Prague
the city of hundred spires, could easily be called the city of hundred questions. A quick look into the Prague guide books, Prague travel forums e.g. the TripAdvisor or Trippy.com will give you an idea that people really ask the same questions all over again. Below you can find the frequently asked questions about Prague and not so frequent answers provided by me. Some of the questions relate to the Czech Republic or Czechia, which is its new name.
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What is the difference between Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic
- Literally there is not difference anymore, since both names are obsolete. The Czech Republic got its new name and is referred to as Czechia. I do not agree with the change and therefor I still keep calling Czechia the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic is still correct though. Unlikely calling the country Czechoslovakia like many tourists. Czechoslovakia was founded after the WWI in 1918 and ended by a peaceful split in 1992. Two new independent countries emerged from the disjoint and are now called Slovakia (Slovak Republic) and Czechia (Czech Republic). Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic.
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Can I pay in Euro in Prague?
- Most places in Prague accept Euro, especially places located in city center. The exchange rate however is most of the time very bad and one will lose by paying in Euro. Some places and some companies (like our company) offer fair exchange rate. At the moment you should get around 27 CZK per 1 EUR and about 25 CZK if you pay in USD. Some places (like our company) accept the USD as well.
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How many days should we plan to stay in Prague?
- I suggest to stay a minimum of 3 full days, which means to stay at least 3 nights.
A bit of statistics: In average tourist stay in Prague 2.75 nights. Statistic presented in 2014 by the Czech ministry for regional development. According to their stats presented in 2016 tourists spend 20% of their travel expenses on accommodation, 25% on transportation, 15% on food. Rest is spent for goods, other services and having fun.
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What is the easiest way to get from the Prague airport to the city center? (and return)
- – A lot of people ask what is the easiest, but in fact want to know, what is the cheapest way to get to town. Let’s answer both questions and go even beyond that. The cheapest way is probably to walk. I never met anyone, who would have done it on foot from the airport to the Prague city center as it is in average 15 kilometers.
– The cheap and time-efficient is the Airport Express bus. It connects the airport and main train station in Wilsonova street. There you can also access the Metro C line. The cost of the bus ticket is 60 CZK and it is a special tariff only for the Airport Express bus.
– The alternative to the Airport Express is the public transport. At the moment you can only take a bus to B line or A line. From there you can continue by trams or underground to the city center. The travel costs are 32 CZK per person.
– More expensive yet still super cheap are the shared shuttles. However the airport shuttle is only cheap if you travel solo. For couples and especially groups of 3+ persons shuttle becomes more expensive than private transfers.
– Private transfers are the most comfortable and thus easiest way to travel from the Prague airport to the city center and return. The cost varies according to type and size of vehicle. Service is door to door, meet and greet is usually included.
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What is the best place to change money?
- In my opinion the best change is an exchange point, which does not rip you off and give you fair, up to date exchange rate without any hidden fees and charges. You do not get such service at the airport for sure. I myself prefer the Exchange located on the corner of Maiselova, Kaprova and Franz Kafka Square. The address is Kaprova 13, Prague 1. Another excellent exchange is Charafli.cz at Jungmannova 28.
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What is the best hotel in Prague
- This is a tricky question. I prefer not to answer as there are too many criteria to look at. It is the same with restaurants and bars. However there are plenty of web services such as booking.com, trivago and many other that specialize on the topic of accommodation. One should consider using www.airbnb.cz, which can provide great ratio between quality and price.
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What is the best beer in Czechia
- Another tricky question. Czechia is homeland of beer; pilsner especially. Urquell Pilsen from Pilsen gave affected the production in the world as most beers are the “Pilsen” type. Even though I like Pilsner Urquell beer and I would definitely put it on the list of the Czech best beers, there are so many beers and so many different flavors that is is probably better to come to Prague and taste yourself. I myself am a fan of local small breweries. Prague is full of microbreweries.
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Is it good to bring children to Prague and what to do with children in Prague?
- Of course when you are on a stag do or a hen party, it is probably better to leave kids home. If you are a family type like me, Prague will welcome you with a lot of options to do. There is a museum of toys at the Prague Castle, the museum of Alchemy in Lesser Town, Prague Zoo in Holesovice, which is right next to the Botanical garden and Troja chateau. It is possible to visit The Kingdom of Railways located in Stroupeznickeho 23, Prague 5. Wax, torment or spider museums are always good picks with children :-). The small Eiffel Tower at the top of Petrin invites for at least a half day. You can climb the Petrin tower, get there or from there by the funicular and also visit the mirror maze near by. Apart from that Prague offers unique expositions in Holesovice exhibition center – often interesting for children. Another of my tips are the aqua parks. To name a few: Sutka, Aqua Palace and Aqua Dream. During summer it is possible to go to Zlute Lazne and spend a sunny afternoon on the river banks enjoying sports, swimming along with good drinks and food.
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What is the best time of the year to come to Prague
- Top travel season is considered May and September. I agree the weather is the best and Prague is the most beautiful then. However accommodation prices may exceed your budget. April, June, October are good alternatives. Other months can be too hot or too cold, but Prague is always beautiful. If it is too hot, you can go swimming, if it is too cold, have a glass of hot wine or rum, walk a bit around and have another round.
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Are there any dangerous places in Prague?
- Apart from tourists traps, pickpockets and taxi scams, there are no real threats in Prague. According to the Global Peace Index, Czechia is number is 6 safest in the world. You may not feel nice in old Zizkov or places like in the park near the main train station, but the fear is irrelevant. Prague has one of the lowest murder rates, very low index of terrorist attacks and even minimum risk of civil demonstrations.