Jennifer_Cook

hi- im thinking of going to prague 12/5-12/12. i need to keep things on the affordable side, as a month ago i lost my job. but since i'm czech and have always wanted to go, i'm thinking no better time than now, since when i get a job vacation will be far off!

any ideas and thoughts on this? i'm a single female 42... traveling myself. i've never gone on a trip outside of work by myself before. is this a good idea to go there solo? im very social. love live music events, etc...

cold weather doesn't bother me, i'm originally from OH... so not big deal there. thought prague in december would be very holidayish and fun.

ideas anyone on where to stay that is reasonable and safe? and any other ideas on what to do see and eat?

best,
-jenn

nytraveler

For places to stay - we really need a budget -in $ or koruna - since resonable can mean all sorts of thngs.

I wuold go in a heartbeat. It's a beautiful city, very freidnly and with a great music scene at really low prices.

Jennifer_Cook

under $100 or $75/day? is that reasonable?

kimp456789

you can check on this site for apartments or place to stay while in prague. that's a lot cheaper compare to staying in a hotel http://www.prague-vacation.com/
if you prefer the hotels try Arcadia Residence it's $85- $110/night. it's cheaper but i believe it's ranked #1 in hotels there.
I would suggest you see Lobkowicz Palace, Old Town (Stare Mesto), Old Town Square (Staromestske namesti), St. Vitus Cathedral (Chram svateho Vita, Charles Bridge (Karluv Most), National Theater (Narodni divadlo), House of the Black Madonna (Dum U cerne Matky Bozi). I hope you can meet someone there to be your travel buddy

Happy vacation!
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kappa1

Your budget is quite doable especially due to the low season time you are going. Most hotels apply low season rates in Prague until the end of Christmas, at least those where I have stayed so far. (Have been there about 20 times in last 20 years. I tend to go there at least once a year recently.) The rates get high for the new year's eve for firework show. My last was only 10 days ago and I stayed at one of my favorite hotels in Prague. No luxury, nice and room large enough with kitchen equipment. The place is called Residence Mala Strana 3* at the edge of Mala Strana district, one of the old town areas of Prague (but not Stare Mesto "old town"). 7 minutes walk to Charles Bridge (castle side) over peaceful Kampa Park. 15 - 20 minutes walk to the Old Town Square so quite central yet far enough from the crowd of tourist central. Many tram lines pass there (Stop Ujezd). Breakfast descent. A tiny old TV set if it matters to you, not me. I paid this time €90 for 3 nights (!) yes, so it was 30€ per night. I find it ridiculously cheap. Ok,I got their offer of pay 2 nights and the 3rd is free. Without it, it would have costed me € 45 per night. Still good isn't it? They have one free pc at the lobby for internet access. I did a web check-in for my return flight there and sent the boarding pass to the hotel's e-mail and they printed it for me. Anyway there are many interesting and low budget choice still to be found in Prague. I considered above mentioned Arcadia Residence a long time ago but have never stayed there. Review is great but the location is out of the way for me. There must be reasons to be ranked that high on TA but they were not reasons enough to stay there for me. Why, because I like taking a walk before breakfast to Charles bridge and enjoy the almost empty bridge (you never get that during the day)with the morning sun. I do that at least once every time I stay in Prague and for that reason I prefer to be walking distance to the bridge. Well probably not everybody's priority though. And I like Christmas time in Prague. Was there last year, my 3rd Prague Christmas. They say their Christmax markes are not nearly as nice as German ones ( like Dresden) but as you say I like the holiday atmosphere. And I have made my Charles bridge walk even at Christmas time, well below freezing point and still was worth it.

Jennifer_Cook

better yet, i just found out i have a free place to stay a friend of a friend. i don't mind the cold. i think that will be fun!

love the advice and tips! i'm so excited! i'll book my ticket soon and figure out the plans.

walkabout

You might enjoy this trip report by a woman who traveled solo to Prague in winter:

http://www.fodors.com/community/trav...o-prague-1.cfm

Ingo

Let's hope the weather changes significantly (although it doesn't look like it at the moment). The smog situation is really horrible at the moment. See these articles:

http://www.radio.cz/en/section/curra...tinue-all-week
http://www.praguepost.com/news/11014...-for-days.html

I.

jan47ete

We were there in early Dec, luckily 15 degrees warmer than normal. Did the Christmas Market which was the purpose of the trip and I went every night to soak it up and bought some wonderful ornaments.

we were on a pkg trip so had a hotel about 2 blocks from the metro and I was always coming home by myself, no problem.