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My sister and I have long dreamed of visiting Prague. Our decision to go hastened the forthcoming entry of the Czech Republic into the Schengen zone. We thought, and decided to go for the first time in an organized way with a group.
1. As a result, we chose the tour Many Faces of the Czech Republic + Krakow, railway travel from Kyiv to Lviv, then by bus Lviv-Krakow-Prague. This is a joint tour of Kiev tour operators Arteks and Inkomartur. We liked the detailed and interesting program of the tour. Out of 7 days, not counting the road, it devoted 3 full days to Prague. But the most decisive thing for us was that we would go with Artex guide Yuri Batushan. Reviews about him were unanimously laudatory. Looking ahead, I will say that we are terribly lucky. Thanks to Jura, we got especially vivid and strong impressions of Prague and the Czech Republic. For us, Jura will remain another symbol of Prague. He is an advanced person. He believes that history is not linear in time and believes that we do not live in the 21st century, but several centuries earlier. I read reviews that an escort travels with many groups, who only solves organizational issues and collects money. And in Prague, tours are conducted by Czech guides and sometimes it is impossible to understand their Russian. Our Yura is madly in love with Prague, knows everything about it and talks very excitingly. All excursions in Prague, the Czech Republic (except for the castle Gluboka over the Vltava) and Krakow (except for Wawel) were conducted by him. In addition, he gave us a lot of interesting information all the way. And all this is stored in my memory, although I usually remember little of what the guides say. After his tours, we began to understand more about architectural styles.
2. Road. Seats on the train and on the bus were distributed depending on the time of purchase of the tour. The earlier the better. Due to the fact that we had a transit stop in Krakow, the road was not very tiring. From Lviv to the border 1.5 hours, then 5 hours to Krakow and the same to Prague. We crossed the border there in 2-3 hours. Back with the maximum possible speed in an hour with a little. On the way back we spent the night in a Czech border town. By the way, not everyone is lucky with customs, as we are. We met a bus coming from Kyiv, which stood at the Ukrainian-Polish border for 13 hours.
3. Excursion program. The first tour we had was in the evening Krakow. In the morning the next day - the royal castle of Wawel. The Polish guide Marina, Russian by nationality, very artistically told us about the history of the city and the castle. We really liked Krakow. It was not destroyed during the war and we saw its original beauty. And we liked the movement of figures of kings and bishops on the clock at the Collegium Mayus even more than the Prague Astronomical Clock. The melody of the trumpeter on the tower of St. Mary's Church was especially imprinted in my memory. We clapped for him, and he waved his pipe at us. I would like to come to Krakow again. There is a special aura here.
As I said, we had excursions around Prague for 3 days. 6 thematic excursions were included in the price and 2 optional "Legends of Visegrad", "Gardens and Parks" were paid extra. In addition, we had enough free time. Although we partially spent it on lunches in Prague pubs. But this is also a kind of excursion. In our free time, we visited the Cathedral of St. Vitus, Loret, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Mala Strana, the Basilica of St. George, on Golden Lane, climbed the Old Town Hall. St. Vitus Cathedral stunned with its size and stained-glass windows, St. Nicholas Cathedral with its baroque marble splendor. We have not yet seen something like Loreta. The Royal Palace, unfortunately, was closed. By the way, everyone makes a wish on the Charles Bridge near the monument to St. John of Nepomuk. Our guide Yura said that a wish should be made by touching the five-star cross on the railing of the bridge with your left hand (from here John of Nepomuk was thrown into the Vltava), and put your right foot on a nail in pavement. What we did. Desire does not have to be material. No less magnificent night Prague. Beautiful lanterns on the streets, illumination of buildings. The turrets on the Tyn Church are somehow cartoonish. There are no less tourists than during the day.
Thanks to solid positive emotions and comfortable shoes, we walked around Prague all day and did not feel tired.
We were at the performance of the Krzhizhikov fountains. I liked it very much. They say there are cooler ones in Europe, but these are the oldest ones. We also visited the Black Theater on Paris Street. Super spectacle. I highly recommend. On our last evening in Prague, we took a boat ride on the Vltava. Prague Castle, the National Theatre, Charles Bridge with bridge towers are very beautifully illuminated. There seems to be nothing special about the walk, but it creates a special atmosphere.
I am not writing in this review in detail about Prague. After all, so much has already been written. Prague evokes the strongest emotions in everyone. Its architecture, history, crooked streets with unique houses, a touch of something ancient, mysterious and majestic. Thanks to the Czechs for saving this beauty for us.
I must say that in Prague we felt very cozy and comfortable. It's hard to get lost in the city center. There are signs on the streets. In addition, we were all given a map of Prague. But in order to fully feel all the magic of Prague, we will definitely come here again. They say that Prague is beautiful at any time of the year. But, nevertheless, it is especially beautiful in May and October. We saw October Prague in red and yellow colors. Next time we want to see her colorful May.
We did not visit the Prague jazz club, we did not listen to the organ in the church. We will definitely do this on our next visit. It was not possible to take the funicular to Petř í n Hill. And a lot more we left until next time.
Before leaving, I bought a Prague guide from the Afisha publishing house. But I didn't have time to read it. But after the trip, I read it with pleasure, as if I had walked through the now familiar streets again.
3 days were devoted to trips to Czech cities and castles. Karlovy Vary, brewery in Pilsen, castle Gluboka nad Vltava, Czech Krumlov, castle Ž leby, town of Kutna Hora. Everywhere we liked it, everywhere there was something beautiful and unique. The castles are very beautiful and romantic. Gluboka is a white castle from a fairy tale. Zhleby resembles the dwelling of a medieval knight. Too bad you couldn't take pictures inside. Yura said that the only wealth that no one can take away from us is what we saw with our own eyes. Kutná Hora once rivaled Prague. It is famous for its mint, stone reservoir, stone house and the Cathedral of St. Barbara, reminiscent of the Cathedral of St. Vitus, the Ossuary Museum. Karlovy Vary is a picturesque town surrounded by hills with beautiful hotels along the river. Rest here is wonderful and relatively inexpensive. We did not swim in the pool and did not drink water from the springs. We bought Becherovka cheaper at the Tesco supermarket on the way home. From Karlovy Vary we brought the famous waffles with different fillings. Most of all we liked the city of Cheshsky Krumlov. It seemed to us that we had fallen out of our time and were transported to a fabulous medieval city. It almost completely preserved the ancient architectural appearance. We were impressed by the unique 3-tier bridge 40m high. In Cesky Krumlov we got the most colorful photos.
4. Hotels. We have been satisfied with all the hotels where we have stayed. In Krakow, Prague, Frydek-Mistek. In Prague, we lived in the Populus 3 * hotel. It is located in the Zizkov district, Prague-3. A new nice hotel that corresponds to its status. From the hotel to Jan Palach Square, it takes 20 minutes by bus. From there, walk 5 minutes. to Old Town Square. Yes, it was unusual for us to have public transport in Prague strictly on schedule to the nearest minute.
5. Czech cuisine. At the hotel in Prague we had buffet breakfasts, hearty, everything was fresh and tasty, there was a choice, although the assortment did not change. During the day we also had a hearty lunch, and for dinner we had only tea. Yura reserved places in Prague pubs, and we dined there as a group. We were in Novomestsky Pivovar on Vodichkova and at Schweik on Uyezd. We tried Svichkova and the Old Bohemian dish there. This is meat with dumplings and various sauces. Many don't understand dumplings. These are sliced buns. It's all about the gravy. We liked garlic soup with croutons and goulash soup. We also ate duck. On a boar knee did not dare. We don't like fatty meats. Those from our group who tried it said that there was nothing super in it. On the Verandas, they say, the most delicious knee. We are fish lovers. And we especially liked the fried carp in Č eský Krumlov. There are many 500-year-old fish ponds (younger fish). For lunch, usually for two, we spent 650-750 crowns. This is 25-28 euros. In Kutna Hora, we had a very hearty lunch, also coffee with ice cream, and gave 450 kroons. I almost forgot about the most important thing - beer. My sister and I were not fans of this drink. We thought we would love after Prague. Everywhere we dined, we tried different beers. And at the brewery in Pilsen they tried it from a barrel. Most of all we liked the Velkopopovitsky Black Goat. Almost like kvass. But we did not understand the charms of beer. Tea and juices in the Czech Republic are more expensive than beer. Tea and coffee are brought immediately, and not at the end of lunch. Please note.
6. Finance. The trip cost us 1300 euros for two. Usually, when traveling to Western Europe, you need to take as much money with you as the tour costs. In Prague, we spent an additional 70% of the cost of the tour. So much we planned. We practically did not buy anything except souvenirs. Didn't want to waste time shopping. In Prague, Yura invited an exchange office employee and our group very quickly exchanged money right on the bus at a good rate. Later we also changed money in Karlovy Vary. It is interesting that the most profitable course in Prague is for the Arabs, and in Karlovy Vary for the Chinese. On the way back, we spent the remaining crowns in Tesco on food for the trip and gurgling souvenirs. What they did not spend was changed at the Czech border at the rate of 1 kroon more expensive.
7. Miscellaneous. I also want to talk about our group. Nobody bothered us personally. Everyone behaved correctly. The fact that there were about 50 of us was also somehow not very disturbing. The group was remarkably organized. After the first delay in Krakow, Yura warned us that for every 5 minutes a latecomer puts out a bottle of champagne to the group. And after 15 minutes there will be no one to exhibit. I don’t know if it worked, but we never tried the champagne. Yura set the rule. Everyone must be on the bus 5 minutes before departure. And everyone followed this rule. We had wonderful drivers, brothers Viktor and Sergey, if I'm not mistaken, from Lviv.
I wish everyone to get acquainted with this amazing city.
1. As a result, we chose the tour Many Faces of the Czech Republic + Krakow, railway travel from Kyiv to Lviv, then by bus Lviv-Krakow-Prague. This is a joint tour of Kiev tour operators Arteks and Inkomartur. We liked the detailed and interesting program of the tour. Out of 7 days, not counting the road, it devoted 3 full days to Prague. But the most decisive thing for us was that we would go with Artex guide Yuri Batushan. Reviews about him were unanimously laudatory. Looking ahead, I will say that we are terribly lucky. Thanks to Jura, we got especially vivid and strong impressions of Prague and the Czech Republic. For us, Jura will remain another symbol of Prague. He is an advanced person. He believes that history is not linear in time and believes that we do not live in the 21st century, but several centuries earlier. I read reviews that an escort travels with many groups, who only solves organizational issues and collects money. And in Prague, tours are conducted by Czech guides and sometimes it is impossible to understand their Russian. Our Yura is madly in love with Prague, knows everything about it and talks very excitingly. All excursions in Prague, the Czech Republic (except for the castle Gluboka over the Vltava) and Krakow (except for Wawel) were conducted by him. In addition, he gave us a lot of interesting information all the way. And all this is stored in my memory, although I usually remember little of what the guides say. After his tours, we began to understand more about architectural styles.
2. Road. Seats on the train and on the bus were distributed depending on the time of purchase of the tour. The earlier the better. Due to the fact that we had a transit stop in Krakow, the road was not very tiring. From Lviv to the border 1.5 hours, then 5 hours to Krakow and the same to Prague. We crossed the border there in 2-3 hours. Back with the maximum possible speed in an hour with a little. On the way back we spent the night in a Czech border town. By the way, not everyone is lucky with customs, as we are. We met a bus coming from Kyiv, which stood at the Ukrainian-Polish border for 13 hours.
3. Excursion program. The first tour we had was in the evening Krakow. In the morning the next day - the royal castle of Wawel. The Polish guide Marina, Russian by nationality, very artistically told us about the history of the city and the castle. We really liked Krakow. It was not destroyed during the war and we saw its original beauty. And we liked the movement of figures of kings and bishops on the clock at the Collegium Mayus even more than the Prague Astronomical Clock. The melody of the trumpeter on the tower of St. Mary's Church was especially imprinted in my memory. We clapped for him, and he waved his pipe at us. I would like to come to Krakow again. There is a special aura here.
As I said, we had excursions around Prague for 3 days. 6 thematic excursions were included in the price and 2 optional "Legends of Visegrad", "Gardens and Parks" were paid extra. In addition, we had enough free time. Although we partially spent it on lunches in Prague pubs. But this is also a kind of excursion. In our free time, we visited the Cathedral of St. Vitus, Loret, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Mala Strana, the Basilica of St. George, on Golden Lane, climbed the Old Town Hall. St. Vitus Cathedral stunned with its size and stained-glass windows, St. Nicholas Cathedral with its baroque marble splendor. We have not yet seen something like Loreta. The Royal Palace, unfortunately, was closed. By the way, everyone makes a wish on the Charles Bridge near the monument to St. John of Nepomuk. Our guide Yura said that a wish should be made by touching the five-star cross on the railing of the bridge with your left hand (from here John of Nepomuk was thrown into the Vltava), and put your right foot on a nail in pavement. What we did. Desire does not have to be material. No less magnificent night Prague. Beautiful lanterns on the streets, illumination of buildings. The turrets on the Tyn Church are somehow cartoonish. There are no less tourists than during the day.
Thanks to solid positive emotions and comfortable shoes, we walked around Prague all day and did not feel tired.
We were at the performance of the Krzhizhikov fountains. I liked it very much. They say there are cooler ones in Europe, but these are the oldest ones. We also visited the Black Theater on Paris Street. Super spectacle. I highly recommend. On our last evening in Prague, we took a boat ride on the Vltava. Prague Castle, the National Theatre, Charles Bridge with bridge towers are very beautifully illuminated. There seems to be nothing special about the walk, but it creates a special atmosphere.
I am not writing in this review in detail about Prague. After all, so much has already been written. Prague evokes the strongest emotions in everyone. Its architecture, history, crooked streets with unique houses, a touch of something ancient, mysterious and majestic. Thanks to the Czechs for saving this beauty for us.
I must say that in Prague we felt very cozy and comfortable. It's hard to get lost in the city center. There are signs on the streets. In addition, we were all given a map of Prague. But in order to fully feel all the magic of Prague, we will definitely come here again. They say that Prague is beautiful at any time of the year. But, nevertheless, it is especially beautiful in May and October. We saw October Prague in red and yellow colors. Next time we want to see her colorful May.
We did not visit the Prague jazz club, we did not listen to the organ in the church. We will definitely do this on our next visit. It was not possible to take the funicular to Petř í n Hill. And a lot more we left until next time.
Before leaving, I bought a Prague guide from the Afisha publishing house. But I didn't have time to read it. But after the trip, I read it with pleasure, as if I had walked through the now familiar streets again.
3 days were devoted to trips to Czech cities and castles. Karlovy Vary, brewery in Pilsen, castle Gluboka nad Vltava, Czech Krumlov, castle Ž leby, town of Kutna Hora. Everywhere we liked it, everywhere there was something beautiful and unique. The castles are very beautiful and romantic. Gluboka is a white castle from a fairy tale. Zhleby resembles the dwelling of a medieval knight. Too bad you couldn't take pictures inside. Yura said that the only wealth that no one can take away from us is what we saw with our own eyes. Kutná Hora once rivaled Prague. It is famous for its mint, stone reservoir, stone house and the Cathedral of St. Barbara, reminiscent of the Cathedral of St. Vitus, the Ossuary Museum. Karlovy Vary is a picturesque town surrounded by hills with beautiful hotels along the river. Rest here is wonderful and relatively inexpensive. We did not swim in the pool and did not drink water from the springs. We bought Becherovka cheaper at the Tesco supermarket on the way home. From Karlovy Vary we brought the famous waffles with different fillings. Most of all we liked the city of Cheshsky Krumlov. It seemed to us that we had fallen out of our time and were transported to a fabulous medieval city. It almost completely preserved the ancient architectural appearance. We were impressed by the unique 3-tier bridge 40m high. In Cesky Krumlov we got the most colorful photos.
4. Hotels. We have been satisfied with all the hotels where we have stayed. In Krakow, Prague, Frydek-Mistek. In Prague, we lived in the Populus 3 * hotel. It is located in the Zizkov district, Prague-3. A new nice hotel that corresponds to its status. From the hotel to Jan Palach Square, it takes 20 minutes by bus. From there, walk 5 minutes. to Old Town Square. Yes, it was unusual for us to have public transport in Prague strictly on schedule to the nearest minute.
5. Czech cuisine. At the hotel in Prague we had buffet breakfasts, hearty, everything was fresh and tasty, there was a choice, although the assortment did not change. During the day we also had a hearty lunch, and for dinner we had only tea. Yura reserved places in Prague pubs, and we dined there as a group. We were in Novomestsky Pivovar on Vodichkova and at Schweik on Uyezd. We tried Svichkova and the Old Bohemian dish there. This is meat with dumplings and various sauces. Many don't understand dumplings. These are sliced buns. It's all about the gravy. We liked garlic soup with croutons and goulash soup. We also ate duck. On a boar knee did not dare. We don't like fatty meats. Those from our group who tried it said that there was nothing super in it. On the Verandas, they say, the most delicious knee. We are fish lovers. And we especially liked the fried carp in Č eský Krumlov. There are many 500-year-old fish ponds (younger fish). For lunch, usually for two, we spent 650-750 crowns. This is 25-28 euros. In Kutna Hora, we had a very hearty lunch, also coffee with ice cream, and gave 450 kroons. I almost forgot about the most important thing - beer. My sister and I were not fans of this drink. We thought we would love after Prague. Everywhere we dined, we tried different beers. And at the brewery in Pilsen they tried it from a barrel. Most of all we liked the Velkopopovitsky Black Goat. Almost like kvass. But we did not understand the charms of beer. Tea and juices in the Czech Republic are more expensive than beer. Tea and coffee are brought immediately, and not at the end of lunch. Please note.
6. Finance. The trip cost us 1300 euros for two. Usually, when traveling to Western Europe, you need to take as much money with you as the tour costs. In Prague, we spent an additional 70% of the cost of the tour. So much we planned. We practically did not buy anything except souvenirs. Didn't want to waste time shopping. In Prague, Yura invited an exchange office employee and our group very quickly exchanged money right on the bus at a good rate. Later we also changed money in Karlovy Vary. It is interesting that the most profitable course in Prague is for the Arabs, and in Karlovy Vary for the Chinese. On the way back, we spent the remaining crowns in Tesco on food for the trip and gurgling souvenirs. What they did not spend was changed at the Czech border at the rate of 1 kroon more expensive.
7. Miscellaneous. I also want to talk about our group. Nobody bothered us personally. Everyone behaved correctly. The fact that there were about 50 of us was also somehow not very disturbing. The group was remarkably organized. After the first delay in Krakow, Yura warned us that for every 5 minutes a latecomer puts out a bottle of champagne to the group. And after 15 minutes there will be no one to exhibit. I don’t know if it worked, but we never tried the champagne. Yura set the rule. Everyone must be on the bus 5 minutes before departure. And everyone followed this rule. We had wonderful drivers, brothers Viktor and Sergey, if I'm not mistaken, from Lviv.
I wish everyone to get acquainted with this amazing city.
Translated automatically from Russian. View original
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