Prague next week, need some indoor suggestions
 

I'm leaving next week for Italy and Prague! I realized all my planning is pretty much geared to outdoor activities but I know Prague has seemed to have a lot of cool rainy weather so far this summer so maybe I should have some indoor activities lined up just in case. Any suggestions for things to do if the weather is lousy?

There was a thread here a few weeks ago about free or inexpensive concerts. AMP,if you are still around - I know you will be playing there. I went to the website you mentioned in that other post but I couldn't find times or locations of the concerts. Can you give me some specifics?

There are concerts all the time in Prague and people handing out leaflets about them (ad nauseam) in the square of Old Town. You can't miss them. Another indoor activity -- there is a fairly new Mucha Museum not far from Wenceslas Square which is very nice. Mucha was (perhaps) more of a graphic artist -- but I found his stuff very nice to look at. There is also a good video on his life. Have a great time. Prague was my first European city and I still hold it in the highest regard!

just a few of the websites for Prague
www.a-prague.com interactive map, sightseeing, museum hours, restaurants

www.castles.org info on Prague Castle, and others has photos

www.ceotraveler.com click on Prague sightseeing



www.czech-tourism.com Czech tourist board, has many links


www.praguepost.com/P)#/Finfo and
www.myczechrepublic.com/prague two websites that include,among many other things, events.


www.radio.cz/en Radio Prague, news, current events, history, etc

www.timeout.com, click on Prague, lots of info on hotels, eating, shopping

www.visitprague.cz
www.worldexecutive.com weather, sightseeing

Article on ?Macabre Prague??weird or gruesome historical sites
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...RAVEL10482.dtl

Mucha museum
www.mucha.cz

www.ticketpro.cz has a comprehensive listing of all kinds of performances.

National Marionette Theatre http://www.prague-tourist-informatio...ulture/mozart/

You can also reserve in advance an English tour of Municipal House
www.obecnidum.cz/e_index.htm

Prague has a wonderful 19th-20th century National Art Museum. It is off the beaten tourist path in Prague 7. It is very close to a metro stop (the name escapes me but it is on Line "C". Admission price is based on how many floors (up to 4) that you want to visit. I found this a great way to spend a few hours on a rainy day.

Good answers here, and I'd also add that if you like beer, the Staropramen brewery offers tours, but you have to book in advance through their website. I'd also recomend the Museum of Communism, just off of Wenceslas. Definitely recommend touring the Municipal House - go very early (the info desk opens at 10 AM, and there will be a line) and book tickets for one of their three daily tours. Concerts are great, and a good deal, too - try and go to one in Smetana hall in the Municipal House - the acoustics are superb. Have fun!

I've been in Prague when it rained almost every day, unfortunately. I guess its always the usual things to do inside -- museums or shopping, and various performances or concerts at night. I also like going to movies occasionally when abroad and Prague has a lot of good movie theaters with English-language films (subtitled in Czech).

I think all of these museum ideas are great, and I also will say that the Modern National Art museum is really very good and most tourists don't go there. If you like more contemporary art, of course -- but that is the only museum I've been in that had a good selection of Central/Eastern European impressionist painters, for example, and that was really nice. It's not at all crowded because tourists don't go there. It is near the Vltavska metro stop, but I took the tram which goes right by it and is more convenient. The museum is in Veletrzni Palac and you usually will see that name as an attraction rather than the museum's name.

I also really enjoyed the City of Prague museum for a lot of artifacts and information on the history of the city. That's near Florenc metro stop.

I wouldn't worry about planning for concerts ahead of time, unless it's some major performer you want tickets for (see ticketpro). Just get a copy of Praguepost newspaper as soon as you get there -- it lists all kinds of things going on, the movies and other events you may find interesting. It's in English and you can find it in many hotels -- if not, look for it as it will be very helpful.

Those are all great suggestions, and I would def recommend the comunism museum. The national museum, which is just at the top of Wenceslas square is just mediocre, but it's only 50 kc (about $2) to get into. Its primarily just stuffed giant random animals. Kinda scary really.
If you want something more fun in terms of a museum, I would suggest going to the spider/scorpean museum, which shares entrance with the torture museum. They're cheap and quick. They're on the New Town Side of the Charles Bridge, just next to the McDonalds and right across from the Malostranska tram stop.
Otherwise, I wouldn't really waste my time at museums, but that's just because I bore easily. I would also suggest, if you can stand to be outside for limited amounts of time, a climb to the top of the Astronomical clock, where you can get a view of all of Prague, pretty much.
I would also suggest the castle, although you will be outside for some of that as well.
Prague offers great massages, and for very cheap. My favorite places were the Thai places, and if you go out of the center, you could probably get a massage for around $10.
You can check out www.expats.cz It's a website mainly for the expatriates living there, but if you look on the left hand side of the site there will be a little blue tab that says entertainment and social. you probably won't find anything too far in advance, but I'd check it out anyway, or even when you get there.
If you do end up getting some great weather, I would recommend going to the beer garden in Letna on a sunny afternoon. To go by metro/tram, exit at Hradcanska on the green line and take any tram to Letensky Namesti. It's not sight seeing in the "typical" sense, but believe me, you'll experience authentic czech. If you have any other ?s or need recommendations, you can email me at [email protected]
hope this helps!

sorry, the torture museum is just across from the malostranska namesti tram stop

Thanks for the suggestions. Most of the on-line stuff I've found is for concerts at the larger concert halls. Hopefully once I get there I'll find some smaller (less expensive) places. I don't want to reserve in advance but wanted to have some ideas of things to do on the spur of the moment if I felt like it. Anyone know of places to see ballet (or any kind of dance performace)? Several of the sites said "opera/ballet" but then only listed opera or concerts.

I think they usually only have ballet performances at the National Theatre in Prague. Perhaps some small troups occasionally dance elsewhere, but I've never seen any. Mid-July is usually past the dance performing arts season in most cities, so that's probably why you don't see any performances. I think the season closes at the end of June in Prague. Prague is so well-known for opera and tourists seem to want to go to that more so they do tend to have opera performances much more and for a longer period.

Hi Isabel... I'm here!

The festival I play in doesn't start until July 24th. On the 24th, there is a concert at Bertramka, the Mozart Museum, but it is not listed on the website. The actual schedule of festival performances is on that website (www.ameropa.org) under "schedule", with the concerts highlighted in white. If you want more help, email me at annmail1 "at" comcast "dot" net (trying to conceal my address somewhat!) Anyway, there are tons of other concerts, and you can get listings in the Prague Post, and at hotels, info boards, etc. St. Nicholas Church in Mala Strana is a beautiful place that holds concerts all the time. The main season is over there, so most of the things offered are geared towards tourists. Have a great trip!!