Prague short report
 

Just had a week in Prague Nov 07. So a few notes
The bus 119 from the airport is fast but full. Ticket for 7 days (168 hours) allows full use of all trams and metro in town.

Fast transfer by bus, metro and tram to stop opposite Roma. Weather cold and wet. Booked via ave on the web £382 for the week in a double room. They booked us into a quiet end corridor room with our own large balcony.

First meal out in local restaurant with English speaking staff. Very red meat based and staff appologised that the Pilsner was bottled (not draught).

Day 2 walked aound the new town and Jewish quarter looking at the mass of people. Hat very necessary as the rain came down in sheets. Good lunch at Naprst Kova. Had booked into see the largest book in the world via the web and turned up to be checked through by 3 people to see a fat bible on its back with just 2 pages open. One the Devil and the other the Kingdom of God.
Ate fish that evening at the Rebarsky Klub on Kampa Island. Exceptional and a reasonable price.

Day 3 took the tram 23 to the NW of the castle and walked down through the castle area. Saw the changing of the guard and the trumpet playing. Still got into the various hish spots of the castle tour and finaly back to the hotel without freezing. Supper in the brewary Novomestsky Plovavar which is tucked away at the end of a mini shopping mall. All the foreigners were tucked up stairs (mainly German) but the place is enormous. Also picked up an odd street bread made of rolled dough on a steel tube heated over open flames.

Visited the Museum of decorative art (5 hours) with lunch in the basement the best visit of the whole journey. Trams come very often and we quickly picked up the trick of finding the stops before the main turnings not after them.

Supper in a Apfgan restaurant in the old town with a super camp waiter.

Wednesday more walking and shpping finding all the best shops in little alley ways, fitted in a wine tasting (100 wines for £1.50) and supper was Arabic in the old town. Also tried a tea house during the day. Oh my god I never knew that tea could be so important. I almost died before I got my brew.

Next day train to Pilzen through the snow. Great tour but SABMiller don't lager it any more they just ship out to their customers and supply half the beer drunk in the country. Since Beajolais Neuveau arrived this day we stummbled onto a party under a bridge and joined in to the dancing and singing.

That night found a Mexican just towards the river from the Roma and very impressed.

Last full day and settled for a hair cut (DH) and attempted watercolour (too cold, the water froze). We found a small bar N of the American Embassy and ate more red meat stew with a great deal of beer.

Conclusion. Probably not worth a whole week and the cold got a bit frustrating but very pretty with great public transport and wide variety of food. Given the season the place was pretty busy so think twice before a high summer tour.

Roma very good at the £50 a night price but booking directly could double this

I had 3-night stay 2 weeks ago in Prague (stayed near where you did)and had about the same sort of weather you had(mostly rain, cloud and a bit of snow). One of the rare times I had sun (glorious!)was 2 early mornings I walked to Charles Bridge via Kampa Park to enjoy almost deserted bridge. Here are the photos of that time. You can see there some sun lit images of Prague.

http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q...v07/?start=all

I think you mean Hotel Roma4* at Ujezd tram stop in Mala Strana district. You were lucky to have a room with a balcony. I didn't the time I stayed there (Nov.2006) altough I was very happy with the hotel. You did Bus 119> Metro A> Tram (20,22,23) to get to Ujezd, that's what I did the first time. That's not bad but changing twice may not be ideal especially including a metro (such a long escalator)and when you have luggage. Next time (if you go again, or for others' info), you can change from 119 to tram 20 at Dejvicka and go direct to Ujezd. It does a slightly roundabout way but at the end the time takes is about the same and you can avoid the metro part.

Although Nov 2006 was the only time I stayed at Hotel Roma, I returned to its reception a couple of times after that (went back to Prague, Jan, Apr, Sep, Nov and going again in Christmas)to say hello to the baby shark in the aquarium. Some staff remembered me and let me use their pc/internet (free to the hotel guests) at the lobby.

Hi!

Thanks for your report! I am planning a trip in January as a solo traveler. Do you have the name of the place you experienced the wine tasting ? I was also planning on going to the Decorative Arts Museum. Can you recommend any other museums? Did you take any tours around the city that you can recommend?

Thanks
Denise

Wine tasting was a tent so probably no use. There are tours of town but we just used the Rough Guide.

The Castle is worth the visit and the local tourist info do architecture guides so we tracked down cubist buildings etc

bilboburgler,
Thanks for the report! My son is moving there in January, and he is definitely worried about the cold. Recently graduated from college in Tampa so he's used to warm weather!


Kappa,
Beautiful pictures! I hope I'll get the opportunity to visit while my son is there. Thanks for sharing!