Any Czech people here? Prague advice needed

Pekka, you know Marty, good old (in fact young, about your age more or less) Marty that lives in Czech R.

Even I'm not from Prague, I live in Pilsen that is 90 km Southwest. Prague is good destination, they are used to see tourists, are best speakers of English (because of tourists) and also it's famous city full of places of interest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_the_Czech_Republic

http://wikitravel.org/en/Czech_Republic

Edited by Marty McFly - May 13 2010 at 02:27

I'm not Czech, but I'd drink Budějovický Budvar and try to catch an Už Jsme Doma concert 

=F=

Pekka wrote: So I'm taking a week long trip to Prague with my fiancée this coming July, and we'd be happy to have some recommendations of places to go to, buildings to see, food to eat and beer to drink  Oh, and of course record stores to shop in. We're probably planning to spend most of the time in Prague but are very open to some shorter trips outside the city if there's something we can't resist.  So if you live in Prague, have visited the city or just know a lot about it, let me hear some first time visitor recommendations

Are you going to Prague by car?

In fact in all cases you will be plesantly surprised when in Czech Republic. I am familiar with Finland and Czech Republic both, so first (and almost most important ) thing is prices. Almost everything in Prague will cost you at least twice cheaper, than in Finland. Food and beer quality are excellent, Praque has a huge old town, usually full of tourists. Best way to research it is go by walk. Parking in center is often a problem.

I am not living in Prague, but this city is regularly on my way. So I know it a little bit. If you like jazz, there is a nice jazz-club "Agharta", just 100-200 meters from central city square. Have you any specific questions I can help?

Yep, this is how much of Prague looks like.

Prague's Castle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague_Castle

If you like underground cozy bars in Old town with unformal atmosphere and live jazz (small scene right behind you), you must visit Agharta Jazz Centrum ( it placed just 100-150 meters from Staromestske Nam. (central Old Prague square, with watch tower, you can see the watch on Marty's picture), Agharta has a good i-net site with scheme how to find them and program.

The place I can recommend to visit for good food and atmoshere in Old town is Giovanni Ristorante, very close to Agharta and central square, between Zelezna and Kozna streets. Not a noisy place in medevial small halls,with great food and average (for touristic center ) prices. In fact,they are not Italians at all, the owner is from Bosnia, and all personal is from Balkans as well. But for food it's even better.

Generally, main rule for Prague is as for any other very touristic place: go for touristic places in Old Town, but for food,drink,sleep and shopping - outside of the center. For sure, even expensive restaurant in Prague is not much expensive than caffee-shops around Market Square in Helsinki, but outside of touristic center you can save around 20-30% on food,beer and hotels. Same with shopping (depends what are you interested in though)


Edited by snobb - May 13 2010 at 09:45

Thanks Slava for outside thinking. Because you can conceive and think about things I would never realize otherwise, because they are normal for me.

1)Yes, when you compares it to "Western Europe" (by price tag, I count here North Europe too), our country is cheap. But beware, next to Prague Castle, there is a shop (more like stall) where they sell water, normal water like from water tap, for €3. But don't be shocked, just bring water with you.

2)Shopping - Yep, tourist "district", places where most historical buildings are are overpriced. I can recommend you go shopping not to small supermarkets, but rather to big shopping malls, because these tends to have fair prices.

3)We have many brands of beer, my Pilsen has Pilsner, Budejovice has Budweiser Budvar, There is also Staropramen, Radegast, Pardal, Svijany, Branik and also one brand I don't recommend at all called Mladocech (that costs € 0.1 - terrible).

4)Slava will for sure help you with clubs where to go. Because I don't usually go clubbing, I'm helpless here. But I know attractions. Were these images helpful to you ? I can add more, I know about many interesting places in Prague and can explain you how it looks / works there.

5)Nope, don't know him, but don't worry, I don't watch sports or know famous people. I even don't know when Pilsen's hockey / football club plays. I walked across one street today and saw a sign that we play / played / will play with Sweden something, probably hockey. But nice to mention it :-D accidents happen.

Marty McFly wrote: Thanks Slava for outside thinking. Because you can conceive and think about things I would never realize otherwise, because they are normal for me. 1)Yes, when you compares it to "Western Europe" (by price tag, I count here North Europe too), our country is cheap. But beware, next to Prague Castle, there is a shop (more like stall) where they sell water, normal water like from water tap, for €3. But don't be shocked, just bring water with you. 2)Shopping - Yep, tourist "district", places where most historical buildings are are overpriced. I can recommend you go shopping not to small supermarkets, but rather to big shopping malls, because these tends to have fair prices. 3)We have many brands of beer, my Pilsen has Pilsner, Budejovice has Budweiser Budvar, There is also Staropramen, Radegast, Pardal, Svijany, Branik and also one brand I don't recommend at all called Mladocech (that costs € 0.1 - terrible). 4)Slava will for sure help you with clubs where to go. Because I don't usually go clubbing, I'm helpless here. But I know attractions. Were these images helpful to you ? I can add more, I know about many interesting places in Prague and can explain you how it looks / works there. 5)Nope, don't know him, but don't worry, I don't watch sports or know famous people. I even don't know when Pilsen's hockey / football club plays. I walked across one street today and saw a sign that we play / played / will play with Sweden something, probably hockey. But nice to mention it :-D accidents happen.

And we have Pilsner and Budwaiser Budwar in every shop there in LT ( Budwaiser owns a beer brewery in Lithuania, so they produce their beer there for region market)

You know Slava, it's some kind of patriotic thing. Oh how it's called when you are defending your city. You know what, try to buy yourself one and have it for me (cheers!).

I have contacted my Prague guy and he will help me with matters and things I don't know about, like accommodation, good shops etc. Maybe I will stay at his place for a while so we can met here. I always like to visit Prague because to be honest, I've never been there for more than 10 hours. Always arrived in the morning and left with setting sun. Never have been there for more days, but I always wanted to spend some time here. I hope your fiancé wouldn't mind me (ahem, fiancé means that you are not married, but you are, what's-the-word, engaged ?)

Gate entrance to brewery. It's some kind of big tourist attraction and there is guided tour through this areal. I was there this Autumn.

Well, you're Canadian. You have your own drinks. Maybe you drink something different like wine or whisky or something like that. Czech Republic is basically Bohemia (Plzen - Pilsen, Praha - Prague, Karlovy Vary - Karlsbad, Ceske Budejovice - Budweis) and Moravia (Brno, Ostrava, Olomouc etc).

Moravians tends to not hate, but overlook us from more, let's say rich Prague, more internationally famous. Oh and they drink wine.

But you're right, if to drink something here, it should be our alcohol. We have a lot to offer.

Pekka, go for beer chap :-D

I see, you're here longer than I am, so you two probably had nice talking in past. I do love Prog too, but who doesn't here on PA.

Umm, you should better get some maps and I mean really close up maps, or some kind of GPS, because Prague is quite big city. You know, I'm small town boy (200.000 people). I wonder how Prague people can reach their destinations there, but you know about this probably more than I do. I'm not used to travel, but I never got lost in a Czech city, not even in Prague. I was wandering there once, looking for used-books-shops (we call them Antiquariats) and could walk through its streets easily.

I didn't even have a map, so the important thing is to use big buildings like Prague Castle, Carl's Bridge, National Museum, Theater, Dancing House, these places, like orientation point. Always check your course by comparing to them.