hummerhaven

I'm jealous of those who have posted reports of long stays in Prague. Our group of 6 (ages 50s and 60s) have only 2 days there. We would appreciate your thoughts on 2 or 3 "must see" locations. The rest we'll just have to read about in the forum posts. Sigh.

adrienne

You haven't stated your interests so it's difficult to choose places for you. You will get other people's top choices related to their interests. Here are mine:

Mucha Museum
Loreto church (including Nerudova Street)
Jewish Quarter
Municipal House

turnip

The Charles Bridge at sunrise. Great light for photos and minus the tourist horde.

LuvToRoam

Highly recommend Helena as a guide to get the most of your short time in Prague (an absolutely enchanting city).
[email protected]
See our trip report for further info (we traveled there in 2009). We missed the Charles Bridge at sunrise so will just have to go back Hopefully all the construction on that bridge is completed. Have a wonderful, wonderful trip!

Percy

I can answer this simply!

The main attraction of Prague is The Entire City.

There is no bad place or bad area in Prague.

1. You have to walk down Wenceslas Square...down one side to the lovely National Museum with its statue of Wenceslas on a horse in front.

2.The Old Town Square... you cannot and will not miss this.
The three main features are :
(a) Astronomical Clock on the Old Town Hall...be there when it chimes
(b) Tyn Church... the huge one with the Gothic Steeples
(c) St. Nicholas Church
(d) Statue in centre of Square of Jan Hus ( he was burned at stake , for his beliefs )

3. Charles Bridge....no one misses this this.. take your time , stop at every statue and monument.

4. Once you cross the Charles bridge your are across the Vltava River and into Lesser Town, or Lesser Quarter or Little Town....

5. Now just keep walking about three blocks up and you will come to the huge Church of St. Nicholas.... go inside it is georgeous.

The Square on either side of this Church is the Lesser Town Square.
The Holy Trinity Column is here.

Now walk past the Holy Trinity Column (1/2 block) and turn LEFT.

You are now on Nerudova Street.

There are Embassies on both sides of this street.
Look for sign over the doorway on many of the building.

These signs tell you who once lived and worked here.
For example...one sign reads "The Three Fiddles"
A family of three made violins here. etc.

All this was before 1773 ..because after 1773 , the house were given numbers..but many of the signs remained

But most important of all Nerudova Street takes you right up the the Prague Castle and you WANT to come here.

So walk along at a leisurely pace up Nerudoav Street ( note the Street has an incline ..it has to the Castle is at the top!!)

Okay now you are at the top in front of the Prague Castle.
St. Vitus Cathedral is inside the Castle Complex....go inside.

That huge Square in front of the Castle is Castle Square.

Okay let me give you the names of the buildings ,counterclockwise as you stand in the Square.
They are:
1. Archbishops Palace
2. Kolowrate House
3. Martinic Palace
4. Canonical House
5. Toscansky Palace ...( nice isn't it!)
6. Church of St. Benedict and Convent of the Carmeltites
7. Schwarzenberg Palace...take a close look at the exterior of this Palace.

What you think is raised stucco work ..really is not... walk up , touch the wall... amazing !
This work is called sgraffito!!!

That small green area in the square is the park.
The column is the Marian Plague Column

A lot of countries in Europe built Plague Columns to show their gratitude to Mary for sparing their city.

I do not know how much time you will spent here but if you want to see more great places ..then from the Castle Square and just past the Toscansky Palaceis Loreta Street.

Walk 3 blocks down this street and you come to the lovely Loreta Church, Czernin Palace (with 31 columns across in a row) and also the Strahov Monastery.

Maybe you want to see the Jewish Quarter, it is only 3-4 blocks from the Old Town Square.

If you decide on a River boat ride down the Vltava River...do NOT take one of those evening dinner cruises ( waste of time and money).

Just take a private river boat ride.

I do not know where you are staying in Prague

However, the Prague metro is easy..it is bases on three colors only...Red , Green and Yellow.

So for example you can ask, "What color metro takes me to the Prague Castle"

That is if you do not want to walk up Nerudova Stret like I mentioned

The Tram system is excellent also.
Tram 22, 23 takes you to Prage Castle, National Theatre (Wenceslas Square) and Strahov Monastery.


I have left so much out..but this should help a little and other will give you ( better) ideas)

unclegus

http://www.prague.net/itineraries-in-prague
this is a very good website, I have posted it on the itinaries page so you can have an idea of what you can do.
Charles bridge especially at sunrise /sunset is a must,as is the Municiple house. You will, be in the castle area and the Loreto is a stunning place just up the hill a bit,nearby to there is the Strahov monestry and the newly refurbished library well worth visiting,the Klasterni Pivovar there is a good place to stop for lunch. I liked the Mucha museum but it has been a few years since I was in there.
hope this gives you some ideas,when are you actually visiting?,I will be in Prague at the end of May.

unclegus

you can ask what color metro takes you to Prague castle the answer is none, metro dose't go there, tram 22 is the one you need. take it past the castle 2 stops to Pohorelec, that way you have an easy wander down hill,avoids the crowds ,are close to Strahov and have to walk past Loreto, very good traditional pub in this area.U Cerneho Vola.
http://www.praguepubs.co.uk/pubs-details.php?id=23
the profits from this place go to running a school for disabled children, great beer ,limited food, grumpy waiter, you will have to share a table but a true Prague experience.

Percy

Yep, I woke up at 5 :30 AM to be at Charles Bridge at sunrise

Like turnip says no crowds....because during the day on Charles Bridge, it can be a madhouse

Municipal House was mentioned... Should you see it ..Yes !

It is at the Republic Square, and right next to the Municipal House is the Powder Tower....it looks like one of the Charles Bridge Towers.

Let me just say that a lot of the tours of Prague start at the Republic Square..so you might wind up here anyway.

Prague is a walking place....it is not for huge tour buses.

unclegus

hate to critise Percy again but the no 23 tram has not run that route for about 4 years now,does not run at all now.

unclegus

Republic square is Namesti Republiky, you will need to use that rather than the anglised version of the name.There is a big new shopping center near there if the ladies need a shopping fix,Palladium is it name ,you can't miss it.( sports bar on the top floor if you want to leave them too it, or the Beer museum pub on Dlouha ( a few minutes walk away) 30 beers on tap to try.

Bedar

Prague is lovely. I was there in 1965 ( and again in 2003). The remarkable sight that stuck in my mind from '65 was the Jewish cemetery. Don't miss it.

BigRuss

There are ton(ne)s of bad areas of Prague, but in terms of where a tourist wants to be just stay in Prague 1, visit Prague 1 and vinohrady and you'll be fine.

Treesa

Only two days in Prague, so sad. Castle Hill and St Vitus Cathedral; the stained glass windows by Mucha just blew me away.

Percy

Well Thank you unclegus.

I have a six month old map and directory of Prague and is says

"The Prague tram system is extensive ,efficient and very cheap."
The 22 and 23 go to Prague Castle, National Theatre and Strahov Monastery."
"The 17 trams runs along the river."

I spent a week in Prague last June/July.

I walked every where, others took the Metro and Tram.

Thanks for telling me !

BigRuss:

I am sure there are ("bad") places inPrague but as John Q tourist I never ( and did not want to ) see any of them.

I did go to the Vysehrad Castle/ Cemetery complex with the steeples of the Basilica of Sts.Peter and Paul towering over the complex.

On my way to the Airport on my final day,I left earlier so the driver could take me (for photos) to Brenov Monastery, and the Memorial to WWI and WII ( across the street from the Monastery... then

I wanted to take pictures also at White Mountain Hunting Lodge.
Since the Battle of White Mountain played such an important role in Czech history

They are all on the way to the airport (almost).

Thanks for keeping me on my toes !!

BigRuss

Sheeyoot, Percy - there's a thriving sex trade and Prague is (in)famous for auto thievery, which is why rental agencies proscribe taking their cars there.

That said, it's a great place to visit.

Percy

Sex Trade...Now you tell me

xyz99

Hi Percy,
I used your great info when planning Costa Rica, I will use this now (printed the entire post, thank you all) for planning Prague. What a wealth of info...

Percy

Hi xyz99:

Glad we could all help, have a greast time in Prague.

It really is quite the place.

If you have more question...just ask us.

gwan

<<you can ask what color metro takes you to Prague castle the answer is none>>

You can actually take the metro to Hradcanska and walk down the hill to the castle, I've done it. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to tourists with only 2 days in Prague though

iris1745

www.inyourpocket.com/czech_republic/Prague