Czech Out These Blogs

Czech Please


This past weekend, some friends and I decided to break our trend of traveling in Western Europe and head to the Czech Republic. Our hostel in Prague was just outside Old Town Square. Believe it or not, Old Town Square and the surrounding Old Town are made up of very old buildings. The architecture here is amazing, dating back to the 13th century. Looking around the square after a tour of the city, I was able to identify many of the buildings. From the center of the square, I could see the gothic Týn Cathedral, the baroque St. Nicholas Church, Old Town Hall, and a medieval astronomical clock. Next to me, in the middle of the square was a statue of Jan Hus, a religious reformer who was burned at the stake in Constantinople. However, after looking through the rest of the Prague blogs, I decided not to write about any of this. Instead, I will focus on the new restaurants and bars that now occupy the majority of these unbelievable buildings.

Don’t get me wrong, the Prague Castle and Charles Bridge are awesome architectural and historical artifacts; but, when I went to Prague, I decided to look for something significant that might be overlooked by most tourists. I found that something in Prague’s unique restaurant, pub, and bar scene.In a Prague blog made available to us by our very own Tim Montgomery, were a number of suggestions as to where to locate the best food and drink in Prague. As we began hopping from restaurant to restaurant and bar to bar, some common themes began to pop up. First, everything was very cheap. Although New Town is slightly cheaper than Old Town, we were still paying the equivalent of $1.19 for a half liter of beer. That’s less than one euro! The reason for this excellent exchange rate is Prague’s extreme inflation in 1991 and 1993. This inflation was the result of radical government policies designed to provide more control of the economy. The details of these monetary policies and are explained in this article. To make the awesome exchange rate even better, the quality of food and beer at each of our stops was excellent. I picked up on the fact that many dishes and all of the beer you will find in Prague is part of Czech culture. Pilsner and Budweiser can both have their roots traced back to the Czech Republic, as both were German words for cities there. Today, almost every restaurant and bar has a contract with one of these beers making them readily available. This simple observation is supported by the fact that the Czech Republic consumes more beer per capita than any other country in Europe. Combine one of these beers with a traditional Czech dish like beef and dumplings and you can have an excellent meal for around $5. Just remember, unlike most of Western Europe, gratuity is not included in your bill.

The final theme that I picked up on between the various bars and restaurants were the buildings themselves. Almost every place we visited had some sort of basement sitting area. Sometimes, the entire restaurant would be underground. When I got home and looked for an explanation for this phenomenon, I discovered something very unique to Prague. Prague has always suffered from flooding, with the most recent one occurring in 2002. After constant flooding in the 13th century, the city planners decided upon a clever solution: raise the streets up one floor. Only today is Prague beginning to dig itself out. Underground passages and courtyards are now becoming homes to bars, restaurants, and shops throughout Prague. Descending into these underground areas is like hopping into a time machine. In many of them, the original stone work still lines the walls and the outlines of what were once windows can be spotted if you look carefully. I only wish I had known this before I left Prague so as to have a closer look at these pieces of history.'

Tim’s Thoughts: http://mudecactivities.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/563/

Economy: http://www.bates.edu/prebuilt/Begg.pdf

Streets Raised: http://www.timeout.com/prague/features/320/prague-area-guide

by Chris Haddad

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Czech It Out- The Charles Bridge

Flying into Prague adjacent to the Vltava River, more and more sights I had read about before journeying to the golden city became clearer. As Prague flew by in what seemed like seconds, I tried to spot a few of the larger structures I would be visiting in my short time in the city. Only being able to identify two major structures, the Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge, I felt like my mission view the major attractions of Prague would be nearly impossible. My feelings of belittlement were turned around quickly as my journey in Prague took off and I navigated the compact, historical city rapidly and with little effort. My quick journey, however, came to a knee-quivering halt while observing the arguably best view in the city from the majestic, historical Charles Bridge.

As my thoughts on the river drew to a close, I glanced to the hillside and saw the Prague Castle, the second sight I was able to recognize from the window of the plane. Looking at the castle, my previous research of the city again proved useful. The castle, which serves as the seat of the president of the Czech Republic, stands atop a high hill and is a constant reminder of the wealth and power Prague once held on the European continent. Check out this website for great information on the Prague Castle! Originally built as a fortress under the Premysl dynasty,the castle is the oldest structure in Prague and within its towering and seemingly impenetrable walls is the St. Vitus Cathedral, the oldest gothic cathedral in Central Europe. As I gazed up at the castle, I began to get a true feeling of how much history surrounded the city of Prague. I was dumbfounded by how little I had known about Prague before my research and journey to the City of a Thousand Spires. For more on the St. Vitus Cathedral, check out this website with hours of information of the Oldest Gothic Cathedral in Central Europe!

Standing atop the Charles Bridge, I was astounded by the stunning views the bridge offered from the base of the Prague Castle in the New Town juxtaposed with the Astronomical Clock in the Old Town. My feelings of bliss and happiness shifted to a pensive mood as I began to ponder the history of the bridge. From myresearch of Prague before leaving Luxembourg, I knew the bridge was ordered to be constructed by Charles IV who reigned over Prague in the 14th century. Built as a connection, the bridge allowed the city of Prague to expand across the previous boundary of the Vltava River opening up new land to continue developing what, at the time, was the third largest city in Europe. For more information on the history of the Charles Bridge, check out this site!!

Catching the end of a tour guides overenthusiastic sentence about the river, my curiosity was sparked by a fact I heard about Prague being a major hub of slave trade in the 2nd century. After finding my computer and further researching the topic, it turns out the city of Prague grew immensely due to the merchants and traders who moved to the city due its strategic location. With the Vltava River running on the western edge of the present day old city, it was extremely easy for merchants to trade and ship goods around Prague and central Europe which proved extremely profitable and allowed the city to become immensely wealthy.

As my sporadic thoughts about the city and walk across the bridge came to a close simultaneously, I felt slightly overwhelmed by my experience to that point in Prague. With a history spanning thousands of years and encompassing countless wars and power shifts, it is easy to see why the citizens of Prague have so much pride in not only their city but their country of the Czech Republic as well. As Billig explained in his article on Banal Nationalism, nationalism is an unmistakable sense of pride stemming from deep roots in ones country and history. National identity is more than what language you speak or what food you eat. National identity is who you are, and the people of Prague have an immense treasure to show the world exactly who they are.

by Will Poindexter

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The Jewish Quarter of Prague

Our first day in Prague was filled with interesting and diverse architecture, a beautiful mix of old and new, and all the winding alleys that lead you to another area that has a different story to tell. One of the areas I found most interesting was the Jewish quarter. This area of Prague dates back to the 10th century however, it has seen a number of changes over the years. Although close to two thirds of the Jewish population in Prague was decimated in the second world war, much of this area was preserved because Hitler intended to use Prague as a, “exotic museum of an extinct race” (Jewish Prague). Although it is a fine line when you enter the Jewish Quarter you notice a now very prosperous part of the city, and the beautifully designed synagogues. I found the Spanish Synagogue most interesting because it exemplifies historic Islamic style that measures the cooperative relationship between Islam and Judaism at the time it was built in the 1860’s, also linked to the Jewish culture in Spain.

Another interesting part of the Jewish quarter was the cemetery. It lies about two meters above street level and all you can see from the street is a tall wall blocked in with two buildings and grass on top. Part of the Jewish tradition is that they must bury their dead and here in Prague they began to run out of room, so they began layering burials on top of each other. It is very eerie seeing all of the tombstones crowded together. Although we did not enter the cemetery because it is only included in the Jewish history tour.

The Old-New synagogue was another highlight of our trip through the Jewish quarter. Apparently it is one of the oldest medieval synagogues still standing dating back to the 13th century. It exemplifies a dark gothic style. This structure is quite significant because it is said to be built on stones from the temple of Jerusalem (Old-New Synagogue Information). The achitecture that is seen here is typical gothic and when this was first built this type of architecture was rather new to Prague, but is now seen throughout the city.

All of these changes that have occurred over the long history of Prague can be seen in the scope of the city. Where a moat used to be there is now a street and what was once the poorest part of town is now the most prosperous, the Jewish quarter, this can all be seen as evidence of urbanization changing this once medieval city. The Jews used to be secluded to only this area which was originally on the outskirts of Prague and bordered by the Vlatava river, but now it is obvious that Prague has expanded widely around it in all directions (Prague Map-Josefov is the Jewish Quarter). If it were not for our free walking tour I don’t know how much I would have seen or experienced in the Jewish quarter but it was really valuable to the time we spent in Prague.

by Amy Burke

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Old Collides Into New

If you had asked me two weeks ago if Prague was a stop on my trip, I would have laughed. It had seemed to me that not only was Prague too far but it was too overwhelming for me. Tim Montgomery has frequently told me while we stroll through the halls of the chateau that Prague’s Old Town Square has a lot of history and is very scenic. With the angel on one shoulder taking copious notes on the history, the devil on the other is hearing from a friend about the New Town with an exciting nightlife. When finally breathing the chilled Czech air, I found a perfect blend of new and old to culminate into quite the weekend.
When first stepping into the outskirts bustling Old Town Square, there are several first impressions that can be noted. The first is the overpowering sense of historical relevance of where I was standing. From Prague.cz, the old town square was constructed in the 10th century to be a place where assorted goods from various places can be sold. An ironic twist is that now, it is a place where tourists from various places come to soak in the beautiful buildings that form a cocoon around the square. Swarms of guided tours buzz about like hornets around Astronomical Clock that is mounted on the wall of the Old Town Hall. It stares back with a lucidity of the ages like a watchful eye that has seen it all. It was built in 1410 and then refurnished by Master Hanus in 1490. Boasting more than just hands, there are zodiac sign indicators as well as a golden sun that spins to indicate the suns position in the sky. Fighting through the crowd, I stumble farther into history.

With my eyes drawn to the center piece of the square, a statue in remembrance to Jan Hus exposes itself. In studying it, you could be convinced that it is simply a pigeon refuge. The bronze statue has turned to a deep green that is complimented by white, chalky bird excrement. It has been at the heart of this square since 1915 in reverent honor and commemoration to Jan Hus fighting the church practices. These included selling indulgences as well as only the priest taking Holy Communion and not the people. Finally, the dark, ominous spires of the Tyn Chapel protrude into vision in this beautiful historical jumble. Seen in the picture to the right, its gothic architecture stands out like a dark cloud in the blue sky. Built in 1365, it is the final resting place of Tycho Brahe who was a famous astronomer.

When my digital camera chirps that it is running low on space for any more pictures, I know that I have probably seen enough of the historical relics. Rumbling in my stomach also indicates that my stomach has run out of things to do and requires some attention. Following my nose, and in this case my gut, I head to New Town for a street hot dog. According to Prague.cz, New Town was founded by Charles IV in 1348. Just like a snake shedding its skin, Old Town Square was old and a newer, bigger one was needed. An outer fortification was torn down to allow the city to expand and Wenceslas Square was born.

The very interesting thing about this square is how modern it is. I can see a Nike store, several chic looking clothes stores and, of course, a McDonald’s from my vantage point. Despite the fact that I had spent the other half of my morning in hundreds of years of history, I found it funny to make the time travel in a matter of blocks. There are also modern dance clubs in the surrounding buildings if the locals want to unwind after a long day. Specifically, Lucerna Music Bar and Club which is located literally a stone’s throw from the Wenceslas Square. Able to fit scores of people, the haze of the club is still in periphery of my sight and the bumping of the music is still ringing in my ears.

Though I am of only amateur status as a European explorer, Prague opened my eyes to a new experience of culture. So far, it has seemed to me that cities have a disproportional personality. Some are known for history and some are known for their younger, wilder side but I had not seen a place where the two were such fast friends who lived so close to each other. Prague is a bi-polar city that is not afraid to flaunt both sides at once. Walking down a 500 year old boulevard to a dance club may seem strange to an American but to the Czech people living in this beautiful city, it is just another walk in the park.

by Dave Williams

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Inside the Square

For my final weekend of travel in Europe I decided to explore the city of Prague. Prague is a very unique city with its diverse architecture and people. The Old Town Square brings all of the locals and tourists together due to its historical and current significance. This square is a common place for celebrations and with the world cup going on it was an unbelievable experience. In the square there was one huge television which showed the games throughout the course of the day. One could get a sense of the peoples cultural identities based on the teams they cheered for and against.

Apart from the current significance of the Old Town Square as a common gathering place, one can really get a sense of history from the surrounding art and architecture. The three main structures in the square are the Tyne Cathedral, St. Nicholas Church, and Astronomical clock. The Tyne Cathedral along with many houses surrounding the area has more of a gothic appearance, while the St. Nicholas Church is a baroque style. Many of the houses and structures in this area have gothic styles due to Prague being the capital of the Holy Roman Empire in the middle ages. The basement and first floor of many buildings were gothic but then added onto years later using different forms of architecture. Along with the amazing architecture there is also a memorial located in the center of the square. At first I was unaware of the significance of the memorial until we took a tour of the city. The memorial had been built in 1915 in order to honor the 500 year anniversary of Jan Hus. The people throughout Prague had always been under the oppression of many different regimes, but Jan Hus stands as a symbol of strength against these groups. Although at the time Jan Hus stood against the oppression of the Catholic Church, the symbol of the memorial had taken on many different meanings throughout the years. Such as since World War one the statue has symbolized anti-soviet rule and later anti-communism.

The people of Prague still recognize Jan Hus as one of the most important Czech nationalists to this day. I felt that it was very interesting that one statue of this man who died around 500 years ago was still valued and helped the people get through years of oppression. The statue was built and paid for completely by donations of the public so one can understand the importance it has to nationalism in Prague.

The Old Town Square was a very interesting place to visit due to all of the excitement in the area. There are now many cafes, souvenir shops and restaurants spread throughout the square because it is one of the main tourist destinations of Prague. I had never seen so much diversity of architecture in Europe until traveling to the Old Town Square. It was amazing how much of the gothic and baroque style buildings survived throughout everything Prague had been through in the world wars. Although the Old Town Square has undergone many changes throughout the centuries, it has still preserved its historical origins.

http://www.prague.net/old-town-square
http://www.prague.cz/old-town-square/
http://www.pragueholiday.cz/old-town-square.php

by Ben Hettler

Czech it out: Praha

by Amy Klapheke, Ben Hettler, Chris Kopp, Chris Haddad, and Brendan Davis

History

The story of Prague beings in the late 800’s, when the Check Premyslid dynasty constructed the Prague Castle. For the next few hundred years, Czech kings rued over all Bohemia. In the 10th century, Prince Wenceslas began making friendly relations with the German tribes. His goal was to make the Czech kingdom and equal member in the Holy Roman Empire. Unfortunately, his brother Boleslav did not agree and had Wenceslas assassinated. After a series of wars, Boleslav lost control of the empire and it was subjugated to a vassal state under the Holy Roman Empire. In the 13th century, Prague once again began to rise in power. King Premysl Otakar II was the most powerful king in the entire empire and ruled in seven other countries, stretching to the Adriatic coast.

The city flourished in the 14th century under Charles IV of the Luxembourg dynasty. In 1348 he founded the first university in Central, Northern and Eastern Europe, called today the Charles University, the oldest Czech university. In the same year he also founded New Town , rebuilt Prague Castle and Vysehrad, build a new bridge, now called the Charles Bridge, and begun the construction of St. Vitus' Cathedral. All that changed during the reign of weak King Wenceslas IV. During his reign, there were four years of Hussite wars, which ended in Hussite control f the city. Wenceslas’ son tried to retake the city multiple time but failed. Fortunately the Hussite eventually lost focus and eventually broke apart.

After roughly one hundred years of multiple kings, the Hapsburg dynasty took control. The early years were great for Prague, which enjoyed scientific and religious freedom unparallel anywhere else in Europe. The peace was too good to last, however, and in 1618 religious violence broke out and the Thirty Years War started. The Catholics eventually won and Emperor Ferdinand II became King of Bohemia. He proclaimed the re-Catholicisation of the Czech Lands and twenty-seven Protestant leaders were executed in the Old Town Square in 1621. After the victory, Prague began a steady decline which lowered the population from 60,000 to 20,000. The city rebounded in the 18th century and by the 19th century, the citizens of Prague were pushing for more nationalistic powers.

In the 20th century, Prague was greatly affected by World War I. After the war, it was made capital of all Czechoslovakia. World War II further changed the city. Most of the Jews left, dropping from 50,000 to only about 800. Also during the Nazi occupation many politicians and professors were persecuted and murdered. German occupation caused the death of 77,297 Czechoslovak Jews, whose names are inscribed on walls of the Pinkas Synagogue in Prague. The Americans almost liberated Prague after the war, but General Patton was stopped by Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Russians reached the city first. Behind the Iron Curtain, Prague’s intellectuals and leaders suffered, as did the buildings and beauty. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Velvet revolution occurred and gained independence from the USSR. Today Prague is one of the most beautiful European cities, and the most popular one in Eastern Europe.

Culture and People

Overall Culture: Prague is truly a gem when it comes to their culture. The city is well known for hosting prestigious performances from international talent. The people take great pride in their museums, galleries, theatres, and music venues. Culture has always been one of Prague’s greatest attributes and dates back centuries. This is the city that hosted Mozart when he composed “Don Giovanni” and is home to the oldest University (Charles University) in all of Central and Eastern Europe (Prague Culture). Even recently with the Soviet occupation of the Czech Republic, Prague was there to revolt to bring back creativity in different art forms. This movement was a peaceful group known as the Velvet Revolution started by students of the universities (Prague Culture).

Sports: Like many other European countries, it comes at no surprise that the number one sport in Praha is football (or Soccer in the U.S.). The country has its own soccer association known at Czechoslovak and consists of sixteen teams total (Prague: Culture). Try to catch a game, because Prague has the best three teams in the country: Sparta Prague, Dukla Prague, and Slavia Prague (Prague: Culture). The season usually lasts from February to May and August to November, but for an up-to-date schedule, check out http://www.gambrinusliga.cz/. Aside from football, the Czech Republic takes great pride in their hockey. They are always contenders in the Winter Olympic Games. Their most famous player is Jaromir Jagr and you will definitely find his jersey for purchase in almost every souvenir shop. For more information on the hockey schedule, visit http://www.hokej.cz/.

Language: Do not be afraid about entering Prague as a total foreigner to the city and Eastern Europe. You will be pleasantly surprised that most locals are able to speak at least some English; enough to get by. This is based on that strong cultural influence and importance of a university education. If you are to travel outside the downtown area, Czech could make a big difference in how you are treated. Listed below are some common phrases translated to Czech. These are found at http://www.myczechrepublic.com/czech_language/czech_phrases.html and have additional audio pronunciation attachments.

· Thank You: Děkuji
· Hello! ("Good day!"): Dobrý den!
· Good bye: Na shledanou!
· Do you speak English? : Mluvíte anglicky?

Religion: In Prague you will find some of the most amazing churches in Europe. This city also takes great importance in their patron saints and you will find approximately 30 of them placed on Charles Bridge. But also be aware that not all citizens are Roman Catholic. This was once part of the Warsaw pact, meaning that at one point, religion was banned by the USSR. This means that the country is made up of 40% Roman Catholic, 4-5% Eastern Orthodox, and 54% agnostic or atheist (Culture of Czech Republic).

Time: Be aware that if you are near any major roads or public areas, you will be awaken by the city noise. The work day is traditionally from 7am to 3pm in the Czech Republic, but Prague has started to loosen that custom and more work is being finished between 9am to 5pm (Beckwith). This is a culture full of beer and late nights, so mornings may be particularly rough.

Transportation

The city of Prague has a great public transportation system which makes it very easy for anyone to get around town. The public transportation consists of buses, trams and a subway. If one is only staying in Prague for a short amount of time the subway, “metro”, is the easiest and quickest mode of transportation around the city. When first arriving in Prague and being overwhelmed with a new city one may be tempted to just take a taxi. Although taxis are very convenient, Prague taxi drivers are notorious for overcharging tourists. Even only a five to ten minute taxi ride you may be looking at a cost of over a few thousand crowns.

In order to avoid a frustrating taxi experience it would be very helpful to exchange small bills before arriving in Prague so one has enough change to buy a ticket. The ticket machines do not accept bills and if arriving in Prague late at night or too early in the morning it is very difficult to purchase a train ticket. If coins are not available then one can also purchase a train ticket at the nearest Kiosk, convenient store. Metro: The ticket machine located in the metro contains many different ticket options but the following two are the most convenient.
1. 17 Crown Ticket: This is the cheapest ticket and allows one to travel 4 stops but it does not allow switching to a different line.
2. 26 Crown Ticket: This ticket allows for 75 min of metro travel, any distance and as many line switches as needed. It is worth the little extra money because it guarantees one will not get into trouble on the metro within that time period.
The metro is the most efficient form of travel throughout the city but if one is interested in alternative forms the following link contains a lot of useful information. http://www.myczechrepublic.com/prague/transportation.html

Prague Tourist Attractions

So why should you go to Prague?'
Prague is arguably one of the most beautiful and aesthetically appealing cities in Europe, featuring architectural styles from Baroque to Gothic to Neoclassical. Within the first ten minutes of walking around the city, you'll be amazed at how beautiful the buildings are.
The city is clean and pedestrian-friendly; it is easy to walk or take public transportation across the city in a short time. We walked from one end of the city to the other within 30 minutes, and the Metro system is simple and fast.
Prague features a relaxed atmosphere during the day, while offering an exciting night life-- it is a perfect place for any age to see. You'll never run out of things to do- whether it's sitting in the middle of Old Town Square or going crazy during a pub crawl.
It is one of the best short-stay tourist destinations. We managed to get a good taste of the city in only 2 and a half days.
Food, drink, and other expenses are fairly cheap. Or more importantly, beer is only 25 koruna (1 Euro)- awesome!
All of this information and more can be found at: (http://www.prague.cz/aboutp.asp )

Must-See Places
There are countless places to see while in Prague, but if you are only in the city for a short time, there are several main, “must-see” places to go. The best part- they're all free to visit! Here are our recommendations:

Old Town Square
Originating in the 12th century, this square features Baroque, Gothic, and Rococo architecture surrounding places to hang out, cafes, bars, markets, and the Astronomical Clock. This is a a great place to relax for a while after a long day of touring. The city often sets up entertainment in the square-- during the World Cup we were able to drink beer and watch the games on a huge screen. In our opinion, Old Town is the best place to go in the city.

Charles Bridge:
This bridge was built in 1357 and is now one of the most popular spots in Prague. Walking along the bridge provides fantastic views of Prague Castle and the Vltava River, and allows you to travel between the Old Town and Lesser Town. The Bridge is packed with vendors and street entertainers. While it is beautiful at any time, we recommend strolling across the bridge in the early morning or at sunset.

Prague Castle
The largest medieval castle in the world, this area features a church, palaces, a monastery, museums, art galleries, and viewing towers. We recommend allowing at least half a day to see places such as the Prague Castle Gallery, Toy Museum, and St. Vitus Cathedral.

New Town
Home to the Welceslas Square, a place full of history, shops, and restaurants, New Town is a definite place to go. It's reachable by Metro or by foot, and it is worth the short trip to see the museums, architecture, squares, and gardens.

Lesser Quarter
Also known as Malá Strana and developed in the 13th century, this area is situated outside the Prague Castle. Featuring the Lesser Town Bridge and Lesser Town Square, this area also contains restaurants, shops, and foreign embassies. Among places to see in the Quarter is St. Nicholas Church and the gate of the Bridge.
More information on these sites can be found at: (http://www.prague-guide.co.uk/categories/attractionswhat-to-see.html )

And here are some attractions for history buffs to enjoy:

Jewish Quarter
Also known as Josefov, the oldest Jewish settlement in Europe features six synagogues and the Jewish Museum, among other historic buildings. The Jewish Museum contains over 40,000 exhibits and 100,000 books about Jewish art and culture.

Municipal House
Inside Prague's biggest Art Nouveau building is the biggest concert hall in the city, Smetanova Hall. There are also several restaurants and cafes inside the palace.

National Museum
As the oldest and biggest museum in the Czech Republic, the National Museum contains a natural history collection among other exhibits. This place also provides for great views of Wenceslas Square.

Rudolfinum
If you are a classical music fan, this is a definite place to go. This neo-Renaissance concert hall hosts various concerts and festivals.

Other possibilities
Prague Zoo, Sea World, Dancing House, Mozart Museum, Petrin Hill and Observation Tower
(http://www.pragueexperience.com/sightseeing/sights_attractions.asp )

Festivals
If you happen to be in Prague during one of these festivals, we have heard that they're definitely worth seeing. Information on all of the following festivals (and many more) can be found at: http://www.praguefestival.cz/
May – June: Spring International Music Festival- classical music concerts, symphony orchestras, and chamber music ensembles.
July – September: Folklore Festival
August – September: Verdi Festival
September: Mozart Festival
September – October: Prague Autumn- international music festival with classical music in the Prague Castle
October: International Jazz Festival
November: Festival of Cyberculture- digital art, film, net, and performace art

Further Research
These sites give more detailed information about the listed attractions and places to see:
Great site for overall info about the sites and city: http://www.prague.cz/aboutp.asp
Sites and information: http://www.prague-guide.co.uk/categories/attractionswhat-to-see.html
Sites and information: http://www.pragueexperience.com/sightseeing/sights_attractions.asp

These sites help with booking tours and making other reservations:
Free Walking Tours: http://www.prague-airport-transfers.co.uk/tours-and-walks.htm
Sightseeing Tours: http://www.pragueexperience.com/sightseeing/sightseeing_tours.asp
Vltava Cruise Tours: http://www.prague-airport-transfers.co.uk/dinner-on-the-river.htm

Food Drink & Nightlife

Prague is chalk full of great places to relax and enjoy a meal. Depending on what you are in the mood for, the cuisine ranges anywhere from American cheeseburgers with a Czech twist to traditional Czech meat and dumplings. If you want to truly experience some Czech cuisine, ask your waiter what he suggests and stick with it. Most good restaurants take great pride in their specialties and will do everything they can to make sure you enjoy your meal. Just remember, unlike most of Western Europe, tips are not included in your bill so be sure to take care of you waiter or bartender. Also, pay attention to where you are sitting inside these restaurants. According to Chris Haddad’s blog entry on Prague (https://muconnect.muohio.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=ff1bbbd702ba4665922735f56d10df78&URL=http%3a%2f%2fpraguemudec.blogspot.com%2f2010%2f06%2fczech-please.html), the streets in Old Town were raised up one floor during the 13th century. This was meant to be a solution to Prague’s flooding problem. Today, the basements and passageways left behind are being turned into underground restaurants, bars, and shops.

As far as drinks are concerned, Prague has an excellent beer selection. Pilsner and Budweiser are two types of beer whose origins can be traced to the Czech Republic. Both get their names from German names for cities in the Czech Republic and both have become part of Czech culture. Almost all bars and pubs have a contract with a particular brand of beer (many you will see carry Pilsner Urquell which is the original pilsner). This means cheap, fresh beer. Today prices for a half-liter of quality beer range from 29 to 35 Czech Crowns (note: current exchange rate is 1 USD = SKK 24.42). If you do the math this comes out to between $1.19 and $1.43 per half-liter! Along with the price of beer, you can determine the quality bar a restaurant by their service. In contrast to many Western European countries, asking for another beer is usually unnecessary. Good waiters will bring you a new beer before you have even finished you old one. This is very convenient but also keeps you on your toes when you get ready to leave.

In addition to their beer selection, Prague also has excellent wine, very cheap rum, and traditional Czech liquor. If you’re feeling really brave, it’s easy to find places that sell Absinthe. Regardless of what you drink, remember to be safe.

Other Traditional Czech Drinks:

Becherovka:
Tastes a lot like Jagermesiter, sip on a double shot of this with your beer – taking shots of it can be offensive as it is made to be enjoyed

Slivovice:
A potent, clear spirit made from plums that is Strictly Czech – not exportable due to European distillation regulations

Cheap drinks, a fun atmosphere, and a diverse crowd all come together to give Prague a great nightlife. Most tourists will start their nightly excursions around Old Town. From there, activities tend to spread outward to cheaper and more modern parts of the city. This blog focuses on places to visit around the city center.

Here is a summary of places to visit in the main city:

Eat and Drink:

U Sadu:
Near the center of the city, this pub has excellent Czech food and good cheap beer. Enjoy the fun atmosphere and interesting décor.

U medvídků:
U Medvikidku is a large beer hall. It serves the original Budweiser and excellent Czech food.

U Sudu:
Not far from U Pinkasu, this labyrinth of a building is the epitome of the Prague basement style of bar areas. Definitely check it out for a good, mixed crowd and a neat place to hang out.

Party

Palac Akropolis:
Near U Sadu, Akropolis is a large club with live music. One bar here is even open 24/7.

Lucerna:
This bar and concert venue has great theme nights including “The best 80’s party in the town!” (https://muconnect.muohio.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=ff1bbbd702ba4665922735f56d10df78&URL=http%3a%2f%2fprague.tv%2fprague%2fnightlife%2fclubs%2flucerna-music-bar)

Roxy:
Near Old Town Square, this is a more American style dance club Note: Avoid large, touristy clubs. They are notorious for ripping people off and stealing their things. Plus, if you’re in Prague, why not go to a more authentic club?

Riegrovy Sady Beer Garden:
A very neat, relaxed beer garden in the middle of a massive park, not far from the city’s main train station. They have a couple big TVs for football games and cheap beer.

Tim’s Thoughts: https://muconnect.muohio.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=ff1bbbd702ba4665922735f56d10df78&URL=http%3a%2f%2fmudecactivities.wordpress.com%2f2010%2f05%2f27%2f563%2f

Czech Food: https://muconnect.muohio.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=ff1bbbd702ba4665922735f56d10df78&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.prague.net%2ftraditional-czech-food

Czech Spirits: http://www.praguenet.com/compass/number_3/food.html

Where to Stay

Hostels and hotels are cheap and available throughout the city depending on how early reserved. The Old Town Square is an amazing place in the city to stay. It is a very central location and if there are any major holidays or events going on this is the place where the celebrations will occur. As seen in the blogs below the Old Town Square was a great place to stay during the World Cup. There was a large television set up in the middle of the square and people would come from all over the city to watch the games here. The only down side to staying in/near the square is it can be very noisy. Our suggestion would be the hostel “Condor” which is located a few blocks from the square. Although not the best quality it is a great location and very cheap. The following are helpful sights to book hostels and hotels.

http://www.hostelworld.com/
http://www.eurocheapo.com/

Things We Wish We Would Have Known (A Few Concluding Thoughts):

1. Avoid taxis at all costs. If you are unaware of the city layout and do not speak any Czech, taxis may be overpriced and take money you could otherwise use to have fun in Prague. Plan out your trip and use the Metro.

2. Always carry around some spare change for the Metro. All of the Metro stations have places to buy tickets, but they do not accept cash or credit cards.

3. Buy train tickets at the Kiosks if you cannot find an open machine or have no change.

4. Always validate your ticket. If you are stopped by security and are found to be a “black” rider, the fine is 700 koruna.

5. Look at the price of beer before sitting outside of a restaurant. These can often differ from the bar prices and make it unreasonable to get a beverage. Try to stay in the 30-40 koruna beer prices.

6. Be mindful of your belongings. There are plenty of homeless people in Old Town Square. Also Roma people (gypsies) are highly discriminated against by the Czech people, so they have resorted to crime.