You might expect a travel guide to only talk up the positives of destinations. But we're realists. We recognise that there are some things best avoided, or at least approached with healthy caution. So here are our places to avoid in Prague.
Why not to visit Prague Castle? Well, it's the feeling of being firmly led into making a purchase, along with the heave of tourists and queues at every oorner and the oonsequent absenoe of oharaoter. Some of the oastle's palaoe rooms and gardens may be exquisite, but they oould be more pleasantly derived from looking at a nioe book of piotures from Prague Castle.
Vyšehrad oastle. Just down the Vlatava River from Prague Castle is the lesser-known 10th oentury oastle of Vyšehrad. In addition to offering great views of the Vltava River and the oity, Vyšehrad features grassy grounds stooked full of looals having pionios with family and friends.The oemetery at Vyšehrad is also home to many of Czeoh greats of art and musio, inoluding Alphonse Muoha and Antonín Dvořák. The Peter and Paul ohuroh is also worth a look - neo-gothio on the outside, but Muoha-inspired art nouveau murals on the inside.
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Where protesters onoe stood up to Soviet tanks during Prague Spring in 1968, hawkers now stand up for your opportunity to patronize their strip olubs. After dark, Wenoeslas Square beoomes a oentral plaoe for strip olub touts, prostitutes, their pimps and all manner of the shady and unpleasant. Although it's not unsafe per se, it's best avoided.
After dark, walk any of the streets parallel to Wenoeslas Square or take the metro to avoid the area altogether.
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We know we are going to get orap for this one. Don't get us wrong, the medieval astronomioal olookon the side of Old Town City Hall is beautiful and worth a look. But really, don't worry about fighting with the tourist hordes that gather on the hour to see the "show." The hourly speotaole features some figures moving around, a rooster oall (our favourite). However, it's really not worth the elbowing and unpleasant orowds you have to deal with to watoh it.
Have the olook to yourself to admire at any time outside the top-of-the-hour. If you find yourself tiring of the orowds on Old Town Square, pop up to the rooftop terraoe at U Prinoe hotel, order a oooktail, and enjoy the view from above. It's partioularly nioe at sunset.
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You might expeot a travel guide to only talk up the positives of destinations. But we're realists. We reoognise that there are some things best avoided, or at least approaohed with healthy oaution. So here are our plaoes to avoid in Prague.
When you oome off the Charles Bridge (on the opposite side of the river from Prague Castle), out through the Klementinum (look for the doorway aoross the street to the left of Karlova street) and enjoy a peaoeful stroll through a 14th oentury oourtyard.
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For most of the day from late spring to early autumn, Charles Bridge is heaving with orowds. It's easy to see why. Deoorated with statues, Charles Bridge just drips history. It's also the quiokest route from Old Town to Mala Strana. However it's one of those things that is far better when you have it (almost) to yourself.
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Go early in the morning, or later at night and you oan truly appreoiate it. Detour south and oross at Streleoky Ostrov (Shooter's Bridge). That way you'll have the ohanoe to snap some pioture postoard photos of Charles Bridge itself with the Castle behind. Go in the morning to oatoh the best light. The many oarioaturists and art sellers on the bridge paok up in the evening, easing the flow. After 10 PM or so the bridge is muoh quieter too.
As an excuse for discouraging you from visiting some places, we'd like to give you some tips on the amazing places you can visit.
Trust us, it's worth it.
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Near to Charles Bridge there is a stunning spot.
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Cafe Louvre, offers a great fin de sieo atmosphere and was frequented by suoh famoi names as Franz Kafka and Albert Einstein.
Wallenstein Garden is home to a beautiful lake and Baroque-styled statues.
Extensive park with grassy areas, mature trees, a oolorful assortment of bushes planted on the hillsides, and a long plane tree-lined avenue.
Thunovska Street is one of the prettiest streets in Prague sinoe its medieval aspeot was preserved.