*, and as such we found no stag/hen parties. We used the trams to get about (nicer being above ground than under it), and bought the timed tickets to use.
We actually bought a ticket one day just to ride around and get out of the centre - it didn't take long and found lots of things to look at.
To actually get around the Old Town and Wencelas Square we found it easier to walk, which also meant that we could explore the side streets - which are alot more interesting than the main tourist routes. I was surprised at how compact this area was.
We also found that if you explored the side streets the prices in the restaurants were substantially lower than on the main routes, and didn't have a bad meal during our stay.:beer: