A perfect day on the Left Bank (Prague)?
 

Any Prague fans and experts up to the challenge? I would love to pick your brains for the perfect day in Mala Strana with my 15 year old son who's never been to Prague. Appreciate special details or special restaurants. I've only had lunch at the Three Ostrichs by the bridge.

and how was the lunch at the 3 Ostrich's?
brynababy

A favorite restaurant of mine is 14 Kampa on Kampa Island. It has an elegant upscale feel without the upscale prices. The apple strudel is wonderful and beautifully presented. A few doors down is another restaurant in the bright yellow building. It is has typical Czech food and a great sausage dish. This restaurant has outdoor dining on the river. The inside is bare brick with vaulted ceilings. From Kampa you could walk up to the castle - it is a pretty good hike but do-able. Or, the tram is nearby. Kampa Island by the way is an excellent location to stay, its a peaceful oasis yet right in the heart of things.

Lunch at the 3 Ostrich was finebut nothing towrite home about. I remember they had some game dishes like venison when I was there. Interior is somewhat too rustic & plain. Relatively cheap because it's Prague.

We ate at the outdoor pizza garden restaurant right next to the Waterwheel on Kampa island. Again it was just OK, higher priced pizzas due to location (twice as expensive). I found Kampa island to be somewhat of a tourist trap, but Prague is filled with tourist traps anyway. I did enjoy Charles Bridge musicians & painters besides the castle, Vysherad, and the old town even the second time around.

Hike up to the castle <i>before</i> that lunch. Trust me on this one!

DAX, I agree that Prague has its share of tourist traps. Too bad you had some poor experiences on Kampa. Try the two that I mentioned and they may change your mind. At night, the Island is quiet and peaceful. The views of the city lights over the river are exquisite.

I agree with you,Basingstoke, we went back to stroll the Charles bridge after 10 PM (after all the sidewalk painters &amp; vendors, ground kissing beggars went home). There were a couple concert violinists that played great classicel pieces in the dark with the background of the castle on the hill and the riverbank all lit up and highlighted by the reflection on the river. That's how I like to remember Prague. There was an important Russian VIP who was escorted through the bridge with his big entourage and papparazzi to tour Kampa very late in the night. They certainly knew when to enjoy Prague.

The Vysherad was also beautiful as I got to escape the overcrowded streets. For the same reason, I appreciated Kampa island during the day, especially after maneuvering through the crowd in old town which felt like a neverending crowd coming out of a big sports stadium. I told myself that Prague is probably more enjoyable in the off season (before April).

DAX, you make an excellent point. So many cities undergo a profound change of ambiance at night. Some become more exiting, others mellow out. Prague is a great example of the latter as the lights emphasize the city's architectural beauty. That is why we try to avoid day trips when possible and stay over just to see what happens. Most often we have been rewarded. We were last in Prague about 6 months ago for a total of seven days (broken up with a four day side trip to Vienna) and stayed at the Hotel Kampa Garden. It was a perfect experience. The weather was unusually fine with mostly warm sunny days and nights that ranged from crisp to cold, but not uncomfortably so. I don't think that Prague is ever without some crowds but at that time of year, the crowds were smaller so it was lively rather than oppressive.

Am I correct in assuming you ARE going to visit other areas besides the Mala Strana?????on one of your other days?