phrase.vacation_rentals_in Prague, Czech Republic

Welcome to Prague

Unlike most big European cities, Prague was not heavily affected by any war-related damage. The Czech capital boasts many beautiful sights and still has a medieval feel to it. Considering the fact that it’s one of Europe’s most popular destinations for a short trip, it’s still a place where you can get bang for your buck.
Being one of Europe’s cultural centers, there are many theatres, galleries, museums and clubs to be discovered in Prague.


Neighborhoods

The easiest way to grasp Prague’s geography is through its four towns:
• Hradčany (Castle Quarter)
• Malá Strana (Little Quarter)
• Staré Město (Old Town)
• Nové Město (New Town)

Prague’s Vltava River acts as a divider as Hradčany and Malá Strana are on the west bank of the river, Staré Město and Nové Město are both on the east bank.

Hradčany is the place to find Prague’s most popular attraction and the world’s biggest castle: Pražský hrad. Kings, emperors, dictators and presidents all ruled the country from this impressive structure. A visit to the castle is quite the experience, since it’s home to the Royal Palace, St. Vitus Cathedral, gardens, museums and courtyards. In the vicinity of the hrad there are numerous palaces, museums, restaurants, pubs and the Klasterni Pivovar brewery to be explored.

Malá Strana is often described as the perfect inner-city escape, as it’s not packed with big and busy attractions. Here you can walk the hilly cobblestone streets, just like Mozart did over 200 years ago. The Little Quarter’s most eye-catching landmark is the Church of St. Nicholas, a huge example of Baroque architecture. Other highlights in this area include the Petrin Hill, with its replica of the Eiffel Tower. Even though the replica is only a fifth the height of the original, the top is as high as the real one, thanks to the elevation. The hill also has a monument dedicated to victims of communism and its own funicular. From the summit you will have a beautiful view of Prague. Don’t miss the Kampa Island and the Wallenstein Palace & Gardens while you are in the area.

Staré Město, Prague’s Old Town, is where travelers will find most of the city’s restaurants, markets and cafes. At the heart of Staré Město lies Staroměstské náměstí, a magnificent square with various architectural styles and a great starting place to venture out into the Old Town. Don’t leave the square without having seen the Jan Hus Monument, Old Town Hall with its Astronomical Clock and Týn Church.
For some medieval engineering, head over to Karlův most. This bridge, named after Emperor Charles IV, connects Malá Strana with Staré Město and each side has its own bridge tower. The thirty statues give the 564 yard (516 metres) long bridge its character.
A particularly interesting area of the Old Town is the Jewish Quarter (Josefov), which basically is one big museum consisting of seven main sights. One of the sights is the Old Jewish Cemetery, where supposedly as many as 100,000 people are buried.

Nové Město is the area where you’ll find the most diverse architectural structures. Unlike the name suggests, it was already founded in 1348, but due to a slum clearance campaign only the historical buildings with significant importance were left standing. The New Town is urban Prague with everything you can expect of a modern capital.
Focal point in Nové Město is Wenceslas Square. This "strip" takes up its place in history and has seen many demonstrations and was the stage for the Velvet Revolution. The two main streets (Národní třída & Na Příkopě) that lead off it and form the border with the Old Town are interesting in their own way. The former tells its story about communism, whereas the latter arguably has the best Art Nouveau sights in Europe.
If you are not "squared out", be sure to check out Prague’s biggest square. Karlovo náměstí happens to be one of the largest squares in the world as well. It is a good place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the city and a good place to get some Italian gelato. Furthermore visit the nearby Dancing House and find out where it got its name from.


Getting Around

With most sights being fairly close to each other, Prague is an excellent city to explore on foot. However, if you want to take a break from walking or just want to get somewhere quickly, public transport is the way to go. Dopravní Podník, as the Czechs call it, is efficient and cheap and consists of metro, bus and tram. Taking the tram can be considered an attraction by itself. They are fast and take you up and down Prague’s hills with relative ease.
Taxis can be cheap. Just make sure you are well aware of the fare before you drive off.
Driving a car in Prague is really not worth it. If you intend on staying within the city limits, you are much better off sticking to the other means of transport. In case you want to rent a car to get out of town, it is a good idea to go through a local agency and save yourself some money. Nevertheless, this can be done prior to your arrival in Prague.


Entertainment

Well known for its great tasting beers, it’s not hard to find a pub in Prague. Should you consider a non-alcoholic option however, it’s good to know that Prague is home to some excellent teahouses.  Eating out in the Czech capital, you will find that you can get a lot for little. Czech food hasn’t given way to foreign cuisine entirely, although like in every big city there are plenty of other options if the local cuisine isn’t your preferred choice.
Prague has a very lively theatre and music scene that is worth checking out. Mime and puppetry shows are usually very enjoyable and if you are into classical music it won’t take you long to find out which five composers have influenced Prague (and vice versa) most.
With a wide array of things to do in this splendid city, you might not even consider leaving Prague during your stay. However, the Bohemian countryside deserves attention as well. Highlights such as Karlštejn Castle (Czech Republic’s most famous castle founded by Charles IV) and Český Krumlov (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) won’t leave you disappointed.

Prague Reference wishes you úžasnou dovolenou: a wonderful vacation!