Prague - any advice?
- Thread starter thy
- Start date
was there some years back. it's really quite lovely - old buildings, Charles Bridge....juz remember if you F&E/backpack there is to wake early to go to Charles Bridge. it's super packed during the day/evening....but wonderfully isolated in the morning.
Crystals super cheap in Prague. Can go to other places nearby like Ceske Budejovice, Ceske Krumlov, Karlstein (crystal much cheaper here than in Prague).
Pls remember that if you take public bus from airport to town, you have to buy 1 ticket for yourself, and 1 for your bag (the bulky type). Bus conductor will surely check this bus to catch unaware tourists.
Crystals super cheap in Prague. Can go to other places nearby like Ceske Budejovice, Ceske Krumlov, Karlstein (crystal much cheaper here than in Prague).
Pls remember that if you take public bus from airport to town, you have to buy 1 ticket for yourself, and 1 for your bag (the bulky type). Bus conductor will surely check this bus to catch unaware tourists.
hi hi, just to add on to all that has been said...
went to prague/budapest in nov last year... basically we used london as a base since there are more flights to london, spent a few days there before hopping onto a budget airline (easyjet) to prague. it was dirt cheap and took a little under an hour to fly to prague.
prague was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! we stayed in a pension, which is sorta like a B&B near the old town square, within walking distance to most areas... like what qhl said, charles bridge is really beautiful but need to avoid the heavy pedestrain flow during the peak hours. Go early in the morning and have a nice stroll across the bridge, there will almost always be people peddling quirky things along the bridge and some musicians playing music too.
do take time to explore the prague castle, the jewish quarters, the old town square... we were there sometime early dec and there were some christmas festivities in the old town square and people were selling mulled wine then (but sold only during the winter months) - very nice, keeps you warm in the cold!
i really found prague utterly charming - it's a fairy-tale land with castles, pebbled streets and lotsa old-time charm!
we travelled mostly on foot and the underground train, but it is fairly easy to travel around prague - if u equip urself with a good map or a trusty guide (im a lonely planet girl!), u'll be in good hands. safety-wise, as with all major cities, do be careful with ur belongings... we nearly got conned in prague, but that's another story altogther. food-wise, plenty of good hearty meaty dishes and czech dumplings with dirt-cheap beer at very affordable prices. it was such a feasting extravaganza for us there (plus im such a meat-lover, i stuffed myself silly there! hee)
all in all we spent only 3-4 days in prague itself, but if u intend to visit some of the czech places outside prague (which i was told, definitely a worthwhile visit cos things are cheaper out of prague), u may want to factor in more days in czech.
oh and btw some people hop over to budapest, krakow (in poland, which is apparently gorgeous!) or vienna - depending on the route you take. i only managed to do prague, budapest and parts of england, but u may consider an alternative loop, depending on ur preferences!
hope this helps anyone who's planning a trip to prague!
went to prague/budapest in nov last year... basically we used london as a base since there are more flights to london, spent a few days there before hopping onto a budget airline (easyjet) to prague. it was dirt cheap and took a little under an hour to fly to prague.
prague was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! we stayed in a pension, which is sorta like a B&B near the old town square, within walking distance to most areas... like what qhl said, charles bridge is really beautiful but need to avoid the heavy pedestrain flow during the peak hours. Go early in the morning and have a nice stroll across the bridge, there will almost always be people peddling quirky things along the bridge and some musicians playing music too.
do take time to explore the prague castle, the jewish quarters, the old town square... we were there sometime early dec and there were some christmas festivities in the old town square and people were selling mulled wine then (but sold only during the winter months) - very nice, keeps you warm in the cold!
i really found prague utterly charming - it's a fairy-tale land with castles, pebbled streets and lotsa old-time charm!
all in all we spent only 3-4 days in prague itself, but if u intend to visit some of the czech places outside prague (which i was told, definitely a worthwhile visit cos things are cheaper out of prague), u may want to factor in more days in czech.
oh and btw some people hop over to budapest, krakow (in poland, which is apparently gorgeous!) or vienna - depending on the route you take. i only managed to do prague, budapest and parts of england, but u may consider an alternative loop, depending on ur preferences!
hope this helps anyone who's planning a trip to prague!
Hi,
If u have more time on hand, do venture out of prague. I was there for 6 days in april this year. Absolutely lovely..really beautiful architect.
We completed the old city, new city, jewish quarters, prague castle within 4 days. So we went and took of those 1 day tour out of prague. U can see these yellow both around the opera house and they have brochures everywhere for these day tours. We signed up for a 1 day tour to chesky crumlov.. this is a town listed under one of unesco heritage site. I did some research on the net and this was one of the highly recommened location given to me. It is a small town with a castle and at the castle entrance,there is this bridge and beneath the bridge, they rear live bears..all 5 of them! really beautiful.
Lunch is included and transport as well. They can go and pick u up at the hotel. Its not cheap though, cost me slight below US100 per pax. They do have another popular day tour which covers two well known castles just outside prague. Let me know if any of u wanna see some photos.. i can share them with u all.
If u have more time on hand, do venture out of prague. I was there for 6 days in april this year. Absolutely lovely..really beautiful architect.
We completed the old city, new city, jewish quarters, prague castle within 4 days. So we went and took of those 1 day tour out of prague. U can see these yellow both around the opera house and they have brochures everywhere for these day tours. We signed up for a 1 day tour to chesky crumlov.. this is a town listed under one of unesco heritage site. I did some research on the net and this was one of the highly recommened location given to me. It is a small town with a castle and at the castle entrance,there is this bridge and beneath the bridge, they rear live bears..all 5 of them! really beautiful.
Lunch is included and transport as well. They can go and pick u up at the hotel. Its not cheap though, cost me slight below US100 per pax. They do have another popular day tour which covers two well known castles just outside prague. Let me know if any of u wanna see some photos.. i can share them with u all.
oh and 1 trick i picked up from the other tourist online is that.. u can cheat by not paying for a ticket to take the subway, tram, buese etc. There is no proper barricade point, u can just walk pass the gates, unlike singapore. most of the time, there is no one checking at the entrance/exit points. Becareful not to get caught though cos the fine is equivilent to almost 6 or 7 of the single trip tickets. we bought 1 ticket on the first day and throughout our 6 days there, we never purchased any mroe tickets, just took the transport for free 
hey starfruit, no kidding? u didn't pay for tpt at all? hehee... u are good leh! we read up lonely planet before going prague and it was stated in the book that chances are duty officers would usually target tourist, so FH and I very dutifully paid up for the tixs - and boy were we lucky we did - becos the very next stop that we got out, we were stopped and checked for our tickets!
but we figured, costs in prague is so cheap anyway (food and tpt), we'd rather pay for tixs and travel with piece of mind becos u're right - the fine wld be hefty if caught! hee
hey can i find out where else did u go besides prague and chesky crumlov (which sounds lovely!)? anywhere else within czech or did u venture to neighbouring eastern european countries as well?
but we figured, costs in prague is so cheap anyway (food and tpt), we'd rather pay for tixs and travel with piece of mind becos u're right - the fine wld be hefty if caught! hee
hey can i find out where else did u go besides prague and chesky crumlov (which sounds lovely!)? anywhere else within czech or did u venture to neighbouring eastern european countries as well?
Hi Rokko,
Yup.. i guess we were very lucky. In fact during our entire trip, we almost get caught but only once though cos that was the only time we saw the duty officers. We walked passed them, i didn't see them, but my hubby and friends saw them, they wanted to stop us butas we were walking so fast, they didn't bother to chase up. Whew.. heheh.
yeah... it was cheap to tour around prague.. the student discounts were even cheaper but as we were not students, so not eligible. It was cheaper befor ethey converted to euro so not sure if the price still the same now.
I didn't get to go anywhere else except chesky crumlov.. wanted to make a day tript to vienna cos its just across the border but the communication was a horror we could nto figure out the train schedule and platform etc so gave up. They have a 2 castle tour which we thought we should ahve gone but didn't. The castles are just outside prague and u get an english speaking guide as well.
As for other european countires, we didn't go, we only went straight to prague.. this is becos i didn't fly in from singapore to prague.
Yup.. i guess we were very lucky. In fact during our entire trip, we almost get caught but only once though cos that was the only time we saw the duty officers. We walked passed them, i didn't see them, but my hubby and friends saw them, they wanted to stop us butas we were walking so fast, they didn't bother to chase up. Whew.. heheh.
yeah... it was cheap to tour around prague.. the student discounts were even cheaper but as we were not students, so not eligible. It was cheaper befor ethey converted to euro so not sure if the price still the same now.
I didn't get to go anywhere else except chesky crumlov.. wanted to make a day tript to vienna cos its just across the border but the communication was a horror we could nto figure out the train schedule and platform etc so gave up. They have a 2 castle tour which we thought we should ahve gone but didn't. The castles are just outside prague and u get an english speaking guide as well.
As for other european countires, we didn't go, we only went straight to prague.. this is becos i didn't fly in from singapore to prague.
hi sharon, went to prague, seriusly it's a very lovely place, find it more romantic than paris
i stayed at blue key hotel (in the lesser town), but within walking distance of charles bridge and prague castle. can check it on euro cheapo, cheap and fantastic breakfast, good service too.
helo, ca't help posting, all this mesg got me so excited hehhee... we went to prague for one part of our honeymoon, stayed there for 6 days. it was LOVELY. up til now, thoughts of it still bring thrills to my heart. prob coz its our honeymoon, but lke all the ppl who had posted before me, we find Prague a fairytale like place.....historic buildings,lovely churches, cosy cafes......we are the kind who likes to stay in one plc for a long time, and not city hop, so we stayed in prague alone for 6 days. we cross the charles bridge everyday and visit the old town and jewish quarters, exploring, listening to musicals and attending concerts, or just sitting in cafes enjoying the aromatic coffee....bliss...... i didn't visit Czesky Krumlov though have heard nice things abt it....coz somehow 6 days is not even enough for us to feel sufficient! din wanna venture out hehhehehee...lazy hor?
PRague is supposedly an undiscovered jewel by the tourist world. that was from lonely planet....but alas, i think by the time we go there, manyother ppl have discovered this jewel. we went during easter holidays, so theres lotsa ang moh tourists around then. but the place didn't lose its charm....
one thing, i dun think its cheap anymore though. yes cheap compared to paris and france, but not to other parts of europe like spain or austria or eastern europe in particular. some hotels are using euros. but also prob we stayed in a lovely small hotel with suites...cld have brought our expenses up.
but no regrets, it has the most fantastic view....
PRague is supposedly an undiscovered jewel by the tourist world. that was from lonely planet....but alas, i think by the time we go there, manyother ppl have discovered this jewel.
we went during easter holidays, so theres lotsa ang moh tourists around then. but the place didn't lose its charm.... one thing, i dun think its cheap anymore though. yes cheap compared to paris and france, but not to other parts of europe like spain or austria or eastern europe in particular. some hotels are using euros. but also prob we stayed in a lovely small hotel with suites...cld have brought our expenses up.
Yes, Prague is BEAUTIFUL! U can cover the entire city on foot or with a little help from its metro. Unfortunately, Prague is no longer an "undiscovered jewel". It joined the EU last year in May and it is an extremely popular tourist destination for Europeans.
One of its draw is also its relatively cheap food in Europe. When I went in Oct03, a Czech friend had this to say:
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Before I propose a few places, I think I will give you a bit of introduction(=warning) to the Czech cuisine, as it is usually not much appreciated
by foreigners. Czech food is very greasy, meat-based, vegetables are basically non-existent. Our favourite is pork (the greasier, the better)
accompanied by grease (we call it sauce). The only good thing about it is that this food literally calls for beer to go with it. To make it even worse, our traditional side dish is "knedliky" - dumplings, a loaf of boiled dough cut into slices. They exist in several forms (bread, potatoe are the basic forms, can be "upgraded" to a full meal when they contain pieces of bacon, ham or when served sweet as balls with fruit filling and cottage cheese, sugar and melted butter on top.) If you are a vegetarian, you will suffer. Only heavy-meat-eater´s stomach can handle Czech food without feeling sick afterwards. When talking about food, I cannot leave aside beer, popularly
called "the liquid bread", which is still the cheapest drink (cheaper than soda
. You will find many many different brands, as each town usually has its own brewery. Apart from local brands, there are some available generally
everywhere. Czechs drink beer by pints (0.5 litre is the default measure, you can get also a "small beer" 0.3 litres). Beware of places serving a
default measure of 0.3 or bottled beer (tourist places, Czechs drink beer from the tap). Beer is available either as 10 degrees, or 12 degrees
(there is a difference in the production process, and also in the alcohol percentage). A good pint will have a rich foam cap and will be nicely cold. Best brands (my personal opinion): Gambrinus and Krusovice. Pilsner is usually too expensive (export beer), Budvar is appreciated by some, but often considered too heavy (headachy). Staropramen is a Prague local, inexpensive and all right to drink.
So here are a few tips:
U Pivrnce - Maislova street - just off the Old Town Square in the direction towards the castle. My personal favourite place where I usually go
straight from the airport for a Czech classic. The place is owned by a famous Czech cartoonist, so the whole restaurant/pub (upstairs, downstairs) is
decorated by his cartoon jokes. You probably will not be able to appreciate them, but they are very funny, usually crude and half of the time related to beer. I think they have an English menu there as well, go basically for anything from the "Ready Meals" section - svickova (pork and dumplings in creamy sauce), moravsky vrabec (roast pork with cabbage and potatoe dumplings) or goulash with dumplings are my personal favourites. The price of beer there should set your standard for the rest of the trip - paying anything above that would probably mean you are getting ripped off (I should think the price per pint is somwhere around 20 Czech crowns now - about 70 eurocents).
Kyvadlo - V Jame street - very much in the centre, off Vodickova (main tram street cutting Wenceslav Square in the middle) - has a special Sunday lunch - svickova again (never had it there, but the food generally is OK there. Not too traditional though.) They serve Bernard (beer), one of the strongest available (14 or even 17 degrees).
Penzion ???(somebody's name) - Navratilova (I think) street: Cannot remember the name now. But if you find V Jame street, this one is basically
opposite on the other side of the main tram street. The place is very small, on the left side, but they also have nice inexpensive Czech food. I like to go here for "halusky" - which is technically speaking a Slovak traditional meal, but also popular. It is kind of dumplinghish meal (dough comes in small pieces) mixed with cabbage and/or bacon. Yummy here.
U Ceskych panu - corner of Vodickova and ???. About one block from "V Jame" towards Wenc. Square. A bit more expensive, but they have an excellent fried "Hermelin" (brie type of cheese) - one of the few vegetarian meals we have (but notice -that it is fried, means at least it has been exposed to plenty of grease
. Very typical Czech. This place is located in an old cellar and
they specialise in old Czech cuisine. The food is a bit higher standard, means dumplings are not the homely kind we all know from our grandmothers, but I like the food there. You can try some old Czech favourites, such as roast duck with red and white cabbage and potatoe dumplings, or a very old dish - pork in plum sauce.
For a little snack, I must mention some typical beer food (designed to accompany beer rather than the other way round).
Bar 69 - do not remember the address, but we are back on Vodickova, on the V Jame side, walk away from the Wenc. Square, at the end where the tram tracks make a 90° turn to the right, continue up the leftmost street, passing Lamborghini (best Italian in town!), and take first to the left. After about 60 m (wild guess), there is a downstairs bar on your left side. Beer is good, although only 12 is available. Have some "nakladany hermelin" (the same brie cheese you had fried is now marinated in oil with varying
add-ins, such as chilli peppers, pepper, onions.... This goody is available in many places, I like the version served in this bar.)
Back to U Pivrnce (the first on the list), as a true pub, they have a choice of beer snacks. Pork knee with mustard and horseradish is great (do not be intimidated by the size, most of it will be pure fat and bones, which are not to be eaten), or "utopenec" - little sausages soaked similarly as the mentioned cheese in vinegar with onion and spices for a few weeks. Very typical beer snack.
If after the first taste of Czech food you find out that even Mac is better that that, you will find one on... Vodickova street.
These are a few of my favourite places, all very centrical, not touristic, which means you should get the real thing at a reasonable price. Completely avoid places like Svejk (the Czech food there is not Czech at all - instead of greasy pork you get very nice diet ham!!! Outrageous!, and usually at completely ridiculous prices.) I think that you should be able to get a meal at around CZK 100 )about 3,5 euros. In Czech pubs, the "REady Meals" could be as low as CZK 60 or 70).
Beware of pickpockets (plenty in the centre and metro - they can smell a tourist at a mile's distance!) - have always all your bags fastened, preferably in sight (no wallets in the outer pocket of your backpack on your back where you cannot watch it all the time, no wallets in the back pocket of your jeans!), and try to call a taxi company rather than take a taxi from the street (major problems as well - have a habit of ripping off tourists, and I do not mean by a few cents. Friends have had experience such as paying
50 euros for a ride of a few hundred meters!) Respectable companies are AAA, Citytaxi (best rates, around 19 CZK per kilometre). Public transport in Prague, however, is (a tiny bit) even better than in Helsinki - you can get everywhere at basically any time of the day, it is very reliable and inexpensive. Definitely applies to the airport taxis - they are ridiculously expensive. For a price of 30 cents, you can take a bus and metro downtown.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We make it a point to try each and every one of the pubs she mentioned. After several lunches and dinners, our fav is U Pivrnce, very central, authentic, and excellent (&cheap) food. Don't be misled by the term 'Beer snack', it is really quite substantial as a meal. Must haves are pork knuckle (enuff for 2) pork dumplings and goulash.
Generally, Beer is cheaper than coke everywhere but try a hot creamy choc if you want a change - wonderful!
We stayed at an old hostel in the city center that used to be a prison Cool! Stay in Prague for at least 4 days...any shorter and you'd regret it. Have fun!
One of its draw is also its relatively cheap food in Europe. When I went in Oct03, a Czech friend had this to say:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Before I propose a few places, I think I will give you a bit of introduction(=warning) to the Czech cuisine, as it is usually not much appreciated
by foreigners. Czech food is very greasy, meat-based, vegetables are basically non-existent. Our favourite is pork (the greasier, the better)
accompanied by grease (we call it sauce). The only good thing about it is that this food literally calls for beer to go with it. To make it even worse, our traditional side dish is "knedliky" - dumplings, a loaf of boiled dough cut into slices. They exist in several forms (bread, potatoe are the basic forms, can be "upgraded" to a full meal when they contain pieces of bacon, ham or when served sweet as balls with fruit filling and cottage cheese, sugar and melted butter on top.) If you are a vegetarian, you will suffer. Only heavy-meat-eater´s stomach can handle Czech food without feeling sick afterwards. When talking about food, I cannot leave aside beer, popularly
called "the liquid bread", which is still the cheapest drink (cheaper than soda
everywhere. Czechs drink beer by pints (0.5 litre is the default measure, you can get also a "small beer" 0.3 litres). Beware of places serving a
default measure of 0.3 or bottled beer (tourist places, Czechs drink beer from the tap). Beer is available either as 10 degrees, or 12 degrees
(there is a difference in the production process, and also in the alcohol percentage). A good pint will have a rich foam cap and will be nicely cold. Best brands (my personal opinion): Gambrinus and Krusovice. Pilsner is usually too expensive (export beer), Budvar is appreciated by some, but often considered too heavy (headachy). Staropramen is a Prague local, inexpensive and all right to drink.
So here are a few tips:
U Pivrnce - Maislova street - just off the Old Town Square in the direction towards the castle. My personal favourite place where I usually go
straight from the airport for a Czech classic. The place is owned by a famous Czech cartoonist, so the whole restaurant/pub (upstairs, downstairs) is
decorated by his cartoon jokes. You probably will not be able to appreciate them, but they are very funny, usually crude and half of the time related to beer. I think they have an English menu there as well, go basically for anything from the "Ready Meals" section - svickova (pork and dumplings in creamy sauce), moravsky vrabec (roast pork with cabbage and potatoe dumplings) or goulash with dumplings are my personal favourites. The price of beer there should set your standard for the rest of the trip - paying anything above that would probably mean you are getting ripped off (I should think the price per pint is somwhere around 20 Czech crowns now - about 70 eurocents).
Kyvadlo - V Jame street - very much in the centre, off Vodickova (main tram street cutting Wenceslav Square in the middle) - has a special Sunday lunch - svickova again (never had it there, but the food generally is OK there. Not too traditional though.) They serve Bernard (beer), one of the strongest available (14 or even 17 degrees).
Penzion ???(somebody's name) - Navratilova (I think) street: Cannot remember the name now. But if you find V Jame street, this one is basically
opposite on the other side of the main tram street. The place is very small, on the left side, but they also have nice inexpensive Czech food. I like to go here for "halusky" - which is technically speaking a Slovak traditional meal, but also popular. It is kind of dumplinghish meal (dough comes in small pieces) mixed with cabbage and/or bacon. Yummy here.
U Ceskych panu - corner of Vodickova and ???. About one block from "V Jame" towards Wenc. Square. A bit more expensive, but they have an excellent fried "Hermelin" (brie type of cheese) - one of the few vegetarian meals we have (but notice -that it is fried, means at least it has been exposed to plenty of grease
they specialise in old Czech cuisine. The food is a bit higher standard, means dumplings are not the homely kind we all know from our grandmothers, but I like the food there. You can try some old Czech favourites, such as roast duck with red and white cabbage and potatoe dumplings, or a very old dish - pork in plum sauce.
For a little snack, I must mention some typical beer food (designed to accompany beer rather than the other way round).
Bar 69 - do not remember the address, but we are back on Vodickova, on the V Jame side, walk away from the Wenc. Square, at the end where the tram tracks make a 90° turn to the right, continue up the leftmost street, passing Lamborghini (best Italian in town!), and take first to the left. After about 60 m (wild guess), there is a downstairs bar on your left side. Beer is good, although only 12 is available. Have some "nakladany hermelin" (the same brie cheese you had fried is now marinated in oil with varying
add-ins, such as chilli peppers, pepper, onions.... This goody is available in many places, I like the version served in this bar.)
Back to U Pivrnce (the first on the list), as a true pub, they have a choice of beer snacks. Pork knee with mustard and horseradish is great (do not be intimidated by the size, most of it will be pure fat and bones, which are not to be eaten), or "utopenec" - little sausages soaked similarly as the mentioned cheese in vinegar with onion and spices for a few weeks. Very typical beer snack.
If after the first taste of Czech food you find out that even Mac is better that that, you will find one on... Vodickova street.
These are a few of my favourite places, all very centrical, not touristic, which means you should get the real thing at a reasonable price. Completely avoid places like Svejk (the Czech food there is not Czech at all - instead of greasy pork you get very nice diet ham!!! Outrageous!, and usually at completely ridiculous prices.) I think that you should be able to get a meal at around CZK 100 )about 3,5 euros. In Czech pubs, the "REady Meals" could be as low as CZK 60 or 70).
Beware of pickpockets (plenty in the centre and metro - they can smell a tourist at a mile's distance!) - have always all your bags fastened, preferably in sight (no wallets in the outer pocket of your backpack on your back where you cannot watch it all the time, no wallets in the back pocket of your jeans!), and try to call a taxi company rather than take a taxi from the street (major problems as well - have a habit of ripping off tourists, and I do not mean by a few cents. Friends have had experience such as paying
50 euros for a ride of a few hundred meters!) Respectable companies are AAA, Citytaxi (best rates, around 19 CZK per kilometre). Public transport in Prague, however, is (a tiny bit) even better than in Helsinki - you can get everywhere at basically any time of the day, it is very reliable and inexpensive. Definitely applies to the airport taxis - they are ridiculously expensive. For a price of 30 cents, you can take a bus and metro downtown.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We make it a point to try each and every one of the pubs she mentioned. After several lunches and dinners, our fav is U Pivrnce, very central, authentic, and excellent (&cheap) food. Don't be misled by the term 'Beer snack', it is really quite substantial as a meal. Must haves are pork knuckle (enuff for 2) pork dumplings and goulash.
Generally, Beer is cheaper than coke everywhere but try a hot creamy choc if you want a change - wonderful!
We stayed at an old hostel in the city center that used to be a prison Cool! Stay in Prague for at least 4 days...any shorter and you'd regret it. Have fun!
hello all..
m very suprised that so many ppl hv been to prague and loved it. was there the summer of 98 backpacking with my hsemate b4 we graduated from uni. hv been trying to convince all my frens to take a trip there ever since but the moment they hear eastern europe, they freaked out. well, for those who r planning a eastern europe trip, i highly recommend the following itinerary: prague, vienna in austria (not exactly eastern europe but near the border, only a 2hr train ride if travelling from slovakia) and budapest, hungary.
m very suprised that so many ppl hv been to prague and loved it. was there the summer of 98 backpacking with my hsemate b4 we graduated from uni. hv been trying to convince all my frens to take a trip there ever since but the moment they hear eastern europe, they freaked out. well, for those who r planning a eastern europe trip, i highly recommend the following itinerary: prague, vienna in austria (not exactly eastern europe but near the border, only a 2hr train ride if travelling from slovakia) and budapest, hungary.
Hihi,
I did Prague and Berlin together, which is a 5 hour train ride apart. would recommend prague & vienna, this is quite a popular combination among backpackers. the pension i stayed in prague was quite awful so i wouldn't recommend that. but yes, prague is a lovely city. i love vienna too, schonbrun palace was awsome, and if you are a classical music fan, vienna is an absolute must-go.
one warning though, prague was terribly cold, even though i was there in apr!
I did Prague and Berlin together, which is a 5 hour train ride apart. would recommend prague & vienna, this is quite a popular combination among backpackers. the pension i stayed in prague was quite awful so i wouldn't recommend that. but yes, prague is a lovely city. i love vienna too, schonbrun palace was awsome, and if you are a classical music fan, vienna is an absolute must-go.
one warning though, prague was terribly cold, even though i was there in apr!
yup train from vienna to prague is definitely much nearer.a couple of hours only (if i can still remember). I am not sure about the route from vienna to prague but its not easy to get from prague to vienna becos of the language barrier and that the train runs on specif hours only. wanted try the last time i was in prague but gave up cos noboby could speak proper english to gide me onto the correct train platform and train timming!
hi sharon and all who are interested
oh btw i start, katgrrl that's great recc from u re. foodie joints! but i totally loved czech food! greasy and meaty no doubt but heckuva yummy! and the beer's cheaper than water, so it was eating and drinking extravaganza there! hee
ok coming back to the point - sharon u asked abt my B&B right? i'd highly highly recommend it - it's a lovely place just a few steps off the old town square.. it's called king george's house and it's recommended in this online guide to cheap B&B's HERE (and btw this website's cool! it recommends the cheap AND good places to stay in most of europe!)... the review said to specify for an attic room no. 10 or 11, and we did! hehee... and it was lovely staying in the attic with the wooden beams jutting out - loved it!!! and brekkie's usu. in a bar cellar just nxt door - was a v nice place to have ur brekkie in the mornings
hope this helps!
oh btw i start, katgrrl that's great recc from u re. foodie joints! but i totally loved czech food! greasy and meaty no doubt but heckuva yummy! and the beer's cheaper than water, so it was eating and drinking extravaganza there! hee
ok coming back to the point - sharon u asked abt my B&B right? i'd highly highly recommend it - it's a lovely place just a few steps off the old town square.. it's called king george's house and it's recommended in this online guide to cheap B&B's HERE (and btw this website's cool! it recommends the cheap AND good places to stay in most of europe!)... the review said to specify for an attic room no. 10 or 11, and we did! hehee... and it was lovely staying in the attic with the wooden beams jutting out - loved it!!! and brekkie's usu. in a bar cellar just nxt door - was a v nice place to have ur brekkie in the mornings
hope this helps!
Hi katgrrl, what a pity I didn't read your recce before going to prague!
I stayed at a lovely hotel- Hotel Golden Age- that's midway btw Wenceslas Sq and Old Town, with Havelska market right in front of it. For Prague it's very reasonable. I also stayed in Hotel Biskupsky Dum- slightly more ex and only 10m away from Charles Bridge. Both can be booked online.
I stayed at a lovely hotel- Hotel Golden Age- that's midway btw Wenceslas Sq and Old Town, with Havelska market right in front of it. For Prague it's very reasonable. I also stayed in Hotel Biskupsky Dum- slightly more ex and only 10m away from Charles Bridge. Both can be booked online.
Heheh..what can I say? I'm a typical foodie
Rokko and Grin, thanks for your recommendations. I'll check out those places if I go back to Prague
Speaking of Czech food, most east european cuisine share similar traits. My FH's in Ukraine right now and the food's yummy too. 1 dish he mentioned was meat and veg dumplings ...drool*... Btw, anyone wants to buy Beluga caviar? direct from the Caspian sea and very exquisite...
Rokko and Grin, thanks for your recommendations. I'll check out those places if I go back to Prague
Hi rokko!!
Thanks - King Geroge's House sounds good - but we are not sure if we can book in advance because we have not confirmed our trip from Venice to Prague (yep, from Venice!!). So do you think it is ok if we just 'pop' in and ask for the room like that?
Will be going to the trip soon - the weather will be extremely cold I think....
Thanks - King Geroge's House sounds good - but we are not sure if we can book in advance because we have not confirmed our trip from Venice to Prague (yep, from Venice!!). So do you think it is ok if we just 'pop' in and ask for the room like that?
Will be going to the trip soon - the weather will be extremely cold I think....
grin, oooh yes i remember havelska mkt! first stall that greeted us there was this stall that sold lotsa yummy chocs by weight - and we bought different ones just to try - they were yums!
katgrrl, hahaa u're like me, a meat lover!!! *hoots* actually i enjoyed hungarian cuisine a lots more when i was in budapest - the goulash is to die for!!!! authentic goulash sprinkled with real paprika, what a treat! hee... hey ur FH's in ukraine working or holidaying? and Beluga caviar sounds great!!!! how much wld that be??
sharon, actually if u go during the peak season, im not sure if rooms are so easily available... but what i did was to book the room thru the internet and i had to give my credit card no., but payment is only deducted upon your arrival at the B&B to check-in... which means that if u dun end up checking in, they shldnt be charging... well at least that was in the terms and conditions when i booked online - u might want to check it out
katgrrl, hahaa u're like me, a meat lover!!! *hoots* actually i enjoyed hungarian cuisine a lots more when i was in budapest - the goulash is to die for!!!! authentic goulash sprinkled with real paprika, what a treat! hee... hey ur FH's in ukraine working or holidaying? and Beluga caviar sounds great!!!! how much wld that be??
sharon, actually if u go during the peak season, im not sure if rooms are so easily available... but what i did was to book the room thru the internet and i had to give my credit card no., but payment is only deducted upon your arrival at the B&B to check-in... which means that if u dun end up checking in, they shldnt be charging... well at least that was in the terms and conditions when i booked online - u might want to check it out
Rokko, goulash with real paprika? *drooool*... Hehe, did u know that paprika for Hungarians is to what chili is for Singaporeans? ..and maybe even more so because it seems that they put paprika into everything. Nope, haven't been to Hungary but we've a Hungarian friend who gives us a jar of paprika or 6" of salami whenever he comes back from Hungary
Apparently, there's even a paprika restaurant in Hungary that has a humongous (fibreglass) paprika in front of it. guess what's the main ingredient in that restaurant
FH's in Ukraine for worktrip. I'd sell the Beluga caviar for S$200 a 56gm jar. See http://www.gourmetfoodstore.com/caviar/caviar-details-5926.asp?mscssid=1D26PVGEJKBK8GW3RM8QCD5D4GPQ3GUC where it retails for >US$300. HOWEVER, I won't be doing it because i'm not living in SG right now and there's no way I'd sell someone $200 caviar when I'm only returning in May. Perhaps when we're living in SG and he goes to Ukraine again
Sharon, I don't think there's any problem booking through the Internet. U get peace of mind because your accommodation is guaranteed. If u're wary of giving out your credit card details, I believe credit card companies insure against fraudulent purchases (but dun quote me on this). I always book over the Internet (did my Prague accomm this way too). If u're worried u may not like what u see, book for 1-2 days and then extend it when u're there and u like what u see. That'd be hedging your risks
FH's in Ukraine for worktrip. I'd sell the Beluga caviar for S$200 a 56gm jar. See http://www.gourmetfoodstore.com/caviar/caviar-details-5926.asp?mscssid=1D26PVGEJKBK8GW3RM8QCD5D4GPQ3GUC where it retails for >US$300. HOWEVER, I won't be doing it because i'm not living in SG right now and there's no way I'd sell someone $200 caviar when I'm only returning in May. Perhaps when we're living in SG and he goes to Ukraine again
Sharon, I don't think there's any problem booking through the Internet. U get peace of mind because your accommodation is guaranteed. If u're wary of giving out your credit card details, I believe credit card companies insure against fraudulent purchases (but dun quote me on this). I always book over the Internet (did my Prague accomm this way too). If u're worried u may not like what u see, book for 1-2 days and then extend it when u're there and u like what u see. That'd be hedging your risks
THANKS Katgrrl - will probably go to Prague and see what we can get over there... Since it is winter season, should be quite ok to get accommodation, I think.
The newspapers said it is EXTEMELY cold in Europe this year so Prague being so in land in geography should be freezing cold... brrr......
The newspapers said it is EXTEMELY cold in Europe this year so Prague being so in land in geography should be freezing cold... brrr......
Sharon,
It's not that bad....... I live in Finland and temp outside my window is now -14.4c, quite normal
But I understand your point, so here are some tips on how to dress sensibly.
1.Always layer on. long john+t shirt+sweater+outer coat. Add another t-shirt if u wish. Remember, it's not really the thickness of your items but the number of layers. Layering helps to trap air which insulates you from the cold.
2.Consider good quality material. Cashmere/pashmina and wool is much better at keeping warmth in than synthetic materials.
3.Wear 2 pairs of socks and gloves. Again, thick & high woollen socks are best. With gloves, preferably the outer ones are mittens. The trick is to clench your fist inside the mitten because that warms up your fingers better than finger-gloves.
4.Make sure your hat/cap covers past your ears.
Things u wanna consider bringing (compiled the list when my family visited for Christmas):
- If u'd be walking in snow, u need waterproof boots (most preferably those that go past your ankles. Ankle-high boots allow snow to get into your shoes. Wet & cold feet are no fun)
- Waterproof outer jacket or pakka *
- Waterproof pants (if u plan to go skiing or playing in snow)
- long john
- 2 to 3 t-shirts
- Leather or waterproof mittens (not gloves because mittens are warmer & preferably 1-2 sizes bigger so that you can wear gloves underneath the mittens. Waterproof so that you can play with snow) *
- woollen cap that covers the top of your head and ears * (much of the body heat is lost through the top of the head)
- Sunglasses (if u plan to ski-"snow blindness")
- Scarf *
- extra pairs of Socks *
- Moisturisers & lip balm *
* essentials
Bon voyage!
It's not that bad....... I live in Finland and temp outside my window is now -14.4c, quite normal
1.Always layer on. long john+t shirt+sweater+outer coat. Add another t-shirt if u wish. Remember, it's not really the thickness of your items but the number of layers. Layering helps to trap air which insulates you from the cold.
2.Consider good quality material. Cashmere/pashmina and wool is much better at keeping warmth in than synthetic materials.
3.Wear 2 pairs of socks and gloves. Again, thick & high woollen socks are best. With gloves, preferably the outer ones are mittens. The trick is to clench your fist inside the mitten because that warms up your fingers better than finger-gloves.
4.Make sure your hat/cap covers past your ears.
Things u wanna consider bringing (compiled the list when my family visited for Christmas):
- If u'd be walking in snow, u need waterproof boots (most preferably those that go past your ankles. Ankle-high boots allow snow to get into your shoes. Wet & cold feet are no fun)
- Waterproof outer jacket or pakka *
- Waterproof pants (if u plan to go skiing or playing in snow)
- long john
- 2 to 3 t-shirts
- Leather or waterproof mittens (not gloves because mittens are warmer & preferably 1-2 sizes bigger so that you can wear gloves underneath the mittens. Waterproof so that you can play with snow) *
- woollen cap that covers the top of your head and ears * (much of the body heat is lost through the top of the head)
- Sunglasses (if u plan to ski-"snow blindness")
- Scarf *
- extra pairs of Socks *
- Moisturisers & lip balm *
* essentials
Bon voyage!
helo! I am also going budapest later this yr, planning to visit Austria (salzburg, vienna, melk) and budapest. have sourced out the places to stay, but am having a headache over the transportation. we may be taking austrian airlines, which is direct to vienna. from vienna we wld like to go Melk, then need to come back to Vienna in order to go Salzburg. after salzburg, assuming we do not go Innsburg, we are going to Budapest. However, Salzburg to Budapest by train is 6 hrs, so we most likely taking 3hr train back to Vienna, and take a 50mins flight to Budapest. this route sounds terrible....and wld like to find out from you guys, any other recmmendations? we dun like to go for tours (even trafalgar) coz we prefer staying for at least 3 nights in each city. we prefer ala carte way, like when we went Prague, can experience the culture more.
dancingqueen
New Member
hi everyone,
i would love to visit prague for my honeymoon. if i have 15 days to spare, can you kindly suggest where else i should visit?
thanks!!
i would love to visit prague for my honeymoon. if i have 15 days to spare, can you kindly suggest where else i should visit?
thanks!!
helo dancingqueen, if u have 15 days, can consider going Budapest? if you go austria u will need to cover salzburg, vienna and prob innsburg, which may take more than a week. Prague and BUdapest will be nice, if u are doing it DIY.
PRague is a beautiful place.....have magical memories of it..
dancingqueen
New Member
hi binbin,
is august/sept a good season to go to prague?
is august/sept a good season to go to prague?
helo dancing queen, think august/sept will be spring/summer. weather shld be okie. and u will also miss their peak season (easter april and xmas). heard the czechs like going holiday in july/august, so u may get cheaper hotels and hostels during that period? i went during april last yr, it was end winter (late winter that yr) beginning spring. love the weather, but a lot of angmoh tourists around.
patrickmaniac
New Member
Hi guys been to Prague recently.
As beautiful as many have said but tourists abound.
Went there during the Easter holidays and lotsa stuffs happening.
Here is a pic but please do not download and disseminate as it is personal and meant for viewing here.
Thanks
Pat
As beautiful as many have said but tourists abound.
Went there during the Easter holidays and lotsa stuffs happening.
Here is a pic but please do not download and disseminate as it is personal and meant for viewing here.
Thanks
Pat
hi fellas,
hb n myself cldnt decide where else in france to visit... our plan is to go spain (madrid n barcelona) and then head to france (need to go paris because fren is there).. den in b/w, we are not sure where to go? Nice? Monacco? We are oso considering going to switzerland and austria (quick stopover) so that we can finally reach Prague.
Anyone has recommendations besides paris, whereas we shld try not to miss..? nice? monacco? or...? thanks a mil !
hb n myself cldnt decide where else in france to visit... our plan is to go spain (madrid n barcelona) and then head to france (need to go paris because fren is there).. den in b/w, we are not sure where to go? Nice? Monacco? We are oso considering going to switzerland and austria (quick stopover) so that we can finally reach Prague.
Anyone has recommendations besides paris, whereas we shld try not to miss..? nice? monacco? or...? thanks a mil !
if u have more time in Prague or Budapest, do a day trip to the out skirts.. the ourskirts is as beautiful as the city and u can even decide to do a full day or half day trip. Buses picks u up at ur hotel and drops u off at the end of the day. These day trips can be easily purchased when u r there.
Both Prague and Budapest is very easy to DIY..transposts is very easy especially in budapest. The tourist map actually list out all the bus/trams lines and nos. for ur reference.
Both Prague and Budapest is very easy to DIY..transposts is very easy especially in budapest. The tourist map actually list out all the bus/trams lines and nos. for ur reference.
Hi Pink Bunny
We went in June/July last yr. It was quite a nice time 2 go..except it can be pretty hot.. so bring along a cap or hat!!
nice place.. can also consider going outskirts like Cesky Krumlov like wat some of the gals mentioned. We din go there, but went 2 Plzen, Huna Kutra (Cant rem if it's this spelling) and Karlovy Vary (A beautiful Spa Town) instead..
Prague alone is super easy 2 go around.. .and very romantic in the dusky or dawn.. hubby snapped plenty of picts there..
We went in June/July last yr. It was quite a nice time 2 go..except it can be pretty hot.. so bring along a cap or hat!!
nice place.. can also consider going outskirts like Cesky Krumlov like wat some of the gals mentioned. We din go there, but went 2 Plzen, Huna Kutra (Cant rem if it's this spelling) and Karlovy Vary (A beautiful Spa Town) instead..
Prague alone is super easy 2 go around.. .and very romantic in the dusky or dawn.. hubby snapped plenty of picts there..