Prague thread.
Going to Prague in a couple of weeks.
Advice, recommendations, blahblahblah
I'd definitely recommend doing the free walking tour if it's running while you're there. It's aimed at backpackers and it's customary to tip a few Euros at the end of the tour (which lasts at least a few hours), but you don't have to if you don't want to. It's great if you're on a budget, because instead of just seeing the sites for yourself and trying to find out their significance from guidebooks/internet, you've got a knowledgeable local guide who will know all that information and stories that you'd find out from locals. I think they run in most major European cities throughout the tourist season - I didn't actually do it in Prague but I did in Budapest, and it made me really regret not going in Prague because I'd done loads of sightseeing without really understanding what I was looking at.
>>957777
Be warned Mr Quads that a lot of the castle may still be closed. Not worth paying for admission for anything up there if it is. And if you want to see Charles Bridge when not covered in people you will need to get up early. Main sights are easy to figure out, try to go to the jewish cemetery, and to the theatre as often as you can
>>957829
That's actually a very good tip. I always go up very early when i want to explore a new city. Preferably at sunrise.
>>957777
Golden street or whatever it is called in English (you have to buy a ticket at the castle which includes it, it's more expensive than the church alone but worth it - also the St. Vitus Cathedral has beautiful Mucha windows) & the walk with gorgeous view from there down to the city next to vineyard absinthe ice-cream / milkshake. A noodles bar called Zebra near the large square, the small food/toy market next to it. Vysehrad is nice as well. Jewish Quarter, Jewish cemetery (though expensive). Eat food with 'pivni syr' (beer cheese) or Kolach with poppy seed, damn yummy..... I've been to Prague 6 times, so ask me anything :)
>>958279
meant to say 'next to a vineyard. Also try absinthe ice cream / milkshakes.
>>957777
>joe
>>958628
There are an establishment that sells it, it has two locations. It's called Absintherie. You can't really miss it, its en route from the bridge to the large square.
Also most attractions are open every day, maybe some except sunday :)
>>958628
http://www.electronicbeats.net/en/articles/prague-city-guide/
>>959794
places worth paying a visit
>>958280
Just remember that absinthe can give you a case of the most god-awful flatulence you ever experienced -- sound like somebody revving a fucking motorcycle in your pants.
Hence the well-known expression, :"Absinthe makes the fart go HONDA!"
>>959798
I fart on the reg regardless, so sounds like fun!
>>957777
Avoid any restaurant that drops condiments and bread and shit on the table without asking you. They add huge charges to your bill for them when you go to pay, regardless of whether you even touch them. Either tell them to take them away or just leave and go to a place that isn't actively trying to rip you off.
The least confrontational way of avoiding having your bill doubled is to just leave immediately that they do it.
>>957777
The Castle is one of the most crowded tourist attractions I have ever been to. Make sure to get there early in the day before the hordes show up. The Petrinsky Hill is fairly nice to walk around, it has good views of the city.
>>959997
can you explain this a bit more.
i have no heard of this particular issue before.
>>960021
It's an old scam that restaurants in the very touristy parts of Prague pull.
It goes like this:
>walk into restaurant
>get shown to table
>sit down, be given menu
>order food
>bread and condiments arrive
>meals arrive
>bill arrives
>bill is 2x price of ordered dishes
>pay with card, don't notice because rich american tourist
OR
>complain, be told 30 euro per person for condiments
>possible fine print in menu you need a microscope to read
>Possibly not in the original menu you were given either but you don't get to see that again.
>Waiters suddenly block your exit until you pay
It's pretty much only Prague that does this, the only other place on Earth I've ever seen it was in one super expensive bar in Hong Kong ($28HK for 'complimentary' nuts, not as bad as the Prague bread scam).
I'd read about it online before it happened to me so I was prepared and my friend and I didn't touch the bread etc, said to take it away and just had a drink and left exact change for the drinks when they started giving us trouble about it. Plenty of other tourists get strong-armed into paying up though, most people off to take pictures of their family on Charles Bridge aren't ready to fight their way through semi-gangster waiters.
>>957842
This, I also like to take very late night week day wanders. Always make sure you're safe though.
Wandering about alone at night when the sights are lit up is great. I remember the pantheon in Rome being all illuminated and I basically had it to myself. Highlight of the trip. Also, NY at night was fantastic. Just like the movies.
>>960029
This happened to me and my mates in Prague, only city in the 20+ I've been to in Europe that did it in a scammy way. It isn't a couvert, just a case of trying to rip off tourists.
Avoid the places just outside the castle on Loretánská street, cheeky cunts the lot of em.
>>957777
Also one more thing: if a (black) guy offers to sell you cocaine, just laugh and get away. It's always fake. Mostly just cut aspirin.
>>960029
I've heard about this numerous times but never experienced this in the 6 times I went there. :/
When i was in prague last summer i took the metro to the Jazz club agharta it's super cozy. A good crowd (everyone sits) but plenty of seats. Good beer. Awesome music.
>>960029
this makes me worry about the brothels and other places tourists often get ripped off
So is prague just out to get its tourists or what? what else do we need to be afriad of there?
I am considering applying to the Prague university of Economics for my master's degree. Natives of Prague, what can you tell me about the student life in the city? My studies will take about 2 years there, would I get bored after a while?
>>960358
All I can say is: just do normal things as a tourist and don't be naive. You can come very far if you just use common sense.
>>957777
>the beer museum is just a pub with really good marketing, but it does have the best beer anywhere
>don't buy weed from the blackest guy in the back of the reggae bar, its laced
>don't go to that 5 story club, its just live every other club everywhere
>do go to cross club, awesome music different genres every night, great friendly atmosphere, and it looks cool as fuck
>stay at sir tobys hostel, they do free barbecues a couple days a week
>czech absinthe is just green paint stripper, slivoviche (or however you spell it) on the other hand
Go to the monastery breweries up in the hills. Lots of stuff to see on the way up there and a nice place to enjoy a good beer with some food. Admittedly I haven't been to as many places as many on this board, but Prague was probably the coolest place I've ever been.
>>957777
Hookers are dirt cheap if you're into that and there's a huge selection them.
>>960491
i'm listening
>>958290
wow, my name's joe and I just visited my girlfriend in prague a last week. Im not OP though.
>>960461
Another good hotel is hotel Roma, it has nice, quiet rooms near the castle/bridge and very good breakfast.
Hello!
I'm planning trip to Prague. I'm able to go there after 6.4.2015 and have about 6-10 days to spend there. I dont have shitload of money so this would be budget trip.
Things what I'm looking for:
1. Cheap hostel. 5-10€ /night. last time I visited Blind Eye Hostel was about 5€ dormroom bed and 15€ private 2bedroom.
Anything someone would recomend?
2. Good restaurants without bullshit. Any place anyone would recomend? I'd like to visit some good localfood restaurants. I had hard time finding one when last time visiting.
3. good chillout places/bars/bubs/whatever where people like to hang out.
Travelling is something i really would like to do, but have so restricted time to do.
that's all i need. Really basic. I have all redy looked around google, but now I'm asking advise from you mighty /trv/.
I just want to change scenery for a while.
>>959997
Just avoid eating at venceslas square, old town square and Na příkopě, its ok to shop there, but not to eat. Also avoid anything that say 'real prague souvenir' is some shit selled by russias, thats why you always find matrioshka and shit there...
Check these vids about taxi scams, in english made by natives
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM9_KZNJw8qFzeqikoHIjfWolmg5q7vbA
>>960267
true
>>960297
Also Jazz dock
Raduta maybe (never been there, but its quite famous)
>>960424
No, Prague is on the rise and if you manage get out of your rourist shell and find some cool Prague people you're gona have a time of your life in the city
>>960461
>>the beer museum is just a pub with really good marketing, but it does have the best beer anywhere
Tourist shit, go to Lokál
>don't buy weed from the blackest guy in the back of the reggae bar, its laced
Probably true
>don't go to that 5 story club, its just live every other club everywhere
Please avoid it
>do go to cross club, awesome music different genres every night, great friendly atmosphere, and it looks cool as fuck
true
>>960749
Pho tuan&lan - Jiřího z poděbrad or anglická, they have the best pho bo in prague
Czech food - Lokál, U Parlamentu. But there is a load of decent places a bit outside the tourist zone and during the time from 12.00 to 15.00 you can get soup, main dish and beer for like 100-120czk
Burgers - dish burger, the tavern
Places to go: cafe Neustadt, neone, Polygon (party), Bio oko, aero, cafe jedna, podnik, cafe nona, Akropolis, Vlkova 26, Bukowski and many more
Try to check goout.cz
>>961037
Thank you for information. Will try some of those places out.
>>957777
>>957777
Don't exchange money. You will be ripped off immensely. Just withdraw money from the walls. The Czech republic is very cheap, but not neccesarily in Prague if you don't know where to look. Evade all the tourist traps and look for pubs in back alleys. If you want to visit strip clubs, go to Hot Peppers. They have decent prizes. Most other strip clubs are very shady and they might extort you. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Good luck and have fun!
