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  • In this video, well cover all you need to know before traveling to Prague, including

  • where are all the major attractions, the best time to visit, where to stay and for how long,

  • public transportation, how much things cost, the best apps to use, the best views

  • of the city, and other practical information.

  • We want to thank Ceptics, a number one choice for travel adapters on Amazon,

  • for sponsoring this video.

  • Don't forget to like this video, subscribe to our channel, and enable notifications.

  • And share your own experience and recommendations

  • or ask a question in the comments below.

  • Weve also created a mobile-friendly .pdf document covering all the things in this video,

  • plus the Top 20 things to do in Prague, including maps, links, opening hours, and more.

  • Here are 11 essential tips to know before you visit Prague:

  • NUMBER 11: THE MAP OF PRAGUE

  • Prague is the capital and the largest city in the Czech Republic and lies on both banks

  • of the Vltava river.

  • For orientation, let's start with the historic Charles Bridge from the 14th century.

  • Close to the bridge, you will find the Klementinum complex with an impressive baroque library

  • and the famous astronomical tower.

  • Old Town Square is home to Old Town Hall with the famous Astronomical Clock, Prague Meridian,

  • Church of Our Lady before Týn, and other attractions.

  • If you continue towards the east, you will find the Powder Tower, one of the original

  • city gates, that separates the Old Town from the New Town and Manifesto Market Florenc,

  • an industrial-chic dining and drinking hub.

  • The Jewish quarter is home to Old Jewish Cemetery, Jewish Museum, Synagogues,

  • memorial Kafka sculpture, and other exciting attractions.

  • Don’t miss Speculum Alchemiae underground laboratory

  • from the 16th century if you are in the neighborhood.

  • Located near the main train station is Wenceslas Square orclavské náměstí,

  • home to National Museum and the site of important public events.

  • Don’t miss the Statue of Franz Kafka in front of the OC Quadrio shopping center.

  • And don’t forget to also visit the famous architectural jewel Dancing House

  • which was declared one of the most prominent buildings of the 1990s.

  • If you continue South, you will find the Botanical Garden and Vyšehrad, a historic fort from

  • 11th century with beautiful cemetery and a medieval basilica situated

  • on the Southern part of the city.

  • If you cross one of many beautiful bridges, you will enter Malá Strana or Little Side district

  • one of Prague's most historic neighborhoods with Wallenstein Palace, many impressive gardens,

  • and other notable attractions.

  • If you continue north, there is the largest ancient castle in the world, Prague Castle,

  • a castle complex from the 9th century with impressive Golden Lane, St. Vitus Cathedral,

  • and other impressive attractions.

  • Don't miss Hradcany Square, full of remarkable palaces and houses.

  • Strahov monastery with the library is located just below Petřín Hill.

  • And Petřín Lookout Tower, built in 1891, offers fantastic views of the city.

  • And don’t forget to visit the Prage ZOO which is said to be one of the best in Europe.

  • All the attractions you see here and many additional ones are covered in our travel guide,

  • which also comes with dedicated Google maps.

  • clav Havel Airport is located about 10 miles or 16 kilometers from the city center.

  • To get a better sense of the distance, a 1 mi. or 1.6 km walk from Prague Castle

  • to Old Town Square takes about 20 minutes.

  • It takes approximately the same amount of time if you combine walking

  • and public transport.

  • It takes about 40 min if you walk from Old Town to Vyšehrad or 20 min if you combine

  • walking and public transport.

  • NUMBER 10: WEATHER AND CLIMATE

  • Prague has a humid continental climate, which means dry and cold winters

  • and wet and hot summers.

  • Temperatures in winter are generally right below or around freezing, and ranging between

  • 30 °F and 41 °F or -1 °C and 5 °C.

  • There’s not a lot of sunshine and snow is common,

  • but there's usually not a lot of it at once.

  • In the spring, the weather is unstable and often changes

  • from relatively mild and pleasant to cold.

  • The temperatures range between 35 °F and 68 °F or 2 °C and 20 °C.

  • The weather usually stabilizes in May.

  • Summer is nice and warm with little rain,

  • although random thunderstorms can occur.

  • Temperatures range between 57 °F and 78 °F or 14 °C and 26 °C.

  • Weather in the fall is still pleasant in September and part of October, but it then quickly becomes

  • colder, rainy and sometimes snowy starting with November.

  • Temperatures range between 37 °F and 68 °F or 3 °C and 20 °C.

  • Of course, these are all just averages.

  • The weather and temperatures can be different

  • when you visit, so remember always to check the weather forecast before you travel.

  • NUMBER 9: BEST TIME TO VISIT

  • The best time to visit Prague is in May and June in the spring and in September and October

  • in the fall when the weather is warm and stable, and the summer tourist crowds are gone,

  • and prices drop.

  • Summer gets a lot of tourists and higher prices, but the weather is still pleasant.

  • The cheapest time to visit Prague is in the winter when there are less tourists and the

  • prices of accommodation are lower.

  • However, be prepared for some cold weather,

  • often below freezing, and know that days will be shorter,

  • and you will have less time during the day.

  • Also, Prague is a very popular tourist destination and crowds are common even in low season.

  • Anyway, you'll probably have a great time regardless of the season since Prague is full

  • of amazing attractions and things you can do all year long and regardless of how cold it is.

  • And how can you figure out the best days and hours to see the attractions?

  • Just check Google to see how crowded a specific location is at a particular time of day.

  • Of course, we recommend going early during the week and/or in the morning.

  • Many travelers stay in Prague for three days to see its main attractions and get the full experience

  • If you want a more relaxed experience, you can stay an extra day or two.

  • NUMBER 8: WHERE TO STAY AND PRICES OF ACCOMMODATION

  • If this is your first time in Prague, choose to stay in the Old Town where youll have

  • many of the best sights, bars, and restaurants just minutes away.

  • For nightlife, stay in Zizkov, close to the Zizkov TV Tower.

  • If youre on a budget, stay in the New Town, near Wenceslas Square.

  • Despite being called New Town, the area is actually full of historic buildings.

  • If youre traveling with the family, Malá Strana, on the opposite side of Vltava is

  • a good option.

  • A mid-range hotel double room in Prague costs between 1,000 and 3,000 CZK per night.

  • For budget hotels, the average is 1800. Hostels cost around 400 CZK per night on average.

  • Alternatively, you can rent an Airbnb apartment. You can find a small apartment that sleeps

  • four people for under 2,000 CZK per night.

  • Again, these are the average prices, and the ranges for different hotel categories are

  • quite extensive, and, in the summer, or duringthe weekends, the accommodation can be more expensive.

  • However, with a little research online, you can get better deals, especially

  • if your dates are flexible and you don’t travel in high season. Check out our video on the

  • best apps for booking your stay.

  • NUMBER 7: TRANSPORTATION

  • From and to the airport:

  • To get to and fromclav Havel Airport Prague,

  • you can use: buses, airport shuttle, taxis, and car rentals.

  • Check out our travel guide for more information.

  • Arriving by train: You can travel to Prague by train from numerous European cities.

  • If youre arriving from outside Czech Republic, youll arrive at the Main railway station

  • in Prague city center.

  • Arriving by car: You can use Google Maps to get driving directions to Prague.

  • Parking in the city center is limited, especially during the day, so it might be challenging

  • to find a spot. Also, parking in the yellow and blue areas is for locals only.

  • Parking costs between 40 to 60 CZK per hour.

  • In many open space parking places, you can only park

  • for up to two hours.

  • You can also park in one of the parking garages for about 30 CZK per hour

  • and from 200 CZK to 700 CZK per day.

  • Alternatively, you can book one of the many hotels in the city that offer parking.

  • Getting around the city: The sights in Prague are mostly close-by,

  • so it easy to get around on foot. Of course, don’t forget to bring comfortable shoes.

  • But if you don't feel like walking, you can use the following modes of transport:

  • Metro, tram, bus, Uber or taxi, hop on hop off bus, electric scooters, bikes, old car

  • carriage, riverboat rides, and other forms of transportation.

  • If you use public transportation such as metro, tram, or a bus, you will pay 24 CZK for 30

  • minutes, 32 CZK for 90 min, 110 CZK for one day ticket, and 310 CZK for a three-day ticket.

  • Don’t forget to validate your ticket when you enter the metro, tram, or bus.

  • Check our travel guide for more information and prices.

  • NUMBER 6: GENERAL INFORMATION

  • Here are some other things you should know for a pleasant and smooth experience in Prague.

  • Prague is not cheap. While many people traveling to Prague expect

  • low Eastern-European prices, Prague is anything but cheap.

  • So, remember to always check what

  • the price for what youre paying is in your home currency, which you can easily do on

  • your phone in real time.

  • Drinking water: It is perfectly safe to drink tap water in Prague

  • There are also some drinking fountains available throughout the city.

  • Toilets: While there are many public toilets in Prague,

  • most of them charge a fee of 10 CZK to use it.

  • If you can't find a public restroom near you,

  • you can use a restroom of a bar or a restaurant, but you will sometimes need to

  • pay there too anyway. So make sure always to have sufficient amount of coins ready.

  • If you want to see where public toilets are located, you can use an app on your phone.

  • More about that later.

  • Free WiFi: You can get free Wi-Fi at plenty of outdoor

  • and indoor hotspots all over the city, including restaurants, fast food places, cafés, bars,

  • and hotels. Well cover apps for finding free WiFi later.

  • Crowds & lines: Prague is a popular destination, so be prepared

  • to wait in line, especially in the summer months and around big tourist attractions.

  • And there will be tourists there regardless of the seasons.

  • The same goes for restaurants and other public places.

  • Even if you can't avoid all the crowds, you can do some things to make your trip to Prague

  • a more pleasant experience.

  • You can for example avoid peak seasons, avoid traveling during

  • rush hours, get up early in the morning to explore the city without the crowds,

  • explore the suburbs once youve visited the must-see attractions at the city center.

  • Safety & Scams: Prague is generally a very safe place for tourists.

  • A few areas are better avoided by night, but they are usually not located near

  • tourist attractions.

  • Typical for all major cities around the world, beware of pickpockets, especially around major

  • attractions and in big public squares like on the Wenceslas Square.

  • Watch your valuables and use common sense.

  • Also, watch out for scams aimed at tourist, which are, unfortunately quite common in Prague.

  • For emergency services, dial 112.

  • NUMBER 5: FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS

  • Travel Adapters: If youre coming from outside Europe or from the UK, you will probably need

  • a special European travel adapter to charge your phone and other devices.

  • This is what Czech power plugs look like.

  • We recommend purchasingtravel adapter before traveling to Prague.

  • In fact, it is worth buying a universal adapter so you can use it in other countries too.

  • This video is sponsored by Ceptics, the number one choice for international travelers to

  • and from the US when it comes to travel adapters.

  • Did you know that different adapters charge your phone, laptop, and other devices at different speeds?

  • Sometimes charging goes nowhere, and when you're traveling, you need your devices

  • ready to go fast.

  • Ceptics just released a brand-new travel adapter designed to charge

  • your devices more quickly.

  • We've used it on our trip to Prague.

  • With multiple attachments, it allows us to charge up to four devices at once,

  • which is convenient, considering

  • most hotel rooms only have a few outlets.

  • Also, we can just bring the right attachment in a pouch.

  • Visit Ceptics’s user-friendly website to find adapters that fit your needs.

  • Weve also made a video about travel adapters and outlet types around the world.

  • The link is in the description.

  • Currency: Prague uses Czech Crowns.

  • One CZK equals approximately $0.04 or 0.04 EUR.

  • $10 equals approximately 230 CZK, and 10 EUR is about 255 CZK.

  • 1,000 CZK equals approximately 44 USD or 40 EUR.

  • Some places like restaurants and bars also accept Eurosthe currency used in most

  • other European countries - the exchange rate not is great, of course.

  • And naturally, you will get your change back in CZK.

  • While most hotels, stores, and restaurants in the city accept major credit cards like

  • Visa or MasterCard, it is always wise to have some Crowns in your wallet especially if you

  • plan to visit outdoor markets and other similar places.

  • Also, always check the exchange rate before traveling.

  • Language: Language spoken in Prague is Czech.

  • However, many people also speak English, especially at tourist attractions, bars, and restaurant.

  • ATMs and Money Exchange: In the Czech Republic, ATMs, as well as sale

  • terminals in stores, typically ask if you want to be charged in Czech Crowns or your

  • home currency. For better exchange rates and smaller fees, always choose to be billed in

  • Crowns and if asked, always decline the conversion.

  • Avoid stand-alone ATMs which are popular all over Europe as you might pay a significant

  • transaction fee on top of already bad exchange rate. Such ATMs also typically only display

  • the option to withdraw large amounts of money so always check how much you want to withdraw.

  • You can choose to exchange your foreign cash at currency exchange offices, but commission

  • and exchange rates vary a lot, so always compare the exchange rate on your phone to the board

  • displayed in the exchange office.

  • Prague has been known for exchange offices that charge as much as a 40% commission.

  • Access the internet: You can purchase a prepaid SIM card to access

  • the Internet on your phone. Some options provided by local carriers are Vodafone, T-Mobile,

  • and O2. You can buy a travel plan that includes the internet at any of their stores in Prague.

  • At Vodafone, for example, you can get a 30-day 10 Gb plan for 800 CZK.

  • Alternatively, you can consider renting a mobile hotspot.

  • If youre from the US and travel a lot, consider using Google Fi.

  • NUMBER 4: BEST APPS TO USE IN PRAGUE

  • Here is a list of useful apps:

  • Mapy.cz - great for hiking and exploring Prague on foot, TripAdvisor and Yelp for reviews of restaurants,

  • hotels, museums, tours, etc. WithLocals or Eatwith for food and other experiences

  • with local guides, Viator or Get Your Guide for reserving a tour

  • in Prague, XE Currency or a similar currency converter app

  • to always know how much youre spending, Uber for getting around the city,

  • Liftago for getting a taxi, Google Maps or Apple Maps for walking, public

  • transportation, driving, etc. Google Maps also lets you download maps, which is an excellent

  • option if you don't want to use roaming. SitOrSquat or Flush for finding public restrooms,

  • WiFi Map or WiFi Finder, which helps you find WiFi throughout Prague.

  • Check out our travel guide for links to download these apps on iOS and Android and for more

  • app suggestions.

  • We also created a video on best travel apps. The link is in the description.

  • NUMBER 3: FOOD AND PRICES

  • Prague has plenty of dining options and offers a great variety of international and traditional

  • Czech dining.

  • We suggest using Yelp or TripAdviso to find nearby places with good reviews.

  • Try to avoid restaurants at or next to major tourist sites as you'll often

  • get a much higher price-quality ratio at local places away from the main attractions.

  • An inexpensive to mid-range restaurant meal ranges are from 100 to 400 CZK.

  • A three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant is about 700 CZK.

  • A full traditional Czech dish like Vepřo knedlo is around 140 CZK, and a traditional

  • soup such as Kulajda is about 50 CZK.

  • As for drinks in bars, coffee costs from around 40 CZK, a bottle of water about 40 CZK,

  • a bottle of soda beer about 45, a pint of beer about 50 CZK, a glass of wine costs about

  • 60 CZK and cocktail about 150 CZK.

  • Of course, prices are higher in front of the famous tourist places.

  • And just a quick note: drinking on the street in Prague is illegal.

  • You can drink and party in a bar or a club but avoid drinking outside or you might be fined.

  • The typical Czech chimney cake, or Trdlo, will cost you about 60 CZK.

  • There are plenty of great cheap eats in Prague.

  • Check out our guide for maps with the best cheap eats.

  • Tipping: Tipping is not mandatory in Prague.

  • However, if you want, you can leave 5-10% if you liked the service.

  • NUMBER 2: CITY PASSES & GUIDED TOURS

  • If you want to save on attractions, you can choose from either Prague City Pass or Prague Card.

  • Both options offer free entry to some top attractions, various kinds of discounts,

  • free river cruise, and more.

  • A great way to discover Prague, is by a walking tour, organized by professional guides who

  • know a great deal about the city's rich history. Some providers even offer free walking tours.

  • However, at the end of the tour, it is recommended to make a donation.

  • See our travel guide for links to websites of free guided tours and other exciting tours of Prague.

  • Another great way to discover the city is by a Hop-On Hop-Off bus,

  • a boat tour, or an old car tour.

  • There are plenty of options to choose from. Check out our travel guide

  • for the list of providers and links.

  • NUMBER 1: BEST VIEWS OF THE CITY

  • You can enjoy amazing views of Prague from one of the following places:

  • Old Town Hall, Charles bridge,

  • Lesser Town Bridge Tower, Prague Castle,

  • St. Wenceslas Vineyard, The prospectLetna,

  • National Monument ontkov, Žižkov Television Tower,

  • Vyšehrad, Petřín Hill Tower, and many others.

  • Check out our travel guide for more places with free and paid amazing views of the city

  • and maps to quickly locate them.

  • Our travel guide is a mobile-friendly .pdf document that you can store on your phone

  • for offline use.

  • It covers the top 10 things to do in Prague, plus ten additional attractions,

  • maps, links, opening hours, and other information that will help make your trip to Prague stress-free.

  • By purchasing our travel guide, you are also helping us sustain this channel.

  • So a big thank you for that.

In this video, well cover all you need to know before traveling to Prague, including

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