I’ll be spending the weekend in the lovely (I hope) city of Prague. I already know to avoid people who want to exchange currency and to make sure to drink a lot of beer. Any other advice? What foods must one sample when being in the Czech Republic for the first time?
Prague ROCKS. Spend some time just walking around. There are two great places off the main square. On the right side of the square, across from Budvar and facing the palace, take a right at the KFC. At the top of the hill, there is this great jazz club and across the street there is a great pub (or was). Have a great time. Check out Let’s Go’s guide for Prague.
I can’t help on the local food thing but I can suggest trying the original ‘Bud wiser’.
Just walk. Prague is such an old historic city you can feel time and magic envelope you as you walk the streets in the older sections of town.
Stroll across the Charles Bridge and pick up a few photographs or paintings or sketches from some of the local artist. If you have the time and patience for waiting in possible lines check out the old jewish cemetery. Prague is where the legend of the Golem began.
Go to a soccer game. When we were there we saw Prague play and beat Moscow.
If you’re old enough and interested, check out a strip club, the one we went to was unlike anything I’ve heard of in the US.
Check out the ‘Stranger’s Town’, it’s across the river (via the Charles Bridge) from the main town. We ran out of time and only saw a little of it. I think it was called the Mala Strana or something like that.
If you’re worried about your budget, stay at a youth hostel. The one we stayed at (The Atlas Hotel) was just off Wenseslas Square and had a couple of small apartments(?). The brothers that owned it were in the midst of remodelling it. We did not worry about our things when we left them there.
We enjoyed just walking around and ‘feeling’ the city. (okay, I did anyway.)
If you’re just in town for the weekend, make sure you drop by Jo’s Bar in the Mala Strana. The beer, while not as cheap as it would be in a true Czech hospoda, is reasonably priced compared to the tourist traps, and you’ll meet a lot of travelers and a few expats (especially bartenders) who can tell you where the current cool hangouts and happenings are in town. Foodwise, try and find someplace that serves good gulas (GOOlash) and knedliky (kiNEDlicky), a stewed meat with doughy dumplings, or svickova (svEEchkova), a sirloin in a sweet sauce. Try every beer you can. Let’s go guides are always good. If you want to do the tourist thing, see the Astronomical clock in the old town square, Wenceslaus square, and/or Prauge castle. I’ll try to think of more later.
-pravnik, Prague ex-expat (repat?)