Prague tips

Every summer, especially if it is hot like this year, I feel like I don’t need to eat anything else but ice-cream. I know it is a dull idea and all doctors probably cry out with despair but I just don’t feel hungry and all I need is something that cools me down. And that task can best fulfill ice-cream, the sweet and delicious cream.

Although the best ice-cream is said to be in Italy only, there are places in Prague where even Italians would please their taste buds. The place is not far from Wenceslas Square. It is called Hajek and it is in Vodickova street, with other stores around Prague.

It is truly the best place to go to when you are longing for an ice-cream. They serve everything from ice-cream to cones, Sundaes of your wishes, to little or big tarts, and even sandwiches. The selection is really great. I always have problems to choose what I actually want.

They are open daily till 8 pm. You will find it in the arcade from Vodickova street right at the tram station Vaclavske namesti (trams 3, 9, 14, 24). My recommendation to you is to buy some of those ice-creams and continue walking through the arcade till you enter the Frantiskanska garden. Take a seat at one of those numerous benches and enjoy your ice-cream together with the beautiful roses which are now in bloom.

First mention about the New Town Hall in Charles Square dates to 1377, but not much was left from the building from that time. Several parts were added at the beginning of the 15th century, the most noticeable one is the high tower with a big bell and a chapel inside. The wing facing the Charles Square used to contain conference rooms, the wing to the Vodickova street offices and a prison.

The New Town Hall served its original purpose as a seat of the municipal administration until 1784 when the Emperor Josef II. decided to connect the four Prague towns – Old Town, the Lesser Town, Hradcany and the New Town – into one with one town council. After that the New Town Hall was adjusted into a criminal courthouse and a prison with a torture chamber. Many people, especially revolutionaries, were kept here… (read more)

Nerudova street (Nerudova ulice) is a picturesque street leading up to Prague Castle. In this steep street you can find many restaurants, souvenir shops, embassies, but what’s most remarkable about this street are the house signs and the people that lived in that houses. Why house signs? The house numbers were introduced in Prague in 1770. Before that the houses were recognized by their signs and Nerudova street has a vast collection of them.

Nerudova street got its name after a famous Czech poet and journalist Jan Neruda who wrote many short stories about this Prague district. By the way, Pablo Neruda’s name was delivered from the name of this writer. Jan Neruda used to lived in this street between 1849 and 1857. He lived in the house At the Two Suns (no. 47) at the upper part of the street. The house sign belongs among the most beautiful ones… (read more)

This attraction, about which I am going to write, doesn’t actually take place every full hour, but only at noon!! Make sure you don’t miss it while in Prague, because it is a real fun. And what is it? The Changing of the Guards, of course!

Around noon, it is probably the best time for lunch, you may say. And you are right. But once you are in Prague, I think it is much better to wait few more minutes, so you don’t miss all the fun! It is worth it to be hungry for a while, trust me.

So what can be better than eating at noon? Definitely the Changing of the Guards at Prague Castle. Yes, the Guards do change every hour, but only at noon there is this big ceremony.

It is done in a very formal manner. There is a marching band as well! If you want to watch the midday show, make sure you start to take up a position at least ten minutes earlier if you want to have a good view, because it can get really crowded. The best position is by the main entrance to the Castle. But you will find the guards at every entrance to the Castle.

They are supposed to stand still. But as you can imagine, it can be a real burden when everybody watches you and take pictures of you all the time. Some tourists also try to make them laugh. It must be difficult to remain calm. Poor guys! But if you touch them, they can defend themselves, so be careful not to be too rude. Rain or shine they are standing there…

The guards are of course much more than just a tourist attraction. They hold a real machine-guns, and guard the president who has an office in the Castle. But don’t worry, they will let all tourists pass by and even accept all that photo-shooting with them. (See also Part One)

As the beginning of another month is approaching, all museum-lovers in Prague can be more than content since it means they will save money. The first week of every month brings many special offers to the visitors of the main museums in Prague. I think this is good news for everybody, not only for museum-lovers.

Don’t you want to give it a try and visit some of those museums when the entrance is free? You have nothing to lose.

So how does it work? Every first Monday of a new month you will have a free access to the National Museum (green and red subway station Muzeum, lines A or C). Isn’t it great?

On first Wednesday of every month you don’t have to pay to see the Lobkowitz Palace in Jirská 3/1, not far from Prague Castle, featuring exhibits on Czech history. On this day from 3 pm to 8 pm you can also visit the National Gallery for free. It is located in Dukelskych Hrdinu 47, Prague 7. You can reach it by trams 1, 5, 8, 12, 14, 17, 25, 26 – station Strossmayerovo namesti.

On first Thursday of every month you can visit the Museum of the City of Prague or the Museum of Music, both free of charge of course. The Museum of the City of Prague is situated in Na Porici 52, accessible from subway station Florenc (yellow B or red line C). The Museum of Music is in Karmelitska street in the centre of Prague, on the trams 12, 20, 22, 23, station Helichova.

Every first Friday of the month, it is the best time to visit the Naprstkovo Museum, since you don’t pay a thing to get in. Naprstkovo Museum, which presents the old Asian, African and American culture, is in Betlemske namesti 1, not too far from the Old Town Square.

So save your money for something else and enjoy museums for free!

White Tower at Prague Castle, sometimes called New White Tower to be distinguishable from the White Tower between the II and III courtyard, is situated at the west end of the Golden Lane. This tower was used as a prison for noblemen since 1584, the last prisoner left the tower in 1743. Most of the prisoners were debtors and rioters. Even though the tower is not open to the public, it has a very interesting but also frightening history… (read more)

Do you wonder what people did in the past to enjoy themselves? This question can be also partly answered by visiting the Ball Game Hall located near Prague Castle and founded in 1569 by Bonifaz Wohlmut. This hall has a vivid history.

All those who like sport, especially tennis, might be interested that Ball Game Hall used to serve as a place for many games. Noblemen and noblewomen used to throw here leather balls or used a feather ball and a racket in the game very similar to the present badminton… (read more)

Are you starving after walking through Prague all day long? Do you feel that no regular portion can fill you up? Do you love meat? Then there is a great restaurant for you! The restaurant is called Ambiente – Restaurante Brasiliero.

This restaurant offers a special service – you will not order your meal from a Menu, although you can, of course, but then you can visit any other restaurant in Prague. This restaurant is special in a way it serves the food. Waiters from Ambiente walk among the tables offering cuts of meat which they have just prepared on a grill. You can see the huge grill yourself so you don’t have to worry that the meat is not fresh.

They come and offer you all kinds of great meats – chicken of course, but I would recommend you not to waste space in your stomach with a meat that you can have anywhere. Wait for the Uruguayan beef, or for the delicious seafood, or the overwhelming hot pineapple!

In this restaurant, you can eat as much as you can!! You are not limited with one portion only. When you have tried all the meats, there is another round, and another and another … As long as your stomach is not completely satisfied.

The waiters come in short intervals, offering more and more great meats. And as you eat more and more it seems that they are quicker and quicker. That is why you have this special paper circle in front of you – the green side means: “Fill my plate” while the red side means: “I am taking a little break”.

You can spend in this restaurant all afternoon or all night, if you wish, for one price only. You don’t pay for the amount of food you have eaten. Isn’t it great? Well, it is not particularly cheap, that is to say, but it is fun. You feel like a king – everybody jumps around you and brings you more and more of appetizing food.

One person pays 565 CZK (465 CZK if you pay by 6 pm). This includes all starters, salads, side orders and of course all the meat. It doesn’t, however, include the drinks.

This restaurant you will find not far from the Wenceslas Square, in street Na Prikope 22, best reached by subway Namesti Republiky (yellow line B). They are open daily from 12:00 to 24:00. Another one is not far from Old Town Square, in street U Radnice 8/13, open daily from 11:00 to 24:00.

Good advice at the end: Make sure you don’t wear anything tight when you go there!

The Monastery Na Slovanech is bound to the famous emperor Charles IV for its foundation (1347). The ruler invited hither Slavic Benedictine monks from Dalmatia and Croatia. The area was thus destined to become the only Slavonic monastery of the entire empire. The liturgical language to be preached in was an ancient predecessor of Czech.

In the case you are asking about the name “Emauzy”, it was derived from the gospel, according to which Jesus met with his disciples near the village Emmaus. This gospel was read during the solemn consecration of the monastery and the subject was immortalized in people’s name of the place.

Another and less well known version of the story says that “Emauzy” was derived from Emmahaus (the house of Ema) nearby, which should have belonged to the castle owned by Czech queen Ema… (read more)

For more than 600 years, the roofs of Prague Castle have been overlooked by the towers of St Vitus Cathedral. The cathedral, whose original name is St Vitus, St Wenceslas and St Adalbert Cathedral, is the biggest and the most important church in the Czech Republic. It’s the seat of the Archbishop of Prague and the place where saints, kings, princes and pmperors of Bohemia are buried. The coronations of the kings of Bohemia were held there until 1836. It’s one of the best examples of Gothic architecture.

When you walk from the II courtyard to the III courtyard the first thing you notice is the impressive western part of St Vitus Cathedral. There is also the official main entrance to the cathedral. This part of the cathedral is the newest, it was built at the turn of the 19th and the 20th century… (read more)