About Prague
Prague is the capital of Czech Republic and the 14th largest city of European Union. It is situated on the river Vltava in the center of Bohemian Basin. Prague is also known as ‘The City of Hundred Spires’. Prague was the capital of Bohemia at the time of Emperor Charles IV.
The beautiful city 'Prague' is ever changing and presents itself in different forms: It is ancient, modern and romantic at the same time but above all these, it is a cosmopolitan city through and through which welcomes foreigners with open arms. The population of urban zones of the city is estimated 2.2 million; about 14% of their population is of foreigners. It is culturally rich and popular tourist destination (receives nearly 6 million international tourists every year). Since 1992, Prague has become one of the UNESCO’s world heritage sites.
History of Prague
Prague was born on 885 Ad back. Nothing much happened between 900AD and 1400 AD, princes and kings battling for land patches, castles built by one generation were destroyed by another generation. Later Charles IV came, he became the king of Bohemia and Emperor of Holy Roman Empire. Charles made the Prague third great in whole Europe.
World War I was not good for most of European countries but for Czech people, it was like an opportunity. Austria lost the war and was not allowed to run its empire. As a result, a new country Czechoslovakia was born with Prague as its capital.
World War II was not good for Czech people because Hitler took the country before the war started. Massive killings of innocents emptied so many villages. But finally after many struggles, War ended. Germans were asked to leave and once again Prague was the capital of Czechoslovakia. Later Russians came with communism and their policies made this beautiful city economically dead. In year 1989, after the 40 years of tolerance, Czech people demanded communists to step down. Russian left and now the president is democratically elected here and everything is going comparatively well in 21st century.
Things to do in Prague
Prague Tourism will let you do the all the exciting and happening things. Here is the list of some things which will make your Prague Holidays memorable.
- Balloon flights in Prague – Enjoy the view of Prague, 2.5k feet above ground and hop in hot basket. 3-4 hour of entire flying activity will give you glimpse of touching the sky and majestic view from upside down.
- Visit South Moravia – this region is very famous for its wine productions. South Moravia invites all for trying fermented wines and various other types of wines. You can entertain yourself by watching comedy shows, band’s performances, jugglers and fencers. If you want to taste the culture of Prague, visit South Moravia during vintage days and enjoy the folklore and tradition.
Cube and Coffee
Cubism is an art of painting firstly shown by Picasso but Bohemia (now Czech Republic) pioneered the cubism in architectural form. Don’t miss visiting cubist lamp’s posts and enjoy the cubist building and architecture in the city center. Meanwhile you can walk and have coffee and chat.
Flea Markets and Antiques Shops
Prague is a place where you can find antiques and cannot resist yourself to collect items from the store. You can get the best antiques, clothes: vases, antique glass, Retro, memorabilia or kitchen wares and more.
Enjoy Roast Sausage Tour
Enjoy the Czech’s typical outdoor style of dinner. Prepare the campfire and roast your own Czech sausages somewhere in park. Play guitar and have fun with your group.
Prague and Casino Tour
If you want to enjoy the Prague Holidays night life with group of friends and love playing poker or cash games, Prague Casinos are the place to celebrate. You can get the best Prague Tourism experience by doing all these fun activities.
Dos and Don’ts when you are in Prague
Do’s
- Explore the Prague, sometimes put your map aside and discover the Prague's neighborhoods and new adventures.
- Try to get around there by public transport or by walk.
- Visit the Old Town Square and Charles Bridge at night because the buzz is less around and sight seems like the most romantic and magical site on the earth.
- Bring comfortable shoes.
- Look for the classic dishes such as Zelnacka, Svickova and enjoy the meal of the city.
- Spend a whole day walking with no sign of destination in your head and enjoy the architectural beauty of the city and have the best Prague Tourism experience.
- Be flexible with the plans and do not miss any opportunity which comes up out of the blue.
- Be careful and keep your eyes on your bags and pockets.
Don’ts
- Get the change for your money with the random people on the street.
- Stopping in the middle of roads/streets and pulling out maps and looking at it in public space.
- Do not go with uncomfortable things like high heels or any other.
- Take care of you pockets/purses from pick-pocketers nearby touristy areas.
- Taking stress about work during Prague Holidays.
- Trying to visit all the must visit places in a hurry or rush hours.
- Staying away from the center of the city and focusing more on the top attractions away from the center will make you miss many gems.
- Do not catch taxi on the main touristy area otherwise you will be overcharged without no printed receipt.
- Avoid doing activities like taking cab, walking or eating on Wenceslas Square at night.
Places to Visit
- The State Opera is the most beautiful building in Prague out of all National Theatere's Stages. It is one of the forty eight theaters built by the Austrian architect Helmer and Buro Feller in late 19s. This sight is near of other historical places and worth visiting because of its handsome architect.
- Petrin Hill is tall tower which is visible from far behind. It is a copied construction of Paris's Eiffle Tower. Tower is in the center of the city and gives a clear and perfect view of the city. It is the must place to visit for those who are the lover of panoramic and rooftops visits of the cities.
- Wallenstein Palace Gardens is famous for its beauteous and elegant style. It is located at the west of Charles Bridge on a very short distance. These gardens have fountains, ponds and statues featuring the mythological sculptures of Greek made up in old style.
- St.Vitus Cathedral is the largest and most important church in whole Prague. Its structure is the best Cathedral of whole Europe and nearby areas. It is worth seeing for its inside and outside beauty, Gothic style, stunning window designs and beautiful architect.
- Municipal House Hall is the magnificent architectural building golden from outside which illuminates nicely at night. Prague is famous for its musical events and while you are here, you can have the best of all classical music whether it is symphony, chamber music and other classic. You can enjoy the Dvorzak and Mozart concert here in Municipal House Hall. In the basement, Plzenska Beer Hall Restaurnet is worth visiting.
- Prague Zoo ranks among the best zoological parks in the world. It was opened in 1930s and it hhas more than 4900 animals and 680 species. Prague zoo is awarded for saving the species which were close to extinction.
Best Time to Visit
Prague tourism is very popular during summer mainly in the months of April, May and June, people from all around the world are seen here with cameras over shoulders and maps in the hand. May is the perfect time to visit Prague because particularly in this month the city's parks and gardens are so flowery and green. Prague hosts musical festivals, opera shows and celebrates the spring and early summer in the best possible way. This time is the most highlighting time of the year. Hence if you enjoy the company of lots of people around you, summer is the best time to visit Prague.
But if you are one of those people who don’t like crowd and love peaceful surrounding, plan for Prague Tourism during Christmas or January. Winter is the time when tourists are very few and you can freely take pictures on Charles Bridge. Winter timing is best for those who are comfortable with cold weather and want to spend Prague Holidays with some cold.
Food to try
If you are on Prague Holidays , you must know about the food for which Prague is famous. These foods are so different to location and have its own specialties. Here is a list of such foods,
- Dumpling Meat and Sauce: The famous dumpling meals are Svičková and Rajska. These foods are cooked using sauces and called hotovi (meaning finished foods). It is very heavy and if you have digestion issues then this dish is surely not for you because it sits in your stomach like brick.
- A Pig Knee: Pig’s knee is the favorite food for Czech people. It is served with mustard, horse radish and brown bread. Peel the juicy meat on one hand and chew the bread with another hand overall it will give you caveman experience and fill your stomach fully.
- Meatless Food – Czech Bread: It is a 2 cm thick slab of cheese dipped in yolk, covered in bread and later fried on grease. It is the most delicious and classic food of Czech especially for those who don’t eat meat.
If you are vegetarian, there are some vegetarian options as well such as:
- Lagos- It is a pizza (more than 90 percent dough and red sauce on upper layer with vegetables sprinkle around). You can easily find it on the street shops.
- Plene Papriky ( means bell peppers) : Classic version of Plene Papriky is bell pepper with filling of beef , the vegetarian version of this is same except the filling thing here bell pepper is filled with rice replacing beef.
- Smazeny Kvetak ( means fried Cauli-flower)
- Smazeny Syre (means fried Cheese)
- Bramboarak (means Potato Pancakes)
- Smazeny Zampiony (means Fried Mushrooms)
- Ovocne Knedliky (means Fruit dumplings)
- Vegetable Soups
Historical Monument
Historical Monuments are must visit if you want to enjoy your Prague Holidays.
- Prague Castle: Prague Castle is the official residence house of the president of Czech Republic back then it was the home of bohemian king. Originally it was built 970 AD back but with the period of time the architecture changed dramatically with the fusion of old and new styles. Within the walls of palace, there are so many sites to visit including Old Royal Palace, Powder Tower, ST. Georges Basilica, St. Vitus Cathedral and Golden Lane.
- Old Town Square and Astronomical Clock: View of Old Town Square is breath taking. The famous and more than 600 year old Astronomical clock is on the square which still does chiming after each hour. This 1500 century old building is an historical place surrounded by coloured buildings, hotels, restaurants, and churches all maintaining their charms of old times.
- Charles Bridge: Charles Bridge (also called as Stone Bridge) was built by King Charles IV in 1350's. You can view historical saintly statues and listen Polka Music here on the bridge. It is the favorite tourist destination of Prague, so crowdie during summer. If you don’t like buzz around you visit the bridge at the time of winter only or at morning 5 Am.
- St. Vitus Cathedral: This architectural masterpiece took six centuries to complete. As you will enter in the temple, you will notice so many gothic details which are outstanding. St. Vitus Cathedral has its own stories, this castle has witnessed coronation of Czech queens and kings and much more. It is the most ancient and biggest complex in Prague and largest castle in the world. In year 2014, St. Vitus Cathedral was awarded as the most visited tourist place of Czech Republic.
How to Reach Prague
Prague Ruzyne Airport lies in the 20km west of the city center. You can reach Prague by a number of flights but due to absence of direct flight on this route, you should go with the option of indirect flights such as Jet Airways, Etihad Airways, Finnair, Air France, Aeroflot, British Airways and Australian Airlines etc. The roads of Prague are congested so it is advisable to travel via Metro. Bus is considered as the second most convenient option.
Plan a Trip with best Prague Tourism Guides: Musafir
If you want to experience amazing Prague holidays, contact Musafir. Musafir takes care of your flights, hotels, and visas everything. Musafir is known for its services especially for Prague Tourism. There is a list of services provided by Musafir:
- Visa assistance for the Prague Tourism
- Ticket Bookings of Flight you can check the details on the official site of Musafir.
- Customer support is available 24*7.
- You can book hotels of your choice, with specified aminities. You can check hotels online at Musafir.
Musafir provides the most convenient Prague holiday packages. If you want to have the memorable experiences of visiting the historical sights of Prague, having fun in those musical nights and want someone to help you through managing the Prague Tourism, musafir will help you with all the things including, air tickets, room bookings and much more.