Prague, which is flooded with visitors from all over the world, is cheaper than most European centers and “I finally saw it with the eyes of the world.” It is one of the primary preferences of those who will go abroad for the first time, because it contains structures that will make you say.. Prague is not a difficult city to visit without a tour, but as in every touristic capital, there are some points to be considered here.. In the Prague Travel Guide article, I tried to compile what you need to know before going to Prague and information that may be useful to you during your trip, accompanied by frequently asked questions.
• Prague Visa?
• Currency and Currency Exchange
• When to Go to Prague?
• How to Get to Prague by Bus or Train
• Hotel in Prague Advice
• Shopping in Prague
• Other Information and Advice
Is Prague Visa? / Prague Travel Guide
You need a Schengen visa to go to Prague, the capital of Czechia.. If you have an official passport or have a Schengen visa from another country, you do not need to obtain a visa again.. If you do not have a visa, you can obtain a Schengen visa from Czechia through VFS Global.. “How to Get a Czech Visa?” You can find the details of the whole process in the article titled, click to read.
The Currency Used in Prague and Currency Exchange / Prague Travel Guide
The Czech Republic, which is a member of the European Union but does not use the Euro Currency: Czech Koruna (CZK). Some places in Prague can accept Euros, but paying in Euros may be more disadvantageous in terms of price.. Therefore, when you go to Prague, you will definitely need to exchange currency and have cash Czech Koruna with you.. I think this is the most annoying part of the Prague travel and the most important part of the Prague Travel Guide article, because when exchanging money, exchange offices take commissions and can cause fraudulent losses.. Here are the points I would suggest you to pay attention to in this regard:. Let me explain with an example how there are differences: The amount of Koruna we would get for 100 € at the airport and 75 € in the city center was the same.. So if we had used the airport, we would have lost 25€.
* Do not believe any exchange office that has a huge “0% Commission” on its window, almost all of them take that commission.. Not only the commission amount is important, the buying-selling rates also vary according to the location.. You should also pay attention to them.. Let me give an example: If 1€ = 25.5 CZK in today’s exchange rate, some offices exchange 1€ from 16 CZK, some from 21, some from 24… There are also those who write 24CZK on their sign and fall to 20 when it comes to the cashing part.
* Although commission rates are high in many hotels, you may find it more affordable than a standard exchange office, as the purchase prices are also high.. Of course, this suggestion is not for you to change all your money, but to use it in a time when you are in a difficult situation.
* Well, what are we going to do? The most convenient and safe way to do this is to disable the exchange offices.. It is through the bank.. If you have a bank card that you can use abroad, it is the most advantageous way to withdraw directly from ATMs.. It may be good to find out before your trip whether your bank takes commission or not.. Another method is to use credit cards wherever possible.. Expenses I made with the credit card I used were directly converted from CZK to TL with the exchange rate of the day, and I did not lose any money since no commission was taken.
* Another way is to use the bank branches in Prague.. Bank branches have an “exchange” section. Staff probably don’t speak English but they understand your problem. Again, some commission is taken here, but since the buying and selling prices are exactly the figures determined by the state, your loss is less.
When to Prague go? / Prague Travel Guide
There are four seasons to visit Prague, but you should consider that it is really cold in winter.. It has a slightly different cold; I didn’t get cold at -20°C on the snowy mountain, as much as I did in Prague. Or I may be exaggerating a bit, but for the first time in my life, my eyes got cold, it’s that cold! But of course, I think it’s a different experience to meet that cold.. Especially if you come across it under the snow, you can push the limits of romance.. However, the last time we went was April 23, the trees in all the streets were in bloom, the parks were green, the people overflowed the streets, it’s not a holiday, it’s not watching, there are tourists but there is no crowd, the smell of flowers spreads from all sides… The city, which has a magical atmosphere, is officially a fairy tale. it was like. Tell me.
Speaking of all that cold, let me give you clothes advice for those who will go in winter.. It is absolutely impossible for you to travel without the scarf-hat-glove trio.. Thermal underwear is the biggest savior. The first time I went, I had to wear a ski jacket on the second day of the trip, because I couldn’t warm up otherwise.. Outside of hotels, indoor areas are not too hot. So bring whatever you have – fleece, sweater, wool socks, etc.. Comfortable shoes are a must as it will be a trip with plenty of walking.. You may feel the need to go to the toilet very often because your feet get very cold in the cold, I say do not skip this detail when choosing clothes.
How to Go to Prague? / Prague Travel Guide
I will not talk much about traveling from Turkey to Prague by plane.. You buy a ticket, after a flight of about 3 hours, you get off at Vaclav Havel Airport, which is the only airport in Prague.. You will most likely find the cheapest ticket from Pegasus Airlines.. If you want to get information about transportation from Prague airport to the city center, I have explained all the details in the “Prague Transportation Guide” article, click to read.
“How to get from Berlin to Prague?”, “How to get from Vienna to Prague?” or “How to get from Prague to Karlovy Vary?” Let me talk about bus and train details for those who have questions like.
Florenc / Prague Travel Guide
Florenc, the main bus station of Prague, is located in the city center and is located at the bottom of a metro stop with the same name. Getting here is very easy. This is the main stop you will use when you want to travel to another country in close distance from Prague or to another city in Czechia.. (Some buses also take passengers from different stops, but I don’t confuse them now.) On the contrary; When you come to Prague by bus from a nearby place, this will be where you get off.. After getting off, you can easily reach the metro line B (yellow) or C (red).. (I have explained all the details about using the metro in the “Prague Transportation Guide” article, click to read.)
There are major bus companies you can use here: Regio Jet, Flix Bus, Eurolines. .. All of them have systems where you can buy tickets on their website.. The earlier you buy the ticket, the cheaper it is.. If you wish, you can also buy tickets from the toll booths at the terminal, but it is a little difficult to find tickets for the same day, especially for popular routes such as Cesky Krumlov.. So I suggest you buy online if you can.. remember to print out your ticket before you set off.
Florenc is not such a large and complex terminal to confuse or intimidate. Very neat and small enough to see almost all the platforms. Also, there are no uncanny types that will make you nervous.. Wi-fi is available in the waiting area, WCs are clean. If you want to fill your stomach, there are fast food chains.. There are also coffee shops where you can sit while you wait.
Hlavní Nádraží / Prague Travel Guide
Prague’s central train station, Hlavní Nádraží, is located in the heart of the city, like many train stations in Europe.. In other words, you can start walking around the touristic spots as you get off the train.. There is another train station far from the city center, it’s called Nádraží Holesovice and trains usually stop at this station.. I advise you to be careful not to confuse while commuting. Hlavní Nádraží, inside the metro station of the same name. You can easily reach the metro by using the C (red) line.
Early reservation is always advantageous on the train, as it is on the bus.. If you do not buy your train ticket 1 month in advance for international journeys, it may be cheaper to buy a bus ticket.. When you find a cheap train ticket, don’t get too excited and look at the travel time first; You may be traveling in 12 hours due to the transfer times of the 4-hour road.. There are many railway companies you can use, but the best price is the state-owned railway company CD (České dráhy). There is usually no seat selection in the ticket you buy online. You get into a car suitable for the class you bought and sit on the seats that are not reserved.. Whether the seat is reserved or not is indicated next to the numbers on the top.
Prague Hotel Recommendation / Prague Travel Guide
Prague, one of the most advantageous European cities in terms of accommodation. Transportation is very convenient as it is both small and the tram line is spread all over the city.. Therefore, instead of staying in an expensive hotel in the city center, choosing far from the center will relieve your budget.. I think the most critical issue when choosing your hotel is that it is close to any metro station.. Especially when you go in winter, even a 10-minute walk can become torture.. I have listed all the hotels we have stayed in below.. Of course, Airbnb is also an option.. The point you should look at in this regard is to have a host who speaks English.
If an accommodation option that does not include breakfast is more suitable in terms of price, definitely choose it.. They don’t have a breakfast culture like ours.. If you are not staying in an intercontinental hotel, you will probably find the breakfast very poor.. Especially if you do not consume pork, you can wake up hungry from breakfast.. You can find more detailed information about meals, venues and prices in the “Eating and Drinking in Prague” article, click to read.
% of any reservation you make on Booking.com using the link below. You will get 10 discounts. After making the stay, your account will be refunded. If you want to use it on other trips, you can save this article or share it with a friend who may need it.
* Hotel Dalimil
This was a hotel I accidentally booked while Booking.com tabs were open.. We had to spend one night because it was non-refundable. I don’t know if we kept our expectations too low, but “I’m glad we did.” we said. We paid 38€ for a double room + breakfast on a weekday, which was the cheapest alternative we found in the area.. Considering the price, the facilities were also very good.. Breakfast was adequate for a standard Czech breakfast. Rooms are clean, beds are comfortable. It has a sweet garden under the trees at the back for warm weather.. As it is in the heart of Karlin, not touristic spots, but within walking distance to wonderful places.. Let’s come to the disadvantages… It’s a bit far from the center and the metro, I guess it would be difficult to walk in winter.. It was not a problem for us, but it is a hostel rather than a hotel, family travelers may not feel comfortable.. The furnishings in the rooms are a bit old and there is no air conditioning inside. CLICK HERE to review or make a reservation.
* Hotel Arena
Because we read very good reviews, it was a hotel that we left with great hopes and a bit of disappointment.. Its only advantage is that it is extremely close to the metro, other than that it doesn’t have much of an attraction.. The hotel does not serve breakfast. I have no words for the oldness of the rooms, but the beds were not comfortable at all.. There is a small area such as a common kitchen on the floors, if you want to heat water for tea and coffee, you use them.. After 22:00, the reception closes and you have no contact until the morning.. We paid 58€ for a double room for one day on the weekend. CLICK HERE to view or make a reservation.
Important note!
The 24-hour reception is not exclusive to Prague, but in many places across Europe You may encounter hotels that do not accept check-in because they close after 21:00.. When making a reservation, you should definitely check the entrance and exit times.. If you have to come at night, you should inform the hotel in advance.
* Hotel Adeba
This is a hotel that looks like it’s close to the metro, but is about 10 minutes’ walk away.. It is in the same area as Hotel Dalimil, which I mentioned above, so it is good in terms of location.. I was here alone and finding the most affordable place was my priority.. We paid 42€ for a single room for a weekday. I was going to say let’s count the advantages of this place, but there doesn’t seem to be much.. Since the room I stayed in was very close to the train tracks, I woke up to the sound of every train passing by, the internet was terribly slow, and I didn’t find it safe to have the luggage room door open all the time.. I do not suggest. CLICK HERE to review or make a reservation.
* Clarion Congress Hotel
As its name suggests, it is a somewhat expensive white-collar hotel.. We were already at a time when we went for business, but I can say that it was the best hotel we stayed in Prague so far.. If you don’t have a budget problem, make your reservation without hesitation.. The hotel has a direct connection to the metro, you can take the metro directly without going out.. There are also great shops connected to the shopping mall where you can find sports equipment at very low prices compared to those in Turkey.. (You can find more detailed information on this subject in the article “Shopping in Prague: The Cheapest Sports Stores”, click to read. ) The hotel has an extensive open buffet breakfast; There are alternatives such as swimming pool and fitness center.. I don’t know who gets into the pool when you come to Prague and visit the city, but let me write it anyway. CLICK HERE to review or make a reservation.
* Wellness Hotel Step
This hotel, which has features such as a pool, sauna and spa, is far from the city center and transportation is a bit difficult.. It’s 20 minutes walk from the nearest metro stop and to walk to the metro you have to go up and down a long staircase through the park. The breakfast buffet is sufficient, the rooms are clean and comfortable, but the hotel staff have a problem with English.. Sometimes you can get discounts on Booking.com, if you catch such a time, don’t miss it, but other than that, don’t waste your money. CLICK HERE to view or make a reservation.
Shopping in Prague / Prague Travel Guide
When you go to Prague, let go of souvenirs and focus directly on your own needs. Most items are cheaper than ours. Especially trekking, camping, skiing etc.. It is possible to find the necessary technical materials for half the price of those in Turkey at the end of the season.. In this sense, both the store and the product options are very large.. Sportisimo in Palladium, one of the largest shopping malls, is one of these stores. You can find more details in the article “Shopping in Prague: The Cheapest Sports Stores”, click to read.
The most famous shopping street Mustek. Somewhere at the bottom of the Old Town. Lots of shops along a wide pedestrian street. Most of them are Tax Free but you need to purchase over 2000 CZK to use them. In most places you will see the most famous shoe chain Bata. It is possible to find all kinds of shoes.. Prices can be evaluated.
If you want to buy something special from the region in Prague, the most popular products are crystal glasses, porcelain sets, local liqueur Becherovka and wafers.. In addition, handmade wooden toys and puppets are very common, but frankly, they were a bit expensive for me.. If your plan is to stop by Karlovy Vary one day, I suggest you stop your souvenir shopping here.. Especially in glass and porcelain, Karlovy Vary is like Eminönü there.. (You can find Karlovy Vary travel guide here.)
Other Information and Advice / Prague Travel Guide
* Write between us and Czech Republic 1 hour, 2 hour difference in winter. Time in Turkey is ahead.
* Although the people of Prague still bear the influence of the Communist era, they are becoming more hospitable and smiling every year.. They seem cold and serious in general, but they are actually extremely helpful.
* Prague is one of the safest capitals in Europe, but that doesn’t mean nothing will happen to you.. You have to be careful with pickpockets, especially in areas with heavy tourist crowds.
* “How many days to stay in Prague? How many days to visit Prague?” I think it is very difficult to answer the questions because 4. Even when I was gone, I spent time in a corner of the city that I did not know at all, feeling the pleasure of the first day I was there.. If you say “I don’t have much eyes, let me see the main points”, then I can say that you will see a lot in 3 days.
* “Where can we go for a day trip close to Prague?” or “Karlovy Vary or Cesky Krumlov?” Frequently asked questions such as. In fact, there are many places close to Prague where you can go for a day.. Since I only went to Karlovy Vary, Cesky Krumlov and Bohemian Switzerland, I will give my personal opinion accordingly. Karlovy Vary is definitely not a bad place, but it’s a retirement city.. If you are not over 40, I think you will be bored Cesky Krumlov is a very sweet town, I went there in the cold of winter, I am sure it will be much more beautiful in the spring.. If you enjoy seeing a medieval town, you can go.. But Bohemian Switzerland became the master of my heart. Click to learn more about it.
If you like “Prague Travel Guide”, click to read articles about Czechia.
When Things Don’t Go Right – Tragicomic Moments of Two Years
