B: Karlovo náměstí. From the station, take Resslova toward the river and then turn right on Na Zderaze, which becomes Pštrossova; the cafe is on your right. Attached cafe keeps the same hours. Open M-Th 9:30am-midnight, F-Sa 9:30am-1am (or later).
Specialty Stores
VETEŠNICTVÍ
Vitězná 16
MALÁ STRANA
257 31 06 11
Thrift-store shopping hasn’t quite become as posh Prague-side as it has in the States, but one-of-a-kind treasures can still be found here—although at prices that are far from thrifty. Still, if you’re looking to pick up a communist-era backpack or a secondhand bed pan, you’ll find plenty here. Even if you know you intend to buy nothing, take a few minutes and appreciate the mildly pornographic glassware or the hundreds of strangely personal old photographs.
A: Malostranská. From the Metro, take the Tram #to Újezd then walk towards the river on Vitězná. Antiques 10-10,000Kč. Open M-F 10am-5pm, Sa 10am-noon.
GOLD PRALINES
Rybná 668
NOVÉ MĚSTO
222 31 62 27 www.goldpralines.cz
This specialty store offers everything from truffles to miniature chocolate statues to intricately cut chocolate diamonds. With over 40 different types of truffles, each with a unique shape and flavor, Gold Pralines will please even the pickiest of travelers. Non-chocolate treats like marzipan figurines are also available.
C: Republicka námestí. From the Metro, head west. Chocolate 30-300Kč. Open daily 9am-8pm.
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICES: Prague Information Services. (Arbesovo nám. 4, on the ground floor of Old Town Hall to the left of the Astronomical Clock. 221 714 133 www.pis.cz Other branches at Na příkopě 20, Hlavní nádraží, and in the tower on the Malá Strana side of the Charles Bridge. Look for the green “i” signs throughout the city. Open daily Apr-Oct 9am-7pm; Nov-Mar 9am-6pm.)
• LUGGAGE STORAGE: Lockers in train and bus stations take 25Kč coins. For storage over 24hr., use the luggage offices in the basement of Hlavní nádraží. ( 40Kč per day; bags over 15kg 60Kč. Open daily 6-11am, 1:30am-5:30pm, and 6pm-5:30am.)
• POST OFFICE: (Jindřišská 14. 221 13 11 11 A or B: Můstek. Open M-F 8am-6pm.)
• INTERNET CAFES: Free Wi-Fi is available at countless cafes and restaurants across the city. Internet cafes are less frequent, but still extremely abundant.
Emergency!
• EMERGENCY NUMBERS: Medical Emergency 155. Unified European Emergency Call (operator speaks Czech, English, German) 112. Fire Department 150.
• POLICE: 158. City Police 156.
• PHARMACY: (Paleckeho 5. 224 946 982)
• MEDICAL SERVICES: Na Homolce (Hospital for Foreigners). (Roentgenova 2. www.homolka.cz/en/ Open M 8am-6pm, Tu 8am-8pm, W 8am-6pm, Th 8am-8pm, F 8am-6pm.) Doctor Prague Health Centre. (Vodickova 28. 603 433 833 www.doctor-prague.cz Open 24hr.)
Getting There
By Plane
Ruzyně Airport is 20km northwest of the city. (Take bus #119 to A: Dejvická. 220 111 111 12Kč, luggage 6Kč per bag. Buy tickets from kiosks or machines.) Airport buses run by Cedaz (220 114 296 20-45 min., 2 per hr.) collect travelers from náměstí Republiky ( 120Kč); try to settle on a price before departing.
By Train
International trains (972 226 150) run to: Berlin, DEU ( 1400Kč. 5hr., 6 per day.) Bratislava, SLK ( 650Kč. 5hr., 6 per day.) Budapest, HUN ( 1450Kč. 7-9hr., 5 per day.) Kraków, POL ( 950Kč. 7-8hr., 3 per day.) Moscow, RUS ( 3000Kč. 31hr., 1 per day.) Munich, DEU ( 1400Kč. 7hr., 3 per day.) Vienna, AUT ( 1000Kč. 4-5hr., 7 per day.) Warsaw, POL ( 1300Kč. 9hr., 2 per day.).
By Bus
Eurolines and airport shuttle tickets are sold at the terminal. (224 218 680 www.eurolines.cz Open M-F 7am-7pm, Sa 8am-7pm, Su 9am-7pm.)
Getting Around
By Public Transportation
Prague’s Metro system alone could sufficiently serve this fun-size city, but Prague also has a Tram #service (light rail), a bus service, a horde of angry taxis and something called a funicular.
An 18Kč public transportation ticket (there’s just one type, regardless of the type of transportation) buys a 20min. non-transferable Tram #or bus ride or a five-station non-transferable Metro ride. A 26Kč ticket lasts 1¼hr. with unlimited transfers, and buys a ride on the funicular cable car that runs to the top of Petřín Hill. Tickets, which are available at stations and all convenience stores, must be validated at the start of each trip; unstamped tickets are invalid. Although ticket inspections are rare, a hefty fine awaits freeloaders, so pay up. One-, three-, and five-day passes cost 100Kč, 330Kč, and 500Kč, respectively; a monthly pass costs 550Kč. Metro trains run every 2-10min. on line A (green), B (yellow), and C (red) daily 5am-midnight. The dozens of Tram #lines keep different hours, and lines and routes change for late-night service.
Travelers should be mindful of pickpockets and remember that Praguers are big on respect. Persons under 30 should offer seats to seniors or prepare to be shunned like lepers.
karlštejn
Karlštejn Castle was built by Charles IV in 1348 to guard the crown jewels, and unlike its counterpart in Prague, this sucker’s actually a full-on castle. We’re talking a big-ass wall perched on a mountain top and pawning the cutest little support town you’ve ever seen, now mostly desperate souvenir shops. The schlep there and back can be done in half a day, and the images of the Czech countryside, run-ins with priceless locals, and the self esteem boost you’ll get from imagining you own it all will be some of the most memorable parts of your trip. If you’re even thinking of going, make a reservation now for the second, extended tour (available May-Oct), which takes guests into the heart of the castle including the Chapel of the Sacred Heart and some incredible medieval ruins. Those lucky enough to get a reservation can sleep easy knowing they’ve seen one of the top three sights in the entire Czech Republic. Travelers in less of a hurry can stay over for lunch or take a hike through the woods, which are jurassically overgrown and green in the summer.
SIGHTS
Karlštejn Castle
CASTLE TOUR I
Státní hrad Karlštejn
274008154 www.hradkarlstejn.cz
The hour-long tour of Karlštejn Castle takes you through Charles’s bedroom and throne chambers as well as the nuns’ quarters and the lower rooms of the medium-sized Marian tower. While none of the sights are stunning, it’s pretty cool to check out Charles’s collection of holy relics, the best of which is the head of a dragon St. George killed. Turns out it’s a crocodile—imagine that. While the real crown jewels no longer hang in Karlštejn, guests can take a look at some impressive copies. At the height of its power, Karlštejn would hold hundreds of knights at a time, and a few of their original “armor closets” are still on display. Unfortunately, this tour doesn’t let visitors into the enormous large tower.
From Karlštejn, walk up the path to the castle. 250Kč, students 150Kč. Nov-Mar Tu-Su 9am-3pm; Apr, Oct 9am-4pm; May-June, Sept 9am-5pm; Jul-Aug 9am-6pm. Schedule subject to change; check website to confirm times.
CASTLE TOUR II
Státní hrad Karlštejn
274008154 www.hradkarlstejn.cz
This tour takes you into the best parts of Karlštejn castle, including the Great Tower, which was never conquered even when the Hussites took the fortification and, as well as the Chapel of the Holy Cross, which was used to store the crown jewels. Best of all, the tour is limited to 15 guests, so you can tap the knowledegable tour guides. Ask questions. They have stories they won’t tell you unprompted. For instance, while most castles used wells for water (in case of a siege), Karlštejn couldn’t tap its well and had to dig a secret water main from the nearby brook. If anyone found that out, they could poison the brook and take the castle. So, problem solver that he was, Charles IV killed all the workers who built the duct so they wouldn’t tell anyone. What makes the tour is the Church of Our Lady, which has an original medieval ap
ocalypse scene violently splayed on its walls. Though some has been destroyed in various sieges, there are still enough nine-headed dragons, ghouls made of fire, and skeletons on horses to let you glimpse the horror of the medieval imagination and to haunt your dreams for years to come. The Chapel of the Holy Cross, the final stop on the trek, contains 129 portraits of Bohemian Kings and saints and is covered with the country’s largest collection of semi-precious stones. The ceiling, though, is what rocks. It’s covered in thousands of glass plates that try (and mostly succeed) to look like a starry sky.
From Karlštejn, walk up the path to the castle. All reservations must be made in advance. Reservations for Jul and Aug should be made up to 6 months in advance. 300Kč, students 200Kč. Open Tu-Su Jun 1-Oct 31.
FOOD
A dozen or so food shops fill this little village, and all of them are more or less fine. But the only one that offers a different, better experience is listed below.
RESTAURACE POD DRACI SKÁLOU
267 18 Karlštejn 130
CZECH
311 681 177 www.poddraciskalou.eu
A 5min. walk through the forest from the door to the castle, or a 15min. walk from town, this little forest cafe serves up great authentic food in the middle of what feels like a medieval clearing. None of the items are in English, but a small little picture at the bottom of each section lets you know which animal you’re about to eat. If you can find someone to translate, try one of the wild treats like shark steak (111Kč) or wild boar (237Kč).
From the castle, turn right immediately after you leave the gate (there’ll be a sign directing off into the woods). Follow the path through the woods down the hill. From the town/train station, proceed towards the castle and take the only left that diverts from the main path through the town about 10min. before the castle entrance. Take the road about 10min. through the woods. The restaurant will be on your right. Look for the statue of a dragon. Entrees 75-200Kč. Beer 15-35Kč. Open M-Sa 11am-11pm. Su 11am-8pm.
ESSENTIALS
Getting There
To get to Karlštejn, take the Beroun train (92Kč) from Prague’s Hlavní Nádraží which leaves every hour (last train leaves at 7pm). The train station can be extremely difficult to navigate and the signs poorly marked, so a traveler’s best bet is to find any of the information windows and explain your dilemma. The ride takes about 40min. and spends a long time along a river and snaking through the mountains—it’s gorgeous. Once you arrive, the castle is a wee bit of a walk (2km), but again, except to the very lazy, this walk will be enjoyable. Just head to your right down the road and across the bridge, then up the hill following the signs that read “hrad.” If you’re thinking of staying until the evening, make sure to check at the train station when the last train for Prague leaves.
terezín
Although Terezín’s most infamous era was WWII when it served as a prison camp for enemies of the Reich (mainly Jews), it was originally built at the end of the 18th century as a strategic stronghold against invaders from the east. It quickly became apparent however, that Terezín was ineffective as a defensive structure, and it was adapted to serve mainly as a prison. The assassins of Archduke Ferdinand—the man whose death started WWI—were jailed and eventually died in Terezin. During WWII, the camp was first used as a prison for political prisoners of the SS, but was slowly converted into a concentration and transit camp for Jews, Romas, Communists, and homosexuals. Terezín was unique, however, in its designation as a prison for high profile prisoners. The abundance of artists, writers, and intellectuals kept in Terezín would produce some of the war’s most striking and stark images of life in a Nazi concentration camp. All in all, 200,000 men, women, and children would pass through Terezín’s transit centers; 40,000 died at the camp, while 120,000 moved on to death camps in the east. Only 8,000 of the prisoners to pass through Terezín would survive the war.
SIGHTS
The essential sights of Terezín are all administered by a centralized organization, Terezín Memorial. A universal ticket can be purchased at any of the sites (200Kč, students 150Kč), or tickets can be purchased separately for each (160Kč, students 130Kč). If you have time, start with the Ghetto Museum. For travelers short on time, just see the Small Fortress. That being said, Terezín is best experienced as an entire morning and afternoon trip, and given the hour-long bus ride a visit to Terezín requires, it makes sense to spend some time there.
SMALL FORTRESS
Principova alej 304
MEMORIAL
416 782 225 www.pamatnik-terezin.cz
Although the information center provides explanatory maps of the small fortress grounds, definitely try to get a guided tour, which groups of 10 or more can call ahead and book for free (and upon which keen Let’s Go travelers can usually piggyback). The Nazis built Terezín as a show prison to demonstrate their humane treatment of prisoners to Red Crosss workers. Only a guide can explain, for instance, that the sinks in the main cell block didn’t actually work, or that the swallows building mud nests on the light fixtures had built the same nests during the war; they were a symbol of hope for the winter-frozen prisoners. During the 90min. tour, a knowledgeable and able historian shows you the large holding cells, the solitary confinement cells, the showers and delousing stations, and the various execution grounds. After the tour, travelers can visit exhibits on the WWI and WWII history of the fortress or view documentaries and propaganda films that are shown in an extant Nazi cinema. A relaxed tour of the small fortress can easily take 2hr.
From the bus stop, head east out of the town, over the bridge the bus passed coming in. At the cemetery memorial, take the left fork. Combined 200Kč, single 160Kč. Students 150Kč/130. Open Nov-Mar daily 8am-4:30pm, Apr-Oct daily 8am-6pm.
GHETTO MUSEUM
Komenského ulice
MUSEUM
416 782 225 www.pamatnik-terezin.cz
The Ghetto Museum contains a permanent exhibit on the Jewish “Final Solution,” specifically with regard to its implementation in Czechoslovakia. Not only does the museum put this tragedy in context, but it contains the most moving exhibit of the entire monument: hundreds of drawings by children who were briefly allowed to attend school during the occupation of the ghetto. The museum also screens a documentary about the memorial and the various events and souls that contributed to the tragedy.
From the bus stop, walk east around the corner from the information center. A well-stocked cafe in the basement sells lunch and snack fare. Open daily 11am-4pm. Combined 200Kč, single 160Kč. Students 150Kč/130. Open daily Nov-Mar 9am-5:30pm, Apr-Oct 9am-6pm.
CREMATORIUM
Principova alej 304
CEMETERY
416 782 225 www.pamatnik-terezin.cz
The crematorium, where the remains of prisoners were burned, suffered heavy damage in the flooding of 2004. While the facilities have been restored, they have been uncomfortably “over-restored” so that the crematorium now appears to be almost functional. But that’s just the inside. From the oustide, the unassuming crematorium could be a small synagogue in the middle of a Jewish graveyard, where a giant stone menorah and various other urns and monuments commemorate the murdered Jews of the Final Solution.
From the bus stop, head across the square to the southwest corner of the Terezín. Continue walking 3-5min. out of town, following the signs that say “Krematorium.” Men should cover their heads before they enter the grounds. Yarmulkes can be purchased inside the crematorium for 20Kč. Combined 200Kč, single 160Kč. Students 150Kč/130. Open Nov-Mar daily 10am-4pm, Apr-Oct daily 10am-5pm.
MADGEBURG BARRACKS
Komenského ulice
MUSEUM
416 782 225 www.pamatnik-terezin.cz
The Madgeburg Barracks house a collection of paintings, drawings, manuscripts, and artisan works produced by Terezín’s unusually high proportion of artists, performers, and writers who made these works in the Ghetto—the camps and the Nazi administration buildings where artists were employed to ill
ustrate various announcements. While these secretly produced images were intended to alert the outside world of the atrocities being commited at Terezín, attempts to transmit the pictures were discovered and brutally punished, and most of these images were not uncovered until after the war. The barracks additionally hold the various manuscripts, set pieces, and costumes from the show performances that the Jews were forced to put on for the Red Cross workers.
From the bus station head across the square along Komenského. The barracks is to the left at the end of the street. Combined 200Kč, single160Kč. Student 150Kč/130. Open daily 9am-5pm.
FOOD
RESTAURACE NA HRADBÁCH
Bohušovická brána 335
CZECH
0723 287 738
A little tiny place where the owners are more than likely to sit down and have a beer with you, Na Hradbách should give you a delicious taste of what it’s like to be from the Czech countryside—and it will hardly cost you a dime. Although everything on the menu is great (and virtually free), one surprisingly delicious dish is the fried bread and mustard (10Kč), which could be a meal in itself.
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 47