Prague Travel Blog: Table of Contents
Where, How?
Prague on C&C
Best Time To Visit Prague
Personal Notes
Where to Sleep
Let’s Eat!
Let’s Go For a Drink
What to See and Do
Tipping in Prague
Common Scams & What to Avoid
C&C’s Google Map of the City
Prague Travel Blog: Where, How?
Prague, Czech Republic, Central Europe, Europe
Population: 1,267,449 (2015)
Currency: Czech koruna (Kč)
Airport(s)
Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)
Airport Notes:
Václav Havel Airport Prague is the most important airport in Czech Republic. It is ranked among the safest airports in the world and received the Eagle Award presented by the IATA Association to the world’s most developing airport. Situated only 10 kilometers from the city’s center, it serves as a hub for Czech Airlines, Travel Service, Ryanair and Wizz Air.
Transportation to-and-from the airport:
Many public city buses have lines that run to-and-from the airport. There are a few shuttles too, like Airport Express Bus, Minibus Cedaz and Prague Airport Shuttle.
Fix Taxi and AAA Taxi are the taxi companies that provide transportation. AAA Taxi also operates Minibus Cedaz and has a mobile app that can be used to order a taxi.
Private car services can be arranged in advance. You can also rent a car, but it is not recommended if you are going to be staying in the city.
Intra-City Transportation
The recommended way to move around Prague is via public transport, as the traffic in city center has become worse over the past decade. The streetcars are super charming, and the subway is very effective. Buses also work well! There is an option to purchase a tourist pass which allows you to use any of aforementioned freely for as long as it is valid.
Keep in mind that public buses are not permitted to enter the historic districts. However, trams and metros do go into the historic districts.
Walking in Prague is also a recommended way to get around, just make sure not to jay-walk.
A Note on Taxis: Taxi drivers from Prague are known for scamming tourists. Stay away.
Just like anywhere, Uber is cheaper and safer. If you don’t already have an account, use this link and get 15 dollars off your first ride!
Neighborhoods
One of the most notable neighborhoods would have to be Stare Město (Old Town). Some of the others are Josefov (Jewish Quarter), Zizkov, Mala Strana (Little Quarter), Hradčany, and Nove Mesto (New Town). To know more about the city’s neighborhoods, read this blog post I wrote!
Navigation tips: The city is situated on the Vltava river, along which lie many attractions. Remembering where the river is can help you find your way, but it’s not always accurate, since it’s not straight. Remembering where the Charles Bridge is can be another good point of reference.
Prague Travel Blog: More About Prague on C&C
- PRAGUE PHOTOGRAPHY: LOCATIONS AND TIPS FOR THE BEST SOUVENIR PICTURES
- TO REALLY SEE PRAGUE, GO WHERE THE LOCALS GO
- THE CULINARY HISTORY OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC IS ALIVE AND WELL IN PRAGUE
- THINGS TO DO IN PRAGUE – CZECH FOODIES WAKE UP FROM THEIR SLUMBER
- RESTAURANT PROFILE – V ZATISI, PRAGUE: TO STAY RELEVANT
- RESTAURANT PROFILE – CAFE IMPERIAL, PRAGUE : THE CZECH CULINARY RENAISSANCE
- BAR PROFILE – ÚNĚTICKÝ PIVOVAR, PRAGUE: DON’T MESS WITH CZECH BEER
- RESTAURANT PROFILE: LA DÉGUSTATION, PRAGUE – THE BEST OF THE COUNTRY!
- VIDEO – ANONYMOUS BAR, IN PRAGUE: THE HIDEOUT
- DIGITAL NOMAD LIFE: WHERE TO LIVE WHEN YOU HAVE MOBILITY
- RESTAURANT PROFILE – CODA & TERASA U ZLATÉ STUDNĚ – A ROOFTOP MEAL
Best Time To Visit Prague
Average Monthly Minimum And Maximum Temperatures
Average Monthly Hours Of Sunshine
Average Monthly Rainfall Or Snowfall
Prague Travel Blog: Personal Notes
What’s This Place About?
Prague is all about architecture, art, history, nightlife, and beer.
Prague Travel Blog: What’s Great and Fun?
Prague is one of the world’s beer capitals, along with Munich, Dublin, and Brussels. There are a lot of different and delectable beers to be had and they are relatively cheap. The architecture is distinctive, and it is a picturesque city to explore by foot, enjoying the attractions, buildings, and the city’s general feel. The waterfront near the Vitava hosts open air pubs in the summer, and it is one of the most delightful places in the world to sit and have beer. And of course, you have all of the regular attractions that everyone sees at least once when they are in Prague, including the castle, the Charles bridge, and the Old Square. All of these are on par with some of the most scenic international tourist attractions in the world. If you want to see the real Prague, however, you have to dig deeper and go to the outer boroughs.
Personal Anecdotes
When I was a kid, Prague was one of the first places I traveled abroad. I was with two Czech friends at a restaurant and they asked me where I wanted to go. I wanted to go to a place called Hanybany because it was a nice pub. As it turns out, there is a truly horrible club also called Hanybany, and as regular readers of this column might know, I do not enjoy clubs. Unfortunately, my friends thought that I wanted to go to the club and not the pub.
We have a lot to drink I become quite drunk. Around 3:00 am, I realize that my friends are gone. While they were dancing, I had been walking around observing things going on in the club, which is an activity that always fascinates me.
My friends are gone, I am very drunk, lost, and I don’t even know if I have any money. Keep in mind that this is back in 2004, when smartphones didn’t exist.
Since I don’t know where I am, my first reaction is to get into a taxi. Taxis in Prague are notorious for their scams. Unfortunately, I did not know this back then. I get into the taxi and ask the driver to go somewhere so that I can get my bearings. We get on a bridge and I have no idea where we are. I look in my bag for money and discover that I have about 75 cents USD. The taxi driver does not speak good English and I don’t speak a work of Czech. I try, unsuccessfully, to tell him that I need to find an ATM. The driver turns around and sees that I am holding a bill that is the equivalent of about 75 cents. He stops the car, reaches underneath his seat, takes out a club and starts hitting me. I get very upset and block his hits with my forearm. I angrily step out of the car and he gets out and tries to hit me again. I punch the rear-view mirror on the side of the car and it falls onto the ground, exploding into 1,000 pieces. This makes the driver even more upset. We go another round. I start screaming as loud as I can and he gets scared, gets back into his car, and drives off.
I am left in the middle of the bridge, where there is no sidewalk. I have no clue where I am, and I am worried that this guy will come back and attack me again. I start running in the direction we were heading. I get to the end of the bridge and turn onto a small street to avoid being seen by him. I figure I will just keep walking straight until I find a larger street. The first large street I find is the one where my hotel is located. I was very lucky, but ended up with a gigantic bruise on my forearm.
Prague Travel Blog: Where to stay in Prague
There is a wide variety of hotels, hostels and guest houses to choose from in Prague. Though most of them are quite cheap, prices have been rising quick, lately.
Hostels in Prague? Dime a dozen. They’re cheap, they’re modern, some of them are brand new, and the atmosphere is festive, most of the time. If you are in a hurry and don’t want to waste much time on searching where to stay in Prague, go here straight.
Hostel One Home. Hostel Downtown. Sophie’s Hostel. The MadHouse. Arpacay Backpackers Hostel. Czech Inn Hostel. Charles Bridge Economic Hostel. You can’t go wrong with any of these.
There’s also a very large amount of great, cheap, nice mid-range hotels. My picks: Central Studios (Cimburkova 6) or MeetMe23.
You want luxury? My pick is the Golden Well. But there are a lot of great options out there: Hotel Residence Agnes. Hotel Pod Věží. U Bílé Lilie.
If you are looking for inexpensive options on where to stay in Prague, you might be interested in this.
And of course all of the major luxury chains are present in the city.
Just like everywhere, Airbnb is a very interesting option. If you’re not already a member, you can use this Airbnb link to get $40 off your first reservation.
Prague Travel Blog: Let’s Eat!
Prague Travel Blog: Famous Foods and Specialties
- Gulas – a beef stew, usually eaten with houskové knedlíky – steamed noodles.
- Bramborak – potato pancakes with beef.
- Bramborová polévka – potato soup.
- Opiekane bram bory – baked potatoes.
The Best Drunk Food
- Smazeny syr – fried cheese – you gotta love the way it melts in your mouth.
- Nakládaný hermelín – pickled camembert cheese with bread.
Things to do in Prague: Our Suggestions – Dishes And Restaurants
Prague is a tourist city, which means that there are a lot of tourist traps. Don’t worry, we have a nice lisst compiled just for you!
First, check out my Quick Guide to Prague which lists some of my favourite restaurants of the city.
On top of that, if you want to try classic Czech food (and you’ve already visited Cafe Imperial) I suggest Apetit (Dlouhá 736/23). The price is right and the portions are large.
One of the best things about Prague is klobasa. These sausages are available as snacks anywhere throughout the city, and especially in the many outdoors beer gardens. When you a make decision on where to stay in Prague, check also about the restaurant options.
Prague Travel Blog: Let’s Go For a Drink
Prague Travel Blog: What Do the Locals Drink?
BEER!
Drinking in Public
Until 2013 it was possible to drink in public in Prague, now it’s forbidden.
Prague Travel Blog: Our Suggestions – Bars and Pubs
A reminder: you’re in beer country. This means that Prague has dozens of spectacular bars.
First, my favourite café/bar, which is a very emotional place for me: Hany Bany (Veleslavínova 5). It’s a cool little pub with a very laid back atmosphere. I try to visit every time I’m in town.
Orange Bar (Haštalská 755/15) is probably the smallest bar in the world, bar Tokyo’s Golden Gai. The atmosphere is great. The place is so small, you’ll probably have to talk to a stranger!
One more awesome spot: Propaganda (Pštrossova 29). Please note that this isn’t the same location that I visited a few years ago. I suspect that it’s as nice as the first location, but I can’t guarantee it because I’ve not visited the new place!
Don’t forget to check out AnonymouS (Michalská 432/12)! Above is a video I made with my friends at WanderTooth.
One of my favourite places on Earth: Wine bar U Sudu (Vodičkova 677/10). You need to go downstairs and explore! Check out the pictures of the place, too…
When you decide on where to stay in Prague, keep in mind the bar and beverage options available
This might be the best hipster bar of all central Europe: Café Sladkovský (Sevastopolská 17). The whole area around this bar is also full of cool pubs.
U Fleků (Křemencova 11) – a famous restaurant and brewery. It is best known for its dark lager, but you can try other beverages – Becherovka shots, for example. Be careful, the drinks are brought out as soon as you finish the last one, and the moment they are placed on the table, according to restaurant’s policy, you have to pay for them.
Prague Travel Blog: What to See and Do
One of must-see places in Prague is definitely Hradčany – a part of city’s historical center. You can find Prague Castle there, over 1000 years old official residence of the President of the Czech Republic. There also other notable attractions in the area, including Strahov monastery and Loreta, a complex of building including the clock tower, renowned for its chime. Apart from that, you can’t miss Charles Bridge, a 520 meters long old bridge known for its many statues depicting historically important Czechs. There is also the Old City, famous for the Clementinum and the Týn Church, and many, many others.
Aside from all the architectural monuments which Prague is famous for, there is plenty of other things to see there!
Havel’s market, or Havelske trziste, is conveniently located in the city center and appealing to tourists at the same time. It is one of few permanent markets, and allows you to buy food and souvenirs to your liking. If you are looking for a flea market, try Prague flea market near Palackeho náměstí, just next to the river. This one isn’t that popular with visitors, so you can meet many locals there!
The National Gallery in Prague manages the largest collection of art in the entire country. It actually isn’t located in a single building, but actually spread out among a number of other places in the city. The collection includes works by artists such as Picasso, Van Gogh and Monet. There is also the Lobkowicz Collections and Museum, where you can see not only paintings, but also books, music, arms and armor.
Because many monuments are located near Vltava, you can go on a cruise to see them and avoid crowds at the same time.
Don’t look for where to stay in Prague too far away from a happening tourist attraction
Some nice viewpoints in Prague from which you can see the beautiful panorama of the city include Letná Beer Garden, Marina Ristorante and Vyšehrad.
If you are a fan of classical music, try Prague Spring International Music Festival, which is held in May. I am not, so I would recommend Signal Festival, a showcase of light art and emerging technologies; a truly unforgettable experience.
Tipping in Prague
Just like in most of Europe, it is not expected to tip but it is a nice gesture. It is common for tourists to tip 10-15% of the total cost of the bill if there is no service charge included.
Prague Travel Blog: Common Scams & What to Avoid
It is always a good practice to decide on where to stay in Prague away from these places.
Common Scams
Prague is a relatively safe city, and the regular warnings apply. However it’s a city that can quickly change at night, and there’s a thick underbelly of prostitution and human trafficking in this city. If you stick to regular bars and don’t push your luck, you’ll be just fine!
Pickpockets
There are some pickpockets in Prague and most of them are around the Old Square, as well as the Vaclavske Namesti (Vaclav Square). Be very careful, particularly late at night, because there are “ladies of the night” that double as pickpockets. Steer clear of them.
READ MORE: Travel Canada Advisory for the Czech Republic