Saying goodbye to the soul in Prague...
Arriving in Prague, I left my soul there...
Prague is amazing, Prague is magical, Prague is self-sufficient, Prague is beautiful, insanely beautiful...
This is an extraordinary city that cannot be spoiled by anything - neither by crowds of tourists, nor by a mass of scammers, nor by "divorce" of local residents!
This is exactly the city where you should get lost in order to get lost, explore it from the inside, live one day of its life, sincere and measured, just to wander wherever your eyes look and look, enjoy the views and absorb their energy!
But it seems that I got carried away with epithets : ) Prague is a city of more than one visit, therefore, in order not to waste a lot of time on ordinary, necessary things while traveling, but to spend it on magnificent Prague, I want to share with you a few of my observations and tips:
1. EXCURSION PROGRAM.
Since almost all tour operators have a single tour program to the Czech Republic and includes several main excursions, I would like to briefly dwell on them:
----------- Sightseeing tours included in the Program----------
Benefits: They are useful in that you get interesting information about the history of the Czech Republic, Prague, the main attractions, you begin to navigate the space of Prague, but...
Disadvantages: You do not remember even a third of what was told to you + trying to simultaneously listen to the guide, take pictures, look around, keep an eye on your things, etc. you do not get the pleasure that Prague is designed to give ...
TIP: During the tour, just listen to the guide, remember the main points of interest, and at the end of the tour, when you have free time, follow the same path, but in the opposite direction in order to take beautiful photos without chasing your group and without catching on fly snatches of phrases of his guide.
----------- Walk along the Vltava----------------
Advantages: you can see all the sights that you saw on the sightseeing tour from a different angle, from the water, as well as ride on a really comfortable boat and have lunch and dinner at the cost of the tour
Disadvantages: a long, almost hour-long parking in the fairway in order to pass the rapids, that is, instead of beautiful views, you will watch the water rise and your boat along with it. And all this within an hour...
TIP: It is better to go on this excursion during the day in order to really see as much as possible, since the evening walk, although it is voiced by tour operators as romantic, does not give anything interesting: the time that you should have spent sightseeing from the water, you spend to the fairway. And when you finally pass the rapids, it is already dark around, and the surrounding views do not make the proper impression.
------------Beer roads of Prague------------
Advantages: I see only one plus of this excursion - it is necessary for those who are afraid of independent walks in absolutely safe Prague
Drawback: You visit two (only two! ) most touristy pubs that serve a poor semblance of Czech food and a semblance of real Czech beer. At 10 pm, when all the pubs are just starting to live, they wish you good night and send you to the hotel
TIP: Oh, the great Internet, it has an insane amount of reviews of great beer Pragues that you can visit on your own, and not one, not two, not even three. Each non-touristic beer garden in Prague has its own flavor and is much more interesting than the well-worn tourist trails.
-----------Dinner at the Medieval Inn----------------------
Advantages: very interesting interior of the tavern, great show, plenty of food, good ventilation
Disadvantages: drinks that are not included in dinner cost from 100 kroons (! ), while the cost of beer in ordinary beer houses is 20-30 kroons, in addition, dinner does not cost 35-40 euros, which are charged for this program, since up to 4 The (meat) dish is no longer enough for you, because before that you will be fed with all kinds of side dishes and salads.
TIP: It's worth going if you're interested in shows: pirates, oriental beauties, bagpipers, drummers, and finally, a torch show.
-----------Karlovy Vary----------------------------
Advantages: an interesting trip, a beautiful town and the surrounding nature, really the cheapest souvenirs in the Czech Republic, the healing drink Becherovka, which is prepared here, bottled, and immediately sold in stores, the famous Oplatky (Karlovy Vary waffles) of an unusual round shape, which are prepared directly on your eyes, a real healing comedy, the naturalness of which is beyond doubt, and much more.
Disadvantages: there is very little time for an independent walk and the purchase of all local souvenirs, you will not have time to swim in the famous Karlovy Vary baths, or climb Mount Diana, or just wander around all the nooks and crannies of Karlovy Vary.
TIP: break away from the group and take a walk on your own, then you will have enough time for all of the above.
-------------Dresden------------------------------
Advantages: a beautiful, historical center, an extremely interesting and eventful tour of the Dresden Gallery, a visit to which should be a mandatory checkmark in your personal program. Being in Dresden and not visiting the world-famous Dresden Gallery is the same as being in Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower.
Disadvantages: If the excursion to Dresden is part of your trip, and not an optional program, get ready for the fact that you won’t really have time to see anything, you will have to choose between whether you want to gallop through local sights or modern German shopping centers, with their incredibly low prices
TIP: Regardless of your decision (to see the sights or modern centers), the Dresden Gallery should be a must-see!
With a skillful guide, even those who think that they do not like art will definitely like the Dresden Gallery.
2. STANDALONE PROGRAM
To really remember Prague, visiting tourist programs is not enough, you need to create your own. About the most interesting places:
---------------Krzhizhikovy fountains---------------------
An unforgettable spectacle that combines the dance of water, the performance of dance couples and well-chosen music.
Programs are held every evening at 20.00, 21.00, 22.00, 23.00 from May to October. The programs are accompanied by music on various topics: classical music, music from films, the singing of famous world tenors, and the music of famous bands (for example, Metallika, Scorpions) performed by a symphony orchestra, etc.
Getting to the fountains is very simple:
1. From Wenceslas Square by trams 5.17 or 21 to the stop; (Exhibit)
2. By metro line C, terminal station; ovice, then either on foot for 3-5 minutes, or by tram 5.
12.15 to stop; (Exhibit)
Ticket price: 200 kroons, children under 6 years old - free of charge
-------------- Prague Zoo-----------------------
The Prague Zoo is really one of the main attractions of Prague, a must-see! Because what we mean by the word "zoo" for the Czechs is just a "menagerie", where rare animals are mocked. In the Czech zoo, all animals are FREE in their movement, nothing has changed in their lives, they live in natural conditions, not in cages. It is here that you can feel the unity with nature.
How to get to the zoo:
The zoo can be reached by getting off at the Nadrazi holesovice metro station and boarding one of the buses marked "Zoo".
Address: U Trojskeho zamku 120/3, Praha 7, Troja.
Ticket price: 150 kroons, children under 3 years old - free of charge
AND FINALLY...
TIP: in order to see as much as possible in Prague, plan your trip on your own, separately from tourist groups and hiking trails, then you will be able to get to know really charming, unforgettable, interesting Prague!
I am sure there are still a myriad of places in Prague that must be visited, but for this you need to live in Prague ...My soul will remain in Prague forever, and when I come here, only here will my soul be reunited with the body.
Thank you for your attention, I wish you pleasant trips!
