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Prague  Travel Guide, the river

Prague Travel
City Tourist Guide, Czech Republic

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Prague Travel Guide, climate:
Best: April-June, Sept

Avoid: Easter, Christmas, July-Aug [massively crowded with tourists]
n.b. May, June for the Music Festival.

'Prague won't let you go, the little mother has claws' Kafka

Festivals guide:
May- June, Spring International Music Festival, with classical music concerts in various venues; this is one of Europe's best musical events, a must-see.
July- Sept, the city's Folklore Festival.
Aug-Sep, Verdi Festival.
Sept, St Wenceslas Sacred Music Festival, performed in many superb local churches.
Sept, Mozart Festival, appropriate music played in the gorgeous Bertramka Villa often visited by the M man himself.
Sept- Oct, Prague Autumn, international music festival, with classical concerts in the Castle.
Oct, International Jazz Festival.
Oct, Musica Iudaica, a festival of Jewish music.
Nov, Festival of Cyberculture [Datatransfer], including digital art, film, net and performance art.

For some precise dates or more information see: European Festivals or Arts Festivals.

Arts/Culture guide:
Museums: National Museum for natural history, Veletrzní Palác [Modern & Contemporary Art], Frantisek Bílek Villa, Jewish Museum.
Classical Music: Lichtenstein Palace, Church of St Simon and St Jude for chamber music, Bertramka for Mozart.
Various churches hold classical concerts at least somewhere, everyday. Fly sheets keep tourists informed.
Dance/Opera: State Opera, Estates Theatre, National Theatre, Duncan Center, Ponec.
Theatre: Puppet Opera has a very popular long-run 'Don Giovanni' at the National Marionette Theatre. Impressive and funny at first, but too long.
English language shows are held at Black Box International Theatre and Misery Loves Company.
Live Music & Clubs: Stare Mesto has loads of venues. There are popular jazz spots between Old Town Square and Nove Mesto.
Check English language Prague Post 'Night and Day' section for event info and listings.
Tickets can be bought from the venue or try ticket agencies: Bohemia Ticket International, Ticketpro.

Prague City Shopping guide:
Some popular travel souvenirs are;
Fine Bohemian crystal, ceramics, wooden toys, Easter eggs [Kraslice] and puppets.
Touristy: Around the Old Town Square and en route to the Castle [The Royal Way] are endless shops for puppets, Kafka or communist T-shirts, Russian stuff, and matrioshka dolls.
Classy: Wenceslas Square, Parizska trida near the Old Town Square, and Na Prikope area.
Wacky: Back streets in Stare Mesto and Mala Strana.

Taxis beware:
Fix the price of all Prague journeys in advance as the meter rate is fixed by the driver and often results in massive overcharging.

Cuisine guide:
Meat [especially boiled beef] and heavy soups [chicken or potato] are an essential part of old Czech culture and all available in many pubs.
The good news for vegetarians in Prague is that many pub/restaurants now serve vegetarian meals or dishes excluding dead animals, and there are plenty of good pizzerias too.
Beer: Pilsner is the most popular local brew, but Budvar - the original/tastier Budweiser - is Bugbog's choice!

 

Why Travel to Prague?
This 'City of a Hundred Spires' - cobbled cruising ground for Kafka, Mozart, and Soviet tanks - brims with aesthetic and architectural treasures.
Despite the worst floods for two centuries in 2002, the city - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - is in great shape.
It's clean, romantic, relaxed, walkable, and has lots of music entertainment. Cuisine is surprisingly sophisticated, Czech beer is world famous and it's good value - especially for opera and plastic surgery!
All in all this is one of the best short-stay tourist destinations in Europe.

Downside:
- Where have all the locals gone? There are just too many tourists!
- Service people are not exactly friendly.
-Taxis have a VERY bad reputation, so take the excellent public transport instead. It's worth getting an interchangeable transport ticket.

Prague attractions guide:
This city is loaded with Disneyesque sights, but for real:
Prague Castle [Prazsky Hrad], the city's most magnificent landmark, includes the imposing Gothic St Vitus Cathedral, with some fine stained-glass windows, the Royal Palace/garden, and St Nicolas' Church [in Hradcany [castle district].
The Old Town Square [Staromestské Námestí], includes the Old Town Hall/Astronomical Clock and the Gothic T´yn Church, the Powder Tower, the medieval Charles Bridge, and Josefov [the former Jewish Town: with Europe's oldest synagogue in use in the Old Town [Stare Mesto nb. this area closes on Saturdays].
The Fortress in Vysehrad.
Petrin Hill with its mock Eiffel Tower for panoramic view of the city.
Other notable buildings: National theatre, Estates Theatre, Dancing Building, Municipal House, Loreta and Kinsky Palace.

Short Trips out of Prague:
The province of Bohemia has many interesting travel possibilities. e.g.
Karlstejn Castle, the prettiest castle in the area, superbly situated above the River Berounka, 35 minutes [28 km] by train from Prague, now commercial and touristy, though.
Kutna Hora, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, used be the second most important town in Bohemia. It is a small version of Prague, with the finest Gothic masterpiece in Europe, Santa Barbora [Barbara] Cathedral, which is even more spectacular than St Vitus. 1 hour train ride.
Visit Sedlec if you have some spare time, known for the 'Bone Chapel' [Ossuary Chapel of All Saints] decorated with human bones.
Terezin, fortress town/ex-concentration camp, is 50 km north-west of the capital.

Accommodation guide:
This city is busy with tourists for most of the the year. Booking ahead, especially from Easter to September and Christmas time, is strongly recommended. [Internet booking is good value and efficient.]
Although public transport is decent and fast, staying in heart of the city [preferably Stare Mesto or Mala Strana] is worthwhile since walking is the best way to explore the place and taxis can be an unpleasant experience.

And if you plan to travel in Prague, how about adding another city or two to your trip? Check these tourist guides:

Vienna Travel Guide | Budapest Travel Guide

Amsterdam Travel Guide | Paris Guide

Rome Guide | Prague Links

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