What NOT to Do in Prague

Before you come to Prague, it’s essential know what NOT to do in Prague! I’ve been residing in Prague for a number of years now, and I completely love how nice life is right here.

But as I put together to welcome dozens of family and friends from the US to Prague for the primary time, I’m going over what vacationers ought to REALLY know earlier than arriving right here.

So what ought to folks really know? Prague is totally different from the stereotypes. While you get immense worth for cash right here, it’s undoubtedly not the dirt-cheap getaway it was once 20 years in the past, neither is it only a place to return to occasion.

Additionally Prague has so many cool locations exterior the town middle, and an unbelievable meals scene, however so many individuals by no means go that far, sticking to the town middle and Czech dishes.

And should you cheers with water, or pour new beer right into a half-full glass…effectively, you’re not going to draw any GOOD consideration in Prague.

So let’s have a look — what NOT to do in Prague! Consider this your Prague survival information.

(And should you’re planning a visit to Prague, don’t miss my guides on uncommon issues to do in Prague and the 17 greatest Prague eating places!)

Don’t assume Prague is an inexpensive getaway.

In the previous, Prague was held up as the last word low-cost getaway of Europe. People got here right here to remain in grand accommodations for affordable, have good meals for affordable, and occasion all night time lengthy for affordable.

I actually fell into that class as soon as. When I first visited Prague with my examine overseas roommates in 2004, we gorged ourselves on sushi as a result of it was so less expensive than in Italy!

Here’s the factor, although — whereas Prague is certainly cheaper than Paris, London, and the Nordics, it’s not the dirt-cheap getaway it was once. In the previous 20 years, Prague has gone by means of a change, including way more high-end eating places and accommodations, and loads of companies now cater to rich Czechs and moneyed guests.

(This previous winter, Charlie and I traveled to Palermo, Sicily — and let me inform you, that was an inexpensive getaway. I used to be SHOCKED how less expensive it was than Prague! You may get an entree at a pleasant restaurant for only a few euros! Sure, Italy may be very costly in touristy areas like Florence and Venice, however much less touristy components of Italy might be extraordinarily low-cost.)

And one other factor — the beer in Prague is not cheaper than water. So many vacationers like to repeat this, but it surely hasn’t been true for many years! (Back then they handed a legislation saying that SOMETHING needs to be cheaper than beer.)

The most cost-effective tank pilsner (a.okay.a. GOOD Czech beer) in Prague is at a pub referred to as U Glaubiců, the place half liter beers value 43 CZK ($2 USD). Elsewhere in Prague, tank pilsner prices 55-60 CZK ($2.50-3 USD).

Beer in Prague continues to be low-cost, particularly contemplating its unbelievable high quality — I began laughing with pleasure after I purchased a spherical for me and 6 of my pals for lower than $20 — however not fairly cheaper than water.

Don’t be an obnoxious, badly behaving vacationer.

For a long time, Prague has been a preferred spot for vacationers coming to drink and occasion. It is very well-liked with British stag events. Where else are you able to drink beer this good for this value?

You nonetheless see these stag events. A bunch of British males strolling down the road, one among them dressed up as a large child or a ballerina, all of them off their faces. If it’s late at night time, they could be singing on the high of their lungs.

It’s not nice for these of us who dwell right here.

But the town has been cracking down on this type of vacationer habits. Bars and golf equipment usually are not as tolerant of vile habits as they was once. And now whenever you land on the airport, you’ll discover huge indicators telling folks to maintain issues quiet after 10:00 PM.

My recommendation? Remember that folks dwell right here. And should you’re going to occasion, stick with the town middle. DO NOT guide an condo in a cute residential neighborhood. We dwell in these neighborhoods as a result of they’re quiet and away from the insanity.

Don’t convey your euros.

The Czech Republic really doesn’t use the euro — as an alternative, we use the Czech crown (koruna). Over the previous few years, the speed has fluctuated between 21-24 crowns to 1 US greenback.

It’s not the simplest factor to calculate in your head, so I like to recommend downloading the Currency app and opening it whenever you need to double-check a value.

And no, you possibly can’t use US {dollars} right here both. (You don’t assume this might have to be stated, however I’ve seen sufficient Americans attempting to pay with USD throughout Europe!)

I take advantage of my US bank cards for the overwhelming majority of my purchases in Europe. You can use bank cards in most locations in Prague, too. If they ask you which of them foreign money to cost — CZK or USD — at all times select CZK. You’ll get a markup in the event that they convert the worth.

Don’t count on lemon in your lemonade.

You’ll discover lemonades (limonady) on most Czech menus, they usually make a unbelievable nonalcoholic beverage possibility. In truth, plenty of eating places are at all times switching up their lemonades of the day — mango, lime, pink currant…

There’s only one factor. Lemonades within the Czech Republic don’t comprise lemon! They’re simply glowing water with fruit juice added. Unless the menu explicitly says that it comprises lemon, it doesn’t comprise lemon.

So should you ask a server what sorts of lemonades they’ve right now they usually say, “Raspberry, passion fruit, and lemon,” solely the lemon one really comprises lemon.

Additionally, malinovka is one thing you’ll typically see in pubs — it’s a candy raspberry soda (technically a lemonade by Czech requirements!), typically accessible on faucet.

Don’t name Prague Eastern Europe.

The Czech Republic may be very a lot a part of Central Europe. Mentioning to a Czech that you just’re in Eastern Europe shouldn’t be a great way to make pals — actually, will probably be taken as an insult.

Think of it this manner: Imagine that you just make a journey to Pennsylvania. You’re hanging out in Philadelphia, sitting at a bar in Center City, making dialog together with your neighbor, and also you point out that you just got here to Philly since you at all times wished to go to New England.

See how ridiculous that sounds? That’s what it feels like whenever you name Prague Eastern Europe!

Oh, and undoubtedly don’t name it Czechoslovakia, both. We’ve been velvetly divorced from our japanese neighbor for 30 years now.

(For the file: Eastern Europe consists of Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Romania, Moldova, and Bulgaria. Central Europe consists of Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, the previous Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia) and Albania.)

Don’t journey public transit with out a ticket.

Prague is a metropolis the place you don’t have to indicate your ticket when boarding transportation, and there aren’t even turnstiles to get on the subway. Instead, there are fare inspectors that hop on board often and verify to see that everybody has a ticket for that journey.

Because of this, a whole lot of vacationers find yourself confused and find yourself hopping on the tram with out shopping for tickets.

How typically do fare inspectors hop on board? I’d say in all probability one in each 15-20 journeys. Even so, you don’t need to be caught with out a ticket, as a result of the wonderful is steep. And I do know many vacationers who tried to play dumb (or, let’s be trustworthy, cry) and acquired fined anyway.

You should purchase tickets on board the trams and buses you probably have a contactless bank card. You may purchase tickets on the machines at entrances to the metro.

But what I like to recommend is that you just obtain the PID Litačka app earlier than you arrive in Prague. On right here you should purchase single tickets for 30 or 90 minute journeys, or for twenty-four or 72 hours. Or for a month should you’d like! This ticket is nice for tram, bus, or metro.

Keep in thoughts that YOU MUST ACTIVATE THE TICKET and IT TAKES TWO FULL MINUTES TO ACTIVATE. They do that so you possibly can’t simply press the activate button when the fare inspector seems.

Don’t solely eat Czech meals.

You ought to completely attempt some Czech dishes whereas visiting Prague — however Czech meals can be fairly heavy, and I personally discover it powerful consuming multiple conventional Czech meal per week.

Instead, reap the benefits of Prague’s excellent worldwide eating scene. It’s one among my favourite issues about residing in Prague!

I wrote a Prague restaurant information lately, and this represents the end result of my years exploring the restaurant scene with my crew of foodie pals.

You can get pleasure from inventive high-end tapas at El Camino, Neapolitan-style pizza at Manù, fiercely recent sushi at Yamato, Georgian specialties at Sunday Terrace, and much, way more.

I particularly advocate getting your fill of Vietnamese meals whereas in Prague. We have a big and vibrant Vietnamese group right here, and it’s uncommon to discover a European metropolis with unbelievable Vietnamese eating places in each route!

Read More: 17 Best Prague Restaurants

Don’t cheers with out making eye contact!

Eye contact is important when making a toast in Prague. Make positive to look the particular person within the eye as your glasses clink. If not, you’re doomed to seven years of unhealthy intercourse!

Additionally, don’t cross arms when toasting, and undoubtedly don’t toast with water — it’s thought of unhealthy luck.

If you might have a glass of water, glowing or nonetheless, simply smile and nod as folks cheers round you. People will perceive.

Additionally, don’t pour new beer into your outdated beer. If you might have just a little little bit of beer left in your glass, end the entire thing earlier than refilling it.

Don’t be late.

Czechs are extraordinarily punctual folks. It’s one of many issues I like about them — and residing right here has truthfully made me a extra punctual particular person! (What a change from New York, the final place I lived, the place everyone seems to be late on a regular basis and blames the subway.)

So be sure you’re on time to satisfy a Czech particular person. People are likely to arrive precisely on time, not 5 minutes early.

Don’t ignore the remainder of the Czech Republic.

There are so many cool locations to go to within the Czech Republic — but the overwhelming majority of vacationers pop into Prague for a couple of days, and that’s it. Make positive that’s not you!

So what are some good locations price visiting within the Czech Republic?

Český Krumlov is a beautiful metropolis in South Bohemia, two hours from Prague, that appears straight out of a fairy story. While many individuals go to as a day journey, I strongly advocate staying in a single day. You can see my information to Český Krumlov right here.

Karlovy Vary is a gorgeous and romantic spa city an hour and 45 minutes from Prague, crammed with candy-colored buildings and set within the hills. This is one other good in a single day journey.

Brno is a enjoyable little metropolis in Moravia, within the japanese a part of the nation, and makes a fantastic cease between Prague and Vienna. There are plenty of cool eating places and cafes, and it’s cheaper than Prague.

And should you solely have time for a day journey from Prague, my high decide is the city of Kutná Hora, well-known for its bone church and colourful buildings, simply 50 minutes by prepare from Prague. But should you’re an enormous Czech beer fan, it’s possible you’ll need to go to Plzen to tour the Pilsner Urquell brewery!

Don’t name it Czechia.

Yes, Czechia could be the official title of the nation — however the overwhelming majority of Czechs nonetheless name the nation the Czech Republic. “Czechia” is the phrase we placed on authorities varieties. The title change solely went by means of in 2016, so it’s nonetheless a latest replace.

It’s not a tragedy should you name it Czechia, and even some Czechs even favor to make use of the time period Czechia, however you’ll slot in with the lots should you name it Czech Republic.

Don’t drink Staropramen.

Czechs love their beer; that a lot is evident. And you’ll see Staropramen branding in every single place — on umbrellas, in pubs — and also you would possibly assume that that’s the great beer.

It’s not. Staropramen is extensively acknowledged as a neighborhood beer that isn’t that nice. It’s form of just like the Bud Light of the Czech Republic — they spend a ton on promoting, however the precise product is a far cry from high-quality beer.

So what do you have to drink as an alternative? Tank pilsner. Tank pilsner represents the most effective Czech beer that the town has to supply.

Pilsner Urquell is the gold normal; drink it when you possibly can. Únětice is one other native model price attempting (and visiting their brewery, simply exterior the town, is one among my favourite uncommon issues to do in Prague).

And don’t overlook the stunning microbreweries that dot the town! Two that I like are Dva Kohouti in my neighborhood of Karlín (they often make New England IPAs, which makes me really feel at residence!), and Automat Matuška in Dejvice, a brand new “nanobrewery” that basically impressed me after my first go to.

Don’t overlook to analysis you probably have dietary restrictions.

Yes, you possibly can completely get by in Prague should you comply with a vegetarian or vegan or gluten-free food plan. But it’s not as simple right here as it’s in Berlin or New York or Bangkok, for instance.

Traditional Czech eating places might be particularly difficult. Sometimes the one vegan merchandise is a bramborák (a potato pancake, generally with onions or garlic, cooked in oil). The go-to vegetarian dish in Czech delicacies is smaženy syr — fried cheese.

At least our second hottest delicacies is Vietnamese, which affords much more to select from should you don’t eat meat, cheese, or gluten!

That being stated, the Czech Republic is a part of the EU, so there may be allergen labeling on menus. That makes it so much simpler to know should you can eat one thing.

Either manner, you probably have dietary restrictions, I like to recommend doing a little bit of analysis on eating places with good vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free choices. It’s good to have a couple of prepared at the back of your pocket in case it’s essential select a spot rapidly.

Don’t count on the most effective Christmas markets in Europe.

This one is a bit controversial. I do know lots of people who’ve come to Prague particularly for the Christmas markets, that are stunning, festive, and far nicer than something you’ll discover in America.

However…I’ve been to a LOT of Christmas markets in Europe, and Prague isn’t one of many higher ones. They’re wonderful, however they pale compared to what another cities have to supply.

In my opinion, among the greatest Christmas markets are literally fairly near Prague — Vienna (4.5 hours by prepare), Dresden (2 hours by prepare), Munich (5 hours by prepare), and Nuremberg (4 hours by bus) are in all probability my 4 favourite Christmas market cities in Europe. I haven’t been to the Berlin Christmas markets but, however I hear they’re additionally nice (4.5 hours by prepare).

Does that imply you need to keep away from Prague at Christmas? Not in any respect! The greatest technique to plan a Christmas market journey in Europe is to have an itinerary taking you thru a number of cities by prepare or bus, permitting you to see how plenty of totally different locations have a good time the vacation.

So maybe plan a Christmas journey that takes you from Berlin to Vienna, or Munich to Budapest, stopping in Prague alongside the way in which and permitting you to get a great cross-section of Christmas markets.

Don’t select a trdelnik for a Czech deal with.

Throughout the Old Town in Prague, you’ll see trdelnik stands in every single place. Trdelniky are chimney truffles — roasted over coals, lined with sugar and cinnamon, generally crammed with ice cream, generally accessible in plenty of different flavors.

There’s only one drawback — they’re not really Czech! They’re Hungarian! Someone began making them in Prague they usually actually caught on!

Instead, go for a vetrnik — a Czech caramel cream puff. These are my favourite Czech pastries and yow will discover them in every single place!

I particularly love the one at Gardens Restaurant, one among my favourite uncommon issues to do in Prague. Mysak, Eska (solely at lunch) and Cafe Savoy have notable ones, too.

Don’t use Euronet ATMs.

These are among the most typical ATMs you’ll see across the metropolis middle. If you’re utilizing a overseas card to withdraw money, you’ll be charged a a lot increased price.

Instead, select an ATM hooked up to an actual financial institution. Three of the frequent banks you’ll see in Prague are CSOB, Raffeisen, and Unicredit. Those ATMs are wonderful to make use of.

(In truth, it’s a great behavior to solely use ATMs hooked up to banks whenever you journey. If your card will get eaten at a financial institution ATM, it may be recovered. If it’s eaten by a comfort retailer ATM, you’ll by no means see it once more!)

Don’t overlook to tip when paying for meals.

Here within the Czech Republic, it’s normal to supply an additional 10% or so on high of the price of your meals. If a invoice involves 500 crowns, for instance, simply say, “Five hundred and fifty,” and the server will thanks, then scan your card.

If it’s a small buy, like a espresso, it’s frequent to tip with a couple of cash. Just just a little one thing additional.

Don’t simply go to the town middle.

I discover it curious that the overwhelming majority of holiday makers to Prague solely go to the town middle — the Old Town and the New Town — and by no means enterprise past it. That’s an enormous distinction from different European cities.

So what do you have to do? Go exploring! Four cool native neighborhoods with enjoyable eating places, cafes, parks and extra are Vinohrady, Dejvice, Karlín (my neighborhood!), and Letná. And a whole lot of them have structure as fairly as it’s within the Old Town, however have a decidedly much less touristy environment.

Enjoy your hipster desires. These locations could be the spotlight of your Prague go to.

More on the Czech Republic:

More on What NOT to Do:

Have you been to Prague? What else would you add to this record?