The scene at United Islands Prague. Photo by czechian.

By Jacy Meyer in Prague—

Planning a trip to Prague this year? One of central Europe’s most historic and picturesque capitals will mesmerize you with its charm and beauty. But it’s not all architectural oohs and ahhs—there are plenty of festivals and other events sure to enliven your experience. Check these out!

FebioFest
March 25-April 4, 2010
website

The Czech Republic’s largest non-competitive international film festival is one of the most popular events on local film lovers’ calendars. The festival specializes in full length films from just about every genre: documentaries, retrospectives, and premieres.

The majority of films are shown at a city center multiplex and tickets are a nice cheapo 79 CZK. An added bonus for Cheapos is the accompanying FebioFest Music Festival. The event is held in the cinema’s underground garage, and bands range from ska to rock-n-roll to pop and admission is free!

Prague Spring
May 12-June 4, 2010
website

Prague’s premier international music festival isn’t the most bargain event on the calendar, but it’s worth every koruna. This year’s program offers performances of work by Mozart, Martinu, and Hayden, to name a few.

From theater to opera to early music performances, Prague Spring is a stellar musical extravaganza. Plus, the event is held in some equally stunning venues. Viewing concert halls like the Rudolfinum and the Municipal House is a free added feast for your eyes.

Czech Beer Festival
May 14-May 30, 2010
website

A bit more low-brow than Prague Spring, the Czech Beer Festival is a fun feast of a different kind. Admission is free to this event full of Czech beer, Czech food, and Czech fun. Servers in traditional Czech dress and music playing all day long makes this a cheerful place to spend an afternoon.

Prague Fringe Festival
May-28-June 5
website

Prague’s own mini-version of the Edinburgh legend, the Fringe here brings a welcome dose of English theater and comedy to the city. Expect lots of favorites from past Edinburgh Fringes as well as fun newcomers.

Prague Museum Night
June 12, 2010
website

Like many other European cities, Prague hosts its own museum night. On the designated night, hundreds of museums around the city are open for free from 7 PM-1 AM. Free transport is available from venue to venue. Visit the bigger museums early; this is an extremely popular event and lines form quite quickly.

United Islands of Prague
June 24-26, 2010
website

This international outdoor music festival is one of the most popular events in Prague. Featuring a range of musical acts from around the world, the concerts are showcased on three Vltava River islands. The festival is free, and plenty of after-parties take place in area clubs.

To find out what else is going on when you’re in town, check two of the biggest ticket sellers: Both Ticketpro.cz and Ticketstream.cz have easy search-by-date functions.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Tasty "Veg Food" in Prague. Photo by Jacy Meyer.

By Jacy Meyer in Prague—

In the land of pork and dumplings, it’s often hard for vegetarians or anyone looking for a vegetable with their meal to find something acceptable to their palate. Never fear veg-heads, EuroCheapo bring you a round-up of some of the best vegetarian restaurants in Prague.

Lehká Hlava
Borsov 2, New Town - Prague 1
website

Often listed as a vegetarian fave, “Clear Head”  gets raves from meat eaters as well. As the restaurant leans a bit Mediterranean, you can graze over their eggplant tartar, pasta with tofu or tempeh, or choose one of their decent Mexican items (especially the big burritos). Lehká Hlava has a funky, semi-spacey decor, and reservations are recommended.

Bona Vita
Václavské námestí 43, New Town – Prague 1

Bona Vita is the local health food company that produces a lot of natural and vegetarian foods. Their restaurant is in a passageway off of Wenceslas Square, quite convenient if you’re in the center. Bona Vita’s menu used to be much larger and more exciting; they offered Mexican, Asian, Italian, and more with the front half being with meat; the second half with meat substitutes. Now they only have 2 pages of meatless offerings and prices have gone up a bit. Nonetheless, the food is still tasty.

Country Life
Melantrichova 15, Old Town – Prague 1
website

Another natural and organic restaurant, Country Life is a buffet-style restaurant close to Old Town Square that is popular to say the least. Food is sold by weight, so you pay for what you think you can eat. Hot and cold selections, plus soup, desserts, and free water make this a bargain hunter’s dream. Beware: lunchtime sees the smallish place packed with area business people. Make it an early or late lunch for more assured seating. There’s a decent sized health food store out front; the restaurant is in the courtyard.

Maitrea
Týnská 6, Old Town – Prague 1
website

Lehká Hlava’s not-so-wild cousin is one of the newest veg places in town. The decor is a bit milder, the space bigger, and the menu slightly more affordable. They offer a daily set lunch menu for 108 CZK ($5.90) that includes soup, a main dish, and small water. There’s even a vegetarian version of the traditional Old Bohemian Plate; this time with beets and tofu.

Veg Food
Londýnská 35, Vinohrady – Prague 2
website

Nestled on a residential street, Veg Food is not just a clever name. It is all veg with lots of items using meat substitutes. The spring rolls and sushi are two of the best choices. It’s easy to find something under 100 CZK ($5.45), so it’s also a great budget choice. Only non-alcoholic drinks are served here, and the restaurant is non-smoking. Veg Food offers a great daily lunch special, and the place fills up. Dinnertime, however, is quieter and the staff is very pleasant.

Beas Vegetarian Dhaba
Týnská 19, Old Town – Prague 1
Belehradská 90, Vinohrady – Prague 2
website

This is one of the best Cheapo finds, whether you are vegetarian or not. Beas is a cafeteria-style Indian restaurant with a daily meal that includes your choice of two kinds of subji; two kinds of dhal; two kinds of rice; plus a small salad and cup of soup. The small menu is 88 CZK ($4.80), the large 98 CZK ($5.35). They also have other items you can order separately and there are pitchers of free water on every table.

The Old Town location is a bit smaller, and gets crowded quickly. It’s better in the summer thanks to the large front courtyard. The Prague 2 location is bigger and also has a small outdoor eating area. Beas is a non-smoking restaurant.

Popularity: 3% [?]

A traditional Czech meal. Photo by Smaku.

By Jacy Meyer in Prague—

Last week, we shared three Cheapo-friendly pubs in Prague. To maximize your Czech eating experience, however, there are a few more things you should know about where and when to go, as well as how much to leave for the tip.

Read on to make sure you’re getting your Czech kroners’ worth!

1. Go at lunch time.

Nearly every traditional Czech restaurant offers a lunch menu with prices usually around 99 CZK. The menu often isn’t translated; however it gives you an excellent, cheap excuse to be adventurous. Sides, like French fries, potatoes, rice etc. usually aren’t included, so be sure to order them separately.

2. Go before (or after) the crowds.

That said, expect packed restaurants at lunch time. Czechs know a good value when they see one, and city center restaurants are usually packed around the noon hour. Plan on a full restaurant (go right at 11 AM, typical opening times for most restaurants, or around 1 PM; the lunch specials usually last until 2 PM) and count on brusque service. If you order from the lunch menu, your food will come fast; if you order off it, you’ll have to wait.

3. Watch your bill.

Legally, a restaurant must tell you if service is included. It’s hit or miss if they actually will. Have a rough idea of what your bill should be ahead of time. An extra beer often finds its way onto unsuspecting tabs.

4. Go easy on tips.

Usually rounding up is enough of a tip; minimum 10-20 CZK. If service is horrid, don’t feel bad about not tipping, and if it’s good, 10% is quite generous.

Your Prague restaurant tips

Have any Prague dining tips, Cheapos? Post a comment to share.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Good meals await at U Provaznice, in Prague. Photo: Jacy Meyer

By Jacy Meyer in Prague—

Prague is no longer the undiscovered, inexpensive “Eastern” European city it used to be, and prices definitely reflect the Czech capital’s popularity. City centers aren’t usually the best places to find a cheap meal, but that doesn’t mean an affordable and authentic Czech meal—complete with a yummy local beer—can’t be found.

Here are three of my favorite pubs in central Prague:

U Jindrišské veže
Jindrišská 26, Prague 1

Near Wenceslas Square, “At the Jindrišská Tower” offers plentiful plates of Czech pub grub. Pictures of old Prague line the walls, while outside, the historic Jindrišská Tower looms overhead. Dark wooden tables sassily covered in beer tablecloths fill up quickly for their “smažený sýr,” ” tatarská omácka” (fried cheese with tarter sauce), and “kurecí prsa na žampionech” (chicken breast with mushrooms).

Beer fans take note: They offer tank Gambrinus (tank beer is supposedly the best), plus the well-known Pilsner Urquell and Kozel dark, one of the most popular dark brews.

U Provaznice
Provaznická 3, Prague 1

At the other end of Wenceslas Square, right near one of the Mustek metro entrances, you’ll find U Provaznice (translated as “At the Rope maker’s wife”). Look for the wooden statue near the entrance—legend has it you should touch her breasts for good luck. A small space (keep walking around the bar towards the left for more tables in the back), it’s often packed, but the waiters are usually of the friendly sort.

Go there for their great “vepro, knedlo, zelo” (pork, bread dumplings, and cabbage) or “smažené veprové rízky” (pork schitznel). The low ceilings, brick accents and light wood tables offer a cozy atmosphere.

Lokál
Dlouhá 33, Prague 1

Run by a well-regarded local restaurant group, Lokál is the place to go if you want Czech atmosphere without the traditional ambiance. Confused? This new restaurant, opened in the fall of 2009, recreates the Czech pub experience in a modern way. Here you’ll find a typical pub menu and long wooden tables spruced up with modern lighting and design.

It’s a small menu. Go for some “svícková hovezí pecene na smetane” (beef tenderloin in a cream sauce) or “guláš z hovezí kližky” (beef goulash). Prices are shockingly low for the location and evidence of its upscale nature can be found in its decent wine list and competent service. Close to Old Town Square, Lokál has quickly become a favorite among the locals.

Popularity: 4% [?]

The lovely town square at Horsovsky Tyn. Photos © hidden europe.

By Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries in Berlin—

Many tourists have a natural herding instinct. (Not you, of course, as you’re surely more discriminating than the average traveler!) However, the overwhelming majority of North Americans visiting the Czech Republic sadly still stay only in Prague.

Until this year, Eurail train passes did not even include the Czech Republic—although holders of Eurail passes valid in Germany or Austria could purchase a vastly overpriced add-on which allowed one return journey from the Czech border to Prague and back via the quickest route. It’s no surprise, therefore, that pass holders didn’t wander around the Czech Republic, but made a quick dash to the capital, stayed the usual two or three nights, and then headed straight back for the border.

One other Czech destination, Cesky Krumlov, developed a fad appeal for a spell, and backpackers drinking their way through Europe flocked to the small town in southern Bohemia only to find that the place also holds a magnetic pull for elderly Austrians who make day trips to Cesky Krumlov to indulge in coffee and cake.

Beyond Prague and Cesky Krumlov

Yet “Off the Beaten Path” Bohemia is a superbly good value, a part of Europe where the prices of accommodation, food, drinks and travel have scarcely risen over the last decade. Bohemia boasts some of the finest town squares in Europe and, for those who know their Hussites from their Habsburgs, some wonderful insights into the religious, political, and social history of central Europe.

5 Star Attractions in Bohemia

So, especially for EuroCheapo, here is the hidden europe quintet of perfect Bohemian hideaways. These are small towns, and are all very different places. Each surely warrants a visit in its own right, but taken as a fivesome, the quintet offer the very best of hidden Bohemia.

Western Bohemia: Horsovsky Tyn and Domazlice

Domazlice's town square.

Horsovsky Tyn and Domazlice are our two top choices for western Bohemia. The two towns are near the Bavarian border and just a dozen miles apart. They both boast superb town squares, utterly different from each other, but very beautiful. Both spots are about three hours by fast train from Prague.

Heading North: Litomerice

The city of Litomerice in northern Bohemia combines Hussite tradition with an almost Mediterranean, laid back approach to life. With another great central square, one of the largest in Europe, the city is by far the most accessible from Prague of our quintet of Bohemian stars, being just eighty minutes by train from the Czech capital.

Spa Diversions: Frantiskovy Lazne

Tucked away in the far northwest corner of both Bohemia and the Czech Republic are several small towns that deserve to be much better known. Some travellers have discovered the spa towns of Marianske Lazne (Marienbad) and Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad). But few foreigners venture to Frantiskovy Lazne, in our opinion the nicest of the trio of Czech spa towns close to the German border. It is four hours by direct train from Prague.

Following Goethe: Loket

Our fifth and last star town is Loket, a little hilltop town which the German poet Goethe is alleged to have said was his favorite spot in world. (This might be taken with a pinch of salt as Goethe was deeply infatuated with a local girl at the time, and nothing undermines impartiality of judgement quite like being in love.) It is four hours by train from Prague with one change along the way.

Eurail and the Czech Republic

We have already noted above that Eurail has extended its coverage to include the entire Czech Republic. But train fares are so remarkably cheap that purchasing a pass is hardly worthwhile. A one-way journey from Prague to the remotest corner of Bohemia by bus and train will never cost more than a few euros.

About the authors: Susanne Kries and Nicky Gardner are regular contributors to EuroCheapo and together edit hidden europe magazine. Their writing and photogaphy regularly feature in various European media.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Tasty samples at the Czech food festival.

This year, the month of May provides several tasty reasons to celebrate in the fair city of Prague. The weather turns milder and the city puts its food and beer on display. Here are two festivals, for gourmands and imbibers alike, that we think are worth czech-ing out.

Brew-ha-ha: Czech Beer Festival
May 22-31, 2009

Oktoberfest may be a standard in Munich, but in Prague the second annual Czech Beer Festival kicks off on May 22, 2009 (through May 31). Up to 50 brands of beers are featured this year, and large-scale tents will provide ample hop stops, as well as food stalls.

Taste, buy, and be merry! For more info, visit the event’s web site (in Czech only). 

Gourmet days: Czech Food Festival
May 29-31, 2009

What goes better with a little beer than some gourmet cooking? The third annual Czech Food Festival runs May 29-31 (time it right and you could do the beer and food fest over the same weekend!). This year’s festival features the intriguing (and potentially hard-to-swallow) theme, “Culinary Sensation in a Time of Crisis.”

Fun (and food) for all.

With food stalls and restaurant locations spread between the Charles Bridge and Manes Bridge (including some choice culinary stations positioned on boats and along the Vltava River), the event promises ”food with a view” and offers its guests tastes from 33 of Prague’s best-known restaurants in a pretty idyllic setting.

Delights span the culinary map. Aside from Czech delicacies, expect to sample Brazilian, Japanese, French, and kosher cuisine (to name but a few). The festival will also include some food-themed events, including the “Asparagus Cup,” which promises that attendees won’t leave without learning the many methods for using the lean, lanky veggie in day-to-day cooking.

Admission

Official admission to all events (including 10 food tasting vouchers) is 350 CZK (€13). Additional tasting vouchers cost 25 CZK each (about €.90), and a packet of ten is 250 CZK (about €9). Children receive a discount. More info can be found here.

Popularity: 12% [?]

A royal turkey spread, photo courtesy of RoadsidePictures

Sometimes you just can’t make it back to grandma’s house for Thanksgiving because you live (or are traveling) far, far away.

While a few Cheapos in our office were living in London the year before last, they had an admittedly hard time thinking about family back home, gathered around a table of carved turkey (or turducken), their aunt’s famous green bean casserole, and - especially - mom’s super-human homemade pecan pie.

Cue the drool!

Initially, these Cheapos thought about hosting a Thanksgiving feast at their flat, but didn’t find much in the way of Thanksgiving at Marks & Spencer. Instead, a restaurant in Notting Hill proved to be the right treat. The Cheapos gorged along with a packed house of other friendly American expats and had a happy, festive time.

While it could never be as good as grandma’s cooking, it sure tasted close to home. And while this year we’re all able to celebrate Thanksgiving with family, we thought it’d be helpful to round up a few suggestions for Americans abroad:

Paris
Join the Meetup Expats in Paris group for Thanksgiving dinner at Le Saint-Martin in the 10th arrondissement. Full details here.

Prague
Head over to the Radisson SAS Alcron Hotel and join the AARO (Association of American Residents Overseas) for a Thanksgiving meal. More information can be found here.

Brussels
A group of expats in Brussels will meet at the Sheraton Hotel, Place Rogier, for a meal on Thursday evening. Check out the American Club of Brussels calendar for more info.

London
If you plan to get meditative on turkey day, might we suggest the annual Thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Folks in the local expat meetup group here meet at the cafe across the street first, to break bread beforehand.

Barcelona
The American Society of Barcelona hosts an annual dinner. This year, the event happens at the Hotel Arts (Pau Casals Room, Marina 19-21). Learn more here.

Rome
Friends in Rome hosts an event at Le Bain (Via delle Botteghe Oscure, 33). Reservations are required. To prepare for feasting, go here.

Budapest
Head over to the Budapest Marriott Hotel (Apáczai Csere János u. 4.) for a full spread. You can register when you get there. Or, try this guy; he’s willing to cook for your whole family!

OK Cheapos, now it’s your turn. Where will you be eating your European turkey and stuffin’ this Thanksgiving eve? Leave us a note here and we’ll pass it on.

Popularity: 19% [?]

Pilsner Urquell and a fabulous coaster. Photo by burge5000

Tourists flock to Prague for its Gothic architecture, striking art, affordable performances, and yes… zlevneny pivo, or “cheap beer.” Once you’ve polished off a half-liter of Staropramen, why not pick up the free coaster on which it sat?

Coast to coaster

For centuries, agricultural conditions in the Czech republic have proven ideal for growing hops. Historians place beer brewing as early as 859 AD. By 1200, most residents of the landlocked countryside had a home brew of their own. After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, investors started flooding into the Czech beer market, and the suds have been flowing ever since.

Today, the Czech population drinks an impressive (estimated) 156 liters of beer per person, per year. National brews, including Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus, and Bernard, are served everywhere at anytime, even in breakfast cafés.

A half-liter of pivo ranges in price from CZK 24 to CZK 97 ($1.25 to $5 USD). Most pubs plunk drinks down on promotional coasters replete with enticing photos and slogans in the Western Slavik tongue. Grab yours… and maybe your neighbor’s, as well. They’ll be a hit back home.

While you’re at it…

Grab a bunch of arty Mucha postcards suitable for framing. Alfons Mucha was born in Ivancice, Moravia in 1860 and would later be attributed as the creator of the art nouveau art style. After dropping into a print shop in Paris, Mucha became an overnight sensation with his promotional poster for “Gismonda,” a popular play starring Sarah Bernhardt. Much postcards sell for CZK 12 ($.60 USD) to CZK 20 ($1 USD).

Popularity: 14% [?]

When in Prague, why not spend a couple of hours walking the town with a local? And not just any local—a local who’s a history buff! “Free Prague Tours” offers just that. The organization, made up of English-speaking tour guides, offers twice-daily walking tours of the Old Town and Mala Strana. And yes, they’re free! (Although a tip is expected at the end.)

We’re big fans of guided walking tours, especially when you’re lead around town by somebody who knows their stuff. Of course, we also enjoy the “do-it-yourself tour,” with a Lonely Planet or Rick Steves book in hand. But a guided tour offers the chance for dialogue with a local who can answer questions that will inevitably arise. Walking tours also let you relax (stop reading and walking!), and give you a chance to focus on the subject at hand.

Free Prague Tours

Prague Walking Tours offers two free tours daily:

The 10:30 AM “Right Bank Tour” focuses on sights to the right of the Vltava River. It starts in the Old Town Square and astronomical clock, and hits the “Powder Tower,” Wenceslas Square, Franciscan Garden, National Museum, and Jewish Ghetto. Along the way, your guide will discuss communism, the “Velvet revolution,” and Franz Kafka, among other subjects.

The 2 PM tour focuses on the sights of Prague’s Left Bank. The tour also starts in the Old Town Square, then heads to the Rudolfinum, crosses the Charles Bridge and explores Malá Strana. You’ll visit Parliament, Prague Castle (the courtyard), St. Vitus Cathedral, and the Strahov Monastery, among other places of interest.

Both tours last two and a half to three hours (depending on how quickly you walk and how many questions you ask).

Taking a walking tour

No reservations are necessary to take a walking tour with Free Prague Tours. Tours begin in the Old Town Square, at the corner of Pa?ížská street. You’ll see a small brown sign in front of the Czech Tourism Office.

Note: Although the tours are free, tipping your guide is essential. The guides are students, academics, artists, and professional guides who give these tours to supplement their incomes.

Free Prague Tours also offers a nightly “Ghost and Beer Tour” of Prague for 200 Czk (about €8).

Also see: Our guide to budget hotels in Prague.

Popularity: 30% [?]

Prague boasts a world-class music scene, with concerts, operas, and ballets performed throughout the year in the city’s famous theaters. Best of all, tickets to these events are within even a Cheapo’s reach, as they cost a fraction of the going rate in other capital cities. You may even be able to score one for under $10.

If you’re planning a trip to Prague and are a fan of the performing arts, you owe it to yourself to check out performance schedules before you arrive, as you’ll want to consider all of your options. Of course, you could wait until you arrive to book last-minute tickets, but why limit your chances of securing a good deal?

Booking your seats online in advance directly with the performance halls gives you the most options for available seats, including the super-cheap seats. Also, when researching shows, consider choosing an afternoon performance, when seats can be less than half the price of an evening show.

Prague’s main performance halls 

Prague has three main venues for opera, ballet, and concerts: The National Theatre (Narodni Divadlo), the Prague State Opera, and the Estates Theatre.

The National Theater

Located along the Vltava River, the National Theater produces dramas, ballets, and operas, and is the most important theater in Prague. The neoclassical building, its golden rooftop gleaming, was constructed between 1868 and 1881.

The Estates Theatre

The charming and regal Estates Theater was built in 1783 and produces ballets and operas. It was here that Mozart conducted his Don Giovanni in 1787, and still today the Estates produces mostly Mozart operas.

Tickets for the National and Estates: You can book tickets for both venues through the National Theater’s website. Click the ”Tickets” link at the top to see the current season and check availability. Tickets are available in seven price categories. You will first need to create a free user account, before paying with a credit card or simply reserving the seats and paying for them in cash when you arrive at the theater. (Be careful: It’s so easy, in fact, that we accidentally reserved two seats for “Falstaff” in October while doing our research!)

You may also purchase tickets, without surcharge, through the Bohemia Tickets website. Tickets can be picked up at their offices in central Prague, emailed to you (for free), or they can send them to your hotel, for 200 CZK ($13).

The Prague State Opera

The city’s second most important opera house, the grandiose State Opera was built in 1888 and is situated just off Wenceslas Square. Opera performances here are often crowd-pleasers by the likes of Mozart, Puccini, and Verdi, in addition to special festivities around Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The State Opera performs ten months a year, with no performances during the summer.

Booking: Book tickets in advance directly from the State Opera’s website. There you can view performance schedules and click “buy tickets” to see available seats. The State Opera sells e-tickets directly through their site. When you buy an e-ticket, there is no need to exchange your email confirmation for an actual ticket at the theater.  

As with the National and Estates, you can also book, without surcharge, through “Bohemia Ticket.” 

Prices for all three theaters: Ticket prices vary, but can go as low as 100 CZK ($6.50) for the cheapest (and highest) seats. First and second-tier balcony seats are often in the 300-600 CZK ($19-48) range, while the most expensive orchestra (and prime mezzanine) seats normally cost 800-1,000 CZK ($51-$64).

A note about other ticket booking sites

In researching this post, we came across many other ticket booking websites. Put simply, we would always stick to the official theater websites or to their official partner “Bohemia Tickets.” Other sites often only sell the more expensive seats (not even bothering to offer the cheapies), then tack on “handling charges” and additional delivery charges. One site that we found would either deliver the ticket to your hotel or personally greet you with the tickets at the theater (holding a sign) for about $20.  Not so fast.

Have other tips for finding a cheap seat in Prague? Let us know!

Popularity: 16% [?]