Prague Beyond the "Usual"
 

We will be doing the Tauck Danube trip in late May. The Prague portion of the trip seems to take in all the best of Prague. We would like to extend our trip by staying a few day in Prague before we pick up the tour. Any suggestions for these extra days would be appreciated. Also, are there excursions outside the city that are worthwhile? We are interested in culture, nature and architecture as well as wine and food.

For starters, try the LivingPrague.com website. It's very helpful.

Oh, sure, there are some great excursions for day trips from Prague that are worthwhile--I have especially enjoyed Kutna Hora, Hluboka/Holesovice, and Tabor. I also did Cesky Krumlov as a day trip and really liked that. I went to/from Tabor by train on my own so that may be too ambitious for an easy day trip. YOu can also go to Karlovy Vary easily.

For other points, there are several excellent day tour companies in Prague and rates are very reasonable. I used this one for Kutna Hora and it was excellent:

http://www.pstours.cz/

It appears they have versions of all the ones I suggested. The CR is not exactly a place you go for wine tours IMO, they aren't exactly known for their wine abroad. It's not that good.

you might want to visit Terezin (Theresienstadt Koncentratzion Kamp)..many tours emanating from Prague.

We did a day trip to Cesky Krumlov via the Student Agency Bus this May, and it was very pleasant. http://www.studentagencybus.com/ Modern bus with seat back entertainment screens, an attendant that sells food and beverages, and toilet facilities. Cesky Krumlov was very interesting, if packed like Disneyland with Chinese tourist groups.

You don't need a tour to get to Terezin. You can take the bus from Prague. Certainly agree that it is worth a daytrip!

Thank you all for your quick responses. Any suggestions for off-the-beaten path sights in the city itself?

we drove it....only 30 miles..didn't think about a bus instead of a tour.

Go up to the so-called "Loreto Church" and see all those monstrances if nothing else.

the afore mention LivingPrgaue website offer tours , max size 6 people and Jason that runs the website does the tours himself, he specifically takes people through the less well tros parts of the city and lets you see things you would normally walk by without a second glance, worth booking a walking tour with him.
I often visit Pruhonice park and 15 minute bus ride from Opatov metro stop, lovely botanic gardens and a stunning chateux.Stromovka park is a lovely place to stroll through and very few tourist make it there but loads of access points by tram or bus and several places to stop for refreshments within the park.

Uncle Gus...hasn't the Czech government exiled you yet?
Best wishes for many more visits.
stu

Loreto, mentioned by Dukey, is indeed well worth a visit.
Very much off the beaten path is the National Memorial on the Vítkov Hill. Erected as a monument for Czech independence, it was changed into a communist propaganda act after WWII.
The large cemeteries in Olsany are interesting, if only to note the Austrian preoccupation with titles and the emergence of Czech on the graves.

Stu, no but the British government might.
was in Prague a few weeks ago with a small walking group, hard work but real fun time,and will be back in October with friends from the UK and the US.Hoping to spend much more time in the city when I retire in a few years time.
I will second the Museum on Vitkov hill, they often have special exhibitions there,i saw one that was based on social history of the country from the 50-70's really intereting and there wa son on the history of music in the country that had booths you could listen to music in and watch various performances.at the bottom of Zizkov hill is the Army museum which is excellent.last time I was in they had an exhibition of the resistance movement during the second world was and in previous visits ones on the First world war and on the Sokol movement and its influence in the assassination of Rienhard Heydrich and of their work with the resistance.
There is work going on at the moment trying to trace the burial places of the assasins of Heydrich though there is a memorial to them at the crypt of St Cyrils and Methodist in the city.

We saw that exhibit at the Army Museum in May. Very well done, save for the English translations. Whoever did them must have taken the wording and syntax right out of a dictionary, as they are so bad as to be amusing.

The castle is interesting, because it's so crude and real. At least that's how I saw it. Not a Disney castle.

There are stone lowrise stairs that are worn down and slick. They lead into the dirt arena, and are the entrance/exit the jousting horseback riders would use. Cool.

We found a nice little rooftop cafe, on our way back down to old town Prague. It's in a very cool, contemporary hotel, on the steep little street from Charles Bridge. I can't remember it's name. It it's still there, it was almost all the way to the top, on the right side of the street as you ascend to the castle. Really cool hotel. It might be cheaper than some of its quality, because you have to climb the hill to it. Just guessing.

When asked what to see in this unique city.... the answer is The Entire City.

No matter where you go or stroll along, there is a unique attraction around every corner.

You can't go wrong no matter what area you tour through.

I spent a full week there and was up and about everyday from dawn to also midnight.

If you want to take pictures at and of the Charles Bridge, then get down there early...

... I mean early, I was there one morning at 5:59 AM, one fellow was already there.

http://www.vinicni-altan.cz/
for wine you might want to try this place, the vineyard will not be in full colour but it is interesting and you can drink the wine from the grapes grown in the vineyard. I am no wine expert but it did not do a lot for me.