John and I are just back from a few days in Prague, when we booked it, we didn’t know that West Ham would be in the final! However it added to the fun of the trip.
My top tips for visiting – the most direct way from the airport to the city is by the Airport Express bus which drops you at the main rail station. From there, just get a cab or walk to your hotel. Our hotel was the Occidental Praha Wilson, just 7 minutes from the station and located at the top end of Wenceslas Square. Location-wise, it was good as we just walked from the station easily to the hotel. However to do most things, you have to walk to the other end of the square – which tends to be noisier and busier. This isn’t actually a square – it is over half a kilometre long, but full of life, lots of shops, restaurants and hotels. On your first day, do a tour – either a bus sightseeing tour or a walking tour. Do the free walking tour – but prebook it. We did the walking tour first and it was excellent, our guide was an American who’s lived in Prague for 7 years. The crowds gather in the Old Town Square all day long, to watch the hour strike on the astronomical clock – not too sure why TBH, its a bit of an anticlimax!
There are distinct areas to the city – the Old and New Towns are on one side of the river and flat for walking. Across the river is the Castle and Cathedral, but be warned, these are on a hill and you could spend at least a day sightseeing on this side. The best way to get from side to side is across the Charles Bridge – every city has its iconic bridge.
Getting lost in the alleyways of the Old Town is a great way to see some hidden gems. We also took in a concert one evening, most churches and chapels seem to have concerts most evenings. It was excellent – featuring Dvorak, one of Czechia’s famous composers. This is the one we went to, the programme changes daily.
Tell me your top tips for your favourite city!