Prague through the eyes of a local resident

Ekaterina Baklanova has been living in Prague for almost two years and during this time she managed to fall in love with the Czech capital. In the article, she talks about interesting places, the best beer and restaurants, free viewing platforms with a beautiful look. The only thing you will not find is the hackneyed recommendations that reprint bloggers and guides from each other.

Interesting excursions from local residents in Prague

The tourist season in Prague lasts all year round: in January-February, tourists are becoming fewer, but this is a temporary respite-since March, in the center, you can’t push back again. The ideal time for the trip is April when sakura with magnolias bloom, and September with its comfortable temperature and rare rains for long walks.

Where to stop

Areas that are close to sights: Smíchov (Prague 5), Malá Strana (Prague 1) and Královské Vinohrady (Prague 3). This is a “quiet center”, where you can settle in the house of the early 20th century and in the morning to admire the sights from the window. I do not recommend the surroundings of the Old Town and Vaclav Squares – dozens of entertainment institutions work there until late, and there is no need to hope for silence.

Hotels:

Hotel 2* The Republic Garden – accommodation from 651 rubles/day; Hotel 3* Bed & Books Art Hotel – accommodation from 2020 rubles/day; Hotel 3* Residence Vysta – accommodation from 2211 rubles/day; Hotel 4* Merchant’s Avenue Residence – accommodation from 2546 rubles/day; Hotel 4* Deminka Palace – accommodation from 2680 rubles/day; Hotel 5* OcCidental Praha Wilson – accommodation from 6115 rubles/day; Hotel 5* La Ballerina Hotel – accommodation from 6366 rubles/day;

Before the trip, download and install the IDOS application on the phone (you need to connect to the Internet) or Here Wego (operates offline) – that’s all, now it will not be difficult to lay any route. Transport in Prague works almost around the clock, goes on a schedule, so you will not have to spend money on a taxi. Just buy travel or stock up on tickets in advance – it can be difficult to get them outside the center. Tickets are sold in machine guns at metro stations, ground transport stops and in new trams, at the box office at some metro stations (for example, Hlavní nádraží), info -center at the metro and airport stations, shops and stalls with press and tobacco products (they are called Trafika). Owners of the SIM cards of Czech operators can buy tickets by sending an SMS with the DPT24 text (for 30 minutes for 24 crowns) or DPT32 (90 minutes per 32 crowns) to a short number 90206 (this can be done through the IDOS application).

Where to eat and drink

The tasks of “delicious to eat” and “drink good beer” in Prague are rarely resolved in one institution – in most good restaurants of Czech cuisine only Staropramen is poured, which connoisseurs of beer do not count. Therefore, I will tell you about each item separately.

• Breakfast. I recommend starting the day in Café Savoy on a small country (Vítězná 124/5). In addition to a delicious continental breakfast for 198 kroons (about 8 euros), there is a very pleasant interior: crystal chandeliers, white tablecloths, helpful waiters in uniform.
• For lunch and dinner I recommend choosing one of the establishments where Czech dishes are served. Kolkovna and Potrefená Husa, which are in different areas of Prague, are well prepared in restaurants in the restaurants. Here you can try the same vepre knee (pork slyka), goulash or switch (beef in a creamy sauce with lingonberry jam and dumplings). The second dish costs an average of 200-250 kroons (8-10 euros), the same amount you will pay for a knee weighing a little more than a kilogram.
• If you want not only bread, but also spectaclesgo to one of the two institutions called VýTopna. Here, the guests are not brought by waiters, but by toy trains that run between the kitchen and the hall bring. One restaurant is located in the Palladium shopping center (Náměstí Republiky 1), the second – on Václavské náměstí 56). It is better to book a table for the evening in advance.

• For those who wish to taste the famous Czech beer Two options: tourist bars and institutions “for their own.” The advantages of the first: waiters in such institutions often speak several languages, including Russians. There are also enough minuses: everything is put on the stream, the maintenance is often lame. From this category I can recommend three establishments that are still holding the brand: U Tri Ruzi (Husova 10/232), Klášterní ŠENK at the Brevyovsky Monastery (Markétská 1) and Klášterní Pivovar Strahov at the Strahovské (Strahovské nádvoří 301/10). In the first place, most often there is, in the second and third I recommend reservating a table.
  If you want something authentic, get ready to explain in English (or on your fingers as lucky) and record the turnouts: DVA KOHOUTI (Sokolovská 81/55), Loď (dvořákovo nábřeží, štefánikův most) and Permanent Beer Fest (Kolbenova 923, Areál Pragovka – from March to September).
• Bonus for sweet tooth – Tasty Italian ice cream is sold in Anglato (újezd 425/24) opposite the lower funicular station on Petrin. How about ice cream with a taste of spicy pepper or nettles?

What to do and what to see in Prague, in addition to the main attractions

Walk around the city parks. In the summer season – from April to October – the Waldstein Garden (Letenská 123/4) is beautiful, where peacocks walk along the paths, goldfish frolic in the pond, and orchestras perform works of classical music. Here is the palace in which the Czech Senate sits, on weekends and holidays it is open to visitors. I recommend that who arrived in April look into the Voyanov gardens (u lžického semináře), where very photogenic magnolias bloom.

Ride a retro-tram. From the end of March to mid -November on weekends and holidays, tram No. 41 runs around the historical center. He went to the first flight in the 20s of the last century and became a witness to many key events of Czech history. More than once failed and was restored. In 2000, they decided to turn it into a tourist attraction – so a red tram of two authentic wagons with wooden decoration appeared on the streets of Prague, which is accompanied by an elderly conductor in an old form.

See the city on top and free. It is not necessary to pay for the entrance to the promoted observation – the best point is available to everyone. It is located in the Poyensky gardens, next to the Hanavský Pavilon restaurant – hence the beautiful view of the bridges through the Vltava and historical quarters on both its shores. Another good option is Riegrovy Sady, where in good weather Prazhana and tourists are going to admire Prague hail in the rays of the setting sun.

Find as much work as possible David Black. He is called the “main bully of Europe” for sculptures that provoke society and power, and scandalous antics for which he had to be detained by the police more than once. Many heard about babies without faces crawling along the island of the campaign. There are less well -known sculptures: “Pissing boys”, which lead the messages on the water (Cihelná Street, the Court of Kafka’s courtyard), a man hanging above the street, who looks up to horror realistically (Husova Street), King Vaclav, sitting on a horse -in -item (šthange 61, passage Lucerna), the eleven -meter head of Franz Kafka, which is composed of constantly moving parts (Charvátova street, courtyard of the Quadrio shopping center). By the way, Chernov participated in the development of the concept of the recently opened Cyberdog Bar (Seydlerova Ulice), where there are no waiters and bartenders: the order is placed through the application, and the drink pours a robotic hand.

Go to the interactive railway museum. In the Smíchov area there is the Kingdom of Railways (Stroupežnického 23) – a two -level museum with the largest interactive model of the railway in the country. The canvas is part of a miniature copy of the Czech Republic, where life boils, on the course of which you can influence the buttons: set in motion of trains and cars, trams and metro. Every 20 minutes a day replaces the night.

To taste the wines in the botanical garden (Trojská 800/196). Located in the territory of Vinotéka SV. Klára works all year round, here you can buy local wines on spill or in bottles. From the open terrace, Troika Castle and Prague quarters are visible: it is especially beautiful in the fall, when the vineyards become golden. In August-September, tastings are usually held with sommelier, the announcements of which are published on the Botanical Garden website (www.botanicka.cz).

Look at the farmer. Prazians go to markets not so much for shopping as to have fun: to chat, listen to music, drink beer or mulled wine, eat something tasty. My favorite market every Saturday from February to December works on the Vltava embankment, between the Palace and the Railway bridge. You will find there a red tent with burgers – take it without hesitation. Only 140 kroons (5.5 euros), and to taste won from the products of expensive restaurants.

Visit the surrounding castles. I recommend starting with Karlstein – the only castle in the Czech Republic that has never been captured. Built by order of Charles IV, he served as the summer residence of the ruler and was a treasury. To get inside, you will have to overcome a rather steep rise – those who are afraid to not cope can get on horse -drawn carts. An alternative option is Konopishta in the city of Beneshov. The most famous owner was Crown Prince Franz Ferdinand, whose murder unleashed the First World War. A huge park is broken around the castle, where deer, hares and peacocks live, next to the Stará MySlivna restaurant (Konopišty 2) is located, specializing in game dishes.

You can get to both locks by train – you can see the schedule on the website www.cd.cz. Retro carriers also go to Karlstein several times a year, the movement schedule of which can be rushed on the site.

Visit mini-brewers with tastingslocated outside Prague. I recommend pivovar únětice (rhesnerova 5, ún%TICE), nè Medvěd (nám. Míru 27, mílník) and berounskaff (Tyršova 135, Berouun), one of them can be reached by public transport. You can try the products of those breweries where you do not get, at one of the festivals. For example, on žižkovské pivobraní in Parukářka Park, which takes place in early June (relevant dates find on the website www.parukarka.cz or news portals).

Convenient service for selecting hotels – Onetwotrip.