Czech Republic

I visited Prague twice, once for just a couple days on a tour, then again for work. It was interesting to have both a quick, tourist experience followed by a more local experience. I love Prague. It’s a beautiful city, many hidden treasures, and is very affordable compared to Western Europe. Increasing popularity has made Prague more crowded and expensive, but there are still many off the beaten path adventures to be had. Staying just south of the city center and Wenceslas Square will be slightly cheaper and still within walking distance to attractions or a short, cheap taxi ride. There is such a diverse array of things to see and do.

See & Do

• Prague Castle. Dalibor Tower.
• Old Town Square. Main square in the historical district.
• Charles Bridge. Popular bridge with statues to cross the river into the city center.
• Astronomical Clock. Beautiful clock that tells time according to astrology on the facade of city hall.
• Tyn Church. Gothic, beautiful.
• Karlova Street. Popular street in the old town.
• ewish Quarter. Cemeteries, synagogues, restaurants, popular historical area.
• Wenceslas Square. Vaclavske Namesti. Popular square for history, restaurants, and nightlife. Kind of the entry way into the city center. At night you may be solicited by prostitutes.
• Petrin Hill. Petrinski Sady. Hill topped by replica Eiffel Tower. Mirror maze.
• Vysehrad. Riverside fortress.
• Franz Kafka Museum. History of the famous author and some of his early works.
• Piss Sculpture. Statues of two dudes peeing outside Kafka Museum. They move. Kinda cool actually.
• Museum of Miniatures. Da Vinci, Matisse, Dali. Incredible details of replicated paintings that must be viewed through a microscope. Really cool off the beaten path spot.
• John Lennon Wall. Tribute to John Lennon with peace symbols and other graffiti art. Neat little spot by Charles Bridge. Tough to find, may have to ask for directions.
• In Utero. Giant, crazy looking sculpture.

Food & Drink

• Les Moules. Belgium food.
• Bruxx. Belgium food and beer.
• Cafe Colore. Breakfast. Mustek stop.
• Kavarna. Soup, sandwiches. Muzeum stop.
• Cicala Trattoria. Italian. Muzeum stop.
• Pastacafe. Breakfast, Italizan. Muzeum stop.
• Zanzibar. Cafe
• Pilsn and Pilsner Beer. Brewed not far outside Prague.
• Letna Beer Garden. Casual.

Nightlife

• Nebe. Nightclub. Wenceslas Square.
• Cafe 80s. Kind of tacky, but chill, good drinks, dance area downstairs, attractive women. In fact, it seemed strange groups of several beautiful women would walk in with a single less than average guy. Draw your own conclusions. Good spot though.
• James Dean. Tourist bar, American themed.
• Comic Book Bar. May not be exact name, but was interesting.
• Mama Bear. Regular Couchsurfing parties and meetups.
• Anonymous Bar. Cool place, unique drinks. If you order a special drink they will give you a post card to fill out and will then mail it to you that arrives when you return home.
• Batalion. Comic bar and museum, good rock music.
• Rum House Bar-Caribbean. All rum, really good, not crowded.

Tips

• Taxis. Negotiate the price BEFORE you get into the taxi, otherwise you will likely get overcharged and possibly get into major trouble if you refuse to pay the jacked up price. This is a good practice in any European city.
• Safety. Since Prague is such a hotspot for tourists, especially for nightlife which can include sex and drugs, be weary of solicitors. People on the main streets and squares will try to sell you drugs, often times fake or who knows what. Clubs hire bouncer types to get tourists to come to their club where they will usually take you to a club or strip club that promises much and just drains your wallet. Prostitutes can be found along some of the streets and if they come up to you, keep an eye on your wallet. Some may get handsy and snatch it, or distract you enough for someone else to. In general beware of pickpockets day or night. I never had a problem, but I tend to stay away from dodgy areas and luckily was usually with locals when heading out for the evening. Probably good to leave your passport locked up, but maybe bring a copy for identification purposes in case.

River View

River View

View Of Prague Castle

Prague Castle

Wenceslas Square

Astronomical Clock

John Lennon Wall

Miniatures Museum

One of my work friends suggested this day trip and it was a lot of fun. There is a castle you can tour and a small town at the base.

Tips

• Getting There. Take the train towards Beroun.