I bought a city map of Prague today (1st step in planning our trip). Which side of the Bridge is the best to stay on for restaurants and convenience...the side where Old Town is or the side where the castle is?? Thank you, Karen

Karen---<BR>I've stayed on the old town side and enjoyed it very much, but the side where the castle is located also has some nice places to stay. Both sides have a lot to see, but of course the old town had more appeal to me, and being close enough to walk around there was important.

We stayed on the Old town side in Stare Mesto (Cloister Inn). Both sides are nice and have good restaurants. However, there was more to do on the Old town side (Wenselas Square - which is really a long rectangle type boulevard with the Museum at the end), Old Town, Jewish Quarter, More shopping, Opera,. Plus the view at night of the castle from across the river was terrific. We walked over one night for dinner at a small local place (Bonaparts I think). A coworker who grew up there and was visiting his mother and met us there. Great food but just a hole in the wall place on the castle side. Concerts may also be more on the Old town side. We went to a trio on the steps of the Museum, it was really good.<BR>As you can see, we really enjoyed the place once we got rid of (parked) the car!!!

And, I stayed on the other side of the Charles Bridge, on the Mala Strana side, specifically on Na Kampa Island. The Mala Strana side is much quieter in the evening, as there aren't any clubs there -- only residences, hotels and restaurants. The Mala Strana side is a bit more fashionable and can be more expensive. I really liked staying on this side of the river, and when I was pondering as you are now, the advise I was given was to stay in Mala Strana.<BR><BR>By the way, I stayed at the House at the Charles Bridge (Na Kampe 15) and really enjoyed my stay there.

We stayed in a private home outside of town. Our hostess was Ludmilla and her dog Philip--I'll never forget them. It was a great way to meet the locals and experience the neighborhoods. We ate in the neighborhood restaurant several times and had several very interesting experiences with "reserved" signs on all the restaurant tables when they apparently weren't really reserved. We were always offered a seat, but we would see others get refused. We had read about it in Fodors in fact and it was right on the mark. Don't know if they still do this--we were there 9 years ago. Awesome city. So we stayed outside of town, but I felt we really experienced life there.

No matter where you stay within the 4 cities, you will be in close distance to everything. If you stay outside of the central areas, just make sure that you are close to a metro.

Like Leslie, we stayed in Mala Strana and loved it for some of the same reasons given by Leslie. We were right near the metro and had planned it that way but wound up never using it because we found it easy to walk to everything. We were also near the bridge just up river from the Charles bridge so we were very able to get to places in the old town easily. Where I would not stay is actually on Castle hill. That's a bit removed from the rest of the place and requires step climbing.

just got back from 7th trip to prague in 3 years.<BR>both sides of the river are fine.<BR>all of prague is either walkable or tram able. <BR>i would far from worry on which side of the bridge.<BR>I stay at the castle side at a one specific hotel after staying at 3 others now.<BR>all is local and easy to see.<BR>Dan<BR>matter of fact just got back yesterday!