Prague/Budapest

kraggy

hi folks,

anyone been to either recently?

wanna go for a weekend soon. Prague still cheap?

thanks...

Roar

i went to both back in feb, preferred Prague, an absolutely beautiful city, you'll spend your days just walking around looking at buildings, trying to soak it all in. Eating out in Prague is very reasonable, however there's not much price difference in clothes, CD's etc.

trotter_inc

I am going to Prague a the end of December - supposed to be a good spot!

There was a 2/3 page article on Budapest in the Ireland on Sunday yesterday - could be worth a look too!

kraggy

thanks folks!!

MadsL

This gives me chance to repost this; and correct one of the directions (Turn Left at Tesco) from this thread

My favourite 'see Prague in an long afternoon' trip - always used to do this with vistors...

Takes a good three hours and you will be pretty ready for a beer after this
1. Walk from Wenceslas Square (Vaclavske Namesti) to Narodni Trida metro (check the map here )

Basically walk downhill, and then turn left at the bottom of the square. Keep walking along 28 rijna which then becomes Narodni. Turn Left when you get to Tesco. You will see a Metro stop and a Tram stop, you need the trams on the Tesco side. Buy a ticket at the newsagent kiosk.
(maté jidenky, prosim? MA-TAY YIZ-DENKY, PRO-SEEM? - then hold up fingers for how may you want. Include your thumb when gesturing for how many. A peace sign will mean 3...)

2. Get on the 22 or 23 (NOT any others) and punch your tickets. ((You will get inspected and fined if you don't and it is not worth the hassle of maybe having passports confiscated etc) Try to either stand at the very back of the tram and look out of the back window, or sit on the right hand side of the trams (it is almost mandatory to give up a seat for babicky (grannies!) though....
look after your wallet especially if any disturbance, pushing, or distraction happens in front of you. An argument say, or someone falls. Prague trams are notorious for pickpockets. Best strategy is to have a small 'muggers wallet' with some small amount of money for the day and then wear a moneybelt, or special lining pocket in clothes, or leave the goodies in the hotel safe. Money clothes (special hidden pockets) are good too, my wife travelled the Silk Road with $5000 in cash sewn into her dress - It survived arrest in Kazakhstan! ...


3. The tramride will give you a great view of the Charles Bridge and the castle on the right. Later you can look out of the back of the tram as you pass through baroque arches, the tram will them start to climb the hill (After the Malostranská metro stop), you will go up a double hairpin bend with a brief but spectacular view of the city. Get off the tram at the next but one stop. Hradcanská (H-RAD-CHANCE-KA) Hrad means castle.

4. Cross the street, and walk into the castle. All the guide books tell you what to see here, so I won't bore you. Don't waste to much time (or money) on the Crown Jewels...unless you are into that kind of thing.

5. Exit the castle at the 'uphill' gates (the massive statues)

6. If you have time walk across to the monastery at Strahov. Great views of the city on the walk.

Alternatively walk across the square ...) (good places for lunch around here too - but a bit pricy) ...) bear right and follow this street (Kanovnicka) until you come to the wonderfully named Novy Svet (New World Street) on the right, probably the prettiest street in Prague. Follow this until the end, turn left and walk until you come to the church on the left and the massive palace on the right (now a govt building) Turn left and this street will bring you back to the castle.

7. Follow the steps (this is why you took the tram up!) to the right of the castle downhill to Malostranská. Turn right at the bottom. If you get lost ask for Malostranská (MALLOW-STRAN-SKA)

6. Once in Malostranska, grab a beer or a coffee etc and then follow the McDonalds signs :rolleyes to Mostecká and onto the Charles Bridge (wallet alert!!) Stroll across the bridge (or if it is Summer - fight your way through the crowds) If it is too mad and crowded, once across, do not continue down the very narrow street (Karlova) just tourist shops here anyway, instead follow the tramlines to the left and then take the next street on the right. this takes you past the library (featured in the latest Heineken ad) Keep left at the square and eventually you will arrive at The Old Town Square - Staromestske Nameste or Staromá in slang.

7. If it is close to the hour, wait to see the clock do it's stuff (Wallet Alert!!!) and then turn 180 degrees and 'walk' down Melantrichová (more crowds) which will bring you back to Wenceslas Square.


My Prague top ten tips;

1. Wherever you eat - the goulash is usually good and cheap. Perfect with a beer.

2. Don't expect service with a smile in a traditional pub, put a beermat in front of you and wait. Don't signal. A beer will either be brought to you or you will be asked which beer you want (light or dark, 10 degree or 12) It will be brought and dumped on your table, usually with a bang. This is not rude or surly, just how it is done. A piece of paper with a stroke on it will be put on your table. Don't lose it, or you will pay a big fine. You will be brought another and another until you ask to pay (zaplatim, prosim) Check the waiter's maths, they are often 'loose' in this respect, and then tip him a little extra (say the bill is 167 crowns - give him 180) Then you will get a smile. 200 will get you a big smile...The beer is cheap so why not be a good guy.

3. Only hit the Irish bars if you are desperate. Most young czechs speak great English and a very friendly (not to mention goodlooking) Irish bars are generally overpriced. Check the web for bar reviews (everything changes quickly) The Prague Post is a good place to start.
One legend though is Chateau (ask anyone where it is - walk through the archway behind the Old Town Square 'disneyland' church - and out the other side...) This bar was formerly known as Chapeau Rouge and most long term expats refer to it as such. It is a mad place. No tills and very little chance of getting the right change, drug dealers, visa-whores and tourists all mix and get drunk. Seedy-chic you could call it. I've known of face-slashings and mafia bustups. Drunk girls hurling pint glasses at the barmen. The bouncers will half-kill you if you get out of line here, but that means you can step in the door in relative safety. Most tourists don't see what goes on, but go along and have a look at the some of the characters here. Best chance of pulling too...(they are open until around 4.30am ) Get pissed, but be careful.

4. Roxy (on Dlouha 33 )

Wonderful club, cheap and with a real sense of 'when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro' Another legend in the world of Prague clubs.

Also don't miss Radost FX. Very hip, great veggie restaurant and small but cool club.
Was voted one of the Top Ten Clubs of the World by Ministry mag.

5. Learn some Czech. Four words are all you need, two for politeness
Prosim = please
díky = thanks (DEE-KY)
and two to stop you looking like an idiot;
Tam = there (push)
Sem = here (pull)

6. Learn some history

Here's a 15 page quick history of everything czech. everything you see will make more sense.
http://archiv.radio.cz/history/history02.html

7. Be respectful.
Don't laugh at how cheap everything is, or tell people that they earn a pittance.
On the other hand don't be too suprised by how expensive some things have become(accommodation esp.)
Be generous when you tip but not so much that it seems money is no object.
Don't piss in the streets.
Don't freeload on the metro/trams. You will get caught.

8. Don't take taxis
Prague has a great 24hr public transport, get a map, or ask people on the street, Czechs are mostly very helpful.
Taxis will rip you off unless you agree a fare, and even then may try.

9. Go to the Opera.
If you have never thought that you could stand Opera, GO!
Everyone should experience Prague Opera houses once in their lives.

10. Book now to go back in Winter. Best. New. Years. Evar!

Enjoy - and post your trip report!!
__________________

trotter_inc

Whats the story with currency in Prague?

Do they accept euro or is it just czech kroner? I better order some kroner if they wont accept euro!

Thanks.

Padraig Mor

trotter_inc wrote:

Whats the story with currency in Prague?

Do they accept euro or is it just czech kroner? I better order some kroner if they wont accept euro!

Thanks.

Don't bother ordering. Just get it from the ATM at the airport. Only thing with this is you may get a bunch of, say, 2000 Kr notes which don't generally go down well. Solution - go to a 'big' shop (Tesco, McDonalds or something) and buy something small with it. Voila - change!

trotter_inc

Padraig Mor wrote:

Don't bother ordering. Just get it from the ATM at the airport. Only thing with this is you may get a bunch of, say, 2000 Kr notes which don't generally go down well. Solution - go to a 'big' shop (Tesco, McDonalds or something) and buy something small with it. Voila - change!

Nice one - thanks Padraig!

Padraig Mor

trotter_inc wrote:

Nice one - thanks Padraig!

No problem! What we did was get enough cash at the airport for a few days. Also brought a wad of euros which we changed at the (KB? or maybe it was Sport...something or other?) bank directly opposite Tesco (on corner near U Medviku pub). Good rate and no big notes.

trotter_inc

Padraig Mor wrote:

No problem! What we did was get enough cash at the airport for a few days. Also brought a wad of euros which we changed at the (KB? or maybe it was Sport...something or other?) bank directly opposite Tesco (on corner near U Medviku pub). Good rate and no big notes.

Im going from the 27th Dec to the 30th Dec so the banks prob wont be open then. Will prob just bring my credit cards and ATM card - that should be fine.

Thanks!

Rossonero

I hear Prague is fantastic, but that Budapest is just as nice and cheaper.

is_that_so

Would recommend Budapest although it is quite a few years since I was there. I loved it. Have heard that Prague is great but if you are inclined to sample nightlife be careful( seems to be popular with Irish stags thes days). Plenty of stories of people being drugged and robbed. Some very seedy clubs about. And it'll be bloody freezing whichever you pick.

elivsvonchiaing

MadsL wrote:

3. Only hit the Irish bars if you are desperate. Most young czechs speak great English and a very friendly (not to mention goodlooking) Irish bars are generally overpriced.

Very desperate. I haven't been to Prague since 2001 and have heard not much has changed in this regard. Irish pub was 3 quid/pint. Local places 40p!!!