Czech before you travel! (humm. sorry) (Czech Republic)

Member Name: blackhawk

Product:	Czech Republic
Date:	22/02/01 (146 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: culture abounds, cost is low

Disadvantages: getting blacker every tme

This is a great destination I am bound to visit on business, and one which I am happy to frequent for pleasure. The first time, unprepared and dumped unceremoniously at the airport was a nightmare, I hope this helps to prepare you a little, as well as give you some idea of whats on the 'upside'.

Firstly, the essentials:

You must have a passport that is valid for 8 months beyond entry date if you are an EU National or from New Zealand, this will give you a 90 day stay. Visitors from the UK, Ireland and Canada are allowed a 180 day stay, where US visitors are allowed 30 days, and visitors from Australia have to get a free visa which is valid for 3 months. Japan and other non-Europeans need to pay for a visa in advance. If you are British a E111 form is recommended. Good insurance is also recommended.


Czech money (crowns, or korun ceskych - Kc) can be got from banks here, but you'll have to place an order in advance. Prague has ATM's accepting Mastercard (Access) and Visa, though mainly just in the city centre. Common travellers' cheques should be easy to change - American Express and Thomas Cook are both in Wenceslas Square (Václavské Námestí). Most hotels have exchange offices charging something like 10% commission. Don't accept offers to change money on the street. It's a con, and you won't be the beneficiary. You can also change money at the 24 hour exchange desk at the airport (run by Ceskoslovenka obchodni bonka at 1-2% commission.) Banks open 8-5pm Mon-Fri, and till 1pm on Saturday (though may have stretched further since).

If you are travelling by coach and want cash for stops on the journey, Deutschmarks are probably the best idea (however the majority of motorway halts in France/Belgium/Germany will accept any major European currency). Alternatively, take along food and other supplies for the trip. The airport at Ruzyne is in the suburbs of Prague, but is served by rail, however if you
shop aound, you should get a good deal for a cab. It is also advisable to reconfirm return flights at least 72 days before departure.

In the Czech Republic you're supposed by law to carry ID (i.e. your passport) at all times. In practice people tend not to. You may well feel safer leaving your passport (a valuable item on the black market (WARNING!!!)) in the hotel safe, though check if it's needed when changing travellers' cheques.

Prague has the reputation of being a pretty safe place to wander. However as in almost all big cities, where there are tourists there are also some people looking to take advantage, and you can't expect to be or look as savvy as locals. Petty crime is a local growth industry, with pickpocketing just one facet. So please watch out for yourselves. The guidebooks all suggest that Wenceslas Square (Václavské Nám.) is not the place to be in the small hours of the morning.

Language: a lot of people, especially younger, will speak English (some older will know German). Czech is mainly pretty easy to pronounce if you get the basic rules (I can give a rough guide), but as a Slavonic language won't be as amenable to guessing at translation as Latin or Germanic languages.
Electricity is 220V, but you'll need a universal two-prong round-pin travel adaptor - get it before you leave, if this is likely to be important to you.

Most public toilets (like in France) cost a nominal amount to use, e.g. 2 kc. The men's is muzi and the women's is zeny. There are loos in all metro stations.


Weather

Expect it to be cold, I went last in November and it was nearly always below 0°C, so remember some very warm clothes, then there is always the mulled wine......

Travel

The metro runs till midnight, and there are a number of all-night trams.
Metro, trams and buses all use a uniform ticket which can be bought (10 kc) from metro stations and from stall
s near bus/tram stops - but not on buses/trams. Please note that you are expected to frank your own ticket using the yellow machines going through the barriers at metro stations and on buses/trams. If you don't you may get fined. One-day and 3-day passes (denni jizdenka) are also available, more at a saving of convenience than of money. The Prague card (see Museums and Galleries) gives you unlimited travel for 3 days, as well as free entry to loads of museums.

Cabs can be hailed in the street, this is cheaper than going to a taxi rank, which tend to up the prices for tourists. It is always a good idea to insure the meter is switched on, and ask for a receipt at the end if you think you have been ripped off. You can expect an intial fare to be around 30kc (+20kc per km).

Accomodation

Hostels and low grade hotels can be found for approximately £10 per night upwards, quality for around £60, cheaper still if you are prepared to go a little out of the centre, as cabs are so cheap, this isn't necessarily a problem.

Bars, Cafes and Restuarants

Bar/cafe/restaurant meals and drink are cheap - e.g. beer at 14 kc, meals at 50-90 kc. So you can easily afford to eat out at least once a day, and it is worth it to try some of the lovely food. Czech's are mainly meat-eaters, with dishes like goulash being a speciality, but there are plenty of restaurants that cater for vegetarians. I will add a list of recommended bars and restaurants very soon, but some recommended places are Peklo (a 12th Century beer cellar that serves delicious fare - Strahovske Nadvon), U Fleku (Kremencova 11) - A brewery since 1499 that serves Flekovske, a strong dark beer that is served with aniseed shots. As a group you can sit on one of the many long dining tables in vaulted rooms, food is also available. The Roxy (Dlouka 33) is an old theatre that stages films and live acts. Don't forget to try the local spirit Absinthe, it is considerably cheap
er than in the UK, although be warned it does odd things to you! Another word of warning if you are sick in a bar/restaurant, you may be ripped off in having to pay for a cleaner, this happened to a colleague a few years ago, and they were asking £4 to clear it up! You can't blame them though, the average wage is between £2-2.50 a week.


Galleries

Almost all galleries and museums close on Mondays only. The gallery at the Rudolfinum (entrance along the river side) puts on good international shows. Among the small galleries worth checking out are MXM (Nosticova 6, entrance through gate and garden, open 12-7), Gallery Nova Sin (Vorsilska 3, open 10-1, 2-6), Spalova Gallery, Narodní (not sure of other details), and Jiri Svetska Gallery (Jungmannova, nr. where Palackeho intersects: not sure of other details). There is also an interesting window gallery in the windows of the British Council building on Narodní run by independent curator Andrée Cooke, showing contemporary U.K. and Czech artists.

Other Museums/Galleries worth visiting

Sternberg Palace
Dvorak Museum
Mozart Museum
National Museum (Vaclavske Namesti)
National Theatre (Narodni 2)

Summary: