I visited Prague back in 2003 for the first time and I instantly fell in love with the city. I've been back there 11 times since. Have also visited many other parts of CZ as well. Wonderful country.
Dont get mistaken, if we didnt have tourists, we would have much poorer economy. Some people have weaker brain power so they decide typing shit like this is funny/spot on in YT comment section. Happy that you liked it here, hopefully you will be able to travel the world again next year!
I was lucky enough to have a local friend who let me stay with her for free. This place is quite literally my favorite city I’ve ever visited. Need to go back when I can ☺️
Prague was a favorite. My donts. Don't skip the beer, pork knee, opera house, cathedral, just walking around, and sitting on the hill of the Apple orchard looking down on the city. (Apples were a little sour but good)
Especially in big tourist cities, waking up early is the best thing you can do, when I went to Rome a few years ago, we got up and out by 6 in the morning and the city was empty and it was 100x better, the trevi fountain had about 10 people around it as opposed to the hundreds that gather later on, would definitely recommend
I did the same when I was in Prague. I was there on Christmas and I had to leave my hostel at like 7AM so that I didn't get trampled to death by tourists.
Amen to that! I called a cab when it was still dark out in Rome (woke up at 4 a.m. on my first jet-lagged morning) and visited the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona and other places. Even then there were about 10 people at Trevi including the ubiquitous wedding couple being photographed, but it was fun, not like what it would have been later.
Hi, also the movie "Amadeus", about Mozart, has been completely shot in Prague, during the USSR occupation back then.. It's a fantastic movie, as a music teacher you should be interested: www.imdb.com/title/tt0086879/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Concerning buying Czech crowns, get them from an ATM (a reliable one such as at the airport) rather than at a bureau de change. Another sight that is well worth visiting is Vyšehrad, Prague's other castle, which in my experience is a lovely place of tranquility.
Also in Ovocný světozor they should have vegetarian open faced sandwich options. Still a very, very typical Czech food (and in terms of what locals actually eat, even at home) and delicious.
Going to the big tourist sites at dawn is a MUST even in the so-called off season. I found that out in Venice when I got someone else's wakeup call around 5 a.m., and the Grand Canal was glorious and deserted. On my upcoming trip to Prague I plan to see go to the Charles bridge at dawn.
Just got back from vacation from prague yesterday. Oneczech dish i really recommend is a slow cooked knee with horseradish. This is huge dish, the meet cooked so much it is almost a jello and it us really tasty! One exchange i recommend is just before the crosswalk from the old city to the national museum, there is exchange, yes with 0% commission but with excellent rates of 1eur=24.20 czk, and near it there is excellent deli for cheeses, by products and a lot of good pastrami and other good meats in good prices
When COVID is over and there’s a vaccine you should form your own tour company and give tours for large groups of people, I think you would do really well doing that!
Awesome work!!. I'm a huge fan of Prague. By the way, I'm from Buenos Aires and I loved your videos about my city, the argentinian food and all that stuff. Great job!!.
One of the most beautiful cities in the world . One I had the good fortune to visit twice . Love Prague & Chekkie People . Another good attraction is the replica of the Eiffel Tower in Prague . With stunning views over Bohemia . Well worth a visit . Just Simply Krasna .
@henryalcantara9331 Pay with debit/credit card everywhere, where it is possible. And, as others have written, never change money. Simply take your Czech crowns from an ATM (but never from ATM company!) and always refuse conversion! This rule is universal. Always pay or take local currency only, anywhere in the world.
Just one think I'd add to this when going to the exchange offices. Recently there is a new scam trend where people (often Bulgarian and Romanian, do not really think of Czechs speaking with a Russian accent) who tell you there is a bad conversion and you should change money from them. They give you some old banknotes which are not even Czech and they have no worth. So be careful of that when travelling to Prague. As Wolter says, the ATMs or just paying with the card is more than enough.
Isn't he saying NOT to pay with card? Unless you have CZK on your card of course. My understanding was that if you are offered to pay your bill in EUR/USD, then you should reject it, because if you don't, then you will be struck with a not so ideal conversion rate.
@@GajeelRedfox He's saying to pay with card, just be mindful of the currency. I suspect (I can't say for sure because I'm local so this doesn't apply to me) outside of very touristy places in the centre of Prague paying in local currency will be the default anyway. I had a friend from New Zealand visiting last year, we visited a lot of out-of-the-way places (including, in Prague, Vyšehrad, the other castle), and paid card in most places, and she commented how favourable the prices were and that she was actually spending far less than she had expected. So I think that's the way to go these days.
Having been to and stayed in Prague a few times, I still found your video extremely useful, Mark. I wish though that this beautiful city could have kept the mandatory Burgerking and Kentucy Fried Chicken out of the Centre.
Bank ATM's are fine for getting money, as well as exchanging money at the Visitor centers. Sunrise from the overlook at Prague Castle is pretty amazing also...
We have strong home tourism, so even if there is less people, there is still quite a few. Since goverment does not really reccomend foreign vacations, people stay here and visit local places.
Euronet ATM's are everywhere, they are safe, but they recognise a non-czech bank card, and try to get you to take out 10,000 - 20,000Kc with conversion. 10 or 20K Koruna is a lot of money for Prague, and then you're stuck with all these Koruna's you probably won't need unless you stay in the CZ for a few weeks. Vrtba Gardens are also a lovely quiet place to visit with a different view of the city.
Btw ordering “a beer” is exactly what you do in all Czech pubs. Our pubs typically serve one brand of beer and the default is a lager. So we Czechs really order just “a beer”. If any pub brings you some overpriced crap when you order “a beer”, then it’s clearly a tourist trap.
In restaurants - not just pubs, if you go for a meal and want a beer to go with it - you usually ask for pivo, might specify your preference as to type / grade (don't be too specific), they say which options they have, and ask you "small or large" if you haven't specified. So basically the usual process is you specify your basic preferences and they tell you which one on their offer suits. If it's not a tourist trap restaurant, the chances of which in the crowded parts of Old Town are high. So the advice to pick yourself first isn't off the mark - you're basically doing for yourself what in a better behaved restaurant the staff should do. 😅
First time I was in Prague was 1987. No tourists but those in my bus. We drove right up and parked on the main square. Only 2 restaurants and no outdoor seating.
@@schmui I mention restaurants and no outdoor seating. Do you understand the difference? People already lived in Prague back then, and of course there were outdoor seating and more restaurants. This did not come with tourists, as some "civilized and truthful" peoples try to suggest.
There is an eatery across the street and just down the street from Smichov metro station. It's standup only, and they have the best meatloaf, or pork. You get a salted bun and ask for a dollop of mustard. It's fantastic. Regarding beer, it also comes in varying alcohol content. Dark beer is good. There is a brewery/restaurant that's been in business since 1497 called "U Fleků ". Another good place to visit.
The most beautiful sunrises and better yet sunsets, that I have seen in my travels were in Kuwait.... the colors are gorgeous.... because of all the fumes in the air from the methane burn off flames in the oil fields and refineries..... sounds awful (the fumes), but they are the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets..... ESPECIALLY the sunsets.....
About the weekend tourist hordes: A problem everywhere, even smaller cities you think would not be inundated, so I try to use the weekend for travel for one place to another.
Living in Prague for some years I would like to add to get used/inform yourself in advance about the puplic transportation. Its one of the best in Europe, its super easy (always X minutes e.g. 30, 60, 90, 180 etc minutes) for EVERYTHING, means metro/tram/bus - it cannot be easier. You can pay via app, get a ticket on/in the tram/bus or at the metro or via SMS. You definitely dont want to punish yourself by dricing with a car into Prague. Everything will take at least double the time, finding a parking spot is nearly impossible during daytime and the raods are quite narrow....dont do it, its a sper old, never burned down city (looking at you Londinium^^). Enjoy.
Thank you for the tip on payment with respect to the exchange rates. Smaller hotels in Germany have done that with me, where I saw the rate in Canadian dollars and not in euros. While the CAD-equivalent looked to be correct (I have a degree in finance, and, can convert currencies in my head). Luckily the Germans have been very transparent.
Well they are locals. I reccomend you to visit technical museum in Prague, we have long tradition of industry, so you can see first european cars, airplanes, motorbikes (1920s). It is a dad´s sanctuary.
Excellent video! I like the conversation point as any traveler has to be weary when dealing with this. It's great to know that you should AVOID it at all cost in the Czech Republic. Also, I like the sunrise part. You said you've been to the country 10 times. Which season did you prefer when you visited?
Good to see you out and about again Mark. I wish we could travel overseas. My recommendations for Prague (1) check out the Paternostr elevator in Prague Town Hall (walk down the hall its at the back) (2) The world famous Honest Lamp on Charles Bridge - rub it for good luck (3) My favourite - Petřín Lookout Tower (4) Skautsky Institute for cheap eats and beer (5) Františkánská Zahrada - a peaceful oasis in the heart of Prague.
Czech food is amazing and I definitely agree that tourists should try as many dishes as they can. I would add the caveat that it is sometimes worth having one or two meals at an ethnic restaurant, as their version of that cuisine is often different than ours in the US. The best Chinese food I've ever had was in Ireland, the best Italian was in Poland, and the best hamburger was in France! Also, there is a certain joy that comes with getting a beer at McDonalds. :)
Also "ethnic" restaurants tend to be a better option for vegetarians in Czechia. Even though we absolutely have traditional meatless dishes, finding any in restaurants that haven't been "improved" by the inclusion of meat is next to impossible (unless you want to spend your whole holiday eating deep fried cheese and sweet options.) (I'm not a strict vegetarian, but I really don't need meat every day and prefer lighter food options most of the time. Especially when it's a hot summer. 😬)
The Astrologe goes off every hour, but is switched off at night. It's a bit difficult to see the sunrise if you're there during the summer (as you have kind of demonstrated by using a photo of the sunset), but wonderful. If visiting Prague in the winter I would say try & get there when it snows as having lived there I can say it looks amazing in white, although that's of course not something you can plan in advance.
It's unfortunate that you have to warn people, Mark. ATM "dynamic currency conversion" has been well documented and discussed for over a decade. Do some reasearch, people. Seriously. Yes, for-profit independently owned ATMs use confusing wording with double negatives and people feel rushed when a line is behind them but if you do a tiny bit of research before you visit an unfamiliar country, you'll be fine. A very well known and experienced traveler called this a scam and went ballistic last year and I'm thinking, dude, how do you not know this by now?
@Wolters World Yes. I've always said I like your basic tips videos and am a proponent of repetition advice because they're absolutely needed either as a reminder or for brand new travelers. 👍
Always use a bank ATM and never a EuroNet ATM. They are all over Europe and are a total ripoff. They give you a horrible exchange rate and trick you into withdrawing large amounts of cash.
This business about the "conversion" (credit cards, ATMs, etc.) wasn't yet a thing when I was last there in '06. Several videos have warned about this, and I'm glad to know. Musicians, BTW, should check out Vyšehrad fortress, which Smetana composed about. And I love the Czech food -- but I never had the duck!
Earlier this year I put a deposit down for a trip to Budapest, Prague, Vienna and Berlin. What are the odds that Coronavirus restrictions will be over and I will be free to travel? I have to make the decision by Oct 4th.
3:04 Enter the building in the middle, go upstairs and enjoy a coffee. A break from the mainstream tourism. - Oh, and check out HONEST GUIDE here on TH-cam, phantastic pro tips for Prague!
Thank you for the honest review. Do they accept card payments for most of the restaurants? I don’t like to carry cash or bother with exchange. Thanks again.
These days absolutely, you can pay in most places by card, even in the countryside. At this point it's more likely to be the places that don't that will "advertise" it at the door. (Admittedly I'm Czech so I've never ever eaten in a restaurant on the Old Town Square. 😅 )
Take a tram,metro or bus and look around. Very easy buy a ticket 110kç for a Day and Enjoy. Take hotel Little outside city. First hotel I had in prague was iris hotel eden(slavia prague football team play)
I think the day ticket is 120 now. Still, it's a great choice if you expect to move around a bit; you can just hop on a tram or bus or metro any time without worrying and to save your feet from all the walking a bit, and even just, say, travelling to and from your hotel and then a couple of rides during the day adds up to more than the price of the day ticket in individual ones. Just don't forget to validate it at the beginning.
Several times you’ve said how much you love Prague and I don’t understand why. I go there several times a year and it often smells like a sewer. Kraków is much nicer (IMHO). What am I missing?
Be prepared to be attempted to be trained by motorists to hurry over pedestrian crossings as there are many lousy drivers who keep inching slowly towards you to make you hurry up. I find looking them directly in the face usually makes them stop. This all dates back to when the motorist had right of way over crossings. But this is no longer the case except for trams - don't try looking tram drivers in the eye they will just sound their bell at you and keep coming as they still have right of way.
the best exchange office is called EXCHANGE and is located near St. Mikulas Church in Old Town Square. regarding food...czech republic is not known for its food. many czechs themselves prefer not to eat czech food because it is unhealthy (lots of fat). i don't know any tourist who go back to those places you mentioned again and again. having said that, i do agree that many tourists do not visit places off the tourist track (in line A of the metro). example - Vysehrad because it is on line C of the metro.
There's Czech food and Czech food. I'm not going to order a big chunk of pork in a restaurant; for one thing I'm not a big guy but a slip of a woman and I'd descend into a food coma immediately. But something like kulajda? Kyselica in Valašsko? Open faced sandwiches? A less humongous version on the dumpling + meat + sauce combo? I think there are few Czechs who would pass up on ordering those things at least once in a while. 😅 And I think the fact Czech Republic isn't known for its food is mainly because we're terrible at promoting it and often at making it properly, not because of the food itself. Czech cooks used to be highly sought after, about a hundred years ago.
I am a german and I´ve been to Prague 3 times now! A wonderful town, absolutely nice people. Our hotel, the "Cloister Inn", was a former Stasi head office. Gorgeous place to be! At our last day we went shopping and found out we had to change a little bit of money, I communicated that to my wife in german and to the shopkeeper in english, because I thought I could expect them more to speak english than german. The shopkeeper answered me in fluid german and told me that I should speak german at the exchange bureau, not english. He told me I get a better rate that way because many Americans behave extremely entitled and think they can buy everything with their money. He was absolutely right! About the Americans, too!
Rome has a lot tourist attractions, but I wouldn't want to spend time here long term. The city is just not all that great. There is a plenty of Italian cities I'd love to live in, especially in the northern Italy.
All mistakes are made pretty often........About the part of the Sunrise. Your camera could not capture it, because the sunrise is on the other side in the morning. The sun goes down near the Prague castle.....
Budapest, Zagreb and other Central European cities have "locals" and "Tourists" restaurants. Goose, Duck, Pork, cured sausages (horse is my fav). Craft breweries are everywhere and they are all good. In Barcelona; get the Estrella Gallatian and find some Cava
Use the trains and trams. They will not only get you to new attractions, but you will enjoy the journey and the feeling of competence and independence. Maps are widely available and easy to read. It's an adventure. Seize it
Very practical video as I hear many good reviews on Prague. A question Mark, have you uploaded videos on Slovakia (I don't see any when I look at your channel)? I would love to hear more about the Czech Republic's close friend. 😄
As a czech, I would reccomend you Slovakia as a nature trip, or in winter for skiing. The cities have nothing extra to offer, if you compare them to rest of europe, but mountains, forests and meadows are just out of this world. And it is totaly safe country, trails are marked, they have special mountain rescue teams, touristicaly it is better equiped than Alps. For half the price and mostly with czech beer. And visiting Vienna from Bratislava is like 1 h trip. You cant expect Walter to make video about these qualities, he would get a stroke after walking 2 miles. Too much ducks Walter!
@@woltersworld Good to hear. Hoping to get to Bratislava later in the year (had to postpone a week in Bratislava and Vienna that I was due to have in March)
Prague I went as my city visit to I booked on Monday to Thursday as it was better me as less stag dos. I had to remember is yellow ticket machines before going on public transport
@@woltersworld We were supposed to be in Germany (where my wife lived for nearly three years before we met) and Prague (for the first time) this past May. Hopefully soon for both of us. Stay safe!
Biggest mistake in Prague? Ordering a beer. Its the worst beerculture in Europe. Even regular pils from The Netherlands, Germany or Belgium taste better. In those countries the cheapest beer from the supermarkets taste the same as the premium beer of Tsjech repubpik.
I would agree with you there: Czech beer is massively overrated. I prefer English ales and bitters or stout but beer in Germany and Belgium is far far better. Not sure why people think it's so good; it's essentially tasteless. It used to be dirt cheap though so maybe that's why.
@@schmui That may be so. But in my opinion the Urquell brewery, the restaurants, the supermarkets (not the touristy ones) all sell lower quality lager.
We stayed a week, the first in August and were happier with the French and Italian food. Luckily with the virus Prague was not at all crowded. It is a very beautiful city though.
Knowing how czech chefs work, you did not see a single french or italian food. It is exactly what they cant cook. They replace key ingredients for different but cheaper, add cream everywhere, overboil pasta... Comparing that to italian food is like comparing 70s german porn to an oscar lovestory film. I do not say you can´t find good italian restaurant, but this is a standard. When in rome, eat italian food, when in Paris, eat french cuisine, when in Prague, eat czech cuisine. And yes, you need to pick good restaurant, otherwise you get bulshit tourist food like pork knee. We can cook better than this, yes the meat is well done, many may like it, but czech cuisine is much more than roasted meat with sauerkraut.
When we were there we got a tram pass each . It costs very little and you can ride the trams all day .north to south east to west and everything inbetween . You feel like you know Prauge inside out when your finished . Yes be careful changing money. Very easy to get ripped off. Infact there are dozens of scams to learn Make sure you dont learn the hard way . From the UK its a short flight . Ideal for a weekend away . English is widlely spoken . I was surprised by the amount of Americans i met Some tourists but lots of permenent residents . Obviously liked it and stayed . You cant blame them . The beer is nice and cheap .The food is good .you can live on potatoes dumplings nice steaks and soups . its inexpensive to live .a nice climate .pretty city.and quite friendly . Just those scammers to be wary of.
Adding to the money exchange comments in the video and in the comments: You really don't need to have a lot of czech currency on you as almost all the places accept credit and debit cards nowadays - is what all the local guides say. I'll happily try this out myself this September when I am visiting this gorgeous city again after more than 10 years.
@@banksy911Paying with card and contactless is pretty much the default everywhere in Prague. I had exchanged some cash beforehand and didn't manage to spend al of it just because making a swift movement with my credit card was so much easier. So I had to take it all back and decide to either keep it for my next trip or exchange it back at a bad rate. Paying contactless always felt safe, too, because my issuing bank sends me payment confirmations via their app almost instantly.
I visited Prague back in 2003 for the first time and I instantly fell in love with the city. I've been back there 11 times since. Have also visited many other parts of CZ as well. Wonderful country.
We dont want tourists here
Dont get mistaken, if we didnt have tourists, we would have much poorer economy. Some people have weaker brain power so they decide typing shit like this is funny/spot on in YT comment section. Happy that you liked it here, hopefully you will be able to travel the world again next year!
I was lucky enough to have a local friend who let me stay with her for free. This place is quite literally my favorite city I’ve ever visited. Need to go back when I can ☺️
Prague is amazing !
Went to study abroad in Prague 3 years ago today and haven't stopped thinking about it since
Prague was a favorite. My donts. Don't skip the beer, pork knee, opera house, cathedral, just walking around, and sitting on the hill of the Apple orchard looking down on the city. (Apples were a little sour but good)
"Don't skip the cathedral"? You're gonna have to narrow that down quite a bit.
why would you skip on beer ever??? Oo
@lois miller Chimney cake is a rip off and not even Czech. Only tourists eat it.
@@michaelantosch9888 St. Vitus Cathedral
@@michaelantosch9888 lol, yeah the town is full of churches, but I'm guessing he means St Vitus at the Castle.
Especially in big tourist cities, waking up early is the best thing you can do, when I went to Rome a few years ago, we got up and out by 6 in the morning and the city was empty and it was 100x better, the trevi fountain had about 10 people around it as opposed to the hundreds that gather later on, would definitely recommend
I did the same when I was in Prague. I was there on Christmas and I had to leave my hostel at like 7AM so that I didn't get trampled to death by tourists.
Amen to that! I called a cab when it was still dark out in Rome (woke up at 4 a.m. on my first jet-lagged morning) and visited the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona and other places. Even then there were about 10 people at Trevi including the ubiquitous wedding couple being photographed, but it was fun, not like what it would have been later.
When I was a music teacher I used to show the movie “Beethoven Lives Upstairs”, which was filmed in Prague. Ever since then I’ve wanted to visit.
Thats cool. I hope I could show you a few views
Hi, also the movie "Amadeus", about Mozart, has been completely shot in Prague, during the USSR occupation back then.. It's a fantastic movie, as a music teacher you should be interested: www.imdb.com/title/tt0086879/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Thanks for this video. My misses is off to Prague in Oct (fingers crossed) so now you have a new fan!
I went to Prague during the holidays and it was stunning! It’s my favorite city ever.
mine too I was this year 3 time in summer and I Love it
Put your hands up for Praha, the lovely city!
Concerning buying Czech crowns, get them from an ATM (a reliable one such as at the airport) rather than at a bureau de change.
Another sight that is well worth visiting is Vyšehrad, Prague's other castle, which in my experience is a lovely place of tranquility.
If you are a vegetarian like myself, I would recommend smaženy syr. It's deep fried cheese and potatoes.
OK, I'm not vegetarian, but czech and smažený sýr is SUPER!
my American friends love that stuff yummy Smazak!❤️☺️
Also in Ovocný světozor they should have vegetarian open faced sandwich options. Still a very, very typical Czech food (and in terms of what locals actually eat, even at home) and delicious.
I went to Prague last year. One of my favorite cities I've ever been to in the world. Beautiful place
I agree with you Mark. The local Czech food is awesome. Also to he local beer and spirits is great.
I got a kick out of that statue at 1:48. Prague looks so gorgeous, hope to visit there one day myself. Great tips as always Mark.
Am fortunate my stepson lives and works in Prague. When we visit, we end up in places no tourist would know about
We were in Prague for new years. LOVED IT!!
Its so much fun at new years
Going to the big tourist sites at dawn is a MUST even in the so-called off season. I found that out in Venice when I got someone else's wakeup call around 5 a.m., and the Grand Canal was glorious and deserted. On my upcoming trip to Prague I plan to see go to the Charles bridge at dawn.
Czech food has been some of my favorite! incredible stuff
Just got back from vacation from prague yesterday. Oneczech dish i really recommend is a slow cooked knee with horseradish. This is huge dish, the meet cooked so much it is almost a jello and it us really tasty!
One exchange i recommend is just before the crosswalk from the old city to the national museum, there is exchange, yes with 0% commission but with excellent rates of 1eur=24.20 czk, and near it there is excellent deli for cheeses, by products and a lot of good pastrami and other good meats in good prices
I would have fallen for the conversion trick. Thanks for the heads up.
When COVID is over and there’s a vaccine you should form your own tour company and give tours for large groups of people, I think you would do really well doing that!
I’ve seen pics of old town square lit up at Christmas time. So beautiful! Is Christmas a good time to go too?
All the walking tours are fun. Vietnamese food is also local for Prague.
Some great tips Wolters World. Alway enjoy your videos.
Awesome work!!. I'm a huge fan of Prague. By the way, I'm from Buenos Aires and I loved your videos about my city, the argentinian food and all that stuff. Great job!!.
Gracias!
Love all your videos! Certainly helps people understand what to expect when travelling
Agree with you on the food comment, but Prague also has a large Vietnamese community and the Vietnamese food there is pretty good too!
One of the most beautiful cities in the world . One I had the good fortune to visit twice . Love Prague & Chekkie People . Another good attraction is the replica of the Eiffel Tower in Prague . With stunning views over Bohemia . Well worth a visit . Just Simply Krasna .
If you mean the tower on Petřín, it's less a replica and more a tower from the same point in history inspired by it. 🙂
If you mean the tower on Petřín, it's less a replica and more a tower from the same point in history inspired by it. 🙂
Thank you for the heads up about the money conversion, that’s the number one problem being a tourist we’ve been rift off once.
@henryalcantara9331 Pay with debit/credit card everywhere, where it is possible. And, as others have written, never change money. Simply take your Czech crowns from an ATM (but never from ATM company!) and always refuse conversion! This rule is universal. Always pay or take local currency only, anywhere in the world.
BTW at 2.46 that old Prague ham place is a rip off. For one plate you can go into pub and have entire family meal with beers.
The entire city of Prague is a rip off
Great tips!! Thanks so much!!! I think we'll look at staying in the Jewish Quarter in Prague - so much history!
Just one think I'd add to this when going to the exchange offices. Recently there is a new scam trend where people (often Bulgarian and Romanian, do not really think of Czechs speaking with a Russian accent) who tell you there is a bad conversion and you should change money from them. They give you some old banknotes which are not even Czech and they have no worth. So be careful of that when travelling to Prague. As Wolter says, the ATMs or just paying with the card is more than enough.
Isn't he saying NOT to pay with card? Unless you have CZK on your card of course. My understanding was that if you are offered to pay your bill in EUR/USD, then you should reject it, because if you don't, then you will be struck with a not so ideal conversion rate.
@@GajeelRedfox No. The common thing is always to pay in the currency of the country where you will always get the best rate.
@@GajeelRedfox He's saying to pay with card, just be mindful of the currency. I suspect (I can't say for sure because I'm local so this doesn't apply to me) outside of very touristy places in the centre of Prague paying in local currency will be the default anyway. I had a friend from New Zealand visiting last year, we visited a lot of out-of-the-way places (including, in Prague, Vyšehrad, the other castle), and paid card in most places, and she commented how favourable the prices were and that she was actually spending far less than she had expected. So I think that's the way to go these days.
Having been to and stayed in Prague a few times, I still found your video extremely useful, Mark. I wish though that this beautiful city could have kept the mandatory Burgerking and Kentucy Fried Chicken out of the Centre.
Bank ATM's are fine for getting money, as well as exchanging money at the Visitor centers. Sunrise from the overlook at Prague Castle is pretty amazing also...
I think your tip on declining conversion is the most pertinent. It's such a scammy trap that many people fall for.
Thank you for not blasting music over your words!!!
I bet it would be nice and peaceful to visit that place right now. You can just enjoy all the beautiful historic buildings in peace.
We have strong home tourism, so even if there is less people, there is still quite a few. Since goverment does not really reccomend foreign vacations, people stay here and visit local places.
Dunno about "peaceful". As for me, Prague is the most criminal and unsafe city in Europe. It's just trickery, frauds and drugs on every step.
Euronet ATM's are everywhere, they are safe, but they recognise a non-czech bank card, and try to get you to take out 10,000 - 20,000Kc with conversion. 10 or 20K Koruna is a lot of money for Prague, and then you're stuck with all these Koruna's you probably won't need unless you stay in the CZ for a few weeks. Vrtba Gardens are also a lovely quiet place to visit with a different view of the city.
Thank you for shearing good tips. I very interesting to visit this city. Chaos
Btw ordering “a beer” is exactly what you do in all Czech pubs. Our pubs typically serve one brand of beer and the default is a lager. So we Czechs really order just “a beer”. If any pub brings you some overpriced crap when you order “a beer”, then it’s clearly a tourist trap.
In restaurants - not just pubs, if you go for a meal and want a beer to go with it - you usually ask for pivo, might specify your preference as to type / grade (don't be too specific), they say which options they have, and ask you "small or large" if you haven't specified.
So basically the usual process is you specify your basic preferences and they tell you which one on their offer suits.
If it's not a tourist trap restaurant, the chances of which in the crowded parts of Old Town are high. So the advice to pick yourself first isn't off the mark - you're basically doing for yourself what in a better behaved restaurant the staff should do. 😅
Be careful on the subway with pickpockets. Secure your valuables.
First time I was in Prague was 1987. No tourists but those in my bus. We drove right up and parked on the main square. Only 2 restaurants and no outdoor seating.
Only two restaurants in Prague and no outdoor seating? What a bullshit. Don't spread nonsense and lies.
@@autumnflower8942
*YES, THERE WASN'T REALLY ANY TOURISM AT ALL IN PRAGUE IN THE YEAR 1987!*
@@schmui I mention restaurants and no outdoor seating. Do you understand the difference? People already lived in Prague back then, and of course there were outdoor seating and more restaurants. This did not come with tourists, as some "civilized and truthful" peoples try to suggest.
@@autumnflower8942 How old are you?
@@schmui Enough. I am Czech and I know what Prague looked like in 1987 and other times. I'm really tired of the endless lies of foreigners.
There is an eatery across the street and just down the street from Smichov metro station. It's standup only, and they have the best meatloaf, or pork. You get a salted bun and ask for a dollop of mustard. It's fantastic. Regarding beer, it also comes in varying alcohol content. Dark beer is good. There is a brewery/restaurant that's been in business since 1497 called "U Fleků ". Another good place to visit.
There's a particular dark beer I like: I can never remember it's name until I see it on the menu....
The most beautiful sunrises and better yet sunsets, that I have seen in my travels were in Kuwait.... the colors are gorgeous.... because of all the fumes in the air from the methane burn off flames in the oil fields and refineries..... sounds awful (the fumes), but they are the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets..... ESPECIALLY the sunsets.....
About the weekend tourist hordes: A problem everywhere, even smaller cities you think would not be inundated, so I try to use the weekend for travel for one place to another.
Living in Prague for some years I would like to add to get used/inform yourself in advance about the puplic transportation. Its one of the best in Europe, its super easy (always X minutes e.g. 30, 60, 90, 180 etc minutes) for EVERYTHING, means metro/tram/bus - it cannot be easier. You can pay via app, get a ticket on/in the tram/bus or at the metro or via SMS. You definitely dont want to punish yourself by dricing with a car into Prague. Everything will take at least double the time, finding a parking spot is nearly impossible during daytime and the raods are quite narrow....dont do it, its a sper old, never burned down city (looking at you Londinium^^). Enjoy.
Plz let me know when you visit Dubai...i am an Emirati and would love to host you...just make sure its during winter
Thank you for the tip on payment with respect to the exchange rates. Smaller hotels in Germany have done that with me, where I saw the rate in Canadian dollars and not in euros. While the CAD-equivalent looked to be correct (I have a degree in finance, and, can convert currencies in my head). Luckily the Germans have been very transparent.
awesome video. It was very helpful.
Beautiful city. I hope I can visit soon.
It really is beautiful
The Kuchyn Restaurant, around Prague Castle, is a really nice choice ! Recommend
Thanks for your nice vlog
Lovely video today mark and Jos.. Prague is still on the list. Can't wait
Thanks Uncle C!
I had great time in prague gonna be there in few days. I love the vietnamese food also, "the honest guide" guys have an own channel just for prague
Well they are locals. I reccomend you to visit technical museum in Prague, we have long tradition of industry, so you can see first european cars, airplanes, motorbikes (1920s). It is a dad´s sanctuary.
Great video. Thanks!
Where my mom's side of the family is from and was there at 16 in May 1992.
Excellent video! I like the conversation point as any traveler has to be weary when dealing with this. It's great to know that you should AVOID it at all cost in the Czech Republic. Also, I like the sunrise part. You said you've been to the country 10 times. Which season did you prefer when you visited?
Hi, on the beer front, I recommend the pub U Cerneho Vola. Best beer in the city, or even the world!
Thank you!
@@woltersworld Go for the kozel light.
I am local and I agree with everything. 😉
Good to see you out and about again Mark. I wish we could travel overseas. My recommendations for Prague (1) check out the Paternostr elevator in Prague Town Hall (walk down the hall its at the back) (2) The world famous Honest Lamp on Charles Bridge - rub it for good luck (3) My favourite - Petřín Lookout Tower (4) Skautsky Institute for cheap eats and beer (5) Františkánská Zahrada - a peaceful oasis in the heart of Prague.
Hello, do you know channel: Honest Guide?
There is everything you need to know about prague - made by Czechs for foreigners
Czech food is amazing and I definitely agree that tourists should try as many dishes as they can. I would add the caveat that it is sometimes worth having one or two meals at an ethnic restaurant, as their version of that cuisine is often different than ours in the US. The best Chinese food I've ever had was in Ireland, the best Italian was in Poland, and the best hamburger was in France! Also, there is a certain joy that comes with getting a beer at McDonalds. :)
Also "ethnic" restaurants tend to be a better option for vegetarians in Czechia. Even though we absolutely have traditional meatless dishes, finding any in restaurants that haven't been "improved" by the inclusion of meat is next to impossible (unless you want to spend your whole holiday eating deep fried cheese and sweet options.)
(I'm not a strict vegetarian, but I really don't need meat every day and prefer lighter food options most of the time. Especially when it's a hot summer. 😬)
I love Prague ❤
Me too:)
And I hate Prague.
The Astrologe goes off every hour, but is switched off at night.
It's a bit difficult to see the sunrise if you're there during the summer (as you have kind of demonstrated by using a photo of the sunset), but wonderful. If visiting Prague in the winter I would say try & get there when it snows as having lived there I can say it looks amazing in white, although that's of course not something you can plan in advance.
It's unfortunate that you have to warn people, Mark. ATM "dynamic currency conversion" has been well documented and discussed for over a decade. Do some reasearch, people. Seriously. Yes, for-profit independently owned ATMs use confusing wording with double negatives and people feel rushed when a line is behind them but if you do a tiny bit of research before you visit an unfamiliar country, you'll be fine. A very well known and experienced traveler called this a scam and went ballistic last year and I'm thinking, dude, how do you not know this by now?
You would be surprised how many people don't know it. Thats why i bring it up so much. Its sad :(
@Wolters World Yes. I've always said I like your basic tips videos and am a proponent of repetition advice because they're absolutely needed either as a reminder or for brand new travelers. 👍
@@tosht2515 Thanks T! Hope you are doing well. Everyone is online schooling around here
Always use a bank ATM and never a EuroNet ATM. They are all over Europe and are a total ripoff. They give you a horrible exchange rate and trick you into withdrawing large amounts of cash.
This business about the "conversion" (credit cards, ATMs, etc.) wasn't yet a thing when I was last there in '06. Several videos have warned about this, and I'm glad to know.
Musicians, BTW, should check out Vyšehrad fortress, which Smetana composed about.
And I love the Czech food -- but I never had the duck!
Looks amazing Mark. Didn't used to be on my list, but it is now
After a night out I’m more bothered about wether my legs can walk in the correct direction rather than going to watch the sunrise lol
Love that City been there twice
We dont want tourists here
@@kerron_ ?
@@kerron_ im serious. Im from Prague and tourists are the reason i cant even see my city... so fukc off
Lol deleting own replies... pathetic
@@yomama6942 youre a troll.
Earlier this year I put a deposit down for a trip to Budapest, Prague, Vienna and Berlin. What are the odds that Coronavirus restrictions will be over and I will be free to travel? I have to make the decision by Oct 4th.
3:04 Enter the building in the middle, go upstairs and enjoy a coffee. A break from the mainstream tourism.
- Oh, and check out HONEST GUIDE here on TH-cam, phantastic pro tips for Prague!
Been there and I have to agree! I bet you got that tip from the Honest Guide!
Thank you for the honest review. Do they accept card payments for most of the restaurants? I don’t like to carry cash or bother with exchange. Thanks again.
These days absolutely, you can pay in most places by card, even in the countryside. At this point it's more likely to be the places that don't that will "advertise" it at the door.
(Admittedly I'm Czech so I've never ever eaten in a restaurant on the Old Town Square. 😅 )
If this is one of your 3 favorite cities in Europe, what is your favorite? Mine is Vienna (Wien)
Vienna is amazing ❤
@SuperKanuuna Mark's three favorite European cities are Paris, Rome and Prague.
Rome is on another level compared with any other city
@@tosht2515 👍🏻🙂
@@Schmissgesicht That's probably true. I'm yet to visit.
Take a tram,metro or bus and look around. Very easy buy a ticket 110kç for a Day and Enjoy. Take hotel Little outside city. First hotel I had in prague was iris hotel eden(slavia prague football team play)
I think the day ticket is 120 now. Still, it's a great choice if you expect to move around a bit; you can just hop on a tram or bus or metro any time without worrying and to save your feet from all the walking a bit, and even just, say, travelling to and from your hotel and then a couple of rides during the day adds up to more than the price of the day ticket in individual ones.
Just don't forget to validate it at the beginning.
Good stuff! What are the other two cities in Europe that are your faves?
Several times you’ve said how much you love Prague and I don’t understand why. I go there several times a year and it often smells like a sewer. Kraków is much nicer (IMHO). What am I missing?
Another good honest review..Prague is a great city break destination..Ive been twice now..
Be prepared to be attempted to be trained by motorists to hurry over pedestrian crossings as there are many lousy drivers who keep inching slowly towards you to make you hurry up. I find looking them directly in the face usually makes them stop. This all dates back to when the motorist had right of way over crossings. But this is no longer the case except for trams - don't try looking tram drivers in the eye they will just sound their bell at you and keep coming as they still have right of way.
I think I'd be very skeptical about asking hotels where to go for money exchange and food.
the best exchange office is called EXCHANGE and is located near St. Mikulas Church in Old Town Square. regarding food...czech republic is not known for its food. many czechs themselves prefer not to eat czech food because it is unhealthy (lots of fat). i don't know any tourist who go back to those places you mentioned again and again. having said that, i do agree that many tourists do not visit places off the tourist track (in line A of the metro). example - Vysehrad because it is on line C of the metro.
take a short walk outside the tourist zone and you will find plenty of locals eating local food. At great prices.
There's Czech food and Czech food. I'm not going to order a big chunk of pork in a restaurant; for one thing I'm not a big guy but a slip of a woman and I'd descend into a food coma immediately. But something like kulajda? Kyselica in Valašsko? Open faced sandwiches? A less humongous version on the dumpling + meat + sauce combo? I think there are few Czechs who would pass up on ordering those things at least once in a while. 😅
And I think the fact Czech Republic isn't known for its food is mainly because we're terrible at promoting it and often at making it properly, not because of the food itself. Czech cooks used to be highly sought after, about a hundred years ago.
I am a german and I´ve been to Prague 3 times now! A wonderful town, absolutely nice people. Our hotel, the "Cloister Inn", was a former Stasi head office. Gorgeous place to be!
At our last day we went shopping and found out we had to change a little bit of money, I communicated that to my wife in german and to the shopkeeper in english, because I thought I could expect them more to speak english than german. The shopkeeper answered me in fluid german and told me that I should speak german at the exchange bureau, not english. He told me I get a better rate that way because many Americans behave extremely entitled and think they can buy everything with their money. He was absolutely right! About the Americans, too!
As an American who speaks German, danke ;)
Which European cities could you spend the most time in that aren't Paris, Rome, Prague, Barcelona or London?
TimeAndChance Budapest 😀
Budapest. Amsterdam. Berlin.
Rome has a lot tourist attractions, but I wouldn't want to spend time here long term. The city is just not all that great. There is a plenty of Italian cities I'd love to live in, especially in the northern Italy.
Amsterdam, Stockholm, Athens... Mostly underrated but worth of your time
Luebeck in Northern Germany. I spent the last 20 years here!
All mistakes are made pretty often........About the part of the Sunrise. Your camera could not capture it, because the sunrise is on the other side in the morning. The sun goes down near the Prague castle.....
I can only afford one trip to Prague. Should I go during Christmas time, or not??
You are the best. Keep up the good work.
Thanks!
@@woltersworld thx love your vids♥️. Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱
The astronomical clock doesn’t go off every hour?? Your video states 9:00am and 11pm. Is that correct?
great video
Budapest, Zagreb and other Central European cities have "locals" and "Tourists" restaurants. Goose, Duck, Pork, cured sausages (horse is my fav). Craft breweries are everywhere and they are all good. In Barcelona; get the Estrella Gallatian and find some Cava
hy ! could you tell me the name of the shop with the puppets please ? thanks and blessings to you !
At 2:49 don't go there this is a scam they'll make you paid for 100gr not for the whole piece of ham
Use the trains and trams. They will not only get you to new attractions, but you will enjoy the journey and the feeling of competence and independence. Maps are widely available and easy to read. It's an adventure. Seize it
Very practical video as I hear many good reviews on Prague. A question Mark, have you uploaded videos on Slovakia (I don't see any when I look at your channel)? I would love to hear more about the Czech Republic's close friend. 😄
I have old videos from Bratislava. And I filmed a shocks of Slovakia and a donts of bratislava that should be coming out later this year
As a czech, I would reccomend you Slovakia as a nature trip, or in winter for skiing. The cities have nothing extra to offer, if you compare them to rest of europe, but mountains, forests and meadows are just out of this world. And it is totaly safe country, trails are marked, they have special mountain rescue teams, touristicaly it is better equiped than Alps. For half the price and mostly with czech beer. And visiting Vienna from Bratislava is like 1 h trip. You cant expect Walter to make video about these qualities, he would get a stroke after walking 2 miles. Too much ducks Walter!
@@woltersworld Good to hear. Hoping to get to Bratislava later in the year (had to postpone a week in Bratislava and Vienna that I was due to have in March)
@@woltersworld Thank you. I will be sure to check out those old videos, and I look forward to those future videos on Slovakia.
hello from Prague! :) Did they let you go in without quarantine or test?
Nevidím The Flow Building na rohu Opletalky, je to daleko a z úhlu. Ale podle mého tam ještě není, takže natáčení tipuji před rokem 2020.
Michal Novák myslela jsem si :)
Watch out for scams and taxis and ATM’s!
Highly recommend honest guide for prague stuff. Janek and honza are great!
Prague I went as my city visit to I booked on Monday to Thursday as it was better me as less stag dos.
I had to remember is yellow ticket machines before going on public transport
Thanks! And another vote for Honest Guide
👍🏻
We were talking about doing something this summer but COVID got in the dang way
@@woltersworld We were supposed to be in Germany (where my wife lived for nearly three years before we met) and Prague (for the first time) this past May. Hopefully soon for both of us. Stay safe!
Biggest mistake in Prague?
Ordering a beer. Its the worst beerculture in Europe. Even regular pils from The Netherlands, Germany or Belgium taste better.
In those countries the cheapest beer from the supermarkets taste the same as the premium beer of Tsjech repubpik.
I would agree with you there: Czech beer is massively overrated. I prefer English ales and bitters or stout but beer in Germany and Belgium is far far better. Not sure why people think it's so good; it's essentially tasteless. It used to be dirt cheap though so maybe that's why.
That's because they sell you cheap beer out of 2litre plastic bottles as fresh from the keg. 😊 You're welcome.
@@schmui That may be so. But in my opinion the Urquell brewery, the restaurants, the supermarkets (not the touristy ones) all sell lower quality lager.
We stayed a week, the first in August and were happier with the French and Italian food. Luckily with the virus Prague was not at all crowded. It is a very beautiful city though.
Knowing how czech chefs work, you did not see a single french or italian food. It is exactly what they cant cook. They replace key ingredients for different but cheaper, add cream everywhere, overboil pasta... Comparing that to italian food is like comparing 70s german porn to an oscar lovestory film. I do not say you can´t find good italian restaurant, but this is a standard. When in rome, eat italian food, when in Paris, eat french cuisine, when in Prague, eat czech cuisine. And yes, you need to pick good restaurant, otherwise you get bulshit tourist food like pork knee. We can cook better than this, yes the meat is well done, many may like it, but czech cuisine is much more than roasted meat with sauerkraut.
When we were there we got a tram pass each . It costs very little and you can ride the trams all day .north to south east to west and everything inbetween . You feel like you know Prauge inside out when your finished . Yes be careful changing money. Very easy to get ripped off. Infact there are dozens of scams to learn
Make sure you dont learn the hard way . From the UK its a short flight . Ideal for a weekend away .
English is widlely spoken . I was surprised by the amount of Americans i met
Some tourists but lots of permenent residents . Obviously liked it and stayed . You cant blame them . The beer is nice and cheap .The food is good .you can live on potatoes dumplings nice steaks and soups . its inexpensive to live .a nice climate .pretty city.and quite friendly . Just those scammers to be wary of.
Adding to the money exchange comments in the video and in the comments: You really don't need to have a lot of czech currency on you as almost all the places accept credit and debit cards nowadays - is what all the local guides say.
I'll happily try this out myself this September when I am visiting this gorgeous city again after more than 10 years.
How did it go? Did you need cash? I also prefer to stick to card so curious how feasible that is
@@banksy911Paying with card and contactless is pretty much the default everywhere in Prague. I had exchanged some cash beforehand and didn't manage to spend al of it just because making a swift movement with my credit card was so much easier. So I had to take it all back and decide to either keep it for my next trip or exchange it back at a bad rate. Paying contactless always felt safe, too, because my issuing bank sends me payment confirmations via their app almost instantly.
@@banksy911Also, the trip was fantastic, we had amazing weather I enjoyed my time there thoroughly!