I'd go there in 1991 if I were you. That's when I first went, hitchhiking there from England. No McDonalds, hardly any tourists, traditional Czech eateries in Wenceslas Square, not prettified. Ask PragueAddick if he can arrange it.
See if you can get to Viktoria Zizkov's ground to get a game in - great club that I used to watch when I lived there 2003-4. The neighbourhood is very 'authentic' as well and the local park has the fantastic/bizarre spectacle of the Soviet TV tower with alien babies crawling up it.
Day trip to Kutna Hora well worth doing with its ossuary, a collection of human bones including a chandelier made out of them.
If the Marquis de Sade bar is still there, drop in and have some proper absinthe.
Brilliant place, which definitely fits in with its original name of Bohemia.
See if you can get to Viktoria Zizkov's ground to get a game in - great club that I used to watch when I lived there 2003-4. The neighbourhood is very 'authentic' as well and the local park has the fantastic/bizarre spectacle of the Soviet TV tower with alien babies crawling up it.
Day trip to Kutna Hora well worth doing with its ossuary, a collection of human bones including a chandelier made out of them.
If the Marquis de Sade bar is still there, drop in and have some proper absinthe.
Brilliant place, which definitely fits in with its original name of Bohemia.
none of the commercial bright green stuff, if it’s the one I had, it almost looks like puddle water and has wormwood in the bottle?
I'd go there in 1991 if I were you. That's when I first went, hitchhiking there from England. No McDonalds, hardly any tourists, traditional Czech eateries in Wenceslas Square, not prettified. Ask PragueAddick if he can arrange it.
That’s about when I first went. Fully agree it was so much better then. Incredibly cheap in the bars and restaurants around Wenceslas Square.
See if you can get to Viktoria Zizkov's ground to get a game in - great club that I used to watch when I lived there 2003-4. The neighbourhood is very 'authentic' as well and the local park has the fantastic/bizarre spectacle of the Soviet TV tower with alien babies crawling up it.
Day trip to Kutna Hora well worth doing with its ossuary, a collection of human bones including a chandelier made out of them.
If the Marquis de Sade bar is still there, drop in and have some proper absinthe.
Brilliant place, which definitely fits in with its original name of Bohemia.
Thanks very much for the suggestions, sounds great!
great little hotel ive stayed in old town perfect location is called U Stare Pani - At the Old Lady Hotel also stayed in raddison blu that has the irish bar virtually next door
See if you can get to Viktoria Zizkov's ground to get a game in - great club that I used to watch when I lived there 2003-4. The neighbourhood is very 'authentic' as well and the local park has the fantastic/bizarre spectacle of the Soviet TV tower with alien babies crawling up it.
Day trip to Kutna Hora well worth doing with its ossuary, a collection of human bones including a chandelier made out of them.
If the Marquis de Sade bar is still there, drop in and have some proper absinthe.
Brilliant place, which definitely fits in with its original name of Bohemia.
Pah! There's only one Viktoria, thank you very much:-)
Of course you are right, it is very atmospheric at Zizkov, but I think they still insist on kicking off at 10.15 on Sunday mornings. Most of the regulars look as if they never bothered to go to bed. When I went, the sausage grilling machine caught fire and the smoke billowed across the pitch, halting the game for a few minutes.
If you get out of the old town area you'll definitely be able to avoid the stag groups and overly commercial tourist scene. Old town us beautiful, as is Charles Bridge, but try not to spend too long there.
The Jewish quarter and the Mala Strana area are interesting parts to spend time, as is the Vinohrady neighbourhood.
Going again next month. Each time I’ve stayed in hotels on mala strana side, basically because there’s a small bar called napa galleria that has become our nightcap last port of call each night before returning to the hotel. There’s also some characteristic cellar bars but that can be said for all the districts. I’m sure pragueaddick will give you plenty of useful info but I can recommend the restaurace mincovna. It is the old government mint building right on the old town square. Considering the equivalent over here would be in Trafalgar Square, it’s very reasonably priced. Good for food and we’ve never been turned away when just wanting a couple of the tankovny pilsner urquells. There is another nice restaurant on the square that i cant remember the name of but looking at the map I think it’s called cafe u Tyna. 2 others not far are both breweries that do good food. Both have inside and outside eating areas. They are pivovar u medvidku and pivovar narodni. If you avoid the places marketed as ‘Irish bar’ etc you will be hard pressed to find a bad bar as the Czechs have a such pride for brewing. St vitus cathedral is stunning and has fantastic views of the city. Jewish quarter is near the old town and worth a visit. Transport system is a doddle.
I'd go there in 1991 if I were you. That's when I first went, hitchhiking there from England. No McDonalds, hardly any tourists, traditional Czech eateries in Wenceslas Square, not prettified. Ask PragueAddick if he can arrange it.
That’s about when I first went. Fully agree it was so much better then. Incredibly cheap in the bars and restaurants around Wenceslas Square.
I seem to remember paying 15p for a beer back then. There was a really ropey bar behind the Florence railway station and across from a dirt cheap youth hostel. It was my favourite bar, full of characters, mainly old railway workers. In those days, Western tourists were a relative novelty so the Czechs went out of their way to be welcoming. At first they were cold, assuming I was a German, but beaming smiles broke out when I explained that I was British. One Czech family who picked me up when I was hitchhiking, invited me to their home and asked me to stay the week - they're still friends today.
Been back a week now and really missing it, we had such a fantastic time. Thank you for everyone who gave us advice, especially to @PragueAddick who was an absolute star. If anyone else is going, here are a few recommendations based on our trip:
Hotel: Stayed at Hotel Roma, which is in Mala strana (thanks @paulbaconsarnie). Four stars for £50 a night. Great value.
Restaurants: U Kříže for their goulash. Vegan Restaurant, Nerudova for their potato goulash. Lod Pivovar for their pork knee (don't eat for a week beforehand) and fine selection of beers. Atmosphere Cafe, great for snacks and drinking.
Pubs & Beers: I absolutely loved the dark beers. Personal favourites: Monarchie from Lod Pivovar, Flekovsky from U Fleku, Buffalo Belgian Stout from Gulden Draak Bierhuis, St Norbert's Special Dark form the monastery, Merlin and Velvet.
Attractions: The lookout tower by the observatory, botanical gardens (couldn't believe how luck we were with the weather).
Transport: The Metro and trams are great. The three day ticket is superb value. You have to validate it on first use - don't do what we did and get it stamped every ride, which led to a hairy moment with a ticket inspector.
Was there on a stag in 2000. Was a decent bar/club on the river with outside terrace that overlooked the river where the river had some kind of weir section.
Was there on a stag in 2000. Was a decent bar/club on the river with outside terrace that overlooked the river where the river had some kind of weir section.
No idea of its name though !
Sounds like Hergetova Cihelna. Quite a big, smart place with well turned out young staff?
I don't even know about Čertovka myself! But then, the days when you ate out often because it was so cheap, are looong gone. Still cheap enough that a meal for 4 with good beer can cost the same as buying the group 2 rounds in a central London pub!
Back in Nov 2003, when I went with Mrs 31, persuaded her to have an early dinner so we could get over to Sparta Prague v Templice for a new ground. Pennies to get in, although coldest I've ever been at a football match. I know how to show a girl a good time.
Been back a week now and really missing it, we had such a fantastic time. Thank you for everyone who gave us advice, especially to @PragueAddick who was an absolute star. If anyone else is going, here are a few recommendations based on our trip:
Hotel: Stayed at Hotel Roma, which is in Mala strana (thanks @paulbaconsarnie). Four stars for £50 a night. Great value.
Restaurants: U Kříže for their goulash. Vegan Restaurant, Nerudova for their potato goulash. Lod Pivovar for their pork knee (don't eat for a week beforehand) and fine selection of beers. Atmosphere Cafe, great for snacks and drinking.
Pubs & Beers: I absolutely loved the dark beers. Personal favourites: Monarchie from Lod Pivovar, Flekovsky from U Fleku, Buffalo Belgian Stout from Gulden Draak Bierhuis, St Norbert's Special Dark form the monastery, Merlin and Velvet.
Attractions: The lookout tower by the observatory, botanical gardens (couldn't believe how luck we were with the weather).
Transport: The Metro and trams are great. The three day ticket is superb value. You have to validate it on first use - don't do what we did and get it stamped every ride, which led to a hairy moment with a ticket inspector.
Glad you enjoyed it stig. We are back out next Sunday, staying not far from hotel Roma. Looking at possibly getting the Czech v Slovakia game in on Monday.
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I'll PM you :-)
If she sees “Goldfingers” on your bank statement, just tell her it’s a James Bond museum
Day trip to Kutna Hora well worth doing with its ossuary, a collection of human bones including a chandelier made out of them.
If the Marquis de Sade bar is still there, drop in and have some proper absinthe.
Brilliant place, which definitely fits in with its original name of Bohemia.
Of course you are right, it is very atmospheric at Zizkov, but I think they still insist on kicking off at 10.15 on Sunday mornings. Most of the regulars look as if they never bothered to go to bed. When I went, the sausage grilling machine caught fire and the smoke billowed across the pitch, halting the game for a few minutes.
The Jewish quarter and the Mala Strana area are interesting parts to spend time, as is the Vinohrady neighbourhood.
Each time I’ve stayed in hotels on mala strana side, basically because there’s a small bar called napa galleria that has become our nightcap last port of call each night before returning to the hotel. There’s also some characteristic cellar bars but that can be said for all the districts.
I’m sure pragueaddick will give you plenty of useful info but I can recommend the restaurace mincovna. It is the old government mint building right on the old town square. Considering the equivalent over here would be in Trafalgar Square, it’s very reasonably priced. Good for food and we’ve never been turned away when just wanting a couple of the tankovny pilsner urquells.
There is another nice restaurant on the square that i cant remember the name of but looking at the map I think it’s called cafe u Tyna.
2 others not far are both breweries that do good food. Both have inside and outside eating areas. They are pivovar u medvidku and pivovar narodni.
If you avoid the places marketed as ‘Irish bar’ etc you will be hard pressed to find a bad bar as the Czechs have a such pride for brewing.
St vitus cathedral is stunning and has fantastic views of the city. Jewish quarter is near the old town and worth a visit.
Transport system is a doddle.
Hotel: Stayed at Hotel Roma, which is in Mala strana (thanks @paulbaconsarnie). Four stars for £50 a night. Great value.
Restaurants: U Kříže for their goulash. Vegan Restaurant, Nerudova for their potato goulash. Lod Pivovar for their pork knee (don't eat for a week beforehand) and fine selection of beers. Atmosphere Cafe, great for snacks and drinking.
Pubs & Beers: I absolutely loved the dark beers. Personal favourites: Monarchie from Lod Pivovar, Flekovsky from U Fleku, Buffalo Belgian Stout from Gulden Draak Bierhuis, St Norbert's Special Dark form the monastery, Merlin and Velvet.
Attractions: The lookout tower by the observatory, botanical gardens (couldn't believe how luck we were with the weather).
Transport: The Metro and trams are great. The three day ticket is superb value. You have to validate it on first use - don't do what we did and get it stamped every ride, which led to a hairy moment with a ticket inspector.
No idea of its name though !
I don't even know about Čertovka myself! But then, the days when you ate out often because it was so cheap, are looong gone. Still cheap enough that a meal for 4 with good beer can cost the same as buying the group 2 rounds in a central London pub!
We are back out next Sunday, staying not far from hotel Roma.
Looking at possibly getting the Czech v Slovakia game in on Monday.