First time to Prague/Cesky Krumlov
 

We will be visiting Prague and Cesky in late September while on a trip through Austria/Germany. How many nights would you recommend in Prague and what were your favorite things to see and do? Recommended restaurants?

We will be driving into the Czech Republic. Anything we should be aware of? How much time do we need in Cesky?

Thank you for your input.

You need to buy a highway sticker for your car if you drive on Czech highways:

http://guiriguidetoprague.com/2011/0...zech-republic/

I will be driving in the Czech Republic myself for the first time next month. (Two nights in Cesky Krumlov and elsewhere.) I have been to Prague before. It's a delightful city, compact and very walk-able.

Two to three nights in Prague.

I'm staying next at the Hotel Klarov in Mala Strana. I like the location. About a block from the main metro line and the same distance to the #22 tram, that is a great sightseeing tram.

I thing even one week there will not be enough. Czech Republic is increadible beautiful country, you must taste all their meals!

4 or 5 days with day trips to Cesky Krumlov, Kutna Hora and Terezin, maybe also Karlovy Vary. For me, 1 day was sufficient in Cesky K. It is a charming village but quite touristy.

Driving in CZ is easy, and the drivers are generally good...not too aggressive.

Restaurants:
La Finestre or its sister restaurant Aromi.
Allegra (spendy)
SaSaZu
Lokal - Czech
The Beer Museum
Maitrea - Vegetarian
Tavern - right next to Reigrovysady...it's a burger joint.
The Vietnamese Pho place right across from Jiriho Z Podebrad metro stop (green line)

The last two are haunts of ours, but def not touristy places. Expats yes, tourists no. :)

If you have some money to burn, we had a very lovely dinner at Kampa Park along the river in July. Very interesting cuisine, artfully and tastefully prepared. If you go, ask for a table on the river, it was lovely and scenic.

Forgot to mention - we ate lunch in CK at Papa's Living Restaurant, right on the river and had a lovely view as well. The food was a little heavier than we had planned, but tastefully prepared and the cold beer tasted very good on a hot July day.

http://www.papas.cz/index.php/menu-en

<<You need to buy a highway sticker for your car if you drive on Czech highways>>

That's true for Austrian highways too - and the Austrians are <b>very</b> strict about it.

<<you must taste all their meals>>

Um, Czech food is ok but it's not Italian or French. The Czechs have figured out about 5835 ways to make dumplings out of bread.

Four or five nights in Prague with three day trips (per SloJan2) is a waste, there's enough to see in Prague to fill 3-4 days of touring with ease. So if you want to see Terezin and CK, add time to your Prague stay (although I think you can visit CK en route to Vienna if you leave early and are willing to drive a bit that day (2.5 hrs to CK, 2.5 hours-plus from CK to Vienna).

If you have the time, I would spend a night in Cesky Krumlov instead of just taking a day trip.

In Prague my favorite things included the Castle Complex (especially St. Vitus Cathedral), walking down and around Nerudova Street and going to the top of the Old Town Square Clock Tower. There are great views from the top, especially of the magnificent Tyn Church across the square.

Here are our five days in Prague and one in Český Krumlov (with photos...Chapters One through Five). Have fun.

http://www.travelswithmaitaitom.com/...nice_2008.html

((H))

I would definitely advise getting a hotel within the main area so you don't have to take the metro or tram. I loved the Alphone Mucha art deco museum, walking along the river, walking down from the hilltop castle, visiting the Jewish cemetary and museum and generally exploring the streets of Prague. I found that the Italian restaurants were the best. Mathilda's on the river was lovely.

I spent 5 nights in Prague with a day trip to Terezin. I could have actually spent more time in Prague!

I spent 1 night in CK but wished I'd had 2 nights.

I was much too rushed in both locations. But, I did love them both!

I read mixed things about Cesky Krumlov. Some people love it; some say it is too touristy. Sometimes tourism can spoil a place, sometimes not. I'm planning two nights in Cesky Krumlov next month. I'm hoping to drive around South Bohemia and see a number of the castles (and other towns), and CK looks like a convenient base in any case.

Prague was very touristy too even back in 2005 when I was last there - imagine it is worse now. But Prague seems to be one of those places that's awesome anyway. Tip: the Charles Bridge may be mobbed with tourists most of the day, but if you are jet lagged and wake up early, the bridge is mostly deserted at daybreak - you can have it all to yourself.

Or just check the webcam, assuming your hotel has wifi! ;)
http://filip.csvts.cz/webcam/image.j...=1345703613472

Thank you to all for your very helpful information and suggestions. Has anyone stayed at the Romantik hotel U Raka in Prague? or the Kaiserin Elizabeth in Vienna?

I Love cesky Krumlov, so I may be biased. But a one day trip to this city is not a good idea. Take time to explore the city without to many plans. A little surprise on my last visit was the record shop, just before the bridge upt to the castle side, on the square side, on the right. He sold also vine from the barrel, and very cheap! If you only want half a liter, take a plastic bottle with you. 50-80 ck for one liter.

3 nights or mor can you make that? The town will grow on you, the more time you spend!

I did 5 days in Prague with day trip to Terezin. In hindsight I could have done it all in 4 days instead of 5. I liked roaming the streets of Prague the most, just admiring the colorful architecture. I went up to the castle hill a few times as well. I visited the Pinkas Synagogue in Prague, which I recommend; you can visit the Jewish cemetery there and the "do not miss" display of artwork by the child victims of Terezin. These works of art are very moving, even more so if you are familiar with the history of Terezin -- very inspiring how the prisoners kept the arts and their spirits alive despite all they were going through.

I spent two nights in CK. I would recommend spending a full night there instead of a day trip. It is touristy but I found that to be the case in Prague as well. In my opinion a visit to CK is a must if you are in the area. It's a nice town to stroll around in and enjoy the spectacular views from the castle. I did a walking tour in CK, which was very informative as the guide described her experience growing up under communism.

The thing about Krumau is that it has only tourists, almost no inhabitants left. It's a source of income to turn all the homes into hotels. That's o.k. but somewhat sad. After the original inhabitants were forced to leave after the war, it was difficult to get new people to settle there.
It actually was the birthplace of the vampire myth, not Romania. Don't know if tourist guides tell the story? The city is dead, but still there are endless records of the centuries past in the castle, that are untouched by historians until today. Lots of work for the scholars of the future.
The area is really nice too.

Interresting what you tell. Logos! Ok, in the inner ciy there are all about tourists. I have czech friends there that dont want to go to the town anymore. I think Unesco should worry about that a little.

But there are inhabitants arround the adventure center, and many of them uses some features. I like to find pubs and bars wher also the locals go, and there are plenty of them. But it is a problem. But my best experiences is a little out from the hassel. U baby for example, in Rosweltova! Lovely place too meet people.

Another tip is to go the outside bend of Vltava. When I was on places like Babylon or U matesa, there was always locals, many of them boating on the river