Showing posts with label Vltava River. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vltava River. Show all posts

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Top Tips for Prague

What I found to be helpful:

Transportation

Get the travel card.

Although most of the sites are clustered together and thus are within comfortable walking distance from each other, if you want to make the most of your time in Prague, you can still opt to use the transportation system to save time (e.g. walking for 40 minutes versus riding the tram for 12 minutes to get from one side of the Vltava River to another). 

The travel card comes in 1 day, 2 day or 3 day unlimited use of all kinds of transport. Just don't forget to validate it once because officers in casual attire regularly check and you don't want to pay a hefty fine if you get caught. It is very convenient, really.

Knowing the City

Join a walking tour.

Because what's the whole point of going to a place and just looking at the buildings or surroundings and not knowing what they meant or what history they possess?
Walking tours in Old Town Square
Join a free walking tour first. There are loads of types of tours to choose from. We chose Discover Prague tours because they got the best ratings and their schedule fitted ours. We didn't regret attending their Royal Walk free tour, and as a result, we ended up booking for their Prague Castle district tour which was 300 CZK pp.

Discover Prague Tours: David from Colorado
 It's a good way to learn about the city - especially if the tour guide is good and fun (we had David from Colorado). It is also a fun way to meet fellow travellers.

Go inside Museums.

We went inside the Museum of Communism as majority of Prague's history includes the bloody events brought about by the communistic era. Entrance fee is 290 CZK pp.

Money

Bring your Euro or GBP.

Instead of changing your money straight into CZK before going to Prague, bring your local currency and have them changed to Koruna in Prague. You'll get more out of your money because the exchange rate is higher, believe me.

Change your currency at Mango or Praha Exchange in Jindřišská, or at the International Currency Exchange in Mala Strana. They have 0% commission fee - so what you see in the exchange rate is what you get. ATMs or banks have lower exchange rates and they also have a processing/commission fee. 

Must do

Cross the Karluv Most (day and night).


Karluv Most early in the AM

Cross it as often as you can. I guarantee - you it's a different experience each time. The ideal time would be real early in the morning when there are only literally a handful of people present.
Karluv Most at night

See the Old Town Square (day and night).

Old Town Square at daytime
Sit back and relax at the square both during day and night. There are simply loads to see: the Astronomical clock tower and its show, St. Nicholas church, Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, etc. The same goes with sitting/strolling along the Vltava River.
Old Town Square at night

Cruise along the Vltava River.

Either have a lunch, snack or dinner, or just a simple cruise sans food/drinks along the Vltava River to enjoy the sights that the city has to offer.

Vltava River view at night
Vltava River at daytime

The Castle and the Changing of the Guards.

Prague Castle Complex - St. Vitus Cathedral
The castle complex is a must do in Prague and so is the changing of the guards at midday in the first courtyard. I suggest that you watch it instead in the gate near the Stag Moat/Jelení Príkop to be able to watch it with less people around. Be there about 30 minutes beforehand to secure a good spot in front of the gate.
Changing of the guards at the side gate

Panoramic Views.

Go up to Letna Park observation deck, the Petrin Hill, Prague Castle's South Gardens and Strahov Monastery for different panoramic viewpoints of the city. They're all free and breathtaking.
View from Strahov Monastery

View from Letna Park
View from Petrin Hill
View from Prague Castle's South Gardens


Find David Cerny's works.

Prague is known to have bizarre and provocative works of art scattered throughout the city. Look out for David Cerny's works, those dedicated for Franz Kafka, Sigmund Freud, and many more. Can you find them all?

7ft Sigmund Freud
Franz Kafka statue: a depiction from his story "Description of a Struggle"

Anna Chromy's Il Commendatore (Hollow Man)
Broken Men: A memorial to the victims of Communism
David Cerny's Piss

Nightlife

PubCrawl

3 pubs. free shot per pub. 1 hour open bar in the first pub. freebies. games/activities. Get to know people. For the nights we won't remember.
Drunken Monkey Pub Crawl

Food/Drinks

Koleno

Pork knuckles marinated in beer.

Duck confit (front) and Koleno (rear)

Trdelnik

Rolled dough which is grilled and topped with sugar and walnut mix.
Trdelnik

Goulash

Beef cooked with sauerkraut paired with bread dumplings.

Czech Beef goulash

Oplatky

Spa wafers with cream flavouring sandwiched between layers.

X-Beer 33

With an ETOH content of 11.8%, this is the strongest beer in Prague. The dark bittersweet lager ferments for 6 months in oak barrels and can be found in U Medvidku Beer Hall and Restaurant - Prague's first cabaret, the city's largest beer hall, and smallest brewery.


X-Beer 33


Strahov Monastery

Royal Canonry of Premonstratensians

View of the City of a Thousand Spires from the monastery

Founded in 1143, The Strahov Monastery is located at the back of the Petrin Hill and the castle complex.

Strahov Monastery

Head here for the famous Strahov Library, and for breathtaking panoramic views of the city.

Panoramic views from Strahov Monastery

The Strahov Library

Known as the most beautiful library in the world, the Strahov Library houses thousands of original volumes, is  adorned with beautiful frescoes, and is home to antique pieces of historical curiosity.

The library is located inside one of the buildings of the monastery. Entrance fee is 120 CZK. And to be able to take photos, you need to pay 50 CZK per person.
Theological Hall - left side
Tip: If going in by pairs or more, only one of you needs to pay and then just use his/her phone/camera to take photos. 
Theological Hall - right side
The library has 2 halls: the Theological hall and the Philosophical hall.
Theological Hall
The Theological Hall, which was the first hall built out of the two, houses thousands of volumes, mostly of the bible or bible parts in different languages. The frescoes there depict bible quotes.

The bigger and more impressive Philosophical Hall houses more than double of the amount of volumes in the previous hall. The ceiling is adorned with frescoes depicting the Intellectual Progress of Mankind: about science and religion and how true wisdom is found. 
Philosophical Hall - interior
Truly, anyone will marvel at the beauty of both halls. Who wouldn't want to study or read a book at this library?
Philosophical Hall
The Monastery also has a gallery and brewery. The brewery was reopened in 2000 and serves about 10 variations of St. Norbert beer. The gallery houses Rudolfian art, Gothic, Rococo and Baroque paintings which are among the most significant Central European collections. Entrance fee to the gallery is 120 CZK.

Restaurant Bellavista lunch

Restaurant Bellavista - outdoor seating
If you fancy a lunch with a view, this is one of the best places to be. The prices are higher - likely because of the view that you are paying for, and the meal and service is overall average. The view will definitely make up for everything else.
Pasta and Salad+Beer
We ordered pasta and salad, and tasted their beer. Mind you though, that this was the most expensive meal we've had during our trip.

Walk down from Strahov to the Castle Complex

The walkway to the castle
Then head down to Mala Strana. Cross Karluv Most yet again. Continue on to the Old Town Square and join a free walking tour.
Free walking tour

Kozlovna Apropos dinner

For another round of Czech cuisine, try out this diner near the Clementinum, or Staromestská metro station.
Duck confit
We ordered the famous beef goulash served on bread and duck confit. The serving was plentiful and the food tasted good. The price was just right. The atmosphere was average though, the place was packed and understandably, service was not as prompt but average. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.
Beef Goulash

Stroll along the Vltava River at night

Enjoy the magical views of the city as you stroll along the Vltava River. People-watch while you relax at one of the benches. Cap off the night with a bottle of beer if you like, because you're in Prague.

Vltava River at night
 

Template by Best Web Hosting