Caph52-my son studied a whole semester in Prague (January to May) and loved it. He said that it was the coldest winter of his life and we live in Chicago. He traveled all over Eastern Europe and up to Riga during the semester. He had spent the semester before in Torino Italy so Prague was a definite change for him.Among the changes,he had gained weight(all the beer)and grown his hair long with a beard.He enjoyed the area and the culture and treasures the memories of his time there.

That said,I was unable due to my parents' health to go to Prague with my husband and daughter to visit him. This past year I finally had a long Prague layover for work.I have to admit it- I don't get Prague either and I am a history major. Its a beautiful city with interesting sites but after hearing for years that my life would be over if I did not visit...well,you get it.I am glad that I went after all my researching for our family trip but haven't bid another trip back since. But then I don't get Florence either?

I was a history major too, and I think Prague is one of the most fascinating cities for history students!

BigR, I firmly sick with my statement too. It is obvious to see just seeing what you write.

i was really keen to go to prague having heard it was such a romantic city i
read all the stuff about the pickpockets and drug addicts and didnt think much of it
i grew up in a big city and was confident

i saw video footage of the place and loved the bridges and the buildings
couldnt wait
we fitted it in specially - it wasnt exactly what we planned at first

but from the moment we set off from the airport we sensed a seediness
an edge i didnt like

it started on the airport bus
a couple were sitting in front of us ..middleaged and dressed ok
but then the inspector came on and they rushed off...obviously having not paid
the inspector apprehended them as they tried to get off and set them by the roadside while we all gawked i guess lol

it was uncomfortable...that these things happen with older people..you expect young kids doing that..
then we found that we had been ripped off by our hotel...we had been put in a sister hotel and were quite far away from the old town where we wanted to be
spent about three hours finding where we were booked in

hated that you couldnt trust the taxis - haad to go for the AAA otherwise a lot arent licenced
had to count our change everywhere
had lousy service and woeful meals...both in taste in presentation
witnessed a bashing by one of the bouncers in the restaurant round the astronomical clock one night
really savage
that was it
that and the drug dealers approaching us twice
the whole city just sagged after all this for us
so we left and went to cesky krumlov

it is a pretty city but it was unkempt
dirty littered with butts
paint peeling
nup
it all just seemed all tired and overwhelmed

lanejohann, so sorry to read that you've had a bad experience in Praha. I can see how one could stumble upon one bad event after another and then think negatively of the place.


Prague is not for everyone -- it takes a certain type of person with complete open-mindedness (and someone who does not have expectations just because they saw a video footage) to be able to appreciate this city. It also helps if you personally know some local Czechs because it gives you a different perspective of the country, from their eyes. As for the perception that the Czech Republic is seedy, shady, or untrustworthy -- I think this is most likely the result of not being familiar Czech language and culture. I used to feel that way too, but my views have since changed. In fact, I now appreciate the fact that Czechs aren't always smiling, chatty, talkative, and eager to express their opinions...because when they do, I know it's genuine.

We cannot expect the whole world to be just like our country -- having the same comforts, traditions, food, language, and culture. This is what makes travel worthwhile, and interesting.

>> it started on the airport bus
a couple were sitting in front of us ..middleaged and dressed ok
but then the inspector came on and they rushed off...obviously having not paid
the inspector apprehended them as they tried to get off and set them by the roadside while we all gawked i guess lol


lanejohann,
That inspector who checked for tickets was just doing his job -- that's totally normal (nothing to really gawk at). Nothing shady about it at all. In Prague it is very common to see ticket inspectors do random inspections on the bus/tram/metro to make sure that people have the valid passes/tickets. The inspectors can randomly ask anyone for proof of a valid pass/ticket -- regardless of their age or how they are dressed. Therefore, it is important to buy the metro/bus/tram tickets/passes in advance, or else you'd be the dishonest one, not the Czechs!

I consider myself open-minded, have dear Czech friends (three of them live in Prague) and still don't like Prague. As someone who lives only 2 miles from the Czech border I could tell you *way* too many unpleasant stories. Even my Czech friends are often uncomfortable of the mentality of their country's fellows.

Sorry to hear that, Ingo!

"Sorry CAPH."

No problem, BR

I never heard that "everyone" likes Prague. However, it is a matter of personal interest and personal experiences. Prague has great architecture, the castle complex is very interesting, and Czech beer is excellent. So if those things interest you, you will be more likely to like Prague. If not, you'll be less likely to like Prague.

If you have a particularly bad experince in any place you visit (like you did in Prague) then you are less likely to like it; if not, then you are more likely to like the place.

I don't like Florence at all. Others love it. Berlin is one of my favorite large cities to visit; others loathe it. Different strokes for different folks.

Logos, if your only criteria for deeming someone a fascist is criticizing FDR for caving into Stalin (the #2 mass murderer of the 20th Century after Mao) and thinking that the Central Europeans who lived under the Iron Curtain for 44+ years were victims of one of the most hideous ideologies and governmental structures in world history, I would gladly cast my lot with the Hungarian students of 1956, the Czechs of 1968, the Poles of 1970 and 1980, and the views of Krakow Cardinal Karol Wojtyla (you may recognize his latter sobriquet: Pope John Paul II) than with you.

For me, learning about the Central Europeans' history as people essentially living in a geographic delta between various imperial nations to the west (Bourbon and Napoleonic France, Holy Roman Empire, Hapsburg Austria, Nazi Germany) and the east (Russia, Soviet Union) is a reason in itself to visit places like Prague, Budapest, Krakow. Somehow, Czech, Magyar, Polish, Balkan, Baltic, and Croat history never quite make it into even the general European history textbooks used in schools in the US.

"My son summed it up when he observed in disgust..."Should have let the Russians keep them".
What an ignorant statement!
Who was in charge "of deciding" who keeps what anyway?

I spent 4 days in Prague this summer and found it lovely.
Sure, there are more beautiful cities in Europe, but people here have expressed 'not getting" cities like: Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice, Nice...the list goes on. Paul150 is right.

We were underwhelmed by Prague. Most formerly communist cities are lacking in upkeep and have stood still for a long time. Feel the same about Budapest.

"... and have stood still for a long time." That's one reason why I liked Prague. The architectural styles of different centuries are still intact. Scenes for the movie "Amadeus" were filmed in Prague because the real locations from Mozart's life no longer looked the same as they did during his life.

loved the weeks we spent in Prague but it was spoilt at weekends but rude, drunk, screaming, bad language hens and bucks parties from UK

so sorry to hear that northie.

> loved the weeks we spent in Prague but it was spoilt at weekends but rude, drunk, screaming, bad language hens and bucks parties from UK

Prague had a reputation for that. Or more like Brits (young and/or low class?) have that reputation, travelling outside the country with low-cost for cheap booze. I think there are much less such parties coming to Prague nowadays, preferring other cheaper cities such as Tallin. Good for Prague but ...

Personally I have not had such unpleasant experices on my about 10 travels to the city in the past 5 years. Maybe because I usually stay in Mala Strana area that tends to be quieter than Stare Mesto (Old town area). But even when I stayed in Dlouha, a rather busy street 5 minutes from the Old Twon Square, I was not bothered by such. Maybe I'm lucky or maybe because I travel more often in low season. I enjoy Prague every time I am there. I don't look for crowd (that i hate) so I visit the bridge in early morning (a few minutes walk from my Mala Strana hotels) for glorious site with morning sun over the castle. Also I walk all over at night (last few times, I made a habit of visiting the Prague castle and its terrace after dinner, cold or warm and I like it) even very late but don't go much to Wenceslas Square, that's a bit tacky with all the adult industry. But even in rare cases I found myself there, I was not bothered by anybody (what's wrong with me ? ;-) ) .

Oh, and as somebody wrote above, NOT everyone love Prague. I have seen here many say they prefer e.g. Budapest to Prague, they found Prague people miserable, not smiling etc. I am a sort of Prague lover and don't agree with those but everyone's experience is different.

I lived and worked in Prague for three years and I really do think it is a beautiful city (although I probably wouldn't consider it among my favorites in Europe). However, Prague isn't like Paris or London, where there are lots of museums and indoor activities. As a consequence, there's not that much to do when the weather is bad and I have found a lot of my friends loved it when they visited in nice weather and saw it at its best and complained about it when it rained, meaning they couldn't really enjoy the city as it's meant to be seen - exploring all its winding streets on foot. One of my best memories of Prague is on the Charles Bridge during a snowstorm after midnight - absolutely magical.

> One of my best memories of Prague is on the Charles Bridge during a snowstorm after midnight - absolutely magical.

Hmmm I can imagine that. I will be there next month but it woudn't be that cold then. Pity.