I would like to share my experiences from my Christmas trip to Prague.
I arrived to the aiport of Athens the last time and the Gate was already opened.So i made my check in and i didnt have time even for an espresso.I was traveling with Czech airlines Athens to Prague.Czech Airlines
are definetely one of the best airliners i have use for europe to europe destinations.The service was exeptional.What we all see in airliners brochure,beautifull staff serving with smile the passengers
in Checz airliners is a reality.They serve a meal,which was very good and tasty for an airliner meal.Coffe was served as well after.Flight was very %26quot;smooth%26quot; despite the 10 bofor we had on our take off.We land after 2 hours and 35 minutes the whole flight describes a phrase of an interview i read in Cech airlines magazine.%26quot;Having low cost and high quality must be a Czech feature.%26quot;
The aiport of Prague is brand new.Very easy to use and pleasant.I follow the advice of the experts of Prague and i took the bus 100 to Zlicin metro station.The bus arived at metro station after 15 minutes and then Andles station was about 8 stations from Zlicin.I was staying at hotel Andels ,Andles area.When i exit from the subway my nose was about to %26quot;broke%26quot; from the several christmas smells around.A christmas shops were all around
,hot wine,pork ham and bbq sausages were grilled and served to the people.I said lets make fast the hotel check in and we return here!!!Andels hotel was just amazing!!I was so satisfied from my choice.Minimal modern decoration,lovely just lovely decor ,professional staff,the room was just the best(i will make a review about).I return to Andels station and i enjoyed a sausage from the christmass agora.Goodness i couldnt eat more than one bite.The taste was so strong ,salty full of peppers and pieces of fat.I tried to share it
with my friends but definetely noone could even eat more than a bite...We took the subway to the centre of Prague.Public transportations means of Prague are something to write for.Metro,trams buses passing every 2 minutes from the stations,fast and comfotable,tickets are cheap,
there are so many 24 hour lines of trams and buses.They were by far the best organized public transpots of any other European city i have visit.We arrive at Mustek station.Mustek station is in the centre of the shoping areas of Prague.I wanted to find the Cafe Louvre to have a drink.We walked Narodni street and you could see from distance the roof of the Opera house.I find the Cafe Louvre in the midle of Narodni street ,is located in the first floor.The decor is the same the last 80 years,the menu had a wide variety of dishes hot drinks and alchochol.I order the famous hot chocolat.Was so great and flavoured that first time i enjoyed a hot chocolate with a small spoon.Perfect for the cold tempartures of the city.When we finish we made our way to the opera house.Incredible building.We walked by the river to go to Charles Bridge,from Opera to Charles bridge you have the chance to enjoy the breathtaking views of the Castle.You see the charles bridge and over
the hill of the Castle tottaly lighfull and impresive.On our way we passed many touristic souvenir shops where i was amazed as they were playing greek music.This was probably a marketing thing,as Prague is full of greek visitors and you can notice everywhere the loud greeks enjoying,many people of the shops are speaking basic greeks too!!!
I arrived at Charles bridge.Its 25% part was under reconstruction so it was extremely difficult to take a good photo.I walked to the other part,crossing that bridge you get in its atmospere,it is more a holy walking where you see incredible statues and scenes of Jesus life .We arrived till the square of the church and then we decide to go back.
It was already 2 oclock at night and we had to make exchange .So i tried to find the best exchange.I had few czech corones from Athens and i needed to have more.So we decide to return to the hotel and go to a bank the next day and we finally decide well as the bank offer us the best excange 1 euro for 25,04 corones,without commision the best we had
was 1 euro to 25 corones.
We started with a full breakfast at our hotel and took the subway to the historic centre,Astronomical clock and the main square,the atmopsere is magic,christmas shops the Cathredal the clock and all the buildings around are charming it was about 11:55 so i went to see the ring of the clock ,at 11:59 the skeleton on the clock started to knock the bell and about 10
features starting to dance around.After a hot season wine drink we started to walk to the manicupal house and powder tower,Manicupal house of Prague is incredible ,there is an impressive cafe inside,the decor is luxurious and there is a piano bar inside too.I order a cold capucino,i was expecting the famous fredo caucino but was something completely different.Was more a mocasino than fredo capucino,then the trolley with the deserts came across ,i order a fruit tarte ,but i must say the quality of the deserts wasnt the aproparate ,they were little bit dated but who cares as the whole interiors are so impressive and beautifull.
We took some photos of the Powder tower and some of the shoping victims convience us to go to Paladium shoping mall in the centre.Beautifull mall with all the (R) shops inside.It was also a chance to find a very nice bookshop called Paladium where i bought my post cards....What is better after than what i use to do in all my trips walking around till lost...so walk till the jewish Jerusalim centre (definetely to be visited) when i continue to walk out of the centre...and wandering around..walk walk walk...i finally find the river where we walk all the way to Charles bridge and the Castle...Castle!!!..the most impressive sight of Prague...!!We climb the stairs up ,its cathredal the impressive buildings and the breathaking views of the skyline of the Prague..the lovely christmas tree opossite the cathredal(one of the oldest in Europe) ...i spend sometime watching the skyline of the city when we decide that is time for dinner.We took the tram and we stop somewhere close to Opera from the other side of the river..cant remember the name of the restaurant..mainly checz cuisine,pork and beef are the %26quot;stars%26quot; of the menu,and it was quiet nice dining..so return to the hotel and time for nightlife...when we return to the centre from the hotel we had a beer at cafe Slavia and we went to several clubsvof the city..beers in Prague are so cheap and delicious....a pilsner beer cost around 1 euro and 50 cents....we had great fun and we decide to walk from Narodni street to Andels...well impossible after so much walk this day and the tempartures under zero i said it would be better to take a taxi...Taxi?????In prague???? Yes...why not???Cause as everybody told us before our trip they are going to steal us and some of them take the visitors out of the city where they rob them completely...
Well i thought it could happen everywhere but no so frequent ..So we took a taxi and i said to the crazy taxi driver %26quot;Andels%26quot;......after 10 mintutes i notice he have took a wrong way and we were going out of the city...everybody from the oposite seats was saying to me in greek..you see???be ready now to be stolen completely...so eventually i told him stop!!...where are you going??He scream Endles!!!..not i told you Andels....he showed he heard wrong..but due to him it was my mistake cause i didnt say
AAndles with Alpha...and he told me also that as greek I should have pronounce it with AAA than EEE as Checz people pronounce it too.....and also tried to convience me there was an arrea called Endles...well to close the issue i payed for a route costed 5 euros ,26 euros....of corse all the taxi drivers of Prague nobody can convience me all drivers of Prague are like him but the stereotype of bad taxi drivers i have heard have been proved ....
Next day we made our way to the centre...out of our hotel they were people waiting in front of a desk to buy fishes,the traditional reciepe for Christmass in prague is fish soup...the fishes were alive in a big plastic box with water and they were cleaning them alive with a knife...it was horific to see it..but who can tell me that fishes wasnt fresh???...: )...... we repeat a visit to Cafe Louvre, we made some christmas shoping ,we had a desert at Cafe Cafe and
we enjoyed the christmass songs in a church close to Rityska street..next to the Rytiska i have made a reservation at Barfly restaurant...it was great!!!i order the christmass menu...fish soup..duck with potaote puncakes and fruit tiramisu at the end...i really enjoyed Barfly restaurant and i was lucky to make the reservation as they were waiting aroung 20 people outdoors to find a table....it was definetely the best czech meal till that day....It was a rainy night...and the lovely pedestrians of the city was even more beautifull wet...We decide after dinner to go and see the Dancing Bilding creature of my favourite architect Frank Gehry.I notice how a small bulding from a world wide famous architect like Gehry located in the fabulous city of Prague can became a landmark.
Next day and Christmass was our last full day at Prague...the tempartues were so low..you could see the water on the streets frozen and as unusual to cold i was freezing...this day we decide to go to italian restauant...and wasnt a bad idea as Prague has also a huge selection of international restaurants,italians,chineze,japanese,indian etc...Well in Prague I Had one of the best ravioli ever.
After we enjoyed a christmas concert in Opera...it was a christmas concert for children but it was expeptional to see the impressive barok interiors of Opera and feel the season atmospere inside.....
Let me say an other stereotype use to say for Prague and it is not true at all....Prague is expensive!!Who told you that???
Prague is tottaly cheap....wherever i went ,hotels ,restaurants,public transports,drinks everything was at least in the half price of my city....how some people can say Prague is expensive.....Prague is definetely much more cheaper than Paris or Amsterdam or Athens...
We walk back to the Charles bridge,they were so many people in the streets in adition to the previous days...Charles statue was looking the crowds passing and i took a photo of him with all my respect for the city he create: ).....i will not make historic specifications here as the history has allways different prespectives ,we walk to the National museum which was close for the season but no problem as the building worths to see it and we continue to the impressive church opossite the Museum.At 25 th of December i had made a reservation at Bellevue restaurant,it is an upscale restaurant of the city with great views of the river and the Castle,so i had to go back to the hotel and dress aproparate for the special occasion dinner....when i arived in the hotel was already really cold so after a quick shower everybody was ready ....we arrive at Bellevue around 8 oclock,unfortunatelly,we werent lucky to have a table on the windows but we could see the views outside and admire the incredible decor of Bellevue restaurant...service was professional and i order the Christmas menu with its wines,we payed about 80 euros each and i can say was a very pleasant dining experience .I will not say the perfection cause %26quot;unfortunately%26quot; im little bit picky picky but it was fine and i would recomend it to others.I will make a review for the restaurant too....
Last day i notice my wallet to be full of money...the expensive city as everyone describe fakelly have let me with half of my money for the trip not spend....so what was better than a great conclusion of the last night there....we went to several clubs and bars we drink several cocktails we end with virgin ones as i hate to have fun drunk and we return to our hotel around 4:30 in the morning....so in about 8 hours i had to catch my flight back to Athens i had to prepare my luggage too...i went to bed at 6:00 so i was exausted and i prefered to slept till 10 oclock when i made my check out ,i took the subway to zlich station and then 100 bus to the aiport.
A fabulous city break to Prague came to the end.
I have to say that Prague exceed my expectations.Is a charming city with impressive monuments but most of all Czech people were so hospitable,kind and open to the visitors....I made friends there during my stay....Prague is already include in my favourite destinations...it is a trip you will never regret it as it has everything for everyone....It was my first touch with East Europe and i really get the unique feel of a travel there...I hope to return soon ,and i can say it is a fabulous city break destintion as it has all the qualifications for that,....It is not gigantic city you can get around easily and see the most,it is not expensive as other european capitals
it has friendly people ,fabulous and good value hotels and a cosmopolital life.....
I would like to thank all the members of TA in Prague forums helped me to make that trip fabulous and especially TORII....You are all welcome to Athens any time you decide and do not hesitate to let us know cause locals in Athens forums will be allways glad to meet you....
I wish you happy New Year and i hope to be able to come back soon to your marvelous city.
Kostas
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Here are some photos of my trip,i hope to enjoy them..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25076332@N03/
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Wonderfull report Kostas and thank you for your kind words,I have been to many Greek Islands but not to Athens I will put it on my places to visit list!
Have a very Happy and Healthy and Peacefull New Year,
You are now officially a Pragueophile!
Best Wishes
TORII.
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You will be mostly welcome TORII...Ill guide you around...
Thanks...
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What a comprehensive report! well done.
just reminding, be sure you stamp (validate) your metro and tram ticket by sticking it in the yellow machine. The transport inspectors are now on the alert and running amuck to chase deadheads down.
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Very Great trip report Kostas.
I am glad you went to Prague, I cant wait to hear more about your trip.
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Great report gas, just wondering what place the taxi driver had in mind that sounded like Endels?
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Thank you...hehehe...maybe a non existing place ...as his mind was to recieve my 580 cash: )
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Peace to all men, bet the sod now feels guilty (not), tee hee.
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WOW! Fabulous report Gas! Now I want to go back.. you made me re-live this fantastic City!! Thanks for all the splendid sharing:-) Happy New Year (again!) and so very, very glad you so TOTALLY Enjoyed!!
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You were right Litsa.....Prague worths ...
Cheers amazon: )
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