Prague & the Best of the Czech Republic 5th Edition by Hana Mastrini Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s: “Amazingly easy to use Very portable, very complete.” —Booklist “Detailed, accurate, and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.” —Glamour Magazine “Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.” —Des Moines Sunday Register “Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.” —Knight Ridder Newspapers Prague & the Best of the Czech Republic 5th Edition by Hana Mastrini Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s: “Amazingly easy to use Very portable, very complete.” —Booklist “Detailed, accurate, and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.” —Glamour Magazine “Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.” —Des Moines Sunday Register “Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.” —Knight Ridder Newspapers About the Author Hana Mastrini is a native of the western Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary who became a veteran of the “Velvet Revolution” as a student in Prague in 1989 She is a co-author of Frommer’s Europe and Frommer’s Europe by Rail Published by: Wiley Publishing, Inc 111 River St Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 Copyright © 2004 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600 Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4447, E-Mail: permcoordinator@wiley.com Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc and/or its affiliates Frommer’s is a trademark or registered trademark of Arthur Frommer Used under license All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners Wiley Publishing, Inc is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book ISBN 0-7645-4295-8 Editor: Lesley King Production Editor: Ian Skinnari Cartographer: John Decamillis Photo Editor: Richard Fox Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services For information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S at 317-572-3993 or fax 317-572-4002 Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic formats Manufactured in the United States of America Contents List of Maps vi What’s New in Prague & the Czech Republic The Best of Prague Frommer’s Favorite Experiences in Prague & the Czech Republic Planning Your Trip to Prague & the Czech Republic Visitor Information & Entry Requirements 12 Money 15 The Czech Koruna 16 What Things Cost in Prague 17 When to Go 18 Czech Republic Calendar of Events 19 36 Getting Around 43 Fast Facts: Prague 47 Where to Stay in Prague Websites with Online Reservations 55 Hradcany 56 Malá Strana (Lesser Town) 57 Which Quarter? 60 Staré Mêsto (Old Town) & Josefov 61 Where to Dine in Prague Restaurants by Cuisine 74 Hradcany 76 A Few Dining Warnings 77 Malá Strana (Lesser Town) 77 Family-Friendly Restaurants 80 12 Health & Insurance 22 Tips for Travelers with Special Needs 23 Planning Your Trip Online 26 Online Traveler’s Toolbox 27 Getting There 28 Coping with Jet Lag 29 Getting to Know Prague Orientation 36 Neighborhoods in Brief 42 What’s All the U-ing About? 43 Best Hotel Bets Best Dining Bets 54 Staying in a Hostel 63 Family-Friendly Accommodations 64 Nové Mêsto (New Town) 65 Vinohrady 69 Elsewhere in Prague 69 Near the Airport 71 72 Staré Mêsto (Old Town) 82 Inexpensive Meals on the Run 87 Nové Mêsto (New Town) 88 Vinohrady 90 iv CONTENTS Sports, Spuds & Suds 91 Elsewhere in Prague 92 Exploring Prague Sightseeing Suggestions 97 Prague Castle (Prazsk; Hrad) & Charles Bridge (Karl*v most) 99 Beware of Open Windows: The Czech Tradition of Defenestration 104 Other Top Sights 105 The Art of Getting Lost 109 Prague’s Most Powerful Daughter: The Rise & Surprise of Madeleine Albright 110 Museums & Galleries 112 Did You Know? 113 Churches & Cemeteries 116 Strolling Around Prague Walking Tour 1: Charles Bridge & Malá Strana (Lesser Town) 139 Walking Tour 2: Prague Castle (PraZsk: Hrad) 145 Light It Up: The Rolling Stones Give Satisfaction 146 Prague Shopping The Shopping Scene 159 How to Claim Your VAT Refund 162 Cafe Society 92 The Pick of the Pubs 95 Prague After Dark The Performing Arts 173 The Club & Music Scene 179 Prague’s Mysterious Nights 180 Pubs 183 97 10 11 The Art of Prague’s Architecture 118 Historic Buildings & Monuments 119 Historic Squares 122 Václav Havel’s Prague 123 Parks & Gardens 128 Prague with Kids 130 Sightseeing Options 131 An Old-Fashioned Tram Ride 134 Staying Active 135 The Prague International Marathon 136 139 Walking Tour 3: Staré Mêsto (Old Town) 150 Walking Tour 4: Josefov (Jewish Quarter) 154 159 Shopping A to Z 162 Prague’s Best Buys 165 172 Neni Pivo Jako Pivo: There’s No Beer Like Beer 184 The Bar Scene 187 Casinos & Movie Theaters 188 v CONTENTS 10 Day Trips from Prague Tips for Day Tripping 189 Karlstejn Castle 192 A Romantic Getaway 195 Krivoklát 195 Kutná Hora 197 The Bone Church in Sedlec 198 Konopistê 200 189 10 Cesk; Sternberk 202 Mêlník 202 Terezín (Theresienstadt) 203 Lidice 206 Orlík 207 Jumping into the Fourth Dimension 207 11 The Best of Bohemia Exploring Bohemia 209 Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) 211 Spa Cures & Treatments 216 Mariánské Láznê (Marienbad) 221 Plzen (Pilsen) 227 Cheb (Eger) & Frantiskovy Láznê 230 Ceské Budêjovice 233 209 Keeping Up with the Schwarzenbergs: Visiting a 141-Room English Castle 236 Cesk; Krumlov 237 A Renaissance Pub Endures 243 Trebon 245 A Farm Stay 247 Tábor 249 12 The Best of Moravia Brno: The Region’s Capital 252 Telc 262 Znojmo 265 252 The Painted Cellar of the Satov Vineyard 267 Appendix A: Prague in Depth History 101 270 Dateline 270 From Prisoner to President: Václav Havel 278 The City Today 280 The Spoils of Revolution: Capitalism & Culture 281 270 Famous Czechs 283 Prague’s Architectural Mix 286 Recommended Films & Books 287 Appendix B: Useful Terms & Phrases Basic Phrases & Vocabulary 290 Index 290 Menu Terms 293 295 List of Maps The Czech and Slovak Republics Eastern Europe Rail Routes 33 Prague at a Glance 38 Prague Metro 45 Where to Stay in Prague 58 Where to Dine in Prague 78 Where to Dine in Old Town 83 Prague Attractions 100 St Vitus Cathedral 103 Václav Havel’s Prague 124 Prague with Kids 132 Walking Tour 1: Charles Bridge 141 Walking Tour 1: Malá Strana (Lesser Town) 143 Walking Tour 2: Prague Castle 147 Walking Tour 3: Staré Mêsto (Old Town) 151 Walking Tour 4: Josefov (Jewish Quarter) 157 Prague Shopping 160 Prague After Dark 174 Prague & Environs 191 Kutná Hora 199 Bohemia 210 Karlovy Vary 213 Cesk; Krumlov 239 Moravia 253 Brno 255 An Invitation to the Reader In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and more We’re sure you’ll find others Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too Please write to: Frommer’s Prague & the Best of the Czech Republic, 5th Edition Wiley Publishing, Inc • 111 River St • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 An Additional Note Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially true of prices We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making your travel plans The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets Other Great Guides for Your Trip: Frommer’s Europe Frommer’s Europe from $70 a Day Frommer’s Gay & Lesbian Europe Europe For Dummies Hanging Out in Europe Frommer’s Budapest & the Best of Hungary FROMMER’S® MEMORABLE WALKS Chicago London New York Paris San Francisco FROMMER’S® WITH KIDS GUIDES Chicago Las Vegas New York City Ottawa San Francisco Toronto Vancouver Washington, D.C SUZY GERSHMAN’S BORN TO SHOP GUIDES Born to Shop: France Born to Shop: Hong Kong, Shanghai & Beijing Born to Shop: Italy Born to Shop: London Born to Shop: New York Born to Shop: Paris FROMMER’S® IRREVERENT GUIDES Amsterdam Boston Chicago Las Vegas London Los Angeles Manhattan New Orleans Paris Rome San Francisco Seattle & Portland Vancouver Walt Disney World® Washington, D.C FROMMER’S® BEST-LOVED DRIVING TOURS Britain California Florida France Germany Ireland Italy New England Northern Italy Scotland Spain Tuscany & Umbria Hanging Out in France Hanging Out in Ireland Hanging Out in Italy Hanging Out in Spain Southwest & South Central Plains U.S.A Beyond Disney Branson, Missouri California with Kids Central Italy Chicago Cruises Disneyland® Florida with Kids Golf Vacations in the Eastern U.S Great Smoky & Blue Ridge Region Inside Disney Hawaii Las Vegas London Maui Mexio’s Best Beach Resorts Mid-Atlantic with Kids Mini Las Vegas Mini-Mickey New England & New York with Kids New Orleans New York City Paris San Francisco Skiing & Snowboarding in the West Southeast with Kids Walt Disney World® Walt Disney World® for Grown-ups Walt Disney World® with Kids Washington, D.C World’s Best Diving Vacations HANGING OUT™ GUIDES Hanging Out in England Hanging Out in Europe THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDES® Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns in: California Great Lakes States Mid-Atlantic New England Northwest Rockies Southeast Southwest Best RV & Tent Campgrounds in: California & the West Florida & the Southeast Great Lakes States Mid-Atlantic Northeast Northwest & Central Plains SPECIAL-INTEREST TITLES Frommer’s Adventure Guide to Australia & New Zealand Frommer’s Adventure Guide to Central America Frommer’s Adventure Guide to India & Pakistan Frommer’s Adventure Guide to South America Frommer’s Adventure Guide to Southeast Asia Frommer’s Adventure Guide to Southern Africa Frommer’s Britain’s Best Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns Frommer’s Caribbean Hideaways Frommer’s Exploring America by RV Frommer’s Fly Safe, Fly Smart Frommer’s France’s Best Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns Frommer’s Gay & Lesbian Europe Frommer’s Italy’s Best Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns Frommer’s Road Atlas Britain Frommer’s Road Atlas Europe Frommer’s Road Atlas France The New York Times’ Guide to Unforgettable Weekends Places Rated Almanac Retirement Places Rated Rome Past & Present AOL Keyword:Travel Booked aisle seat Reserved room with a view With a queen – no, make that a king-size bed With Travelocity, you can book your flights and hotels together, so you can get even better deals than if you booked them separately You’ll save time and money without compromising the quality of your trip Choose your airline seat, search for alternate airports, pick your hotel room type,even choose the neighborhood you’d like to stay in Visit www.travelocity.com or call 1-888-TRAVELOCITY Travelocity,® Travelocity.com® and the Travelocity skyline logo are trademarks and/or service marks of Travelocity.com LP © 2003 Travelocity.com LP.All rights reserved AOL Keyword:Travel Fly Sleep Save Now you can book your flights and hotels together,so you can get even better deals than if you booked them separately Visit www.travelocity.com or call 1-888-TRAVELOCITY Travelocity,® Travelocity.com® and the Travelocity skyline logo are trademarks and/or service marks of Travelocity.com LP © 2003 Travelocity.com LP All rights reserved ... Manufactured in the United States of America Contents List of Maps vi What’s New in Prague & the Czech Republic The Best of Prague Frommer’s Favorite Experiences in Prague & the Czech Republic ... C H R E P U B L I C The Czech and Slovak Republics CHAPTER THE BEST OF PRAGUE Masné krámy conjures up the feel of an 18th-century Czech pub, and the brew is as fresh as the bread See “Ceské... search for the secrets of the other side But the city sees itself as the westernmost of former East Bloc capitals, and Praguers wince when they hear the term “Eastern Europe” used to describe their