Tour extension or not?
 

My wife and I will be touring Eastern Europe during May 2007. Our tour group will spend 3 nights and 2 full days in Prague. Will see the Castle, St. Vitus and the Golden Lane, The Jewish Ghetto and Cemetery. We have both afternoons and evenings free.
Have the chance to extend the trip by 2 full days for $600 for both of us. This includes the Hotel and breakfast. Seems like quite a bit for only two nites in a hotel (Grand Bohemia) and would like advice from those of you that have been in Prague. Is 2 full days enuf or should we spring for the extension? This is our first tour, we usually go on our own but getting up in age a bit so thouht this might be an easy way to see five countries with no hassle.

Two full days in Prague is enough to see the highlights but not time enough to see the secondary sights. In any case $600 for 2 days seems too much to me. You should be able to book the same hotel yourself for at least $75 a night less, and I think you can get a decent hotel for more like $200 or less, though it may not be the Grand Hotel Bohemia. You can always hire a guide tos how you some of the lesser visited sights in Prague if you want to spend more time there.

I would just be interested in what the rest of the trip is costing you per day (land only), as to whether that is quite a bit or not. It doesn't sound that excessive to me, it sounds pretty reasonable, actually. That is only $300 a day for two people, or $150 a day each. Most tours nowadays have per diem costs about that unless they are super budget. Grand Hotel Bohemia is one of the top hotels in Prague, I imagine a room there is at least $200-250 a day during May (one of the peak hotel periods in Prague due to the music festival). So, $300 a day including the room doesn't seem expensive to me. YOu can, of course, stay elsewhere but you really need to plan ahead because hotels get booked up way in advance for May in Prague.

I'd book the extension myself after spending all the other money to get there, and four days is what I'd like. I've been there twice during May, but I really like going to all the classical music events during that festival (for which you also should book tickets ways in advance, they get sold out), and ballet. If you don't care about those (music/ballet or opera), two days may be enough for you.

well, I just checked as I realized that extension was just for the hotel (and breakfast). YOu can just book that hotel online, they have their own website and the rates are 200 euro a night next May. Right now, I guess that is about US$260, so I do agree $300 is a little high, and maybe you can book it on your own cheaper if you don't want to move hotels. Unless there is something else included, like transfers or something.

But you do really need to reserve ahead for May, regardless of where you stay.

Thanks to all for the very helpful advice. We were not aware that the Music Festival was going on at this time. Am sure the crowds will be massive so, have decided to pass on the supplemental 2 days and use the $ for another trip.

Actually, it's not at all clear from your post that you'll be in Prague for the music festival in 2007 (and if you were, I'd actually consider that a great experience rather than a hassle, unless you have no interest in great concerts for reasonable prices). In 2007, the festival starts on May 12 and goes on for usually 2 weeks (so it probably ends on the 24th). That alone might be a reason to stay in Prague for a couple of extra days rather than a reason to avoid the city.

Actually, the Music Festival always goes almost a month, not just two weeks. It ends the first week in June. It's dates are fairly standard and are always from May 12 (the anniversary of Smetana's death) to the first week in June (around June 3-6).

It does mean you have to book a hotel in advance, and any performances you wish to attend as the good ones can get sold out in February. However, I don't think the crowds for that would affect your enjoyment of Prague that much, in general. It is probably no more crowded than in summer when more tourists are there for other reasons.

Of course, that is an expensive hotel, and you could stay elsewhere cheaper, but your tour is probably expensive if it's staying there.

The music festival is a great experience, but many people really do not have any interest in those kind of performances. You can always find routine tourist concerts in Prague, rather than the special performances at the music festival, which may be repertoire or performers one does not know if you don't listen to classical music a lot. If you are there at the very beginning of May, of course, the music festival should not affect that yet (although there are many competitors for various music competitions that have events the week before).

Doug and Christina: Thanks so much for the helpful advice. We will be in Prague May 28, 29 and 30. We do plan to take in a concert but that will be enuf - were not concert buffs and are sure the city will be full up during this period. Have decided not to take the extension. Thanks Again.

With any luck, you'll have lovely cool weather, which is ideal for seeing Prague. I hope you enjoy your trip.