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Prague

Prague (Czech: Praha) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. The city's historic buildings and narrow, winding streets are testament to its centuries-old role as capital of the historic region of Bohemia. Prague lies on the banks of the beautiful, meandering Vltava River that reflects the city's golden spires and 9th century castle that dominates the skyline.

This historic atmosphere is combined with a certain quirkiness that embraces the entire city. From the Museum of Czech Cubism to the technicolour Jubilee Synagogue; the castle to the river, Prague is a Bohemian capital in every sense.

Districts
Several incompatible district systems dating from different historical periods are used in Prague, for various purposes – at least three schemes. Making things worse, a given district name can be used in all the systems, but with different meanings. In this guide, a simplified version of the "old" district system is used. Under this system, Prague is divided into ten numbered districts (Praha 1 through Praha 10). Its advantage is that it is used on street signs and house numbers throughout the city, so you can always easily determine which "old" district you are in. If you encounter a district number higher than 10, a different system is being used. For example, Praha 13 is part of the "old" Praha 5 district.

Praha 1 is the oldest part of the city, the original 'Town of Prague', and has by far the largest number of attractions. Praha 2 also contains important historic areas. In this central area, the "old" district system (or any of the newer systems) is too crude to be practical, and a finer division is needed. Traditional city "quarters" provide such a division. Their disadvantage is that they are somewhat incompatible with the modern district systems – although "quarters" are smaller than the "old" system districts, a single quarter can belong to two or even more districts. The advantage is that these central quarters are well known and widely used and identical to the homonymous cadastral areas shown on the street and house number signs along with the "old" district designation, allowing easy orientation.

Buildings in bigger cities in the Czech Republic are marked with two numbers, one blue and one red. The blue ones are the orientation numbers – it is the ordinal number of the building on its street. Historically these numbers always started from the end of the street which is closer to a river. The red numbers are related to the house register of the entire district (for example, Staré Město), and thus usually correspond to the order in which the buildings in that district were constructed. Most people do not remember them; if somebody refers to "Dlouhá street, number 8", they will usually mean the blue number. Red numbers usually have 3 or more digits.

Understand
This city of bridges, cathedrals, gold-tipped towers and church domes, has mirrored on the surface of the swan-filled Vltava river for more than ten centuries. Almost undamaged by World War II, Prague's compact medieval centre remains a wonderful mixture of cobbled lanes, walled courtyards, cathedrals and countless church spires all in the shadow of her majestic 9th century castle that looks eastward as the sun sets behind her. Prague is also a modern and vibrant city full of energy, music, cultural art, fine dining and special events catering to the independent traveller's thirst for adventure.

Regarded as one of Europe's most charming and beautiful cities, Prague has become the most popular travel destination in Central Europe along with Budapest and Kraków. Millions of tourists visit the city every year.

Prague was founded in the later 9th century, and soon became the seat of the Kings of Bohemia, some of whom ruled as Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. The city thrived under the rule of Charles IV, who ordered the building of the New Town in the 14th century. Many of the city's most important attractions date back to that age. In 1348 Prague became a university town, which it has remained ever since. The University, which is sometimes claimed to be the oldest in Central Europe was split into a German and a Czech language part in 1882 with the German language part shut down in 1945, thus ending the claim of the "oldest German university" Prague might have reasonably held until then. The city also went under Habsburg rule and became the capital of a province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It had a German-speaking majority well into the 19th century, and even after then, maintained a significant German-speaking minority until the expulsion of ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia following World War II. During that period, Prague would give rise to several prominent German-language authors, perhaps the most notable being Franz Kafka, known for works such as Die Verwandlung (The Metamorphosis) and  Der Process (The Trial). In 1918, after World War I, the city became the capital of Czechoslovakia. After 1989 many foreigners, especially young people, moved to Prague. In 1992, its historic centre was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 1993, Czechoslovakia split into two countries and Prague became the capital of the new Czech Republic.

The Vltava River runs through Prague, which is home to about 1.2 million people. The capital may be beautiful, but smog often accumulates in the Vltava River basin.

Climate
Prague has a humid continental climate, with relatively cold winters (around the point of freezing). Snow cover occurs between mid-November and late March. The snow cover rarely stays around for more than a week or two. Summers usually bring plenty of sunshine and the average high temperature of. Precipitation in Prague is rather low, the driest season usually being the winter. During late spring and summer heavy rain may occur, often in the form of thundershowers. Temperature inversions are relatively common around winter, bringing foggy, cold days and sometimes moderate air pollution. Prague is a windy city with common sustained western winds and an average wind speed of.

Tourist information
Tourist information is available online at Prague.eu.

The city has 3 tourist information centres (TIC) in the city and another 2 at both airport terminals:

Talk
Czech is the official language of Prague and the Czech Republic. Simple words and phrases in other Slavic languages (for example Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian, Bulgarian and Polish) are also commonly understood. Slovak and Czech are very similar and mutually intelligible.

Most young people speak English very well, you will also have no problem speaking English at restaurants and bars. Many restaurants have English menus. Russian is widely understood by people who were attending school before the Velvet Revolution in 1989, but the language is too different from Czech to be understood without study. In addition, some people may dislike using Russian even if they know it because of the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and Communist history in general. Many Czechs also have some knowledge of German. People studying after 1989 and even some older people can speak English. However, learning Czech will surely endear you to the locals.

Getting in from the airport

 * By bus – Public buses offer connections to several metro stations, from which you can travel to the city center in a total travel time of 35-45 minutes. Public transport tickets, which are valid on the buses, metro, and trams can be bought kiosks called Metro • Tram • Bus in the arrivals halls (07:00–21:00, credit cards accepted) or faster at the yellow vending machine next to the bus stop outside both terminals (cards accepted). A ticket valid for 90 minutes is required for travel to the city center (40 Kč). Children under 15 and seniors (65 and older) travel for free. You can transfer between the buses, metro, and trams for no additional charge as long as your ticket has not expired. Info on the schedules and routes can be obtained from dpp.cz or pid.cz. The following important buses run between the airport and metro stations (airport bus stops are called "Terminál 1" or "Terminál 2"):

 * T-Bus to metro station Nádraží Veleslavín (17 min). Departures every 3-5 minutes, Sunday morning and every evening 10 minutes; 04:23–23:32. Main and generally fastest connection.
 * Bus to metro station Zličín (18 min). Departures every 15 minutes, Sunday morning and every evening 20 minutes; 05:40–23:16.
 * Bus to Na Knížecí bus station (Anděl) - slow and less frequent bus, though may be useful for trips to the western part of town, including the Anděl area. Also connects to metro A at Petřiny.
 * Night buses and  - the only options at night. The 910 goes directly to the centre, with stops at Jiráskovo náměstí, Karlovo náměstí and I.P. Pavlova.

 * By Airport Express –  These buses leave the airport from public bus stop called "Terminál 1" (see above) every ½ hr; 05:30–21:00. Tickets cost 100 Kč and are not transferable, nor valid for any other service. Available from the driver (contactless accepted) or at Public Transport counters at arrivals in both terminals. The final stop will be Prague's main train station Hlavní nádraží, which is commonly abbreviated in Czech as "Praha hl.n.". This bus is suitable only for transport to the train station and the surrounding area. The Airport Express' high price and low frequency makes it unattractive compared to bus 59, though it offers the added convenience of a direct, non-stop connection to the central train station.
 * By taxi – The most comfortable method to reach the city centre with Uber Airport Taxi. They have an exclusive contract with Prague airport and taxis – black or white limousines – are waiting in front of the arrival halls of both terminals. Order through the Uber app or using self-service kiosks at baggage claim and nearby airport exits.
 * By rental car – If you are planning on exploring the Czech Republic beyond the city of Prague, you may want to consider renting a car at the airport. Numerous rental companies have their desks at the airport (in the ground floor of Parking C) and allow pickup and return directly there.
 * By intercity bus - Regiojet stops in front of Terminal 1 on the route to Karlovy Vary

Getting money at the airport
Credit cards are widely accepted in Prague and the rest of the country - it's likely you won't even need cash during your visit. A small amount of pocket money might be good to have though.

If not completely necessary, do not exchange money on the airport, especially in the baggage claim area. There is only one exchange company, Interchange, which runs all the exchange kiosks at the whole airport. Their rates are extremely bad.

ATM withdrawal is almost always a better option. Use any ATM except those of Euronet, as these charge an extra fee and give only 1,000 Kč banknotes, which are too large. You can also pay your transportation tickets or taxi by card (including Google Pay and Apple Pay).

By train

Prague is well connected to the European EC train network. However, there is no Czech high speed rail. Usually the average speed is about 70 km/h, while the maximum train speed is 120–160 km/h. While international and intercity services are generally reliable, be prepared for delays of more than a few minutes when using local trains.

 * Berlin – 4½ hr, EC trains every 2 hours, from €14 if bought in advance (3-90 days) on the Czech Railway website or Deutsche Bahn website (check both for the best price). This railway crosses Saxon Switzerland, and for a couple of hours the passengers are treated to a series of beautiful alpine river valleys, surrounded by rocky escarpments and mountains. Coming from Berlin, the best views are from the left side of the train.
 * Munich – 6 hr, 3 EC a day from each city, €14 if bought in advance (3-90 days) on Czech Railway website
 * Nuremberg – 5 hr, hourly, with a change at Schwandorf. Or change at Cheb, also roughly 5 hr. The non-stop Nuremberg–Prague bus operated by German Railways only takes 3¾ hr, every 2 hr.
 * Vienna – 4 hr, Railjet train every 2 hours, €15 if bought in advance (3–90 days) on Czech Railway website, a little less if you split the tickets in Brno. Also operated by Regiojet trains.
 * Bratislava – 4 hr, EC train every 2 hours; one night train Metropol, €17 if bought in advance (3–90 days) on Czech Railway website, little less if you split the tickets in Brno. Also overnight by the Regiojet train from Rijeka.
 * Budapest – 7 hr, 5 EC trains a day; night train Metropol, €20 if bought in advance (3–90 days) on Czech Railway website, little less if you split the tickets in Brno
 * Warsaw – 8¼ hr, two daily EC Praha and Porta Moravica; 11h, night train Slovakia, €19, needs to be bought in a Polish ticket office in advance to get the best price.
 * Krakow – 6–6½ hr, daily express train Cracovia in summer and night train Bohemia, €19. To be bought on ticket desk.
 * Zürich – 14 hr, night train every day, €36 for sleeping car. To be bought on Czech Railway website
 * Rijeka – summer only, 14 hr nightly via Ljubljana, Csorna, Bratislava, Břeclav, Brno and Pardubice. It's run by Regiojet, single €25–90, booking essential.

By bus

Other, less frequently used bus stations are at Dejvická, Černý most, Zličín, Nádraží Holešovice and Roztyly.

Eurolines, Ecolines, RegioJet and Orange Ways connect Prague to major European cities. Since the liberalization of the German long-distance bus market almost all major operators offer routes to Prague. Flixbus goes from Berlin (via Dresden) as well as Linz Munich and Regensburg to Prague. Tickets for Flixbus can be bought online or paid in euros at the bus (higher rates apply, only possible if there are still seats).

Regiojet operates frequent bus services between many large Czech cities (including famous Cesky Krumlov) and Prague for prices between 80 and 200 Kč per adult (reservation needed), it supposedly provides better service (steward, complimentary coffee and tea, free Wi-Fi, personal multimedia system in each seat) than its main competitor Flixbus, but the buses can feel kind of narrow if you are claustrophobic.

Budweis-shuttle operates daily bus service between České Budějovice, Cesky Krumlov and Prague (1.5 hours; disadvantageous for small groups)

Polski Bus joined Flixbus and has 2 connections daily to Warsaw, Poland via Wrocław and Łódź.

By car
Prague has highway connections from five major directions. Unfortunately, the highway network in the Czech Republic is quite incomplete and some highways are old and in poor condition. Thus, the highway connection from Prague to the border of the Czech Republic is available only in three directions: southeast, southwest and northwest.

The southwestern highway (D5; international E50) leads from highway A6 in Germany through Plzeň. Driving from the state border to Prague takes about an hour and a half.

The southeastern motorway (D1) is the oldest and most used motorway in the Czech Republic and its reconstruction was completed in 2021. It runs from Prague to Brno and then to Ostrava. It runs for, and usually takes over two hours. In Brno it is connected to the D2 motorway to Bratislava (Slovakia). It offers a good connection from Vienna, Budapest and all traffic from the east.

From the northwest, you can take E55 all the way from Sweden. In Germany it runs from Rostock via Dresden, the last stretch known as A17. After the border it continues as D8 (E55). It passes through Lovosice and Ústí nad Labem.

From the northeast, you can take highway R10 (E65). It is strictly speaking a motorway, not a highway, but it has four lanes and differs little from a highway. It leads from Liberec to Turnov. It is not regarded as an important access route, as there are no major cities in this direction (Zittau in Germany, some cities in Poland), but it offers a good connection to the Czech mountains Jizerské hory and Krkonoše (Riesengebirge) with the best Czech skiing resorts.

To the east, you can take the newly completed D11 (E67), which goes to Hradec Kralove. It leads in from Poland.

Czech highways are under development (D11 is being extended, D3 to České Budějovice and Linz is supposed to be completed in 2029), so things will get better. Unless there are road works, there are only seldom traffic jams on Czech highways, with the exception of D1 near Prague (and near Mirosovice (direction to České Budějovice and Linz, and Brno, too)).

Prague suffers from heavy traffic and on weekdays the main streets are one big traffic jam. Moreover, Prague doesn't have a complete highway outer ring yet. It is a really good idea to use the P+R (park and ride) parking places, where you can park your car for a very small fee and use public transport.

The P+Rs are situated near all highways and are well marked. Note that traffic wardens are rife and parking in most residential streets in and around Prague city centre (even after dark) without a valid permit will result in a parking fine. In particular, avoid blue-marked areas which are parking-restricted area if you don't want your car to get towed away within the hour.

Get around
Public transportation is very convenient in most of the areas visitors are likely to frequent. Public transport buses do not enter the historic districts (Old Town, New Town, Lower Town, etc.) to prevent air and noise pollution. One must transfer to a cleaner and quieter electric-powered tram or a metro before reaching historic areas.

On foot
Prague is renowned as a very walkable city. For those who enjoy seeing the old and new city by foot, one can easily walk from Wenceslas Square to the Old Town Square, or from the Old Town to Charles Bridge and the Castle District. However almost all of the streets are cobbled, rendering it very difficult for disabled or elderly travellers to get around effectively. Also, pedestrians should enter crosswalks carefully in Prague, as drivers are not as likely to yield as they are in other European cities.

Pedestrians are obligated to use a nearby pedestrian crossing, and jaywalking is punishable by a fine of 1000 Kč – this includes crossing the street on a "don't walk" signal (red man), even when there is not a single car around.

By public transport
The public transport around Prague consists of three metro lines, over twenty tram lines (numbered using 1- or 2-digit numbers), buses (3-digit numbers), ferries, a few train lines (numbered S1, S2, S49,…), and one funicular, all using the same tickets. Public transport schedules and fares are integrated by Pražská Integrovaná Doprava (abbreviated PID).

The tram and bus schedules are posted at the stops, and the metro (its schedule is posted in station) operates from early in the morning (around 05:00) until approximately midnight. Buses (lines no. 100-299) and trams (lines no. 1-26) start earlier and end later to connect to metro. Around midnight, some trams carrying passengers take different routes to get to their garage. When travelling at night, always check schedules on-line beforehand, and you may even find a shorter route to your destination than normally available.

When planning a journey, if you know the names of your stops, you can use the official journey planner, the official smartphone app PID Lítačka (iOS, Android) which also sells tickets or an alternative smartphone app (two good ones for Android are Jízdní řády/Pubtran, which is free of charge but uses your data plan to find connections, or CG transit, which allows you to download the timetables into your phone for a small charge and then use them offline). Add five minutes to any journey time when using the metro – it is very deep as it was built as an atomic shelter in the communist era, thus getting down to the platform takes some time. Because of this, tram is a more convenient option when going only a few stops.

If you don't know the name of your stop, you can plan your journey either using Google Maps or with mapy.cz. You can also look at several public transport maps, but be aware that at any given moment there are several lines closed for renovations, which is reflected by the online planners but may not always be included in the static maps. Official Route planner may help if you know the local names of the places.

Prague's public transport is fast and efficient when you know how to use it. Sometimes you have to change a few times – the schedule website or the official smartphone app is the best way to plan your trip. If you get lost, you can take any bus or tram, all lines pass through a metro station where you can orient yourself.

These tickets may be of interest to visitors (Nov 2023): For longer stays, you may consider purchasing the 550 Kč 30-day pass, which can also be obtained through the PID Lítačka app (registration, uploading a photo and an initial setup in the app is needed to purchase such a pass). This will also let you use the Nextbike and Rekola bike sharing services in the city for up to 2 rides daily, 15 minutes each, for free (you need to link your Lítačka account in the respective bike provider's smartphone application).
 * 30 Kč – full ticket: 30 minutes (transfers allowed), not valid on the Petřín funicular
 * 40 Kč – full ticket: 90 minutes (transfers allowed), not valid on the Petřín funicular
 * 120 Kč – 24-hour ticket,
 * 330 Kč – 3-day ticket (72 hours)
 * 240 Kč - 24-hour ticket for all zones of PID (Prague integrated transport system) - covering all urban and suburban transport in Prague and Central Bohemian Region

Children under 15 and seniors (65 and older) travel for free. A proof of age is needed for children aged 10 to 14 and for seniors. Seniors from 60 to 64 can get discounted tickets. For 30-minute, 90-minute and 24-hour tickets, you can prove your age with your EU national ID or passport. For monthly and yearly tickets you need a PID-Card from the transport company – you should organize a card before travelling. A monthly card in this age cost 130 Kč.

When in doubt, you can visit one of the official points of sale, preferably one of the "Information centres" where the staff is likely to speak good English.

As you can see, the 24-hour or 3-day tickets are not economical unless you plan to travel more than 4 times a day for 90 minutes (6 hours). However, the PID Lítačka app features a day cap so it will not charge you more than the price of the 24-hour ticket even when buying individual tickets.

Tickets can be bought at various places:
 * the official smartphone app PID Lítačka (iOS, Android) – Recommended option. Lets you buy the right ticket for your planned journey, 24-hour as well as 72-hour tickets and caps your spending to the price of a 24-hour ticket. It is utterly important to know that the ticket becomes valid just 2 minutes after activation. When you do not follow this rule, i.e. buy the ticket and immediately enter the vehicle or the metro, you might be fined. This is supposed to be fraud prevention. The app works in Czech, English and Ukrainian language and offers also tickets for suburban transport in Central Bohemian Region. During ticket inspection (or boarding suburban bus) you will show QR-code on your cellphone.
 * ticket machines on the street – Most ticket machines accept cards (some only contactless) but although unlikely, you may still encounter an older ticket machine accepting coins only (but return change). In most central locations such as the central train station, there are new touch-screen ticket machines that accept coins, 100 Kč and 200 Kč notes, Visa and MasterCard credit cards ("classic" as well as contactless cards) and their debit versions. Problems can occur with foreign debit cards.
 * ticket machines inside trams/buses – if you have contactless card you can buy ticket also inside the tram immediately after boarding – use the middle door with sign of the ticket machine (this system is being expanded to all trams). As of 2023 the on-board ticket machines are available in all trams and buses.
 * tobacco shops, convenience stores – usually 30 and 40 Kč tickets only
 * Prague Public Transit offices – usually at Metro stations (and the airport), sell all kinds of tickets
 * all Czech Railways ticket offices – sell the 120 Kč tickets (validity is printed on the ticket, so ask them to set it to the date and time you need)
 * via SMS – service is available only for the Czech GSM operator customers, the tickets are more expensive and not valid on the S-Train services.

Validate your paper ticket by slipping it into one of the yellow boxes in the tram, bus or ferry, as soon as you board. In the metro, on the S-trains and on the funicular, the validators are in stations instead of the vehicles. After having changed the tram/bus, do not validate it again, as doing so will render your ticket in invalid. Keep it until it expires. If you are using the PID Lítačka ticket, make sure it is active before you enter the vehicle or the metro station. Tickets of either type must be valid for the whole duration of your journey.

Tickets are not checked upon boarding, but uniformed or plain-clothed ticket inspectors often make the rounds asking to see your ticket. One problem is false inspectors who most often ride the trams between "Malostranské Náměstí" and Prague Castle – these deceivers can be detected by asking for the identity card and badge which should be possessed by every inspector. An unstamped ticket, or a ticket that has been stamped more than once, is invalid. It will be confiscated, and you will incur a 1,000 Kč fine. Even though "riding black" seems easy in Prague, you should invest in the cheap ticket for the simple reason that Prague's transportation works perfectly and it functions on the honour system – help it stay that way.

Some buses (number 300 to 499) and all S-trains go out of the city, so they work a little differently, because normal tickets are valid only within the city limits. You have to show your ticket to the bus driver or train conductor and possibly buy another ticket from them, if you plan to go out of the city. The most popular site reachable this way is the Karlštejn castle (train S7, leaving the main station every 30 minutes). With a valid 24-hour, 72-hour or 30-day ticket/pass, you only need to buy the extension zones (1 to 11, 12,…) as your Prague leg of the journey (zones P, 0, B) is already covered by your Prague ticket.

Public transport continues at night and it's fairly extensive. Night trams or night buses (00:00 to 05:00; lines beginning with the number 9) usually come every 30 minutes (and every 20 min on Fridays and Saturdays). Every 15 (10) minutes during this time, trams leave the central exchange stop of Lazarská in the centre of Prague. All night trams go through this stop. You can easily change tram lines here if nowhere else. At all night exchange stops, trams and buses wait for the connecting tram/bus.

Do not underestimate how close to the footpath the trams will be when they reach the stop. It's safer to take a few steps back before the tram arrives, as wing mirrors could cause injury for taller people. In the Metro, you should stay behind the dashed safety line on the floor about half a meter from the edge of the platform. On an escalator, it is customary to stand on the right side and walk up on the left side. It is good etiquette to let elderly people, pregnant women or disabled people sit down on public transit.

By funicular
Every 15 minutes a funicular runs to the top of Petřín Hill. The funicular has three stops, one at the foot of the hill, one halfway and one at the top. The full journey takes around 5 minutes and provides nice views of the city. Tickets can be purchased at the stops and cost 60 Kč. Make sure that the ticket is validated correctly. Paper tickets need to be stamped at the correctly machine to be validated. Contactless tickets do not need to be stamped by the machine but have to be tapped and used right away. Ordinary (multi)day public transport tickets are also valid. You do not need to validate the multi-day ticket again at the funicular stop (if you do, the entire ticket becomes invalidated). Ticket inspectors are often stationed at the stop at the top and ready to catch anyone holding an invalid ticket to give out 1000 Kč fine.

By taxi
There's little reason to use taxis for sightseeing – public transportation is often a better option. But if you want to use taxis for any reason, your best bet is using one of the taxi apps, or major taxi services – and not trying to flag them on the road.

The advantage of using a taxi app for a taxi is that you get a decent price, all payments are done by card, there's no need to call anyone, and you can get a taxi at any time in less than 10 minutes. So in this case, there's little space for fraud. Both Uber and Taxify can get pretty expensive on Friday evenings though. Popular options include:

 * Liftago, the local equivalent to Uber, which uses official cabs and therefore without risk of conflicts with police. New clients get a 300 Kč bonus for signing up. The app is available for Android and iOS.
 * Uber, the global taxi giant. If you already have an account from any other country, you can use it in Prague as well. The app is available for Android and iOS. Uber applies an additional surcharge for travelling from the airport; in busy hours it may also charge you more than the maximum allowed rate for Prague (28 Kč/km). As Uber is not an official taxi it can be slower in rush hours because it is not allowed to use dedicated lanes on the roads.
 * Bolt, another large player. They often offer discount codes and are a little bit cheaper than Uber. The app is available for Android and iOS. Officially illegal like Uber but without any risk for passengers.

The major taxi operators follow the rules, so you can expect them to (do insist) have the taxi-meter turned on, and to give you a printed receipt once you leave the taxi. The receipt should have the driver's name, address and tax identification number included. You can also try to negotiate the price in advance, though the official maximum price designated by the city council is 28 Kč/km (approx. ). The rate is lower if you make an order online or via a phone call. Here's a non-complete list of advisable services:

By boat
You can travel down the famous Vltava River, which inspired writers and composers such as Smetana and Dvořák.

The Prague Steamboat Company offers sight seeing cruises and trips to the Prague Zoo or the Slapy River Dam.

There also few small passenger ferries across the river, integrated with the Prague's public transport tariff. Some of them are even free.

Or you can enjoy travel by boat in the historic centre of Prague. The nice surroundings include Pražské Benátky. Try to travel with Pražské Benátky Company and enjoy historic cruises as well as way to visit Charles Bridge Museum (Muzeum Karlova Mostu). Avoid the touts selling boat tours to tourists in the Charles bridge area, and check for everything online.

By bicycle
Prague is not very bike friendly city but the cycling infrastructure is slowly improving. Even though there are some bike lanes on the streets and bike paths, these usually pop out and end randomly. Also, Prague is quite hilly so biking is sometimes a bit challenging. If you still want the use a bike, you can use the Rekola or Nextbike app. Both providers offer pay-as-you-go as well as subscription models. With a valid 30-day or longer public transport pass, you get up to 2 rides a day for free, 15 minutes each. For a longer ride, use mapy.cz to find a good route. Biking in the center is a pain, mainly because of the crowds and tramway tracks. Be always respectful to pedestrians as well as other users of the roads. There are however some nice biking paths, such as the one connecting the main railway station an Krejcárek through lower part of Žižkov district or along the rivers.

See

 * Astronomical Clock.JPGCase danzanti.jpgPetřín Lookout Tower at night.jpg
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.
 * There are plenty of smaller museums. Among them are the Museum of Miniatures at the Stahnov Monastery, Toys Museum and Musical Automata Museum at the Prague Castle, Postal Museum, and more touristy Wax Museum, Torture Museum and Beer Museums in the Old Town.

Sightseeing passes
If you are visiting several attractions, you may be able to save money by buying a tourist card. Be discerning, as the passes often list as inclusions destinations that are free to visit anyway, and include lesser attractions. Make sure you will save money on the places you want to visit.

Strolls
Take a walk along the Royal Way of Prague.

Amusement and experiences
There are several beer spas in Prague.

Culture
Opera and ballet have quite a tradition in the city, even though there are often overlooked by young locals and instead frequented by tourists. The main opera and ballet venues are operated by the National Theatre company, which is owned by the government. Tickets can be bought on the company website, the best seats tend to sell out, so it is better to shop in advance. It is customary to wear decent clothing when going to National Theatre venues (black suit), but this is not enforced. Main venues are (all of these are as well worthy of just seeing from the outside)ː

There are many other theatres in Prague, but these usually only offer plays in Czech language. Classical music concerts are often conducted in numerous churches, especially in the centre.

River cruises

River cruises are both popular and varied, from one hour cruises to long evening cruises with dinner or music. To get the right price, find a boat only, do not buy anything from the touts near Charles Bridge. If you want to cruise the river for the smallest price possible, you can use a public transportation ferry.

Money
The official currency of the Czech Republic is the Czech Crown (koruna), abbreviated as Kč, with the international abbreviation CZK – read more here.

ATMs
These ATMs throughout Prague do not charge a fee for withdrawing money: Fio banka, KB (Komerční banka) and Raiffeisenbank. All other banks and ATM chains take 99–150 Kč and/or a 6–15% fee for currency conversion for a withdrawal.

In addition, any ATM might trick you into accepting Dynamic currency conversion (see DCC) — Euronet is notorious for this. Always decline DCC, as there is a big markup fee included in the offered exchange rate that will never compensate for any exchange rate insecurity. According to EU law, ATMs must always tell you if there is a fee or markup before confirming the transaction or exchange, so you can always cancel beforehand.

Foreign money
Sometimes it is also possible to pay with euros (hotels in the centre of Prague, McDonalds, KFC, Marks & Spencer – also accepts British pounds, Albert and Billa supermarkets, etc.), but the exchange rate may be slightly unfavourable and change is almost always given only in Kč. Dm-drogerie markt (cosmetics and health food) and New Yorker (clothing) stores accept euros at good rates, while souvenir stores take euros and US dollars at poor rates.

Money exchange
In Prague, especially around tourist sights, there are plenty of exchange offices with very bad rates and misleading advertisements (often advertising 0% commission, but providing only nearly half of the official exchange rate). Good rates are found for example: By law, if you keep your currency exchange receipt, you have 3 hours to return to that exchange office to reverse the transaction in case you fell victim to a bad exchange rate.
 * eXchange sro (Kaprova 14/13) near the Prague astronomical clock is the main currency exchange office used by expats in Prague. The VIP rates advertised outside likely aren't available to tourists, but non-VIP rates inside tend to only have 1% spreads.
 * Banks such as Česká spořitelna have acceptable rates, but charge a commission.
 * Around Main Railway Station (Hlavní nádraží): exit the station, go left across the park to street "Politických vězňů". There are about 5 offices, mostly Arab-owned, and offer very good rates even for smaller amounts, and even better or negotiable for higher (over €1000, US$1000 or such). Actively avoid offices inside the main station: exchange rates are abysmal there.
 * Near "Staroměstská" subway station, at exchange.cz offices.

Make sure you do not exchange money with strangers offering good rates on the street. You are likely to end up with worthless currency, such as expired Belarusian rubles or Bulgarian leva, and no way of getting your money back. Although not as common anymore, some smaller stores may attempt to con you by providing similar-looking Belarusian rubles as change.

Shopping
The streets around Old Town are full of gift shops geared towards tourists, selling Bohemian crystal, soccer shirts and other mass-produced memorabilia. The thoroughfare between Charles Bridge and Old Town Square is particularly bad, turning off into one of the laneways you can find exactly the same merchandise for half the price. If you are looking for some decent souvenirs, try to get off the beaten path. Street vendors can have some unexpected treasures and there are plenty in the Charles Bridge area. Prints of paintings and good quality photos are very popular, and a really good way to remember Prague. Don't bother buying overpriced furry hats and Matryoshka dolls, though – they have nothing to do with Prague: they are Russian in origin, and their sellers are just trying to capitalize on unknowing tourists.

In December, the squares host Christmas Markets selling a mix of arts, craft, food, drink and Prague memorabilia. The markets are an attraction in their own right and a great place to pick up a more unique memento of the city. There is a small market in front of the Palladium Mall that is open even in the spring.

There are several large shopping malls in Prague, you should take "Na Prikope" street – the 18th most expensive street in the world (measured by the price of property), with famous shopping arcades "Cerna ruze" (Black rose) and "Palac Myslbek" and many shops. If you are looking for souvenir shops, you will find them in the city's historical centre – mostly around Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square and Prague Castle. There are many other shops offering Bohemian crystal, especially in the centre near the lower end of Wenceslas Square.

The other typical (if rather expensive) Czech goods is the garnet jewellery. Typical Czech garnet stones (gathered near the town of Turnov) are dark red and nowadays are produced by a single company, Granat Turnov, and if you buy genuine traditional Czech garnet, you should get a certificate of authenticity. "Pařížská" street goes from Old Town Square towards the river and includes some of the most luxurious (and expensive) boutiques in Prague.

Eat

Lunch is traditionally the main meal in Prague. Czech cuisine is typically based around pork or beef with starchy side dishes such as dumplings, potatoes, or fries. Fish is not as popular, though these days it is widely available. Popular Czech desserts include fruit dumplings (ovocné knedlíky), crêpes or ice cream. Trdelník has become popular in Prague among tourists, with many small bakeries selling the sweet bread encrusted with sugar and chopped walnuts, but it is not a traditional Czech dish, and only started appearing in the 1990s; most locals avoid it. Most restaurants become very crowded during lunch and dinner, so consider making a reservation or eating earlier than the locals.

The tip should be about 10 to 15% – in cheaper restaurants or pubs you can get away with rounding up the note or leaving a few extra coins. Otherwise, it's customary to leave at least 20–40 Kč or €1–2. Taxes are always included in the price by law. Many restaurants in heavily-touristed areas (along the river, or with views near the castle) will charge a cover or "kovert" in addition to your meal charge. If this is printed in the menu, you have no recourse. But a restaurant will often add this charge to your bill in a less up-front manner, sometimes after printing in the menu that there is no cover. Anything brought to your table will have a charge associated with it (bread, ketchup, etc.) If you are presented with a hand-scrawled bill at the end of the meal, it is suggested that you take a moment to clarify the charges with your server. This sort of questioning will usually shame the server into removing anything that was incorrectly added. Some waiters might be impolite especially to people from eastern Europe. Pay no attention to this, and simply find another restaurant.

If you're on the look out for fast food, you won't be able to move without tripping over street vendors serving Czech style hot dogs and mulled wine in the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square in New Town. If you're after Western-style fast food, the major chains also have a large presence in Wenceslas Square and the area immediately around it. Most beer halls also serve light snacks or meals. Definitely try the hot dogs (párek v rohlíku) – they're very different to the version you get in the West. Small, hollowed-out French baguettes are used for the bread, filled with mustard and ketchup, and then the frankfurter is inserted afterward. This turns the bread into a convenient carry-case and means you don't get ketchup all over your hands. Make sure you get mustard, even if you don't normally like it – unfortunately the hot dogs are somewhat flavourless and need that extra bit of kick. Prices range from around 15 Kč for a small one to 45 Kč for the terrifying-looking 'gigant' (as of 2010). Note that the size of hot dog relates to girth rather than length.

Be careful when ordering food without looking at the prices. There are many places in the centre that are known for charging horrible prices from people who did not look into the menu. Charging more than 250 Kč (July 2022) for a basic local lunch is too much, even in tourist-heavy areas. Especially restaurants with large outdoor spaces at Old Town square are known for charging extraordinary prices for a simple meal. If a restaurant touts itself as "Czech" and "traditional", it might be another sign of potential rip-off – truly traditional restaurants never advertise themselves as traditional. If outside tourist areas, meals can be found for 175 Kč or less (July 2022).

Another common scam connected to food is charging for food by weight. They, for example, say that the price is 100 Kč, but do not mention that the price is for 100 grams, leaving you to pay 400 Kč for a basic meal. This is especially common at the Old Town square, at the stalls with 'Prague Ham'. Requests for smaller portions will generally be refused unless you get a local to buy it for you.

For specific restaurant suggestions in the popular Old Town neighbourhood, have a look into the dedicated article.

Drink

Pubs (in Czech "hospoda") abound throughout Prague, and indeed are an important part of local culture. The exact brand of beer usually vary from pub to pub, and recommendations are difficult to give as natives are usually willing to argue at lengths about their preferences. The most internationally recognized beers are Pilsner Urquell (Plzeňský Prazdroj) and Budweiser Budvar (Budějovický Budvar). There are other brands famous among Czechs like Svijany. If you are looking for a beer brewed in Prague, go for Staropramen. Usual prices for a half-liter glass are between 25 and 40 Kč, based on the brand and locality, while certain restaurants at tourist areas like the Old Town Square are known to charge more than 100 Kč for a euro-sized glass. There's also a booming craft beer scene with many brewpubs in the city.

In Prague it is customary, especially at beer halls, to sit with a group of people if there are no free tables, so go ahead and ask if you can join.

There are also numerous night-clubs in Prague. Not all of them are good, it is often quite difficult even for locals to find the right one, as some are often overpriced, empty or just bad. Locals tend to go to clubs at around midnight, mostly on Friday and Saturday, but Wednesdays and Thursdays are often also OK. In summer, any day of the week should be fine, as there are many foreigners. Most of the night-clubs are in the centre of Prague, although there are some a bit further, mostly aimed at local students. Nightclubs are generally much more expensive than pubs, with beer costing between 50 and 100 Kč. Entrance fees should be small, do not pay more than 100 Kč for entrance unless there is some really good DJ playing.

It is very common to see people drinking outside. It is forbidden to drink at many public places (you can find a map with all 837 of them here). There are however many public parks where it is not forbidden to drink and where it is very popular to drink. Young people often predrink in parks or at riversides and then head to some club in the center. Even if you drink on places where it is forbidden, police will probably not bother you, but they might use it against you if you are too disruptive to your surrounding.

Prague has also many excellent tearooms (in Czech čajovna) which serve different kinds of teas from around the world. Shishas (hookas) are often smoked in these tearooms (smoking ban does not apply to shishas).

Pubcrawls
Save your money and find the bars yourself – you might be surprised at the discoveries you make away from the tourist circus.

Sleep
Prague has a wealth of accommodation options, many of them within walking distance of the town center. Peak season generally runs from April to October and a major influx of visitors can be expected during New Year as well. Prices for accommodation can be up to twice as high in the peak season and reservations are advised. Otherwise, the main train station, Hlavní nádraží, has an accommodation booking service for hotels and hostels upstairs. Normally, tax and breakfast are included in the room rate.

Around Hlavni Nadrazi, the main train station, there are many touts offering cheap accommodation. Many are Czech residents renting part of their apartment for extra cash. Prices don't vary much between them, but some may not be trustworthy so be cautious.

Even during peak season, dorm rooms in hostels close to the city center can be had for around 350 Kč (€14) per person per night. Prague has its share of rough and ready youth hostels with a party vibe, but there are many with a more relaxed atmosphere and some housed in beautifully restored buildings as fancy as any hotel. Many hostels also offer private rooms, with or without shared bathrooms, for much cheaper than a pension or hotel room. There is a boutique design hostel movement with many hostels rivaling hotel accommodation.

For those looking for something a little different, a  'botel' (boat hotel) may be an appealing option. Usually relatively well placed, with gorgeous views. Most are moored on the south of the river in Praha 4 and 5, but the best is to stay in Prague 1, next to monuments to visit by foot, in the Lesser Town district (Mala Strana) or in the Old Town (Stare Mesto). Prices vary from €20 to €120 per person (as of 2010).

For specific sleeping suggestions in the popular Old Town neighbourhood, have a look into the dedicated article.

Connect
Prague has 5G from all Czech carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Work
Prague is probably the best place for foreigners to look for a job because there are many multinational and English speaking companies. It is also easy to get a job teaching English because of a high demand. For more information on working in the Czech Republic, see Czech Republic.

Stay safe
Prague is a very safe city. You're less likely to be victim of a serious crime in Prague than in most Western European or US cities. There are no 'no-go zones' and it is safe for women to venture out alone, even in the dead of night.

The most common crimes in Prague by far are car theft and pickpocketing; in particular, the prevalence of car theft and vandalism pushes up the crime statistics of Prague. As a party destination, it is common to encounter drunk partygoers, but most of the time the rowdy ones will be fellow tourists; exercise the same caution you would when dealing with any drunk person. The only area with a high concentration of homeless people is in front of the central station.

Theft and pickpocketing
Begging occurs at the city's top tourist attractions and in some of the main public transport hubs. Don't carry a wallet or purse in the back pocket of your pants, always keep an eye on your items, don't put all your money in one place, don't show your money or valuable things to anybody. Understand that the number of 'not truly homeless' professional beggars is high.

Be aware of teams of pickpockets that lurk outside metro stations, overcrowded trams, Charles Bridge, Wenceslas Square and the Old Town Square. They usually work in teams of 3-5 and look for lost or distracted tourists. Backpacks are especially interesting to them. Many of those groups use underage children as pickpockets because they are not liable according to Czech criminal law.

Due to the low incidence of violent crime, the threat of pickpockets has been played up as a great problem. However, common sense and basic precautions can keep most people safe from pickpockets. If you have a camera, try not to wear it openly. Always close and secure your backpack and try to keep an eye on it. Be especially careful not to fall asleep in the tram or on the metro. Wear your wallet in a safe place (like inner pocket of your coat), never put it into your rear pocket or any other place where it can be easily stolen.

Be astute on sleeper trains, as bag robberies are on the increase between major stations. Ask for ID from anyone who asks to take your ticket or passport, and lock backpacks to the luggage racks. Keep valuables on you and maintain common sense.

If you enter the metro (usually at night), you may find a team of con artists at the stations, saying that they are metro clerks and, after examining your ticket for some time, that it's invalid so you'll have to pay a fine of 500 Kč (1000 Kč if you argue with them). So if you happen to see them and you're sure that your ticket is valid, tell them to call the police, or call them yourself. Remember that Prague Metro ticket inspectors have to produce their badge (see here for badge and ID card specimen) in order to check your ticket and issue a fine; if they don't do this as soon as they approach you then, they are almost certainly fakes.

Drugs
Possession of drugs has been historically a grey area under the Czech jurisdiction. Since early 2010, though, the dubious term "an amount more than small" has been finally transformed into absolute values based on the actual judicial practice and it is no longer an offense to carry less than 15 g of marijuana, 5 patches of LSD, 1 g of cocaine, etc. It is still a criminal offense to possess more than the allowed amount of drugs. Bear in mind that for possession of lesser amount you might be still fined by public authorities as it is an offense (even though not criminal one).

You may encounter public drug consumption such as people smoking marijuana on street corners or in parks. Do not take this as permission to do it yourself. Locals know and understand just how much the city police is willing to tolerate and getting hassled by police because you don't know the 'etiquette' is a reliable way to ruin your holiday.

Money exchanges
Be careful with money exchanges. Exchange your money in banks or official tourist information centres and avoid exchange offices. Never deal with a street money-dealer; they offer better rates but frequently try to swindle you by giving you money from another country, such as expired Belarusian rubles or old Bulgarian leva.

Most of the exchange offices are fair, but some, especially at the busiest tourist sites, may try to cheat customers with various tricks:

 * especially near the Old Town square, some of them even have rates that are half of the normal
 * offering favorable exchange rates, but with fine print below such as if you exchange more than €1000
 * putting a huge board with "we sell" exchange rates to the shop window, which makes an impression of good rates, whereas the actual rate for buying koruny is much more unfavorable

When the customer finds this out at the counter and wants to cancel the transaction, the money-dealer refuses with an excuse "I have already printed the bill", implying it is too late. This is a lie.

Always ask for the exact amount you will be given before accepting an exchange or handing over your money. If after the fact you feel that the transaction was unfair you have 3 hours to request a refund (no reason needs to be provided) which the exchange place is obliged by law to issue. Some places will pretend they don't know about this law, but the receipt they issue to you usually states this requirement in Czech and English. If your lawful refund is still being refused, the legally prescribed way to file a complaint is with the Czech National Bank, but in practice it is often best to find a nearby city police officer (městská policie) and politely ask them to accompany you to the exchange place and assist you in obtaining a refund.

Credit cards are widely accepted at all supermarkets, hotels and also in most tourist places. As in most countries you can find cards for ATM withdrawals with low or 0% fee and often for payment with Visa or MasterCard exchange rate only (which is same as rate of best exchange offices), there is no need to use exchange offices anymore in 21st century.

ATMs
While all ATMs (aka cash machines or bankomats) are safe to use, one company stands out for their shady tactics and morally grey business practices. Blue-and-yellow Euronet ATMs will offer abysmal exchange rates, will not carry small bills less than 1000 Kč and if you do not make a custom amount selection they will push you towards withdrawing outrageously high amounts such as 10 000 Kč. Unfortunately, they're by far most numerous, so using them sometimes cannot be avoided. If you have to use them it is generally best to:

 * refuse the offered exchange rate; your bank's exchange rate will be used instead, which is almost always much better
 * enter the custom amount you want and ignore the suggested amounts
 * understand that if you need amounts less than 1000 or 2000 Kč any other brand of ATM will generally dispense 200 Kč bills

Or better yet, avoid cash and preferably pay by card.

Taxi scams
Taxi drivers of Prague are a major "image issue". While the risk of overcharging is generally overplayed, non-Czech-speaking customers still get ripped off often, in various ways. You can avoid such a situation by following these common-sense rules:

 * Try to avoid suspicious taxis and when in doubt, walk away and catch another taxi.
 * The most frequent cases of cheating happen between the railway station or airport and hotel, and around the Old Town square.
 * If you are paying significantly more than 500Kč for a way from airport to city center, you are being ripped off. Rides within the center rarely surpass 200Kč.
 * It is illegal for a taxi driver to refuse you a receipt in Prague.
 * Even though you ask for a receipt, the taxi-meter could be tampered with using a so-called "turbo" button, which will cause the taxi-meter price to increase much faster than it normally would.
 * If presented with an incorrect bill from a taxi driver, call the police on your mobile phone – the driver will quickly change his tune.
 * Taxi drivers at the railway station may show you a printed card that details the "fixed fares" for travel within the city. This is completely false.
 * Some hotels offer taxi services. Make sure to compare the price with other companies – some hotel taxis may be more than twice the normal price, and the car is not even identified as being a taxi.

An information desk may be set-up on some taxi stands in the city, with orientation prices to most popular destinations from that stand. But a flaw in the local law allows some of the taxi companies renting the taxi stands (specifically around Old Town square) to charge VERY high prices (about 99 Kč/km). The most infamous company in this regard is AAA Taxi s.r.o., deliberately creating its name to resemble regulated and popular AAA Radiotaxi Praha. But they charge four times more for a ride, and even do not provide services to Czech customers.

If you are convinced you got overcharged by the taxi driver, mark the car ID numbers (licence plate, taxi licence number on the car door, driver name, etc.) and contact the company which the driver is working for (if any) or police. The scammers are often "covered" by underground, so it's hard to deal with it once you pay and the taxi driver is gone. The problem is also that you have to testify against the driver – which is kind of hard when you're already on the other side of the planet.

That being said, number of app-based solutions offer cheaper, easier and more reliable service than traditional taxis without the ability of the driver to charge you an arbitrary amount. Consider using Bolt, Liftago or Uber instead.

Trams
In Prague, trams always have right of way, even over pedestrians using pedestrian crossings (zebras). A tram will never stop at a crossing for you. They also do not follow the normal traffic lights (they have special system of their own). Trams, being on rails, also have a very long braking distance, even when compared with other vehicles of similar size such as trucks. Trams, obviously, also cannot swerve to avoid hitting you.

Serious incidents are rare, but be cautious when crossing tram tracks, particularly at large tram intersections.

Emergencies
If you find yourself in emergency, dial 112. The respondent should be able to respond in English, German, Polish, Russian and French in addition to Czech. You can also use 158 for police, 155 for ambulance or 150 for firefighters but you may not receive a response in languages other than Czech.

If you need medication at weekends or evenings, you can go to Lékárna Palackého, (Tel +420 224 946 982) the 24-hour pharmacy on Palackého 5 in the new town or to Lékárna U Svaté Ludmily, (Tel: ) on Belgická 37 (metro station Náměstí Míru).

If you need non-emergency (but still urgent) medical care outside of normal working hours visit Fakultní nemocnice v Motole (Motol University Hospital) which is the biggest and most advanced hospital in the Czech Republic. Main number is and the hospital is at V Úvalu 84, Praha 5 ( metro station Nemocnice Motol).

Respect
Because of Prague's liberal attitude and cheap prices, it's often considered "the drinking capital of Europe". This has raised many issues, with tourists being loud and making the center of Prague generally unlivable. This issue has spread to local politics, and it's likely that it will cause many regulations, with great impact on both tourists and party-going locals. Some regulations have already happened. However, it's possible to party in Prague without angering locals too much. To do so, it is often enough to use common sense, but please keep up in mindː

 * When staying somewhere using AirBnB or similar service, please be mindful of your neighbours. If you are loud, your neighbours might call the police on you – this will not just cause problems for you, but also for your host. Also, it generally lowers the reputation of AirBnB, and leads to city government imposing restrictions on everyone staying in Prague after you, and might even lead to a complete ban on AirBnB. If you go to Prague to party, it might be worth considering staying in a party hostel (there are many of them) and leave AirBnB to couples and families.
 * If you head to a pub or club, use their smoking room (clubs have them) or just don't smoke outside. If you really need to smoke outside, be quiet (especially after 22:00). Crowds of loud people in front of a club or pub might lead to this place being fined or even closed.
 * When renting an electric scooter or such vehicle, use designated routes for cyclists or streets. Inconsiderate or illegal use of scooters, such as riding them on sidewalks, could lead to them being banned, as happened with Segways after they became popular.
 * Consider if you really need to rent a beer bike. If you need to, please do not take beer bikes after 22:00. If the police want to, they might fine you for drunk driving when using a beer bike.

Following this common sense might reward you. If you are quiet and polite, the police probably won't mind you drinking alcohol on the street or smoking weed openly, even though this is forbidden. If you are not, you'll not just run the risk of the police bothering you, but you might also contribute to Prague losing its liberal attitude.

Local foreign language media

 * Prague Daily Monitor. Website in English.
 * Radio Prague. Multilingual radio station.

Embassies

 * 🇦🇹 Austria
 * 🇧🇷 Brazil
 * 🇫🇮 Finland
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next
Buses and trains are frequent and quite inexpensive and can get you to even the smallest village.

UNESCO listed places:

 * Český Krumlov is the second most visited place in Czechia by foreign tourists. Beautiful historic town with a castle on a rock above Vltava river in South Bohemia. Best reachable by frequent buses of Regiojet (2 hr 50 min, from 179 Kč) or Flixbus (2 hr 35 min -3 hr 15 min, from 199 Kč), train requires one change in České Budějovice. Overnight stay recommended.
 * Kutná Hora - A once prosperous silver mining town in the 14th and 15th centuries with the fantastic Saint Barbara church, and the Sedlec Ossuary in the suburbs, decorated with the remains of 40,000 human skeletons who were largely plague victims. Reachable by train (0h50 to main station for Sedlec district or 1 hr 6 min with a transfer to Kutná Hora město for city centre) or suburban bus 381 from metro station Háje (1 hr 42 min).
 * Karlovy Vary in West Bohemia is the biggest spa town in central Europe. Enjoy beautiful spa architecture with many colonnades, sources of mineral water and walks in the surrounding forested hills. Very alive and crowdy during international film festival in early July. Easily reachable by frequent buses of Regiojet (2 hr 15 min from Florenc bus station or 1 hr 45 min from Prague Airport, from 149 Kč) or Flixbus (2 hr, from 139 Kč).
 * Mariánské Lázně is another spa town being part of West Bohemian Spa Triangle. Reachable by direct trains of České dráhy via Plzeň (2h20 min).
 * Žatec is the world capital of hops growing, key ingredient of beer. Easily reachable by suburban bus 405 from metro station Zličín (1 hr 32 min).
 * Olomouc is former capital of Moravia, beautiful old city, famous medieval astronomical clock. Reachable by frequent trains of České dráhy, Regiojet and Leo Express (2 hr 20 min).
 * Kroměříž - nice town with a chateau and gardens in Moravia, reachable by train only with a transfer

Other UNESCO places are more difficult to reach from Prague.

Interesting places around Prague (half-day trips):

 * Karlštejn is a famous castle established in 14th century where royal jewelleries were stored in the past. Easily reachable by frequent trains between Prague and Beroun. Surrounding area is also great for hiking - you can hike along Berounka river, to cave monastery in Svatý Jan pod Skalou or beautiful former mine Velká Amerika.
 * Lidice is a village near Prague Airport which was burnt out by Nazis during World War II. Today there is a memorial place with rose garden and museum. Reachable by suburban bus 322 from metro station Nádraží Veleslavín going via Terminal 1 of Prague Airport.
 * Okoř castle ruin - one of many castle ruins in Czechia is near Prague Airport. Reachable by suburban bus 323 and 350.

Other places in Czechia:

 * Brno - second largest town in Czechia, capital of Moravia. Best reachable by frequent trains of České dráhy or Regiojet (2 hr 30 min).
 * Plzeň (also called Pilsen) - 4th largest town in Czechia and 2nd in Bohemia. World capital of beer where lager was born in 1842. Visit the Pilsner Urquell brewery, 2nd biggest Jewish synagogue in Europe, tallest church tower in Czechia, historic underground under the old town. Reachable by frequent trains (1 hr 20 min)
 * Terezín - fortified town in NW Bohemia, the impressive Small Fortress was used by Nazis as a concentration camp during World War II. Reachable by suburban bus 413 from metro station Letňany (1 hr)
 * Liberec - centre of winter sports in North Bohemia, entry point to Jizerské hory mountains. Don't forget to climb to Ještěd hill with TV tower above the town. Reachable by frequent buses of Regiojet and Filixbus from metro station Černý Most (1 hr 15 jin).
 * Tábor - nice historic town in South Bohemia, reachable by frequent trains (1 hr)

 * České Budějovice - capital of South Bohemia, reachable by frequent trains (1 hr 40 min) and buses (2 hr 15 min)
 * Ostrava - 3rd largest town in Czechia, capital of North Moravia, reachable by frequent trains (3 hr 15 min)
 * Písek - Beautiful South Bohemian town with the country's oldest bridge, reachable by bus (1 hr 20 min) or train (2 hr 20 min)
 * Zlín - town in east Moravia famous for Baťa shoes, beautiful red-brick houses

Nature escapes:

 * Krkonoše mountains national park - tallest mountains in Czechia, in NE Bohemia, reachable by buses to Pec pod Sněžkou (eastern part, starting point to Sněžka - highest point of Czechia), Špindlerův Mlýn (cental part) or Harrachov (western part)
 * Šumava mountains national park - in SW Bohemia, reachable by trains to Železná Ruda (western part) or several direct buses to Modrava or Kvilda (mostly on weekends)
 * Bohemian Switzerland national park - in NW Bohemia along the route to Dresden, visit stone gate Pravčická brána and river gorges near beautiful Hřensko village, take local bus from Děčín (town on the main railway to Berlin) to Hřensko
 * Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj) protected landscape area - 60 km NE of Prague, E of Mnichovo Hradiště and S of Turnov, great hiking opportunities with many rock towers and rock castles, visit Trosky castle, Kost castle near Sobotka or Valdštejn castle near Turnov. Turnov and Sobotka are well reachable by buses and trains, villages inside the area are served only by limited local buses
 * Kokořínsko protected landscape area - north of Prague and north of Mělník, make some hikes in beautiful nature with many rocks, artificial caves or Kokořín castle, best reachable by seasonal trains to Mšeno or suburban bus to Liběchov
 * Prachovské skály - rock town near Jičín is SE part of Bohemian Paradise, best reachable by car, possibly also by suburban bus 412 to 'Dolní Lochov, hlavní silnice' stop
 * Sázava valley - take train to any place around Sázava river south of Prague (like Petrov u Prahy or Týnec nad Sázavou) and walk around. You can also take train to villages more to the east like Sázava with a monastery, Český Šternberk with a castle, Kácov with a local brewery, Zruč nad Sázavou with a chateau or Rataje nad Sázavou where PC game Kingdom Come occurs. All places offer good hiking opportunities.
 * Brdy mountains - forested area SW of Prague is great for hiking and cycling, its central part W of Příbram was a military area in the past but now it is open to public. Take train to Jince to get there, northern part is well served by suburban buses to Dobříš or Mníšek pod Brdy.

Going abroad:

 * Berlin, Germany - capital of Germany, reachable by frequent trains of České dráhy (4 hr 30 min) or buses of Regiojet and Flixbus
 * Dresden, Germany - capital of Saxony on the half-way to Berlin, reachable by train (2 hr 27 min) or bus (1 hr 55 min)
 * Munich, Germany - capital of Bavaria, reachable by several trains of České dráhy (5 hr 30 min) or buses (5 hr)
 * Vienna, Austria - capital of Austria, reachable by frequent trains of České dráhy and Regiojet (4 hr)
 * Linz, Austria - nice town in Austria, reachable by trains of České dráhy (3 hr 45 min)
 * Bratislava, Slovakia - capital of Slovakia, reachable by frequent trains of České dráhy and Regiojet (4 hr)
 * Poprad, Slovakia - entry point to Tatras mountains in North Slovakia, reachable by several trains of Regiojet, České dráhy and Leo Express (7 hr)
 * Wroclaw, Poland - nice historic town in Poland, reachable by bus (5 hr), direct trains planned from 2024
 * Krakow, Poland - most beautiful town in Poland, reachable by train (7 hr, one daily), bus (8 hr) or by Ryanair

title: Prague


text:
Prague/Castle and Lesser Town

Both in district Prague 1, Castle district of Prague (Czech: Hradčany.) is the highest part of the city while the Lesser Town of Prague (Czech: Malá Strana) is the lower area on the left bank.

Understand
Prague Castle is the symbol of the Czech state. It became the seat of Bohemian dukes in the 9th century. Since then, the Prague Castle had been continually the seat of ruler of the Czech lands, from kings of Bohemia to Czechoslovak and Czech presidents. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. Castle complex is a unique mixture of different architectural styles. From Romanesque St. George's Basilica, Gothic St. Vitus cathedral, renaissance Belvedere with gardens to adjustments by well-known architects form 20th century.

Under the Castle is Lesser Town. Founded in 13th century, this part of Prague was inhabited mostly by Germans. Lesser Town was destroyed during the Hussite Rebellion, therefore there is a Baroque architectural predominance here.

Get in
Public transport is the preferred way. To reach the Prague Castle, use station of line A or. The best way how to get to Lesser Town is station of line A "Malostranská", station of trams 12, 20 and 22 "Malostranské náměstí". Probably the best option is a walk from Old Town via the Charles bridge.

The nearest car parking (paid and guarded) is in the street.

See
The main attraction of Hradčany (Castle Quarter or Castle District) is the Prague Castle itself. However the Castle Quarter is much larger and is filled with many other attractions, palaces, churches and monasteries. Some of the palaces host excellent galleries, others are used as government or church buildings.

Some of the areas require you to buy a ticket for entrance. You can buy one of two combined tickets. The short tour allows entrance to the Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, Golden Lane and Daliborka Tower for 250 Kč. The long tour allows entry to all the same places as the short tour, as well as "The Story of Prague Castle" exhibition, the National Gallery display in the Convent of St. George, and the Prague Castle Picture Gallery all for 350 Kč. The entry to the St. Vithus Cathedral is free (but crowds are regulated) when the owned by the state, but money is charged when owned by the Catholic church. The legal battle over the ownership of the cathedral still continues. To climb the bell tower of the cathedral costs 150 Kč.

Do

 * Watch the Castle Guard changing ceremony at a full hour, best at noon.
 * Listen to the Loreta bells at a full hour.
 * Visit the excellent art galleries both inside the Castle and in the surrounding palaces.
 * Climb the highest tower of the St. Vitus Cathedral and enjoy Prague from the excellent perspective.
 * Go up the Petrin Observation Tower for a worthwhile view over the city for 60 Kč (reductions 40 Kč).
 * Watch the night sky with a big telescope from the Stefanik Observatory (40 Kč).
 * Children of all ages like the distorting mirrors in the Mirror Maze on Petřín Hill.

Buy
Number of little gift shop with Prague-themed items on Nerudova street. More affordable prices than in Old Town, less crowded and especially offers more original and peculiar items.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Prague/Castle and Lesser Town


text:
Prague/New Town and Vysehrad

The New Town of Prague (Czech: Nové Město) is in the east bank area to the east and south of the Old Town. A large part of New Town that borders Old Town from east (Republic Square lies on the border) and south belongs to Praha 1 district. This area contains Wenceslas Square, the main boulevard in Prague, and the National Theatre.

Vysehrad is a district of Prague where there is a historical fort. It was probably built in the 10th century, on a hill over the Vltava River.

Understand
When the Přemyslid dynasty settled on the current site of Prague Castle, the two castles maintained opposing spheres of influence for approximately two centuries. Like this the second seat of the Czech sovereigns was established on a steep rock directly above the right bank of the Vltava river, in the 10th century. The zenith of Vyšehrad was during the second half of the 11th century, when Vratislav transferred his seat from Prague Castle, and the original fort was remodelled as a complex comprising a sovereign's palatial residence, church and seat of the chapter. The period of growth ended around 1140 when Prince Soběslav moved his seat back to Prague Castle.

Under the hill, there are several stunning looking cubist buildings, constructed by architect Josef Chochol in the 1910s.

Get in
The New Town is well served by all three Metro lines. The following stations are in New Town or on its border:

 * Interchange stations (upper Wenceslas Square),,  (lower and middle Wenceslas Square)
 * Line B: (Republic Square),  (close to National Avenue, National Theater), and  (Charles Square, Palackého Square, close to the Dancing House and the university area).
 * Line C: (Main railway station, on border with Vinohrady), and  (on border with Vinohrady).

The New Town is also accessible by many tram lines. The tram network is much denser than the metro network and can be useful to get around within New Town if you do not want to go on foot. Line 17, goes along the river and connects New Town (Palackého nám. near Charles Sq., National Theatre) with Old Town (Staroměstská, Právnická fakulta). Line 22 connects the New Town with Prague Castle, Charles Bridge and other tourist hotspots.

After midnight, when the metro is not operating, use night trams to get in or out of New Town. Lazarská street, just north of Charles Sq., functions as the central hub for all night trams in Prague. Many night tram lines cross Wenceslas Square in the middle (Vodičkova). There are also several night bus lines connecting I. P. Pavlova Sq. with other parts of the city. Another important station of night buses is Náměstí republiky (Republic Square).

Vysehrad is not located in the center of the city but it is well connected by metro line C (Vysehrad stop) and tram lines 6, 18 and 24 to Albertov stop.

Do

 * Walk around the Wenceslas Square in the evening.
 * Sit and relax amongst the greenery in the Botanical garden of the Charles University.
 * Small walk in the calm of the morning to observe the city waking up from the castle.

Buy
Wenceslas Square is one of the best places in Prague to buy books. There are two big multilevel bookstores. One is Palác Luxor, Václavské náměstí 41, it has great selection of foreign language books, including English, on the first underground floor.

In the north around the train station Praha Masarykovo nádraží
The supermarkets Lidl and Penny both a goof value bakery.

title: Prague/New Town and Vysehrad


text:
Prague/Old Town and Josefov

The right bank section of District Prague 1, the oldest settled area, consists of the Old Town of Prague (Czech: Staré město) and the Jewish Town (Czech: Josefov).

Understand
The Jewish Quarter lends itself to exploration, contemplation and a deeper understanding of what Prague's Jews have endured throughout the centuries.

Get in
Metro station or metro station.

See

 * Lovers of Art Nouveau should bless the memories of the Prague Civic Society's officials, because the Obecní dům would become one of the most beautiful examples of Art Nouveau in Prague, filled with artwork by the best Czech artists of the day. Neo-Baroque, neo-Renaissance, Western and Oriental influences – all combined with traditional Czech Art Nouveau. This is what makes the Obecnàdum unique among many beautiful examples of Art Nouveau public buildings in Prague. While the exterior is impressive, the interior is both finely crafted and educational. Almost every prominent living Czech artist worked on the Obecní dům. Painters Mikoláš Aleš, Václav Jansa, Alfons Mucha, Jakub Obrovský, Jan Preisler, Josef Wenig, Karel Spillar, Max Švabinský, Josef Ullman, František Zenoek, and the sculptors Josef Maratka, Josef Václav Myslbek, Karel Novak, Ladislav Šaloun, František Uprka, Bohumil Kafka and Čeněk Vosmík carved out an astounding backdrop for the many historical events that would transpire here. Though their contributions are not conspicuously noted, in some cases (such as Alfons Mucha's Mayoral Hall) it is obvious which artist decorated what room.
 * Lovers of Art Nouveau should bless the memories of the Prague Civic Society's officials, because the Obecní dům would become one of the most beautiful examples of Art Nouveau in Prague, filled with artwork by the best Czech artists of the day. Neo-Baroque, neo-Renaissance, Western and Oriental influences – all combined with traditional Czech Art Nouveau. This is what makes the Obecnàdum unique among many beautiful examples of Art Nouveau public buildings in Prague. While the exterior is impressive, the interior is both finely crafted and educational. Almost every prominent living Czech artist worked on the Obecní dům. Painters Mikoláš Aleš, Václav Jansa, Alfons Mucha, Jakub Obrovský, Jan Preisler, Josef Wenig, Karel Spillar, Max Švabinský, Josef Ullman, František Zenoek, and the sculptors Josef Maratka, Josef Václav Myslbek, Karel Novak, Ladislav Šaloun, František Uprka, Bohumil Kafka and Čeněk Vosmík carved out an astounding backdrop for the many historical events that would transpire here. Though their contributions are not conspicuously noted, in some cases (such as Alfons Mucha's Mayoral Hall) it is obvious which artist decorated what room.
 * Lovers of Art Nouveau should bless the memories of the Prague Civic Society's officials, because the Obecní dům would become one of the most beautiful examples of Art Nouveau in Prague, filled with artwork by the best Czech artists of the day. Neo-Baroque, neo-Renaissance, Western and Oriental influences – all combined with traditional Czech Art Nouveau. This is what makes the Obecnàdum unique among many beautiful examples of Art Nouveau public buildings in Prague. While the exterior is impressive, the interior is both finely crafted and educational. Almost every prominent living Czech artist worked on the Obecní dům. Painters Mikoláš Aleš, Václav Jansa, Alfons Mucha, Jakub Obrovský, Jan Preisler, Josef Wenig, Karel Spillar, Max Švabinský, Josef Ullman, František Zenoek, and the sculptors Josef Maratka, Josef Václav Myslbek, Karel Novak, Ladislav Šaloun, František Uprka, Bohumil Kafka and Čeněk Vosmík carved out an astounding backdrop for the many historical events that would transpire here. Though their contributions are not conspicuously noted, in some cases (such as Alfons Mucha's Mayoral Hall) it is obvious which artist decorated what room.
 * Lovers of Art Nouveau should bless the memories of the Prague Civic Society's officials, because the Obecní dům would become one of the most beautiful examples of Art Nouveau in Prague, filled with artwork by the best Czech artists of the day. Neo-Baroque, neo-Renaissance, Western and Oriental influences – all combined with traditional Czech Art Nouveau. This is what makes the Obecnàdum unique among many beautiful examples of Art Nouveau public buildings in Prague. While the exterior is impressive, the interior is both finely crafted and educational. Almost every prominent living Czech artist worked on the Obecní dům. Painters Mikoláš Aleš, Václav Jansa, Alfons Mucha, Jakub Obrovský, Jan Preisler, Josef Wenig, Karel Spillar, Max Švabinský, Josef Ullman, František Zenoek, and the sculptors Josef Maratka, Josef Václav Myslbek, Karel Novak, Ladislav Šaloun, František Uprka, Bohumil Kafka and Čeněk Vosmík carved out an astounding backdrop for the many historical events that would transpire here. Though their contributions are not conspicuously noted, in some cases (such as Alfons Mucha's Mayoral Hall) it is obvious which artist decorated what room.
 * Lovers of Art Nouveau should bless the memories of the Prague Civic Society's officials, because the Obecní dům would become one of the most beautiful examples of Art Nouveau in Prague, filled with artwork by the best Czech artists of the day. Neo-Baroque, neo-Renaissance, Western and Oriental influences – all combined with traditional Czech Art Nouveau. This is what makes the Obecnàdum unique among many beautiful examples of Art Nouveau public buildings in Prague. While the exterior is impressive, the interior is both finely crafted and educational. Almost every prominent living Czech artist worked on the Obecní dům. Painters Mikoláš Aleš, Václav Jansa, Alfons Mucha, Jakub Obrovský, Jan Preisler, Josef Wenig, Karel Spillar, Max Švabinský, Josef Ullman, František Zenoek, and the sculptors Josef Maratka, Josef Václav Myslbek, Karel Novak, Ladislav Šaloun, František Uprka, Bohumil Kafka and Čeněk Vosmík carved out an astounding backdrop for the many historical events that would transpire here. Though their contributions are not conspicuously noted, in some cases (such as Alfons Mucha's Mayoral Hall) it is obvious which artist decorated what room.

Jewish sites
The Josefov was the Jewish ghetto from medieval times, and was walled off from the rest of Prague. It declined some after about 1780 when Jews were allowed to live elsewhere, and much of it was demolished around the turn of the 20th century.

Eat
For preparing food by yourself, groceries can be got from minimarkets and Žabka stores around. A bigger variety has Penny, Albert and Tesco.

In the north-east around the smallest house in Prague
The Penny supermarket has a bakery with products such as hot dog and a baked peperoni stick for 12 Kč each (May 2022), pizza baguettes and a pain au chocolat additionally filled with pudding.

Drink
There are unusal bars:

Further bars and clubs are:

Stay safe
Be aware of the tourist trap called Old Prague Ham which is an outdoor fast food restaurant located in the Old Town Square. They charge ham by weight and comparing to the locals, tourists are often given much more ham to inflate the price.

title: Prague/Old Town and Josefov


text:
Praia

Praia — literally "Beach" in Portuguese — is Cape Verde's capital and busiest city. While it's maybe not comparable to a western metropolis, with a population of only about 159,050 (2017), one in four Cape Verdeans call the city home and the city is an important thoroughfare for international visitors to the archipelagic country.

Understand
Praia and its suburbs is by far the largest urban area in Cape Verde. The center of the city lies on a plateau (port. Platô) overlooking the bay to the southeast and the airport lies a few kilometers to the northeast. The port is important for the export of agricultural products and seafood, which besides tourism is the most important industry in the country.

Praia is located in the southern end of Santiago Island and has year round good weather. The city is divided into various small unofficial districts, the most important ones being, Platô (city center), Achada Santo Antonio, Palmarejo, Fazenda, Achada Grande, Varzea, Safende, Sucupira (bazaar area), Calbeciera, Terra Branca, Vila Nova, Achadinha, Bairro, Prainha, Monte Vermelho, Achada Mato, Achada Sao Felipe, and other smaller ones. Most part of the city are residential areas, so probably not worth visiting in itself, but worth a half-day exploration if you are passing through to another destination.

The Cape Verdean escudo is denoted "", the same sign that is used by dollars and pesos around the world. In this article, prices after the "$" signs are in escudos, unless otherwise stated.

History
Settlement in Praia started in 1615. Back then the beach was known as Praia de Gamboa and the village below Santa Maria. Its natural harbour was a popular alternative to the one in Cidade Velha (then known as Ribeira Grande) with its high harbour fees. Santa Maria became the capital of the region in 1770, and with this started the growth of the city. Much of the historical old town dates from this time.

The plateau was the focus for development and services at this time. After independence from Portugal in 1975 the city has rapidly grown in all directions, and the population has quadrupled.

Climate
The weather is warm and pleasant around the year. The climate is classified as mild desert, and daytime highs are above +25°C throughout the year. Some rain occurs from August to October, but much less than what's experienced in places with tropical monsoon climate. The rainiest month, August, averages eight rainy days and just under 100 mm of rain.

By plane
Praia is served by

Taxis from the airport to Plateau cost 500$. After 18:00 the cost is 800$. There is one bus line that serves the airport but it’s better to just take a taxi since there is actually only one or two buses that serves this line.

By boat
You can also enter the city through the port. There are ferry boats that have irregular service to and from the islands of Maio, Boavista, Sal and Sao Nicolau, and more regular and scheduled service to and from Sao Vicente and Fogo.

Boat passengers arrive in. As of 2014, there were regular ferries from Fogo (4 hours) and Brava (just 40 min from Fogo). However, the sea is often rough and will probably make you seasick; flying is much more comfortable. Porto de Praia is also where you will land if you're a cruise passenger.

Get around
The city has countless bus stops, and taxis are everywhere waiting for customers.

By bus
There are two main bus companies that serve the city, Moura Company and Sol Atlantico. Each route has their own numbers. The main lines are from Safende to Achada Santo Antonio, Vila Nova to Achada Santo Antonio, Calbeceira to Palmarejo, Pensamento to Terra Branca, Achada Grande to Achada Santo Antonio, Sao Felipe to Plateau, Ponta D'Agua to Plateau,Achada Mato to Palmarejo. Most of these lines pass by Plateau (city center), Varzea and Terra Branca, the bus fare is 41$ (as of February 2022).

By taxi
When it comes to taxis you should be careful with illegal taxis that sometimes roam around and might rip you off. The normal taxi fare between two furthest points of the city, for example Pensamento to Palmarejo, or Palmarejo to Achada Mato, shouldn’t be more than 1500$ during the day or 1800$ at night. Taxi drivers usually expect to get a tip, give around 50-100$. Just be careful and always use taxis that have a taximeter, so that they don’t overcharge you.

By foot
The lack of an official map makes the city a little hard to navigate, especially since large parts still lack proper street names and house numbers. Fortunately, most streets in the city center and in the more important parts of the city do have names and numbers and most people are friendly and will give you directions. Walking between the different districts is not recommended, especially since most of the city's sidewalks are made out of loose cobblestone that make it difficult to walk. Also keep in mind that this town is full of hills that can be tiring to walk. However, if you want to have a good cardio-workout, try it.

A bike can be a good way of getting around both Praia and the island itself. The problem is that bike rentals are sparse, so if you're looking forward to a bike vacation, you may need to bring your own.

By rental car
Rental cars can be found mainly at the airport, but with the boom of tourism some downtown locations have opened as well. Rates are around 4500$ per day including tax and insurance. Usually the first 100km are included in the price too, after this it's 0.10$ for each additional kilometer.

See
A large part of the sights are located at the plateau. The old city wall complete with the old cannons protected it from attackers arriving by sea. The governmental district is in the southern part of town.

Museums and culture

In addition, the markets listed below in the Buy section are worth visiting for the experience.

Events
Cape Verdeans like to party, and there are many events throughout the year. The largest of them is the carnival, taking place in the beginning of the year as elsewhere in the Catholic world. With its procession and dances it is not too dissimilar to the Brazilian version, but here the processions aren't strictly arranged by samba schools but rather a spontaneous and informal event where everyone can partake.

Other religious festivals (for example honoring a saint) are also reminiscent of the carnival, starting with a mass and continuing as a street festival.

Activities
Reportedly having some of the best waves in the world, Praia is a good destination for surfing and water skiing. If you are a beginner, hotels often have courses in these activities. If you want to relax instead, head to some of the beaches in and around Praia. is probably the most popular among locals and visitors alike. Other beaches are, (not suitable for swimming) and.

Buy
There are several markets in Praia. Even if you don't intend to buy anything, it's worth a visit if you want to experience an African market. A great souvenir is one of the patterned, colourful cloths made in the countryside.

Drink
You won't find an abundance of nightspots in Praia.

Splurge
Praia's high-end options are south of the main town in the area of Prainha.

Stay safe
Being the capital and biggest city of the country, Praia has a higher crime rate than most parts of the country. Most crimes involve petty thievery and these are mostly focused on residents and not on tourists, although there have been a few cases which have involved tourists. So though Praia in general is still a very safe city, be careful not to flaunt any expensive jewelry or gadgets like iPhones and such. Cape Verde in the past few years has seen an increase of petty crimes which are done mostly by groups of young people, so avoid groups of young men especially at night.

Praia is also badly lit at night, so be careful in places that might not have street lights and are somewhat isolated, and always travel in pairs or larger groups for safety. However, if anything does occur there are police stations in various parts of the city and a general hospital in the city center.

Emergency numbers

 * Hospital - 130
 * Fire brigade – 131
 * Police – 132
 * Polícia Judiciária – 800 11 34

Stay healthy
There's one hospital in the city:

There are also five community health centers.

Embassies and consulates

 * 🇦🇴 Angola
 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇧🇷 Brazil
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇨🇺 Cuba
 * 🇪🇨 Ecuador
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands
 * 🇳🇴 Norway
 * 🇵🇰 Pakistan
 * 🇵🇹 Portugal
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇷🇺 Russia
 * 🇸🇳 Senegal
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Connect

There are internet cafes in Praia:

Go next

 * Cidade Velha, the historic capital, is an easy half-day or day trip and something not to be missed if you're interested in history. It's among the oldest European-founded cities in Subsaharan Africa, some of the ruins and buildings date from the 1460s when the archipelago was explored and colonized. Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário is the oldest colonial church in the world.
 * The National Botanical Garden in São Jorge dos Órgãos, Ribeirão Galinha district. Hundreds of plants, both endemic ones and from elsewhere.
 * Serra da Malagueta - a mountain of 1064m above the sea level and a natural reserve. It features a diverse flora and fauna and a characteristic climate.
 * Tarrafal - A village with one of the nicest sand beaches in the country. Here you can also see the Museum of Resistance, which functioned as a jail for people resisting the Portuguese colonial government from 1936 until the 1970s.

title: Praia


text:
Praia a Mare

Praia a Mare is an undiscovered pearl in the Calabria region of Italy, the perfect place for travellers looking for a place off the beaten track. This village of 5000 people stands in front of Dino island, surrounded by the stunning Policastro gulf.

By train
Italy's Trenitalia rail network serves Praja a Mare with trains running approximately every two hours. The station can be easily missed, as it is a hub for two other nearby villages as well: look for Praja, not Praja a Mare, when preparing to alight the train.

By boat
It is possible to land small watercraft on the beaches adjacent to the promenade 1-2 km south of the village center. Avoid berthing boats in the area just south of Dino island, especially in the summer--that area is reserved for swimmers.

See
The crystal colour of the water surrounding the Dino Island is worth the trip this little pearl of Mediterranean Sea. The island, 3 km long, offers three marine caves to explore: the Waterfalls cave, the Lion Cave and the more popular Blu Grotto, the largest cave, where the water appears lit up from bottom. The coastline runs for 6 km, assuming several different looks, from sandy beaches to black rocks.

If you are visiting Praja is a must to see the Cave Sanctuary, where is kept the sacred statue of the Maria the virgin, protector of town.

Do
In Praja there's really no time to get bored! You can just relax on the beach, cuddled by the breeze while lying back on a deckchair, or you can make your time simply extreme!

 * White Water Rafting on the Lao river in spectacular Pollino National Park.
 * Cliff Jumping The highlight for travellers who enjoy having butterflies in their stomachs is cliff jumping off Arcomagno Rock, a 22-metre (67-foot) natural bridge over a hidden crystal bay. For less brave divers, lower jumps can be found on the Dino Island coast.
 * Scuba diving. You don't need to be a professional diver to enjoy the coral gardens or the ancient relics lying not far from Dino Island.
 * Trekking Not many places offer the diversity of mountains meeting the sea. Praja does, leading the beauty of Pollino national parks to the clearness of the Tirrenian Sea.
 * Trekking Not many places offer the diversity of mountains meeting the sea. Praja does, leading the beauty of Pollino national parks to the clearness of the Tirrenian Sea.

Eat

 * Pizz Stop on the Main Street sells succulent and authentic Italian pizza by the slice for a reasonable price.
 * Cold Passions is a few doors up. It has long been said that long before are had been colonised, cold passions was a lone gelateria in the same space it stands today and its gelato was so exceptional the town of Praia was built around it.

title: Praia a Mare